Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? - Volume 12 - Chapter 1

Everyone’s Weekend

Friday, April 23rd

The Higashihongan family had been protecting the Higashihongan shrine and serving as its head priests for many, many generations. Even as a branch shrine, the Higashihongan shrine had existed for over five hundred years. And the main shrine, the Hongan shrine, had been around for so long that it predated any records of its existence.

Because of their long history, the Higashihongan family enjoyed a considerable amount of prestige and wealth. They were one of few prominent families in Kisshouharukaze City. Thanks to that, their family property was the size of a baseball stadium and included a large, luxurious Japanese-style mansion with a rich garden that was designed to be enjoyed in all four seasons.

“I-I’ve come to a helluva place...”

After being escorted to the sitting room, Yurika looked around the place with restless eyes. She lived in the wardrobe of a small, six-tatami apartment, so to her, this was like visiting a different world. And sitting alone in such a big room, she could hardly contain herself. She only got more and more anxious.

Ahhhhh! Save me, Satomi-san!

Yurika instinctively called out for her roommate’s help in her mind. The room she was sitting in now had the same stately, opulent feel to it as the rest of the house. It wasn’t like it had been plated with gold explicitly for show, but Yurika couldn’t help feeling like she was being looked down on by the rich as she sat all alone surrounded by finely crafted pillars, lacquered furniture, and magnificent artwork. It was like the room itself was telling her that this was no place for a poor girl like her. That she should hurry up and leave. That she should find somewhere more fitting for her kind. Of course, this was all in Yurika’s head. In fact, far from looking down on her, the residents of the mansion had welcomed her with the utmost care.

“I’m sorry for asking you to come all the way here, Yurika-chan.”

Serving as proof of the kindness and hospitality offered to Yurika here, a resident of the mansion entered the sitting room with a smile. Her name was Higashihongan Kanae. She was the wife of the current head of the family, Higashihongan Soutarou, and the mother of Yurika’s friend Sanae.

“I wanted to talk to you in peace and quiet. About Nana-chan, for example.”

Yurika and Kanae had a common acquaintance.

On a certain Friday after school, Yurika was visiting the Higashihongan household on her own. That was because, when she had visited the mansion with Theia and the girls the other day, Kanae had asked if she could come by sometime so that the two of them could talk. So Yurika had taken the time out of her not-so-busy schedule to come visit the Higashihongan household today.

“Yurika-chan, could you stand up and spin around to show me that outfit?”

“Oh, sure... Like this?”

Yurika accepted Kanae’s request and stood up before slowly spinning around with her arms somewhat spread out. As she stared at Yurika, Kanae had a nostalgic look in her eyes.

“Thank you, Yurika-chan. Though some minor details are different, it really is the same outfit Nana-chan wore.”

“Yes. These are Nana-san’s clothes. I just adjusted them for myself. Um... I’m just a little bit taller than Nana-san... so I couldn’t wear them as they were...”

“That’s true. Nana-chan was pretty small, wasn’t she? Thank you, Yurika-chan.”

Kanae gently smiled at Yurika, who seemed to be quite embarrassed. She was feeling self-conscious about the alterations she’d had to make. Because Nana had a very petite frame, Yurika couldn’t wear her outfit without letting out the waist, seat, and bust. Needless to say, the latter was the only part she was proud of.

“So... is Nana-chan okay?”

Kanae waited for Yurika to sit back down before continuing their conversation. She had invited Yurika over because she’d wanted to ask her that question. And when she did, anxiety became visible in her expression.

“Yes. But around spring of last year, she was seriously injured and can no longer use magic... That’s why I, her disciple, took on her role.”

“So that’s what happened...”

Hearing that Nana was safe was enough to ease the tension in Kanae’s expression. Seeing that, Yurika could get a sense what kind of relationship Kanae and Nana had.

“Kanae-san, you were Nana-san’s cooperator, right?”

A cooperator was a citizen that helped a magician from Folsaria while they were operating in Japan. Since magicians from Folsaria, a different world, were technically illegal aliens, they had to be careful while on Earth. So in order for them to do their work, they needed the support of a local, known as a cooperator.

“Yes... Until a little after we defeated Maya, Dark Navy.”

Maya was Maki’s master and the previous Dark Navy. Nana and Kanae had cooperated to defeat her. Maya then retired and allowed Maki to succeed her as Dark Navy, but that was all several years ago.

“After that, Nana-chan left without saying a word... so I was a little worried. I’m happy to hear that she’s okay, Yurika-chan.”

“Kanae-san, Nana-san was, um...”

“I know. Nana-chan was being considerate and left in order to keep our lives from being in danger, right?”

“Yes.”

“There was also the problem with Sanae’s body, so I’m sure she wanted to relieve me of my role as a cooperator as fast as possible.”

“I think so too. Nana-san always told me to stop coming to see her because it was dangerous, too...”

Eleven years ago, Nana had been unable to fully save Sanae. The best she could do at the time was perform an imperfect merging of Sanae’s soul and body using her magic. With that, it was inevitable that Sanae’s life would eventually run out. Yurika and Kanae both believed that that was the reason Nana had left quietly—to let Kanae spend as much time with her family as possible.

“About Sanae... Could it be because of you that she’s gotten better?”

Aside from Nana’s safety, there was one more thing Kanae wanted to know. And that was about her daughter’s sudden recovery.

Nana had told Kanae that Sanae wouldn’t live for long. And as expected, as the years passed on, Sanae grew weaker and weaker. But just as Kanae was beginning to prepare herself for her daughter’s death, Sanae made a miraculous recovery. And shortly thereafter, Sanae brought home Yurika and introduced her as her friend. Seeing a certain something Yurika had with her at the time, Kanae realized Yurika’s identity and realized what must have happened. She suspected that Yurika had healed Sanae with magic.

“I did help, but magic alone couldn’t have saved her... Um, about one quarter of it was my doing.”

Since Yurika’s skills with magic were inferior to Nana’s, there was no way she could have saved Sanae where her master had failed. In fact, Kiriha had really been the one to treat Sanae while Yurika supported her. Yurika believed the biggest factor in Sanae’s recovery was the bonds she shared with the people around her. So Yurika thought of her contribution as half of half the work, or one fourth.

“The ratio doesn’t matter. Thank you for saving Sanae, Yurika-chan.”

“U-Um...”

Yurika blushed and felt flustered to hear Kanae thanking her personally.

Th-Things have been kind of strange lately...

