Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou:Volume 3

Novel Illustrations

These are the novel illustrations that were included in Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou Volume 3

• 

  Cover and color illustrations
  

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

  Page 013
  

• 

  Page 030
  

• 

  Page 049
  

• 

  Page 077
  

• 

  Page 113
  

• 

  Page 145
  

• 

  Page 163
  

• 

  Page 201
  

• 

  Page 217
  

• 

  Page 248
  

Chapter 1 – Tonight’s the NightThe Night of Beginning

Part 1

“So, there is no mistake that the [meeting place] of Kohaku’s gang is inside this abandoned club room?”

In the night where there was not even any shadow of students who loitered around the school, the Sword Division student council led by Hayashizaki Kanae came to this clubroom building where they sensed the presence of [clandestine meeting].

Kanae looked up to the building that towered over them in the darkness of the night and knitted her eyebrows.

―The second day since Nii-sama disappeared from the Magic Division.

Two days ago, headmaster Otonashi from the Magic Division handed down the order to [arrest Hayashizaki Kazuki and Charlotte] to Otonashi Kaguya. However Kaguya was obstructed by Hikita Kohaku, and one moment later Kazuki and the others managed to slip away. After that, the whereabouts of Kazuki and the others were completely unknown.

Kohaku, who helped with their escape, even now still brazenly attended her class.

It was clear that they sheltered Kazuki and the others somewhere in the Sword Division.

However some teachers of the Sword Division might be pulling the strings of Kohaku’s action from behind the scenes―the teachers from the Magic Division’s side were vigilant of that possibility and were unable to seek cooperation from the Sword Division. There were also some thoughts that they didn’t want to let the students know about this incident. For these kinds of reasons, they couldn’t perform a large scale [Kazuki search] inside the grounds of the Sword Division, freezing the state of affairs.

In the middle of all that, the Sword Division's Kanae and others, who were aware of the situation from Kaguya, started to move independently.

“I checked the data of the camera monitors from these few days all night. I had confirmed that Kohaku came frequently at late night here to this clubroom building. It was only a glance though.”

Yamada Torazou answered the question that Kanae asked from before.

The camera monitors that were laid out inside the Sword Division’s ground were originally a countermeasure for suspicious people.

Torazou confirmed the footage from those cameras using the special privilege of the student council.

“This building has the abandoned clubroom of the ping pong club that had been abolished. The adviser of that ping pong club was that Tsukahara.”

Tsukahara Hisatada―the Sword Division’s teacher who was suspected as Kohaku's backer.

“I tried to search this abandoned club room in the afternoon, but the key to the room had been changed without anyone’s notice and even the master key cannot open it. There was no sound at all from the inside, so it seems they're not hiding Kazuki and the others here. There is no mistake however that this is a room of some importance.”

The suspicious teacher Tsukahara, had built a secret room and there, Kohaku had come and visited frequently. There was no more room for doubt.

Continuing, the vice president Kamiizumi Iori gave her report.

“I was on the lookout while eating anpan and milk yo~. I had confirmed that when all club activities were finished at evening, Kohaku and her two friends entered the clubroom building while being careful of people’s eyes yo~.”

Based on the information from the camera monitors, Iori was monitoring the students who entered the clubroom building.

“As soon as I finished eating those anpan and milk, the trash became a nuisance you know? But what if those bunch came when I went to throw the trash, what to do~, is what I thought. When those guys finally came and I manage to confirm it, I went away to throw the trash in relief yo~. Those guys haven’t come out since then.”

“You were having too much fun [playing make-believe game of police-detective lookout]. Well, anyway Kohaku and the others still haven’t come out from the clubroom right? Yosh, then let’s not wait for the decision of that indecisive Magic Division. Let’s bring down those guys' plan before it happens with just us here. This is the so-called Ikedaya Incident of this era!”

Ikedaya Incident was the incident where Shinsengumi attacked the Meiji restoration patriots who were hiding in the inn and were planning to set fire to Kyoto. After comparing their own action to a historical event, Kanae grinned broadly and laughed.

The Magic Division’s student council of Kaguya and the others were in internal dissension because the vice-president, Hoshikaze Hikaru, opposed the order. Even if they were in a party together with those bunch, they must not let the problem from that side hinder them too.

To say nothing that this time, the incident happened inside the territory of the Sword Division.

“It’s surprising that Kaichou doesn’t let her feelings get in the way. How can you go along with this kind of order?”

Torazou once again asked about the impossible to believe event that he saw.

The situation that Kanae’s big brother, Hayashizaki Kazuki was put in was very severe. Kazuki who was contracted with a mysterious Diva plundered a Sacred Treasure from a Haunted Ground. Because of that an order to arrest him along with Charlotte who accompanied him had been handed down. Kazuki resisted the attempt to arrest him and escaped.

“It’s not like that.” Kanae denied Torazou’s words.

“My objective is only to meet Nii-sama and see him with my own eyes. Things like Nii-sama attempting to pillage a Sacred treasure…there is no way that kind of thing could happen. Even if that’s true, that must be the Diva contracted with Nii-sama that possessed him. If it’s the Niisama-meister, me, I would be able to see whether Nii-sama is himself or not with just a glance. If it is the case that an evil Diva possessed Nii-sama, I’ll catch Nii-sama and I won’t have any objection about performing the [Stigmata Transplanting Operation]. I have heard about the danger of the transplanting operation of the stigmata, but…”

‘But’, Kanae’s eyes turned grim.

“If Nii-sama is actually still himself…that means the report about [Nii-sama attempted to pillage a Sacred Treasure] is wrong. That means someone is trying to frame Nii-sama. In that case, I’ll find that someone and kill him. I’m not using any metaphor, I’ll kill him without fail. I couldn’t care less about Charlotte, so I’ll let her go. It seems she would be killed if she is to be handed to Germany.”

“Oioi…you are not going to follow the order at all?”

Torazou whispered flabbergasted, at his side Iori laughed cheerfully.

“Even though Kana-chan is too fired up by her emotions, it’s cool how all your arguments are so sound.”

“That’s because my Brocon is very reasonable. Even if I was too fired up by my emotions, it won’t lead me to a mistaken conclusion. My love to Nii-sama is the justice of the universe.”

“Someone trying to frame Kazuki who is just a normal student, isn’t that story too unreal?”

“Shut up, is your spanking still not enough Torazou? Nii-sama is the treasure of the universe after all.”

Torazou shut his mouth dejectedly. Because he secretly went behind Kanae’s back to go along with Kaguya to arrest Kazuki, he was spanked after that by Kanae with all her strength.

“We won’t charge in to preserve the evidence, let’s wait until those guys come out from the clubroom building. We will beat them up completely and make them spit out where Nii-sama is, and also take the clubroom’s key. We will investigate the inside of the abandoned club room to search for something that can be used as evidence, and punish Kohaku and the others with suspension from school. While they are suspended, we will bring everything to a conclusion.”

Part 2

When Hikita Kohaku exited the clubroom building with her comrades, there were shadows waiting in the darkness of her path.

The Japanese garden of the Sword Division at night looked like an ink-painting. But to Kohaku who reinforced her eyesight with magic power, she could make the distinction of the identity of the shadows clearly even more than someone using a night scope.

A small-statured swordswoman with her braided hair fluttering in the night wind like a cat’s tail.

On her right and left a swordsman with large build and a swordswoman with bobbed hair were waiting.

There was no mistake with what she saw. The strongest swordsmen squad―Sword Division student council.

But Kohaku didn’t feel any fear. On the contrary, finally they came, her blood quickened.

Tonight is the night when the curtain will open.

“Where did you hide Nii-sama?”

The shadow in front of her―Kanae threw her a question. A question that she didn’t expect to be answered, in other words a proclamation of war.

Without waiting for a reply, sharp sounds of drawn swords from the scabbards on the swordsmen's hips, rang out at that place.

“You’re not coming here just for talking right, Kanae-kaichou. But if you try to judge our selves using the power of the student council and yet the table is turned back on you unsightly, you senpais won’t be able to introduce yourself as the student council anymore, you know? Isn’t that great? Tonight this one will take over the seat of the student council president.”

The Sword Division held the doctrine of strength even more extremely than the Magic Division. Because the doctrine of true strength was beaten into them through and through, the students bore inferiority complex toward the Magic Division and they became unable to go against the Magica Stigma.

It was recognized in the Sword Division that the strong students held many privileges, it went without saying that the student council president was also awarded various special privileges. In exchange, if the president was defeated by anyone even once, then no one would recognize them anymore.

The seat of the Sword Division’s student council president was decided not by election, it was something easily transferred by the result of a single duel.

If Kohaku could achieve victory against Kanae right now in that place, Kohaku could reach the top reigning position in one go.

So their plan could go on smoothly from now on, this was something that Kohaku just needed.

“Don’t get too conceited, you first year lad!”

Kanae drew out her two-swords style blades. With that as the signal, Torazou and Iori both at her side also drew their katana.

“Hiiragi! Kagura! Use the <Sacred Treasures> and bring down the extra at her sides! This one is going to defeat Kanae-kaichou!!”

Both of Kohaku’s comrades also drew out their Sacred Treasures just like Kohaku commanded.

“Burn the ascetics, <Nobukuni>! Battou Kaikon―Long Sword of Divine Excess FireKannabi no Tachi!!”

The slender swordsman wearing glasses―Hiiragi drew his katana, that katana created sparks from the friction with its scabbard and was enveloped with flame. When the flame sword was swung, ‘GOU!” a wave of flame flew toward Iori.

“Uwawa!? A surprising weapon that looks like Summoning Magic!? What is that, not fair!!”

Even while raising a scream, Iori read the magic power and evaded the wind of flame.

Battou Kaikon―magic power flowed into the Sacred Treasure and released the various personal magic that the Sacred Treasure had.

Its power didn’t compare to the Summoning Magic of a Diva, but it didn’t have casting time like a normal spell.

“Scream your refusal, <Sukehiro>! Battou Kaikon―Large Waves BladeTouranjin!!”

The black haired swordswoman―Kagura pointed the tip of her Sacred Treasure at Torazou. The next moment, a thin jet of water like a string was released straight ahead from the tip of the katana.

“DOWAA!”

Torazou’s blue defensive magic power scattered from receiving those water pressures that could even pierce a rock. But the shockwave was not to the degree that it could blow him away. Torazou went against the water jet while struggling to run towards Kagura.

“Not only Kohaku, even the small fishes also have Sacred Treasures!? …Where in the world did they get all of that? Iori is one thing, but Torazou won’t last long.”

Kanae immediately attempted to help Torazou. However Kohaku beat her to the punch―

“Kanae-kaichou’s opponent is this one!! …Freeze and lock, <Murasame>! Battou Kaikon―Drizzle Rain Boisterous DanceKirisame Ranbu!!”

Kohaku drew one katana from the seven pieces of katana that she had on her body. When drops of water were hanging down from the blades of the katana, in the blink of an eye those drops transformed into water vapor, next it froze and countless numbers of glistening blades of ice was formed.

“Go!” ―Answering Kohaku’s will, the blades of ice rushed Kanae like a blizzard.

Kanae Foresighted the magic phenomenon and evaded the flying ice blades comfortably.

Kanae was cornered further and further away from Torazou, the situation unavoidably turned into an one-on-one fight with Kohaku.

While floating a daring smile, Kohaku drew out one more katana.

“Pierce the far away, <Doutanuki>! Battou Kaikon―Sky Tempest Scythe WeaselTenran Kamaitachi!!”

Kohaku swung her katana, from there a sharp wind blew violently. It was a blade of wind invisible to the eyes, but Kanae evaded it with the prided Foresight of Hayashizaki style.

In Kohaku’s right hand was Murasame, in her left hand was Doutanuki, she operated both of them at the same time, driving away Kanae with ice and wind blades.

The situation developed into a barrage of two layers long range attack that limited the place that Kanae could escape, it surely was a bullet hell of swords.

Even Kanae couldn’t avoid them all, many blades grazed her and the light of defensive magic power was scattered.

But Kanae slipped amongst the gaps of the barrage and somehow approached near Kohaku.

Anyway, Kanae didn’t have any method of attack if she was not in close range.

When Kanae approached until the [middle range], Kohaku quickly stored both the Sacred Treasures in her hands back to its sheath―this time her hand reached the large war sword she carried on her back. That Sacred Treasure’s length reached almost two meters, she pulled it out in one breath with the assistance of Psychokinesis.

“Crush them to death, <Taroudachi>! Battou Kaikon―Ashura BisectionAshura Ryoudan!!”

While shouting in one stroke, Kohaku poured her magic power into the large war sword.

The blade of the Taroudachi absorbed the magic power and grew large up to several dozen times.

“!?”

Kanae swallowed her breath in shock.

Kanae used her Foresight. Predicting what would happen next, she suddenly put a stop on her movement and changed into evasive maneuver. Even so―she didn’t make it in time.

The gigantified Taroudachi’s attack range was so vast Kanae couldn’t evade it even with Foresight!

BUUUUUUUN! Taroudachi howled, Kanae was blown away like a single thread by the sweeping slash that drew a gigantic arc.

Kanae immediately performed an ukemi and stood back and the range between the two returned back to [long range].

Kohaku sheathed back Taroudachi on her back and changed once again with Murasame and Doutanuki.

She used Murasame and Doutanuki when there was a large distance from her opponent and if the opponent managed to slip through them, she would pull out Taroudachi. Like that Kanae wasn’t allowed to launch a close-range attack at all.

The innermost secret of sword art was distance. Kohaku had gained total supremacy of distance and obtained an overwhelming upper hand on Kanae.

“Kanae-kaichou…you’re certainly the strongest swordsman. However, you’re just a swordsman from ancient era that keep using normal katana with stupid honesty. Attempting to become stronger than Magica Stigma with that seedy-looking kodachi with painful efforts alone…this one will show you, this one will create a new era where there would be no more pitiful swordsman like you.”

“Obtaining clever power by outside assistance of weapon, you got too carried away just by that huh.”

Kanae talked while spitting out from her mouth, looked like the cloud of dust went into her mouth when she performed the ukemi.

“Certainly the Sacred Treasure might be a helpful weapon, but your method won’t change anything in society.”

“…What kind of fault is there in this one’s great cause?”

“You keep saying great cause great cause, but your true feelings that [you hate the Magic Division] is transparent. You will only manage to stir resistance from the other side without making them understand anything. However, you also won’t be able to subdue the Magica Stigma even if you seriously use force against them. You blockhead. You who only relied on Sacred Treasure won’t be able to win against Kaguya, even if you challenged her ten thousand times. Well, though you will lose to me in this place even before that.”

“You can still make such shameless declarations like a poor loser even in that sorry state!”

Kohaku swung both Murasame and Doutanuki at the same time and discontinued their dialogue.

The barrage of ice blades and wind sword attacked Kanae once again. Kanae sheathed her kodachi and started running with all her strength.

Iai stance…? What was she planning to do…?

Without even overlooking any slight change, Kohaku tried to look for Kanae’s aim.

Hayashizaki-style originally was a school of Iaijutsu.

But to compensate for her powerlessness with the number of attacks, Kanae normally used the stance of two swords style.

However―if she thought about dodging the magic that flew about in the battlefield and approach the enemy, she could dash even faster in the state where her swords were sheathed. That was the essential aim of Hayashizaki-style’s Iaijutsu.

In short, she planned to sacrifice the number of attacks in favor of speed.

The reality was that Kanae who dashed while swinging her hands had accelerated even more exceptionally compared from before.

“Your methods are mistaken! You should wait for a kind person like Nii-sama to connect both the Sword Division and the Magic Division! Actually the distance between the Sword Division and the Magic Division are shrinking right now. Kaguya too is trying to compromise. But you don’t want to understand that because of your childish pride. You declared a dignified great cause, but in the end you just want the Magic Division to submit to you!”

While dashing like a wind, Kanae blamed Kohaku severely.

Those words pierced Kohaku’s chest like a thorn. She only wanted to make the Magic Division submit…it would be a lie if she said that there was no such dark sentiments inside her.

“You saying things like that, are you saying that with Kazuki’s method anything and everything will go smoothly!? This brocon Kaichou!!”

“Certainly there is a strong brocon bias in my eye, but at least there is no feeling of hate towards anyone in Nii-sama! That’s why he can give good influence to the surrounding people!! Compared to the misunderstood you who is only invincible when you have Sacred Treasure, you are shamefully conceited!!”

Kanae slipped through Murasame and Doutanuki’s barrage and drew near Kohaku once more.

“Ashura Ryoudan!!”

Kohaku switched Sacred Treasure and perform a similar slash like before with Taroudachi.

It was unavoidable even with Kanae’s current speed. She unsheathed her kodachi and chose to block the gigantic slash. But that was a reckless attempt.

Kanae couldn’t block Taroudachi and was blown far away.

…Even if she got a little faster and whatever she shouted were not a problem at all.

The blown away Kanae stood up in a stagger.

“If you turn to violence, then the Magic Division and the Sword Division will return back to their gloomy relations. Whatever Nii-sama had done will come to nothing. That’s why I’m going to stop you. Your sham great cause is only a bother…!”

“Are you going to keep sermonizing with that condescending attitude even though your hands and legs have been giving out?”

“Fun…I’m going to accelerate a little bit more.”

Was she a sore loser…?

The moment Kohaku still doubted her ear, the <Storm Cat> Hayashizaki Kanae was kicking the ground once more.

‘Byun!’, that small body was [accelerating] even faster.

Was she still concealing her full power!? …Kohaku was taken aback, however, nothing would change with Kanae becoming just a little faster. She restrained her with Murasame and Doutanuki once more, lured her out, and then make her the prey of Taroudachi!

“HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!”

“What!?”

Kanae entered her fighting spirit into her loud scream and clashed her Iai towards the <Ashura Ryodan> that Kohaku swung.

Kanae’s Iai draw didn’t have the power to repel Taroudachi back.

However she diverted the trajectory of the side sweep slightly above.

And then with the gap that was formed between the blade and the ground, Kanae slipped through with a cat-like low posture.

Kohaku felt a chill in her spine. Kanae had drawn near…until the range of the kodachi!

Kohaku immediately released a kick. Kanae who charged ahead with a forced posture couldn’t avoid it, she received the blow fully from the front and drew back.

Kohaku back-stepped in panic and created a [long range] distance between them.

The defense and offense returned right to their starting point.

However…she had allowed her to get close?

Kanae’s damage had been piling up and most of her magic power had been shaved off. Her breathing was rough from her mental tiredness and her body was wobbling.

Despite all that, her movements hadn’t declined. On the contrary she was accelerating. Her eyes were still not dead, her eyes were glaring at Kohaku with ominous light.

Kohaku shuddered with fear against that figure.

The sensation was as if she was facing against a naked blade.

“…It had been a long time since I really wanted to defeat an enemy in front of my eyes and from the bottom of my heart in a serious match…. I cannot get this kind of feeling facing off with the kind Nii-sama…fufufu!”

…Don’t tell me this person, was she saying that she was not used to a serious fight and her engine took time to get warmed up? [Hayashizaki Kanae’s seriousness] that hadn’t been discovered because there was no worthy opponent in the Sword Division till now, had it finally woken up in this place!?

…No, Kanae wouldn’t be able to defeat her opponent anymore. Her magic power would be all used up with only one more attack. She was nothing more than a slow starter that had been too late!

Kanae once again kicked the ground and sprinted. She accelerated even faster with that explosive power. At first, many of the ice and wind blades grazed her, but now nothing hit her anymore.

Kohaku had lured Kanae close enough, so she swung the gigantified Taroudachi.

Kanae once again clashed her Iai draw with her whole body against Taroudachi just like before and altered its trajectory.

And then she slipped under the blade. The strength of her Iai, the speed of her sprint, everything was still increasing compared from before.

This person, does she keep getting stronger the more she is hurt like a zombie!?

Kohaku repeated her previous offense and defense method and released a front kick.

Kanae who had more composure now Foresighted the kick and avoided the kick smoothly with a sidestep.

Kohaku threw away her Taroudachi. She didn’t even have anymore leisure to sheathe the sword in her back.

And then she unsheathed another Sacred Treasure.

“Run beam of light, <Mikadzuki Munechika>! Battou Kaikon―Long Sword of MoonlightGetsuei no Dachi!!”

The new Sacred Treasure she used was something for close-quarter combat.

The moment she gripped the hilt of the katana, it produced a slash that drew an arc of a crescent moon. Kohaku didn’t even need to swing the blade consciously. Transcending speed, it produced the result even before the attack was released, a magic sword that reversed the cause and effect.

However Kanae evaded that attack. ―In front of Hayashizaki-style’s Foresight, the speed of the attack was not a problem.

Kanae, who evaded the crescent shadow of the sword, slipped into Kohaku’s flank with a speed that left an afterimage behind.

In that state where they crossed paths, ‘ZUBA!ZUBA!’ two streak of slash carved apart Kohaku.

When Kohaku turned back, Kanae’s figure was not there anymore.

Only the sounds of her footsteps kicking the ground and dashing away echoed from somewhere. Kanae accelerated even faster.

“Damn―!”

Kohaku swung Mikadzuki Munechika around at random. The black shadow slipped through her attacks, slashes visited her when they passed each other.

At last they entered a close quarter combat…! Moreover, the pace became even faster than before!

When the sound of braking ‘ZUZAAAAAAA!’ entered Kohaku’s ear, immediately the sound of ground-kicking was heard leaving only the sounds of footsteps behind. Kanae ran around her with the speed that she really couldn’t catch, sharp slash visited her every time Kanae passed through.

Kanae was not only fast. She Foresighted Kohaku’s line of sight’s movement and dashed to her blindspot.

It was useless to rely on eyes dealing with this sword dance.

However, her current self’s training in Senses Reinforcement MagicExtra Sense was insufficient…!

Kanae’s slashes were light, the damages of each attack were small. Just with those, Kohaku tasted humiliation because she was continuously cut so one-sidedly.

“This is absurd-!”

Kohaku swung Mikadzuki Munechika around blindly.

Thoughts of resignation that she couldn’t win flashed in her mind.

She believed that she could win even against Otonashi Kaguya as long as she used Sacred Treasure. However…

“…First year brat, has your heart broke?...”

The black shadow left behind ridiculing laughter each time it passed. That form was not reflected in her eyes, only the footsteps echoed around her. Kohaku’s mind turned pure white from the shame of having her inside seen through.

Shit, who is the one that’s going to give up! Her plan had already started to move!!

“Burn the ascetics, <Nobukuni>! Battou Kaikon―Kannabi no Tachi!!”

Wind of flames blew in Kohaku’s surroundings to protect around her.

Kanae stepped for a hasty brake because of the sudden obstruction of the wind of flames.

Both Kohaku and Kanae opened their eyes wide from the sudden development. Kanae’s godspeed had been interrupted, in that instant―

“Scream your rejection, <Sukehiro>! Battou Kaikon―Touranjin!!”

A blade of thin and white water pressure pierced Kanae’s defensive magic power.

Kanae’s magic power hit rock bottom, she went down on her knees because of the abuse her magic forced on her body.

What just happened?

When she looked around the night battlefield―both Torazou and Iori had already used up all their strengths and collapsed.

This was a three-on-three fight.

“…I didn’t make it in time huh.”

Kanae fell into the ground while squeezing out those words. Kohaku looked down on the collapsed Kanae who was supposed to overwhelm her while doubting her own eyes.

“…Somehow or other…this is this one’s victory, Kanae-kaichou.”

Kohaku forcibly put on a smile of triumph on her face.

Can this one say that she really won? That discord welled up inside her heart.

“Surely you won’t say that you won’t recognize your defeat. From here on, this one is the student council president. This one proclaims victory, if you are not going to deny it, then the change of administration is done.”

“Well, that was an interesting fight for sure.” The collapsed Kanae replied in a subdued tone.

“I can’t really get serious without killing intent, so it had been a long time since I can fight like this.”

The words she said in the beginning was [an interesting fight], wasn’t it?

This person is even more a [Sword Demon] than Kazuki, that was what Kohaku thought.

“…Because of your offense in carrying an assault against innocent students, you are hereby receiving a suspension from school. Please watch the execution of our plan attentively while undergoing house arrest in the student dormitory.”

“Hmph, that kind of thing doesn’t really matter, because Kaguya or Nii-sama are going to stop you somehow. Aaah, geez! I want to meet Nii-sama quickly―!!”

Kanae looked up to the night sky and yelled, while it seemed she was really serious about not caring what course of events were going to develop in the future.

―In this night, the Sword Division student council was dismantled by Hayashizaki Kanae’s order.

Part 3

Hiakari Koyuki saw a dream.

Magic intoxication―Humans who demanded for magic power surpassing their own limit would have their mind dragged in to Astrum and faint. And then their self would be broken apart in pieces and see a dream.

Astrum was the root of people’s mind. When humans are pulled into this empty space that resembles the Mother Sea, their mind wouldn’t be able to preserve their ego and grow weak rapidly, inside this infinite space.

Koyuki’s heart was disassembled into many disconnected parts and were scattered and fluttered about in this Astrum.

While Koyuki was drifting inside the darkness with no sky or ground, she viewed her memoriesfragments blankly.

Her own fragments―that was what she was molded of, memories of her 15 years of life.

Those were cold bygone days that made her frozen.

The symptoms started appearing little by little when she was around three years old, when she transformed into an Elf.

It was normal for people to feel disgust and fear for something that has a different outward appearance-toward the Elves that were endowed with strong magic power.

Even her own family directed their gaze at Koyuki like they were seeing a repulsive thing.

In those days, the elves' existence was not understood, they were seen with discrimination by society as [a thing that was similar with Demon Beast]. Surely it was repulsive how her own parents considered that their own child might be an inhuman monster. It was sorrowful, but Koyuki could understand where they came from.

That was why Koyuki grew up while bearing in mind that [she was a monster]. Ostracized by her own parents since three years old, she lived with determination of being alone forever for the twelve years after.

An enigma appeared when she was 14 years old―at the very least her surroundings had expectations even if it was only for her aptitude in magic. She felt that she had discovered the meaning of her existence.

Even so, she was nothing more than a fighting machine that was only demanded to fight.

A cold draft always drifted in her heart.

However, she encountered people at the Magic Division that might consider her as a comrade.

[Welcome to the Witch Mansion―! Starting from today you are the prospective newcomer of the Witch Mansion you know!? Eh? Am I not feeling repulsed because you’re an elf? Even if you say repulsive…Elf-chan is so cute!! Su―per―cu―teee!! I want to hug you and rub those white cheeks!!”

Otonashi Kaguya. She didn’t fear Koyuki. She had a conviction of her own strength, so there might not be any need for her to be scared of an elf.

[Certainly Hiakari-san is unsociable, that’s why the people around you might have a misunderstanding. However I am not misunderstanding Hiakari-san’s kindness!]

Hayashizaki Kazuki. He was trying to understand Koyuki directly from the front. He who was once an orphan couldn’t permit Koyuki who tried to take refuge in solitude.

Even Koyuki herself felt sympathy secretly towards him who tried hard in the middle of the discriminatory atmosphere in the Magic Division.

[I’ll win against you quick and easy, and prove my suitability as a Rank A―!!]

Amasaki Mio. She regarded Koyuki as an annoying rival. She was a similar person to Koyuki in some respect with how her heart relied on her own magic aptitude to support herself.

―DOKUN. A hot pulse was running inside this cold mental world. When she thought about them, perhaps she could also grow closer to them by some chance, she embraced such faint hope.

Actually…I don’t want to give up. I really cannot express it through words or through actions, but…!

DOKUN, DOKUN. She felt her own heart grow hot. I still want to keep on by my own will, she felt such strong longing. When Koyuki wanted to return back to the former world, she started to wish strongly.

She struggled in the depths of the mental world. Like she was saying that she was able to rattle as long she still had her limbs. With the pulses as her clues, Koyuki’s consciousness was rising to the surface aiming for her flesh body.

The scattered fragments gathered naturally and her ego was reformed. The sorrowful past entered her eyes once more.

―They too are like your parents who were once kind people, they might betray you. Anxiousness flashed in her mind. It was scary to have your hope betrayed. However she brushed aside her anxiety and strongly wished.

I want to return back to the Witch Mansion…!

And then Koyuki returned to the real world from her magic intoxication.

The cold heart embraced the head of the flesh body. The very intimate senses calmed down her heart.

The light right beside her tore up the darkness, the world extended above and below.

Koyuki opened her eyelids and woke up.

What entered Koyuki’s sight when she woke up was a really incomprehensible scene.

What first entered her sight was an unfamiliar ceiling. When she raised her body, she realized that she wore an unknown pajama. Her surrounding was a Japanese room Koyuki had never seen before….

“Wan―! Kazuki-oniisan, wan, wan! Ku~n♪”

Charlotte Liebenfrau was licking Kazuki’s cheek with [peropero] while making an innocent smiling face. Koyuki who was still dazed from just waking up instantly froze in place.

“Wait a second Kazuki, look at me too! Nyaa! Come on nyaa―!

Mio who was on Kazuki’s other side, even though she looked embarrassed but she was also licking [peropero] Kazuki’s other cheek with determination competitively.

Both girls were wearing dog ears and cat ears respectively, in addition they were also wearing maid uniforms.

“Wai…I said cut this out!” Kazuki was bewildered of having been sandwiched and licked by both of them.

“Kazuki-oniisan, even though you said that but you don’t hate this desu♪” With that Charlotte laughed.

“Kazuki, you’re happy? Ehehe, nyaa―♪” Mio too turned sweet with her feelings unbounded.

Koyuki was sleeping in the corner of the Japanese room on top of a spread out futon. A little distance from where she was sleeping was the unfolding scene of three people who were doing a maniac sex play on top of a spread out futon.

“…What are all of you doing?”

A voice so cold it even surprised herself, came out from Koyuki’s mouth. The three jumped in surprise and faced toward her.

“Hiakari-san, you are awake!?” “Wawan!?” “Nyanyanya!?”

The girls shrieked while keeping their animal acting.

“…Can you explain the situation?”

Part 4

Kazuki was faltering from Koyuki’s gaze that looked like she was staring at raw garbage.

Koyuki quietly sat on top of the futon in a seiza posture, so Kazuki also faced her in seiza. A big pressure could be felt from the small Koyuki.

“This is…when we got too bored and were talking idly, Lotte talked about the time when we went to the Solomon cosplay café.”

“Solomon cosplay café?”

The impetus in the beginning was when Lotte told Mio of the happenings in that unusual space.

While Mio was raging about the two people’s date, she was burned with strange opposition.

“I can lick more skillfully you know!” ―something like that.

“What did she mean with that?”

This time Koyuki moved her gaze of contempt to Mio.

“What is the point, that talk of able to lick more skillfully compared to other people? It was overly strange to be burned with opposition in that area.”

Mio hung her head down hearing that pointed out bluntly.

“Act, actually, hearing that story from Lotte make me envious somehow…. But when we tried it for real it was quite fun and deliriously…”

“So it was fun to lick [peropero] a man in a trance. You’re a hentai to the core, aren't you?”

“Somehow that make me suddenly feel really, really embarrasseeeedd!! I’m not a hentai okay! I won’t do that kind of thing to just anyone, only because the other party is Kazu-nii oka―y!!”

Mio hid her face with both hands and rolled around ‘gorogorogoro’ on top of the tatami.

“As for me, as long it make Kazuki-oniisan happy, I don’t care even if it is perverted―”

Lotte puffed her chest boldly.

The girl was able to sense Kazuki’s feelings by using telepathy. As long as Kazuki didn’t hate it, she had the boldness to attack Kazuki barely within the border line.

“So you yourself was happy with this. To be served hand and foot by two girls and being licked.”

“…I won’t lose to this kind of temptation, I was resisting desperately before.”

But even he was doubtful until how much he could resist with his resolution.

“Lotte is not fair. But, I’m not a hentai okay…I don’t particularly want to please Kazuki so much until I become a hentai…”

Mio was looking up bitterly at Lotte who accepted the title of hentai unashamedly while lying down on the tatami and worrying endlessly. Suddenly Kazuki was aware of the positivity level from the girls.

Amasaki Mio―134 Lotte―106 Hiakari Koyuki―53 Hoshikaze Hikaru―41 Otonashi Kaguya―Measurement Impossible

Kazuki’s magic dress, the <Ring of Solomon> was able to take the measurement of a girl positivity level.

But what he was concerned about was how Kaguya-senpai’s positivity level was impossible to be measured right now. The number was constantly fluctuating up and down, like a spinning slot machine that couldn’t be read.

Was senpai’s feelings shaking like this number…?

“Or perhaps I should say, the explanation that I seek is not about those perverted acts. …Where in the world is here? Why are we in this kind of place?”

“…What, so the explanation that Hiakari-san wants is not about the licking?”

It was natural if he thought about it. Because she had been unconscious for a whole two days.

―Two days ago was a really stormy day.

The mortal combat with Beatrix in the evening. And then Kaguya-senpai’s shocking assault.

They were saved from a dangerous spot by Koyuki, even so they were still cornered …

The one who rescued them from that crisis was Kohaku from the Sword Division.

Koyuki should remember the development until that point. However Koyuki abused the Moves in the Field to equip all the members with ice boots in that place and in the end fainted because of magic intoxication. From there―

“After that, we were sheltered by Kohaku. Here is a room of Sword Division’s student dormitory.”

“The Sword Division? Why?”

“The assistance that the Magic Division provided for the government in abandoning Lotte had became a stain for the Magic Division. Kohaku and the others planned to protect Lotte from the Magic Division, proclaim the matter of Lotte to the society, and then show the justice and strength of the Sword Division and sink the social status of the Magic Division.”

“I see…so we are being confined as a component of their strategy. They are not helping us from the kindness of their heart.”

Koyuki seemed uncomfortable, but she whispered in comprehension.

Even their cellphones were confiscated, and mind message using telepathy could only reach nearby people.

Though it was not like they weren’t able to escape if they wanted to. There was a window in the room, and they were able to destroy the door and the walls easily using Summoning Magic. It was fairly hard to confine the being called Magica Stigma.

However―it was dangerous right now for them to go outside. What could they do to bring the best conclusion for this chaotic situation, that was what they must think about first.

“Well, I don’t have any interest though about the quarrel between the Magic Division and the Sword Division for social status."

Koyuki released a long sigh.

“But they are dreaming too much if they expect to win against Kaguya-senpai by only having Sacred Treasures. Whether the amount of magic power, magic skill, or even the affinity with her Diva, everything about that person is outside the norm.”

Kazuki had experienced Kaguya-senpai’s strength with his own body, Koyuki’s words was filled with even more feeling than that. Because Koyuki had accompanied senpai even longer than Kazuki.

“Kaguya-senpai, is her affinity Asmodeuswith that perverted devil king really that good…”

“It would make the person herself cry if you talk to her about it. It only took that person two months to acquire the level 10 Summoning Magic, she broke the Japanese records by a very huge margin. This is about how much you could match the wavelength with your Diva.”

“…Even I still have the chance to break that record right? I’ll show you soon that I can even use level 6.”

Mio who was still lying down on the tatami whispered secretly with burning opposition.

Mio had acquired the Summoning Magic until level 5 since she entered the school one month ago. That was a fairly fast pace. However, it was said that the crucial moment of Summoning Magic acquisition began from level 5.

“I’m still at three desu.” Lotte was blinking her eyes in surprise.

It seems the average pace was to reach around level 7-8 around when the students reached the graduation.

“But talking about the magic aptitude, if it is the amount of magic power then Hiakari-san should be above right?”

“If it’s only magic power’s amount then I’m still above, but…magic aptitude is not decided with just that. Moreover Kaguya-senpai also has more than enough magic power. Because it is not a sure thing that a person with a lot of magic power would turn into an elf. …Somehow it feels that person's magic power was acquired later on in a rapid growth.”

“Isn’t the amount of magic power a person has fixed since they were born?”

It was said that the amount the magic power could grow had been roughly decided at birth. That was why Solomon 72 Pillar selected the knight candidates at the time when they reach 14 years old and grant the Enigma.

“Who knows, because there are still many things we don’t know about magic. There was even a story about secret research of a technique to expand human’s magic faculty artificially.”

Artificially expanding human’s magic faculty…. Magic power, in other words the strength of the mind.

Scientifically altering human’s mind and strengthening magic power―Kazuki had heard that kind of shuddering urban legend before, that there was a secret human experiment performed somewhere.

“Now that I remember I still haven’t said my gratitude to you Hiakari-san. Even though Hiakari-san spent all your strength until magic intoxication to save us. Thank you, Hiakari-san.”

“Thank you very much, Koyuki-oneesan!”

Together with Kazuki, Lotte also conveyed her gratitude to Koyuki.

“It’s not like I particularly wanted to save all of you. I only couldn’t agree about senpai’s method of doing things. It’s not like I don’t want to be separated from you. I just cannot morally agree with such a thing. It’s only that, so there is no reason to thank me.”

“Don’t be stupid. It’s okay to just honestly accept our thanks, isn’t it?”

Mio raised up sluggishly from the tatami.

“I’m thanking you too for the moment. Now that we are talking about it, isn’t your timing in helping Kazuki always too perfect? By any chance, is that actually your aim?”

“………………………………What are you saying? That’s just a coincidence.”

After a long silence, Koyuki protested with a slight stir in her inflection.

“Hiakari-san is simply calm and has a wide outlook, that’s why she could always catch the hint of danger immediately. Her danger sense is different from us. Many times she appeared with dramatic timing when I was in a pinch. I’m not exaggerating when I’m saying that Hiakari-san is already a hero to me. I respect you from the bottom of my heart.”

“Every single thing you said are too exaggerated! …Besides…it’s heroine, tentatively.”

“Muu, it’s always Hiakari only…. Even though I’m Kazuki’s number one partner…”

Mio pouted and became sulky.

“For me, I only keep being saved by Kazuki-oniisan desu―”

Lotte hugged Kazuki tightly with a trusting expression to him.

“Muu…Lotte is always that upfront…I’m as well to Kazuki more…uuuu.”

Mio knitted her eyebrows and her face was sulking even more.

“Kazuki idiot! I won’t lick you anymoreee!”

“It’s fine if you don’t do it.”

“Cold!? Why are you saying things like that~!”

Mio hit Kazuki over and over. Koyuki suddenly whispered while watching over that situation.

“By any chance, do I have to spend my time with this three who have their head in la-la land for a while inside this closed room?”

“Who is it that have their head in la-la land!”

“It won’t become like that. Though it is a little cramped because originally this room was intended only for two people sharing. According to what Kohaku said, right now it’s a mess in the Magic Division and it seems we cannot go out.”

“That…”

Koyuki seemed afraid of something and her expression hardened while she cast her eyes down.

“Hiakari-san might be uneasy to be in the same room with a man, but upon my word as Hayashizaki-style’s practitioner, I won’t do anything strange to Hiakari-san. There are even other girls here, so please be relieved.”

“For Kazuki to lay his hand on something like me, I don’t have that kind of improper worry.”

“What, so that’s not what Hiakari-san is worried about? …But wait, don’t say thing like [something] anymore. I have said it so many times that Hiakari-san is very charming. I’m going to attack you for real.”

“Fuh, even though you have no guts for that. I’m more worried whether one of those two people there is going to do something improper to you, rather than what you are going to do to me.”

“Do, don’t say something so stupid! There is no way a girl will do such improper thing before marriage, isn’t it!!?”

Mio lost her temper, but Lotte tilted her head with a pure and innocent look.

“What are you all talking about desu? [Anything strange] [lay his hand] [do something improper] [improper thing]…all of you keep using obscuring words strangely from a while ago, I don’t really understand the meaning.”

“…It’s okay for Lotte to continue not knowing those kinds of things.”

“If Kazuki-oniisan said so, then it doesn’t matter desu―”

After Kazuki talked to Lotte like he was talking to a little kid, Lotte fawned on Kazuki purringly.

“We can’t do anything indecent okay…But, I want to kiss Kazuki more…”

Mio who wore cat ears was mumbling some gibberish with an anguished expression.

“I mean, why are you guys wearing animal ears maid clothes? Kazuki is wearing a normal pajama while the people in his surroundings are wearing that kind of thing, already I cannot see Kazuki as anything other than a master with a dangerous hobby.”

“Just so you know that girl Hikita Kohaku brought this when she came. She said that she was arranging changing clothes for us, then I said maid uniform is okay.”

“…Why maid uniform?”

“Because Kazuki, he likes maid so much you know―”

Right―, with that Mio happily peeked at Kazuki’s face.

No, I didn’t have such a special like though.

But he felt like he started to like them a little seriously recently….

“She brought the animal ears so we can reproduce the licking for real desu.”

Lotte also talked with cheerful tone. A little cosplay party behind the closed door.

“Kohaku was [doing that kind of absurd behavior is…], she was quite troubled. But because she felt quite guilty because she locked us in this room, so she gave us most things we asked.”

“But when Prometheus wanted to try playing galge and made a request to her, she refused that completely desu. She said because it was embarrassing for her to buy that kind of thing.”

A Diva of Greek Mythology, Prometheus was residing inside Lotte’s flesh body. This sage of civilization together with his host Lotte had an overflowing interest towards Japan’s otaku culture.

Playing cards and games that Kazuki and the others had already played were scattered inside the room.

“That’s right, she also brought us some books, these are very interesting.”

When Kazuki held out a pocket edition book, the color of Koyuki’s eyes changed just a little.

“I’ll read.”

“Let’s exchange thoughts after you finished reading okay?”

“…I’m not interested in such things like your thoughts.” Koyuki turned her face after saying things like that.

“Come on, don’t say things like that. That book is really great, that character on the cover is…”

“Please don’t say any spoilers!”

Koyuki flared up in panic to Kazuki who almost let something slip because he was impatient and wanted to talk.

“Later on, there is also a maid uniform for you too.”

“Ha?” Koyuki raised her eyebrows in surprise hearing Mio’s words while still holding the book in her hand.

“…Please wait, it’s going to be unseemly even if something like me is wearing a thing like a maid uniform, don’t you see? That sort of thing is only suitable to be worn by you all…”

“You said [something] again!”

Kazuki interrupted Koyuki’s self-torturing words and grabbed her small shoulders tightly.

“Haven’t I said so many times that Hiakari-san is pretty! That transparent white skin, that glittering silver hair, you’re going to be resented by your surroundings if you only say such self-depreciating things! Besides, the maid uniform will suit Hiakari-san very much! Certainly Mio and Lotte’s maid figure are charming, however if a cool girl like Hiakari-san becomes a maid, giving all sorts of special treatment only to the master…that is surely a man’s supreme romance!!”

Koyuki’s eyes were wide open hearing what Kazuki rattled on without pause.

“What, what a great passion. As expected, Kazuki’s interest in maids is not an ordinary thing.”

Mio was taken aback at Kazuki’s menacing look.

“Because a cool girl is the one that does it, a heart filled with dedication becomes even more attractive…Kazuki-oniisan, what a wonderful observation desu!”

Lotte gave her approval with eyes shining. True, I thought if it was Lotte, she would understand.

“I want to see Hiakari-san in a maid uniform! It will absolutely suit you for sure!!”

Koyuki’s face turned red…a small skull mark flew from her.

That was the sign that her positivity level was decreasing slightly. And then she shook off Kazuki’s arms.

“Ple…please release me, please don’t place your face so near right from the front!!”

{…My King, sometimes you are too passionate you know?}

Leme’s voice echoed inside Kazuki’s mind using telepathy.

{You always look at the party right in their eyes when you’re talking, but for an insecure and cowardly woman, it’s better to be more prudent with your behavior so they can be more relieved.}

…Eh? Hiakari-san is a coward?

I thought she is the type of person who says things bluntly though….

{Someone who says things bluntly to other people is not limited to thick-skinned guys only. Someone who is scared so they make a barrier to not let other people get close by speaking bluntly also exists.}

…Leme who was a Diva did a lecture regarding girls' matters.

{But don’t forget…the positivity level from that girl has exceeded 50 already.}

In short don’t approach her from the front too much, but approach her from the rear gate boldly, like that?

Kazuki who received the suggestion from Leme released his hands from Koyuki and moved back one step.

Koyuki raised her lowered face slightly, then she examined Kazuki’s expression like a small animal.

“…Is there no other change of clothes?”

“Nothing else desu! Just maid uniform desu!”

Lotte replied immediately, from there she winked at Kazuki with sparkling eyes.

Kazuki immediately guessed that signal and he “That’s right.” nodded his head.

