Isekai Mahou wa Okureteru! (LN) - Volume 1 - Chapter SS6

Encounter With the Holy King of the Heavens, Anou Mizuki! 

“I smell the same damned stench coming from you.” 

Astonished by the sudden abuse coming at him from behind, Suimei whipped around. He was met with the sight of a schoolgirl with long black hair who was standing there with her arms folded. She had superfluous black belts here and there all over and a lone black glove on her left hand. To top it all off, she was wearing an eyepatch. It was a curious getup for sure. 

What the hell is with this girl…? 

Though taken aback, Suimei put himself on guard. 

This was the same spring day that a new school term began. Suimei had just become a second-year middle schooler, and was enjoying immersing himself in the listless peace of a school day as he gazed at the bulletin board swarmed by students from a distance. Separating himself momentarily from the rampant violence of the world of magicians, he felt like he’d just gotten back to a normal life. 

And now this. 

The girl just stood there, staring at him with a daring smile. Slow on the draw, Suimei finally responded to her. 

“Wh-What are you talking about?” 

“Heh heh heh, there’s no need to conceal it. The way you’re gazing at those fools with eyes like you’re scoffing them makes it obvious.” 

Was she talking about the other students? With a confused look on his face, Suimei glanced back at the bulletin board. She nodded in the same direction to confirm his suspicions. 

“Do you not also think so?” 

“Who knows?” 

Suimei played it off, but beneath his troubled laugh, his entire body was as tense as could be. This girl had said something about “the same stench.” Did that mean she was a magician? 

Hmm…? 

Suimei wondered at first, she didn’t have any of that sort of presence at all. There was no flow of mana with her whatsoever, and she wasn’t conveying that unique out-of-place feeling—both hallmarks of a magician. It was possible that she was skillfully hiding them, but even so, it was strange. 

“There’s no need to be so wary. It’s not as though I’m going to take you away and eat you.” 

The girl flashed an eerie smile. It was almost like she was forcing herself to make a face she never had before. 

Could it be that she’s… 

“What’s the matter? Have you been charmed by me, the descendant of the first founders?” 

“Wha…” 

“…?” 

Seeing the puzzled face she was making now, Suimei belatedly connected the dots. 

Ah, my head… 

It hurt. Far too much. To think he’d actually met someone who could say such things with a serious face… The tribe of Adam from the seven races ideology was the original race of people who took on the form of humans. Under that world view, the living beings known as humans all had a common ancestry. Really, all seven tribes were actually the same race. The fact that this girl didn’t know that meant she certainly wasn’t a magician. 

As Suimei was internally dying a little because of the sudden, mounting headache he found himself afflicted with, the girl made an ever stranger expression and another declaration. 

“My name is Anou Mizuki… Or not. I’m the Holy King of the Heavens, Io Kuzami.” 

“H-Holy King of the Heavens? That’s quite an over-the-top name…” 

“That’s right. In other words, it means that I am the sacred sovereign who oversees all on this star known as Mother Earth.” 

“…You don’t say? So that’s your true name or the name of your soul or whatever, huh?” 

“That’s right. It is my true name. The name that I mentioned first is naught but an alias I use to conceal my identity in the world. Well, at the very least, do commit it to memory.” 

Calling herself Io Kuzami, this unfortunate girl made it quite clear she suffered from the illness endemic to middle school students of about this age. 

“And what of your name?” 

“Whazzat?” 

“Your name. Is it not proper manners to give your name to those who have introduced themselves to you? Well?” 

“I’m… Yakagi Suimei.” 

Looking away, Suimei replied with a disconcerted expression. He didn’t really want to tell her, but saw no way out of it. But something about his answer piqued her interested, and she questioned him about it excitedly. 

“Is that your real name?!” 

“Yeah.” 

“I-I’m jealous…” 

Mizuki’s eye was sparkling like she’d just discovered something amazing. Suimei’s name was rather unconventional. Weird, even. He was used to people giving him pitying looks when he introduced himself. But to a girl like this, maybe it did actually sound cool. Suimei looked beside himself, but the girl unnaturally cleared her throat and continued. 

“By the way, Yakagi Suimei, do you know of a man named Shana Reiji?” 

“Reiji? Well, he’s a friend.” 

“As expected. I thought that was the case…” 

Just what was expected about that? Suimei wasn’t sure why she’d say something like that, but then a thought crossed his mind. 

“Do you know him?” 

“We had an encounter. However, he was quite the formidable foe. If my other personality hadn’t promptly come out, my true identity would have been discovered by that man.” 

“Your true identity…?” 

Suimei was now at a serious loss as to how to handle this girl. Mizuki acted like she was wiping dirt off her sleeves. 

“Phew… How do I put it? I felt a tremendous amount of power from that man, the likes of which I have never tasted before…” 

“Well, he certainly does have outrageous powers. Like the hunk beam.” 

“Just what is this sensation that pulls at my chest and burns so intensely…?” 

“Aaah, right. I get it now. It’s, you know, that. Love.” 

“I see. The power that man fires out is the light of Lemuria… There is no mistaking it; he’s a descendent of the third founders. The star that shines down on that man ought to be one with a sacred purpose.” 

“I don’t get what you’re saying, but I can’t really deny that guy was born under a weird star. Maybe I should do some fortune telling next time…” 

Completely unheeding of Suimei, Mizuki was brooding over something. 

“Shana Reiji… At a glance, he appears harmless, but I cannot be careless.” 

“Oh yeah? Why’s that?” 

“He said… that it would be nice if we were in the same class… Do you know? Do you understand why that is?” 

“Wh-Who knows? Maybe he just honestly wants to get to know you better?” 

“WHAT, REALLY?! N-No, he likely remembered the sense of discomfort he felt from the wavelengths of my astral body. He means to monitor me.” 

“Why would he do that?” 

“Do you not know? Long ago, we people of the first founders and the people of Lemuria quarreled. That’s why?” 

“Listen, the founding races were the same tribe in the first generation…” 

“Huh? Really?” 

“Wh-Who knows? I mean, maybe? Hahaha…” 

“Regardless, I must be careful around that fellow…” 

While Mizuki was making a stern, pensive face, Suimei let out a dejected sigh. The things she was saying were somehow realistic, but meaningless at the same time. 

“Well then, Yakagi, I have matters to attend to, so I shall excuse myself here.” 

Having concluded her business with Suimei, Mizuki walked off while cackling an eerie laugh. Watching her go, Suimei pondered to himself what she’s said at first about them having the same stench. 

“Is that how people see me…? I also need to be careful…” 

While having a premonition of the troubled school days ahead of him, Suimei recalled what someone had told him once: that magicians were nothing but the mere shadow of people whose chuunibyou had evolved.