Recently, the cases of Yurika being thanked, trusted, and needed were on the rise. Since it was a position she’d never expected to be in, Yurika was a bit embarrassed by it all. That was all because she hadn’t noticed her own growth; she was mistakenly under the impression that her surroundings had changed, and not her.

But... it makes me feel warm and fuzzy...

Though Yurika thought this turn of events was strange, it also made her happy. The thought that she could be of help to others made her more positive. Although she wasn’t as good as Nana, if she did everything she could, she might still be able to help people. Like she had with Sanae. That’s what she wanted to do, never mind the fact that it was her duty. In other words, it could be said that the incident regarding Sanae had turned Yurika into a full-fledged magical girl. Moreover, with her newfound maturity, her abilities were improving as well. While she might not compare to Nana right now, she might in the future. Because now, Yurika had escaped from her pessimistic outlook and was starting to believe in her future for herself.

“Besides, when Sanae’s with you, it’s like she’s returned to her old self... As her mother, I’m overjoyed, and it sounds like I have you to thank for that. I’m so grateful, Yurika-chan.”

Thanks to the hard work of Yurika and the others, the two Sanaes that had grown up apart from one another had finally managed to merge, although it was a stretch to say that they were now one and the same.

Normally, the modest, mature personality that Sanae had developed as a girl in the hospital was the dominant one. Her struggle with her condition had humbled her in many ways. However, when she was with Yurika, Koutarou, and the others, the childish personality of her soul surfaced. It was the personality she’d developed during her time as a ghost, uninhibited by the forces that had caused her physical body to mature and grow up.

Though the two had safely merged, their personalities remained distinct, and Sanae would switch between the two. When she was with Yurika and the others, she was bright and cheerful, and when she wasn’t, she was a lot more withdrawn. As a result, it looked like she was putting up a brave front, or even suffering from multiple personality disorder. But despite that, her two selves shared memories and still liked and hated the same things, so it was indisputable that they were still both very much so Sanae.

But what Sanae’s family noticed was that she acted and looked like she did before the entire ordeal when she was with Yurika and the others. Sanae’s quiet, introverted personality had been a concern of her parents’ ever since she was admitted to the hospital, so this was a welcome change.

According to Kiriha’s explanation, it seemed that Sanae’s two selves would eventually blend into one. Once fully merged, Sanae’s personality would probably settle somewhere between the mature and childish versions of herself. Kiriha’s estimations put it close to how Sanae would’ve ended up if her soul and body hadn’t ever split to begin with.

And that transformation had already begun. Even when Sanae wasn’t with Yurika, Koutarou, and the others, she was starting to act a little more cheerful.

“But... it really wasn’t just thanks to me. Everything worked out because Sanae-chan loves everyone and because everyone loves Sanae-chan.”

Yurika lightly shook her head and put her hands on her chest before tilting her head and smiling.

“So, Kanae-san, it’s those feelings Sanae-chan shares with everyone you should be grateful for, not me. That’s what really saved Sanae-chan...”

“Yurika-chan...”

Kanae’s eyes opened wide when she heard Yurika say that, but the look on her face quickly faded into a smile. She looked nostalgic, but truly happy.

“...You really are Nana-chan’s disciple.”

“Huh?”

This time, Yurika’s eyes went wide.

“That earnest heart trying to do good, that strong will that won’t back down, and that deep love that wraps around everything... You’re just like Nana-chan.”

Kanae’s words were even more of a surprise to Yurika.

“Kanae-san...”

To Yurika, who had been striving to become like Nana all this time, those words were the highest praise she could receive.

“Thank you so much!”

“Heehee... I just hope my little girl turns out like you...”

“I can’t recommend that. I don’t have very good grades...”

“Oh my, is that so?”

“Sadly, yes...”

And so the two ladies began chatting about themselves and their common friend with smiles on their faces. It was as if two old friends had met for the first time in ten years, and their lively chatter could be heard from the sitting room until the sun set.

During their talk, Yurika gave Kanae a simple introduction to everyone’s situation and what had happened with Sanae. She was sure Kanae could keep everyone’s secrets, so Yurika didn’t hold back in sharing things with her. Kanae reciprocated and happily listened to everything Yurika told her. But when Yurika got to the part about how the underground dweller, Kiriha, had machines that used spiritual energy, Kanae furrowed her brow. She then took Yurika out on a little trip into the city at night.

“This is the place, Yurika-chan.”

“It’s pretty dark...”

“Wait a moment, I’ll get a light.”

“Continual Light.”

“Of course. I forgot you were a magician, Yurika-chan.”

“That’s right!”

Kanae had brought Yurika to the basement of an abandoned building. It hadn’t seen use in years, so when Yurika lit it up with her magic, she could see piles of junk and illegally dumped trash, as well as a bunch of cracks in the walls and ceiling.

“Is there something special about this place?”

Nothing looked all that out of place to Yurika. It seemed like any other abandoned building.

“Just a moment... I think it was around here...”

Relying on Yurika’s magic for light, Kanae searched around the room. After a few minutes had passed and Yurika started to grow afraid of how dark and scary the place was, Kanae finally found what she was looking for.

“Found it!”

“Kyah!”

“What’s wrong, Yurika-chan?”

“N-No, it’s nothing...”

Yurika blushed. Being a magical girl, she couldn’t admit that she was afraid of the dark. Unaware of how she felt, Kanae called her over.

“Yurika, could you come over here?”

“Okay...”

Yurika approached Kanae with a pensive look. In stark contrast to her usually gentle, friendly appearance, Kanae looked quite serious right now.

“It’s about this...”

“This is...”

Yurika could see the remains of a wrecked machine of some kind. It looked like it had been destroyed violently, and fragments of all sizes were scattered about. Looking at the rust on broken parts and the dust on the main machine, it was clear that many years had passed since it was destroyed.

“Huh?! Isn’t this...?!”

Yurika, who didn’t know the first thing about machinery, just assumed it was any old broken piece of junk at first. But after staring at it for a while, she noticed its familiar markings and design.

“Isn’t this Kiriha-san’s machine?!”

The remains of the machine looked just like what Kiriha used. It was reminiscent of Karama and Korama, and bore a striking resemblance to the device she’d used to treat Sanae. They had enough common features that even Yurika could distinguish the similarity.

“Spiritual energy devices are the technology of the underground dwellers... so what is this doing here?”

“This is what Dark Navy... well, more accurately, the previous Dark Navy... was using. Yurika-chan, look down.”

“What?!”