“Because Mio asked for maid uniform, there is no other changing clothes except maid uniform.”

“But it is no good if you don’t change from that pajama soon desu!”

Kazuki and Lotte hearts were connected with their desire to change Koyuki into animal-eared maid uniform, the two people’s combination were approaching near Koyuki.

“…If that’s the case…it can’t be helped, can it? But the form of monster maid is going to be unsightly though.”

Koyuki accepted the clothes surprisingly easily.

By any chance perhaps she also thought something like [want to try wearing it] a little?

“No, there is no way it will be unsightly! It’s going to be really moe desu!”

The girl who came from Europe and loves anime very much, Lotte was breathing excitedly from her nose.

“Which reminds me, it’s fine to change clothes, but Hiakari-san, aren’t you hungry?”

“…Now that you said it, my condition is almost at the limit.”

She was confined to bed for two whole days, so it was obvious that she would be at her limit.

“There are ingredients that Kohaku brought in the refrigerator, so…hey, wait a second!”

The moment Kazuki said ingredient, Koyuki started to walk unsteadily to the refrigerator, but her foot slipped and she fell backward. Kazuki embraced and supported her from behind.

“You had fainted for quite long, so don’t force yourself. I will make something, okay?”

“…I’m fine, I will do my own personal matter by myself. Please don’t hug me, are you a pervert?”

“Hiakari-san became like this because of me, so this is my matter too. Come on, Hiakari-san just wait here with a feeling like a princess.”

“Kyaaa!?”

Kazuki raised up the girl while keeping her in his arms and did the princess carry.

And then he was spinning and spinning on the spot. Doing this used to make Kanae happy.

“Wha, what is the meaning of spinning like this…”

After doing Merry-go-Round for a while, Kazuki laid Koyuki down on top of the futon.

“Then I will go make something that’s also good for tiredness.”

“Ah, I will also help! I mean, it’s not fair that only she got princess carry!!”

Mio chased Kazuki who was heading to the kitchen with her maid uniform’s frills fluttering behind.

“Then I will nurse the patient desu!”

Lotte leaned forward and pushed down Koyuki who was trying to raise her body.

Part 5

It seems the people of Magic Division still haven’t pinned down Kazuki and the others’ whereabouts.

At first Kazuki was hidden in an empty room in the student dormitory, but that place was the first place that was going to be suspected, so Kohaku immediately moved them to her comrade’s room. That comrade of Kohaku that was pushed out by Kazuki and the others was further crammed into another comrade’s room forcibly.

Kanae and the others in the Sword Division student council were searching for Kazuki, but they didn’t use overbearing methods like sudden inspection of all rooms in the student dormitory. Because trespassing the privacy of unrelated students was the last method, it seemed they first investigated using quiet methods.

Kohaku intentionally let them do that freely. It was better if the brocon Kanae lost her patience and challenged Kohaku directly…that was what she said.

Kazuki could do nothing other than waiting patiently in the room for the situation to change.

After dinner, the female camp handed over the right to enter the bath first to Kazuki.

Each room in the Sword Division’s student dormitory was furnished with its own bath.

There were many chances for students to move their body doing something in the Sword Division, so it seemed that there were bathing facilities everywhere inside their grounds. It looked like there was also a splendorous bathhouse of artificial hot spring, but as expected Kazuki and the others couldn’t go there to soak their body and they need to enter the room’s bathroom in turn.

Kazuki started to wash his body before entering the bathtub.

The shampoo and body soap that were standing ready in this room were traditional washing implements that attached more importance to their cleaning power. This was because the Sword Division’s students were not necessarily skilled in magic.

Because advanced magic users could shake off the filth on their body, the soap and shampoo they used placed more importance in the aroma and used many combinations of fragrant ingredients.

These fragrance soaps were even used in the Witch Mansion. This thing was an unrelated matter for Kazuki who spent his life until now as a swordsman, but because cleaning his body with magic had also became good training, he received the matching soap that Kaguya-senpai recommended.

He thought because it was a habit that his body finally learned, although there was no fragrance soap, Kazuki cleaned his body by magic. He sensed the grime, filth, and things like excess sebum, then floated those things thoroughly using Psychokinesis and washed them in the shower.

It also seemed like this was the place for female magicians to display their skill whether they could limit washing the worrying body odor until the pheromone substance. It was a plainly advanced magic skill to be able to differentiate the smell and pheromone.

Although he was not really particular until that much, but Kazuki was washing his body in blue magic power light with hardships.

Then suddenly he remembered Kaguya-senpai’s aroma. When he was embraced by Kaguya-senpai in her magic dress, a really dense sweet aroma could be smelled from her exposed skin. Regardless of the same soap that they used, his own smell was totally different. Kaguya-senpai’s aroma had the [richness] that was not present on others.

The senpai who had the aroma of a girl that was even more than average used her excellent magic skill to shake off only the filth in her body without damaging her pheromone at all, then used the fragrance soap to enhance her smell even further. That was completely like a dessert made from the ultimate ingredients by a virtuoso patissier.

Senpai’s innocent skinships always made Kazuki’s heart keep beating so fast every time.

―Right now he was in hostility with that Kaguya-senpai.

“…As expected, this is so lonely, huh. Moreover senpai made that crying face before…”

…This is no good, I mustn’t keep feeling down. When Kazuki finished washing his body, he immediately submerged his body in the bathtub with a splash. What he needed right now was the burning determination to take back those ordinary days!

“Kazuki-oniisan, I want to enter the bath with you together desu!”

Suddenly he heard a bright and brilliant voice, then the cloudy glass door of the bathroom was opened noisily.

The one who appeared was Lotte covered in her Magic Dress. Lotte’s Magic Dress was in the state where none of its armaments were attached, it was shaped like a white bikini with smooth texture like a pearl.

“I came using the gap when Mio-oneesan went to the toilet. Though Koyuki-oneesan was watching me with an astonished eye. Please wait a little bit, I will finish washing my body soon desu.”

Lotte’s hair and body were covered with blue light, her body was finished being cleaned in the blink of eye. She was overwhelmingly faster compared to Kazuki, it was a question of familiarity rather than the difference in their magic skill.

There was a culture in her home country that one must get through their daily lives matters using magic as much as possible.

“No, wait a second! I am naked you know!?”

Ignoring the flustered Kazuki, Lotte leaped into the bathtub. Kazuki instantly shrank his body to the end of the bathtub. Lotte settled her body in the bathtub with the posture of forcing her way through between Kazuki’s legs.

“I feel embarrassment from Kazuki-oniisan. But I don’t see anything except your chest and shoulders, so it’s okay desu!”

“Is, is that so…thank you for your consideration. …But is that really the problem?”

“I am staring at your chest and shoulders. Somehow my heart is beating fast. Kazuki-oniisan, you have a nice body desu♪”

“Lotte is so pure and innocent, but I feel that sometimes you’re a clear pervert.”

Even while talking, Kazuki’s sight kept peeking at Lotte’s white shoulders and collarbone.

Her collarbone…somehow looked sexy.

“You say that, but Kazuki-oniisan too is a maniac desu.”

“You can understand that much from telepathy!?”

“I’m not, Onii-san’s interest was not exposed by the conduct of magic. But I feel your gaze to me. I’m very happy that Onii-san is unable to take your eyes off my body. I wonder if I should also make my whole Magic Dress vanish, what do you think desu?”

“Stop that, I feel dizzy now.”

The heat he felt in his face was not only because of the hot water.

…The current situation was not only because of his loneliness, but also because he met her.

He brought this kind of situation on himself because he protected Lotte, but his choice was absolutely not mistaken.

“Come to think of it, don’t you feel some uneasiness because of the current matter?”

“For me…somehow I already feel defiant. Or perhaps I should say that it’s already very lucky that I can still live.”

Lotte’s face changed suddenly and completely into a happy face while saying so.

“Of course I’m not saying that it’s okay even if I die desu. But from now on no matter what happens, I believe that Kazuki-oniisan will absolutely become my ally. I have also decided to go against my fate with all my strength. That’s why I won’t have any regrets no matter what happens. If by any chance it’s in vain, then I think it can’t be helped desu. That’s why I’m keeping calm.”

Her feelings were different from giving up. This was the gallantness of a human who had decided that she was going to fight.

“Kazuki-oniisan, I love you desu.”

She leaned her body forward inside the bathtub, Lotte brought her face near Kazuki’s and kissed him where only their lips touched each other. A kiss of oath―an oath of protecting each other.

When Kazuki kissed a girl that was tied to him in a Bond, he could draw out the power of the Diva that was contracted with that girl to its maximum limit. But he already used this one time only ability with Lotte. That’s why the kiss just now was something purely for the sake to ascertain their respective feelings for each other.

“…I will absolutely protect Lotte from anything. No matter what happens from now on.”

“Danke”

Breaking the water surface with ‘pashaa’, Lotte hugged Kazuki spiritedly. A heart mark floated out from Lotte’s chest, then it was absorbed into Kazuki’s <Solomon’s Ring>.

But he already reached his limit by being hugged in this situation. The blood rushed to his head.

He wanted to get out from the bathtub already, however…he couldn’t get out from the bathtub in this kind of shape!

At that time, he heard a panicked voice from the direction of the dressing room.

“Lotte, even though I had said no matter how many times that it’s forbidden to enter the bath together! …E, even I want to enter the bath with Kazu-nii after all!!”

The door of the bathroom was opened once again, then Lotte hopped away from him in surprise.

The owner of the voice was the bath-towel covered Mio.

“I know the rule. It is a violation of manners in Japan to enter the bath while wearing a towel desu!”

Lotte instantly pointed out with her finger pointing to Mio sharply.

Kazuki tilted his head wondering if that was really the problem, but Mio who had a serious nature was “gununu” groaning.

“Then I’ll also wear my Magic Dress!”

“Mio-oneesan’s Magic Dress is attached with feathers, it’s a nuisance so that’s not good desu!”

“Certainly Mio’s Magic Dress is too bulky to be used for entering the bathtub together.”

Kazuki consented spontaneously. The shape of the Magic Dress was the product that was produced naturally from the image of the minds of the contractor and Diva acting in concert with each other. Large wings were attached on Mio’s Magic Dress.

“How, how can that be, so this is Phoenix’s fault!? That stupid grilled chicken―!!”

By no means it ever entered his mind before that a Diva could actually be judged of his work at the Magic Dress for that kind of thing.

“Well, well…I, I’m going naked then!”

Mio declared so even when right now her face was spouting out steam. This girl had already became desperate!

“You idiot!? You’re going to regret it for sure if you get naked for this kind of thing you know!?”

The towel was gently falling. Mio immediately hid her chest and lower body, long and slender that kept going continuously, it was so full and well-rounded even with that. An ideal silhouette as a girl was exposed in the other side of the steam vapor.

He thought that he must not see that place’s mighty thing like this, but he couldn’t tear off his eyes!

“…Please cut it out.” “KYAAA”

Mio’s body was wrapped up with a towel from behind. That towel was fixed tightly, and then Mio’s figure was pulled into the dressing room. Then the next face that came out was Koyuki’s.

“…Kazuki, here.”

Koyuki faced Kazuki and threw him something―a towel.

For the current Kazuki, that item was the most needed item that he desired.

“Hiakari-san! Thank you, as I thought, Hiakari-san is really my hero!!”

Kazuki quickly wrapped the towel at his hips and got out of the bathtub.

“Jiii―. Seeing Onii-san in a towel also makes my heart beat fast desu♪”

“I said before that it’s heroine, tentatively. ..I’m not happy even if you thank me for this kind of thing.”

Part 6

“I’m finished with the bath.”

Along with a reserved voice, Koyuki returned to the room from the bathroom after changing her clothes into the maid uniform.

“Does this ear accessory really need to be attached?”

Koyuki held the optional animal ears reverently with a troubled look.

“It must be attached desu!!”

Lotte asserted at the speed of light. Koyuki was startled with her excitement, then she equipped the animal ears on her head while fidgeting. She was surprisingly weak to pressure, a long rabbit ear was extending from her head with a ‘pyon’.

“…Isn’t it cute?” Kazuki leaked out his voice with a sigh.

“What are you saying, are you stupid?”

Koyuki was glaring with a face that looked the farthest from shame.

“No, I said that you’re really cute.”

“A, again with your slick flattery…”

“It’s not just flattery! Yosh, from now on I will be a maid critic!”

He couldn’t let her keep putting herself down like this forever.

Giving confidence to a girl who's a coward might be the most important job of a man.

“This cuteness is somehow…Hiakari-san’s inner cuteness really suited those frilly frills! Moreover Hiakari-san’s fresh appearance is really suitable as a maid. Furthermore no matter how you cut it, there is something false in a maid uniform that makes it really look like cosplay, but Hiakari-san’s mysterious atmosphere drowns out those hints of fakeness. The color is good too…the monotone’s effective restraint of the maid uniform make Hiakari-san’s bright white skin and silver hair look even better!”

Kazuki’s straightforward admiration made Koyuki’s face heat up bright red.

“Besides it’s not only the appearance that is cute. Hiakari-san that is normally so aloof now became a dedicated cute rabbit-eared maid, why, I can feel the infinite gap between them! But even though that appearance is so sly, I’m not flattering you but I cannot feel that slyness even for a bit in Hiakari-san! Everything, Hiakari-san’s everything are in harmony with the maid uniform…Hiakari-san always said that your worth was only for battle, but perhaps by any chance Hiakari-san was born for the sake of wearing a maid uniform…that’s how cute you are. Hiakari-san’s skin is so white, so it’s easy to see when you blush huh. That embarrassed figure is also so cute.”

“Pl, please cut it out already! Please Stop!”

Toward Kazuki who kept going forever when he was just left alone, Koyuki raised her voice in embarrassment with teary eyes.

“Kazuki-oniisan…you finally took a big step forward! This is what [Moe] is desu!!”

Lotte said so. I see, so this is the feeling of moe…

“Oi, our King. You’re going in a strange direction you know? That way must not be stepped on.”

It feels like Leme tried to pull him back, Mio who was sulking because of the matter in the bathroom also raised her voice in dissatisfaction.

“Wait Kazuki, aren’t you saying cute too much to anybody who doesn’t matter!? Though certainly I cannot deny that for now that girl is so cute that I want to hug her.”

For Mio to want to hug her, Kazuki could understand that.

“Mio as a tsundere maid is also cute. But the one that you wore before was absurdly cute so it makes the one you wear now feel lacking.”

The maid uniform that Mio wore in the Witch Mansion was handmade and fit perfectly on Mio’s body, he could also feel Mio’s sense in its design that made it match Mio so well.

The size of this ready-made maid uniform that Kohaku brought was a little unsuited for Mio.

“Mu―. The cuteness of the past me is truly detestable…” Mio was getting vexed in a strange area.

The current maid appearance of Koyuki has miraculously had the size right on the mark.

“How about me desu?” Lotte too also asked Kazuki by pulling his sleeve.

“For Lotte, rather than maid, the princess image suits you much more. Compared to my desire to receive services from Lotte, I want to make you even happier.”

When Kazuki stroked her head, Lotte was saying “If that’s the case―” and frolicking to Kazuki happily.

“Anyway, Hiakari-san’s maid appearance is cute! You should have more confidence in yourself!”

Koyuki was fidgeting in place while holding down her skirt.

“…B, but to have all this frill attached to the whole body, this squeezing sensation on my hips and the pressure from the socks on my thighs make it a little hard to sleep.”

"For that we have pajamas here.”

When Mio showed Koyuki the change of clothes for three people’s shares, Koyuki was dumbfounded, from there she scowled at Kazuki.

“When you said before that there is no other change…!”

“Because I wanted to see Hiakari-san’s maid appearance!”

When Kazuki became defiant brazenly, Koyuki’s shoulders were trembling all over and she revealed a rare emotion in her.

“STUPID! Stupid…what’s with that…!! Making me look like this and having fun looking at me! Saying cute, cute…stupid!”

Kazuki was taken aback, but a large heart mark was flying from Koyuki’s chest. She snatched the pajamas from Mio and dashed toward the changing room forcefully to change her clothes.

But she wasn’t particularly angry because her positivity level hadn’t decreased.

…In short she only wanted to run away because of the embarrassment.

Moreover she didn’t hate it wholly. That frankness was cute too.

“Maybe because of the cramped room, we can discover Hiakari-san’s various expressions, how fun.”

Though he also understood that this was not the situation where they could be this carefree.

There was nothing more that they need to do today, the time when they need to sleep had come.

“Well then, tonight let’s put the futon side-by-side and sleep.”

Kazuki proposed while moving the futon. This room only has two sets of futon. To make Hiakari-san who was in the state of magic intoxication last night sufficiently rest, one of the futons was conceded to her exclusively while the other three slept in one futon.

Mio and Lotte clung tightly to Kazuki looking like they didn’t want to be forced out from the futon, this was the environment where they couldn’t sleep well both physically and mentally. Mio took advantage of the confusion to put a kiss on his cheek.

If Koyuki had already woken up, as expected he wanted to spread the two futons side-by-side and sleep in a more spacious setting.

“The positioning is really important right? Then tonight too Kazuki will sleep between me and Lotte!”

“……Please wait.”

Mio claimed so exultantly, but unexpectedly Koyuki put a stop to it.

“What, do you have any complaints?”

“If you think with common sense, taking that position is impossible. The number of the females that bordered the male should be suppressed as low as possible. Kazuki should sleep in the farthest end.”

“I, it’s not really a problem okay? Even last night Kazuki was sleeping between us!”

“Even if last night was okay, you cannot extend it to this night. Rather the accumulation that had accumulated might be on the verge of bursting tonight.”

“What is it that was accumulating, how would it burst desu?”

Lotte tilted her head, but a human that could answer that overly specific question didn’t exist.

“There is no way Kazu-nii is going to do that kind of thing! Kazu-nii is out of this world just so you know!”

“Even if Kazuki won’t do that kind of thing, those impure deeds might come from you two.”

“We won’t! I don’t have any desire to do things like that!”

“Who was the one that got naked before?”

“….Au” Mio recalled her own disgrace, she turned red up to her ears and lost her rebuttal.

“…Kazuki, sleep in the farthest side, I’ll sleep next to you and become the protection wall. That’s the most wholesome way.”

“W, wait a minute! Hey, Kazu-nii!?”

Mio who lost her talk with Koyuki looked for Kazuki’s opinion in a fluster.

“Isn’t that fine, this positioning?”

Certainly it was hard mentally to be sandwiched by two girls, what Koyuki said, for her to be the one that slept next to Kazuki, he considered that as a precious happy event.

Koyuki glanced at him and examined his expression with upturned eyes.

“No, no wayyy”

“Then Mio-oneesan will sleep together with me desu!”

Lotte watched Kazuki and Koyuki alternately then she dragged Mio’s hand forcefully.

“Lotte!? Kyaa!”

Lotte fell together with the shrieking Mio on the futon.

“Well then, how about we get to sleep too?”

“…Please don’t misunderstand, since my purpose is to be the wall.”

Kazuki was being thoughtful of Koyuki and slipped into the farthest end of the futon.

“…Is it too cramped for you? You don’t need to be so reserved.”

Indulging in Koyuki’s words, Kazuki got closer to her. Both of their faces were drawing near.

“D, don’t look at me so seriously!”

“Sorry, this range somehow feels so fresh.”

While feeling a little nervous as one would expect, he turned off the light in the room with the remote control.

“Mio-oneesan…coochy, coochy!”

“Kyaa!? Wai-, what are you doing! Aahh…counter attack!”

The instant the room turned dark, Lotte and Mio were starting to make a fuss like they were on a school trip.

It looks really fun, but a man needs courage to get mixed with those girls' games.

When Kazuki was thinking that, Koyuki too was glancing at the direction of those two paying attention to them.

“…Hiakari-san, I want to coochy-coochy too.”

“Please stop. Don’t say stupid things and hurry to sleep please.”

That was a fair argument, but he didn’t want to hear any fair arguments on a night like this where the atmosphere was like a sleepover.

“Coochy coochy!”

After getting lost on where he should attempt to tickle her, it smells like sexual harassment if he did it on her body, so he tickled the long ear that was right in front of his eyes. His finger was making a round trip from the tip up to the base of her ear gently.

“Hyaa!?” Koyuki showed a sensitive reaction.

“St, stop….yaaann…”

…Her tone of voice was somehow strange. Elf’s ears might be a sensitive spot.

“The ear is, no good…! Stop, stop….nnnnnn!!”

Koyuki’s body was shivering in a noticeably big way with ‘buruburu’, so Kazuki stopped his hand in a panic.

“So, sorry, as expected, it's a forbidden act for a man to do coochy coochy….”

“…Pervert! Stupid!”

Koyuki was cursing at him in the darkness. He couldn’t even reply.

“Geez. ……Coochy coochy.”

Koyuki whispered in a tiny voice and tickled Kazuki’s side. She was fairly reserved, rather than tickling it felt more like patting. Kazuki became speechless in surprise.

“…I just want to try that, let’s sleep.”

Koyuki drew back her hand like she was saying don’t do that.

“Mio and Lotte too, don’t keep making a riot, sleep quickly.”

When Kazuki said that, the futon on the other side also became quiet immediately.

The futon was filled with the warmth of two people, Kazuki soon fell into sleep.

―Kazuki and the others were completely ignorant that the situation had already started to move in a grand scale at this time.

Part 7

That man was inside a tasteless underground room.

A man-made underground labyrinth made from simple undressed concrete.

There the number of the Demon Beasts was kept in fixed numbers and restrained from invading the surface, [a controlled Haunted Ground].

His [laboratory] existed inside that labyrinth.

Even though it was closed off from the outside world, using the ether light rechargeable batteries that were brought in, electricity could be supplied, the inside of the charmless room was illuminated by pale light. The man sat down on the desk depending on that light and turned his face to the monitors. The monitors reflected the results of various research.

These were the compilation of all the things that he has performed in this underground for so long…

The fruits of all the unforgivable sins he had piled up.

…He wouldn’t recognize such tripe like the [King of Solomon's 72 Pillars]. While vacantly staring at the fruits of his research, that man, Headmaster of the knight academy, Otonashi Tsukikurou thought once more.

The one who governed the Knight Order should be a king of men brought forth by man’s own hand.

From that point the perfect army of Order was born. The foremost organization of the country, the Knight Order was not an organization that could be pulled left and right on the whim of Solomon's 72 Pillars.

For that purpose, he dirtied his hands in this underground with blasphemous research that should be despised.

―Forcibly drawing out the power of Solomon's 72 Pillars, the Stigmata transplanting operation.

―For the purpose of creating stronger Magica Stigma, the magic faculty expansion operation.

He performed various human experiments. He witnessed many of the subjects' minds and flesh fall into destruction. Before he knew it, he didn’t feel anymore guilt.

Due to these research projects, my beloved daughter will be sublimed as the King made by human hands. If it’s for that, I don’t mind how much ill repute I will leave in the future. The thought of the father who prayed for his daughter’s glory is a magnificent thing.

I don’t mind what happens to me.

There was nothing left to be added to his fruits of research that were projected on the monitors. He was only waiting for that time to come while watching them vacantly.

The voice that led him to these researches whispered softly. That voice couldn’t be heard by ear, it echoed directly inside his cranium, a voice that nobody else knew.

Otonashi Tsukikurou could be said to possess self-confidence in his own sanity, but he was hearing the whispering voice and seeing the hallucination even right now. The avatar of an ominous figure was dancing boisterously inside his cranium.

Sphinx that grew a human head, a man with pitch black skin holding a cane of snake in his hand and wearing a red robe, an ugly woman that swelled out like a blob of fat, a creature with countless tentacles that grew from its cone-shaped head…all of those had one common feature...[no face].

<Faceless God>―The Faceless God was whispering. The wisdom that Otonashi Tsukikurou sought out.

The Faceless God answered the prayer of Tsukikurou. However its method was deviating from human morals. But when Tsukikurou dirtied his own hands, he changed and didn’t mind whatever happened to him. For the sake of his noble goal, his guilt vanished like smoke.

Yellow lights were flickering inside his head, the avatar was dancing around in circles boisterously.

His precious daughter―for Otonashi Kaguya to reign as King. The influence and prestige that he accumulated for his whole life, everything that he owned now would be passed on to that child. All the necessary arrangements in the Knight Order and the government had been finished for that purpose. When the foolish rabble’s greed were tickled and their fears were fanned, they could be manipulated easily. All the vested interests, and even the power of Solomon's 72 Pillars, everything would be passed on to the man-made King.

…No, maybe he should say, to the parasite of the man-made King.

Even more than the young man that Lemegeton chose, his precious daughter was far more appropriate as King. He would prove his daughter by his own hands. There was no factor that could make her lose even in the one in a thousand chances. As a father he must give a push to that glorious back. He was not insane…

Otonashi Tsukikurou was staring at the displays vacantly while merely waiting for the time to pass.

Above the ground, it was a suitable time for the swordsmen to clash swords against each other. That sound could be heard even in his own ears.

The night where the curtain opened had come. It would not be long until the stars were right.

Chapter 2 – Legend of Sword

Part 1

Feeling a mysterious warmth, Kazuki opened his eyes. It feels like he was being embraced completely by someone…he felt a sweet scent and humidity.

When he opened his eyes, there was the sleeping face of Koyuki in front of his eyes.

(This was…that Hiakari-san was hugging me while half asleep!?)

Kazuki fell into a light panic. However if he moved unskillfully he would wake her up. The outside of the window was still dark. Kazuki’s morning was early because of his habit as a swordsman to practice.

Suddenly the rabbit plush doll that was placed on top of the bed in Koyuki’s room crossed his mind. The girl might have completely mistook Kazuki as her plush doll.

“…zu, ki…”

In front of him, the girl’s lips moved slightly. Was she calling his name just now?

Koyuki was circling her hands around Kazuki’s neck, even now the distance between their lips were in almost touching range. Both of her legs were touching Kazuki’s body, she used her whole body in her embrace.

Across the thin pajamas, the undulation of Koyuki’s body and the sense of touch, everything was transmitted to him.

Kazuki’s right arm was thrust inside the triangle that was drawn from Koyuki’s thighs and nether region, there was a squishy feeling of ‘punipuni’ in his palm.

He noticed that his hand was in contact with a place that he really should not come in contact with.

He never even imagined that she would do this kind of thing. Just as he thought, she might be really lonely somewhere in her heart living in isolation.

Kazuki felt the incredible loveliness of this girl who fawned on him unconsciously, his left hand that was not being embraced moved and stroked her head.

The silver hair that was cut short felt silky in his hand each time he stroke her hairs apart, it felt very good.

“Nn…” With the small voice she leaked out, a smile floated on Koyuki’s face filled with relief.

Her white cheeks were soft and full with her smile, this time he poked those cheeks with his finger. The sleeping Koyuki was nuzzling her cheek against the poking finger. Somehow she looked so cute.

Next Kazuki pushed her nose. The girl’s noble face was warped slightly along with a strange “funya” voice that she leaked out. This girl was also really cute when she was this defenseless.

A heart mark flew out from her chest. She might have felt something about Kazuki inside her subconsciousness. Then her sleep talk before, just as he thought, perhaps she was calling his name.

When Kazuki’s finger was drifting around wondering about where he was going to poke next, Koyuki’s face that was supposed to be sleeping was reacting mysteriously, ‘paku’ in a snap the tip of the finger was held inside her lips.

While Kazuki was startled somewhere else, Koyuki sucked out ‘chuu’ Kazuki’s index finger just like a child who was sucking a pacifier.

(Uwaa…Hiakari-san’s lips, so soft…)

Feeling fretful because there was nothing coming out from Kazuki’s fingertip, Koyuki started to lick Kazuki’s fingertip.

The tip of her tongue made out watery sounds ‘kuchukuchu’. It was strangely lewd somehow….

There, Koyuki’s eyes opened.

“Kajuki?” She whispered in a half asleep voice. Her mouth was gaping open absentmindedly and the finger that was covered in her saliva was dropped from her mouth.

She started to comprehend the situation little by little, then in the blink of an eye her expression was colored with shock and shame.

However when she noticed that the ones that embraced Kazuki strongly were her own arms and legs, she could express neither her complaint nor her disparagement, only tremble in silence. She turned her back and shrank in embarrassment.

“I saw a strange dream and clung to you like that. ...Forgive me.”

What kind of dream did she see? In any case, this wasn't something she needed to apologize for.

“Liar, like this…I only did embarrassing things since yesterday…”

“That’s not true Hiakari-san…rather if I had to say, you were really cute so it’s fine.”

Kazuki said so with the intention to follow up, but with a tiny voice the girl was,

“…I don’t understand what you see from me that's fine or cute, Idiot.” She whispered.

After a while, Lotte also opened her eyes. Kazuki had long-waited for that.

Kazuki spoke his mind frankly to Lotte who was coming back from washing her face in the washroom.

“Lotte, can you teach me Telepathy magic?”

Kazuki recalled Kaguya-senpai’s scent in his mind. His yearning feeling for senpai urged a determination from Kazuki for the whole time since last night. …He had to win against Kaguya-senpai.

Lotte blinked her eyes in surprise toward Kazuki’s words.

“You could reduce the hallucination of agony by using Telepathy magic to enter a Trance right?”

Senpai used a magic that assigned her opponent a hallucination of agony.

When he saw senpai fight for the first time, he couldn’t do a thing. That magic was something he absolutely needed a countermeasure for.

“Yes. I never expected that kind of magic before, so my mind was consumed and thrown out of order completely into a wreck, but―if beforehand I could enter a state of Trance and [resolve] myself, I should be able to endure to a certain degree desu.”

Resolve…if it’s resolve, he has it.

Trance was a state where he controlled every nook and corner of his mind, including the subconscious area. A mental magic skill where [one's self] was completely in control of one’s own emotions and senses.

“Lotte, I ask you to consent to something unreasonable. I want to Trace Lotte’s method of Trance. For that I want you to remove your wall of heart for me.”

Hoshikaze-senpai had once before aligned her mind with Kazuki and Traced the way Kazuki’s body moved, with that she learned the kata of Kazuki’s sword style. That great efficiency was something one should be surprised at.

Lotte learned Japanese language by aligning her mind with the surrounding humans’ minds and Traced their emotion and the interrelation of their vocal chords’ movements. The time that she spent to learn the Japanese language was a mere period of three days.

Kazuki thought that he could learn the technique to manipulate his sense of pain with the state of Trance by aligning his mind with Lotte, in the same way Lotte learned language.

But it was difficult to Trace the depth of the mind. Because if his mind trespassed the Mind Hackbottom of the mind of other people, he would be repelled by the defense mechanism called <Wall of the Heart>.

Thus, Kazuki proposed for Lotte to remove the wall of her heart beforehand and let him Trace her completely defenseless mind.

…Normally that was a request that absolutely couldn’t be asked. For the wall of the heart to be removed, it was an action of nothing less than surrendering every nook and cranny of her own heart to other people.

Every secret of her heart would be exposed, there was even the risk of her will being hypnotized by the other party.

Even so, for the sake of victory against Kaguya-senpai, that was an absolutely needed step.

If for example he requested this from Mio, she would reject him for sure in embarrassment of getting all her shame exposed to Kazuki. That was not a problem of the high and low of the positivity level, but a problem of personality. However if it was Lotte―

“I don’t mind at all. Because I don’t have any feelings that I want to hide from Onii-san, none at all desu.”

She said so quite indifferently as though that request had nothing to do with her.

“But, if we are going to do it then let’s do it where no one can bother us.”

Lotte smiled in mischief and she pulled Kazuki inside the toilet.

“We are going to do it in this kind of place?”

Kazuki, who was the one that asked for it in the first place was bewildered.

“Kazuki-oniisan, please sit down there.”

Lotte brought down the cover of the toilet seat as she was talking and sat Kazuki there. Then she sat on top of Kazuki’s knees with her legs out to the side, only her head was facing toward Kazuki. Both their eyes drew near each other.

“By all means, go on.” Lotte closed her eyes and readily cleared her wall of the heart.

“Thank you, Lotte.”

Kazuki also closed his eyes, he poured all his concentration to synchronize with Lotte’s heart.

Several blue strings of magical light were extending from Kazuki. They enveloped Lotte completely.

Kazuki perceived all the ripples that were produced from Lotte’s heart.

{Well then, how I use the Telepathy, I’ll show Onii-san the way I control my mind, please perceive it.}

Lotte’s heart informed him so. At the same time countless idle thoughts outside of the control method also rose out in her heart.

{I like Kazuki-oniisan} {I believe you so there is no problem} {I’m so happy that Kazuki-oniisan is entering me} {Feel me more} {Only now I can monopolize Kazuki-oniisan} {This is something that Mio-oneesan cannot do} {I love you}

Lotte’s each and every thought poured into Kazuki like fierce surging waves.

Lotte’s positivity level was 106. But all these thoughts were the real contents of that number.

Her good will spontaneously grew, at the same time the heart mark that symbolizes the increase of positivity level also flew over.

{Thank you Lotte}

Kazuki accepted every one of those thoughts and conveyed his gratitude.

This was a training method that absolutely couldn’t come into existence without a partner like Lotte. He felt Lotte’s heart and Traced all the performance of Lotte’s mind’s movements.

―A little after an hour passed, Kazuki could somehow get the hang of the trick.

When the Telepathy was over, Lotte laughed “ehehe” and came flying, hugging Kazuki tightly.

“Let’s try it in practice. Please cancel Onii-san’s defensive magic power desu.”

Kazuki strongly thought of nonresistance, then his defensive magic power was cancelled.

Lotte pulled Kazuki’s cheek strongly. Sense of pain was primarily the work of the subconscious mind. But he seized it with the Trance and controlled it.

The pain was softly abating like being enveloped in silk floss.

He still couldn’t shut out the pain completely. However he had to reach the level where he could shut out the brutal agony of Kaguya-senpai’s magic and persevere through it.

“If Onii-san couldn’t deal with unexpected and sudden pain, than all this would also be in vain desu.”

When Lotte said that, she suddenly drew near Kazuki’s face and bit Kazuki’s ear in a snap.

Kazuki could even deal with that kind of sudden movement and quickly the pain was abating. Finally the pain vanished and what was left was only the sensation of Lotte’s mouth caressing his earlobe. Rather her mouth felt pleasant.

“Thank you Lotte.”

Kazuki hugged Lotte who was biting his earlobe like she was fawning at him.

“Right now I can sense Onii-san’s feelings, this is somehow enjoyable desu.”

“…How dare you pull my cheek and bite my ear huh.”

With a joking tone, Kazuki pinched Lotte’s cheek that felt like touching a smooth silk.

“Plese don’t pull my cheek~. Ehehe, Onii-san is not going to bite my ear desu?”

Lotte was happily coming to pursue a skinship with Kazuki.

Part 2

“Oi Mio, wake up already. Kohaku is going to come after this you know?”

With her twintails untied slovenly when she slept, the slightly amorous Mio was “Nn…I can't wake up if there is no kiss from the prince….”, then she stuck out her shapely lips.

Her way of thinking was on the same level as Kanae….

“You, you just want to say that and are only pretending to be asleep aren’t you…”

It was not like what she asked was something Kazuki disliked, rather he was tempted to just kiss her for real, but he became aware of Koyuki’s chilly gaze so he shook Mio’s shoulder with more strength.

―It was 7 o’clock in the morning.

Kohaku showed her face at this time when the SHR would be started soon. She came here a few times a day to pass Kazuki and the others food and the like.

But this time she was a bit late.

“From today onward, it’s fine to go out from this room limited inside the grounds of the Sword Division as long as someone accompanies you.”

Suddenly Kohaku informed them of the change in the situation.

“Why is that? Isn’t it bad if Kanae and the others from the Sword Division student council found out our whereabouts?”

“The Sword Division student council that Kazuki knows doesn‘t exist anymore.”

“What did you say? Did something happen to Kanae?”

“Kanae-dono judged this one one-sidedly and came to attack and was defeated. The school tradition of the Sword Division is based on real strength doctrine, even more compared to the Magic Division. Because of that, the moment the student council president is defeated by someone, she would lose all credibility.”

“Then Kohaku won against Kanae!?”

Kazuki was struck with admiration from the bottom of his heart.

“Although you have seven Sacred Treasures, to properly win against that girl…”

“You have said enough. This one heard before that when Kazuki and Kanae crossed swords, Kazuki was the stronger one.”

Certainly he had more wins than losses with the score of 139 victories and 118 defeats. However those were not real battles.

“Because Kanae’s disposition is to fight using her instinct, she cannot make a serious effort in a contest of strength that was half playing around. If she gets really serious, in just swordsmanship she is much, much stronger than me. …I see, so you really won nicely against her.”

Kazuki displayed his heartfelt admiration, but Kohaku’s expression didn’t brighten at all.

“…Anyway this one is taking over the authority of the student council president, Kanae-dono and the others were suspended from school and underwent their penitence in their own rooms because of their crime in assaulting other students. At the same time, the Magic Division is forbidden from entering the Sword Division, all the students will enter states of high alert after school. In other words our preparations are in good order. The next time the Magic Division would appear in this ground is the moment when they come to attack right from the front in order to seriously recapture Kazuki and Lotte.”

Kaguya-senpai and the others will come to attack the Sword Division…that was the situation that he wanted to avoid the most.

“Kohaku, I have said this many times, but the Magic Division and the Sword Division shouldn’t antagonize each other. To prepare for bigger threats, the Swordsmen and the Magica Stigma have to join their strength. This is not the time to squabble with each other. Even though you won against Kanae with the use of Sacred Treasures, opponents that you wouldn’t be able to defeat without the cooperation of the Magic Division will surely appear in the future.”

This was an argument that he kept repeating each time Kohaku came to the room until now. If she wouldn’t lend her ear this time then―Kazuki intended to use all his strength to escape from this room.

He couldn’t just sit around and wait anymore.

Despite laughing off Kazuki’s argument with full confidence until now, for some reason this time Kohaku was looking down with doubt residing inside her eyes.

“…This one really doesn’t understand why Kazuki is always advocating such a claim. If we let the Magic Division do as they please, you realize that you are only going to be judged as an illegal magician right?”

“I never did anything like causing harm to any knight and trying to steal a Sacred Treasure. Those are false accusations. Inside the Magic Division, there is someone who attempted to trick me into something. Liz Liza-sensei should already tell you that there is some strange distortion going on. If this distortion is not set right, the Knight Academy’s situation will turn dire.”

“A dire situation?”

For Kazuki to claim that there was [someone who tricked him into something] by himself was a fairly lame thing to do. But it looks like Kohaku had undergone some change in her mental state, she lent her ear to Kazuki seriously.

“My contracted Diva, Lemegeton, is the Demon King that unifies Solomon's 72 Pillars. I have to become an appropriate King for her. If the situation keeps like this, all of Solomon's 72 Pillars will be disappointed in us. If Solomon's 72 Pillars wash their hands from Japan’s government, that would be the end of this country.”

I am a King. It couldn’t be helped even if he made thoughtless and outrageous remarks, however this was most likely the truth.

If he didn’t resolve himself and take action, the situation would turn dire.

“Unify Solomon's 72 Pillars, Demon King…?”

Mio who watched over the two was dumbfounded. However she knew about Kazuki’s ability. If she included that fact, what Kazuki said was not so out of the realm of possibility.

“What this guy said is the truth.”

Leme materialized besides Kazuki. Now that he thought about it, since they were confined in this room, she never appeared at all, was it because of her discretion of the other girls?

“…You, haven’t you grown a little more since the last time?”

“Are you an uncle that meets his nephew after a long time? This is the fruit of Lotte’s positivity level increase.”

Leme showed a sullen face, was she being awkward?

Leme’s figure had turned into a girl around the age of a first year middle school student. Although there was still some innocence left in her look with that squishy cheek of hers, inside her well-ordered face and figure was a hint of the budding charm of a woman.

If she kept growing like a human with this rate, she might grow into a beautiful girl that couldn’t be ignored by anyone.

“This girl is not a bad Diva. See, she doesn’t look like a bad guy at all.”

“Shop hith~, dhon’ fhull fhy sheeck~ (Stop~, don’t pull my cheek~)”

While pulling Leme’s cheeks widely, Kazuki appealed that Leme was a harmless existence. Was this a success, Kohaku was looking down and thinking for a while.

“…This matter might be something this one cannot decide. Kazuki, this one had someone this one wants you to meet.”

“A person you want me to meet?”

“This one and the other also have a power broker behind us.”

After a long time, Kazuki and the others could finally get outside led by Kohaku. The group traversed the Sword Division’s grounds. They could feel the awfully bright sunlight along with the morning air and fresh cold wind.

Different from the Magic Division, the Sword Division had a Japanese atmosphere. Gentle undulations at the ground made from the artificial hill, a long stretching road filled with lines of stepping stones, stone lanterns and pine trees were attracting their eyes.

“This one fought with Kanae-dono here.”

Kohaku said so with a sigh in the immediate area of the clubroom building. Her face seen from the side looked quite uncertain that was so unlike how she usually acted, this place gave a true account of what kind of fight had unfolded here.

Even though Kohaku owned several Sacred Treasures, she shouldn’t be able to defeat Kanae so easily.

But no matter what had actually happened in the fight, it wouldn’t be able to shake the fact of the outcome.

Even Kanae wouldn’t act like a child by insisting in protest against her defeat.

“The person you want me to meet is not in the student dormitory but inside this kind of place?”

The time was still before the start of the school class. Despite that, why would that person be here in the clubroom building and not in his room at the student dormitory?

“There is a special circumstance, she is a Sword Division student, but she spends a lot of her time secretly outside the dormitory.”

Kohaku ascended the exterior stairs of the clubroom building while talking, then she knocked on the door of the clubroom with a dirty plate that was hanged on it with the writing of [Pingpong Club]. Looking from its outward appearance, the clubroom looks abandoned already.

“<Mikohime>-sama, this is Kohaku. Coming in.”

“…I told you already, don’t call me Mikohime-sama! Someone that calls me something like Mikohime cannot come in, idiot―!”

Boos were returned from the other side of the door.

Kohaku was stunned for only a moment, then she opened the door with a key while saying “Entering.”

Peeking at the other side of the door, Kazuki’s eyes suddenly became round.

The inside of the clubroom was not a conventional high school clubroom, but it had been turned into an altar of Shinto ceremony.

The whole surface was colored brightly with vermilion and gold colors, while there was a large altar in the inside. There was not even a shadow or shape of anything ping-pong club like inside. In the middle of the room, there was a girl clad in the Sword Division’s uniform.

“Kohakuu―, I have said this so many times, but a title like miko or hime is not appropriate for me. I’m just one girl that had decided to reach success in life by the sword, a swordswoman! So stop elevating me to a weird position!”

A girl with a short-cut hair in shaggy-style that made her look energetic. With an imposing countenance that really suited a swordsman, she was sulking at Kohaku in dissatisfaction childishly.

When that girl noticed Kazuki, she thrust her index finger to him and raised a loud voice.

“A young man in the Magic Division uniform…I heard about it before, this guy is the enemy of women, Hayashizaki Kazuki! Kohaku, what is this about? Why will you take this kind of guy to this altar? Have you been corrupted by him!? En-gacho!”

(…Wait a second there, what does she mean by "enemy of women"!?)

“Mikohime-sama, first please let me introduce them. …Kazuki, in this side is Tsukahara Kazuha-sama. A senpai in the Sword Division.”

“You said Tsukahara, so she is that teacher’s…?”

“Correct, she is his daughter.”

“Stop calling me Tsukahara, I’m going to be compared with that good-for-nothing glasses father. Then Kohaku too, stop that stiff tone of yours when talking to me already. You’re my important friend after all.”

“Before you are this one’s friend, Kazuha-senpai is the mikohime of the sword.”

“I told you to quit it haven’t I―! I’m angry here, otherwise I’m going to cry!?”

Kazuha-senpai waved her arms about energetically. The long sleeves of the Sword Division’s uniform were flapping around.

“Then Mikohime-sama, these are those who were chased by the aforementioned Magic Division, Hayashizaki Kazuki and Charlotte Liebenfrau, and the additional two that were dragged into that strife.”

“Wait there, what’s with that mention of ‘additional’ you said! I’m the one with the number one charisma you know!?”

Though the mention about getting dragged into this was true, Mio was still angry because she was introduced lightly.

“I understand their problems when I see them. But why would you take them to this place?”

“I wish for Mikohime-sama and Sword God-sama to hear their story.”

“I told you…don’t call me Mikohime…”

Kazuha-senpai was being fed up with how Kohaku keep calling her Mikohime.

(…Mikohime, Sword God…?)

“Kazuki, Kazuha-senpai is being contracted with a Diva outside of Solomon's 72 Pillars, she is the same as Kazuki, an illegal magician in the eyes of the law. Because of this one and my comrade’s encounter with Senpai here, we started to get really serious about overthrowing the Magic Division.”

Kazuki spontaneously faced Kazuha-senpai with shocked eyes.

“Wait, is it okay for you to reveal me as an illegal magician so lightly? Of course it’s not okay you know!”

Kazuha-senpai glowered at Kohaku. Looking at her abundance of emotion that she showed, it seems there was no unnaturalness at all in her like a person that was having their heart encroached. She was overflowing with energetic vitality, a very open and bold woman.

“Well, indeed I am an illegal magician. But my Diva is by no means an evil existence. I’ll show you the proof right now, you’ll see.”

Kazuha-senpai chanted a spell, her body was enveloped with vermillion light of magic power.

“Mine bare hands grasp the red hot ore. Ridges on the sky, blade on the earth, merge in a flash namely as the only sword. Thy inscription is <Futsunushi no Kami>! Oh god of iron and fire, show thy forge!”

Kazuha-senpai’s hands were both swallowed in burning flame.

Inside that flame, a hot red iron [sword] was created.

That sword was not a Japanese katana. It was an ancient double edged sword that was used in the era far before even the katana.

A human’s face was carved like a relief in the part of the hilt,

The avatar that was born from the spell was floating away lightly from Kazuha-senpai’s hand.

“…Mine name is Futsunushi no Kami! One of the pillar gods that had watched over the children of Yamato from ancient times!”

The rough human face that was carved into the hilt opened its eyes suddenly and widely and proclaimed to Kazuki and the others.

“Mikohime-sama is contracted with Futsunushi no Kami-sama, but she hid this matter and went through the Sword Division. …So to speak, [the Magica Stigma of Sword Division].”

In contrast with Kazuki who was the swordsman of the Magic Division…Kazuha-senpai was the Magica Stigma of the Sword Division!

“Is there no danger? If you are possessed and your mind gets hijacked then…”

Kazuha-senpai turned indignant toward Kazuki’s apprehension.

“What are you saying, you enemy of women! You’re going to be cursed by all the god-sama that had been in Japan since ancient times! I had associated with Futsunushi no Kami since I was born! If he had any intention to hijack my mind than he would have already done it a long time ago!”

“Guwahhahha!” Futsunushi no Kami laughed.

“That’s correct, I don’t have any such intention like stealing human’s flesh body. I’m also not interested in human’s faith. So to speak, I am the same as Solomon's 72 Pillars. I bind a contract only to grant strength to this frail young girl!”

“Don’t call me frail, idiot!” “Guwahhahha! Hooww cute!”

The human-faced sword―Futsunushi no Kami was laughing heartily. The expressive features of the carving in the hilt felt like a good natured uncle, Kazuki couldn’t see any lie at all from him.

There was no reason to think that just because he is a Diva, he wanted to steal human’s body from anyone. Lotte’s Prometheus was also like that.

Each Diva’s objective were different. The current law that grouped all the Diva that were not among Solomon's 72 Pillars as something to be wary of and classified those Diva’s contractor as illegal magicians might be too rough and broad. Though thinking of the risk of those Divas with evil intentions, that kind of law probably couldn’t be helped, but….

Now that he thought about it, the illegal magicians that were captured by the Knight Order was when their mind was encroached, thus losing their sanity and turning violent. Supposing that the Diva was not encroaching their mind, as long as they didn’t use their power and hid their stigmata, they could pass off as normal humans and keep living normally.

By some chance, perhaps there was a lot of [Hidden Illegal Magicians] contracted secretly with Divas from various mythologies that stay under the radar in this country outside of Kazuha-senpai.

“…Japan Mythology’s Diva!?”

Leme materialized at Kazuki’s side.

“Oooh, little girl! Are you one of Solomon's 72 Pillars?”

Futsunushi no Kami asked to Leme.

“Leme is the King of Solomon's 72 Pillars, Lemegeton. Right now most of my strength and memory are lost. This guy is the master of Leme’s contract, if he grows to become an appropriate King, Leme will also recover her strength and memory.”

Leme spoke rudely while pointing at Kazuki.

“But the government and the adults in this academy don’t trust Leme and Kazuki, they gave us designations as illegal and pursued us. On top of all that, they even created some suspicious plot by giving us false charges and treated us like criminals…”

“I see. How pitiful, even though you are just a little girl. But won’t it be okay if you just explain it through the 72 Pillars?”

Futsunushi no Kami who was floating around in the air buoyantly slanted his body and asked Leme.

Was that gesture something like someone tilting his neck in wonder?

Certainly, if a Diva like Asmodeus or Phoenix just explained to the people that [Lemegeton is our King] , all the issues would be resolved neatly.

“That’s no good. Solomon's 72 Pillars had decided not to intervene in the actions and decisions of the people in this country. We granted power freely to this country without the rule of faith so we can see with our own eyes what they will use that power for. Right now is still the stage where they need to be aware of what had awoken in this world, isn’t that right? If they make a move like eliminating the King, who are Leme and Kazuki, for their own selfish interest then…Solomon's 72 Pillars are going to forsake Japan and move to a different place.”

Leme answered with some cruelty spreading into her sentiment.

“…Eh, what’s with that! Isn’t that bad!?”

Mio who listened carefully in that place couldn’t help but raise her voice.

“In which case, in the current situation, all of you are currently in the process of running out of patience toward the government of Japan then, guhaha.”

“The situation is just like you said. In the meantime, this guy…our King, what is he going to show to us, Leme is looking forward to it in anticipation. …And then, what is the stance that Japan's Mythology is taking? I thought that Japan's Mythology didn’t plan to concern themselves with the humans proactively.”

This time Leme was the one that asked Futsunushi no Kami. Distinct color of wariness was floating in Leme’s expression towards Japan's Mythology. Suddenly Futsunushi no Kami’s face turned serious and he answered.

“True. Frankly speaking, I don’t have any trust in any of you from Solomon's 72 Pillars.”

The Diva of sword with strangely deep character, Futsunushi no Kami started his story with grave expression.

“We, the Divas of <Japan's Mythology> are a mythology that doesn’t particularly demand faith from humans. We don’t have any intention to aim for a monotheism where the gods are absolute and things like subduing the humans and basking ourselves in self-satisfaction. Having an altar built for me and also an interesting person like Kazuha as a partner for playing around with is more than enough. We are the native friends of the children of Yamato, the local friend, think of us as the localee.”

“Localee…is that vocabulary that is used by god-sama?”

“Guwahhahha, I’m happy that you can insert the tsukkomi there! When I’m the idiot someone is going to tsukkomi, just having someone accompanying me for that is enough to satisfy me! The same goes with my other comrades. But if we are neglected and become sulky, then we will go wild and bring forth calamity!!”

Harming the mood of the god-sama would cause a great disaster, that was the standard pattern for Japan’s folklore. Are they friendly or vicious….

“By the way, usually I put some offering on the altar here, chatting with Futsunushi no Kami about what happened today at school, playing some games, or other things. We are close friends see!”

Kazuha-senpai’s expression broke open slightly and she puffed up with pride.

“Mikohime-sama doesn’t have any friends in class after all”

“Kazuha doesn’t have any friends except me after all, guwahhahha!”

“Do, don’t say that I don’t have any friends! …It can’t be helped that I cannot make any friends…No wait, Kohaku is my friend right? That’s why don’t call me Mikohime-sama…”

“Bu, but senpai is the one that is contracted with Sword God-sama so no matter what it’s too auguste…”

Kohaku was flustered. When she started to call Kazuki informally before this she was also hesitating very much, it seems she had quite a reserved character against someone established as her senior.

Kazuha-senpai dropped her shoulders in dejection hearing Kohaku’s reply.

“…<Nature’s Worship> isn’t it? Even in Europe, similar mythologies that believed in spirits are not few.”

This time Prometheus’ form also appeared at Lotte’s side.

“However nature’s worship at Europe was distorted in the present era because of the censure in the middle ages that demarked them as demon’s beliefs. Japan's Mythology can be said to be a rare case because they are a primitive faith that is still continuing into the present era, don’t you agree.”

Prometheus' original form and strength had returned for a time in the middle of the fight with Beatrix.

But it seems it was nothing more than a temporary recovery using Leme’s power, he immediately returned back to the form of a young boy afterwards.

Looks like he still had to reside inside Lotte to recover his divinity from now on too.

“Hou, looks like this time a youngster came out. Are you that one, the Diva who is said to be contracted with the heretic magician Charlotte Liebenfrau…?

“Correct, Prometheus of the Greek Mythology, best regards.”

Prometheus presented his hand for a handshake, but when Futsunushi no Kami presented his sword body suddenly he drew back his hand in shock. What are they doing, these Divas?

The situation developed into a gathering of three Divas, each from a different Mythology.

Solomon's 72 Pillars also had a secrecy doctrine, so this was an exceedingly rare scene.

“We of the Japanese Mythology were not particularly concerned when Solomon's 72 Pillars started to get along with the people of Japan. Thereupon there is this feeling of us being treated lightly in recent times that make us irritated!”

Futsunushi no Kami talked with a lively tone. It seems he was irritated.

“The consensus opinion of the whole body of the Japanese Mythology is that whatever other Mythology attempts to do in Japan is inconsequential…but for me personally, recently I was entertaining doubt about whether it is okay or not to leave the people of Japan, who are my friends, to Solomon's 72 Pillars.”

“Mu, so Futsunushi no Kami has something he is unsatisfied with Leme and the others. I’ll accept your challenge then.”

Leme faced Futsunushi no Kami and took a fighting pose.

“To start with number one, the current Japan make light of the swordsman too much. I am the Sword God that was worshipped by the lineage of Tsukahara for generations, this tendency to make light of swordsman is not something pleasant for me as the Sword God.”

“Precisely, exactly like that.” Kohaku raised a voice of approval.

“That, even Leme and the others of Solomon's 72 Pillars can say we are troubled by that too. The Japanese government is the one that gives favorable treatment to the Magica Stigma on their own accord. …Well, though it might turn out differently if Solomon's 72 Pillars' magic handling are more focused on reinforcement magic like Thor of the Norse Mythology from the other day…”

“And then one more thing, the matter of the ominous ceremony that is performed in the underground of this academy. That ceremony is eerie no matter how you see it, it makes Solomon's 72 Pillars look all the more dubious.”

“Ominous ceremony? What are you talking about?”

Leme’s eyes turned perfectly round. It seems somehow she really had no knowledge of the mentioned ceremony.

“The swordsmen continue to be discriminated unjustly, and then an ominous presence can be felt from the underground of this academy. From these two primary factors, I harbor a considerable distrust toward Solomon's 72 Pillars. In that occasion, the humans of the Sword Division elevated Kazuha and I and raised a plan to aim for the restoration of the swordsman’s rights, we too were cooperating with them in this plan. Though even if I say cooperation, but it will become a problem if Kazuha fights in the center stage extensively and get the designation of illegal magician, that’s why there is nothing I can do except to bestow the <Divine Protection> indirectly to those swordsmen.”

“By earning the Divine Protection of Futsunushi no Kami-sama, we become able to draw out <Battou Kaikon> from Sacred Treasures that possessed element of <Sword>.”

“Battou Kaikon?”

After hearing that unfamiliar words from Kohaku, Kazuki interposed a question to her.

“Kazuki is still not accustomed to using Sacred Treasures right? What is called Battou Kaikon is to make a path between the mind and the Sacred Treasure, a skill to draw out the essence of strength that Sacred Treasures possess.”

Now that she mentioned it, the first time he used <Raikiri>, there was the sensation from Raikiri that tried to address him. By coming to a mutual understanding with the Sacred Treasure like that, it seems they would be able to pull out some kind of special move.

Kohaku’s group of comrades were swordsmen that each possessed special moves of Battou Kaikon. Certainly their group was fairly strong with that kind of ace. He could see how Kohaku could be so full of confidence.

“…It’s dangerous to only rely on just one sword. If these swordsmen could use the Sacred Treasures skillfully, there wouldn’t be any need for Japan’s government to depend solely on Solomon's 72 Pillars for all of its military power.”

“…By no means are we doing this for our own personal grudge against the Magic Division and the Magica Stigma.”

Kohaku whispered with a sigh.

“Leme understands in general about the matter with Futsunushi no Kami. But…what is that you mean about the ominous ceremony!?”

Leme was in the condition of taking offense. Leme didn’t have any knowledge about the [ominous ceremony] that was the crux of the matter mentioned not long ago, she looked very reluctant to be doubted because of that.

“Hmmm, sometimes there are outbreaks of ominous magic power from the underground of this academy. It made my sword bodyradar reacting, like ‘binbinbin’. And also, about this ominous ceremony, there is no doubt that it is related with a Diva. This stinks. Absolutely suspicious.”

“Ominous magic power…but I have never felt anything like that since I came to this academy. Maybe we cannot feel it because Leme-sama and my power haven’t returned completely.”

The young boy Prometheus tilted his head in curiosity. His power was still not insufficient after all.

On the other side, Leme was being angry in a huff.

“Wait right there, Leme has amnesia so she is not really clear with the situation, but Solomon's 72 Pillars are undoubtedly the ally of this country! If there is any ominous presence, then that is a separate case from Leme and the others!”

“But, in fact I really feel it.”

Futsunushi no Kami talked back with a particularly stern face.

A Young boy - a Young girl – a Sword, these three Divas that were glaring at each other made for a zlightly foolish appearance.

Was it because the Divas that gathered here were only human-friendly Divas, but there was really no dignity at all that could be seen from them.

“That is the matter at hand, but Futsunushi no Kami-sama…”

Kohaku interposed herself between the Divas.

“It seems Kazuki is being accused with groundless charges by someone in the academy’s inner circle. Someone that would trap Kazuki who is the King of Solomon…if that is the origin of the ominous magical power then…the true opponent that we ought to fight might not be the Magica Stigma.”

“…Hmmm, so that is Kohaku’s real intention of bringing these people to my location. After all Kohaku is prudent unlike with Kazuha. I’ll believe you, guwahhahha!”

“Hey wait Futsunushi no Kami, why do you put out my name there for the comparison!?”

…The one that led Kazuki into these predicaments and the ominous magic power from the academy’s underground.

Were these two event not originated from the same root?

Thanks to Kohaku lending her ear to Kazuki’s words, Kazuki could become aware about such significant facts. If they could solve this puzzle, then it might be possible for all of these problems to be resolved.

“Moreover, this one had lost confidence. This one had the conviction to defeat Otonashi Kaguya and slay the owner of the ominous magical power just because this one owned Sacred Treasures. However…”

“…The fight last night made you waver in your path. You too are an expert, but your opponent last night is also a magnificent and praiseworthy swordsman. To bear a sense of defeat against that kind of opponent is not a shameful thing.”

The swordsman that Futsunushi no Kami praised so, there was no doubt that he referred to Kanae.

“This one is still too immature to realize the ideal of Futsunushi no Kami-sama.”

Kohaku dropped her shoulders and hung her head dejectedly.

“Gahaha, there, there.” Futsunushi no Kami used his sword body and tapped Kohaku’s head lightly.

…He seems to try to comfort her, but it sure didn’t look like it….

“As I thought, this is not the situation where the Sword Division and the Magic Division can waste their time fighting each other.”

Kazuki asserted once again toward Futsunushi no Kami.

“Hmm. If Kohaku also says that much, then it seems there is a need to also take your words into consideration. Then let’s do this. Your group alone will head toward the underground of the academy and make clear about the true identity of the ominous magical power. If in the end you can prove that Solomon's 72 Pillars are unrelated with that, I will also believe in you.”

“…Do you know where the exact location of that magical power is, and also the route?”

“I do. But the entrance to the underground is locked with barrier and stigmata authentication. The barrier can be torn off by my power, but the lock of stigmata authentication can only be passed by owners of Stigmata, my cute kids from the Sword Division couldn’t even investigate that place.”

I see, if there was unknown magical power produced from a place that couldn’t be passed except by owners of stigmata, then it was not unreasonable to suspect the Magic Division and Solomon's 72 Pillars.

But owners of stigmata were not limited to just the contractors of Solomon's 72 Pillars.

Stigmata was the proof of the connection that had been tied with a Diva. Stigmata had the role of the code to allow Divas to pass through to the heart of the contractor, even in the case of possession contracts there would still be a small stigmata emerged in the body.

Wasn’t the possibility that the perpetrator who was passing through that exit and entrance was an illegal magician quite high?

“Wait a second, wait a second, is it really okay to just trust these guys that easily?”

Kazuha-senpai, who had kept quiet for a long time opened her mouth with an astonished expression.

“Mikohime-sama, Kazuki is a person that is worthy of trust.”

“I told you, don’t call me Mikohime! …After all isn’t he a happy guy who makes who knows how many women serve him? I don’t want to side with that kind of shameless guy no matter what.”

“……That’s…certainly, this one too feels deep inside that Kazuki is surrounded by a little too many girls and is quite astonished.”

(Hey wait, so Kohaku also thought like that!?)

“That’s a fair argument. …Kazuki really has no integrity against various girls. To even call someone like me cute, cute…also having bizarre obsession for maids…”

Even Koyuki also murmured her approval.

Wait a second you all, we have all come up to this point and yet the situation would change because of this kind of matter!?

“It’s hard to understand for Leme why a Harem King doesn’t have any more credence from the humans. It’s a different case don’t you agree? Harem Banzai. O Our King, more Harem is a must.”

Leme started talking about a topic that provoked even more animosity from the girls. You should just keep your mouth shut.

“Kazuki is not a shameless guy at all! He absolutely doesn’t do anything that I hate at all!”

“That’s right desu, Kazuki-oniisan is a perfect gentleman desu! Rather I’d welcome it if he do anything like that desu!”

Mio and Lotte came in Kazuki’s defense vehemently.

“Hee…they really put their faith on you huh. I’m reluctant to give in but even if the matter about the harem and so on is not included, we still don’t understand whether these guys’ strength are reliable or not. If they invaded the underground and yet they just collapse and die in a ditch without even any results to show for it, won’t it just make the situation even worse?”

“Mikohime-sama, Kazuki and the others' strength are the real thing. Besides, other than Kazuki and his friends, there is no one else that can enter that place. We don’t have stigmata.”

“That’s why there is me. After all I’m the owner of Futsunushi no Kami’s stigmata. Rather than making these kind of guys go there, I’ll go!”

“It’s dangerous to go alone Mikohime-sama!”

“That’s foolhardy Kazuha. I don’t want to lose my cute contractor, also I don’t want to expose you to danger, that’s why I made a proposal so these guys are the ones that'll go to that place you know?”

Kohaku and Futsunushi no Kami cut in while panicking to stop Kazuha-senpai who was chattering in high spirits.

“You two, don’t make that face like you are my parents! Compared to these guys, I am more…Futsunushi no Kami, give me the Magic Dress!”

“…Haahhh, what a hopeless girl.”

While breathing a long sigh, Futsunushi no Kami suddenly changed into a lump of red flame. That flame enveloped Kazuha-senpai―The uniform of the Sword Division disintegrated into Prima Material and transformed into the Magic Dress.

Her Magic Dress was resembling the white and red miko uniform, he could feel the spirit of Japan seeing it.

At the same time, Kazuha-senpai’s hair was lengthening with a thud. A majestic appearance suitable for a Magica Stigma of Japan's Mythology, then Kazuha-senpai drew a katana from her back smoothly.

“Duel with me, Hayashizaki harem-guy! A weakling with no integrity like you, there is no way you have any character that could be relied on or any real strength!! If I win, then your harem party will be dissolved at once and I’ll be the one to lead those girls over there to search the underground!!”

“Eh, I don’t want to do that kind of thing!” “Wie bitte!? That’s tyranny desu!”

Mio and Lotte were booing from the side, but Kazuha-senpai didn’t even turn to look.

“…Don’t joke with me.” As expected, Kazuki was fed up with that proposal.

“You are going to hinder us in this kind of place with that kind of trivial reason! You have shot your mouth harshly as you please from a while ago, things like enemy of woman…Mio, and Lotte, I have decided that I’m going to protect them with my own hand! I will absolutely not do anything like entrusting them to any other person!!”

“Then…show to me the suitable strength to protect a woman―!”

Now she said it…Bring it on!!!

“…The only one suitable to become my knight is no one other than Kazuki. Get her Kazu-nii!”

“I am Kazuki-oniisan’s property desu. Onii-san, please do your best!”

For some reason the female camp were roused up in happiness.

“Somehow, you my King and even the girls are starting to get accustomed with the harem situation huh―”

Leme secretly whispered inside Kazuki’s mind using telepathy.

But…I’m not particularly saying that I want to do something shameless together with the girls like what Kazuha-senpai said.

“That duel challenge, I accept!”

{Yosh, Our King. Make this girl submit too just like in the duel with Amasaki Mio! And then make Futsunushi no Kami obey Leme together with inserting her as a member of the harem for sure―!”

Wahaha―, Leme’s loud laughter was resounding inside Kazuki’s mind.

Part 3

The place that was chosen for the duel was the Sword Division’s gymnasium.

Kazuha-senpai’s illegal magic was by no means something that could be shown to other people. For that reason, Kohaku used her authority as the student council president to secure the gymnasium.

The Sword Division had a complete facility for exercise, and there was even a martial arts stadium. This gymnasium also had the space for three fields of basketball court. This place was sufficient to perform a duel.

According to the rules for duels at the academy, Kazuki and Kazuha-senpai were separated with 50 meters between them while facing each other.

“Well then, both sides have finished their preparations.”

The one who wound up becoming the referee was Koyuki. Among them Koyuki was the one with the most experience in refereeing.

Mio tried to be the referee, but he was worried that she would make some strange miss, so he was relieved if it was Hiakari-san…Kazuki had that kind of feeling. There was some worry about unfairness with the referee coming from Kazuki’s side, but Kohaku didn’t particularly mind and accepted the referee. Looks like Kohaku was quite poor at being a referee.

“Well, I don’t have any reason to make a judgment that is partial to Kazuki. Then…begin!”

Koyuki announced the opening of the duel. It was a rare chance to hear her loud voice.

…First is to challenge her at close-quarters!

Kazuki dashed toward Kazuha-senpai while taking the Iai stance with full alert.

The Magica Stigma of the Sword Division…there was no doubt that she could use both sword skills and summoning magic skillfully.

(Then first I have to challenge her in the field I am specialized at! I won’t be defeated from any kind of opponent in sword skills!)

Kazuha-senpai chanted her spell and attacked.

“O unparalleled sword master, reshow from beyond the dream! Together with the flame of training, the sealed memory in the silver mirror is liberated right here!! Devilish Swordsman ReincarnationKenki Tensei!!”

A globe of fire burned into existence in Kazuha-senpai’s side and floated in place. From within the flame, a Japanese Katana was born. The phantom of a person was floating faintly overlapping with the katana.

“Thy name is…Yagyuu Nyounsai! Go!!”

A silhouette with grandiose physique like cumulonimbus cloud in the mid-summer. That phantom took hold of the katana in its hand and he stood in Kazuki’s way following Kazuha’s command.

(…Yagyuu Nyounsai she said!?)

Kazuki was planning to not be defeated in sword skill no matter who his opponent was, but his expression cramped.

Yagyuu clan. Chosen to be the instructor in the art of war for the Tokugawa Clan, the noble house said to have the best swordsmanship under heaven.

Even among that clan, if talked about Yagyuu Nyounsai, he was born not from the main branch of the Yagyuu in Edo but from the branch family that was called Owari Yagyuu and thus he was surrounded in obscurity. Still, his ability in the sword was said to be the best in the history of the Yagyuu, a man of high honor.

(She said this phantom was…that one Yagyuu Nyounsai!?)

There was no free time to leisurely wallow in surprise. The phantom of Yagyuu Nyounsai was immediately closing in upon Kazuki, the sword of Yagyuu that was famous in the history of swordsmanship was swung downward on him.

…He could tell just from his step-in that his skill was uncommon!

Kazuki responded with his Iai draw. Both of their katana clashed with sharp sounds, ‘GIIN!’, and their blades were locked against each other.

Kazuki read his opponent and attempted to redirect him with his <Instant Positioning>.

However the phantom of Yagyuu Nyounsai attempted the same positioning at the same time. Kazuki and Nyounsai Foresighted each other's moves respectively , katana and katana connected with each other flexibly.

Sword locking between fellow masters was not decided by the clash between power and power.

Foresighting an opponent's movements was the specialty of Kazuki, but…they were even in reading each other.

This was endless. Kazuki and Nyounsai mutually leapt back at the same time.

With the distance opened between them, Kazuki calmly surmised the strength of his opponent.

He was at an advantage in physical ability. Even though Kazuki was just a high school student, he could reinforce his body using Enchant Aura. No matter how much of a master swordsman Nyounsai was, he was still a swordsman from an era where there was no magic. His movement was the natural movement unaided by reinforcement magic.

But Nyounsai’s ability was unusual as expected. There was nothing wasted in his movements, no preliminary movements, not even mistakes in judgment. Even though Kazuki used Foresight, it was still hard to read his movements.

As expected, this famed swordsman surpassed him in pure sword skill….

“…Kenki Tensei! Thy name is…Togakure Daisuke!!”

While Kazuki was in the middle of glaring with Nyounsai, Kazuha-senpai summoned another phantom.

The katana that was born along with the flame, this time it was a somewhat straight short sword―it was a ninja sword. The phantom that picked it up in reverse grip had a small build―the founder of Togakure-style ninjutsu, Togakure Daisuke! Kazuki was once again doubting his own ears.

It looked like the magic that Kazuha-senpai chanted was a magic to summon swordsman from the past.

But certainly the last one could be called an expert in the sword, even so….this guy was a ninja right!?

“Go!"

Following Kazuha-senpai’s command, the ninja – Togakure Daisuke dashed fiercely like a gale.

The ninjato that was held in reverse grip slashed at Kazuki horizontally.

His movement was not as sharp as Nyounsai's. Kazuki blocked the slash with his katana and warded the blow.

Daisuke Togakure’s posture was broken violently when his sword was warded off―that was what Kazuki thought.

...But that was a ninja’s <Trick Movement>.

Kazuki, who was tricked by the acting, couldn’t Foresight the next movement. Togakure Daisuke’s body posture that made him thought it was disordered, was standing still like an acrobat. That body was like an unshakeable trunk.

And then from that unnatural posture, his hand that was not holding the sword was turning to Kazuki and swung with a jerk.

Something was flying from that hand―sand!

Kazuki was perfectly taken by surprise, blue light was flickering in Kazuki’s field of vision. The light was produced by the defensive magic power that protected the eyes from the foreign substances from entering. But Kazuki’s eyes were dazzled by that very light.

Despite that here was the gymnasium…where would he get the blinding sand from!?

Ninja hid various arms and hidden weapons in their hand armor and outfit, they improved their skills with the premise of using those very tools. Even the blinding sand was included as part of his kenjutsu.

Most likely, this magic was a magic to reproduce the exact kenjutsu of swordsman from the past in this world. That’s why even the gadgets that became the prerequisite for the kenjutsu was also summoned.

Togakure Daisuke returned his blade and aimed at Kazuki whose eyes were dazzled for a thrust of certain death.

It was evidently a ninja’s kenjutsu that was full of trickery and wiles, but it was brought back to the present era in this gymnasium.

But Kazuki missed nothing of the current thrust.

Their body was a phantom that was created from magic. Therefore if he sensed the magic power using Extra Sense, even with his eyes closed he could perceive all their movements.

Rather, his senses became even more sensitive with his eyes closed.

That response was something that Togakure Daisuke couldn’t even predict.

Kazuki avoided the thrust with a paper-thin difference, conversely he stabbed his katana at Togakure Daisuke’s chest. He intended to stab Kazuki in surprise but he was outsmarted and the tables turned on him, the phantom of the ninja and the ninja sword vanished. …First was one!

Yagyuu Nyounsai observed that exchange of offense and defense like he was a human with personality.

“Kenki Tensei! Thy name is…Hattori Takeo!!”

Kazuha-senpai summoned yet another swordsman.

Kazuki was not surprised anymore. He was not surprised, but…that name was enough to make him shudder.

Hattori Takeo…although he was a betrayer of the Shinsengumi, he was said to be the Shinsengumi’s strongest, a two-sword style swordsman.

His real strength was said to have surpassed even the famous Okita Souji!

Masters who left behind their brilliant name in the history of sword blocked Kazuki’s path one after another. If at all possible, he wanted to challenge them using only kenjutsu, but…this wouldn’t end if he didn’t use the power of magic.

There was no doubt that Kazuha-senpai’s aim was to buy time with the phantoms to chant her high-level magic.

―Nyounsai moved. Yagyuu’s kenjutsu was not a defensive style. Observing the opponent’s interaction even while preparing one’s own response, then responding with the divergence of nine secret swords, that was the innermost secret of <Tengu’s ExcerptTengushou>.

Kazuki tried to see through every movement, but to respond with that Foresight, Nyounsai’s movement too shifted with ever-changing appearance. The result, a simple clash between physical ability and skill.

It once again became the locking between swords. Hattori Takeo used that chance to attack.

The Shinsengumi's signature move was a group strategy with good efficiency. First they designated the turn of death to each member, then the sacrificial pawn started the assault, from there the regimental soldiers attacked one after another in a continuous ring of attacks, it was <Weed Attack SwordSoukouken>.

Hattori Takeo made use of Nyounsai as the sacrificial pawn, he showed the reproduction of that tactic again in this world.

But while pouring his nerve in the sword-locking, he awaited with the chanting of a spell.

“O calling voice of the ruler of flame, liberate the rage in the bottom of the earth! The creation of my rampart is here…towered in heaven and earth, isolate the impurity! Fire Wall!!”

A magic of surprise attack by raising a wall of flame from underfoot. A swordsman from the Bakumatsu period wouldn’t be able to predict it, he didn’t even have time to swing his sword at Kazuki before he was swallowed by the flames. The burning Hattori Takeo let loose a single bisecting stroke at Kazuki. With the second one, the phantom scattered as blue magical power.

On the other hand, Nyounsai was not dragged into the flame, he leapt back in a flash.

(…Do you think I’ll let you get away!)

“Scattering sparks of dancing wings. Drifting spiral wind, become the life piercing bullet! Flap and shoot! Barrett!!”

He aimed at Nyounsai who was taking distance and released the flame bullet. However―the flying bullet that was as fast as an average rifle was nimbly evaded by Nyounsai, like he was already seeing through the bullet path completely.

(…Impossible!)

Although it was a feat that even he could do, Kazuki was dumbstruck.

A swordsman from the Edo era like Nyounsai shouldn’t be able to Foresight magical power.

But a swordsmaster at Nyounsai’s level, presence and killing intent, wild instinct…the sixth sense that couldn’t be clarified by science, using that to sense the danger of incoming magic might be possible.

Nyounsai slashed in once more. Its destructive power couldn’t be compared to Beatrix’s sword, but its swordsmanship stabbed Kazuki’s gap with delicateness in the extreme, he was trying to buy time.

During that time…Kazuha-senpai chanted another spell.

This time the magic had even longer aria than before. High level magic was coming!

“O forging of artisans, scattering the flower of night performance, fill the tip of the sword with the heaven’s weave! Listen to the battle cry of the phantoms, become a thunderstorm and rain down! The Heavens Drawn Sword Lotus CannonTenkuu Battou Rengehou!”

On the ceiling of the gymnasium, a giant wind of flame was going wild. From the billowing vortex of flame, katana were born one after another. Packed endlessly above Kazuha-senpai’s head were katana, katana, and more katana….

“All bullet firing!”

―On the basis of Kazuha-senpai’s order, a hail of katana came flying to Kazuki.

Each of those katana were not just a normal katana. Those katana that were flying and cutting the sky were each clad in flame, or clad in electricity, or drawing irregular trajectories, they all had various special qualities.

This was a fusillade of Battou Kaikon!

“O undying bird soaring from dusk to dawn, grant those wings of hope on my back! Destruction for the sake of rebirth, right here…! Blazing Wings!”

Kazuki finished his spell chanting in a close call. Kazuki flew away to the air leaving behind Nyounsai on the floor. He evaded and brushed off the flying Sacred Treasures that were coming one after another with the wings of flame.

The feeling changed kind of like from a one-on-one fighting game into a shooting game.

On the other side, Nyounsai was not just watching over the flying Kazuki silently.

Aiming for the gap where Kazuki swung the wings of flame completely, Nyounsai kicked the floor and leapt off.

This time Kazuki was tangling with a swordsmaster in the air.

But this time, Nyounsai’s swordsmanship suddenly became disarrayed.

It stood to reason, even though he had polished the kenjutsu of Yagyuu to the extreme, a technique with the assumption of facing an enemy that was flying in the sky didn’t exist in it. Yagyuu Nyounsai required an improvised sword technique, that was why useless movement, preliminary motion, and a slight mistake in judgment were exposed. …Kazuki saw everything!

“Yagyuu Nyounsai, be defeated!”

Nyounsai’s single stroke slashed at empty space, Kazuki cut his way through that paper-thin difference.

Nyounsai’s phantom was bisected in two, he became like moths of light and fluttered away in the sky.

“Oou…splendid! Though you are a swordsman of the modern era, that technique was peerless in the past and present!!”

Futsunushi no Kami’s avatar was appearing and raising an enthusiastic praise.

“What are you doing, praising the enemy in the middle of a duel, Futsunushi no Kami! Cooperate properly with me!”

“Guwahhahha! A splendid thing is splendid even if he is the enemy!! Guwahhahha, how delightful!

“Don’t laugh! Don’t laugh so hard in the middle of the fight!!”

Kazuki evaded all the Sacred Treasures that came flying, finally he turned to Kazuha-senpai and took a nose-dive.

“So you have come, but from now on is the real performance of the swordsmen’s duel! I’m going to judge you with a direct clash of blades! …I become the miko of sword. Stone cleaved, root torn, sin cut through, right now in this hand that virtuous sword of crushing evil! Draw sword, Soul of Cutting ThroughFutsu no Mitama!!”

Both of Kazuha-senpai’s hands were swallowed in flame and an ancient double-edged blade was formed inside both of those hands. It was a sword that was the spitting image of Futsunushi no Kami’s avatar.

Sacred Treasures Creation Summoning Magic―what kind of power that sword had, Kazuki was on guard.

And then above all…how skilled was her kenjutsu as the [The Magica Stigma of the Sword Division] !?

Kazuha-senpai swung the sword right from the front.

Toward that attack―Kazuki felt a huge let-down. That attack was something like, ‘henyaa’

Kazuki evaded leisurely so as not to touch the Sacred Treasures whose abilities were unknown to him. And then he poured on a counter of a single stroke of katana. Blue light was scattered from Kazuha-senpai while she was blown off.

“O, only this much…not yet!”

She stood up immediately and Kazuha-senpai slashed at Kazuki once again.

But that step was shoddy as expected. Kazuki evaded with composure and returned a counter attack.

Kazuki visited a series of slashes to Kazuha-senpai. Kazuha-senpai was prevented from chanting her spell from the shock of smashed magic, naturally her sword was also blocked, she kept getting slashed one-sidedly.

“Uwaa…this sandbag situation, somehow I feel déjà vu, my trauma is…”

Mio who was watching the duel was trembling.

“That’s enough!”

When Kazuha-senpai fell onto her backside, Koyuki proclaimed the end of the duel.

“I, I can still fight, I still have magic left! Why do you stop it!”

“…Even if you fight, more than this is useless don’t you see?”

Koyuki told her straight out coldly. Beside Kazuha-senpai whose lip and shoulder was trembling all over in vexation, Futsunushi no Kami’s avatar was floating.

“…Kazuha, it’s okay for you to retreat from something like close-quarters combat. If you kept running away desperately while using my long-range type summoning magic, you still had some chance to win you know?”

“Sh, shut up! A swordsman like me cannot fight in such pathetic way!”

Kazuha-senpai raised her voice in response to her contracted Diva’s finding fault.

Kohaku, who was observing the battle, walked near Kazuki’s position.

“…Kazuki, truthfully Mikohime-sama…her sword skills are utterly hopeless. The matter about how she can use Summoning Magic is a secret except from this one and our other comrades, so she is being made fun by her classmates, because of that she became overly fixated on becoming strong as a swordsman more than ever…”

“Do, don’t say that I’m utterly hopeless! My heart is going to break you know! I mean, don’t expose even the matter of the class! There is no need for that to come out in this place right―!?”

“Guwahhahha, that’s because Kazuha is so weak in swordsmanship despite loving it so much right! Guwahhahha!”

“Don’t laugh! Don’t make fun of me!”

“But despite doing nothing but sword training, she can use Summoning Magic so skillfully to that extent, you can understand what a frightening genius she is in magic from that. If she didn’t make a contract with Futsunushi no Kami when she was little and an enigma appeared on her normally, I think she would become a rank A in the Magic Division.”

“True, even if it turned out like that I would still make a contract with Kazuha. A person who is this good in magic yet loved the sword is rare. Her kenjutsu is a totally different matter though…Guwahhahha!”

“Damn, I don’t need something like talent in magic! I wanted sword talent!!”

With her Magic Dress of miko uniform so disheveled, Kazuha-senpai made a fuss while still on her back on the ground.

This was…the Magica Stigma of the Sword Division…?

“Mikohime-sama is mortified with Kazuki who, despite being a student of the Magic Division, is also first class as a swordsman, this one thinks that’s why she challenged Kazuki to a duel intentionally. Forgive this one for going along with it Kazuki.”

“Gahaha, sorry for going along with Kazuha’s selfishness, Hayashizaki Kazuki. The new kenjutsu of the age of magic, I received some enjoyment from it. The spirit that made you oppose them with only kenjutsu until the midway is also fine.”

Both Kohaku and Futsunushi no Kami said so while giving a nod with their head (and sword body).

“You, you two, don’t act like you are my parents―!”

Kazuha-senpai was very vexed like ‘muki―’ and then she glowered at Kazuki with tearful eyes.

“Someone that can use both sword and magic so skillfully, being waited upon by lots of girls…I loathe people like you who have no fidelity so much! Don’t think I will yield even if you had won! It’s vexing but you are strong. Not only magic but also kenjutsu… Hmph, a promise is a promise so, the entrance to the underground where the magic power is occurring…I’ll guide you there properly. Follow me.”

Part 4

“Kazuha-senpai, so the entrance to that suspicious underground is located inside the site of the Magic Division?”

“Correct. You are being pursued by the Magic Division right? Don’t make unnecessary noises and advance with care.”

Kazuha-senpai said so while taking the lead. All present crossed over from the Sword Division to the site of the Magic Division.

“I’m not good at being stealthy you know…somehow I let out a uselessly loud voice before I realized it.”

When Mio whispered as such, Kohaku was nodding her head and said “I can understand that.”

“I lived my life continuously in secret before desu.” Lotte puffed her chest proudly.

The time was 9 o’clock in the morning. This is the period of time when SHR was conducted. Even though they must be careful, there were no human presences in the outdoors of the Magic Division.

“This way…is the way to the Witch's Manor.”

All present stepped into the area that was dense with thick greenery. The same direction was just a coincidence, but the Witch's Manor was also beyond these trees.

Nonetheless, the residents of the Witch's Manor―the senpais were supposed to have already left for school by this time.

“…What are you all doing in this kind of place!? This is already time for morning assembly to start you know!”

A sharp voice that was unexpected in their carelessness rang out.

They were too easy-going in their vigilance. When they turned around, a shadow of someone was running from the direction of the Witch's Manor.

The moment both sides could see each other clearly, voices were raised at the same time.

“Hoshikaze-senpai!” “Hayashizaki-kun, you guys!”

Kazuki and the others were frozen in place involuntarily. Should they run, what should they do?

But Hoshikaze-senpai could chant [Ride Lightning], so even if they tried to escape this was not an opponent they could escape from.

“Shem-ha MephorashI know thy true name…thy true name is Baalzebul, all evil was born in the Middle Ages. O corrupted god of good harvest, in accordance with my life regain that radiance!”

Hoshikaze-senpai performed Access while facing Kazuki and opening the range between them.

Her body was wrapped in a gallant Magic Dress like a knight, senpai took the posture of preparing for action.

“Hayashizaki-kun, why are you in this place!?”

“Senpai as well…what about SHR?”

“Kuu…I overslept!”

Hoshikaze-senpai’s cheek was slightly red as she replied in embarrassment.

(That serious Hoshikaze-senpai overslept!?)

“It can’t be helped okay!? It already became a custom to wake up early for sword training with you, but you weren't here so even if I woke up early I had nothing to do, finally I went back to sleep for the second time! It’s your fault my daily routine became tattered like this!”

“That kind of reason!? I mean, that’s not my fault right!?”

“A, anyway! …I have to arrest you!”

Hoshikaze-senpai pushed her way through the trees and the thickets, she was dashing towards Kazuki and the others.

“Freeze and lock, <Murasame>! Battou Kaikon―Kirisame Ranbu!!”

The one who immediately and without any hesitation intercepted was Kohaku. She liberated the power of the Sacred Treasure and pointed the blade of cold wave toward Hoshikaze-senpai.

“Howl! Civilization granted destruction to humans! The roar of wisdom burns thy body, break, shut every dignity under the rubble!! Mitrailleuse!”

Following Kohaku, Lotte too chanted her spell quickly which was the strong point of DrivePossession Summoning, she spread a barrage of bullets to try to stop Hoshikaze-senpai’s movements.

“O stream of atmosphere, converge in this body, become the storm of rejection against the people I resent! The eye of the typhoon is my throne! Wind Encampment BarrierStorm Fort!”

Hoshikaze-senpai chanted a wind defensive magic. A storm blew violently with senpai as the center.

The storm also functioned as a protective wind. Even the blades of ice and the bullets of a gatling gun were blown off by the wind and scattered to another direction. ―There was something called [affinity] in offensive and defensive magic. Both Kohaku’s Battou Kaikon and Lotte’s bullets had bad affinity against defensive wind magic.

Hoshikaze-senpai drew near becoming like the running typhoon itself. Kazuki came out in front to cover everyone. Closing in upon Kazuki, Hoshikaze-senpai converged the barrier of wind and drew out an Iai.

What was on her waist was Kazuki’s beloved katana, Doufuu, that he left behind in the Witch's Manor!

(Senpai didn’t wish for a clash of magic but crossing swords against each other!?)

“…Everyone, don’t interfere, it’s okay!”

Kazuki too drew his Iai and intercepted Hoshikaze-senpai’s katana. Blade and blade clashed and they entered a locking of swords.

Kazuki immediately flicked off Hoshikaze-senpai’s katana.

Senpai’s stance became disordered and full of openings. But right at that moment―she invoked her spell.

“Throw down the lightning on my body and grant me lightning fast wit and speed of god…call the sleeping lion and wake up! Ride Lightning!”

Senpai’s movement accelerated! Her disordered stance burst with sparks and she righted her body fiercely.

And then she came flying with lightning speed with the consecutive attacks that Kazuki taught her.

BUN! BUN! BUN! The god speed sword came flying along with terrific sounds of slicing wind.

Kazuki Foresighted the timing and the trajectory of the attacks, ‘GIIN!’ the sound of clashing swords rang out and the attack was repelled.

A sound that was unthinkable that it came from a fight between fellow humans echoed inside the forest.

“Hey…this is a joke right, how can this kind of offense and defense happen in a fight between fellow Magic Division students…”

Kazuha-senpai leaked out an astonished voice. Not to mention the swordsman of the Sword Division, even Kazuki was undoubtedly gazing at Hoshikaze-senpai’s magic sword in wonderment.

But as expected from Kazuki, he could read Hoshikaze-senpai’s movements. That was because her form was exactly like what he taught her himself.

His blade met the god speed swordsmanship, both of their swords were once again locked against each other. Kazuki concentrated his Enchant Aura in one instant and repelled Hoshikaze-senpai’s katana with all his strength. It was the end with that.

Doufuu flew away from Hoshikaze-senpai’s hand and stabbed the nearby earth straightly.

“Senpai, why didn’t you use any magic…?”

Kazuki asked the now unarmed Hoshikaze-senpai.

Hoshikaze-senpai was the Number 2 Magica Stigma in the Magic Division after all. If she turned the fight into an exchange of long-range Summoning Magic, the result would be uncertain even if she was fighting against five people.