Yurika could see some kind of pattern carved into the ground at her feet. It had completely lost its power, but it was a magic circle used for rituals. This one had been drawn to incorporate the machine. As a magician, Yurika immediately understood what that meant.

“Kanae-san, did the previous Dark Navy use magic and machines from the underground dwellers together?!”

“If this is a machine from the underground dwellers, then there’s no doubt about it. Nana-chan said that Maya was using this device to store her sacrifice’s spiritual energy in order to use it for her ritual.”

After hearing what Yurika said about spiritual energy, Kanae was reminded of this place. She wanted to tell her about it, but decided that it would be better for her to see it for herself. That’s why Kanae had brought Yurika here.

“...Which means that Darkness Rainbow came into contact with the underground dwellers at the very least ten years ago, and that they were working together...”

Yurika’s expression stiffened as she felt a chill run down her spine.

I-I have to tell Kiriha-san about this!

They’d just used a combination of magic and spiritual energy technology to save Sanae, so she had at least a faint idea of how much power they had when used together. And considering that Darkness Rainbow had already come into contact with the underground people, most likely with the faction that opposed Kiriha, it wasn’t hard to imagine that Darkness Rainbow now had the ability to use spiritual energy against Rainbow Heart, and that the radical faction had the ability to use magic.

At this rate, Rainbow Heart will lose! Kiriha-san will, too!

Of course, their enemies wouldn’t reveal their aces in the petty skirmishes they’d had so far. They would save that for a major battle. Thinking about that, Yurika couldn’t imagine that either Rainbow Heart’s or Kiriha’s future would be very bright.

Today, there were no club activities after school for the knitting society. The president, Harumi, had a medical exam scheduled at the hospital tomorrow, and it was common practice for the society to take the day before off to rest.

And with his free time this afternoon, Koutarou had decided to pay Clan a visit. He hadn’t talked a lot with her lately, but she was always around to lend a helping hand when things got serious. He figured she might be happy to see him if he showed up and it wasn’t an emergency.

“Clan, are you shutting yourself up in here again?”

“If I don’t, I can’t get any research done.”

When Koutarou entered the Cradle, he found Clan glued to a computer in her laboratory. She had a ton of topics she wanted to research, including Signaltin and the details of space-time. Seeing Clan like this, however, Koutarou got a little worried. Clan kept herself in her ship all the time and hardly ever saw the sun, so she was looking rather pale. Concerned for her health, Koutarou wanted to get her outside for a bit.

“That might be true, but you are a princess. If you keep shutting yourself in and ruin your complexion, your citizens will worry.”

“My, Veltlion, you sound like a proper vassal... Did you finally decide to serve me?”

“I have no intention of serving an unhealthy master. I’m also worried about your future.”

“M-My future?!”

Hearing that word, Clan’s face turned red and she began to panic. At least for the moment, she wasn’t pale anymore.

“I don’t need to hear that from you! By the time I get married, I’ll take good care of myself!”

“Huh? Marriage? What are you talking about?”

Koutarou had only meant that Clan wouldn’t be able to do the things she wanted if she worked herself ill, but Clan had taken it a different way.

“Are you getting married soon?”

“Kyah! Ack! N-No, I am not! There’s no way I’m getting married!”

Clan blushed so hard that even her ears turned red, and she shook her head so fiercely that her glasses looked like they might fly off her face.

“Oh, so you don’t wanna get married? What a shame.”

“...I-I’ll kill him... I’ll kill this man one day...”

Clan looked down at the ground, face still red and her shoulders trembling. She wanted to tell Koutarou that if he was so concerned about her that he should marry her himself. In the past, Clan had pushed people away in order to focus on her research, so she came across as conceited and selfish. She’d never let anyone get as close to her as she had Koutarou. That’s why when she thought about her future—of her eventual marriage—Koutarou’s face was the first thing that came to mind. But she didn’t have the courage to say that out loud. Clan was far more innocent and shy than her attitude let on.

“Well, that aside, Ruth-san is here too, you know. And she’s a proper citizen of Forthorthe, so make sure you keep up appearances at least a little. Try not to look too miserable.”

“‘Th-That aside’? This man just brushed off my feelings... I’ll kill him... I really will kill him...”

Clan’s face was still red and her shoulders continued shaking in frustration and anger. Ruth, who was standing nearby, then leaned in towards Clan.

“I understand how you feel, Clan-sama,” she whispered with a wry smile.

When she heard that Koutarou was going to see Clan, Ruth had offered to come with him. Since she and Clan shared Koutarou’s secret, their relationship had improved recently.

“I’m surprised you can stay sane dealing with this all the time.”

“I have already conveyed my feelings to Master, you see...”

Clan and Ruth continued whispering to each other. Koutarou was busy staring around the laboratory in awe, so he was hardly paying attention to their conversation.

“So what happened?”

“Nothing remarkable. But every day is full of happiness.”

“That doesn’t sound like something I could do. I have my pride, after all.”

“Pride?”

“I fully intend to make Veltlion cry and beg, ‘Please keep me at your side!’” Clan said with a forlorn expression.

“Clan-sama...” Ruth said, trailing off into a laugh.

“What’s the matter, Pardomshiha?”

“N-No, It’s nothing... Heeheehee...”

Ruth was laughing because it seemed Clan felt practically the same way Theia did. But since Theia and Clan’s relationship left a lot to be desired, she couldn’t exactly share this bit of humor with either of them.

Koutarou left the Cradle with both Clan and Ruth in tow. It was partially because Koutarou wanted Clan to get some sunlight, but there was also something he wanted to ask of her. That was part of the reason why he’d come to see her in the first place.

“Here I go, Ruth-san.”

“All right. Should I do it like I did before?”

“Please do.”

Koutarou and Ruth faced each other, weapons in hand.

Koutarou was wearing the blue armor used to control the spaceship Blue Knight. He also held a knight’s sword in each hand, but both of them were blunt training weapons. Moreover, Ruth was using a protective barrier, so there was no fear of injuries.

Ruth herself was also wearing armor designed for combat. Like Koutarou’s, it was powered and increased her strength significantly. She was holding a thin sword in her right hand. It was like what she usually used, but a little larger and heavier to balance out her increase in strength from the armor. Of course, it was a blunt practice weapon as well.

Koutarou and Ruth had been sparring like this for some time. Koutarou wanted to show Clan how he and Ruth fought.

“All right.”