“I…I wanted to learn more swordsmanship from you.”

Slowly, tears were flowing from Hoshikaze-senpai’s long-slitted eyes.

“You are the first male friend that I was able to make. The training every morning was fun. Even so…why did you do something that made you be pursued by the student council of the Magic Division!? I…as I thought, I don’t want to fight against you ! I am not as harsh as Kaguya after all…”

The fighting spirit had gone from senpai, her Magic Dress also changed back to her uniform.

Her shoulders sagged down making her look pitiful.

“Senpai, I am being falsely accused.”

“Even if you say that, my position doesn’t allow me to believe you.”

Hoshikaze-senpai glared with teary eyes. That was natural. However…

“That’s why, from here I plan to go look for proof. After that I will come to the Magic Division.”

“Proof? …You will find that kind of thing?”

“Senpai, there is something in the underground of the Magic Division, do you have some knowledge of it?”

“The underground, below the Magic Division?”

Hoshikaze-senpai tilted her head in wonderment. Seeing that look, Kazuki was relieved.

Hoshikaze-senpai was not connected with the [underground ceremony that released the ominous magical power].

“There is something that even all of you senpai don’t know about below this Magic Division. Something that Solomon's 72 Pillars also have nothing to do with, it is someone’s…by chance, maybe it is filled with the ill will of a different Mythology. If the situation keeps going like this, the relation between the Magic Division and the Knight Order with Solomon's 72 Pillars will be threatened. From here I am going to go investigate that location.”

“…So you are really accused with false charges? And to prove that, can you do it…?”

Hoshikaze-senpai blinked her eyes that were wet with tears.

Even in this kind of situation, she was still lending her ears to the voice of this side, she was really an honestly kind prince.

“Yes. I will definitely return to the Witch's Manor. Until then, please look after my soul as a swordsman.”

Kazuki picked up Doufuu that had fallen on the ground and handed it over to Hoshikaze-senpai.

Senpai brought this katana around because she felt that it was the symbol of her bond with Kazuki.

Once again, Kazuki entrusted his beloved katana to Hoshikaze-senpai.

“Understood, I’ll overlook you for today.”

Hoshikaze-senpai sheathed Doufuu, then she wiped her teary eyes repeatedly with the sleeve of her uniform.

“I’ll overlook you for now, but I won’t wait for you too long, okay? If you don’t return soon, there won’t be a next time!”

Senpai said her piece with a pampering tone.

“…Thank you very much, senpai.”

Senpai forced herself a little to make a smile.

“Yeah, I’m glad. This is finished with no need to doubt my friend and cute junior any further. You said that I can trust you, I’m really glad. …Well then, work hard you all.”

Senpai turned on her heel. A small heart mark flew here from her back.

‘This feeling too, I absolutely must not betray it’, Kazuki thought.

There was nothing in that place at a glance.

But for an entrance to the underground that even Hoshikaze-senpai didn’t know anything about, that was only natural.

“It was hidden by a Diva’s magic power. Looks like a seal and concealment are applied at the same time.”

The avatar of Futsunushi no Kami said.

It was in the remote place of the Magic Division’s garden where trees were growing densely. There was nothing that stood out there, but that normalcy itself was unnatural. Despite the hardship of walking about because of the abundance of trees and thickets in their surroundings, only that two or three meters of space that had its soil exposed and turned into wasteland.

“This location is the only spot where reality is distorted. Even someone like me can see it, right now, we are going to sever that seal.”

“…I become the miko of sword. Stone cleaved, root torn, sin cut through, right now in this hand that virtuous sword of crushing evil! Draw sword, Futsunushi no Kami!!”

Kazuha-senpai chanted the Summoning Magic of Futsunushi no Kami. The power of that Sacred Treasure hadn’t been shown by even a portion in the previous duel, this time for sure she held aloft the sword gallantly.

“This sword possesses the power to sever the flow of magical power and seals!”

A flash. Releasing light, Futsunushi no Kami released a beam of light in the air with its slash, a crack was running in that space where there was nothing. It resembled the moment where Cancer was appearing.

The space was smashed up into bits from where the crack formed.

―And then from down there, a totally different scene was appearing.

In the space where there was nothing until just now, a cube made from metal became visible.

Its size was not really considerable, even compared to a single house it was small, a gate was installed in its entrance. At the side of the gate, there was a lens protruding out that looks like some kind of mechanism.

“This is an instrument device to confirm the stigmata. If it confirms the owner of the stigmata, then the gate will be opened. Just once, we tested it with my stigmata on Kazuha and it confirmed and opened.”

When Futsunuhi no Kami said so, Mio who didn’t have any cowardly character at all touched the gate repeatedly.

“This gate is…Adamantite. It’s impossible to break it apart even with Summoning Magic huh. It looks like there is no other way than to make the device confirm our stigmata.”

Adamantite was a new type of steel that was produced by alchemy. It boasted a hardness unthinkable by current science, but its creation needed an advanced magic technique.

The present alchemy couldn’t form anything other than a single simple sheet of metal, moreover because of the ultra weight it boasted, it couldn’t be made into material for weapons, armor, or vehicles. The merit of its utility was small.

“Fabricating a stigmata cannot be done, so from here on only Magica Stigma can enter.”

The present era’s security technique, because of the development of alchemy, new kinds of problems were exposed.

Once <living body confirmation security> like using finger print or retina had the most reliability, but in recent years, various risks of magic forgery were identified.

Copying finger print and retina using magic was not impossible as long as someone was making an effort for it.

In the level of common households, a system using keys and alarms developed using complicated refining alchemy was enough, but the security for the level of insuring the secrets that corporations and the country had was viewed as a problem.

Security using stigmata as confirmation was solid because currently at this point it was impossible to be faked, but it was still an imperfect technique because it couldn’t be used except by Magica Stigma. Perhaps before long a system that would be using the difference of magic power wavelength between each individual would be born, but…

“This device, does it also have an arrangement to record the shape of the confirmed stigmata into some storage?”

“Hmm, it probably does. When it confirmed my stigmata, it didn’t have any knowledge of it so there was no problem at all. But it’s a different story with the stigmata of Solomon's 72 Pillars that you all have. You will be specially considered as intruders the moment you opened the gate. There is a risk, so your confidence is going to be tested here.”

Futsunushi no Kami said with a serious face and tone.

“…However Amasaki Mio, it looks like you are only getting dragged into this, is it really okay for you?”

“N―. According to what all of you said, there is a possibility that the top brass of the Knight Order and the Knight Academy are connected to this gate, so we couldn’t report this to the Knight Order and the Knight Academy right? Then the only fighting power in Japan that can deal with the thing beyond this gate, right now in this place, are the four of us.”

From Kazuki and Lotte, Mio also glanced at Koyuki, then she said four people.

“There is no mistake something rotten is being performed behind this gate. We can't possibly do something like overlooking this. We have to prove Kazuki’s innocence too.”

“…Guwahhahha! You are really a bold girl with a sense of justice!! I've come to think that it’s fine to trust you all unconditionally even without testing you like this!”

Toward Mio who said bluntly without hesitation, Futsunushi no Kami was laughing admiringly.

“…It was unexpected for Amasaki-san to also count me in.”

Koyuki whispered absent-mindedly.

“You are at least as strong as me, after all, so it’s a fact that you can be relied on.”

Relied―Koyuki’s eyes turned wide slightly hearing those words.

But she was embarrassed after all, immediately she averted her sight from Mio and faced aside.

“Is Hiakari-san coming too?”

“…I have already come this far so is that something you need to ask? Things like Kazuki’s innocence is inconsequential for me, but for there to be something like this so near to the Witch's Manor, it cannot just be left alone like this.”

“Thank you, Hiakari-san.”

“Even though I have said that whatever happened to you is inconsequential, why are you still saying thanks?”

“Eh, because you are actually worried about us right?”

“Please listen carefully to what someone is saying.”

This exchange looks like a promise.

“Kazuki, this one cannot accompany you because of the lack of stigmata. But this one’s heart will always be together with you. That’s why when you return safely, marry this one.”

“That’s why I told you I don’t want to marry for the sake of kenjutsu.”

“N, no Kazuki, this one, that is not all…”

“…Don’t just keep making a stir in front of the gate, how about you all just go quickly?”

Kazuha-senpai forcefully slipped between Kazuki and Kohaku.

“If the SHR is over, the Magic Division’s students will come outside for class. Then it will become hard for us to return to the Sword Division, don’t you know? Hush!” She waved her hand with a spiteful gaze.

“…In the case that we haven’t returned after half a day, it’s probably pointless but report it to the Knight Order. The fact is, the only ones who could do anything about what is beyond this gate is only all of you. I’m counting on you somehow.”

Futsunushi no Kami gave those words for the last time.

“Yosh, then let’s go everyone!”

The stigmata confirmation system itself looked like the entrance of the Haunted Ground.

The essential was the same with that time, Kazuki made the back of his hand emit the light of magic power and held it aloft before the device.

―The adamantite door opened with a grave sound. Behind it was stairs that continued underground.

“From the cross-section of that door also functioned as the construction to read the light of the magic power. If you don’t go through it one by one, it will close on its own accord. It will close the moment you go through, you couldn’t try to be sneaky.”

Kazuha-senpai explained how the opening of this door worked.

When Kazuki went through the door, the door closed immediately just like what Kazuha-senpai said.

Even with the door closed, the surrounding was bright. It was a stairway continuing to the underground, but the electric lights in the ceiling emitted bright light.

This side of the door also had the stigmata confirmation device. It looks like they could return when they came back here.

Before long, Mio, Lotte, and Koyuki came through the door in turn after going through the same procedure.

“Hiakari-san, are you nervous by any chance?”

Kazuki noticed that Koyuki’s expression was stiff. It was quite unexpected. The one that was the most accustomed with this among them should be her who often performs solo quests.

“…Nothing, I'm fine. All of us are here already, so let’s advance.”

After they had descended underground for about two floors, they finally reached a corridor that was level.

The walls and the floor were made from concrete, but the more they advanced, the state of their vicinity changed. The hard concrete wall was, ‘dokun’, starting to pulse weakly.

Like entering the inside of a living thing which had its own will….

Even the light of the electric lamp that should be made of inorganic matter turned pale, transitioning into a suspicious tint.

“It looks like Haunted Ground transformation doesn’t it? Even something like Demon Beasts might also come out. Perhaps there are also traps prepared by the owner of this place. In every sense, we really don’t understand what is going on here.”

Mio performed Access, she talked while her body was wrapped in the Magic Dress while also keeping her vigilance.

Next Lotte also changed her clothes into her Magic Dress.

“Kazuki-oniisan, this is something I understood just now desu, but it looks like I can use my magic until level 5 desu. I think it was the influence from Prometheus remembering his own name.”

“Level 3 to level 5…Lotte’s chant is fast, so it is quite a considerable power up.”

“Yes, I’ll do my best!”

When Kazuki was patting Lotte’s head who was grinning happily, Koyuki also replaced her clothes with her Magic Dress. …Somehow her expression was stiff.

“Hiakari-san, perhaps your physical condition is bad?”

“Ah, no…please don’t mind me. Let’s keep advancing forward.”

Her condition weighed a little on his mind, but Koyuki was a solo player with an abundance of experience that Kazuki couldn’t compare with.

That fact made him hesitate to meddle and ask her.

“Then I’ll stand as the vanguard. Mio and Hiakari-san are the rearguard, while Lotte who can fight flexibly shall move to the middle.”

Mio and Koyuki didn’t have any objection, Lotte too replied “Okay, desu” and accepted the special role obediently.

The width of the corridor was around three people standing side by side. When Kazuki who went as the vanguard saw this, he could say that the terrain made it easy for him to protect the back. It made his role as the vanguard even more important.

But, at that time…a rift entered the path of the corridor smoothly.

(Rift?)

And then ‘GAKUN!’, their footing shook. The floor where Kazuki and the others stood started to slide off diagonally, the rift was widening like a big mouth opening wide.

“TRAP!?” Mio yelled. “Everyone, jump!” Kazuki raised his voice.

The floor didn’t fall and opening a hole immediately, the dull concrete where they stood tilted vertically little by little. In that slight time, jumping to the other side of the rift was not a hard thing to do for the magician of this era because they could use Enchant Aura.

Kazuki, Mio, and also Lotte made blue light shine on their feet simultaneously and leapt to the other side of the rift. However―for some reason only Koyuki was still remaining at that spot.

Koyuki was standing stock still on that spot with an uncertain expression. Strangely, there was no flow of magic power that could be sensed from her body. Koyuki’s body was stiff and her face was white as a sheet.

“Hiakari-san!?”

He didn’t understand what her reason was, but right now she couldn’t use magic.

And then the floor tilted rapidly. It went towards the hole where its bottom couldn’t be seen.

Kazuki immediately leapt back to the tilting floor. And then his arms caught Koyuki’s body that was sliding down in the nick of time. And now―they were falling down together.

“Kazuki!?” He could hear Mio’s scream.

―With their postures as it was, there was no method to return to where Mio and Lotte were. The floor had already finished tilting down, there was no more place he could kick off with his foot. He couldn’t do anything other than to just let his body fall down.

Their bodies were falling down…Mio and Lotte’s figures were becoming farther rapidly….

‘zuzuzu’, The floor started to move once again after dropping off Kazuki and Koyuki, the dropping hole started to get blocked.

“Kazu, ki…”

Inside Kazuki’s arms, a scared moan of Koyuki’s voice was leaking out.

The two keep falling down just like that toward the unknown depth.

Chapter 3 – The Silver Girl and the Plan of Darkness

Part 1

A scene of two people in a sharp fall. However, Kazuki didn’t regret it at all.

…If he didn’t do this, Koyuki, who currently couldn’t use magic would simply die for sure.

But as long as the defensive magic power worked, a pure physical impact wouldn’t be a problem. The impact of the landing would be eradicated in its entirety due to the defensive magic’s reality distortion.

That was why setting aside his own safety, he embraced Koyuki strongly.

He had to turn himself to be the one that was pinned on the bottom side of this free fall without fail.

And then after they continued to fall for several seconds―Kazuki and Koyuki crashed into the bottom of the hole.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Large blue magic power shined, but the lack of pain that he felt was a normal matter.

The defensive magic power was unperturbed against a mere physical impact that didn’t itself contain magical power. Without a doubt, this was the reason conventional weapons of this era were powerless.

“Hiakari-san, are you okay?”

Kazuki had embraced Koyuki so tightly that he couldn’t feel his own arms.

“H, here is…?”

Koyuki leaked out a frail voice inside Kazuki’s arms.

“I’ll say it from the start, but this is not heaven.”

Koyuki’s awareness had flown away due to the impact, she was blinking her eyes in wonder.

“Hell…?”

“Hiakari-san is not the kind of person who will fall into hell.”

Koyuki’s pupils were regaining their focus gradually, she was staring fixedly at Kazuki. And then perhaps from finally feeling that her life had been saved for real, she gripped Kazuki’s clothes in his chest tightly.

“…Was Kazuki the one who saved me…?”

While confirming nervously with an upward glance, a heart mark flew from her chest.

Kazuki continued to embrace Koyuki tightly just like that. They fell into silence together with their bodies laying against each other.

“U, uhmm, I’m fine already so can you release me?”

“I also want to do that, but…because I hugged you too tightly before, my arms are numb and can't be moved.”

Though of course he didn’t use Enchant Aura, so he didn’t embrace her so strongly that her delicate body would be crushed. But because he felt a strong nervousness in their fall, his muscles had stiffened too much.

“Eh? …Eeeeehh!?”

Koyuki’s face turned bright red while being embraced tightly against his chest like a doll as it were.

“P, please loosen your tension quickly, this makes me troubled!”

“That’s, when I think that I am hugging Hiakari-san so tightly, it makes my heart beat too much, perhaps I should say my body totally cannot calm down, how troubling.”

“Stupid! Being excited by something like me, what kind of lies are you saying!”

“It’s not a lie. Hiakari-san is cute, so no matter what kind of man it is, when embracing Hiakari-san because of an act of god like this, of course he would get excited without fail.”

“What kind of stupid things are you saying with a serious face like that!? Anyway, can you just loosen your arm already!?”

Koyuki said with a troubled face, so Kazuki felt a little mischievous.

“If Hiakari-san chanted a spell like [Throb throb fly away~, chichin pui-pui nya nya nya nya~n☆] while patting my head gently, I think the strength could be drained from my entire body.”

“Wh, what, that spell sounds so stupid…”

It was the influence of a certain idiot little sister. Because he always set out together with Kanae and messed around.

“Because it sounds so stupid that it could drain the entire strength from the body! Now, hurry!”

Kazuki said strongly making Koyuki’s flustered gaze wander around.

“E, errr I’m sorry, how did you say it again?”

“[Throb throb fly away~, chichin pui-pui nya nya nya nya~n☆] while Hiakari-san also pats my head gently.”

“Thr, Throb throb fly away~, chichin pui-pui nya nya nya nya~n…”

Her small hand was going pat pat on Kazuki’s head with utmost effort, and Koyuki chanted the spell with a blushing red face.

“Uwa―, how calming―”

Kazuki said in monotone while unfastening his hands.

The truth was that his nervousness had already faded a while ago.

While Koyuki raised her body slowly, she watched Kazuki resentfully with some heat still left behind on her cheeks.

“…Recently, you have had no hesitation about toying around with me, haven’t you? For that reason you are telling lies without even batting an eye. Are you misunderstanding me as a certain fumbling character?”

“I want to see Hiakari-san’s various faces even against my better judgment.”

“It’s fine for my face to stay just like this. I don’t want to expose any kind of strange face.”

Koyuki turned her face to the side with a ‘puih’. But an angry face like that was also very cute.

“Hiakari-san, there is dirt on you.”

When Kazuki wiped the dust on her white cheek softly, Koyuki’s face turned red again and she looked down.

“…Well then, rather than that kind of thing, this situation is more important. Hiakari-san, by some chance, are you unable to use magic now?”

After joking around a little, they returned to reality once again.

Koyuki’s expression clouded gloomily.

“…Yes. Somehow I cannot knead strong magic power very well right now. I can barely perform Access, but standard magic and chanting Summoning Magic are…”

When he watched her carefully, her Magic Dress was also different than the usual.

Originally the Diva’s contractor was decorated with appropriate majestic appearance, but her appearance now was lacking in one part, it only looked like a mere white school swimsuit.

Even that minimum part that was covering her body, at times it was wavering like a disordered mirage.

“Since when you were like this?”

“I think it was from when I woke up from the magic intoxication.”

When he thought about it, as expected, perhaps the origin was from that time. Magic intoxication induced a change in the state of the heart. After collapsing for two days from magic intoxication, it wasn't strange that there was some kind of after-effect that was still left behind.

Everything would be fine if this was only temporary like someone who was just half awake, but….

“Even when I cleaned my body, I couldn’t use magic skillfully, at that time I noticed the abnormality, but….”

“If you noticed it, why were you accompanying us until now then?”

Kazuki didn’t intend to criticize her, but Koyuki’s shoulders jolted in shock, her gaze turned away like she was trying to find an escape.

―There was no way to escape.

She recognized her own careless action, and that she couldn’t avoid facing Kazuki.

“…I cannot, I, who is an elf couldn’t, couldn’t come to believe that I could not use magic. I, whose only worth was just my magic…to not be able to use magic and become useless in battle, that….”

Koyuki who talked while straining her voice continued with “I’m sorry.”

Kazuki thought that he could understand that feeling as well. He also relied on his pride of his kenjutsu. If he lost it out of nowhere, there was no doubt that he would want to run from reality with [I don’t want to believe it]. Then if such an escape became a source of trouble for someone else, for certain he would receive a shock that he could never recover from.

That was why he mustn’t condemn Koyuki. (I must protect her till the end!)

“It’s okay Hiakari-san. If this is because of magic intoxication’s influence, then surely this is just temporary. A person’s heart is formless after all, it’s not like the physical body that cannot be healed once it got hurt and wrecked. It only depends on one’s frame of mind, after a little bit of some kind of impetus, it should return back to normal for sure.”

“…You are not angry?”

Koyuki watched Kazuki intently with eyes that looked a bit scared.

“No such thing, I’m not angry. Just thinking that Hiakari-san wanted to help me, just that feeling of yours is enough to make me extremely happy.”

Her sad appearance because of being in the way of others was the proof that she cared about Kazuki. Even more than something like the number of her positivity level, such a nonchalant act and appearance made him far happier.

“…Although, we must find some way to escape from here safely somehow.”

Kazuki said while looking around.

They were in the bottom of the trap hole. But the space where they were at was not a closed room, the walls and floor that were made from concrete were organized forming the whole level, a road was continuing ahead in their path.

Even the electric lamp was turned on properly.

When they looked over their head, there was one hole that was opened up in the ceiling from where they fell. If they could ascend through this hole, it looks like they would be able to return to the former level.

The exit and entrance to the surface ground was only located at the upper level, that’s why first they thought about going through this hole rather than advancing forward down the path.

“Couldn’t Kazuki use Blazing Wings to fly through this hole?”

“The hole is too narrow. If there is no space to even flap the wings, we won’t be able to use wings to fly.”

Even for the firebird Phoenix, if he couldn’t flap his wings then he wouldn’t be able to do anything.

Kazuki didn’t only have Mio’s magic, he could also use Lotte’s magic up to level 5.

There was still no chance to use it until now, but Lotte’s level 5 magic made it possible to fly to the sky. But that magic equipped the user with a large armament, so it wouldn’t be able to slip through the width of this hole.

The hole became narrower the deeper it went, it was easy to fall and hard to climb. They could feel the wickedness of this clever disposition from the person who prepared this trap.

It seems it was impossible to escape through this hole with the current magic Kazuki had in hand.

“…If only I can use magic,”

Koyuki whispered in a subdued tone.

“If I summon a tsunami here and manipulate it…no, the amount of water might not be enough for this depth…”

Filling this space with ocean water and swimming inside it to rise to the surface, was that what she meant?

“What if I use the same magic and the amount of the water is doubled?”

“Now that you mention it, the ability of Kazuki’s Diva is to copy magic right? However it looks like you are unable to copy my magic. Is there a condition to that ability?”

It was not exactly copying actually, but he explained it to Koyuki like that before this.

“The condition so I can copy magic is to raise the positivity level of the girl.”

“…Ha? You are lying again, are you planning to toy around with my reaction?”

“No, this is the truth. That’s why I can use Mio’s magic the most, and the next is Lotte, Kaguya-senpai’s magic can also be used a little.”

Kazuki was the strongest at using Mio’s magic in the first place was because Mio’s positivity level was plainly the highest. Koyuki was flustered at feeling the persuasiveness of that fact.

“Is, is that really true? That kind of stupid ability…”

“It’s the truth. What do you mean by stupid, it’s not stupid.”

At Kazuki’s side, the one who bestowed the aforementioned stupid ability, Leme appeared and talked.

“You have heard the story between Leme and Futsunushi no Kami, didn’t you? The story that you haven’t been told is something quite hard to swallow but, Leme is the King of Solomon's 72 Pillars. In the same way Leme is accompanied by 72 Pillars, if Kazuki also makes the contractor of the 72 Pillars accompany him then he would be able to use that ability skillfully.”

“Accompanied…by that you mean positivity level?”

“That’s right, if the King couldn’t get a hold of humans' hearts in his hand, then he wouldn’t be able to use that authority.”

Koyuki comprehended the explanation with a complicated expression. Kazuki asked Koyuki once again.

“…If we could climb the hole, could Vepar’s magic smash the ceiling? That ceiling was not made from adamantite, but only made from concrete after all.”

While in the middle of falling down, Kazuki had confirmed that the trap hole had been blocked once more.

Not only climbing up the hole, but they also had to smash the ceiling apart to escape.

However Mio and Lotte’s magic were not suited for physical destruction.

If they tried to melt the ceiling with magic flame, the large amount of melted concrete from the heat of the magical power wouldn’t have any place to escape and it would pour down on them, washing them away again to the bottom of the hole.

“If we could climb the hole, we could pulverize something like concrete with Ice Buster.”

“Using ice to destroy concrete, could it be done? It feels somehow absurd trying to imagine it though.”

“Concrete’s hardness diverged depending on the material used, but it’s around 4 until 5. This unit to measure hardness is called the Mohs’ hardness scale. The hardness of ice at 0 °C is around 1.5, but the more the temperature is lowered, the hardness will increase along with its transparency, at minus 100 °C, the hardness will become more than six times.”

“...Ice is really awesome.”

“O Our King, this kind of knowledge that will be useful in battle should be learned more habitually you know.”

Thereupon, it means things like this.

“If Hiakari-san’s power of magic returned, on top of that if I raise Hiakari-san’s positivity level, then we will be able to return to the former level!”

“...A, are you serious? Raising positivity level in this kind of dungeon?”

Until now he had to raise positivity level in order to defeat a strong enemy.

However this time, he had to raise positivity level in order to escape from this closed space!

“Raising positivity level in this kind of situation, moreover while both of us are being aware of each other, even for me, I don’t really know what is a good way to do that, but…well, for the time being let’s just follow down this path.”

But I’m also worried about Mio and Lotte…

Though it was a silver lining in the dark cloud that those two could make a compatible combination with Lotte as the vanguard and Mio as the rearguard.

{Kazuki, I don’t want Hiakari Koyuki to know about this so I’m telling you through telepathy, but if it’s some way to confirm the safety of Amasaki Mio and the others then you have it.}

…Really?

{The first is obvious, but you could check it from the positivity level. The appearance of their name and number are proof that the link between your minds are still preserved.}

Kazuki charged his ring with magic power and it displayed the positivity levels.

Amasaki Mio―134 Lotte―110 Hiakari Koyuki―59

I see, when Leme said it, it’s really obvious. A dead person’s positivity level wouldn’t be displayed.

{Next there is one more…because you also conquered Lotte, Leme has grown considerably, Leme has recovered one more of her powers.}

…Which reminds him, before Leme said that [My ability is by no means only this much]. Does she mean that one part of her power had been liberated?

{Kazuki, charge the Solomon Ring with magic power while thinking about Mio and Lotte strongly, try to grasp their hearts and see.}

Just as he was told, Kazuki held the ring with his hand and pray silently about perceiving Mio and Lotte.

Thereupon…he felt a sensation like his heart was connected with Mio and Lotte’s heart by a line.

About how long the line was and which direction it was going to, he could perceive that line spatially.

A new vision floated up in front of Kazuki’s eyes. This time it was not a graph of the positivity level.

{If until now it was a positivity level of galge, this time it is an action selection map stage. When you see this map, you will understand in a glance who you could meet at where you are going to, see?}

The vision that was floating in front of Kazuki’s eyes was a three dimensional map.

Three lights were blinking on top of that three dimensional coordinates. One is himself. Then on the fairly above direction was two lights that were in moving. There was no doubt that these were Mio and Lotte.

It was not a map of the path of these underground passages. Rather than a map, there were three lights floating inside a cube where he could make a distinction of their position and distance, something like a three dimensional radar.

{By the way, this light will only appear when the other party are latently wishing for Kazuki. For example if Amasaki Mio enter a toilet, her state of mind will latently work that she doesn’t want Kazuki to perceive her whereabouts, the link of magic power will be cut off and you will become unable to know where she is. Solomon's 72 Pillars had even taken into consideration the privacy of our contractor, aren’t we really friendly Divas?}

After informing him up to that point, Leme cut off the telepathy.

“…Kazuki, why did you suddenly become quiet?”

Koyuki asked dishearteningly towards Kazuki who had gone quiet for awhile.

“No, it’s nothing. Leme was telling me various things inside my head. We will go back above for sure, so let’s advance to uncover the secrets of this place!”

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Kazuki stood in front of Koyuki, he advanced ahead while looking around with deep caution.

The current Koyuki who couldn’t use magic power was an extremely brittle existence. With only one attack reaching her, she wouldn’t even fall into magic intoxication and might lose her life instantly instead.

The passages of this level were also long and narrow, it was the most suitable place to protect Koyuki while fighting.

“…Somehow it feels suffocating here.”

Damp moisture and moldy smells mixed in the air, the air conditioning was not working at all making the air hot and humid. Kazuki glanced back for a second.

“What is it?”

“No, Hiakari-san’s atmosphere is refreshing, so.”

Just by seeing the girl in a glance, his chest felt like it became less crowded. A cooling sight.

“…Kazuki, I have a request though.”

“What kind of request?”

“When we are in a real emergency, please abandon me here. The me right now is just baggage. Someone who cannot be useful in battle has no value whatsoever in being protected.”

…Why is she proposing such a self-torturing thing like that for? (self-destructive?)

“What kind of stupid thing are you saying? I’m not deciding a person’s worth only by how useful they are. Even though Hiakari-san cannot fight, you are still very valuable. I will protect Hiakari-san’s life!”

Koyuki made a wondering face from Kazuki’s words.

“Please stop it. You are just thinking to raise my positivity level by saying that. Why can’t you focus on your own survival, stupid.”

On the contrary of those dishonest words, relief was mixing inside Koyuki’s tone of voice.

Perhaps she wanted to hear the words of [I will absolutely protect you], maybe that’s why she proposed this kind of thing. Surely she was feeling uneasy with the current situation, it couldn’t be helped.

“…Are you really, planning to raise my positivity level from now on?”

Again, Koyuki asked him with a nervous feeling.

“Regarding that, it’s also not good to put yourself on guard too much, let’s just do it naturally. Rather than that, what’s important is to protect Hiakari-san first.”

After we kept walking for a while, the passage divided in two.

Kazuki peeked out his face from the turning point and examined the situation in the left and right. At that moment, a black shadow leaped out from the corner of passage in an ambush.

Enemy attack!

Kazuki immediately took a back step while a beam of light streaked from the mouth of his sheath. The principle of Iai was originally a counter attack technique in an instant of time. Kazuki’s first and second slash carved up the black shadow roughly into pieces.

‘beshari’, with a wet sound, the thing that was cut by Kazuki fell on the floor.

“…What is this?”

Kazuki spontaneously groaned when he saw the dead body of the thing that attacked him.

The thing that was ceasing to function there was a grotesque organism that was hard to describe.

He couldn’t possibly believe that this kind of organism existed in the ecosystem of earth.

If he expressed it strongly, this organism was a lot of tentacles that were bundled together like a bouquet of flowers. It resembled an octopus. The tentacles were attached with countless suction pads for the sake of capturing its prey. The root of this thing was a bloodshot eyeball, rough breaths were released painfully from its tusked lips.

It resembled an octopus, but it looks slimy in pink color, its size was around the size of one person. It was a disgusting organism that made him feel like he would lose his sanity just by looking at it.

The sliced organism was wriggling about for a while, and then it disappeared by turning into the blue light of magical power.

It was a Demon Beast.

“…What kind of Mythology had that kind of Demon Beast, what bad taste. Come out here, the Diva that’s in charge.”

The things called Demon Beasts came in a large variety, they could discover the source of the Demon Beasts among the numerous Mythologies out there.

But he didn’t know about the existence of such an eerie organism like this in the scope of the Mythologies he had learned.

“Cthulhu Mythos…?”

Koyuki whispered in a low tone.

“Cthu…what?”

“Cthulhu Mythos…there is a Mythology that is called that. A monster that grows tentacles is a monster of this Mythology…Or perhaps I should say, it’s thought to be the feature of the evil god.”

“But I never heard about that kind of Mythology.”

“As far as my investigation go, there shouldn’t be any confirmation of the sighting of Demon Beasts and Divas that are derived from the Cthulhu Mythos until now.”

“…In short, this place is an extremely rare Haunted Ground?”

“…Strictly speaking, Cthulhu Mythos is an [original setting] that was created by an author named Lovecraft for the purpose of spinning a story. Lovecraft’s fellow authors also shared this and wrote their work using this setting, the world view of this work was developed rapidly, finally it turned into a large scale systematic world that was fitting to be called a Mythology. However in the end it was supposed to be nothing more than a setting for the purpose of literary creation. It’s rare, or, how should I put it…is this kind of thing even possible?”

“A story setting? That’s different from a Mythology, right? No, maybe Mythology too is something that looks like a story.”

Kazuki didn’t understand how to measure the line between a story and Mythology.

In the first place, the concept of Mythology was still not well-understood. The relation of Demon Beasts and Divas with Mythologies still hadn’t come out of the realm of human’s own convenient hypothesis despite all the research that had been done.

In this world that had transformed into a place that overturned science, mankind was living while groping around in the dark, being led around by the nose by grand beings of unknown nature.

While they were talking, ‘zururi’, ‘zururi’, they could hear disgusting sounds from both passages that were diverging to the left and right.

When they turned their heads to the sounds, the eerie tentacle Demon Beasts were forming a group and crawling their way.

It was excessively disgusting how the Demon Beasts crawled nearing them in strangely fast movements despite their size.

“Hiakari-san, fall back!”

While removing Koyuki to the back, Kazuki started to chant his spell.

Part 2

“I’m going to melt this concrete floor with Phoenix’s flame! Lotte, step back!!”

After Kazuki fell into the trap hole, Mio insisted in a great panic.

Toward Mio’s insistence, Lotte made an objection carefully.

“But, this concrete floor is quite thick. If this floor is melted and a hole is made, then a large amount of melted concrete will fall desu. Concrete that is melted with magic will be wrapped in the heat of magic power. If the end of this trap hole is a closed space then…”

“…If it’s Kazuki then he'll do something or another using defensive magic. Though now that you said it, it certainly will be really scary for a large amount of concrete wrapped in magic power to come falling down.”

“It was only for just an instant, but the moment when Koyuki-oneesan fell into the trap hole, she was in a state that couldn’t use magic desu. I think there will be quite a risk if this floor is melted and fell.”

“Mu―. …Rather than taking an imprudent risk, we should be going forward collecting information of this dungeon?”

“It’s really lonely that Kazuki-oniisan is not here desu, but let’s do that. I’ll be the vanguard desu.”

“…Thank you. I’ll also raise the speed of my chant with all my strength, I’ll protect you from behind.”

“Yes, let’s do our best!”

Lotte grasped Mio’s hand tightly. “Ehehe” she laughed.

“We are close friends aren't we desu?”

Lotte sensed Mio’s discouragement through telepathy. That’s why she behaved cheerfully to encourage Mio.

“Stop it already, it’s awkward. Let’s go right away!”

Although her mouth said that, Mio walked forward without releasing Lotte’s hand.

Without knowing what was lurking in their path, they faced toward the darkness of the labyrinth….

Part 3

Several numbers of tentacle Demon Beasts were creeping near from the left and right paths.

The worst case was if they were attacked from both sides and he couldn’t protect Hiakari-san. With that thought, Kazuki returned to the previous path, for a moment the Demon Beasts converged into one group.

“Hiakari-san, fall back just a little for now.”

It became a fight of one against many, but the disadvantage of numbers in this narrow passage was not that much of a concern.

Kazuki managed to draw away the Demon Beasts near enough, so he invoked his magic.

“Fire Wall!”

The foremost leading pack of the Demon Beasts that came rushing were swallowed in one go by the flame wall that burst forth from the ground. The blue light that was released when the Demon Beast vanished from this world was flickering in countless numbers inside the flame.

When the flame wall was extinguished, Kazuki carved up the following Demon Beast group that was still left.

However all the Demon Beasts were not looking at Kazuki, but at Koyuki.

They had completely seen through the opponent that couldn’t fight back instinctively.

One Demon Beast that Kazuki had let slip tried to make its way from his side.

Even in the worst case, he mustn’t allow an attack to hit Koyuki.

Kazuki threw his body in front of the Demon Beast and covered for Koyuki. The Demon Beast immediately captured Kazuki with its tentacles, then it opened its big mouth with tusks lining inside it against him that whose movement had been sealed. However, at that instant―.

“This hand, reach out to the height of Babel, now this hand grasped the thunder of god! In accordance with my life, O lightning, whirl at my command! Collider Field!!”

He broke out a barrier of electricity barely in time. All the Demon Beasts around Kazuki were baked from the inside through the electric shock, their nerves paralyzed.

Kazuki slipped out from the restraint of the tentacles and cut away all the paralyzed Demon Beasts at once.

The Demon Beasts still hadn’t stopped coming in waves to attack.

“Roar! Civilization, grant humans destruction! The howl of wisdom scorches thy body, break, shut all dignity under the rubble!! Mitrailleuse!”

Kazuki used the gatling gun to stop the advance of the Demon Beasts, then,

“Fire Wall!”

The place where all the Demon Beasts had gathered was burned away in a flame wall once again.

“…So it’s really true that you can use other people’s magic skillfully. There is even a remarkable difference in chanting speed compared to the time when you had a duel with Amasaki-san…”

Koyuki’s eyes became wide open seeing Kazuki using Mio and Lotte’s magic so well.

“Fuu, anyway first the wave had been settled…”

“Are you okay, Kazuki? You got hit with an attack because of me just now.”

“The damage isn't really significant, see? Rather than that, which way should we go, left or right?”

“…Kazuki, the spirit here, feel it, this way.”

“Eh? Spirit you say?”

<Spirit>. The existence with many mysteries, it was said that only elves with their altered magic power could sense their existence. They had no physical body, and are beings of a different dimension.

Kazuki couldn’t sense their existence. As expected, it seems elves had a different sensory organs from a normal person. Though they became the target of discrimination as a consequence of that difference….

“Kazuki too is different from normal, that’s why I thought maybe you too could…as expected, you can’t sense them.”

Koyuki dropped her shoulders in loneliness. She felt a considerable disappointment.

“Sorry…spirits, what kind of existence are they?”

Spirit couldn’t be sensed except by elves, because those elves had received discriminatory treatment for a long time, research and investigation of spirits was not done at all.

Spirits were shrouded in more mystery, even compared to Divas and Demon Beasts.

“Spirit’s existence could be sensed in the Haunted Ground, there are many cases like that, but it is different with Demon Beasts in that it doesn’t bring harm to people. They don't have that much influence in this world. They exist in Astrum, at times they come to talk with us elves using telepathy. They are just a whispering existence.”

The aspect where they were residents of Astrum who didn’t have physical bodies in this world was the same as Divas. But in contrast with Divas who was an existence with great power, will and its own objectives, spirits were a really small existence.

“Even though I was saying that they talked to me, the language that they uttered to me was not clear. What they transmitted to me was only vague feelings. If the strength of the telepathy is increased then I could sense more detail, they might explain something.”

“The spirits that are in this place right now, are they telling Hiakari-san anything?”

“Yes. I think they are giving us a warning that it’s better not to follow this path.”

Koyuki quietly pointed to the right path of the diverging route.

“But the thing that we are looking for is located ahead in this path, that’s what I think they are saying.”

“Then we can't follow their warning after all. Looks like Spirit-san can't guess too far, that we don’t have any place to go back to from here.”

“…That’s true. Though it makes the situation a little uneasy.”

Kazuki took Koyuki’s hand gently.

“Wh, what is it…?”

“No, because it is quite uneasy, I thought we can walk while holding hands.”

“Are you stupid? Intentionally blocking one of your own hands, what are you going to do if an enemy comes suddenly?”

“There is that, but before this we had defeated a fair number of them, so wouldn’t it be fine for a while I wonder―, that’s what I thought.”

“Then, only until the next corner.”

…Eh, she unexpectedly folded easily?

Koyuki whose face was looking down, her small hand clutched his hand back tightly.

A heart mark was flying to him. It’s only a trivial thing, but it made her happy.

“Which reminds me, I have been thinking of this for a long time but, is it okay for me to call Hiakari-san by your given name?”

Kazuki asked that while feeling her warmth from one hand. When he called Mio and Kaguya-senpai by their first names, he had a feeling that the distance between them shrunk a lot. If he wants to suggest this, then now is the chance, that was the feeling he got.

“It doesn’t really matter, isn’t it fine to call me whatever you like? As for me about the matter of Kazuki, I have called you Kazuki near from the start.”

“Now that you mention it, that’s true isn’t it? Since when did it become that Hiakari-san was calling me by my first name again…?”

At first she called Kazuki [Rank-E person].

“…You were looked down by everyone in the class, but didn’t you duel with Amasaki-san to protect the honor of your important kenjutsu? Since then, I reconsidered my opinion of you a little…”

Koyuki answered him with some difficulty. For some reason even this side also became feeling a little itchy.

“I see, Hiakari-san had recognized me properly as a human from a long time ago.”

“Not really, I don’t care whatever happened to you anyway…”

While murmuring such a thing, Koyuki’s hand that was connected with his hand became a little hot.

“Thank you, then without reservation, Koyuki. This is quite awkward for some reason. Koyuki. Koyuki.”

“I don’t really care if you call me by my name, but please don’t call me repeatedly without any meaning!”

Koyuki got angry while pulling Kazuki’s hand strongly.

“Something trivial like a name, it’s all the same however way you are using to call me. You are only doing stupid things in this kind of situation.”

From the chest of Koyuki who was saying such things with a sullen face―a key that was shining with light was floating up.

That key was absorbed into Solomon’s ring which was Kazuki’s Magic Dress.

The key that was received from Koyuki, the proof that her positivity level had gone over 65….

The proof that a definite link was formed between their hearts.

Perhaps he ought to call her by her given name much earlier than this.

“Just now, I became able to use Koyuki’s magic you know?”

“…!?” With a jerk, Koyuki suddenly stopped walking.

It seems she received a terrible shock from the fact that was apparent in the meaning of those words. She hung her head down looking like she was trying to desperately suppress the feeling that was seething inside her heart, she shut her eyes tightly.

She separated their connected hands forcefully.

“Even though…even though I had decided not to get involved with anyone already. Even though I planned not to fall in love with anyone. Why are you getting inside me like this…slithering inside…”

“Koyuki…”

An obstinate solo player. But inside her heart, for a long time she felt the crushing loneliness, this girl named Koyuki.

―She was imposing some kind of restriction against herself, binding her own heart tightly.

―She was bearing a feeling of guilt towards herself who was thinking that she wanted to get along well with someone.

Kazuki could see all of that from her.

“Why Koyuki, you are trying to continue isolating yourself inside the loneliness of your own making, don’t you see? It’s regrettable that you went through a lot of painful things in the past, but like this you will only reject other people.”

Why was she doing this kind of foolish thing, when he was confronting her like this, he could feel her indignation from her way of life.

“It’s fine already for Koyuki to not live in such a lonely way anymore. Even though something happened in the past, it’s okay to not fear anymore. Because I’m thinking of Koyuki as someone absolutely important to me. It’s fine to forget all the painful things.”

“Forgetting…?”

Koyuki stared at Kazuki with eyes that looked completely like the eyes of a lost child.

When Kazuki thought how frail of an existence this girl was, he hugged her tightly.

Can he become an existence that brought her peace of mind?

Koyuki’s body stiffened and she was trembling. She was so small that he was afraid he would break her if he hugged her with all his strength. Kazuki embraced like he was wrapping her up inside his hands, he stroked her back that was bare by the design of the magic dress.

“Until Koyuki calmed down, let’s take a rest from walking to the next corner for a while, okay?”

Koyuki returned his embrace tightly while keeping her quiet.

He felt that she finally accepted him. An affectionate feeling was welling up inside him.

“…Kazuki. please call my name one more time.”

“Koyuki.”

“Except for you and Kaguya-senpai, there was nobody else that had called me by my name in these past 13 years .”

“13 years ago, that was still a time when Koyuki was a little child wasn’t it?”

The preposterous period before this, this girl was supposed to be still [an existence that had a need to be called by her name and to be loved].

“…Why! Why didn’t I get called by my name!?”

Suddenly Koyuki raised her voice and she pushed her face into Kazuki’s chest. In that chest of his, he gradually felt the tears that soaked his uniform.

The one who was in front of Koyuki right now was not Kazuki, she was facing someone else and cried.

“Papa…, Mama…! Why, why didn’t you look at me!? Why…just because I became an elf!!”

Koyuki clung to Kazuki strongly because of her pain that couldn’t be protected by any defensive magic power. Raising her voice to the limit, Koyuki’s thin arms turned white from all the strength that she pushed into it.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!”

Koyuki wept.

She decided in her heart that she would live alone, no matter how many tears she had to endure inside her whole life until now.

All those things she bore inside obstinately for a long time, Kazuki accepted all of those silently in his chest.

But she finally stopped holding all of it alone. He finally became a partner that this girl could spill her heart to, that was what he thought.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

The time passed like that for a while, ‘guzu’ Koyuki sounded her nose.

“…I’m sorry to expose my disgraceful figure so suddenly. But, just a little more like this…”

Koyuki finally started to recover her calm. However….

“Koyuki, something with magic power is approaching here.”

“…!”

The feeling of nervousness from being inside a Haunted Ground returned and her whole body stiffened.

“I want to be like this together with Koyuki for a long time and I don’t want to ever arrive to the next corner, but looks like it won’t come true.”

Koyuki separated her body from Kazuki with reluctance. Kazuki too, while feeling the lingering affection toward the fading warmth, he concentrated his consciousness toward the magical power that was approaching.

The reaction for the magic power was unusual. It was different from the weak waves of magic power that Demon Beasts emitted just by existing.

It felt completely like a magician that was chanting magic, a complex whirlpool that swirled around.

It couldn’t be, that was not a Demon Beast, but a human that was approaching…?

Kazuki walked to the passage corner. Even if a Demon Beast came attacking suddenly, possibly even magic could come flying, that would be fine, he chose a defensive magic and prepared to chant the spell.

He finally arrived at the passage corner, there he faced a body in the middle of the path.

―What the hell is this guy!

Something that was even more strange than the Demon Beasts from before was standing there.

A living thing that looked like a flesh-colored muddy slime.

Its size was around the size of an adult human, ash colored hair was growing everywhere on it.

There were no eyes and nose, but large lips were protruding, it was wriggling around like it was trying to mumble something, leaking out a moan that was impossible to decipher.

It looks completely like a human that was melting into an undefined muddy form….

“unu, guruo…ugo, ugo, urugua…”

What the large lips were mumbling was a spell. The skin-colored monster that looked like sticky flesh mud was shining with the light of magic power, beside it an avatar of a Diva was floating.

…Summoning Magic!?

“URUGUO!”

At the same time with the monster’s voice, a large globe of flame was created and flew at Kazuki.

If he evaded it Koyuki will be hit!

“Fire Wall!”

Kazuki astutely invoked his prepared magic.

The globe of flame was swallowed inside the flame wall and was negated.

“Mitrailleuse!”

Kazuki equipped the gatling gun and poured on a storm of bullets.

“IGI!? IGI! IGI!”

Even while being protected from the bullets by blue defensive magic power, the monster’s body was distorted like jelly ‘gunyagunya’ from the shock of its smashed magic, it raised an eerie scream that he couldn’t bear to hear.

Just from looking at it, just from listening to it, he felt like it would harm his sanity.

Kazuki held a shirking feeling, that he didn’t want to challenge this opponent in close-quarters combat.

“Barrett!”

He shot the monster with a flame bullet. The defensive magic power of the monster was used up, the flame bullet was sinking into the mud-like body. The flame bullet that sank inside its body burned its insides to a crisp.

While the monster writhed around in agony, it….,

“Th, thank…”

After spinning a sound that sounds like a word with its lips for the last time, it stopped moving with a twitch,

…Thank you, is that what it tried to say?

It chilled Kazuki’s spine with its mysterious eeriness.

But even though this thing was so eerie, the monster didn’t disappear and scatter into the light of magical power even though its life was already snuffed out.

The skin-colored dead body was clinging to the ground with a splat, it continued to remain in that place.

…It didn’t become a light and disappeared, does this mean this thing was not a Demon Beast…?

No wait, if it wasn't a Demon Beast, than what in the world was this organism!?

Koyuki who chased him until the passage corner was giving the dead body of the monster a glance, then she came to cling at Kazuki’s arm with a tight squeeze. He thought whether she was scared by the grotesqueness of the monster, but―that was not the case.

“Kazuki...please look.”

She noticed an even more terrifying matter.

“This living thing’s 'ears'…”

In that dead body that ceased to function on the floor with a splat, he overlooked it in the middle of the fight but, it had ears attached even though it didn’t have any eyes and nose. Those ears were, 'pointed ears that lengthened sharply'.

“This is…no, she is, an elf. A thing that was an elf before.”

Part 4

“Barrett!”

Mio released a bullet of flame against the monster that was approaching.

But…the force of the flame was weak. ‘zee zee’ Mio’s breath was becoming rough.

(Why can’t I defeat this small fry with one attack!?)

…The oxygen was thinning.

The place called the underground was not an airtight place. But just as she understood from the damp and humid air that this place, by no means, have good ventilation.

For a flame to burn fiercely it needed oxygen. The more Mio used her flame magic in this place, the more her neck felt choked.

“Mio-oneesan, please don’t force yourself!”

Lotte stood in front of Mio where she served as the vanguard.

While firing a volley of gatling bullets, she chanted even more spells.

“I reached out my hand toward the height of Babel, becoming the ruler of people! In accordance with my life, O thunder, swirled into spiral in my hand! Electromagnetic Assault SpearBlitzkrieg!!”

That was a magic that was used for the first time in a real battle, Prometheus’ level 4 magic.

Lotte’s left hand was already equipped with an electromagnetic iron gauntlet that was created from her level 3 magic, [Collider Field]. That iron gauntlet was enveloped with light, and she called even more supplement units to equip on her body.

It was a long lance that was almost twice as tall as Lotte.

“Prometheus… ChargeAngriff!!”

Having her lance ready, Lotte charged into the group of monsters.

The electric current that was produced by the gauntlet was flowing into the lance, Lotte transformed into a meteor of lightning.

Everything that was standing in the way was pierced in one go, electrocuted, and turned into ash.

Lotte rushed in a straight line, she arrived up to the backside of the monsters' swarm after a struggle.

“Prometheus, BladeKlinge!”

When Lotte commanded, the spearhead part transformed, and a blade was formed.

Transforming from a [lance] to [naginata] , Lotte swung it from the back of the monsters' swarm.

The storm of the electric blade blew violently, sweeping up the swarm of monsters.

Lotte, who was armed with the extensive ranged attack from the new magic she learned, was a demon of annihilation.

“…Sorry Lotte, I keep holding you back.”

Mio was hanging her head down while her breath hadn't recoverd yet.

“It’s only because I am perfectly suited to purge away the small fry enemies desu. Moreover, this place’s environment is not suited for flame magic after all desu….”

Lotte’s encouragement was accurate, but Mio was not comforted with that and she kept her head hung down with no sign of looking up. Mio was still hung up from the fight with Beatrix, where she was not useful.

“…Even though I also want to be useful for Kazu-nii, I only keep holding all of you back…”

Through the telepathy magic, Lotte could perceive Mio's feelings.

An uneasy feeling was enveloping the surface of Mio’s heart, like a dark sea.

Because of the feelings of powerlessness against herself, a cold wind of self-loathing was blowing inside her.

“It’s scary…I keep exposing such a disgraceful sight in front of Kazu-nii like this…”

Mio, who was usually full of confidence in herself, was whispering weakly.

The small-statured Lotte tiptoed lightly and hugged Mio while patting Mio’s back lightly.

“Kazuki-oniisan is not a calculating person, who will decide to like, or hate you, based on if you are useful in battle or not, right desu? We are not supposed to be people that Kazuki-oniisan gathered for the purpose of creating a strong party desu. We are connected with Kazuki-oniisan by a Bond, people who gathered because we love each other desu. That’s why we can become a strong party desu.”

“…I know, that's obvious. I have been together with Kazu-nii for a long time. But… exposing an unsightly appearance, when I want to show my good points, still made me uneasy…”

“We are comrades who help each other. So let’s do this with the right person in the right place. I'll kick around all the small fry. Mio-oneesan should preserve her strength. Please launch a large barrage at the Boss. Come on, please cheer up. Please cheer up~”

Against Mio, who talked with a sulking tone, Lotte put on a joking air and patted Mio’s back.

“…Uuu, don’t get cheeky even though you're younger than me.”

Mio, who had a sulky expression, pulled on Lotte’s cheeks with a ‘munyu’.

“Please stop~”

Even with her cheeks pulled, Lotte still raised a happy voice.

“Lotte, thank you. … About Lotte, I like you somewhat.”

“I love Mio-oneesan so much desu! Then if Mio-oneesan has already collected her feelings, let’s go forward desu!”

“There are Demon Beasts. This place is being turned into a Haunted Ground isn’t it? But if that’s true, then I wonder why this Haunted Ground is not spreading.”

Both of them were heading forward, while slipping through traps at times. Mio suddenly felt doubt.

“Haunted Grounds are something that spread rapidly. That’s why, if left alone, it would encroach onto the Magic Division’s ground, isn’t that right? But the border line of these Haunted Grounds is located perfectly in the middle of the stairs descending to basement.”

“If Mio-oneesan says it, that’s true isn’t it desu?”

“It is controlled by someone. … The Haunted Grounds are not spreading fruther than this. These Haunted Grounds are maintained at ths size. In other words, the Demon Beasts extermination is being carried out periodically. I wonder. Seeing it carefully, the concrete walls and floors are worn-out, but it doesn’t feel old and decaying. Instead, it tells the frequency of the fights, that were carried out here…”

There were a great number of cracks and signs of destruction on the pulsing concrete surroundings, which were turned into the Haunted Grounds. Those signs were almost not found at all in the vicinity of the entrance, but as they advanced, the more they increased.

“To do such troublesome things this far... There must be a reason to preserve this place as Haunted Grounds. What in the world are they doing here?”

“…That answer, we don’t know if it might exist beyond this point desu.”

At the end of the corridor, Mio and Lotte discovered a door. Thinking about how many traps there were, starting from the trap hole, there was no doubt, that a big secret was hidden beyond this door.

“This is not an adamantite door, is it desu?”

It seems it would be very hard to carry super heavy adamantite this far underground.

Then it would be simple to break this door? Lotte materialized a lance in her left hand, then she rammed the spearhead into the keyhole ― she exerted her strength. The keyhole was easily broken, the door opened with a thud.

There was a computer inside the room. As well as a lot of monitors.

In this fairly cramped room, the only notable thing around was that computer. In here, all the things that were performed in remote places were displayed and regulated using the displays. It seems this was the control room of this whole underground facility.

No doubt. That computer was a clue.

Though, that was only if they could boot it up.

“…Sage of Civilization Prometheus. If it’s you, you should be able to do something about this?”

Toward Lotte’s call, the avatar of the young boy Prometheus appeared, “Ho-ho-, I say, I say”, he wandered around the computer with interest.

“This is a computer right? Vast electric signals are being inputted, calculated, outputted… Hmm, hmm, I see. This is what is called a computer huh. Awesome. How revolutionary this is.”

“Prometheus, use my body, try to operate it please.”

Lotte sat down at the computer desk. Prometheus’s avatar disappeared.

And then Lotte’s arms moved by themselves. Lotte, who was being possessed by Prometheus, had handed over partial control of her physical body.

The computer powered on. The boot sequence was displayed on the connected displays, but what was displayed on the monitor was something Mio had never seen before. It was not an OS which saw widespread use. The OS seemed to be based on encryption, encrypting everthing on the internal drive.

In short, even if they destroyed this computer and carried out only its storage device, it would be difficult to decrypt the encrypted data. They had to break through the security measures within this very room.

Both of Lotte’s arms became the arms of Prometheus. Her fingers were running along the keyboard. It was their first time operating a keyboard, as shown Prometheus’ rather clumsy keyboard strokes.

However, his inputs were accurate.

“Prometheus, you can hack a computer?”

Towards the sage, who was born in this world with the concept of civilization, Mio was being struck with admiration once again.

A Diva was hacking a computer… This situation is ridiculous.

“Well, somehow I’m using my intuition, or maybe you my sixth sense. Pop that lock. And it’s gone.”

Toward the curious OS, that was demanding a password, Prometheus had easily defeated the security measures taken.

“Oh ho, there's a game here. Minesweeper huh. Is it fine to try it a little? The record time of this computer’s owner is 57 seconds. I want to surpass it without fail.”

“You must not desu, please hurry.”

Lotte scolded Prometheus. Because their conversation wascarried out using only Lotte’s mouth and voice, it looked completely like a soliloquy.

“Not only booting it up, but accesing the encrpyted data… Oh hoh, looks like it was protected with double layer password protection. Hahhahha, how impertinent. And, it's gone.”

While the sage of the Greek Mythology laughed loudly, he operated the keyboard with his index fingers poking repeatedly.

His movements were those of a beginner, but he broke through the solid security mercilessly.

“Hmmmm, furthermore, to read this data thoroughly it seems we need something like a decryption application. That application is not saved on this computer. Looks like it's carried portable storage media. Yosh, how about I create that application starting from now?”

“…I don’t get what you are doing at all, but looks like nothing's impossible for you huh?”

“I cannot create that app from nothing you know? I’m only comprehending the surface of the data and reverse-engineering the application.”

While Mio was being amazed at this sight, Prometheus completed the improvised application with his clumsy typing.

“But I cannot understand why it only asked for authentication in form of a password and an application, without using biometric confirmation. If it asked for that, then it’s all over even for me. … By any chance, perhaps the owner of this computer even has a plan to reconstruct his own body. It’s only a wild guess though, but I don’t know if there is any other reason.”

Reconstructing the body?

Was that kind of thing possible? If it was possible, then for what reason?

Suddenly, Mio was reminded of the moment when Kaya was hijacked by Loki and she shivered.

Surely, at that time Kaya’s body was reconstructed.

“Oh ho, I found an interesting thing.”

Prometheus punched the enter-key with noticeable strength ‘pachin’.

The monitors that were covering one part of the room’s wall surface were lighting up all at once.

It looks like the countless monitors were projecting various places in this underground labyrinth.

A certain terminal screen was showing a room where things that looked like culture fluid were lining up in great numbers, another screen was projecting a large hall that was spreading circularly like an arena.

―Inside that circular hall, were Kazuki and Koyuki!

“Prometheus! Can we reach that place!?”

Mio was shaking Prometheus (Lotte)’s shoulders.

“I didn’t find any map of this underground labyrinth on this computer. It seems the owner of this computer memorized all the structures of this underground labyrinth, so he didn’t need a map. To not have any necessity to share the information, it shows that the ones who use this underground labyrinth is most likely only one person. However, I found a data file of [experiment results]. Looking at the content, the accomplishments of the experiments were carried out at that place that looks like an arena. It seems the tests were using the Demon Beasts as the opponent.”

“Experiments? What kind of experiments? Perhaps we can understand it if we look at the data?”

The terminal screen was changing constantly because of Prometheus’ operating. Mio’s eyes couldn’t follow at all, but Prometheus should be able to naturally read those contents at high speed.

Prometheus’ words became cloudy at Mio’s question.

“That is…how should I say it, it’s an experiment that cannot be described using words at all.”

When Prometheus pushed the enter-key, an URD was ejected from the computer’s disk drive.

All the data of the computer was duplicated onto this high capacity storage device.

Part 5

Kazuki and Koyuki were advancing through the passage while slaughtering who knew how many Demon Beasts.

Luckily they didn’t encounter any more [skin-colored, mud-like enemies] from before.

Koyuki said that ‘that thing’ could have possibly been a former elf.

If they encountered it again, was it a good thing to point his sword at it….

“The spirits say that defeating that thing that was an elf before is a comfort for it, you’re not wrong to kill it.”

Koyuki received a big shock just now, even now she kept talking listlessly.

Her face that was white even during the best of times had become even paler, like her blood had completely drained from it.

Now that she mentioned it, Kazuki too had a feeling that the monster was saying a word of gratitude immediately after its defeat.

He didn’t kill that thing, merely liberating it from that condition… was such a thought merely just a convenient means of escape for him?

Even so, were the spirits speaking as the proxies for that monster’s feelings?

“Spirits, what kind of existence are they?”

“I don’t know… just, I always heard their voices in the Haunted Ground when I was in dangerous situations. They gave me advice, and always gave me some help. That’s why right now too, I think it’s okay to follow their words accordingly.”

“The Spirits' protection that is only bestowed to elves, is it? So Koyuki even has that kind of secret that lets you able to be a solo player.”

“…Actually just before the trap hole, they told me not to advance forward, but…I didn’t listen to them.”

After advancing through the passage, they finally arrived at an open circular space. Although there were no guest seats, its shape reminded him of an arena. The walls and floor were made from the same blunt concrete as the passages up until this point, but this place was worn-out with small scratches and damage.

“What on earth is this underground area being used for?”

“Perhaps, and this is only my guess, but…”

Koyuki began to talk nervously while Kazuki was observing the surroundings cautiously.

“There was a barrier raised at the entrance of this place, but that security was by no means secure. Nobody but Magica Stigma could enter, but conversely it’s easy for Magica Stigma to enter here, rather I have a feeling that they would even welcome it.”

Certainly it looks that way. With the stigmata confirmation devices, the security had the function to specify the intruder that entered, but it was not a security system that could reject the intruders itself.

This underground area also rejected the students of the Sword Division, but didn’t reject the students of the Magic Division.

“And then the thing we encountered not long ago, it was an elf who had inherently strong magic power but [its form was changed]. The major clues are only these two facts. Only these two facts but, if we put them together…”

Koyuki cut her words off there like she was hesitating to place the too repulsive imagination in her mouth.

She clutched Kazuki’s hand strongly and finally talked.

“Elves and Magica Stigma are suited as experiment material. I wonder if this place is not the place where they processed people’s hearts, a human experiment site for the sake of strengthening human’s magic power artificially?”

Intruders were welcomed here―as the material for experimentation.

“―A correct answer. Welcome, O King of this country and his young lady attendant.”

If this circular space was an arena, from the direction of the passage on the other side where the battle opponent usually came out, a reply that substantiated Koyuki’s frightening guess came.

‘kan’, ‘kan’, ‘kan’, the well mannered footsteps of leather shoes could be heard approaching.

Kazuki and Koyuki caught their breath, they fixed their eyes on the man that came.

The figure that appeared was a gentleman in his prime wearing a refined suit.

It was Otonashi Tsukikurou. The headmaster of the knight academy.

“I welcome the arrival of all of you here from the bottom of my heart. I met some unexpected difficulties in order to capture you and Charlotte with certainty, but all of you came here in this place by yourselves. With this…there is no more need for hesitation to assault the uprising elements from the Sword Division.”

“Are you, the owner of this underground labyrinth?”

Kazuki once again confirmed the obvious. He couldn’t help but ask that.

The opponent was the headmaster of this academy. And then―the father of Kaguya-senpai.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

That gentlemenly figure that even exuded a sense of reliability as an adult nodded his head calmly. There was not an ounce of shame that appeared on him.

“The thing called magical power is the power of the mind. If this power of the mind could be reinforced artificially, then we could create even stronger magicians. For the sake of this country called Japan to acquire the power to overwhelm other countries, that is something indispensable. This is something that other Magic Advanced Countries absolutely cannot achieve seeing as they were forced to be faithful by the Divas. This is the attempt of what we could do with our country’s biggest advantage.”

Regarding those Mythologies that enforced their faith, there were not few of them that saw science and technology that was too advanced as the symbol of human’s arrogance.

Something like an experiment on living humans was certainly absurd.

“Even if I said human experiments, the perspective of the government at first was that these experiments should be successful even without paying it in something like considerable numbers of human sacrifices. The mind of a human in the end is only something that is created by the brain. The works of brain cells had been elucidated since a long time ago. What kind of organ it is, what kind of electric signals it uses, what kind of changes magic power causes to the brain. If we could discover and manufacture it ourselves...it was supposed to be a simpe matter.”

Headmaster Otonashi kept talking while pushing his index finger to massage his forehead.

“But the problem is not that simple. The Philosopher's Stone that was invented by that alchemist, Basileus Basileon, was creating an area in the human brain that cannot be elucidated by science. Operations that were thought to be correct theoretically failed one after another and the ego of the test subjects all collapsed. The collapsed mind made their magical power run wild, that magic power…with power that distorted reality, their own flesh was also distorted and transformed into appropriate meat clay. What a result that makes the hair of your whole body stand on its end. With their minds collapsing, their physical bodies were also collapsing. Influenced strongly by the magic power. This thing was something that science cannot even hope to anticipate!”

The finger that Headmaster Otonashi used to massage his forehead was pointing at Koyuki this time, and he said.

“The few resulting successes of these experiments, were the elves, did you know?”

…What did he say?

Koyuki clutched at Kazuki’s hand with all her strength. Her face's complexion had gone straight past white and turned blue.

“…Are you saying that elves were created artificially? That they were not something that resulted naturally?”

“This project was started not long after the birth of magic. Random samples were selected from babies that were born in Japan as test subjects, the processing was performed secretly inside hospitals. They were mostly failures, turning into something that was buried in the darkness and known as Infant Sudden Death Syndrome to the masses. The success rate was too low, so in the end this elf project was discontinued. Even the biggest success example of the few successes we had, Hiakari Koyuki, when compared to the child prodigy of the same generation…Amasaki Mio, was only on par with her. The experiment’s cost versus return was too poor.”

“Cost…?” Koyuki’s expression changed toward the words that she couldn’t ignore.

“You’re calling the people that failed…cost…!?”

This man, why, how could he talk about such things so unemotionally and indifferently?

Kazuki was terribly angry, at the same time he also felt a shiver in his whole body from fear.

“It was all for the country’s prosperity. By paying with the sacrifice of the extreme minority, we could welcome certain prosperity, Hayashizaki Kazuki. Yet, that time when a king like you decided to protect Charlotte, I felt disappointment.”

“Even without that strength that was earned by paying with sacrifices, Solomon's 72 Pillars had already granted us strength isn’t that right!?”

“Stigmata huh. When the elf project ended in failure, what we had our eyes on next was Stigmata. There are two problems in the Summoning Magic from the stigmata. The first problem is that this power is a power that is controlled by mysterious wills with a secretive doctrine, Solomon's 72 Pillars. For the country’s greatest military power to be dependent on something that is outside the country’s sovereignty, something like that is unacceptable.”

“Solomon's 72 Pillars are testing us, whether we would use that power justly or not.”

“That is something to be said by the ones who stand above. We, [mankind], cannot be tested by anyone. If it’s not like that, then it’s impossible to stand as an independent country.”

At that time, Leme materialized at Kazuki’s side.

“That objection of yours…we are not even tying you with the binding of faith, we bestowed strength freely to this country, and this is the outcome?”

“Well, well, the King of Solomon's 72 Pillars, Lemegeton-sama.”

“…Leme loves the humans. I love each human one by one. However, our story is extremely unpleasant. Tell me, by you…no, by this country’s government, how many people had been sacrificed for the sake of the country’s prosperity?”

The King of Solomon's 72 Pillars, Lemegeton asked with her distrust bared. It was a terrifying situation to provoke Leme’s displeasure, but Headmaster Otonashi didn’t even pay any mind to it and played dumb by answering “Who knows?”.

“For all that, compared to the number of the victims, the number of the people who had become happy must be far greater yes?”

“…Why, why does your way of thinking assume right from the start that there will be sacrifices?”

Kazuki spontaneously interjected. That time with Lotte was like that too.

Certainly, there might be a time when they had to sacrifice something no matter what.

However, without even exerting his utmost effort to the limit, calmly throwing away other people as sacrifices, he absolutely didn’t want to recognize that kind of method. If I am to be a King…!

“There is no problem that had already started right!? The figure of the enemy isn’t even visible yet, how could you say that sacrifices are needed!? Why didn’t you dare to even try to fight without sacrificing anything to win our prosperity!? You were choosing the method that created sacrifices easily and abandoned any effort and struggle while you yourself were always in a safe place wielding that authority! However that kind of method won’t earn you any trust, whether from your comrades, or from Solomon's 72 Pillars. If I am said to be a King….then I will become a king that fights together with everyone.”

“Just like Kazuki said. Seeing you, Leme only feels sadness.”

Across the monitor, Mio and Lotte, and also Prometheus too were listening to that conversation.

Prometheus was murmuring dejectedly.

“Just like what that man says, the other Mythologies won’t recognize this kind of experiment that strengthened magic power through science. It is surely an advantage that only this country can use. That is so, however…using science for this kind of thing is…”

The sage that bestowed and taught the fire of civilization in order for men to protect each other was stricken with grief.

“Strange. Why do you not agree with my logic? This is why, humans with their own ego are so…”

Headmaster Otonashi tilted his head while still keeping his expression blank like a doll.

“Well, let’s continue the story. I was beyond redemption if it is not like this. The research of the stigmata bestowed by Solomon's 72 Pillars had become my focus. The first thing that I understood was that there is a strong compelling force in the contract. Regarding Solomon's 72 Pillars, even if their powers are used in a way they are unwilling to, Solomon's 72 Pillars are not able to refuse lending their power. Yes, that too can be understood from the scroll recording the Myth. The majority of Solomon's 72 Pillars were people that were considered as demons by the teachings of Christ. The existence called Demon is an existence that is compliant to the contract. If we turn the tables in regard of the contract, then we should be able to use the demons skillfully.”

Certainly the Summoning Magic of Kaguya-senpai’s Asmodeus mercilessly bared its fangs to Kazuki who was the contractor of Lemegeton. There was a compelling force where they couldn’t say any consent or refusal there.

“Solomon's 72 Pillars are obligated to their contractor and their position is to be enslaved by Magica Stigma. Moreover, they couldn’t annul this contract in the middle. But, we cannot say that we are in a superior position against Solomon's 72 Pillars because of that. Because Solomon's 72 Pillars can choose to not bestow anymore stigmata to the next generation. Humanity's magic power will decline after their peak at twenty years of age. Magica Stigma’s period of active duty is short. Only a few years. In the end, our country became dependent to Solomon's 72 Pillars.”

“Certainly it is like that, but…you are so distrusting of Leme and the others that much?”

Leme made an unpleasant face towards such consideration that was so scrupulous towards every corner.

“After that, what I researched next was stigmata transplantation operations. If we could transfer the stigmata from the declining person to a still young person, then even without having Solomon's 72 Pillars renewing their contract with another person then there wouldn’t be any problem at all. Using the inherited stigmata, we could draw out the power of the 72 Pillars forcefully. We will be independent from Solomon's 72 Pillars, able to rule them. Well, it could be said as being a parasite too.”

What he said made even Lemegeton turn pale.

“…Wh, what do you think Leme and the others of Solomon's 72 Pillars are!? The contract that Leme and the others tied in accordance of our trust…you are planning to make us Divas into simple tools (power source) like slaves!”

“But the problem is that the stigmata is connected tightly with the mind. By extracting the stigmata from the knights and the students of the knight academy that had fallen into severe magic intoxication and cannot regain their consciousness, I performed countless human experiments of stigmata transplantations using a great amount of the failed elves that I preserved and cultivated.”

In the period of one year, there were dozens of knights and knight academy students that fell into magic intoxication and went missing in the Haunted Ground. However, for some of those victims…to be treated as experiment materials in here!

“The experiment results were…a wretched thing. No matter how many times I repeated it, the mind of the elves that were planted with a stigmata had collapsed with near certainty. You two had seen it on the way here, that lump of meat that used magic. That was an experiment result just so you know. I sent only one body to you two partly for introductions however.”

That being which looked like skin-colored meat clay…the moment when Kazuki delivered the finishing blow, its lips were saying “Thank you” slightly.

Kazuki’s blood stops flowing and his consciousness felt like flying far away.

“…You’re insane.”

“That’s not true. I am sane. When the result of mind collapse with near certainty came out, the government handed down the decision to cancel this research of stigmata transplantation. However my thinking was different. …There is no need for something like ego in a soldier. Something like ego is unnecessary. Something like a face is unnecessary. Even names are unnecessary. Even will, too, is unnecessary. When the research has ended, I was given a new appointment as the headmaster of the knight academy, but I secretly continued the research. And then I named this research, Human Pillar ProjectProject - Caryatid.”

“The name of this academy is…!”

The Knight Academy <Caryatid>, that was the name of this academy!

“Of course I entered a different formal meaning on the surface. I named this academy Caryatid in respect for the girls who are contracted with Solomon's 72 Pillars as [the pillar that supported this society]. However…I think the true nature of my naming of this academy is really fitting. This academy is my research site for the sake of obtaining the glorious future! All the students, are the human sacrificeshuman pillars…!”

Underground…. The enjoyable days Kazuki spent in the Witch's Manor, in its underground was―.

“The experiment is doing well. Now it's become possible to extract stigmata with comparatively high purity. Then if that stigmata is transferred to [humans with diluted egos], an ideal Magica Stigma that maintained its shape as a human as it is and will fight in accordance with the orders given to it is born. This me will change the Knight Order of this country. With these strongest magicians that I created as its banner. That is…the King of this country is…”

Headmaster Otonashi pointed at Kazuki while still keeping his expressionless face.

“It is not you. It’s my daughter―Kaguya.”

He planned to perform the operation on his own daughter, that was what this man proclaimed.

…Just hearing this man's story made Kazuki felt like his own sanity was cracking.

Was this guy really Kaguya-senpai’s father?

“I gave the most optimal education to Kaguya. As raw material, that child is an inferior normal human compared to Hiakari Koyuki. However I incited the growth of her latent magic power by my imprinted education and hypnotism. I imprinted the sense of duty that [She must be the strongest magician] from the time of her infancy, that sense of duty became the greatest priority in her life. A strong will incites the growth of magic power. When I gave her the seat of the student council president, I imprinted the suggestion of [carry out your responsibility as the strongest magician] even further. I told her to push aside all emotion with logical judgment, hypnotized her that she must carry out her responsibility as the strongest magician without fail.”

He raised his daughter as a robot, Kazuki couldn’t listen to what he said as anything other than that.

Of course the unpainted face of Kaguya-senpai was a really humane and kind person.

However…certainly senpai had some moments when she forced herself to death to do unreasonable things. The senpai at that time, changed into the machine personality that this man constructed.

“When Kaguya received my suggestion, she immediately abandoned her ego. There I will transplant [the King’s stigmata] that will be extracted from you. The collapse of the mind could be curbed to the lowest degree, don’t you see? My daughter is going to be the new King. That child is able to stand at the highest summit. If it is for that reason, then I don’t mind matter how dirty my hands become. Someone like me is inconsequential. Yes, someone like me.”

Right there, Headmaster Otonashi, who was expressionless until now, was looking like he suddenly lost the balance of his mind.

“Someone like me, someone like me…” He began saying repeatedly.

Suddenly Kazuki was wrapped with doubt at this late hour.

The human in front of his eyes, was he really sane? Was he normal?

“Headmaster Otonashi…are you an illegal magician?”

His personality was eroded and already he experienced some disorder, wasn’t that what was going on?

“I am…I am…illegal? This me? What are you saying?”

“To enter the entrance to this underground, the person must have a stigmata. You must have a connection to someone. And then that someone, is the one that is driving you mad, isn’t that right?”

“Someone? I did all of this by my own free will. I’m not mad or anything. That’s right, I decided everything myself. But, someone like me is inconsequential. Eh? …I see, so it’s like that huh?”

Suddenly Headmaster Otonashi covered his face with both hands.

“That’s right, I had thrown away my ego a long time ago. But, then who am I? Whoever I am doesn’t matter. I don’t need something like a face. That’s right, something like a face is unneeded.”

Headmaster Otonashi suddenly buried his nails, he started to tear off his own face.

“Unneeded, unneeded, unneeded…”

While murmuring like a broken record, with fingers that were filled with abnormal strength, ‘michi’, ‘buchi’, the muscle fibers were torn off. He screwed his fingers into the torn flesh and pulled apart the flesh even further from there, the white of the bone was exposed along with the blood spray.

Kazuki and Koyuki reflexively took a step back seeing his abrupt insane behavior.

Eyeballs fell at Headmaster Otonashi’s feet with a plop. Headmaster Otonashi’s face was scraped over from all its undulations right now, turning into a flat surface.

From there, Headmaster Otonashi started to knead the slight meat that was still clinging on his face like clay. Like a stain that was spreading, the kneaded meat was rapidly blackening and spreading out.

“Something like a face is unneeded…I am the Faceless God…”

Headmaster Otonashi took down his hands from his face.

That face was changed into a flat featureless jet black face.

Without even eyes and nose, only the lips were floating a smile, hanging on the jet black face.

“That’s right, before I knew it I had thrown away my own ego, never realizing it until the end. I was already turning into me. My encroachment was already reaching completion. That’s right…I am Nyarlatoteph. The Diva of Cthulhu Mythos.”

“Nyarla…Cthulhu Mythos? I have never heard it.”

In front of the monitors, the Greek Mythology’s Prometheus was whispering while looking suspicious.

Mio too was the same. Despite already learning the outline of all the Mythologies in the Mythology class, her ears never heard of such a Diva with that name that sounds random and hard to pronounce.

“I know this Diva desu. I saw it in an anime.”

Lotte said.

“Anime…? Not a Mythology but an anime?”

“Yes. Though he was called Nyarlathotep in that anime.”

“Well, something like a name is just a series of meaningless sounds. There are also other pronunciation like Nyarlatoteph or Nyarlathotep. People try to be aware of me with fleeting effort and gave me various names. However even names, even this form, is nothing more than a torn off part of the ever changing infinite dreams. After all humans are not able to recognize our true essence correctly. Thus the current me is tied to the <human recognition>, however that is an annoying matter. …Rather than hearing my story, let’s talk about Tsukikurou’s story.”

The flat black faced man, while nudging around the torn off pieces of meat and eyeballs that were still scattered about at his feet, started to talk with loquacity.

“…You know, this man never realized it until the very end that he was being encroached. He became unable to make a distinction between my wish and his own wish. He thought that my whispering voice was his own inner voice. And then because he didn’t want to take a straight look at his own sins, he even stopped to reflect on himself. And then he lost his own self. O King of humans, it seems Loki too boasted his own skill to you, but if we are talking about the brilliance of skill, I wonder if my skill is not the one that is several levels above don’t you agree? Because in regards to driving humans mad, there is none more superior than we of the Cthulhu Mythos.”

Nyarlatoteph turned his jet-black face to Kazuki and wriggled his lips.

Kazuki felt a cold sweat of revulsion running down his spine.

For a materialized Diva to await in this place, something like this…!

He had anticipated that an illegal magician was connected with the ominous magic power that came from this underground labyrinth.

But he had the wrong impression that the physical body of the illegal magician hadn’t been taken over yet because no incident had happened until now and he was staying in hiding.

But, for the Diva to easily finish hijacking the body like this…!

“This man is such a pitiful thing. Receiving the appointment from the government for the duty of human experiment research, at first he was holding an extreme feeling of guilt. That’s why he persuaded himself that this experiment was absolutely needed for the sake of this country, And then he started to dream of making his own daughter reign as the ruler of this country. For the sake of the country, for the sake of his daughter…that sounds really good when put into words don’t you agree? He was intoxicated with the idea that it didn’t matter how dirty his hands became if it was for the sake of that goal, so that he could justify himself. Thus he continued the experiments heartlessly. He was already mad by that time. Really mad. But he himself didn’t even think that he was mad for even a bit. You guys know that the only madness he didn’t have was to go on a rampage carelessly like an illegal magician, but that’s it, that’s the only thing he was not mad of. At that time I had already finished encroaching inside him. Brilliant right?”

Against the fitting suits that Nyarlatoteph wore, “What suffocating clothes” he loosened the bottom of his neck with unconstrained gesture.

From the gap of the shirts, “ZOWA-!” countless tentacles were spilling out.

“My own wish, before, this Headmaster Otonashi had said it right? What kind of thing is it, do you know?”

Even with all he had done, Headmaster Otonashi had talked righteously that all of this was for [making the Knight Order of Japan strong].

However the Diva in front of his eyes, by no means his objective was going to make Japan prosperous.

The process they both took were the same but, this Diva must have a totally different objective.

“Is it the turn for my story? You see, I plan to make effective use of Otonashi Tsukikurou’s research. His long standing desire of a [New Knight Order]…was to gather artificial magicians that could parasitize the power of Solomon's 72 Pillars, but that plan will be commandeered by this me. Then the strongest magician that Tsukikurou painstakingly raised…Otonashi Kaguya, I will receive her as my new host body. Because with Otonashi Tsukikurou whose magic power was already weakening as my base, my current power is not enough. Tsukikurou had also already finished all the preliminary arrangements to make Otonashi Kaguya forfeit her ego, so it will be easy for me to plunder her body with my characteristic magic next. However everything of those is only after plundering your stigmata. Thus I will obtain the strongest body and the strongest Knight Order―the Game will be my victory.”

“…Game?”

Against those astounding words, Kazuki asked back.

The objective of the Divas that were making appearances in the world, even now it was still shrouded in mystery. But this Nyarlatoteph’s own objective was made obvious.

The objective of Nyaarlatoteph was a [Game]?

When Kazuki took a stab at arousing his interest, Nyarlatoteph suddenly revealed his fury.

“That’s right, this world’s Mythologies’…annoying Game! Our Cthulhu Mythos is not recognized as a genuine Mythology by this world, our weakening is unavoidable!! What a joke!! The great us that are not even taken notice of by the awareness of humanity, losing our essence as the Cosmic Horror, many of the evil gods were completely sealed! Only me, the <Azathoth able-bodied Messenger> that can obtain divinity! But the influence of a Mythology that has nothing but one Diva…what in the hell am I going to do with that huh!! This world is centered on humans too excessively. The soul of the world is shaped by the magnified human’s mind, only Divas whose existence could possibly be interpreted by humans are allowed to exist. Cthulhu Mythos, whose true essence are [impossible to be understood by humans] was distorted. …So we of the Cthulhu Mythos can win through the game, I'm alone running around, taking secret maneuvers, I had to exhaust myself so we could be victorious against other Mythologies. By making the best use of the fruit of Tsukikurou’s research, leading the Knight Order of artificial magicians, and utilizing the power of Solomon's 72 Pillars, I will win through the Game. And then with this hand I will usurp the World’s SoulAstrum that every Mythologies always dreamed of. The Astrum will be dyed with our color and drive humanity into madness, carrying out the revival of <the universe’s mist of crawling chaos>, Azathoth!”

Astrum…? Governing the world of human’s mind, The Distorted WorldAstrum in their control was the objective of all Divas? But what was the meaning in doing that?

However Nyarlatoteph didn’t answer Kazuki’s doubt beyond that.

“It’s convenient for you all to come this far. Then without reservation, I can ruin the Sword Division who goes against ‘my Magic Division’. …Let me introduce you all to one of the fruits of Tsukikurou’s blasphemous researches. Come…Four Marks MagiciansQuad-core Magica!!”

In response to Nyarlatoteph’s command, countless footsteps could be heard from the passage at the opposite side. It was the sound of footsteps that were walking staggeringly in unsteady posture like a sleep-walking person. The number was twelve.

What appeared was twelve silver-haired girls covered in masks―they were elves. Black leather binding tools were worn on their bodies, and large number of stigmata were carved on their slender arms and legs.

“The byproduct of the Elf Project that the government once pushed forward, and Tsukikurou’s Project – Caryatid. The disposed elves that were in relatively good condition were transplanted with four extracted stigmatas that had relatively high purity each. Come on, four stigmata combined with an elf's magic power? Lovely right? Of course their personalities had collapsed and they are only barely retaining their human shapes. Tsukikurou’s ideal knight is still far off, but…these children can be summed as the soldiers of the current me. At any rate there is no one other than me in the Cthulhu Mythos anyway. I’ll leave the dealing with you all to one of the body among these. After all I still have things I have to do.”

Nyarlatoteph was suddenly looking at one corner of the ceiling―his jet-black face smiled complacently to the lens of the monitor camera hidden there.

“The humans that know this secret absolutely cannot be allowed to escape after all. The people who got lost in this taboo place and knew too much are driven mad in front of the disgusting truth….it’s so lovely following that theory isn’t it? No matter how many bodies there are, it’s still not enough you know? …Well then O still inexperienced King of Humans, I’m wishing for you to have a good fight. Although there is no way in hell for you all to survive here and escape from this underground labyrinth.”

Nyarlatoteph turned on his heel.

“Do it.”

After leaving a short command to one of the Quad-core Magica, the jet-black Diva’s figure disappeared in the darkness of the passage at the other side along with the eleven others he led.

The stigmata of the one Quad-core Magica left behind began to emit the light of magical power without even saying any declaration of fight!

“Koyuki, step back! …Koyuki?”

When Kazuki turned back, Koyuki was unable to move, like her body and heart were paralyzed, she was trembling.

“Kazuki…I am…”

Those eyes were dyed in despair like a human that was wishing for her own death.

Right now, in this situation this girl was not drowning in terror of a degree like [confronting a terrifying enemy]. From some time ago, there were too many terribly shocking truths regarding this elf girl to process.

“I…now…understood the true identity of the spirits.”

“What did you say? …Spirits?”

The existence full of mysteries even more than the Demon Beasts, spirits. An abstract intelligent being that was said to only be perceivable by elves….

Why was that name the one that came out in this kind of situation?

“Those girls' true identity is…the destroyed personalities of the elves whose magic power were enlarged beyond an ordinary person's and left behind in Astrum, a residual thought.”

…The ghosts of the elves she said!?

“Their emotions are flowing inside me…”

Worn out, Koyuki’s tears started to spill out.

“Wh…why…only me...living like this…”

With a trembling voice, Koyuki let her penitence leak out. But, don’t say that it is bad for Koyuki to live!

“Koyuki, even though you yourself can't agree that you still should live, I will absolutely not let Koyuki die! I will protect you to the very end!”

“airuaokagurma!!”

From the other side of the Quad-core Magica’s mask, a scream of meaningless human speech could be heard.

For that girl whose lost personality was integrated already to her core, that meaningless scream was a spell.

What was invoked―was one of Solomon's 72 Pillars' Summoning Magics!

This girl was supposed to use the Summoning Magic of four different Divas. To fight this kind of opponent he needed to Foresight what kind of magic the opponent was going to use, observing the element of the magic, and deal with the magic.

The one who taught him the importance of observing the opponent was Koyuki.

…From the flow of the magic power, Foresight the detail of the magic that the opponent was going to use!

Kazuki attempted to sense what kind of magic phenomenon the Quad-core Magica requested to the Diva from the flow of the whirling magical power. He somehow sensed it―a physical attack.

“uoamuaoma!”

The magic was invoked. Around the Quad-core Magica, countless giant nails were raising up.

“O wisdom accumulating through human history, protect my body with layers of armor! Heavily, thickly, reject all the brutality! Seusenhofer!!”

Kazuki covered his body with armor using Prometheus’ magic.

The countless nails came flying like a line of spears. Kazuki came out to the front to cover Koyuki. He couldn’t evade. If he moved then Koyuki would be hit. She wouldn’t even fall into magic intoxication, it was going to be an instant death.

Koyuki was making a face like she was going to accept that kind of fate obediently!

Kazuki blocked the countless nails with his fully-armored body. The armor was crumbling just from one hit, but the nails were dispersing before reaching Kazuki’s defensive magic power. The defense was a success!

However, the Quad-core Magician chanted a different spell almost at the same time―a fire element!

“anfkjanfascs!!”

“Self Burning!”

Barely matching the magic invocation of the opponent, Kazuki somehow made it in time. Because the defensive magic’s target was his own body, he didn’t need to go through the Targeting part and the chanting time was short.

Kazuki supplemented the worn-out armor with flame armor on top of it.

The flame bullet came flying with the speed of rifle bullet. That was a magic that Kazuki also knew well, it was Barrett. The flame armor and the flame bullet were offsetting each other and both were extinguished.

“fsdfsdvkdseoda!!”

The Quad-core Magician was not stopping! Even more magic came flying!

Kazuki failed his Foresight from the overwhelming speed that he couldn’t follow. From the underfoot of the Quad-core Magician, one lump of the concrete floor became unstuck and floated up, then it flew in Kazuki’s direction. The worn-out Seusenhofer was smashed, inflicting a wound in Kazuki’s defensive magic power.

…More still coming. This enemy was firing magic like an automatic weapon at him!

“cvcmiedflaowfd!!”

The fourth magic was invoked slightly later than the previous three, it was a magic of even an even higher level compared to the magic until now.

A pure black thunder cloud was created on top of Kazuki’s head. Offense energy of snapping electricity was generated from there, and then huge lightning was falling at Kazuki!

“Flash! Raikiri!!”

Drawing an Iai slash with the Sacred Treasure that was fortunately at hand, Kazuki slashed apart that lightning. For him to possess Raikiri when the enemy was using a lightning element magic was a paper-thin fortune.

…The cycle of the offense magic was too fast!

The opponent was splitting her consciousness four ways to the four stigmata and chanting the spells at the same time!

Defensive magic wouldn’t make it in time. Much less defending with the best of his ability, he couldn’t even defend.