Koutarou kicked off the ground and dashed forward. His power was increased by the armor, and he moved at a speed that indicated the armor wasn’t weighing him down any. With his right sword ready to swing and his left sword thrust out in front of him, he came at Ruth.

“Here he comes.”

Ruth stood her ground, ready to face Koutarou who was rapidly approaching. She had taken a defensive stance. She wasn’t a particularly aggressive person, so her personality lent itself to going on the defensive in combat. Her style was to defend and go for counterattacks, but she was even more on her guard than usual now. Koutarou had asked her to put her full defensive power on display.

“Hahh...”

Koutarou exhaled briefly before using the sword in his left hand to swipe at Ruth’s sword. A shrill clang rang out, and before that sound had even cleared the air, the sword in Koutarou’s right hand was coming down at Ruth. Ruth was able to dodge the attack by twisting her body.

“Ha!”

However, that wasn’t all she did. Using the mobility of her thin sword to her advantage, Ruth launched an attack at Koutarou. The tip of her sword created a sharp whooshing noise as it cut through the air towards him.

“Wah!”

Koutarou kicked off the ground and managed to evade Ruth’s attack.

“There!”

However, his movement was largely instinctual and lacked finesse, leaving him wide open. Ruth took that opportunity to thrust several attacks at him. As serious and diligent as she was, Ruth had practiced at length because she wanted to show off the best of her ability to Koutarou. Her flurry of attacks were elegant and efficient. It was all Koutarou could do to hold up his swords and use them as makeshift shields.

“Y-You’ve gotten better, Ruth-san!”

“I have my teacher to thank for that!”

Koutarou and Ruth continued exchanging blows for a while. Ruth had the upper hand the entire match, using her swift attacks to force Koutarou on the defensive. Based on the fact that the normally defensive girl had taken the offensive, it was fair to say she’d overwhelmed Koutarou.

“Hyah!”

In beautiful form, Ruth easily deflected Koutarou’s right sword with a smile on her face. She then closed in and thrust out her left fist, wrapped in red light. Her armor had read her intention to attack and charged her fist with energy.

“Tch...”

I won’t make it at this rate!

Koutarou decided to abandon his left sword and thrust out his own left fist. Ruth was closing in fast enough that he wouldn’t have made it with the sword. As he thrust out his fist, it started to crackle and spark. That electricity was thanks to Kiriha’s gauntlet, which had been incorporated into his armor.

Their fists collided and cancelled out each other’s attack. Thanks to that, the attack didn’t end their battle, but they both stopped moving.

“You really have improved, Ruth-san.”

“Heehee, that’s because I haven’t missed a single thing you’ve said, Master.”

“Then I better take care not to say anything strange.”

“You don’t have to worry. I’d gladly forget something you asked me to, Master.”

They smiled at each other and lowered their weapons. Though their battle hadn’t reached a definitive conclusion, they’d accomplished what they set out to do.

“So there you have it. It goes something like that. What do you think, Clan?”

Koutarou returned his right sword to its sheath and picked up the one he’d dropped. While putting that back in its sheath too, he approached Clan.

“Frankly, I can’t recommend using two swords at the same time in this state.”

Clan shook her head as she tapped away on her bracelet. The next moment, it projected several holograms in the air around her. They were displaying footage from Koutarou and Ruth’s match, along with data gathered from it.

“I’ve recorded you fighting with a single sword, holding two swords and only using one, and using two swords at the same time... but only the first two seem practical. Even then, in close combat, just holding two swords is dangerous.”

“I thought so.”

Koutarou agreed with Clan’s assessment and nodded his head.

He’d wanted to consult with her about how to use his swords. Signaltin was enchanted with magic and Saguratin was infused with Sanae’s spiritual energy. Both had their own unique traits, and he wanted to know how to utilize them best.

In total, Koutarou could think of three different options.

The first was to keep fighting with a single sword as he had been up until now, and just switch swords based on the situation. Though it would take time to switch weapons in battle, the fact that he wouldn’t need to adjust his fighting style made it an attractive option.

The second option was to hold one sword in each hand, but only use one at a time like in the fight against the monster with Sanae a few weeks ago. It was a sort of last resort then, but not having to waste time switching back and forth between weapons made it practical.

The third option was to dual wield and use both swords at the same time. Though this would be the most difficult method by far, it maximized his use of both swords. It would give him maximum flexibility in combat.

Dual wielding was Koutarou’s first choice, but knowing how difficult it would be, he’d come to consult with Clan.

“When I’m wearing the armor, I don’t really feel the weight of the swords, but I end up being thrown around by them.”

Without the armor, using two swords at once just wasn’t realistic. A knight’s sword was a little too big to be used with one hand, and the momentum from swinging one was a force to be reckoned with—even on the user. Koutarou figured that he would be fine while wearing the armor, but the results were unsatisfactory. He also wanted to know the reason for that.

“The problem isn’t with the weight you feel, but with the mass. The armor might take the load off your body, but that doesn’t change the mass of the sword. The centrifugal force—the pull of the swing—is the same. If anything, you’re worse off wearing the armor because the faster you can swing the sword, the more it’s going to pull you with it.”

“Clan-sama, are you saying the quality of the swordsmanship is affected by using two swords at once?”

“Based on the results from the data, yes. Properly wielding two knight’s swords at once would mean having to invent a new style of sword fighting. It’s not a very realistic proposition.”

Using two longswords at the same time meant that the user had to account for them getting in the way of each other. On top of that, the sheer mass of the swords would affect Koutarou’s balance. He would have to use techniques developed specifically for such a style.

“If it’s just about offensive power, then doing what you two did at the end and using the built-in weapon in your left hand would be far better.”

Using two swords at once was unrealistic, so dropping one of them and relying on the other built-in weapons he had was a better option. That was the conclusion Clan reached based on her data.

“I see. If you can’t do anything about it, then it is what it is.”

Clan’s answer confirmed what Koutarou had suspected. That made the results easier to accept.

“I’ll just try coming up with something else.”

“...I’m not happy with how you phrased that.”

Koutarou was satisfied, but Clan was not. The eyes behind her beloved antique glasses filled with irritation as she frowned. She looked like a young girl throwing a tantrum.

“What are you getting so angry for?” Koutarou asked.

“There’s nothing I can’t do! You take that back!”

Clan couldn’t forgive Koutarou for suggesting she wouldn’t be any help.

“If you can’t do anything about it...”

To Clan, those words were the same as being told that she wasn’t being trusted.

“But you just said that it wasn’t realistic...”