The Quad-core Magician was just standing straight in that spot and firing the Summoning Magic in rapid succession like a machine. Kazuki was standing guard in front of Koyuki, he didn’t even have any allowance whether it was to chant attack magic or entering close-quarters combat.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

“a…aa…”

Koyuki leaked out a moaning voice looking at the scene in front of her.

Kazuki was continuously getting struck by magic to protect her.

Why? Even though she herself wanted to just die…yet why was he still trying to protect her by volunteering his own body?

She hated herself for a long time. Moreover, she herself had confirmed that she was born from an experiment that made one want to hold nausea in their stomach, that she was born due to the countless sacrifices of others.

As I thought, I am a monster!

Furthermore, I am even more filthy than even I had imagined, a blasphemous existence.

Even the strong magic power that I thought as the sole meaning of my existence, was something originating from rotten trash.

I who is like that, right now…is just holding Kazuki back.

Why is he doing that kind of action this far? Why for something like me….

Koyuki suddenly imagined the moment when he finally abandoned her. Kazuki stopped covering herself and the attack magic pierced her. The flesh of her body was destroyed without even leaving her original form intact.

I don’t want that. …It’s scary.

To die itself was not scary. But if she kept dragging Kazuki’s feet like this and he turned to hate her completely was a scary prospect! That’s why she didn’t want to get along well with anyone, despite that…!

“Please, stop it already…”

Koyuki begged to Kazuki’s back. It was scary to be betrayed, so she begged from herself that he stopped protecting her. To die from having her own wish listened to was far more comfortable compared to die while being loathed by Kazuki.

“Stop it already…”

But his back didn’t listen at all to Koyuki’s thin voice.

Koyuki was inside the loneliness called being protected.

{…Don’t throw yourself in self-abandonment.}

Suddenly, there was a woman’s voice coming from Telepathy.

{We are not telling you of our true identity in this place for the sake of hurting you.}

Was it because she had understood their true identity, right now their voices were resounding even clearer than ever, she was able to understand the voice of the spirits. Now at last the voice of the spirits was not a vague feeling, the voice was transmitted as true words.

{For the sake of protecting him, stand up.}

Hearing the words of the spirits, Koyuki raised up her bowed head and watched Kazuki’s back once more.

Why…?

{We have kept watching over the surviving elves for a long time.}

{Everyone was isolated. They were lonely. All of that were conveyed to us.}

{But you were able to make important people, right? Even now we could feel that.}

{We are not envying your life or anything. The important people that we couldn’t obtain, please, we want you to protect them.}

Protect…not being protected, but she herself to him….

{Fight.}

{And then defeat the Quad-core Magic with your strength.}

{Her ego had collapsed, but even so she kept being abused for her magic…that is a really painful thing.}

But…the current her didn’t know how to fight. Even though she prayed, even though she thought hard, she still couldn’t knead the magic power. The magic power that she had long thought as the worth of her existence was….

“Do you still not understand the reason why you cannot use magic?”

“…Vepar?”

At Koyuki’s side, an avatar of a mermaid was floating.

“Inside you, the routine of the magic power invocation had changed. For a long time until now, you invoked the magic power only for the sake of proving your own power. The thought of [proving my own power] had become your key for kneading your magic power. That was your routine until now. But the feeling of the current you right now was not like that anymore. At that time when you fell into magic intoxication and faced yourself. Please remember your feelings at that time.”

―I don’t want to give up. I want to be able to live and have an intimate relationship with someone, I don’t want to give up!

The me at that time begged for that!

“Using that feeling, you will be able to invoke magic, please notice that. That is a way of chanting magic that you have never experienced. I like you who was so lonely. I am the mermaid princess. So I can understand your loneliness. That’s why I want to give you a push on the back. Go―change yourself right now.”

Vepar’s avatar vanished after leaving behind those words.

Koyuki faced her own feelings. She had already found the most intense thought she had ever felt throughout the period of this twelve years she had lived.

Kazuki had protected her from countless nails, flame bullets, lumps of earth, and lightning without even moving a step.

I understand. I see it. The thing I want to do from the bottom of my heart. The path for the sake of that.

Obtain a different state of heart than before!

“I…I will redefine myself! My strength is not only for the sake of fighting…it changes into the strength for protecting my important people!!”

{We will lend you strength, Koyuki.}

{Whether we are a filthy existence or not, depends on ourselves.}

{Now, you are able to bless your own existence, right?}

{If you could accomplish a meaningful life, then that will become the elves’ new meaning of existence.}

The residual thoughts left behind in the Astrum, the spirits, their form changed into pure magic power and flowed into Koyuki.

Enormous magic power was swirling inside Koyuki. Her incomplete Magic Dress recovered its majestic appearance like a blooming flower bud. She became able to chant the spell with incomparable speed than before.

“…Sinking hundreds of ships, O menace of the sea lurking in the ocean depths! Led by my singing voice, surface…show that full story!”

“…Koyuki?”

Kazuki turned back to look at her with eyes that were dyed in shock.

He was looking at her, she felt happiness just from that small thing.

“Stab your fang! Ice―”

She could feel that she had filled this one shot of magic with a never yet seen destructive power until now.

For protecting Kazuki, and that…pitiful Quad-core Magica, to liberate her from her torment!

“―Buster!!”

Their eardrums were deafened with the thunderous roar of the whole world smashed up.

The next moment, the space underfoot of the Quad-core Magica distorted, a colossal ice mountain burst forth from there. The sharp point of the ice mountain lunged at the Quad-core Magica, piercing her. Not only from underfoot, the space was distorting even further from all directions one after another, ice mountains were lunging from all of those points.

From every direction, ice mountains that really could be called ice mountains crashed into the Quad-core Magica.

When the Ice mountain crashed into the ice mountain, scattering ice fragments everywhere, a new ice mountain was immediately created pulverizing the Quad-core Magica even further.

The total number of the ice mountains Koyuki had summoned using this magic was six. But―

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA―!”

While Koyuki screamed as if to show the proof of her existence, she produced the ice mountains over and over with numbers of almost double than earlier, ten ice mountains. The Quad-core Magica was pierced continuously who knew how many times. Ice was smashed everywhere, reflecting transparent lights irregularly.

When all the ice mountains finished attacking, the Quad-core Magica fell to the floor like a scrapped rag.

“…Koyuki, you can use magic again? On the contrary, the power just now…”

“Kazuki! She is an elf…it’s still not over with just that!”

Toward Kazuki who was staring in wonder, Koyuki scolded him vigilantly.

Just as Koyuki said, the Quad-core Magica got up. Her defensive magic power still hadn’t been used up.

“Kazuki, I am going to liberate that child. That’s why you…please protect me as the vanguard!”

“…Leave it to me!”

While thinking that the recovered Koyuki was reliable, Kazuki faced the Quad-core Magica.

“famfswa!”

The same as ever, just defending from the opponent’s consecutive magic was the best he could do. But this side’s preparedness was different from before. As long as he could just defend, Koyuki would decide it from the back!

“Ice Buster!”

The once again invoked level 6 magic. The ice mountains hit the Quad-core Magica firmly one after another―finally all her defensive magic power was cut off.

The Quad-core Magica was collapsing face up, the lips of the elf girl was shaking.

Was it because the magic power barely holding the life preservation of the remodeled body, at the same time the elf girl’s magic power dried up, she closed her eyes from having used up all her strength, her breath was shut eternally.

In front of the gruesome victim, Kazuki stood stock still from the unbearable feeling.

“Nyarlatoteph has to be defeated, without fail.”

Koyuki’s whisper was filled with strong emotion. Kazuki nodded back hearing that.

Chapter 4 – Escape ~Love Simulation~

Part 1

There was no time to be easygoing.

Kazuki and Koyuki went back through the path they came from with all their strength.

{After all the humans who know about this secret absolutely cannot be allowed to escape.}

That was what Nyarlatoteph said. He was also aiming for Mio and Lotte.

And then he planned to return to the surface and lead the Quad-core Magica to assault the Sword Division.

If he dealt with Kazuki in this underground and captured Lotte, then it must be expected that he wouldn’t have anymore hesitation in destroying the Sword Division.

Not to mention Kohaku and the others who were the forces of opposition toward the Magic Division, but the normal students who didn’t have any involvement would also be dragged in. Even if it was Headmaster Otonashi he would hesitate, but Nyarlatoteph wouldn’t show any mercy.

No matter what, that must be stopped. They need to meet up with Mio and Lotte as soon as possible and return to the surface.

But there was still one obstacle left even now. That was the method to escape from this level.

To return to the level where Mio and Lotte were located, they need to invoke Vepar’s tsunami magic twice at the same time.

Kazuki had to raise Koyuki’s positivity level to the point that would enable him to use that magic…!

“Koyuki! What is the level of the tsunami magic!?”

“Level 4!”

They had a conversation without slowing down their running feet, Kazuki confirmed the positivity level using Solomon’s ring.

Hiakari Koyuki―87

“Koyuki! Your positivity level needs three more points!!”

“Haa!?”

Koyuki was ‘what the heck are you talking about in this kind of situation’, that was the kind of face she was looking at Kazuki with.

“Koyuki…like me just a little bit more! Right now, immediately! Quick!”

Hearing Kazuki talk in a great panic, Koyuki yelled back with a bright red face.

“A, are you stupid!? E, even if you say to like you, how in the world am I going to do that!?”

“I don’t know either…what should we do!!”

While running with all their strength, they would soon reach the spot where they fell from the trap hole.

They couldn’t waste even a little bit of time in vain, Kazuki became impatient.

Suddenly inside his chaotic head, Kazuki remembered how Hoshikaze-senpai’s man phobia curbed her positivity level. One hypothesis was rising in his head.

“Perhaps Koyuki is not honest, so because of that the positivity level that originally should raise even higher is being curbed, maybe!”

“What's with that theory!?”

“I believe that Koyuki harbors affections for me, but…from Koyuki, you never showed that kind of sign clearly even once! That’s why if Koyuki expressed your feelings here, honestly and openly, something like a binding inside Koyuki’s heart will be released and your positivity level will increase! …Probably!”

“E, even if you say that kind of thing…that kind of…”

“Quickly! Everyone's in danger!!”

“U, uuu…someone like you…saying whatever happened to you is trivial, I never really meant those things! Actually, I care about what’s going to happen to you!!”

Koyuki who had said repeatedly that whatever happened to Kazuki is trivial, this is the first time she had said such things so honestly.

‘pyorori-n’, a small heart mark came flying from Koyuki’s chest.

“That’s good, just 2 more!”

“T, the truth is, all the times when I came to save you were not by accident at all! I became worried for you for a long time and my eyes kept following you, I chose the same quests that you took on purpose and followed you secretly! I was really shy, even so, you kept coming to me and always started conversations with me, I became even more shy…so in the end, I insulted you with abusive language like saying whatever happened to you is trivial!”

‘pyorori-n’, a small heart mark came flying from Koyuki’s chest.

“So it was like that…1 left!”

“The truth is I like you! I don’t know what I’m doing anymore! Why…why are you pushing me into a corner, telling me lies and being mean to me, is it to pull out what I really think like this!!? Even though you know I’m a coward!!”

The eyes on Koyuki’s bright red face were quickly getting moist.

“Stupid! Meanie! I hate you…I love you! I love you so much! I don’t know what I’m doing anymore!! Even though I always used such harsh words, you were always saying that you it was part of my charm…saying that I look cute in maid uniforms…I love it! Idiot! I don’t understand what I’m saying anymore idiot idiot idiot ―!!!”

Finally Koyuki was yelling and crumbling while her tears were spilling out.

“Koyuki, just now it went up around 5! It’s okay already!!”

“I, I can’t do this anymore…what are you grinning for…I’m so embarrassed I want to die…uggu, ueeeeee…”

“Koyuki, sorry! …We have already arrived, so let’s chant the spell together!”

“…Okay, gusu-“

Koyuki wiped her tears with her arms ‘guigui’, she tensed her face that still had some red left with her best effort.

“”O water surface wavered by our singing voice, manipulate and collect the small wave and turn into a tsunami! Coming from beyond and washed away into the distant…Oceanic NoiseTidal Wave!””

The moment they reached the dead end where they fell, both of them matched their breath and invoked the magic.

From behind them, a gigantic tidal wave was surging in.

The tidal wave swallowed Kazuki and Koyuki, smashing into the walls of the dead end. The water level of the underground dungeon was rapidly increasing, full to the brim with ocean water.

Grabbing the hand of the confused Kazuki who used this magic for the first time and didn’t have the knowledge to manipulate it, Koyuki manipulated the flow of the water and surfacing smoothly underwater. She looked just like a mermaid, Kazuki thought.

“…puhaa”

When both of them took their faces out from the water's surface, the ceiling was just overhead.

While keeping the water level of the tsunami magic, Koyuki chanted another spell.

“…Sinking hundreds of ships, O threat of the sea lurking in the depths of the ocean! Guided by my singing voice, surface…show the whole story! …Pierce your fang! Ice Buster!!”

Freezing the surface of the water, ice mountains came surfacing one after another, stabbing the concrete.

Even more than the size and the force, Koyuki concentrated in lowering the temperature.

The ice mountain which had its transparency and hardness raised to the limit pushed up the ceiling in the blink of an eye and broke through. Before long a big hole was opened up with splintering ice and stones falling around them.

“Kazuki!”

Koyuki took Kazuki’s hand and rode the last created ice mountain. The ice mountains kept emerging just like that, then the two jumped from the ceiling hole to the upper level. The magic ocean and ice mountains used up their energy and disappeared, only a wide, gaping hole was left behind.

There was no time. Kazuki displayed the location of everyone using Solomon’s ring and searched for Mio and Lotte’s whereabouts.

“This way, let’s hurry!”

Both of them started to run while still holding each other's hands.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

While running, he was soon able to sense the two’s whereabouts even without using the ability of Solomon’s ring. A large magic power was whirling ahead.

The Quad-core Magica was using the elf’s vast magic power and chanting four different magics at the same time. Mio and Lotte were fighting back desperately. The raging waves caused by those spells could be felt even far away from the battlefield, to the degree that it was prickling his skin.

Before long Mio and Lotte’s voices became audible.

“Self Burning!”

“Seusenhofer!”

At the opposite end of the passage―he could see their figures enduring the Quad-core Magica’s volley of continuous spells with defensive magic at the risk of their lives. A room with its door wide open could be seen behind them. It looked like they encountered the Quad-core Magica Nyarlatoteph directed when they were just escaping.

The number of Quad-core Magica was just one. Nyarlatoteph judged that it was enough with only this, it seems he was leading the last ten and headed to the surface.

In short, the invasion of the Sword Division was already starting.

“Barrett!”

“O nihility of ancient times, turn this emptiness residing in my chest into freezing breath. By the streaming silence of rejection, freeze and quiet…Glacier Wind!!”

While dashing near, Kazuki and Koyuki fired their magic into the back of the Quad-core Magica.

It was a lucky thing their position allowed for a pincer attack.

“Koyuki, give cover from that position!”

Koyuki stopped her feet at that location and undertook the role as the attack magic battery.

Kazuki didn’t drop his running speed and slashed the Quad-core Magica just like that.

“Kazu-nii!”

“Kazuki-oniisan…I believed that you would come desu!”

The expressions of the two who were totally exhausted were colored with hope.

“I'll be the vanguard, so you two chant together!”

“Onii-san, thank you so much…I couldn’t become Mio-oneesan’s shield with just me desu…”

The armor that covered Lotte’s body told the story of the fierce attacks she received with its worn-out condition. Mio was a perfect type of rear guard magician, but even so it was not like Lotte’s defensive ability was that high.

Both of them needed a shield to protect them.

Kazuki flashed a streak of silver light from the mouth of his sheath. The Quad-core Magica was a mere scarecrow in close-quarters combat.

With her lacking battle and survival instincts, the Quad-core Magica was not able to fight at close range.

However, even though she was slashed like a scarecrow, her concentration on her spell was not disrupted at all. No matter how many times this enemy got slashed, her Summoning Magic would be finished with certainty.

To defend against this enemy’s attack, elemental advantage was important.

Kazuki had a feeling that he was enlightened to a new way of fighting.

He himself was able to use multiple Divas' Summoning Magic and manipulate multiple elemental spells.

In other words he could choose a defensive magic with an elemental advantage against the opponent’s offensive magic. If he, who was standing at the foremost line, could shut the offensive magic of the opponent using every element of opposing element, he would be an unshakeable rock in the Heaven and Earth Formation. He could do that…if he gathered a lot more bonds.

By using Foresight to predict the offensive magic of the Quad-core Magica, Kazuki continued to endure using defensive magic.

There were elemental magic that he still couldn’t defend against, but even before Kazuki raised his voice, Mio had already finished the long spell chanting from the back.

“O bird of paradise where the light of the heavens is residing at its body, reduce to ashes the sin on the earth according to my accusation! Aurora of JudgementIsrael Judgement!!”

Chanted with the force of all or nothing, Phoenix’s level 6 magic.

The avatar of Phoenix was rising on Mio’s back, shining like it was condensing the light of the whole world. That light was super condensed and became a high temperature laser, then it was fired at the Quad-core Magica.

Receiving that magic specializing in destructive power, the Quad-core Magica’s defensive magic was exterminated and she was defeated.

“…”

The defeated Quad-core Magica―the elf girl, Kazuki and the others fell into silence while looking down at her body.

The four people in this place right now, all of them knew now what kind of existence this girl was.

The silence for the requiem of her soul flowed for a moment, however they soon raised their faces.

“Let’s head to the surface.” Koyuki announced.

Part 2

The Sword Division fell into panic.

The sound of explosions caused by magic and the sounds of the wooden school building crumbling down were continuing intermittently, screams were resounding widely.

The catastrophe was coming from the Magic Division. The ten Quad-core Magica that were finally coming into the empty ground where there was no presence of people because classes were in progress, when the school building that ought to be their target entered their line of sight, they immediately began to chant their magic. When the building was destroyed and the students inside were brought into the open, the target of the offensive magic was altered to the students. The classes were interrupted and the students became panicked.

The students who were planted with complexes toward the Magica Stigma couldn’t even think about resisting, they were only running about trying to escape in earnest.

School building number one that contained the staff room was located in the farthest place from the Magic Division. Perhaps school building number one was constructed in the corner of the grounds because they had anticipated the fight that would break out someday with the Magic Division. Because of that, they escaped direct harm.

“Illegal magician’s attack! Their numbers are ten!!”

The teachers were becoming discomposed from the report that came flying through the roughly opened door.

“What did you say…is it Loki!?”

“No, there is no appearance of Loki…Their appearance is different from the illegal magicians that had appeared in all the incidents until now!! A more ominous…!!”

“But, why are the illegal magicians invading from the Magic Division!!?”

Even while in the middle of that report, the thunderous roar was still audible from far away.

“We had contacted the Magic Division's staff room, but…the Magic Division students had already begun to take refuge. The Sword Division is to wait for reinforcements from the Knight Order and…”

The staff room fell into silence in an instant after hearing the words of the teacher that was holding a cellphone in one hand.

It was a silence where boiling rage and impatience were mixing as one.

“Those guys, even though they usually are so big headed, but now they're going to just abandon the Sword Division!? The Magica Stigma of the Magic Division should have the power to fight, shouldn’t they!?”

One teacher was raising an angry voice.

For a teacher who was entrusted with parents' children to help and protect, that way of thinking was mistaken, but thinking of the combat ability of the Magic Division’s students, it was only natural.

“Waiting for the Knight Order…what time do they think the reinforcements are going to come!”

The teachers understood better than anyone that the Knight Order couldn’t come anytime soon.

The Knight Order was pressured to the extreme by Loki’s frequent raid incident. Moreover within that lack of personnel, the Knight Order was thinning the deployment in the Knight Academy’s surroundings. They had decided that when something happens in the Knight Academy, then the students themselves need to be the ones to do something about it.

In reality, the students were already performing as the substitute of the Knight Order when undertaking quests. They had the strength to fight after all.

The situation was an extreme mess where they had little information. All the teachers of the Magic Division, why, to order [a joke operation of taking refuge] to the students who had power to fight…!?

“Is there no student in the Sword Division that is attempting to oppose them!? It’s only ten people right!?”

A teacher of the Sword Division, Tsukahara Hisatada was shouting.

Tsukahara was the teacher who was backing Kohaku’s anti Magic Division faction. He was also secretly giving the students Sacred Treasures that he obtained from the Knight Order’s illegal channels. Because of his thoughts and beliefs, he couldn’t accept falling into despair just because they had been abandoned by the students of the Magic Division.

The students of the Sword Division must break through this situation through their own efforts.

“Tsukahara-sensei, we're going! We will use the Sacred Treasures!!”

Running against the stampede of escaping students, one group was barging into the staff room. Those students were ignoring all the other teachers that had fallen into a panic and only looking for instructions from Tsukahara.

The one that stood at the head of the group was Kohaku, the now current Sword Division student council president.

“The opponents are unknown but…can you do it?”

“This one has the intention to win against the Magic Division. We will show you if it is only this much.”

Toward Kohaku’s reply, Tsukahara nodded sharply like he was saying ‘That’s exactly what I thought’.

“…Alright, go stop those guys. But do it while prioritizing the rescue of students that have fallen into magic intoxication.”

There were a considerable number of students that were already swallowed by the magic. The students who possessed defensive magic power wouldn’t get done in with just one shot of magic.

But if those who were already in the condition of losing their magic power were to get swallowed by magic again, naturally it would affect their life.

“Of course!”

Kohaku and the others answered valiantly and exited the staff room.

Tsukahara saw them off while tightly grasping his own beloved ornamental sword.

The adults whose magic power was already declining, had no power to fight.

Part 3

The Magic Division’s staff room had also fallen into chaos, but due to the dignified direction of Headmaster Otonashi who finally appeared, the chaos had calmed down somewhat.

“Fortunately, the damage hasn’t reached the Magic Division. Gather the students in one place to take refuge. Refuse reinforcement requests to the Sword Division, make them wait until the Knight Order comes.”

He gave such an instruction.

An internal school broadcast following the instruction was resounding throughout the Magic Division’s grounds.

There was also the matter about the enemy’s identity that was still unknown, so no one was questioning the decision that instructed them to [abandon the Sword Division]. Headmaster Otonashi suppressed the report concerning the enemy’s true identity and only told them that it was a group of unidentifiable illegal magicians.

“Headmaster! Why are you deciding such an irresponsible decision…we should organize students that can fight and head to rescue the Sword Division students!!”

Knowing the situation well, the Magic Division’s student council finally came to the staff room.

The student council vice president Hoshikaze Hikaru, who had a tactless and frank personality, opposed the decision without even hiding her impatience and dissatisfaction.

Headmaster Otonashi brushed off that objection as something troublesome.

“Don’t get carried away, all of you are just students. We cannot increase the damage by playing around and sending you to a real battle with an unknown opponent. We have the responsibility of being trusted with all of you by your parents after all.”

That was the reasoning of the adults. Hikaru gritted her teeth hearing Headmaster Otonashi's shallow sounding words and showed her irritation.

At her side, Kaguya nodded wordlessly.

“…Certainly you of the Magic Division’s student council have real battle experience, so it’s a different story. But even so, independent action is not permitted. We had already requested for reinforcements from the Knight Order. When they arrive, form the Heaven and Earth formation along with them and then you can take action.”

“Can you say when the Knight Order will come!?”

Hikaru who was usually cooperating with the Knight Order to participate in quests knew very well how lacking in manpower the Knight Order was right now and that their mobilization would be slow.

She had also grasped that the personnel deployment in the surrounding areas of the Knight Academy was thin.

“The Knight Order cannot move out immediately. But it seems they sent several elites from the Einherjar squad that are on standby. You of the student council will cooperate with the Einherjar and fight.”

―Einherjar!? But they are the hunters that came to kill Lotte!

…Gritting her teeth at her inability to do anything, on top of all that they were going to rely on those kind of people!

“…Out of the question.”

Hikaru’s awareness became distant in her fury, yet somehow she was able to squeeze out her voice.

“Give me a break! Do all of you want to avoid your responsibilities that much!! I’m going to fight with my own strength!!”

Having the nickname of prince with her handsome face dyed in violent emotion, Hikaru turned her back and darted off from that place.

The teachers in the staff room attempted to chase her but Headmaster Otonashi restrained them.

“Leave her alone. That is the contractor magician of Baal. It’s impossible to chase after that student. …Kaguya, do you understand that there is no failure of logic in what I say?”

Headmaster Otonashi turned around and fixed his sights at Kaguya. Echoes of hypnotism were loaded in those words.

“…Yes.”

Kaguya replied flatly with a pale countenance.

The girl even now still felt an intense emotion inside her heart, but that emotion was confined unconsciously.

From the bottom of her deep psyche, something like tentacles were creeping up. Her emotions were restrained tightly, and what ruled her heart now was the clever logic that her father planted inside.

“You must not be moved by fleeting emotions. You understand your own responsibility, yes?”

“……I do.”

Since her childhood, there were two hypnotic suggestions that were planted inside Otonashi Kaguya.

The first was to aim to be the strongest magician. The other one was that when she heard the keywords of "responsibility" and "logic", she would throw away her own emotions.

For the sake of carrying out the role she was given by Headmaster Otonashi, she would abandon her own ego if it was necessary. Her power to refuse was sealed using those suggestions.

Headmaster Otonashi manipulated her like a doll, as if the innocence she showed to Kazuki and the others was a lie.

Nyarlatoteph thought sweetly of the Tsukikurou's education. Because of Tsukikurou’s constant care, he could now make this girl’s excellent body his own.

But that was for later. Right now the position of Otonashi Tsukikurou was something he needed.

Otonashi Kaguya stood stock still like a puppet. Satisfied with that state of her, Nyarlathotep thought of Kazuki and others in the underground and laughed.

He guessed that right about now was the suitable time that they should be dying a dog’s death down there.

“…Mist?”

Hikaru who rushed out from the staff room and entered the grounds of the Sword Division tilted her head at the out of season mist.

She soon found out its source.

Liz Liza-sensei was leaning over near the pond of the garden.

By vibrating the Prima Material of the water using Psychokinesis to make the mist for the smoke screen, she manipulated and dispersed it throughout the school grounds.

It was an extremely advanced common magic, but the degree of the magic power it exhausted compared to the Summoning Magic borrowing the power of Divas was remarkably intense. The color of Liz Liza-sensei’s face was becoming pale from the mental exhaustion.

But there was no doubt that many students were saved by her great efforts.

Hikaru thought it was strange that Liz Liza-sensei was not in the staff room, but she was already giving up on the them and came to the Sword Division in order to do everything she could within her power to help them.

“…Hoshikaze huh?”

When the figure of Hikaru caught Liz Liza-sensei’s attention, she spoke.

“Hoshikaze, listen, first you need to prioritize buying time and rescuing the students. With your speed you should be able to make some distractions and performing rescue as much as possible. And then…wait until Hayashizaki Kazuki comes.”

“Hayashizaki-kun? Not the Knight Order?”

Hikaru was surprised hearing the name of a student whose whereabouts were supposedly unknown.

“…That guy will definitely return. When that happens, form a Heaven and Earth Formation under his instructions and make an opposition. And then…it’s just my intuition but, the fight will not be over from there. There is a mastermind behind this.”

Part 4

Board Chairman Amasaki spurred his old bones and dashed with all his strength.

He went through the waves of students that were escaping, while pushing through the pitch black rubble burned down by fire magic, he was running around looking for just one figure of a student inside the mist.

“Mio…where is my [Mio-tan]!?”

Board Chairman Amasaki knew that his daughter was sheltered together with Hayashizaki Kazuki somewhere in the Sword Division. But that Sword Division was now under attack by mysterious illegal magicians.

Despite there being nothing that could be done by an old man like him, he was still running around inside the confusion. His wrinkle covered face was drenched with sweat and his breathing was becoming wildly disordered in no time. Even so, he refused to stop his feet.

―And then he saw the battlefield.

What entered his sight were the ten illegal magicians that were rapid-firing Summoning Magic with tremendous force.

No, their atmosphere were different from illegal magicians. Their control was just too great. They were also too emotionless. What in the world is this?

No, what he should be surprised at was not that. The eyes of Board Chairman Amasaki were opened wide in a flash.

As the Board Chairman of the Knight Academy, he who once was an expert in the field of magic doubted his own eyes.

…The magic that those guys are using, isn'that the summoning magic of Solomon's 72 Pillars!?

“What in the world is going on, this is…!?”

While whispering like he was dying in a fit of anger, Board Chairman Amasaki hid his body in the shadow of the school building’s wreckage.

―Then this old man was going to witness one fight that would change the era.

Chapter 5 – The Faceless God

Part 1

“Eei, can one really stay in house arrest at a time like this!? What’s with this riot!? What the hell is the current Sword Division student council president doing!!”

Kanae who leaped outside from the student dormitory was yelling her lungs out while making her small statured body hop around.

The surrounding students who were running about trying to escape stared in amazement looking at Kanae’s figure.

“Ka, kaichou…!”

“Not kaichou! Right now I’m just a Storm Cat. Call me Kana-nyan.”

“Ka, Kana-nyan…”

“Nya―☆ What's happening right now? Explain the situation.”

The female student that Kanae inquired explained as best she could even while in a state of confusion.

“That, illegal magicians have come invading inside the grounds, here and there were destroyed by magic…their chanting speed was staggering, their chanting didn't stop even when cut by swords, it's uncontrollable….”

“Illegal magicians? Not the Magic Division? Unknown enemy…? Do they have some connection with the person who tried to trap Nii-sama? Oi, where's their location?”

The moment Kanae asked, “DON!” the sound of explosions and buildings crumbling down deafened their ears.

“…I don’t even need to ask, huh. Thank you, if I’m not mistaken…first year class two Iijima!”

“Y, you know my name!?”

“Be careful and escape okay! Nya―☆”

Leaving behind a strangely cute voice, Kanae dashed away.

“…Can I say that Kana-nyan-senpai is reliable? ...But she really does bring quite a relief though.”

The student that was left behind mysteriously recovered her calm and whispered.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Kanae’s beloved Sword Division was destroyed, left a mere shadow of its former self.

The school building that was made from wood was burned down by magic, becoming a pitch black fire-devastated area. It seems the fire was not spreading, most likely because of Kohaku and her comrades using the Battou Kaikon of the Sacred Treasures that possessed power over water like [Murasame] and [Sukehiro] to work in extinguishing the fire.

Moreover the mist was enshrouding the height of the people just right, concealing the figures of the escaping students. There was no mistake that this unnatural mist was the smoke screen magic that was Liz Liza-sensei's specialty.

But as she was approaching the limit of her magic power, the mist was starting to thin out.

Kanae first thought whether she ought to rescue the students who were collapsing from magic intoxication, but someone had already performed the rescue inside the mist. Inside the mist that was already in the process of clearing up, she couldn’t find the figure responsible anywhere.

The worst situation was avoided due to that correct judgment.

And then Kanae discovered the figures of the enemy.

Ten silver-haired magicians covered in masks were forming a column to the side, they were advancing while pouring magic on any noticeable humans.

Regarding that there was a group that was unleashing counterattacks using Sacred Treasures. It was Kohaku’s crew.

“But…that isn't really even a fight.”

Kanae whispered in a bitter voice.

―Kohaku and the others' forte wasn't really effective against the enemy.

The strong point of Kohaku’s party that equipped the Sacred Treasures was fast rotation of long-range attacks. Its might was decidedly inferior compared to Summoning Magic but, Battou Kaikon was able to invoke magic without chanting.

Therefore Kohaku and her group would obstruct the opponent’s spell chanting with swift attacks and overcome the resistance one-sidedly, that’s how their tactic should be happening. But that kind of tactic wasn't working on the enemies in front of them.

There were two miscalculations.

First, the cycle of the masked magicians' spell chanting was abnormally fast.

No, the speed of their spell chanting might not actually be that fast. But from what Kanae saw, she had a hunch that those guys were chanting four kinds of magic all at once. That was not a joke.

And then the second miscalculation, even when the masked magicians got hit by Kohaku and the others’ attacks, their concentration toward spell chanting wasn't interrupted at all. Rather than saying their concentration was uninterrupted, it looked more like they didn’t think of anything at all, it was an eerie sight.

As a result, Kohaku and her group were taking the masked magicians’ magic one after another. They couldn’t prevent the opponents’ chanting at all, that’s why if they were not a [swordsman that could evade Summoning Magic] then they would not be able to fight. That was the limit of relying on just the strength of Sacred Treasures.

If it was not a fighter around the level of Kohaku, Kanae, or Iori, then they wouldn’t be able to make a dent to this formidable enemy.

“Move back! The only one who can become their opponent is just this one!!”

Finally Kohaku ordered her comrades to retreat with an expression of grief. She made the tragic judgment that her fighting alone was a better decision.

“Geez…what kind of pitiful face are you making, student council president!”

“Ka…Kanae-kaichou!?”

Kanae overtook Kohaku who was exercising long-range attacks, approaching the masked magicians like a gale.

“The president is you! I am Kana-nyan!! Nya―a!!”

Kanae evaded all the magic that came flying with paper-thin distance, then she started hacking to pieces with her two katana like she was dancing.

“Kaichou…no, Kana-nyan-senpai!”

Kohaku helplessly accepted the weird given name and yelled.

“Please be careful! Their magical power is unusually massive, no matter how many times Kana-nyan-senpai keeps cutting with those small katana it won’t make any damage…!”

“I know!” Kanae yelled back.

“The thing that we should do right now is buy time! Until Nii-sama and Otonashi Kaguya come…we have to hold back the damage to the Sword Division as much as possible!”

Part 2

Kazuki and the others finally escaped from the underground facility.

When they hurriedly exited from the underground, the grounds of the Magic Division was enveloped in a strange silence. As though all the students finished taking refuge….

From the other side in the Sword Division, sounds of buildings being destroyed and the stir the escaping people could be heard.

“Don’t tell me…the Magic Division left the Sword Division alone and is taking refuge!? Even though those Quad-core Magica aren't opponents that can be defeated without the aid of the Magic Division students!!”

Mio raised her voice as if she couldn’t believe it.

“…This is the work of Nyala-whatchallit-pu. That guy probably returned to the appearance of Headmaster Otonashi and put out instructions for the students of the Magic Division to take refuge.”

Using the appearance of Headmaster Otonashi to control the nucleus of the Magic Division, what a scheming Diva.

There was no doubt that the one who tricked him into all those false crimes was that guy.

That jet black Nyala-whatchallit-pu…!

“Kazuki…it’s Nyalatoteph.”

Koyuki gave a tsukkomi toward Kazuki calmly.

“Anyway let’s hurry!”

Kazuki and the others ran in the direction of the sounds. Vast magical power was blowing violently like a storm.

When they leapt over the pitch-black burned down area of the carbonized wooden school building and finally arrived at the battlefield, over there was Kanae and Kohaku who were fighting as the opponents of the ten Quad-core Magica.

Especially Kohaku who was markedly damaged from the magic that she couldn’t dodge.

The moment Kazuki and the others finally came, the shrouding mist cleared up completely.

“Kanae! Kohaku! Are you guys okay!?”

“Kazuki! So you returned from the underground safely!”

“Nii-sama!?”

Kohaku and Kanae were both turning around in his direction.

Kanae’s cheeks flushed in the blink of an eye, her eyes started to glitter like a shining star.

“Ni – i – sa – ma~~!! ♥♥♥!! Meeting Nii-sama after so long, Kanae with the force of a cat at full speed is nya nya nya nya~~~~~n!!”

While screaming, Kanae dashed fiercely to Kazuki with a force that left behind afterimages.

“Fast!? Even compared to that time…!” Kohaku shuddered after seeing that speed.

“Nii-sama Nii-sama Nii-sama~!! Pleaseee give me a kiss of reunion!!”

Kanae came hugging him with the force of a tackle.

“Idiot, what are you doing in the middle of battle!”

Kazuki stretched apart Kanae’s mochi-like cheeks with a ‘GUII~’.

“Funyaaaaaaa!” Kanae raised a shriek happily.

At that time a huge ball of fire came flying.

“…Look out!”

Kazuki held Kanae in a princess-carry and leapt to the side.

“The long awaited Nii-sama’s princess carry! Kanae…has no regrets anymore even if I die nyan…”

“Cut it out!”

As expected Kazuki raised his voice and scolded Kanae. This was completely not the situation to joke around.

“Everyone, let’s form the Heaven and Earth Formation! Me, Kanae, and Kohaku will cut into them! I will become the shield as much as possible, everyone else will attack with magic from behind!”

“Understood!” “Okay desu!” “I understand.”

Mio, Lotte, and Koyuki began chanting spells at the same time.

While Kazuki sensed the torrent of magic power at his back, he plunged into the column of Quad-core Magica.

He had to draw the magic towards him as best as he could!

“O will of the god of the whirling sky! Assemble in my hand, lend me the authority of judgment! O radiance of the divine right of the King, become a dazzling brilliance bow drawn to its limit! Thunder God BowLightning Line!”

A dignified voice was audible from somewhere―several streaks of lightning pierced the Quad-core Magica.

This magic is…!

“Hoshikaze-senpai!”

“Hayashizaki-kun! …Did you find it, the proof?”

Hoshikazi-senpai slipped through the rain of magic with lightning speed utilizing Ride Lightning, rushing over to Kazuki’s side. This person's battle power was first rate as expected.

“…Yes! Sorry to make you worry.”

Without asking for the particulars, Hoshikaze-senpai smiled and said “Is that so” with just that.

“This, I’m returning it.”

The item she handed over was Kazuki’s beloved katana, Doufuu. After handing over the katana, senpai carried a different katana that she used during the time she was practicing with Kazuki.

“…What in the world are those enemies?” Senpai inquired.

“Those are, artificially strengthened magicians that had been experimented on. Their personalities had been destroyed, there is no way to save them anymore other than to defeat them.”

Hoshikaze-senpai’s expression darkened. Senpai was a kind person after all. But in this situation there was nothing more they could do.

“Understood. So there is no other way than to fight, right?”

When Kazuki nodded, Hoshikaze-senpai dropped her pained expression and chanted the magic “Storm Fort”. The Quad-core Magica launched their magic over but all of it was sent flying by the storm. If they attacked based on compatible elements, the wind would probably be pierced, but as the compensation of having their personalities destroyed, they didn’t have that much intelligence left.

Inside that wind…Hoshikaze-senpai kneaded up an enormous magic power!

“Know the rage of the god with this thunderous roar of the sacred flame! Every howl of the sky resides in this hand, bring down the hammer and break the world! One blow to destroy the world! Sky Drum Pressing Lightning HammerYagrush!!”

The wind ceased. In Hoshikaze-senpai's hand, a large hammer was gripped tightly.

That was…Baal’s level 8! A high tier magic that Kazuki and the others still couldn’t chant!

When Hoshikaze-senpai held that hammer aloft, it raised a boisterous noise and dark clouds covered the sky.

Hoshikaze-senpai ran, not to the whole group of Quad-core Magica itself, but to the middle point between two Quad-core Magica. Once there, she raised the large hammer overhead.

“I will end this painlessly at the very least…!!”

Along with a yell of fighting spirit, she swung down the hammer at the empty point where no one was.

At that moment, countless flashes of lightning that blinded the eyes poured down from the dark clouds in the sky.

The raging sound of lightning reverberated, all of the world was shaking loosely with a thunderous roar and earthquake!

Nothing could be seen from the light and the cloud of dust―when all of those cleared up, a huge crater was formed at the point where Hoshikaze-senpai struck the ground, the two Quad-core Magica that were located at either side of that point had exhausted all of their defensive magic power and collapsed. Both those elves together with just one hit was…

“Nii-sama…that person, she tried to smash Torazou with that at the inter-division match, right?”

Kanae whispered while drawing back.

…Let’s absolutely not make Hoshikaze-senpai mad shall we.

“Let’s get going quickly!”

Hoshikaze-senpai began to chant her next spell. Even while chanting she ran around with lightning speed, hitting ceaselessly with Lighning Line, she couldn’t be targeted by the opponents' magic.

“…Kenki Tensei! Thy name is…Ooishi Susumu! Go!”

A phantom dashed into the battlefield holding a long katana in his hand.

“Thy name is…Otani Nobutomo! Go!”

Another phantom ran at full speed holding a wooden sword.

“Thy name is…Shimada Toranosuke! Go!”

The owner of the voice was Kazuha-senpai. The same as when she was fighting Kazuki, it seems the limit of the phantoms this magic could summon were three bodies. Right now the three master swordsmen that were summoned to this place were master fencers in Bakumatsu era.

“Mikohime-sama!? …You can’t, senpai mustn’t use magic in the place where people are watching!!”

Kohaku raised a voice tinged with a shriek.

“Don’t say stupid things! Even though that shameless man over there is also fighting, there is no way I could just sit quietly in this emergency situation!!”

“GUWAHHAHHA! Kazuha, looks like this battle is not a place you can joke around, you mustn’t try to do close-quarters combat, you understand!!”

At Kazuha-senpai’s side, Futsunushi no Kami’s avatar who was in the role of overseer was floating.

“Uuu…I know! Don’t laugh! Tenkuu Battou Rengehou!!”

Rain of Sacred Treasures poured incessantly at the Quad-core Magica who just stood stock still like scarecrows because of their lack of combat instincts.

At that moment, Mio, Lotte and Koyuki fired off their magic too.

The trend was determined. The battlefield was blanketed with the blue light of magical power, displaying the damage of the Quad-core Magica.

Even though they were Quad-core Magica, they were defeated one after another.

Kanae and Kohaku were no longer needed to act as the vanguard, they watched over the situation attentively.

“That is Nii-sama’s Heaven and Earth Formation, Kohaku.”

“…”

At the side of the proudly looking Kanae, Kohaku kept silent with an expression as if she was chewing a bitter bug.

Kazuki looked at those two with a sidelong glance, he once again thought curiously about what was going on between the two of them.

But that was for another time…with all these comrades, they could stop the Quad-core Magica!!

Part 3

“Please wait a little bit, Beatrix-sama, Damian-sama, Eleonora-sama.”

Headmaster Otonashi lowered his head respectfully to the three Einherjar that appeared at the staff room.

“…The battlefield is waiting for me you know?”

Beatrix floated a smile with a broad grin. Those cheeks were blushing like a maiden in love.

“Beatrix~, do you really need all three of us heree~. For this kind of school you seee~”

The small statured girl called Damian talked while showing ridicule on her face.

The magic power of females was higher compared to males, in the current era where many females were far better at battle than males, the number of females that were named with male names were not few.

“Three people are still not really enough you know, Damian. After all our opponent is a BasileusKing. Actually we should bring not only three but come here with even more numbers but, since this is a sudden request.”

“For the captain to lose…maybe there is some mistake.”

Eleonora who was a lady with a tall stature that was long, slender, and well proportioned, whispered expressionlessly.

“This me, without doubt had lost, Erii. If the one that beat me is just a normal student then my stock will fall sharply. I guarantee that boy is not just a normal opponent.”

“I’ll buy it~, that free-falling stock, I’m going to buy it for sure~. And then I will be promoted to captain.”

Damian raised a laughing voice ‘kekeke’. Her tone was vulgar but she had a high-pitched voice like a child.

A confused atmosphere flowed in the staff room because of the three visitors.

“Fathe…Headmaster.”

Kaguya who was on standby in that place cut into the conversation.

“The report that the attack had already been resolved should have come in already, shouldn’t it?”

The report that the situation had been resolved with the unknown enemies exterminated had already come to the staff room. However Headmaster Otonashi shook his head.

“What are you saying? These girls came to capture the illegal magician and Charlotte.”

The illegal magician here was referring to the matter of Hayashizaki Kazuki.

“Oi, how about making that Ojou-chan help too huh~. …Or rather that Ojou-chan is quite strong right? I can feel her presence is not normal ze~”

Damian fixed her sights on Kaguya, Headmaster Otonashi nodded his head toward her question.

“Of course, Damian-sama. Kaguya…you understand.”

After being made sure by Headmaster Otonashi, Kaguya felt like her head was dulling.

Along with the haziness from the dulling in her head, even her own emotions felt like they were going far away….

“…Yes.” Kaguya replied flatly and distantly.

“Yosh, me and <Damian of the Sword>, <Eleonora of the Shield> will stand as the vanguard. The daughter of Headmaster Otonashi will provide rear guard support. I’ve heard that you are not just an average student, I have high expectations of you, okay. Rather I want to try to fight you someday, fufufu!”

Beatrix unintentionally leaked out a laugh like a kid waiting for her treasured holiday.

“…Lad, this is my Heaven and Earth Formation!”

Part 4

No matter how high their magic power was, to not defend or dodge at all were the fatal weak points of the Quad-core Magica. Rather it could even be seen as their wish to be completely liberated that they accepted all the attacks.

After Kazuki and his party held the initiative, the Quad-core Magica were defeated one after another.

“Hooray, we protected the Sword Division! Kazu-nii!”

“We did it, as expected of Nii-sama! Please give a reward kiss for me doing my best!!”

Mio and Kanae came hugging Kazuki.

“…You two, it looks like it’s still too early to be happy.”

Kazuki brushed aside the cheek of his childhood friend and step-sister who used every chance to try to have skinship with a serious expression. “Munyu” “Funya” Both of them leaked out a voice free from all worry.

Kazuki sensed the magic power approaching them.

It was a magic power he was familiar with.

“You solved this wonderfully. You haven’t used up all your strength against the small fishes in the opening act right, lad.”

A voice that reminded one of steel even though it was female, could be heard.

From the opposite side of the school building wreckage and dust that told the aftermath of a fierce battle, a familiar woman in armor appeared.

…Einherjar! So these guys finally came with this kind of timing!

“I missed you so lad…no, Kazuki! How about we meet our affections blade to blade again!!”

“Beatrix!”

On either side of her, two other armored soldiers were waiting.

“Da-mia-n hee-re. Nice to meet you.”

A short girl, an Einherjar with an appearance and voice that looked and sounded like a cheeky child introduced herself with the middle finger of both her hands pointed up.

“Is there any need to introduce oneself to the opponent that we will fight after this? …Eleonora. Best regards.”

The other person, the tall statured Einherjar continued with her self-introduction. She was a female with gentle eyes but, she was not supposed to be an average magician.

There was no mistake that these girls were called here by Headmaster Otonashi― Nyarlatoteph.

Kazuki realized all of Nyarlatoteph’s contrivance. After dealing with Kazuki and Lotte in this place, there was no doubt that he plans to blame the turmoil the Quad-core Magica caused as the work of [the unknown Diva Hayashiki Kazuki was contracted with].

In the rear of the Einherjar, Kaguya-senpai was also waiting on standby.

“Kaguya! …You understand that this situation is suspicious right!? Even so you still plan to stand at that side!?”

Hoshikaze-senpai shouted.

“I am...Otouto-kun has to…”

Kaguya-senpai who was wrapped in her Magic Dress cast her eyes down with a mournful face.

“Hayashizaki-kun’s case might be over with just transferring to the Sword Division but, Lotte won’t be able to escape with this situation you know!?”

Hoshikaze-senpai raised her voice to try to persuade Kaguya-senpai. Hoshikaze-senpai was still of the wrong impression that Kazuki would end up transferring to the Sword Division. However even if that would happen, Lotte’s life was still in serious threat.

In the previous fight, Kaguya-senpai was still fighting with her own will. But the script Kaguya-senpai assumed at that time had already changed into something impossible to realize. If the situation kept like this then Lotte’s life absolutely won’t be able to be saved anymore.

Kaguya-senpai distorted her expression from getting stuck in the dilemma between her sense of responsibility and emotions.

“Don’t listen to them. You understand, Kaguya. You, as the strongest magician, just enjoy fighting the strongest magic swordsman.”

At Kaguya-senpai’s side, Headmaster Otonashi whispered to Kaguya-senpai. Magic power was generated from that whisper.

“Accept this as you are…Oracle of EcstasySanity Down!”

Nyarlatoteph’s characteristic magic!? In that instant, from the eyes of Kaguya-senpai―the color of emotion vanished.

The only one who noticed this magic phenomenon was Kazuki who reinforced his senses. Beatrix’s group didn’t even turn back at the situation behind them.

“I am…the strongest magician, so…I have to do this!”

Kaguya-senpai said so expressionlessly.

What was left inside Kaguya-senpai right now was just the logic and responsibility that Headmaster Otonashi planted, and then―the craving of her own self somewhere in her heart, nothing but to fight a stronger person.

…Nothing else could be done other than to fight senpai!

Senpai’s heart had been already chained by that evil god long before she met me.

I will defeat senpai, and liberate her from that evil god!

Kazuki glared at the enemy alertly while calling out his [comrades] at his back.

“…Everyone, if it's us then we can win! Those Einherjar aren't a big deal. After all the strongest class from the Magic Division and the Sword Division had also gathered on this side.”

In front of the mighty enemy called Einherjar, Kazuki encouraged his withering comrades.

“Kanae, cooperate with Kohaku and stop Beatrix in the middle. Her physical strength and reflexes are reinforced. The only one who can dodge her attacks is only you of the Hayashizaki-syle.”

Kazuki glanced back to the back and handed Raikiri to Kanae.

“If that girl is covering her sword with lightning, use this Sacred Treasure.”

In pure skill of Kenjutsu, Kanae was equal with Kazuki. She should be able to buy time against Beatrix as her opponent if she received magic support.

“Understood, Nii-sama.”

“Mio, you are going to attack from behind with magic. …Barrett could be blocked by the shield. However Mio is supposed to always continue growing.”

Only by saying that, Mio understood everything Kazuki wanted to say and nodded.

“…That’s only natural. Don’t look down on a rank A.”

Whether Kanae could stop Beatrix or not depended on Mio’s support.

This time Kazuki was talking to Hoshikaze-senpai.

“The one most reliable among us is senpai. The Einherjar are all-purpose Magica Stigma who can even perform close-quarters combat skillfully, but if it is senpai who can use Ride Lightning then senpai should be able to exchange swords with them.”

“Okay, leave it to me! After all I’m a senior and your friend. It’s okay to rely on me as much as you like!”

Hoshikaze-senpai replied happily. That brightness of hers gave some encouragement to Kazuki.

“Koyuki…Koyuki is not alone anymore. Not fighting solo, so cooperate with your comrades and fight.”

When he looked over his shoulder with a glance, Koyuki made a meek face from Kazuki’s words.

“…To trust other people besides Kazuki, it’s scary.”

Kazuki felt happy from those words, but he shook his head.

“Even more than alone, you can be far stronger by cooperating with everyone. Absolutely. You won’t be betrayed by anyone here.”

Koyuki nodded deeply.

“Lotte will take the role of search-and-destroy using your level 5 magic, aim for those who try to chant high level magic.”

“Okay desu!”

“For Kazuha-senpai…sorry to drag you into this…”

“Hn, even I can read the general mood. You were falsely accused by those guys, right? I can’t tolerate shameless guys but, against cowardly guys, I also hate them.”

“Kazuha-senpai needs to avoid close-quarters combat as much as possible, please support the comrades who are in a pinch from the rear.”

“Youu…I don’t want to accept instructions of someone like you but…I will recognize those instructions as the right call!!”

At the end of his line of sight, Beatrix was eagerly sending a heated gaze, but Kazuki ignored that and stared at Kaguya-senpai directly.

“I will fight Kaguya-senpai.”

There was nothing that could be done if magic came flying from Kaguya-senpai in the rear with vanguards as powerful as the Einherjar. Someone has to hold back the magic of Kaguya-senpai.

{Aren’t you behaving more like a king here?}

Inside his head Leme was coming to talk.

There was no intention like that. …It’s only that he wanted to liberate Kaguya-senpai with his own hands!

Kazuki resolved himself, he faced the enemy and took a step. That was the trigger of the battle.

“Fufufu! This is the continuation from the fight before, Kazuki!! …I will have a good fight, welcoming a good death, wishing to participate in even more fights in the heavens! The divine protection of the color of the blood in my pupils! Berserk!!”

The red-pupil mad soldier Beatrix was coming to welcome Kazuki passionately.

“…There is no free time to accompany you! Stop the steps of the hated enemy, hasten the steps of the chosen one…. O divine protection of mermaid, grant me the blade to dance on top of the ice! Moves in the Field!”

While Kazuki ran to the enemy formation, he activated the magic he became able to use from his bond with Koyuki.

The surface of the battlefield was frozen in the blink of an eye. It was a magic that exhibited heavy effect to the Einherjar whose core was close-quarters combat.

Beatrix’s feet slipped on the icy surface―there, Kazuki accelerated and slipped through from the side using ice-skating boots. Beatrix saw off Kazuki’s back with an astonished expression.

Keeping that momentum, Kazuki went to slash Kaguya-senpai.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

“What the…is this the taste of unrequited love…? Fufufu, so even I have some of a maiden's heart left inside me.”

“Beatrix-taichou, you are a little odd zee!?”

Damian gave a tsukkomi to Beatrix who said such an incomprehensible thing.

“…We act in accordance of Hodur’s wish, I entrust my body to the exaltation of battle! The war fires of violent emotion running in the fat and blood on my sword!! Merit of the SlaughtererStories Flame!”

Damian drew out her sword and invoked her magic. The sword in her hand was enveloped in fierce flames.

“It’s sooo depressing! Melt all of this!!”

Damian stabbed the sword of flame into the ground. Thereupon, the flame residing in the sword was transmitted in a wave motion, the frozen surface of the ground were melted in the time it took to say ‘ah’.

“Good job, Damian! With this I can chase Kazuki!!”

Beatrix’s eyes, that were full with obsession, chased Kazuki’s back.

―At that time, the shadow of a black cat had already drawn close to Beatrix.

“I won’t let you get close to Nii-sama! This damn stalker!!”

Kanae poured on kodachi slashes at Beatrix.

Beatrix avoided all of those attacks with superhuman reflexes.

“Fufufu…I wonder if I should make a greeting to his family first! Glad to meet you and please take care of me!!”

Kanae Foresighted Beatrix’s counter attack and avoided it completely with agile motion.

After the offense and defense in the place of the greeting ended, Kanae and Beatrix squared against each other.

There Damian attempted to provide assistance. But a streak of lightning came flying as if to hold her back. Hoshikaze Hikaru was setting up a bow of lighting and aimed at Damian.

“I won’t let you be a hindrance to Kanae-san. I will pin you down myself.”

“HeeeClasse! An immature ass of a student dares to say such a cheeky line! I’ll make that pretty face messed uppppppp!”

Damian headed to Hikaru while brandishing her flame sword.

Damian had gone from that place. Kanae and Beatrix clashed against each other. Kanae evaded Beatrix’s attacks lightly and loosely then counter-attacked with her kodachi. Beatrix dodged the kodachi again with her superhuman reflexes.

“You are even faster than Kazuki huh! But I’m going to accelerate even more you know!? O divine protection of military men, double the divine powerMegin whirling in my body! Dashing to endless fights as the will of the god, in this body! …Megingjord!”

A glittering light was raining down from the sky heading to Beatrix, Beatrix’s whole body carried on even more strength. Even faster, even stronger, she came swinging her sword at Kanae.

Kanae crossed both her kodachi and blocked the strong sword coming down.

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

Before Kanae was outpushed by Beatrix’s strength, she twisted the crossed kodachi suddenly and forcefully. Rotating her body, she redirected Beatrix’s sword to the wrong direction.

Beatrix’s posture was broken. Kanae turned in a circle like a spinning top and visited Beatrix a slash after a full rotation. With her reinforced body balance, Beatrix corrected her disordered stance forcefully and dodged Kanae’s kodachi. However her movement was a dodging technique of heavy work, it caused an unnaturalness in her stance.

“Now, Kohaku!” Kanae yelled.

Not letting Beatrix’s gap go to waste, Kohaku came charging.

“This guy’s weapon is reflexes! Use that Sacred Treasure the moment I do it!!”

Toward that hint Kanae provided, Kohaku immediately responded.

From the seven Sacred Treasures she owned, Kohaku drew the one for the use of close-quarters combat from her hip.

“Run O beam of light, <Mikadzuki Munechika>! Battou Kaikon―Getsuei no Tachi!!”

That Battou Kaikon reversed cause and effect, the moment the hand grasped the sword, a slash had already occurred.

It might be possible for the Hayashizaki-style with Foresight as its forte, but by no means was it a technique that could be seen through by reflexes alone.

Kanae repelled Beatrix’s attack with Instant Positioning and protected Kohaku.

“I will redirect this guy’s strength and create an opportunity! Match your breath with me!”

“…Yes! Kana-nyan-senpai!”

Recognizing the strength of these two, Beatrix’s expression did a complete change.

―They can’t be made light of. These guys are master hands that can’t be killed instantly.

Thereupon, the summoning magic that was aimed at her right at this moment was becoming a problem. Concentrating only at the swordsmen would land you through bitter experience, this was the tactic of Japan’s Knight Order that was called the [Heaven and Earth Formation].

Beatrix had already comprehended that tactic.

Right, she already understood the tactic. …Like who it was that she needed to target first.

Beatrix’s eyes sipped away from Kanae and Kohaku, and caught the sight of Mio.

This flame magician, as long as she had this flame protection shield, <Svalinn>, then she was an opponent of little importance.

First she would deal with that girl!

“You see, I’m not someone foolhardy enough that I will go nuts to fight only the opponent in front of my eyes…I’m going to ignore you bastards! First is you!”

Beatrix ignored Kanae and Kohaku and dashed at Mio like a meteor. She shook off Kanae and Kohaku in one breath. They couldn’t pursue Beatrix with pure speed.

As for Mio, she faced Beatrix with determination.

I’m waiting for you to do that, that was what Mio whispered inside her mouth.

…This guy was thinking of me as a drag. She knew that I’m someone that couldn’t do anything if she managed to get near. She was thinking that I had no way to do anything as long as she had that flame shield.

This guy's current actions, I don’t need to be Kazuki to Foresight what she is going to do.

That was why Mio didn’t chant any superfluous magic, she was chanting the greatest magic she could chant and waiting in preparation for the moment Beatrix was heading for her.

“Just try to defend this with your shield if you really…!”

In front of a formidable enemy, Mio floated a smile that would make one shudder.

Just like what Lotte said, I am someone who can display my brightness against a formidable enemy!

The straight line distance that was connecting Mio and Beatrix was ran through by Beatrix in just an instant. Beforehand, Mio had already prepared a trap at the distance of that straight line.

Moving the oxygen using Psychokinesis, she heightened the concentration of oxygen at the zone of that straight line.

On top of which―she fired!

“O bird of paradise where the light of the heavens is residing in that body, answer my accusation and reduce to ashes the sin on the earth! Israel Judgment!!”

A heat ray was fired right from the front of the charging Beatrix.

The quality of the magic was different from Barrett. The beam was flying with the speed of light.

Against that, even with Beatrix’s reflexes it was impossible to defend with a shield.

What was going on at this moment was something that was impossible to comprehend for Beatrix.

Beatrix who was inside the highly concentrated oxygen that had a highly combustible property was fired at with an ultra-heat laser. The oxygen was bursting out all at once in a raging explosion!

It was a level 6 magic even at the best of times but, with the application of common magic Mio used however, that magic could be bragged to fire destructive power equal to magic of level 7 or 8.

Due to the tremendous impact of her smashed magic, Beatrix was blown away a far distance and crashed into the wreckage of the school building.

While getting buried in the wreckage, Beatrix directed an expression as if to say that she couldn’t believe it to Mio.

Seeing that expression, Mio drowned out her inferiority complex and puffed her chest haughtily.

“Fufun. Because Kazu-nii had already said that the guy who challenges the same opponent in the same way from the previous fight is an idiot! That brain tissue of yours, it's made of muscle isn’t it?”

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Hoshikaze Hikaru was challenging Damian in a one-to-one fight.

“The destiny of all creation is inside the great celestial sphere…O binding of the constellation, suspend the motion of the sky! Star Gauze Sky PrisonHoroscope Stasis!”

Hikaru was chanting her magic, countless stars were floating around Damian’s body. In the space between the stars, lines were running like a constellation, the lines of light restrained Damian into immobility.

This restraint magic that can even seal dragons couldn’t be escaped using human’s physical strength.

“Annoyiiiiing! We are Hodur’s, negate all obstacles toward the sacred battle and distribute the divine protection of Norn to us! Belt of Victory of the Three GoddessesNorngjord!”

Damian’s body was wrapped in a flaring strong light, and right at that moment the lines of light disappeared.

Right now she didn’t break the restraint with brute force. The opponent was chanting a purge magic.

―If Hikaru doesn’t make any strange mistakes then you are about as strong as me you know?

While Hikaru remembered some words Kaguya had said to her once, she decided to progress the battle calmly. She tended to lose her temper, however if she fought calmly then she should be able to compete against this tough enemy.

And then I will take back Kaguya together with Hayashizaki-kun!

“Lightning Line!”

Hikaru fired the Summoning Magic she chanted while Damian was restrained to her direction.

“GAA!”

Damian leaked out a scream, she was taken aback by the impact of the smashed magic.

“You shitty bastaard! …Blessing of immortality slipped through this hand O mistletoe of disaster, malice and misunderstanding is received in the tail and feathers, shooting to death the son of god! Bow of MistletoeMistilteinn!”

Bow and arrow was created in Damian’s hands, quickly she fired the arrow.

Mistilteinn―the bow and arrow of mistletoe that pierced the son of god Baldur in Norse Mythology.

The Diva that Damian was a believer of was the blind god, Hodur. In Norse Mythology, holding the bow and arrow and the magic sword of mistletoe in hand he was the Diva that would unroll the fight of destiny with Baldur.

“Storm Fort!”

Hikaru chanted her defensive magic of wind. However MistilteinnDamian’s arrow slipped through and pierced Hikaru. The blue defensive magic power was smashed.

Something like a bow and arrow was a projectile weapon that was supposed to be blown away by wind. Despite the attribute superiority that was supposed to be there, this arrow slipped through the defensive magic and came flying. Probably, this bow and arrow possessed the power to make every defense powerless. Identical with the legend where it shot Baldur to death.

Hikaru judged that challenging her in close-quarters combat was a good plan and she stepped forward.

At the same time Damian was also opting for close-quarters combat.

“Ride Lightning!”

“Stories Flame!”

Hikaru and Damian were invoking magic for close range combat at the same time.

Hikaru’s body accelerated. Damian’s sword was entangled with strong flames.

Using the super high-speed kenjutsu she learned from Kazuki, Hikaru slashed Damian without permitting any defense or evasion.

Damian swung the western sword that was clad in flame of karma. Hikaru dodged it with the use of skillful agility, but she couldn’t dodge everything repeatedly and received large damage from the hit she got.

The offense and defense of Hikaru that shredded minutely small damages and Damian that inflicted large damage in one shot, if it was seen comprehensively, they were even.

Hikaru thought―she had confidence in her concentration toward spells. It seemed the opponent couldn’t chant in this exchange. I’m going to chant a high level magic during these exchanges of slashes and decide the victory and defeat right here!

Damian thought―this son of a bitch, is she thinking that she is even with me? Waving around her sword desperately like a stupid idiot, while this side was already chanting high level magic during the fight, I’m going to make you know your place!

And then during the exchange of close-quarters combat, both of them invoked magic at the same time.

“Know the rage of god with this sacred flame’s thunderous roar! All the howls of the sky reside in this hand, bring down the world destroying hammer! Break the world with one attack! Yagrush!!”

“The sword clutched in this hand turns the blessing into a curse of malice! While wishing for the rebirth in time, this hand severs the son of god’s immortal thread of life! Annihilation Divine SwordMistilteinn II!”

Both of their arias were Sacred Treasure creation magic.

Both of them opened their eyes wide in astonishment and surprise. And then they thought of the same thing―a simultaneous strike is bad! If I got hit with that magic power, I’m going to be sorry!

Weapon and weapon clashed, the fight entered into a contest of strength.

Both of the weapons clashed against each other like they were drawing in their opponent.

What Hikaru held in her hand was the hammer of lightning that the highest god of ancient Phoenicia, Baal held in his left hand. The name of Baal represented the sound of lightning, this weapon could be said to be the synonym of Baal.

What Damian held in her hand was the magic sword of instant death that could murder even god. Mistilteinn that severed the life of Baldur was told in legend as a bow and arrow and also as a cursed magic sword.

Colossal lightning was converging in the striking part of Hikaru’s large hammer, Damian’s large sword was clad in black aura like a dark cloud, devouring that lightning greedily and extinguishing it.

Lightning and curse were negating each other―hammer and sword were using up their strength to the end and vanished together.

…It’s a draw!

Both of them took a distance simultaneously, they set up their original weapon respectively again.

“Strong! As expected of Einherjar!”

“You bastaaaard, what the hell are you doing giving praise so haughtily while looking down at me! You think you're equal with this me!? Shit Scheiße! Stop bullshitting me Scheiße! I’ll fucking kill you Scheiße!”

They are even but, it was fine even if the victory or defeat hadn’t been decided yet. Her objective was to wait for Hayashizaki-kun to liberate Kaguya. …With that line of thought, Hikaru had far more leeway compared to Damian.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Beatrix and Damian were able to be shut out skillfully.

The remaining problem was the Einherjar called Eleonora.

“Soaring wings, glaring eyes, invading word-destroying conflagration―manifest the authority of the god right here, as the agent of the civilization charge ahead deeper and deeper! Deep Invasion ArmamentDeep Striker!!”

Lotte invoked Prometheus’ level 5 magic.

The armament this magic summoned covered Lotte’s shoulders until her back completely, a multi-purpose large-type thruster system. It was installed with an arms container and enemy searching unit.

The thruster unit spewed out flame, Lotte soared into the high-altitude sky forcefully.

Search-and-Destroy mission―the special role she received from Kazuki that was neither vanguard or rearguard, Lotte thought of it proudly.

Lotte equipped the enemy searching unit on her head. Across the goggles, the magic power swirling in the battlefield was visualized and displayed.

Her role was to sense the enemy who attempted to chant high level magic like Mjollnir and run interference.

Using the enemy searching unit she observed the magic power, the state of the enemy from the sky, and choose the person that was kneading huge amount of magic power to attack. That was what Kazuki requested from her, [Search-and Destroy Mission].

Lotte was glaring at the battlefield from the sky.

Beatrix was in the state where she couldn’t produce large magic power thanks to Kanae and Mio’s great efforts.

Damian brought forth a huge magic power, but Hoshikaze-senpai also produced magic power equal with her opponent, it was an even battle. The target was not these two.

Lotte directed her caution to the remaining sole Einherjar, Eleonora.

―On the surface Koyuki was confronting Eleonora.

“We are Ægir‘s, lend me the fear of the unknown bottom of the ocean! The raging waves toying with the small people, to me…. The Sea That Reflects the Light of the SkyHiminglæva!”

“O water's surface that sways from my singing voice, manipulate the small wave and gather them into a large tsunami! Coming from beyond and washed away to the unknown…Tidal Wave!”

The Diva that Eleonora was a believer of was the sea god of Norse Mythology, Ægir.

Koyuki too simultaneously drew out the power of the sea.

Eleonora and Koyuki both summoned enormous sea waters. Both of them controlled the sea waters and crashed tsunami against each other. Tsunami and tsunami were colliding and smashed against each other violently.

At the same time with that Koyuki was chanting her spell.

“Glacier Wind!”

“Tenkuu Battou Rengehou!!”

Not only Koyuki, matching her, Kazuha was also raining down countless Sacred Treasures.

“Highly Surging WaveHefring!”

When Eleonora gave that command, the sea water Eleonora summoned was manipulated according to her will, becoming a gigantic wall. It obstructed Koyuki’s chilly wind, freezing the surface of the ocean water but it didn’t reach Eleonora.

The Sacred Treasures that Kazuha summoned were caught up in the sea water too and their momentum was killed.

“Striking WaveUnnr!”

When Eleonora commanded it, the lump of sea water was torn to pieces and turned into water bullets flying at Koyuki.

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

Koyuki immediately froze all the bullets using defensive magic, making them ineffective.

“…Unnr!”

Eleonora’s offense was not stopping at just that. The water bullets were coming consecutively.

At that moment Koyuki couldn’t make it in time with her defensive magic. Just then, the phantoms of the swordsmen that Kazuha summoned covered Koyuki and were exterminated. …She was helped by her comrade!

It was impossible for Koyuki to not recognize the excellent skill the opponent had in manipulating the sea.

However, Kazuki said to her to not fight solo. There was no need to harbor any sense of defeat. It was fine to cooperate with this senpai from the Sword Division called Kazuha to defeat this enemy.

While Eleonora was protected by a body of sea water that used for offense and defense, she began to chant a high level spell.

“When the opponent’s sea get hit it scatters, we're going to shave it all! Let’s speed up our attack!”

Koyuki lined her shoulders with Kazuha and called out.

“I know even if you don’t say it!”

Kazuha too was creating Sacred Treasures one after another and rained them down. However even with the two of them together they couldn’t break Eleonora’s wall of sea. If it kept like this then she would finish chanting the high level magic first.

―The flying Lotte decided her target of attack at that moment.

“Blitzkrieg!”

Using Prometheus’ level 4 magic, Lotte equipped a lance on her left hand.

To further support the impact of the charge, the thruster system’s weapon container was opening, a machine arm was fixed on Lotte’s left arm.

With the lance positioned firmly, the thruster unit spouted up fire with its energy in full throttle. Lotte swooped down while her body was receiving that fierce acceleration. Exceeding mach speed, Lotte’s defensive magic power was removing the air resistance. Not even noticing such a trivial thing, she changed into an enormous meteorite.

“Prometheus…Blitzkrieg tacticsBlitzkrieg!”

Eleonora noticed it and looked up to the sky. And then when the approaching enormous weapon entered her eyes, she became lost for words.

Aiming for a part of the sea wall that Koyuki and Kazuha’s magic whittled off and became thinner, Lotte’s spear pierced through. While the heat of the electricity evaporated the sea, the super accelerated enormous mass smashed down the barrier of sea water in one attack. Even after piercing through everything, Lotte’s charge didn’t lose its momentum. The violent lance charge blew away Eleonora to the wreckage of the school building a few dozen meters away.

“Mission complete desu!”

Eleonora was crashing into the rubble, when she sensed that the spell Eleonora chanted was breaking, the shortstop Lotte left behind a happy voice and withdrew back to the sky.

“Kaguya-senpai, please return to your senses!”

“Senses? I'm fine though.”

Toward Kazuki’s shouts, a flat voice like a doll's replied.

…It’s no good. Headmaster Otonashi was also like this but, the human’s mind that Nyarlatoteph made abnormal with his magic didn’t have any symptoms of self-awareness at all.

The Kaguya-senpai that he dearly missed was so coldhearted, like she was a completely different person.

Kazuki made up his mind to fight, preparing his katana he ran ahead.

Right now in this situation it was fine even if he ignored Nyarlatoteph. In front of Germany’s Einherjar, the guy was supposed to be unable to reveal his true colors.

Those Einherjar were pinned down by his comrades.

No one was obstructing him, he could confront Kaguya-senpai alone.

“O shapeless mute shadow, become a fish swimming in the darkness filled with obstructive thoughts. Origin of nightmares, materialism vicissitudes, respond to terror and hope and eat…Deep Specter!”

Kaguya-senpai summoned a Deep Specter.

The shadow under Kazuki’s feet shined with the violet color of magical power and turned three dimensional like it was swelling up. It was a shadow monster possessing a big mouth like a shark's, it opened its mouth and came to bite Kazuki.

However the shadow monster was, so to speak, just a lump of magical power. Kazuki was able to Foresight its movements.

Slipping through the attack of the shadow monster, he drew near Kaguya-senpai!

“Not hesitating even though cursing thee also hurt me…shared pain is my joy! Cry and scream toward the mirror projection! Suicide Black!”

Kaguya-senpai was covered with a dark haze. If this haze was faced with an attack, that attack’s [pain] would be reflected entirely to the attacker as if that attack reached the body.

Kazuki unhesitatingly drew out his Iai.

‘ZUBAA’ The slash scraped off Kaguya-senpai’s magic power. [Suicide Black] didn’t have any substantial protection effect. However to Kazuki who swung his sword down, the illusion of pain was sent back to him.

Kazuki was hallucinating the pain of his own Iai draw cutting his belly diagonally up to his chest.

An intense pain of steel blade digging into his internal organs. It felt completely like his insides were scorched.

Kazuki immediately shut out his sense of pain using the Trance that he learned from Lotte. The sharp pain was dulled like it was wrapped by a silk floss, decreasing to the degree he could endure it.

There's no way I’ll lose to this kind of pain…!

Kazuki paid no concern to the pain and let loose a second slash. A diagonal slash starting from Kaguya-senpai’s shoulder scraped off her magic power. Kazuki received even more hallucinations of pain but the pain was abating and he endured. Endure!

“O God of Death’s whispering voice that awaited the visitor for a long time, resound deeply and widely, dye the dream with agony! Resound o evil voice of sadism! Ultra Violence!!”

With fast chanting, Kaguya-senpai was singing the magic for doubling the sensation of pain.

This was the devilish combination that Kaguya-senpai and Asmodeus took pride in.

“UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!”

Kazuki screamed in a loud voice. Endure it. He was able to keep his sanity thanks to Lotte.

In the previous fight the tremendous pain was doubled. But this time what was doubled was only the reduced pain in the degree that he could endure. Just barely, it was really just barely that he could endure it.

“O desire lurking in the sea of the heart, passing through the sinful flesh this hand reaches out to that hand! O avatar of violation, entangle according to my desire! Desire Tentacle!”

From the shadow under Kazuki’s feet, this time tentacles were created and reaching out. Capturing the opponent who was in agony then after sealing his movement she would chant high level magic. That was Kaguya-senpai’s basic tactic.

But the me right now can still endure the pain! Possessing a will of steel, Kazuki Foresighted the timing of the tentacles creation, dodged, and then he cut away the tentacles.

At that moment the Deep Specter came to assault him. While enduring the intense pain, Kazuki must also deal with the monster of shadow. This guy’s attack was…a physical attack!

“Seusenhofer!”

Kazuki blocked the bite of the monster with heavy armor. Most of the armor was broken apart with one attack, but Kazuki was mostly unharmed.

“Barrett!”

The flame bullet dug into the monster, the monster was destroyed with the addition of multiple layers of slashes.

Using that opportunity, Kaguya-senpai was chanting her spell.

Judging from the scale of the magic power―a large-scale attack magic. A magic of Asmodeus that he had never seen until now. Probably it was around the border of level 4 or 5. Its attribute was…freezing!

Even if he attacked with his sword right now, he wouldn’t make it in time to obstruct Kaguya-senpai's spell chanting!

Then he would weather it using defensive magic! …Using defensive magic that had good affinity against freezing attribute!

“Blooming flower of blood tearing apart the skin, eternally echoing scream…sinking the betrayer, awaken the hell right here! Grand Lotus Freezing HellCocytus!”

“Freeze Barrier!”

The space that surrounded Kazuki and Kaguya-senpai was wrapped in a pure white cold wave. If this cold wave touched human skin, the skin would immediately get torn apart from the cold, making red flowers blooming in profusion inside this white space.

However Kazuki’s whole body was enveloped by the mermaid’s divine protection toward cold attribute.

As expected it couldn’t protect from Kaguya-senpai’s attack magic completely, the Freeze Barrier was soon smashed up, but Kazuki managed to reduce the damage from cold drastically.

“…Even though this wide-scale magic with no place to escape was my only counter-measure against Otouto-kun and Kana-chan.”

The Hayashizaki–style was able to Foresight all uncomplicated offensive magic and dodged them. However large-scale offense magic that you couldn’t evade even if you try was the Hayashizaki-style’s natural enemy.

However the current Kazuki was not just a swordsman. He was a magic swordsman.

“Not only sword but also Foresighting magic, then choosing defensive magic with superior attributes to use. I see, so this is a magic swordsman, Hayashizaki Kazuki’s new possibility…”

Kaguya-senpai whispered admiringly. This was something that could only exist solely due to the presence of the Hayashizaki-style’s Foresight and King of Solomon's 72 Pillars Omni-magicBasilleus Goetia.

“Senpai’s offensive magic was prevented completely!”

Kazuki proclaimed such while slashing with his katana. However Kazuki too, since the opponent’s body was covered with Suicide Black, he couldn’t use a powerful offensive magic.

Using a katana he could only whittle away Kaguya-senpai’s magic little by little.

And then Kaguya-senpai kept chanting her spell in defiance of some of the impact of the smashed magic.

“Five stars shining in the interstice of life and death, around pillaged by the whim of the god of death, become the clay doll of unspeakable misery! …Neighboring Death Extreme RingNear-death Roulette!!”

Summoning the human’s five-senses stealing sycthe, Kaguya-senpai aimed for the timing of simultaneous striking when she swung the sycthe. Kazuki dodged with paper-thin difference, so that only his own katana can manage to hit senpai.

While enduring the hallucination of agony, dodging the sycthe that he absolutely mustn’t get hit with was an extremely difficult work. His mental strength was grinded down steadily.

“Deep Specter!”

Even during those exchanges Kaguya-senpai summoned the Deep Specter again. Not only the scythe, Kazuki must also escape from the assault of this shadow monster.

“My wicked thought is filled with curses, I beseech for thy agony…. I have no shame of my wicked thought! Feel Pain!”

A bullet of curses flew at Kazuki!

This bullet too, if he couldn’t avoid it then the illusionary pain would be doubled by Ultra Violence!

While enduring the illusionary pain, dodge…dodge…dodge! Everything was dodged with a paper-thin gap.

He never fought a Magica Stigma as strong as Kaguya-senpai in a one-on-one fight like this. Even the attack of the scythe, the assault of the monster, if he got hit by even one it would have become a fatal wound.

On top of the thin ice where not even slight mistake was allowed, Kazuki continued to dance.

Even so if he didn’t defeat Kaguya-senpai, there would be no chance of victory in this battle!

“It’s useless. Senpai’s attacks…all had been sealed.”

What supported Kazuki that continued to dodge using his sharpened concentration was only a single determination.

That was a certain single―faith.

“All had been sealed?”

Setting up her scythe, Kaguya-senpai talked expressionlessly.

“…Even though I have Guernica?”

Asmodeus’s level 9 magic, Guernica. If the opponent was not in the class of materialized Diva then the hated opponent would die instantly without question, a flame of hell.

The strongest magic that propped up senpai as the strongest. A magic that represented senpai. Yes, as long as the opponent couldn’t deal with this magic somehow or other, no matter how much the opponent elaborated counter-measures against her other magic he wouldn’t be able to win against Kaguya-senpai. However―

“Senpai’s Guernica won’t work against me though.”

“Why?”

“I like senpai, and senpai also likes me. The illusionary pain is scary. That sense-stealing scythe is also scary. The Deep Specter is scary too. However from the start I didn’t fear senpai’s flame of hatred for even a second.”

[Compared to the period when you couldn’t believe in Amasaki Mio’s positivity level, you have grown considerably.]

Leme’s telepathy echoed inside his head.

Kazuki remembered that time when Mio was dying inside his arms. Not believing in the feelings of the other party and because of that he hurt his very important person, he didn’t want to do that.

“…I wonder if it’s not just too much hubris.”

Kaguya-senpai whose emotions were sealed by Nyarlatoteph’s magic directed a cold voice to Kazuki.

“I couldn’t use Guernica against Otouto-kun you said? I am not that sweet you know?”

“Wrong, senpai is a kind person.”

From here on is not a fight between me and Kaguya-senpai.

It is a fight between Nyarlatoteph’s mind manipulation and the strength of the bonds between me and senpai.

“I…must defeat you. There is no other method left to defeat you other then the very best. …I have no hesitation.”

Senpai started to chant a long spell.

“Then I’m going to…accept everything of Kaguya-senpai as you are right now.”

Kazuki sheathed his katana, he awaited Kaguya-senpai’s magic while striking a daunting pose.

The time flowed in an instant and an eternity. He could hear the sounds of fighting of Beatrix and Mio and all the others, but even all of that gradually moved far away from his consciousness, Kazuki and Kaguya-senpai were shut inside the silence.

Kazuki’s mind recalled his memories with Kaguya-senpai. Kaguya-senpai who kindly came to him who was assaulted with feelings of alienation in the Magic Division. The sweet aroma that tickled his reasoning when she embraced him. Kaguya-senpai who was embarrassed with her Magic Dress. Tempting Kazuki due to Asmodeus’ side effect and then crying in shame from the embarrassment, that kind of senpai.

I…love Kaguya-senpai!

Inside the time when they looked hard at each other, the magic was finally invoked.

“O chest scorching thought, paint the scene of hell in this world…thy are the demon king of wicked desire, o incarnation of deep-seated delusion inviting tragedy, following this wish…paint out the world. Guernica!”

…There was no uneasiness whatsoever! Kazuki awaited with conviction.

At Kaguya-senpai’s side, Asmodues was floating.

“This is baad, Kaguya.”

“…Eh?”

“There is no feeling like that inside you, y’know?”

Leaving behind those words to the dumbfounded Kaguya-senpai, Asmodeus vanished.

And then nothing happened.

A color of surprise mixed out into Kaguya-senpai’s face who was expressionless throughout all of this.

“That kind of…why…”

While whispering, a crack entered that expressionless face. [Emotion] was invading Kaguya-senpai’s mask. Like she was being released from the hypnotism.

“Why, I can't fight like this…?”

Kaguya-senpai murmured like she couldn’t believe it herself.

The shock finally came this late. At this late hour, evidently senpai had understood this situation that she had left herself behind.

“Why am I…fighting Otouto-kun?”

The flame of hell burned using Kaguya-senpai’s hostility as fuel. If Kaguya-senpai harbored even a little bit of hostility, then it would be just like when Kaya’s life was stolen before, where something like going easy or control couldn’t be done.

But conversely if she couldn’t find any hostility even after turning her heart upside down at every nook and corner, the flame of hell wouldn’t come out. Identical with how flame was not going to burn if there was no oxygen.

It was absurd in the first place, Kazuki thought. The current Kaguya-senpai who held a fabricated sense of duty with her emotions suppressed by magic, how would she chant something like an attack magic that was fueled by emotion?

The backlash from doing such an absurd thing that ended in failure woke up Kaguya-senpai from her hypnosis.

For Kaguya-senpai to fight despite holding not even a little bit of hostility, that realization opened her eyes.

Color returned to Kaguya-senpai’s pupils.

“Even though I don’t want to do this kind of thing…why…”

The fake sense of duty was peeled off, what was laid bare were intense regret and feelings of guilt.

The original emotions of the kind Kaguya-senpai were overflowing all at once.

“Even though I don’t like that kind of thing …why did I do such things without mercy, there is no reason I can do that…why…Why!?”

In the sadness and confusion, Kaguya-senpai raised a voice that was tinged with a shriek.

Sensing that Kaguya-senpai had no will to fight anymore, Kazuki approached her. Kaguya-senpai twitched in fright and looked hard at Kazuki.

“O, Otouto-kun…I…did a really cruel thing…”

Senpai’s voice was trembling pitifully.

“Senpai, haven’t I said it before? I like senpai very much. I won’t turn to hate senpai just because of something like this so, please look forward and don’t cry okay?”

Kazuki said so to prevent Kaguya-senpai from crying, but in the blink of an eye tears were pooling in senpai’s eyes.

“Sorry…I’m sorry…!”

“I said it’s okay to not apologize already.”

Kazuki hugged Kaguya-senpai who was bursting into tears.

“I, no more…I don’t want to do something like this anymore-…!”

“Senpai was seeing a bad dream. But it’s okay already. Just like how senpai protected me who is her kouhai, from now on I will protect senpai too.”

“But, even though, I am the student council president…”

“Even if senpai is the student council president, it’s okay to not bear the burden by yourself alone.”

“But, I am the strongest magician after all…”

“Right now, I had already beaten senpai .”

“Is it…okay for me to rely on Otouto-kun…?”

“Because I like senpai very much.”

Those words didn’t lose its glow no matter how many times he said them.

With every single word, Kazuki unraveled the things that were binding Kaguya-senpai’s heart.

Kaguya-senpai hugged Kazuki back. He could feel the dearly missed sweet aroma and the soft sensation.

Kazuki brushed senpai’s head comfortingly.

“…It feels go~od.”

Senpai let out a voice ecstatically.

“I already…want to become Otouto-kun’s little sister…”

Released from the heavy pressure, somehow Kaguya-senpai let out a strange talk.

A large heart mark came flying, the fight between Kazuki and Kaguya-senpai was over.

Part 5

“Wai, you, what the hell is thatttttttttttttttt!?”

Damian who saw Kazuki and Kaguya-senpai hugging each other, raised a shriek.

“Wait right theree! When I thought why there was no backing at all from the rear, it turns out that this bastard is changing to the enemy’s side huuh! What are you bastards doing hugging each otheer! Rather than netokaeruchanging sides, isn’t this netorarestealing lovers huuh!?”

Losing the rear guard was something that couldn’t become a joke, the Einherjar were forced into bitter fights.

“Beatrix-taichou…let’s retreat for the moment.”

Eleonora advised Beatrix. Even her expression was pronounced with the fatigue from battle.

“Elii…but I haven’t crossed swords yet with Kazuki. On the contrary it seems seeing that situation only makes my chest burn with jealousy.”

“Please stop rushing ahead because of your personal feelings.”

Eleonora flatly scolded Beatrix who was the only one full of energy.

“Although we were given this chance by this sudden contact, the members that could move were only three people, however this opponent is not someone we can go against without a plan. Even the student council president who was supposed to give support is hugging the enemy for some reason, in the end the way things are going it doesn’t look good. In the worst situation it’s possible that this might be a trap from that Headmaster Otonashi.”

“Mu…? When you said that, it’s true the wind direction is strange.”

Beatrix made a face as if she was biting a bitter bug.

At the other side Kanae and the others were thinking that if the fight was over already then just get lost already, they were watching what decision the Einherjar would make. The other two were done, but Beatrix still hasn’t been really serious while Kanae and the others’ nerves were worn down from the intense battles.

“Even at the best of times, our positions are delicate.”

This was not their homeland. Pushed by that fact, Beatrix shouted out.

“Yosh, Einherjar is to make a retreat! …Kazuki, the next time we meet we are going to cross swords for sure okay!!”

“Oi, that handsome woman over theree! Just remember this you bastaard!”

Damina gave Hoshikaze-senpai a middle finger.

“As a magician of a Diva that can similarly manipulate the sea, I’ll give the silver girl some respect.”

Eleonora too praised Koyuki even while she was colored with exhaustion.

Beatrix lifted up Damian and Eleonora who were like that with both hands, “HAHAHAHAHA!” and then while laughing loudly without any meaning, that body with high physical ability dashed at full strength and retreated.

The Einherjar were gone before they could even say ‘ah’.

“…We won?”

Kazuha-senpai murmured with a tired voice that told the story of the hard battle she had with Eleonora.

However Kazuha-senpai still hadn’t known about the true enemy.

Without even any reprieve to bask themselves in the aftertaste of victory, Kazuki directed his sight to Headmaster Otonashi―Nyarlatoteph while still hugging Kaguya-senpai.

“Nyarlatoteph. Your soldiers were weak.”

“What did you say?”

The figure of Headmaster Otonashi twitched his eyebrows.

“The Quad-core Magica who lost their egos didn’t even have any tactics, once they got attacked they just focused at one direction while their surroundings had done them in. Even those Einherjar that received your request didn’t really try to fight seriously. Even if you create a strong magician artificially, if they are not tied with strong bonds with each other then they are nothing more than a disorderly mob. From the very beginning they were not an enemy worthy of our Heaven and Earth Formation.”

“…The likes of a human got too carried away…is that all that you are going to say to this me?”

There was no meaning to hide his true identity anymore with the Einherjar gone, muddy black magic power was seething from the figure of Headmaster Otonashi. There was no wind blowing, and even though there was not any fluctuation in the atmosphere, like there were many small shredding happening on the world itself, Kazuki could feel a sensation of ‘biribiri’ on his skin.

“Tou-san…?”

Kaguya-senpai separated her body from Kazuki, she doubted her own eyes looking at the transformation in front of her. Senpai still hadn’t known that her father had been hijacked by a Diva.

“Otonashi Tsukikurou! You bastard…what the hell is going on with these circumstances!”

From the shadow of the demolished school building, the figure of Board Chairman Amasaki appeared in a stagger.

“…Tou-san!?”

Mio cried out looking at the figure of the person who shouldn’t be on this battlefield.

Even Nyarlatoteph, that assumed the appearance of Headmaster Otonashi stared at the entrance of that personage with a surprised look.

He had secretly observed the situation all along, he probably made his appearance because he thought that the fight was over.

Was Board Chairman Amasaki Mio’s step-father…! Kazuki was surprised against that fact in this late hour.