“That doesn’t mean it’s impossible!”

Clan reached out and began to irritatedly poke at Koutarou’s chest with the tip of her finger.

“I will become your master! As if I would allow something so meager to get the better of me!”

Clan acknowledged Koutarou as the legendary Blue Knight. So in order to become his master, she was prepared to prove herself legendary too with her skills in science. Right now, she was aiming to become Koutarou’s master and be truly worthy of that title.

“So can you do it?”

“A foolish question! All you have to do is beg me! Say, ‘Oh, Princess Clariossa, please lend me your power!’ Now!”

“Clan...”

Arms crossed, Koutarou looked at Clan, who had manically thrown her head back, and realized his mistake.

I guess that to people that get along well, this probably means to expect good things in the future...

The solution to this problem was far more difficult than the practice devices that Koutarou had asked Clan to make. That’s why he didn’t want to ask for the impossible.

Thanks to the invader girls, Koutarou had realized that he tended not to expect things from others. In other words, he only ever asked people to do things in the narrow range of what they could or would want to do anyway.

But it seemed that was his problem here. Even in the face of a seemingly impossible task, Clan was eager to help him. Perhaps he should have just expected that from the start.

“I’m sorry. You’re right.”

“You may reflect on your actions to your heart’s content.”

“But, Clan...”

“What?”

“I want to ask you, not Princess Clariossa. Could you do it, Clan?”

“That...”

In that moment, Clan’s expression froze up.

Princess Clariossa and Clan both referred to the same person. But Koutarou had specifically asked Clan. The Blue Knight wasn’t asking Princess Clariossa. No, this was a request from a partner that she had been through thick and thin with—the man she hoped would continue to be her partner in the future as well.

And Clan properly understood the meaning behind those words. That’s why her expression soon unfroze and she smiled at Koutarou.

“That much is obvious. Who do you think I am?”

“A little sly, stubborn girl that I can always count on.”

“As long as you understand that, leave it to me, Koutarou.”

“Yeah, thanks, Clan.”

“Then I should get to work immediately... Heh heh heh...”

Koutarou had called her sly, but it had been a while since he’d seen her trademark cunning smirk. In fact, she wore such a bright smile right now that she looked like she might break into dance at any moment.

Clan’s idea was to use the armor’s gravity controls to manipulate the swords’ masses as needed. If she succeeded, Koutarou should be able to use two swords with the same style he had been cultivating so far.

But that would be no easy feat. Not only did the data necessary to control their masses need to be extrapolated from Koutarou’s movement data, but the problem with the two swords interfering with one another also needed to be taken into consideration. Anybody might have been able to solve either problem on its own, but only Clan could tackle the incredibly difficult task of solving both problems at once.

Clan led Koutarou and Ruth back to her laboratory and took several measurements on Koutarou and the armor. She also took the operational data from Ruth’s armor. After that, she threw it all into her computer and started calculating the required parameters.

“I can do this, but it won’t be finished anytime today or tomorrow.”

“I know. I’m not asking for that much.”

“I’ll also need to perform some adjustments, so come back again after a while.”

“Sure.”

“Thank you very much.”

It would take Clan a long time to calculate what she needed, so Koutarou and Ruth decided to leave her to her work and head home.

“Well, see you later, Clan.”

“I’ll be taking my leave too, Clan-sama.”

Koutarou lightly waved his hand while Ruth deeply bowed. That was when Clan shot a questioning glance at Ruth.

“Say, Pardomshiha... You went as far as giving me access to Blue Knight. Aren’t you worried I might try something?”

Koutarou’s armor was originally a part of the controls for Theia’s ship, Blue Knight. As such, Clan couldn’t touch up the armor without one of its registered users, namely Koutarou or Ruth, present. Clan had only been able to perform repairs to the armor in past Forthorthe because Koutarou had been with her and given his permission.

But now Koutarou and Ruth had their own lives to take care of, so they weren’t with Clan all the time. In light of that, Ruth decided to register Clan as a crew member of Blue Knight so that she could modify the armor as she pleased. Clan was confused that Ruth seemed to be so unwary of her, especially after giving her access to the ship.

“Could it be that you plan on servicing all of Blue Knight, Clan-sama?!”

Ruth’s eyes sparkled. There wasn’t a single fiber of her being that believed that Clan would do anything wrong.

“No! I’m talking about things like setting up a back door into the system or setting up traps on board the ship!”

Clan was flabbergasted at Ruth’s carefree attitude. Not long ago, she had been Theia and Ruth’s enemy.

“Huh...? But why would you do that? Would it be for a surprise party or something?”

Clan’s true meaning seemed to go completely over Ruth’s head. She blinked repeatedly and looked at Clan with a confused expression.

“Of course not! Jeez! I’m asking if you’re worried that I might eliminate Theiamillis-san to bump myself up in line for the throne!”

Eventually Clan got annoyed by Ruth’s lack of worry, and she spelled out her implication directly. With that, Ruth was finally able to understand what Clan was trying to say.

“No, not really.”

Ruth shook her head, and her neat, short hair flapped around.

“Why not?” Clan asked, stupefied.

“That’s because, right now, you don’t wish to become empress through such methods, Clan-sama.”

Ruth then put her hands on her chest and smiled at Clan.

“Pardomshiha...”

After meeting Alaia, Clan now understood what it truly meant to be a princess and empress. She knew that if she wasn’t a princess that the Blue Knight, Koutarou, would accept, she wasn’t fit to be empress. That’s why Clan was planning on winning against Theia fair and square now. She wouldn’t get in Theia’s way, and if she had to challenge her still, she would do it outright rather than trying to blindside her. Otherwise, she would never be able to surpass Alaia.

And Ruth had realized that. She could see it in her behavior and her relationship with Koutarou. Ruth may have misunderstood what Clan was suggesting, but it was only because she knew Clan wouldn’t do anything to sabotage what she’d worked so hard to build. Ruth was confident in that.

“Clan, you’re just thinking too hard about it. I’m always telling you that, aren’t I?” Koutarou said with a smile.

“Koutarou...”

Clan’s face turned a little red. She still wasn’t used to having a man be so friendly with her. However, Koutarou’s next words instantly sent her feelings into overdrive in the other direction.

“You’re so sly that you wouldn’t do anything evil that would leave evidence behind, right? You do evil elegantly, in a way that no one would ever find out about. You’re not the type that would do something as a registered user of the ship. It’s too obvious. Give yourself a little more credit.”

Clan’s eyebrow twitched, and her face turned even redder than it was before as she laid into Koutarou.

“Quit messing around! As if a future empress of Forthorthe would do something so low! Something like that would—”

“Yeah, that’s exactly what I’m saying.”

However, Koutarou put his hand on Clan’s head before she could finish shouting. And as if praising a child, he began patting her head.

“Ah...”

“It’s all right. Don’t worry. Both me and Ruth-san believe in you. The others might not yet, but they will eventually. Theia included.”

Koutarou and Ruth smiled and stared at Clan’s face.

“A-Auuugh...”

That caused Clan’s face to turn yet again a new shade of red, and she cast her eyes down as if to escape their eyes.

Clan had asked Ruth what she did because she was worried about whether or not Ruth really trusted her. They’d been enemies, after all. But in the end, it seemed she was worried for nothing. Koutarou had called her sly on purpose to get her angry and draw out her true intentions. Having realized that, Clan was both too overcome and embarrassed to raise her head.

“Like I said, Clan, give yourself a little more credit.”

“...I’ll hold off on killing you for now, Koutarou...”

Clan mumbled as she put her hands on her chest. When she did, she could feel her own heat and elevated heartbeat.

I could bet my life on this feeling... But to think feelings like this were asleep inside of me...

In the past, Clan had only thought of others as expendable—something to dispose of after their use had expired. But now that she’d stepped out of her laboratory, she’d had something of a change of heart. Clan herself thought it was strange, but now she loved others and the world. And she was happy about it.

“Hmm? What was that?”

“It was nothing.”

Clan spun around, turning her back to Koutarou and Ruth, and then headed towards one of the shelves in her lab.

“Pardomshiha, let me give you something nice.”

“Clan-sama?”

“Here they are. Take these.”

Clan then pulled out something from the shelf and brought it over to Ruth. She was holding a metallic rod in either hand, both about the size of relay batons.

“These are... beam swords, correct?”

The blades of the swords were beams emitted from the rods, hence the nickname of beam swords. Ruth knew that, but she wasn’t sure why Clan was presenting her with them. She gave her a confused look as if to ask why.

“Yes. I’m giving them to you as a sign of our friendship.”

As Clan nodded and smiled, Koutarou patted her on the head again.

“So you do have a nice side to you, Clan. Who knew?”

Koutarou knew very well the significance behind this gift.

“Auuugh...”

Clan blushed once more and turned her face away from Koutarou. She really wasn’t used to receiving compliments from people close to her.

“What do you mean, Master?”

Clan had fallen silent, so Ruth turned to Koutarou for answers. She still didn’t understand the meaning behind the present.

“Actually, those are the swords Lady Flairhan used. You know, the swords of light that appeared in legend.”

“These are?! Is that true?!”

The moment Ruth heard Koutarou’s explanation, her eyes shot wide open and she stared at the rods in her hands in astonishment. If what Koutarou said was true, what she was holding was of a very special significance to the Pardomshiha family. They were the famed weapons that Flairhan Pardomshiha, one of the characters that appeared in the legend of the Blue Knight, had used in the final battle against the coup d’etat army.

“You have my word.”

“To think they actually exist...”

Ruth firmly gripped the swords as her eyes moistened. The two swords of light that could cut through anything. Since they were described as magic swords, historians had debated whether or not they were actually real. And now not only did they exist, Ruth had them in her own hands. Holding the weapons of her greatest ancestor, Ruth was moved to tears.

“W-Well, it’s not something that can be made public, but there’s no point in me holding on to them. So you take them.”

“Thank you very much, Clan-sama! I will cherish them forever!”

“Wh-What an exaggerated reaction... They’re just beam swords...”

Attempting to escape from Ruth, who was repeatedly bowing her head deeply, Clan returned to her desk.

“Hey, Clan... let me teach you something.”

Seeing Clan like that, Koutarou gave her a small smile.

“...Wh-What?”

Clan looked up just enough with her eyes to see Koutarou. She was far too embarrassed to actually face him.

“You’re not suited to play the villain anymore. How about you just realize you’re a good guy now?”

“Wh-Who are you to talk?! You’re the one always calling me sly!”

“If I didn’t, I’d have to treat you like a real princess.”

“Then do it already!”

“Is that what you really want?”

“Uh... That’s not really what I...”

Clan became flustered, adjusted her glasses, and grabbed the hems of her skirt.

“Well, I am your partner... and accomplice... then there’s also... um...”

“Clan.”

“Wh-What?”

“Thank you for everything. You’re a huge help.”

“Wha?!”

Koutarou’s words of thanks made Clan’s eyes nearly bulge out of her head.

“I hope you continue to take care of me in the future as well.”

“...Uh... Auugh...”

Clan tried to retort, but she wasn’t able to form the words. It took a few moments, but Clan shot a dirty look at Koutarou through her glasses and finally managed to squeeze out a proper sentence.

“Jeez... I changed my mind. I really will kill you...”

Looking at Clan’s eyes, Koutarou had a certain thought...

“Yeah. Come kill me whenever you want. How about a day when Ruth’s prepared some snacks?”

“Idiot...”

He was really happy he’d reconciled with Clan.

At first, the room the girl known as Aika Maki lived in was extremely bare.

She would only be staying in this city until she completed her mission. That’s why she kept nothing that wasn’t absolutely necessary in her dwelling. She was almost like someone on a business trip. And without any decorations or personal touches, her room certainly didn’t look like a teenage girl lived there.

However, ever since the start of the new year, Maki’s room had started getting brighter.

There were several colorful outfits hanging on the clothes rack, and by the bed was a dressing table that wasn’t there last year. The drawer in that table held some makeup, though not much. More noticeably, the low table in the center of the room now had a checkered tablecloth draped over it. There were even two cushions sitting on the floor on either side. Wallpaper now covered the previously bare concrete walls, and there were countless other small changes to the room.

It was no longer the desolate living space it had once been. In just a few months, it had undergone a transformation. Though it was still minimal in decoration, it was now fitting for a teenage girl.

“Which one should I try next? Showing too much skin would be embarrassing, so maybe this white one... But won’t it be seen as childish, being so frilly and all?”

Maki was currently standing in the middle of her colorful room all alone, holding her own private fashion show. Standing in front of the dressing table, she was going back and forth between her newly-bought clothes and her favorite outfits, trying to decide what to wear for the coming weekend.

“If I match it with this white ribbon, it will probably look cute, so even if it’s a little childish... But I’m going to be getting on rides, so I shouldn’t wear any accessories that might be annoying...”