“The Summoning Magic those suspicious illegal magicians used was that of Solomon's 72 Pillars! What is the meaning of this!?”

“Hohou, so you noticed that.”

“That’s…they were humans who had stigma transplanting operations performed on them, am I right? You bastard, I thought that you had established the stigmata transplanting operation without anyone noticing, but…don’t tell me that you performed human experiments using stigmata that you took out from students…for a teacher who was supposed to protect the students…”

Board Chairman Amasaki yelled as if he couldn’t believe his own deduction with a face that looked like the truth was gnawing at his own sanity. The wrinkle-covered face of the old man was warped to its limit.

“…I never thought that you could finally reach the truth by your own power. What a great achievement, old man.”

With a whizzing sound, something was flying from the cuff of Headmaster Otonashi’s suit.

No, that was not something flying. It was something that stretched.

Headmaster Otonashi’s right arm became a long tentacle, it pierced the chest of Board Chairman Amasaki.

“Gah!?”

Board Chairman Amasaki’s eyes opened wide without understanding what just happened, then he fell down.

‘shuru’, the tentacle was pulled back to the cuff of the suit.

“Tou-san!”

Mio was dashing hurriedly to the collapsed Board Chairman.

“…O pure fire of reincarnation, burn the surface of the life while the inside bud in rebirth…Fire of Life CircleAnti-Aging!”

Mio held her hands out to the wound opening, from there a small flame burns into existence, the wound opening that was touched by the flame was closed up little by little and the bleeding was stopped.

“…Is that Phoenix’s healing magic? Well, no matter, rather than that old man, first I’m going to slaughter all of you in this place.”

The body of Headmaster Otonashi began to warp due to an enormous magic power.

Kazuki was dumbfounded from the sudden happening, however he immediately recovered himself in rage.

“Everyone…! This is the last, we are going to defeat this guy!”

“Don’t get carried away, for the like of you humans…I’m going to teach you true madness!”

Nyarlatoteph exposed his true form…!

The wriggling flesh swelled out, the suit burst open.

What burst out from that suit were countless tentacles. The flat black head was located at the top, looking completely like an octopus with tentacles that grew all over, the evil god with an atypical appearance revealed himself in front of Kazuki and the others.

However that figure was not as overwhelming in magic power and sense of intimidation compared to when Loki materialized.

“Kazuki…at the Cthulhu Mythos that I know about, the being that is called evil god is not an existence like that.”

Koyuki who got close to Kazuki’s side said so.

“The evil god of Cthulhu Mythos symbolized the horror of the vast universe, an existence that transcended people’s awareness. It is said that there is no way for people to not go crazy the moment they see it. Compared with that, this Nyarlatoteph is [shoddy]. He couldn’t embody the true essence of Cthulhu.”

“That guy said before that Cthulhu Mythos was weakened.”

Nothing was understood about what kind of existence Diva was in this world, however….

Cthulhu Mythos was special.

“Yes. That’s surely why he only used the power to manipulate human mindd and secret maneuvers. Undoubtedly he is not an opponent that deserved to be feared when opposed directly from te front like this. If it’s us, then we are going to win without a doubt!”

Koyuki asserted in a strong will that was rare for her.

“…You bastards, the likes of humans such as you are still planning to mock me even now!?”

Together with those indignant words, Nyarlatoteph’s tentacles were crawling like worms. Kazuki cut apart the tentacles that were directed at Koyuki and came stretching. That attack became the opening curtain of the final decisive battle.

“We're going, everyone!”

While taking the position of the Heaven and Earth Formation, the swordsmen came out to the front and drew their swords, the Magica Stigma were starting their chanting from the rear.

“All of you bastards cannot use the power of your Divas!”

The black face at the gigantic summit of Nyarlatoteph was yelling, invoking his characteristic magic.

“Madness HeartbeatPsycho Noise!”

A sound that made the scratching of glass’ surface sound lukewarm resounded in their surroundings, it felt like their brains were scraped off grindingly.

The magic power that was collected amidst the spell chanting were dispersed like mist. They couldn’t concentrate at all on chanting.

“Guh…what a Diva to be such a nuisance for the neighbors! If this is the case then this one is going to make octopus sashimi!!”

While warping her expression from the unpleasant sound, Kohaku swung her Sacred Treasure and went to cut the tentacles. However Nyarlatoteph’s gigantic magic power that was said to be weakened, with attacks from the likes of a katana, it only received damage to the degree where the end was not in sight.

“Kazu-nii…hurry, erase this sound!!”

Mio raised a scream, her tears spilled without stopping. Mio didn’t participate in the battle anymore and she was attending constantly to Board Chairman Amasaki’s healing. But because of Nyarlatoteph’s obstruction magic, Mio couldn’t maintain her healing magic, the wound opened again and the bleeding was starting again relentlessly.

The old man who didn’t have any magic didn’t have much time left.

“OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

Raising a roaring voice that made the earth rumble, Nyarlatoteph regenerated the tentacles that were slashed by the swordsmen. And then the swordsmen were hit hard by an amount of tentacles that were impossible to avoid.

“Otouto-kun…if it’s me, I cannot be lead astray by this sound anymore. I don’t want to lose to this guy anymore.”

Approaching Kazuki’s side, Kaguya-senpai talked.

However her face that seemed to look like she was seeing an awfully ephemeral dream when he saw it from the side made Kazuki hesitate to rely on senpai.

“Senpai…but that enemy is…”

“It’s okay. …I understand properly that that thing is not Otou-san anymore. I’m not fighting because of some sense of duty like [Unless I beat that guy], I’m fighting [because that guy cannot be forgiven].”

With eyes that were filled to the brim with sorrow, senpai glared up to the black face of Nyarlatoteph.

“Otou-san…I, like the name Kaguya that you gave me very much. Like the whole starry sky and aurora, Otou-san named me like this because of your wish for me to become a lovely girl, isn’t that right? You are not a kind father at all, but…since when had you completely changed like this?”

In the middle of the evil sound’s ringing, Kaguya-senpai chanted her spell alone disappointingly.

The avatar of Asmodeus was floating at her side. The witch in black clothes faced Kaguya with eyes full of affection.

“…Isn’t this the first time you're fighting with just your own honest feelings ehh, my cute Kaguya. Then I guess I’ll give you a reward.”

“Asmodeus?”

“Being able to use my ten characteristic magics skillfully, this is a magic that’s beyond all of those. You often give complaints such as that all my magic is a little difficult to use as attack magic, or something like it left a bad impression among other things, haven’t you? I will give you something better after this, you will see. By combining my magic power and your form, we will invoke a Union Magic. Your own Original Spell that even the King-sama cannot copy. With your thoughts, give shape to the illusion and crash it into that guy. Come, sing it.”

The light of the magic power that surrounded Kaguya-senpai changed from violet color to a noble silver color that resemble the light of the stars.

“I won’t let you!”

The scattered evil sounds that enveloped the surroundings completely were given direction by Nyarlatoteph’s will and converged on Kaguya-senpai. However Kaguya-senpai was completely unperturbed against the evil sounds that had been compressed several times over, her face that looked ephemeral when he saw it from the side now looked firm with a strong core inside―.

That spell was finished chanting speedily.

“O darkness of mind that contain the eternal cycle of life and death! O seven stars that shined inside it! Reveal the microcosm of heaven and earth’s creation and show the whereabouts of humankind!! …Shining NightGalaxy!”

A geometric pattern of light spread out in a radial wave around Kaguya-senpai. The space that was sketched was shifted into an alternate space in reverse.

The vicinity became a pitch black darkness with Kaguya-senpai as the center, countless lights shined in the surrounding.

“Power of the universe!?”

Even Nyarlatoteph’s gigantic body was drifting in the dark empty space. Kaguya-senpai who reigned in the center of the alternate world shined brilliantly like a sun, everything of that universe’s scene bared their fangs toward Nyarlatoteph.

“Im, impossible…this is the power that is supposed to be ours…!”

Solar wind―wind of corona gases that surpassed one million degrees rained down on Nyarlatoteph and burned him down thoroughly.

Cosmic rays―the high energy radiation that was usually absorbed by the atmosphere rained down directly on Nyarlatoteph and burned him to nothing.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! THE STAR! THE STAR!”

In accordance with Kaguya-senpai’s will, countless meteors rained down on Nyarlatoteph. Irrational destruction pulverized the gigantic body, its dust was scattered in the darkness of space.

Once again the geometric pattern radiated out, the space was returning to the original world.

The evil god of Cthulhu had disappeared from there, what was left behind in that place was Headmaster Otonashi who was collapsed spread-eagle.

Kaguya-senpai approached Headmaster Otonashi slowly and leaned over, holding up his upper body with her arms.

And then she hung her head down for a while.

“Th, that guy was defeated…with that one attack!?”

The evil sound stopped, Mio who had finished the emergency treatment for the Board Chairman stood up.

“Tou-san…I had thought that this wouldn’t end with his heart safe, but…”

Kaguya-senpai once again lowered Headmaster Otonashi who she held to the ground, then she turned to Kazuki who was standing up.

“Otouto-kun…if you said that you had given me your forgiveness, then I won’t apologize anymore. Otouto-kun…welcome home.”

There were still sad things, but with a relieved expression that looked like she had put down her heavy burden, Kaguya-senpai came and embraced Kazuki.

“Senpai really, so soon like this…”

Kazuki became overwhelmed from Kaguya-senpai’s skinship.

“Kazuki-! We did it!”

And then naturally Mio, from there Lotte and Kanae too came and clung to Kazuki jostling him around.

After happiness welled up inside Koyuki, immediately it cooled down and she felt uneasiness creeping up in her heart.

Looking at Kazuki who was getting intimate with various girls, added with that sight Koyuki was not able to keep her courage. And then uneasiness came creeping inside her.

It was just the two of them in that underground for a long time.

However when we came up to the surface, did he already stop paying attention to me, that was the feeling that she had.

It was inevitable for Koyuki to think that she was an existence that had no value when compared to the other girls even now.

However she herself had conveyed to Kazuki that she loved him. She had already laid bare the weak parts of her heart. Because of that, even now she felt unsure, like her weak heart was smashed apart.

Koyuki felt a strong self-disgust toward herself that was separated by a step from the place of blessing.

{―So you denied your own self.}

There was a voice.

Suddenly black color was spreading inside her heart. Even though she didn’t imagine anything, inside that darkness, three burning eyeballs opened glaringly by their own accord and pierced Koyuki with a sharp look.

“A…” Koyuki leaked out her voice in fear of the unknown.

{―I’m going to take that opening in your ego! With my characteristic magic! Darkness Illusions – Limit SaturationArkham Drive!!”

―From the scream that Koyuki raised, Kazuki and the others turned to look at the girl that was in the place a step apart from them.

Something…they felt a vast magic power exploding inside the girl.

The girl’s body distorted flabbily―that form stabilized into a different shape.

Koyuki was changing in appearance. The silver hair changed into pitch-black hair, the skin color was changing into dark brown skin that was near black.

Black Koyuki―no, it’s different.

“Beforehand…I flung a part of my magic power through the Astrum toward [the human with the weakest heart]. I am the faceless god…having the same face no matter to what extent I was split up….When I was about to be exterminated, a part of me, a seed, was planted inside this young girl…!”

“You are…Nyarlatoteph!”

“I lost the majority of my original magic power, but…With this elf’s flesh and magic power I’ll show you the real power of Cthulhu! Even the power of Solomon's 72 Pillars, I will use them as a parasite for sure!!”

The black Koyuki produced magic power with chanting speed that was different from humans.

Kazuki Foresighted that magic power―a large scale attack magic that manipulated cold.

He was trying to invoke Vepar’s greatest magic. Caught in an instant of hesitation from how Koyuki's body was stolen, every member there might receive fatal damage.

Even Kazuki at this time couldn’t think of a method to deal with this development immediately.

However in this place there was only one person, one human that was not agitated by the situation at all and kept their calm.

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

Kazuha-senpai who was not particularly attached emotionally to Koyuki created the tangible god of sword as a Sacred Treasure while keeping her complete calm.

“Hayashizaki, you use this guy!”

The spirit sword that she summoned herself , she threw it toward Kazuki.

“If it’s while the flesh and the spirit haven’t become familiar yet, you can sever it!”

The moment he grasped the sword, Kazuki closed the distance according to his swordsman’s instinct and swung the sword down to the black Koyuki. Streaks of light ran. Just on the verge when the trigger of Vepar’s greatest magic was almost pulled, the spirit body that possessed Koyuki’s physical body was severed from her and blown away.

Koyuki’s body returned to the usual pure white girl and fell down.

Even while getting blown away, the form of black Koyuki remained.

Kazuki immediately held up the dead tired white Koyuki.

“To be chased out from the physical body…what is that sword!? I see, the preserved stigmata confirmation system, the stigmata other than Solomon's 72 Pillars…! This time as well, how far is this miscalculation going to reach!!?”

Black Koyuki―Nyarlatoteph was still retaining his substantiated body.

On the other hand there was no presence of magic power at all from the body of the real Koyuki.

All of Koyuki’s magic power was carried away by Nyarlatoteph, he used that magic power to maintain the substantiated body in the mimicry of Koyuki. However the stolen magic power was consumed just for him to exist, that body was in the process of breaking down little by little.

“Before I vanish…Solomon's King! As long as I kill you, the slaughter will…!”

With the face that was warped in bloodcurling hatred that Koyuki would absolutely never make, the disintegrating black Koyuki spun a spell. Kaguya-senpai cut in front of Kazuki who held Koyuki in his arms.

“Watch out! Otouto-kun!!”

“Under the freezing evil emptiness, O time, stop…freeze the fate of all that dwell in the material world, break that foundation with a freezing hammer! Ice Flower DecayDiamond Dust – Absolute Zero!”

The mermaid Diva Vepar’s ultimate magic was invoked.

From the palm that black Koyuki thrust out, minus 273 °C wind and blocks of ice flew at Kaguya-senpai.

Receiving the absolute zero with that body, the Prima Material that made up Kaguya-senpai’s body were suspended without limit, losing its elasticity, and then she was fired at with many pebble bullets. All material that received impact under super low temperature will become broken down into small pieces easily.

Huge blue defensive magic power was smashed up. Against the composite attack of the cold of absolute zero and absolute destruction…Kaguya-senpai stuck it out till the end with all the defensive magic power that she had.

“Suicide Black!”

“What!?”

And then she reflected that pain back.

Black Koyuki who presently had a physical body writhed in agony under that pain.

“…Ultra Violence!!”

That pain was further doubled, Kaguya-senpai was staggering and collapsed from magic intoxication.

“Kaguya-senpai!”

“…Otouto-kun, please take care of Koyuki-chan. Because with only me, I couldn’t save Koyuki-chan from loneliness…”

Kazuki turned back to Koyuki who he held in his arms. The girl’s consciousness was returning, she was looking at the collapsing Kaguya-senpai with scared-looking eyes. And then she looked at the black Koyuki that came out from inside herself.

Kazuki had a feeling that he understood why during that great joy of victory Nyarlatoteph could take advantage of Koyuki’s heart.

“Kazuki, forgive me, I….I…!”

The face of the girl who hated it so much to cause trouble for other people was dyed in the despair of self-hatred.

“You don’t need to apologize. I just…want to give Koyuki peace of mind.”

Kazuki embraced Koyuki with all his strength, then he joined together those lips with his own.

With the intention of conveying the warmth, with the intention to create a definite bond, he kissed her.

Kazuki’s heart and Koyuki’s heart were tied strongly.

“K, kiss…? To something like me…”

When their lips separated, the face of Koyuki who was always pretending to be expressionless obstinately turned red in bewitchment. Kazuki thought that cuteness of hers was lovely. Not only the mutual certainty between their hearts, Kazuki also felt a strong magic circuit was forming between them.

“Everything is okay now.”

After lightly stroking Koyuki’s head, Kazuki stood up and faced the black Koyuki.

He was going to destroy this enemy and erase Koyuki’s guilt!

“You bastards…how dare you, to inflict human pain to this me…!”

Nyarlatoteph who was in unimaginable agony from [the pain of the whole body that was breaking down from inside the absolute zero] that was [doubled] recovered his battle stance with bloodshot eyes.

And then he began to chant a spell.

Kazuki too had already started his spell. At his side the mermaid Vepar was materialized.

“The other side too is using precisely the same magic that was copied from me. However from the beginning that’s just a fake. No, that man’s everything is a fake power. You understand that right, O King?”

I know. Thereupon this time for sure I’m going to absolutely exterminate that Diva.

The two people in confrontation invoked their magic at the same time.

“”Diamond Dust – Absolute Zero!””

The fierce blowing wind and rocks of ice were exactly the same yet....

“UOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

“W, what…I’m being pushed back!?”

The violent stream of cold and ice was gradually being pushed toward Nyarlatoteph, that black body took hard and severe hits. Gigantic defensive magic power was smashed apart. However even so the evil god still hadn’t been exterminated.

Kazuki drove the Futsu no Mitama in his hand.

Inside a moment where everything seemed to stop, Kazuki raised the sword overhead.

While his body was gradually breaking down, Nyarlatoteph raised a scream of hatred.

“Impossible…this kind of ridiculous situation! Who do you think I am? I am…the mighty Faceless God!!”

This guy is an evil god that made prey of other people’s egos to amass his power!

“There is no way I’m going to lose to a power that was earned from denying other people! My bonds are my power! If you are the Faceless God, then…I’m going to become the King of Bonds!!”

Nyarlatoteph's remaining dregs, not to mention in this world, there was not even a fragment that remained in the Astrum. Kazuki pierced the Futsu no Mitama into the flesh of the black Koyuki that was in the process of crumbling away.

Light was flashing brightly from the slashed flesh—the evil god was destroyed without leaving a single trace.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Board Chairman Amasaki who avoided the losing his life watched every part that happened from beginning to end.

“Come on…Kazuki is not a bad guy right? He is not something like an illegal magician at all. He is the man that I chose after all!”

Beside the Board Chairman, Mio puffed her chest while bragging about Kazuki that she loved with a bright face.

“Your chosen man you said…then don’t tell me, are you going out with him?”

“Eh, going out? Su, such a thing like going out is…no, but the relationship between me and Kazu-nii…however…”

Mio’s face was boiling and turned bright red from the sudden question, she was twisting her body and fidgeting around. From there she looked like she remembered something, then she held her lips back and “Ehehehehe” grinned widely.

Board Chairman Amasaki who was still lying down on the ground looked up at Mio’s state in discomfort, from there he turned his sights to Kazuki. Kazuki was surrounded by his comrades' blessings.

Board Chairman Amasaki released his stern expression and released a deep breath in deep exhaustion.

“Certainly you seem to have a discerning eye. Tsukikurou and I too, we had misunderstood since who knows when. Looks like we didn’t see the things what we ought to see…”

Epilogue – The Witch’s Mansion’s Daybreak

Part 1

Thinking back upon it, it still hasn’t even been one month since his school entrance.

Despite that…he completely thought of this Witch’s Manor as his third home. A deep affection welled up in his chest was the same kind of affection he had for the [Nanohana Institute] and Hayashizaki House.

At last…he could go back home.

Kazuki’s room didn’t change at all from before he departed. Lowering his back to the bed, he could feel his own heart slowly be at ease. And then his heart leaped towards the new days from tomorrow on.

What was he going to make tomorrow for breakfast? What should he do to make the senpais happy….

‘konkon’ A voice of gentle knocking rang out.

After he answered ‘come in’, the door opened and Kazuki was surprised looking at who appeared.

Koyuki was wearing the usual rabbit-eared maid clothes.

“Puu.”

Moreover she said an unusual thing.

“Puu?”

When Kazuki immediately tilted his head, Koyuki expressionlessly replied.

“Didn’t you know, the cry of a rabbit is ‘puu’. They are fundamentally reticent but when they are fawned on by the pet owner they make some noise.”

“Is that so…. No, even if I knew that, I don’t understand the meaning of what Koyuki is doing though. Right now Koyuki is a rabbit, is that it?”

“Correct, that’s right.”

With a faintly red face, she approached Kazuki with small steps.

And then she pushed Kazuki’s shoulders continuously and forcefully made Kazuki fall on the bed.

“Koyuki?”

“Puu.”

Toward the pushed down Kazuki who was wide-eyed, Koyuki climbed on while saying ‘puu puu’.

“E, err, what in the world are you doing? Koyuki-san?”

“Puu. I came to give Kazuki my gratitude.”

“Such a thing like giving me gratitude, I didn’t do anything…I mean what kind of gratitude is this!?”

“Kazuki is supposed to have a fetish for and be happy when being licked by girls in animal-ears.”

“You bring that up again now!? No, when you say such things like fetish then it makes me look abnormal, however if someone gets licked by a cute girl then as long as he is a man anyone will get happy you know…!”

“Moreover you are supposed to like maid uniforms too. You said that it suits me.”

Unable to deny it, Kazuki kept silent.

With a reddened face that contained embarrassment and saying [puu], Koyuki came on top of Kazuki and hung over there.

And then she brought her face near Kazuki and licked his cheek.

The soft tongue licked Kazuki’s cheek repeatedly ‘pero pero’.

“It’s ticklish.” His murmur was mixed with perplexity, but a thrill ran through his spine.

“Puu” Koyuki leaked out a dissatisfied voice.

“When Charlotte was the one that did ‘pero pero’, I heard that you responded more enthusiastically…”

“You heard such a detailed story!?”

Kazuki thought it couldn’t be helped, he did the same thing as that time. He hugged Koyuki back tightly, ‘Koyuki is cute! Cutee-!” and he stroked her head.

“Please stroke my head more…”

“Your precious beautiful hair would be messed up you know?”

“I don’t mind even if it got messed up.”

While his shame went flying somewhere else and he stroked Koyuki’s head while calling her “Cute” repeatedly, Koyuki resumed licking him and saying “Puu!” happily.

Koyuki’s tongue’s movement changed, her lips pinched Kazuki’s cheek and she started sucking with ‘chuu’ sounds.

“I never thought that Koyuki would demonstrate her affections like this.”

With a plopping sound, Koyuki separated her lips from Kazuki’s cheek.

“You…weren’t you the one that made me lose all of my escape routes? Please take responsibility.”

And then this time it was Kazuki's lips, she blocked it with her own lips. She strongly pressed the lips, held his lips between her own, and with a ‘chuu’ she sucked the inside of Kazuki’s mouth and frolicked around with the kiss.

There was this sensation that their feelings were conveyed to each other using this contact between lips, even more than compared to the feeling that was conveyed using words. A large heart mark came flying from Koyuki’s chest.

“Kazuki…is it fine for me to sleep using Kazuki as my replacement plushie?”

Koyuki said with a sweetly intoxicated look.

It looks like she meant just like that time in the Sword Division dormitory.

“…Koyuki is surprisingly spoiled huh.”

“Puu. Just for tonight.”

“It’s fine but, this makes my reasoning that was trained as a swordsman come under doubt.”

“I trust you, I too still feel a little scared to do something even more than this.”

Having great relationships with multiple girls, and understanding each of their positivity levels completely, also although he had already done kissing with some of them, but for him to take action that stepped into an even further area, some sort of determination was necessary.

Koyuki smoothly bared open her maid clothes, leaving only the blouse and underwear on.

“W, why did you take them off!?”

“I always sleep with this appearance. Kazuki should already knows this right?”

Toward Koyuki who came pushing her soft fair skin with reddened face, while persuading himself to keep hold of his reasoning, Kazuki accepted her and embraced her in return.

Part 2

And then a day just like usual began.

When Kazuki, who woke up early in the morning came out to the garden of the Witch’s Manor, Hoshikaze-senpai was there even though they didn’t make any promise beforehand. Toward their mutual tacit understanding, a heart mark came flying from Hoshikaze-senpai.

“Hehehe” Floating a smiling face that looked like a young man, Hoshikaze-senpai prepared her katana.

“It’s not good to skip the warm up you know?”

“Because I want to quickly exchange swords with you♪”

Kazuki made a wry smile seeing the high-spirited senpai.

After they practiced for some time, the figure of Kaguya-senpai who was supposed to be weak in the morning because of her low blood pressure finally came in her negligee while walking in a stagger. The eyes that seemed to look far-away blackly and her faintly blushing cheeks…somehow, it looks erotic.

Without even saying good morning, Kaguya-senpai suddenly clung to Kazuki who was sweaty all over.

“Otouto-kun, you smell even more like a man than usual--“

“Senpai, I can't swing my sword if you hug me…”

Kazuki was bewildered. When she suddenly said something about smell, he also felt some embarrassment.

“Wait Kaguya, don’t you know that right now he's practicing with me!?”

Hoshikaze-senpai flared up at Kaguya-senpai.

“It’s not fair for Hikaru to get every morning. Today is a long awaited morning, that’s why the law of anti-monopoly is passed in the student council. Therefore the practice is suspended.”

“Th, that…” Hoshikaze-senpai made a crestfallen face in shock.

“This is tyranny! I won’t recognize this just because you are the student council president! Even though I had been looking forward to practice with Hayashizaki-kun for a long time!”

“Even I had amassed my [Otou-to-kun craving] for a long time too!”

Like she was saying that she wouldn’t hand over her toy, Kaguya-senpai hugged Kazuki’s head tightly. Kaguya-senpai’s scent tickled his reasoning. It was the thick pheromones of the gorgeous senpai.

“What’s with that desire?”

“…But, I had used Asmodeus’ magic a lot recently after all.”

Looking closely, Kaguya-senpai’s pupils had changed into a violet color.

S, so that’s it! Senpai was sexually excited from Asmodeus’ secondary effect!

“Otouto-kun is go-ing with me-!” While saying that Kaguya-senpai headlocked Kazuki.

Kaguya-senpai’s chest was pressed to his face completely. The bombastic and elastic sensation beyond this thin negligee…senpai was going no-bra when she went to sleep…!

Seeing through the innermost thoughts of Kazuki who was like that, Kaguya-senpai was “fufufuu” laughing.

“Hayashizaki-kun, your face is too slovenly! That kind of thing during the training is not good, isn’t that right!?”

Hearing what Hoshikaze-senpai pointed out, Kazuki was ‘That’s right!’ and coming back to his senses with a ‘hah!’.

Hoshikaze-senpai cutely pouted her lips like a duck mouth, but Kaguya-senpai tightened her headlock even more with ‘tapun’.

“…The worst. As I thought, the Witch’s Manor is filthy, huh?" “This voice, Kazuha-senpai?”

When Kazuki turned to the direction of the tired voice while glued to Kaguya-senpai, Kazuha-senpai was standing there in her Sword Division uniform.

Since when was she there? Perhaps she had also watched the practice.

“Regarding the finished off master of the ominous magic power, I came to say my gratitude but…”

Saying so she poured a cold gaze to Kazuki. Of all things right now Kazuki’s face was still bouncing against Kaguya-senpai’s chest.

Beside that Kazuha-senpai, Futsunushi no Kami’s avatar was floating.

“GUWAHHAHHA! You had shown the demonstration of your own justice splendidly! I have to apologize for suspecting Solomon's 72 Pillars! Sorry-. As an apology, how about I give my cooperation with Solomon's 72 Pillars from now on!”

Futsunushi no Kami nodded his sword body quickly.

“That’s what Futsunushi no Kami says, still…I don’t plan to get along with you but I came to give my greetings.”

…Don’t tell me! There was something flickering in Kazuki‘s head, he poured his magic power to Solomon’s ring.

Amasaki Mio―137 Lotte―113 Hiakari Koyuki―105 Otonashi Kaguya―85

Hoshikaze Hikaru―49 Tsukahara Kazuha―28

As expected Kazuha-senpai was added to the list!

It was because Futsunushi no Kami had pledged his cooperation towards Leme!

…Though looking at it, her number was low.

But based on what Leme said, the value around 30 was generally something like friend already though.

“In the end Kohaku’s plan ended in failure. But Kohaku said that based on the result, this is good.”

Kazuha-senpai whispered. The majority of the Sword Division’s buildings were badly damaged. It seemed that the reconstruction would take a while.

A large change was inevitable for the Magic Division and Sword Division from now on. Though what kind of change it would be was still unknown.

“Though from the beginning I don’t really have any interest about the Sword Division or Magic Division, so it doesn’t really matter to me. …Well, for the time being thank you. That’s all.”

Kazuha-senpai turned her back to Kazuki.

“…Kazuha-senpai, if it’s okay with you how about practicing together?”

“Oh, that’s a good idea isn’t it, Hayashizaki-kun♪”

Hoshikaze-senpai got onboard with the idea, but without turning back Kazuha-senpai was saying 'No way, why do I have to practice with you' bluntly and refused. …As he thought, the positivity level was low. Couldn’t be helped really.

“Then just one word…Kazuha-senpai’s muscle control balance is bad. Moreover senpai put too much strength when swinging the sword so that bad muscle balance all comes out. Because of that senpai’s form is flawed and your swordsmanship becomes limp.”

“Eh?”

Kazuha-senpai’s eyes turned wide and she looked back. Surely she had some understanding of it.

“Senpai had always done practice-swings and practicing kata by yourself, isn’t that right? …Kaguya-senpai, I want to have a serious talk so please release the headlock.”

“But I, usually I was always made fun of by those guys in the class that my movement was too flawed after all. Anyway, when I try to learn how to move beautifully…”

“The effect is the opposite, you know? Even if you keep repeating practice-swings by yourself without noticing the source of the form’s flaw, it would only make the flaw all the more. I thought that if we practice together than I could give some advice for that. Did Kohaku not give some advice like that?”

“…I like to practice by myself. After all, I am always being made fun of.”

“That feeling of not wanting to show anyone your efforts until you become strong and triumphed, I can honestly understand that. But practicing swordsmanship alone is absolutely no good beecause you won’t be able to notice when you've formed a bad habit. If senpai doesn’t like to practice with me, then please absolutely practice with Kohaku. Or otherwise with Kanae.”

“Y, you even say absolutely!? Alone is no good!?”

Kazuha-senpai was staring motionlessly hearing Kazuki’s strong words.

“Absolutely.”

“I, I know…I will do some consultation-”

With a ‘puih’ Kazuha-senpai turned her back.

Then she looked back with a glance.

“It was just a one-time fight, but you could understand the flaw of my form and the source?”

“After all, the Hayashizaki-style is a school that puts importance on observing the opponent above all else.”

At first his step-father was only giving him perceiving training, he couldn’t touch the sword at all.

And then the period when he kept losing against Kanae, Kazuki too got scolded by his step-father when he trained secretly.

“…Looking at my greenhorn sword, everyone around me was just making fun of me. Thank you…for looking at me properly.”

A heart mark came flying from Kazuha-senpai’s back.

Tsukahara Kazuha―29

The positivity level increased just a little. This was one more step toward becoming friends with her.

“GUWAHHAHHA! I am a sword but I don’t know how to handle a sword! So there is actually a reason why Kazuha is a greenhorn! GUWAHHAHHA!”

“Don’t laugh, stupid Futsu no Kami-! Later!”

Leaving only those words behind, Kazuha-senpai dashed away with her Sword Division uniform flapping.

“Well then, how about we continue our sword practice?”

After seeing away Kazuha-senpai, Hoshikaze-senpai showed her eagerness with her fresh sweat shining in the sun.

Kaguya-senpai quickly interjected right there.

“Now that I remember Otouto-kun. I don't particularly want to obstruct Hikaru but, there was a message telling Otouto-kun to come to the school early today.”

“Early? Why?”

Kazuki tilted his head while Hoshikaze-senpai pouted her cheeks at the side.

“The new headmaster has something to talk about with Otouto-kun.”

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Kazuki finally arrived at the Headmaster's Room nervously. After he knocked the door, he entered the room.

The national knight academy was an important organization that was burdened with the future of Japan’s defense.

That being the case, the inside of the room where the top of this school performed his official duties was designed extravagantly. Red carpet was spread out, in the middle of the room a table made of marble metal and a leather sofa was placed. A lot of people connected with the government often came here.

However right now in this place, the official owner of this room was not here.

“I will hold my post along with the headmaster post concurrently for a while. At the next student general meeting, I will do the official inauguration greeting along with the board chairman’s successor.”

“…Is that so?”

For the time being he didn’t say any congratulations and gave an unclear reply to the new Headmaster Amasaki.

Right now Headmaster Otonashi was still losing his consciousness. Similar with magic intoxication, it was still unknown whether he could recover his consciousness from now on.

The new Headmaster Amasaki was gloomily making a stern face like a bird of prey. Kazuki was withering in front of him.

{Oi, my King. Leme thinks that your status as a King is even greater than headmaster, isn’t that right?}

Leme made fun of him with telepathy.

No, I’m not withering because he is the headmaster….

Rather, the feeling that he was meeting with the father of a girl he dated was considerable.

“Your treatment until now…you are not an observation target anymore and you are going to be accepted officially as a first year of the Magic Division. We…I, need to apologize for my misunderstanding until now.”

Headmaster Amasaki suddenly stood up and bowed his head to Kazuki very deeply.

Kazuki was surprised at the sudden development and also rather grateful.

“No, in the end I am safe like this, there is no need to lower your head like that.”

Though certainly he met a lot of harsh eyes from the staff room of the Magic Division….

This old man came to the battlefield searching for Mio, and he got pierced by a tentacle while blaming Nyarlatoteph's for his wrongdoings when he saw through his real identity.

Mio also desperately worked to heal this person.

Surely this person is not a bad person, was what Kazuki thought.

“Just because you are safe doesn’t change the facts. …I’m sorry.”

Toward Headmaster Amasaki who obstinately lowered his head, Kazuki had a sudden inspiration.

“…Then, please lend me your strength from now on.”

“What?”

Hearing those unexpected words, Headmaster Amasaki raised his sight.

“My legal standpoint is supposed to be still close to that of an illegal magician. Many in society still don’t believe in me and Lemegeton yet. As I aim to be a [King], a strong shield at my back is necessary. I have had enough of all these troubles already.”

This matter had to be said right now in this moment when he had a superior position.

I need political strength. The person in front of me had that power.

“Please lend me the strength so I can become a King.”

Nonetheless, no matter how superior his standing was, those were words that required courage to be said.

To aim to be a King was the same as aiming for a harem.

Naturally inside that harem―this person’s step-daughter, Mio was included.

The eyebrow of the stern old man was twitching.

“…Even if you didn’t say it, I was planning to do that in the first place.”

“Eh?”

Kazuki leaked a stupid voice from the unexpected reply. Headmaster Amasaki sat back on the chair.

“Right now, my first job as the headmaster is to make you considered to be a necessary existence. The first thing I plan to do is to recommend to the government to make the law concerning illegal magicians and Sacred Treasures to be more flexible.”

“Regarding illegal magicians and the Sacred Treasures…”

That was certainly two of the matters that Kazuki considered as problems.

Other than himself, this also had relation with how Kazuha-senpai and Kohaku were treated.

“The fight this time proved that even the cooperation of the [Divas that are not of Solomon's 72 Pillars] can also bring out good things. I’m collecting the data and making a written opinion for the people I’m close with that are connected to the government. The Sword Division’s Tsukahara Kazuha is an illegal magician too, but she is able to be accepted as the Sword Division student up to now. By some chance she could also be accepted into the Magic Division.”

“About that, I think the person herself feels reluctant though.”

“After that I have to work in erasing the blame from the false report about your conduct from the two knights that included the carrying of Sacred Treasures. I have contacted them last night but those two were wanting to meet with you. Those two are children that I formerly taught.”

Board ChairmanAmasaki’s expression loosened a little.

Is that so, those two people we met in the Haunted Ground…Kondou-san and Souma-san also got dragged into this.

“In the first place those two didn’t have any reason to make a false report. The one who falsified that report was me and Headmaster Otonashi. Despite my position on the board that ought to inspect the headmaster’s conduct, rather, I was complicit with his actions completely. Forgive me.”

…He could guess what roughly happened.

Headmaster Otonashi, for the sake of trapping Kazuki, it seemed that he made use of the two knights that happened to be present during Kazuki’s quest. For that purpose he made Board Chairman Amasaki who was connected with them to conspire with him.

Board Chairman Amasaki was also the side that was used…though maybe that kind of thinking was way too softhearted.

“Then, is it okay to return the Sacred Treasure those two lent me?”

“…Was the Sacred Treasure a useful weapon?”

Toward Kazuki’s question, the new Headmaster Amasaki answered with a question.

“If I didn’t have that Sacred Treasure, I would be dead two times already.”

“Is that so? Then it’s fine even if you carry it. From now on I will release the written opinion about effective practical use of Sacred Treasures. It will also elevate the position of the swordsmen don’t you agree?”

If that was implemented, Kohaku’s wish would be granted too. This felt like he was bewitched by a fox.

…Really, all his wishes were forestalled by the headmaster.

“However the written opinion that I will release, whether or not it will have persuasive power is going to [depend on the efforts of all of you from now on]. If it’s not accompanied with real results then it won’t have any power at all.”

The Board Chairman Amasaki gave such a warning.

“Your rank-E is also retracted. From now on you will also gradually accept more advanced quests.”

“Then…I can also participate in quests related to Loki!?”

Headmaster Amasaki nodded toward Kazuki’s surprised voice.

The things he could do had widened in one stretch…!

“The last…aiming for the abolishment of the discriminatory system toward the Sword Division in this Knight Academy, we are going to integrate the management of the Magic Division and the Sword Division. Beyond that is my first work as the headmaster.”

Making the management of the Magic Division and the Sword Division into one!?

…While until now the Magic Division and the Sword Division were both a course of study in the Knight Academy, in practice both of them were operated with really different systems that made them look like [practically different schools].

Making the Magic Division and the Sword Division into one was Kaguya-senpai’s dearest wish, but this new Headmaster said that it would be realized at the management level.

“You all handed over a URD to me, but…the contents still cannot be verified completely, but it seems the government also has a considerable connection with Headmaster Otonashi’s conduct. Probably it will turn into a big scandal. After purging the political power that is close with Headmaster Otonashi, the political power that is close with me will be left behind. No one will be raising any objections about my reforms to the Knight Academy.”

“Headmaster Amasaki…weren’t you wounded fatally yesterday and only got emergency treatment? Aren’t you working too fast?”

“Mio-tan…no, Mio was nursing me so I’m fine.”

Oi, you were saying Mio-tan you know, this old man.

“Oi jiji, you are a capable aide huh! Though your attitude is a little big.”

Leme materialized at Kazuki’s side and spewed out thoughtless remarks.

“…All of it is roughly like this but, do you have any other wish?”

Headmaster Amasaki smoothly ignored Leme. After talking this far, my wish after this is―

“Then I only have one last thing.”

“What?”

“From now on too, please let me stay in the Witch’s Manor.”

He was not an observation target anymore. If the Magic Division and the Sword Division was integrated, he might lose a just excuse for staying in the Witch’s Manor.

“…You want to stay in the Witch’s Manor from now on too? Over there is a girl's dormitory you know?”

“Yes” Without any hesitation he returned an immediate reply.

To say the words that he didn’t want to say the most, Headmaster Amasaki made a bitter face like he wanted to say those things.

“Over there is the most optimum place as the base of Our King’s harem-making! Oi jiji, from now on you are going to cooperate with Our King’s harem-making too!”

Leme interjected with arrogant talking. Headmaster Amasaki was making a deep breath like it couldn’t be helped.

“Haahh very well. However the Witch’s Manor, in the end, is a student council dormitory. If you say that you want to live there, then you too have to become a suitable human for that.”

Kazuki knitted his eyebrows. Those were unusually astounding words. In short what was the headmaster telling him that he needed to do?

“Make a conspicuous service in quests, and then becoming a rank-A like Mio and Koyuki, is that what you mean?”

“No…along with the integration of the Magic Division and the Sword Division the student council will be renewed completely too. It is still pending under consideration but, a new top position of Chief Student Council President is going to be made with the Magic Division’s student council president and the Sword Division’s student council president under it, that is the form we planned. For the purpose of making the Magic Division and the Sword Division into one, just making the system equal is not enough, a symbol that’s easier to understand is necessary.”

“…Chief Student Council President.”

Certainly when such a structure could be made, it felt like the whole academy will become truly one.

“I am thinking of doing the election for the Chief Student Council President in the next student general meeting. The candidates will be chosen from recommendations and those that announce their candidacy but, Otonashi Kaguya and Hayashizaki Kanae, and the likes of Hoshikaze Hikaru seem to be the ones that would become prominent candidates.”

Well, looks like what he meant by suitable was around that area. Other than those three, maybe Kazuha-senpai, who was elevated by Kohaku’s party, could also be included. But if possible he wanted Kaguya-senpai to be the one that was chosen.

“As for me…until now Otonashi Kaguya was forced with very heavy responsibilities by Headmaster Otonashi. I want you to lighten her burden.”

“I see, so it’s like that. Please leave it to me.”

In other words, when Kaguya-senpai becomes the Chief Student Council President, from there on it would become even harder for her so I need to give her my support, that is the condition for my continuing existence in the Witch’s Manor, there is no doubt that this is what this person wants to say.

“Is that so, you are going to do your best?”

When Kazuki strongly nodded, Headmaster Amasaki returned the nod with a solemn face.

“Then I will give you my recommendation to be a candidate.”

“…Eh?”

Kazuki stiffened after hearing those unexpected words.

[Recommendation] he said? No, don’t tell me….

What he said by lessening Kaguya-senpai’s burden…that’s what he meant!? That’s the suitable position!? Me!?

“Hayashizaki Kazuki, win this election and gain the seat of the Chief Student Council President. That is the condition for you to continue living in the Witch’s Manor.”

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

A [BasileusKing] that gathered all into one, the first step for that…

I have to become the Chief Student Council President and govern the reborn academy as one!?

Afterword

Hello again after three months, Mihara Micchi here! That’s my nickname. Sorry, I was mistaking the feeling of distance. I’m always lost in the tension of writing the afterwords.

This time too I sent Magika volume 3 filled with love from the south-side of Saitama. Saitama is the best. Just jutting out a little from Saitama, the rent becomes cheap that cannot be compared with Tokyo. That price, shockingly just 30000 yen! When I told this story everyone was shocked. It is reinforced concrete for the time being, so it’s a mansion. It’s near the station. Things like spa or convenience store or bookstore are near just by walking. Though there is no beautiful ghost that comes out. No, it should come out.

But there is just one fault, kindergarten and nursery school are set and built in the front of the mansion, voices of innocent children making merry are always audible in the middle of the day. Recently it's summer so matching the piano performance of Onee-san I also sing something like [Hamehameha Emperor].

Just right when nearing the climax of this volume, Kazuki too was coolly saying thing like “I am going to become a King!”, at that time in the background the emperor of the southern island was in big fever so the tension was decreasing. Not that king, it’s different. When writing, the author is the type to get carried away by the flow of the atmosphere around him, so inside the head there was nothing more that I thought other than the spectacle of Kaguya-senpai with hibiscus attached in her head happily dancing hula dance with the hip posture. Senpai was possessed by a cheerful Diva of Hawaii Mythology!?

With that circumstance, this volume has a bitter fight never seen before, but is it fun to read? Just a little concerned with Kaguya’s cheerful hula dance. Couldn’t I receive an illustration for that in this afterwords?

The front cover of this volume is refreshing to look only at summer (the time this was sold was in the autumn though). What an original design of white school swimsuit, isn’t it (different)? CHuN-san, you are a wonderful illustrator in this volume too, thank you! Regardless of the many characters that made their entrance, to give their own personal trait one by one, I’m always thankful.

Now that I remember until now I fail to have a chance at making experience in giving [autograph]. I really don’t know if my autograph is plain or not, I’m afraid to write a messed autograph while being nervous, but if those that obtain it could make a connection with the author and think of it as important, then I’m happy. Autograph session make me nervous but happy. For everyone that came to each of the bookstores, and then also [MF Bunko J-summer’s school festival], thank you very much!

And then to the one that gives advice to this volume without holding nothing back, I’m also thankful to the editor-in-charge Kodama-san. For the heroines' maid appearance to finally get assigned to be illustrated in this volume, thank you very much! I mean, why did the maid appearance in volume 1 and 2 didn’t get illustration…fuee…(because the new character that made their appearance and battle scene is many). I like them, maid-san.

The manga version is also starting in this month’s Comic Alive! Please take care of me in that side to!

Well then, next in the winter time, Magika no Kenshi and hamehamehaSouthern Countries Emperor will meet in the fourth volume! Different isn’t it?

Mihara Mitsuki

Translator's Notes & References

Back to Volume 2

Return to Main Page

Forward to Volume 4