Her outfit, accessories, and makeup. Maki didn’t have a lot of options to choose from for each piece, but there were so many possible combinations that she’d been hard at work trying to find the best one since she got home.

“But... all the girls around Satomi-kun leave such a strong impression, maybe I should pick something flashy too... No, no, I shouldn’t force it...”

Maki actually had a date to go out tomorrow. She would be visiting the amusement park by the beach with some of her classmates, including the boy she loved. That was the reason she was having this fashion show—she wanted to be able to show off her cute side to him. She wasn’t trying to woo him, but she did want him to compliment her.

“As for my underwear... I should just wear something normal. It’s not like anyone’s going to see it... No, it’s possible, depending on the attraction... In that case... I should pick this flashy pair... Ah, no, it’s too early for that!”

After imagining something embarrassing, Maki grabbed a nearby cushion, hugged it, and buried her face into it. It was obvious what she wanted from the object of her affection, but being a beginner in love, she didn’t know how best to go about getting it. Deeply troubled over this, she continued hugging the cushion.

“What am I doing...?”

After sitting like that for a while, Maki sighed. Still hugging her cushion, she looked up at the ceiling.

“To think I had such girlish feelings inside me too...”

Maki couldn’t help being confused.

Ever since she was a child, she had lived a harsh, violent life. She’d grown up only thinking about how to use and outsmart others. She was utterly detached from feelings like love, so much so that she thought she would never be able to experience them.

But meeting a certain boy had changed everything.

If it’s with him, I’m sure we can ease each other’s loneliness. We can save each other...

Her exchanges with this boy had woken up such feelings in her. And by the time she realized that, everything around her had changed. Things were sparkling and colorful. Everything she did was enjoyable. Having someone to support her and supporting someone in turn made Maki’s life brighter. This was the first time she’d experienced that magical little thing called hope.

“I... would die for Satomi-kun’s sake... and I used to think that only fools died for others...”

Maki had finally found value in her own life. This was the first time in her life she wished that these days would last forever. Of course, because of the harsh life she’d lived up until now, it had taken her some time to admit those feelings. She had tried to play them off with various excuses, including that getting close to this boy was part of her mission. But now her feelings had grown to the point that she could no longer hide from them.

However, that deviated from her goals as a member of Darkness Rainbow. Darkness Rainbow’s creed was to use magic to achieve what its members desired, whatever that might be. But right now, Maki didn’t want to use her magic to force things. She was happy to live out her days as they were. She was starting to lose herself as Dark Navy, but she wasn’t fully aware of that yet.

“Okay, let’s do this. I have to make sure Satomi-kun likes it somehow!”

Maki stood up, put the cushion down, and turned back to her wardrobe.

This was how Maki had lived her days like a normal girl, not knowing what her actions really meant.

“...It looks like you’re blending in well, Maki.”

However, those days were about to draw to a close. It would be as sudden as the way they’d begun. And the person that came to let Maki know the end had come was someone she knew very well.

“You also seem to have gotten a lot more feminine since I saw you last.”

When Maki hurriedly turned around in the direction of the voice in her room, she saw a woman in a dark indigo robe very similar to her own magical girl outfit.

“Maya-sama?!”

It was Maki’s master and the previous Dark Navy.

Maya was injured in a battle against Nana several years ago. As her disciple, Maki had inherited her title as Dark Navy.

Though the wounds Maya had suffered weren’t fatal, she was severely maimed. She was in a bad enough state that she couldn’t walk, let alone fight. She lost several parts of her body, along with a great deal of mana. That’s why Maya’s life as a soldier should have ended back then.

“Maya-sama, is your body all right?!”

“Yes. I found a superb doctor.”

But the same Maya was now standing in front of Maki on her own two legs. She’d even cloaked her presence well enough that she could sneak up right next to Maki. In other words, she’d recovered her potential as a soldier. That’s why Maki was left speechless from surprise.

“That said, I haven’t fully healed. So as part of my rehabilitation, I came to cheer you on.”

While she spoke, Maya clenched her right hand and formed fist in front of Maki.

Amazing... Just where did she get such an elaborate artificial arm...?

Maki held her breath as she stared at Maya’s right arm.

Maya’s original right arm had been blown off during her battle with Nana, so her right arm now had to be artificial. However, it was so expertly crafted that it was hard to tell just by looking at it. Its color and texture almost perfectly matched the rest of her skin, and there were only a few lines and markings on it that hinted that it was artificial. Even then, she could probably just play them off as tattoos. Its movements were also very natural; they were neither too stiff nor too smooth. In short, it looked and worked just like a real human arm.

A prosthetic that elaborate couldn’t have come from Folsaria, and certainly not from Earth. Seeing it, Maki realized that Maya must have a very special ally.

“I also came to brag about my rejuvenated form.”

“Maya-sama...”

Maya had lost much more than just her right arm in the battle with Nana, and it seemed she’d supplemented all of those losses with mechanical body parts. Even her badly burned skin had been grafted with some kind of synthetic material. As a result, Maya looked easily ten years younger than when she saw her last. Maya was more than ten years older than Maki, but now they looked like they could be sisters.

“But you don’t have to worry. I don’t have any intentions on retaking the title of Dark Navy from you. Sadly, I still can’t use magic very well.”

The only downside to her artificial body parts was that they couldn’t produce mana. Magicians focused the mana in their bodies into a single point to cast spells, making artificial body parts worthless in that regard. Her body had been artificially restored to its full physical potential, but that wouldn’t help her with magic. Because of that, the once powerful Maya was about on par with a standard magician. She no longer had the strength to be a leader of Darkness Rainbow.

“No, I wasn’t worried about that... I am glad to see you are fine, Maya-sama.”

Maya was Maki’s master, and seeing her master so healthy made her happy. A smile naturally crossed her lips.

“You’ve changed, Maki. The you in the past would have been more cautious... Could this be confidence from getting stronger?”

Seeing Maki like this, Maya smiled with enjoyment. But when Maki saw her master’s expression, she froze up.

Oh no, I was acting like I would with Satomi-kun...!

Ever since she’d realized her special feelings for Koutarou, Maki spent her days in happiness. She no longer distrusted people or wished harm on them. Her hostility had been replaced with warmth.

But that wasn’t how Maya knew Dark Navy. Not only was she hostile towards the magical girls from Rainbow Heart, there were even power struggles within Darkness Rainbow. Her everyday life was a constant struggle. That was what had closed off her heart and put an edge on her personality. That was who Maki, Magical Girl Darkness Navy, had been in the past.

I have to make sure no one suspects anything, or Satomi-kun will be in danger!

Realizing the position she was in, Maki summoned all of the negativity she could. She didn’t have much malice left within her, but for better or for worse, she at least still had her worries and anxieties. Imagining the person she loved in danger caused those feelings to swell up and fill her heart.

“...It’s been quite some time since I took the title of Dark Navy. I won’t be known as your poor disciple forever.”

The darkness Maki summoned inside was just barely enough to recreate her mask as Dark Navy.

“That’s true. I’m sorry, Dark Navy.”

Fortunately, Maya didn’t find Maki suspicious.

Darkness Rainbow was an extremely self-concerned group of people. Even if a change came over one of the other members, they would suspect it was related to a mission or a plot. Maya had noticed the difference in Maki’s behavior, but she figured it was because of her work here in this city. Or perhaps she was even trying to manipulate Maya. Either way, Maya didn’t seem to think anything of it.

Darkness Rainbow believed that bonds between people either meant using someone or getting used. The relationship between master and disciple was nothing more than that.

“No, it’s nothing to apologize about...”

Maki smiled without letting anything on, but in reality she was greatly shaken.

This is who I used to be...

Maki could see her past self in Maya. She saw someone who only looked at people as tools. Someone who was only concerned about making sure she wasn’t the one getting used. And confronted with someone like that, Maki couldn’t help but feel afraid. The thought that Maya might attack the boy she loved—just as Maki once had herself—struck fear in her heart.

I have to protect him... I have to protect Satomi-kun from my darkness...

This city had changed Maki a lot, but the darkness of her past self changed form and reappeared before her as Maya. Maki knew it was a threat, and that Koutarou might end up getting involved. Maki also knew that if that happened, it would be her fault. That hurt her heart more than anything.

Maya wasn’t the only one from Folsaria to pay a visit to Maki. Once Maki and Maya had their little reunion, two other girls appeared in Maki’s room. They were also wearing magical girl outfits similar to Maki’s, but the colors were different—one was red and the other green. These were Maki’s allies from Darkness Rainbow, the magical girls Dark Crimson and Dark Green.

“Maki, you’ve gotten awfully girly since I saw you last.”

The girl in the red outfit, Dark Crimson, looked around at Maki’s clothes spread throughout the room and smiled.

Dark Crimson had a boisterous and unyielding personality. Getting stronger and fighting powerful foes meant everything to her. Her frame of mind was similar to that of a devout martial artist. She strived to become the strongest magical girl and trained hard day and night. She was also obsessed with collecting magical items that would make her stronger. She specialized in energy type offensive magic.

And because of her tomboyish disposition, she didn’t care much for being girly. Dark Crimson didn’t wear makeup and her hair was unkempt, flowing down her back like flames. She’d even modified her outfit to get rid of anything that restricted her movement, so its design was different from the others’. She was clean, but not very feminine. That was the kind of girl Dark Crimson was.

Dark Crimson felt a sense of closeness with Maki, who lacked almost as much femininity as she did. Maki hated feigning who she really was, so she never wore makeup or fancy clothes. But that Maki had started to come around, Dark Crimson took that as ammunition to tease her with.

“I am only doing this out of necessity.”

Maki frowned as she spoke. Since she despised lies, she told the truth. To the current Maki, being feminine was necessary.

“Well, I guess. There’s no way Maki would ever want to do something like this... but seeing it sure does make me laugh.”

However, Dark Crimson interpreted Maki’s words differently. She assumed that Maki meant she was doing all of this for the sake of her mission.

“If you want to laugh, just go ahead and do so.”

“Heh, I’ll take you up on your offer... Ahahahaha!”

Of course, Maki didn’t correct that misunderstanding. There was no reason to reveal the truth and jeopardize her position. And since this was all working out in her favor, she wasn’t particularly mortified about being laughed at.

I agree, Crimson... I find it funny myself...

Maki was glad Dark Crimson had misunderstood her, but she forced an unhappy expression and turned to Dark Green to change the subject as Dark Crimson kept laughing.

“By the way, Green, what even brought the two of you here?”

The girl in the dark green outfit was the shortest of the seven leaders of Darkness Rainbow. Standing next to Dark Crimson, the tallest of the seven, there was more than a head’s difference in their height.

“Our last job wrapping up happened to coincide with Maya-san’s return, so we came to take a look and see how things were going over here.”

Dark Green responded in a very proper manner as she adjusted her glasses. It wasn’t just her height; even her personality was the opposite of Dark Crimson’s. Her specialty was also quite contrary, as she focused on divination and illusions. She was a magician skilled in information gathering and interference.

“I said that I was fine alone.”

Dark Green’s words made Maya slump her shoulders. Even though she had just recovered, Maya had a lot of pride and confidence. She wasn’t very happy being told that she needed protection.

“I believe in your abilities, Maya-san, but not so much that new body.”

“Same.”

Trusting Maya was one thing, but trusting the technology that was now part of her body was something else altogether. Since Maya felt the same way, she raised no further protest.

“...So the three of us have come out ahead of the others. Our goal now is to scout the surroundings of that mana source before our all-out attack, and if possible, seize it for ourselves.”

Darkness Rainbow was after the mana gathered in room 106. They considered claiming it their top priority, but even that was just a means to an end. Their real goal was to destroy Rainbow Heart.

Crimson and Green had been on their own missions in preparation for all this. It was sheer coincidence that Maya had returned in her new body just as they had finished their last jobs, so the three of them had come to Kisshouharukaze City together.

Their true battle, the decisive battle against Rainbow Heart, lay beyond this. If they were able to obtain the pool of mana, they would be in a much more advantageous position for that fight. That was why Maki had been sent here in the first place.

“What about the other four?”

“Purple-san is busy tying up Rainbow Heart. Yellow-san is making weapons in preparation for the battle. Blue-san is still busy training her disciple, and Orange-san is helping her.”

“So it’s almost time...”

One year ago, five of the seven leaders of Darkness Rainbow had sustained severe injuries in a fight with Rainbow Nana. As a result, Crimson, Orange, and Yellow needed long-term treatment and Navy and Green had to retire and pass their titles to their disciples. That’s why the Dark Green standing in front of Maki now was a different person from the Dark Green she’d known a year ago.

However, Darkness Rainbow’s situation had improved over the past year and they had since started taking action again. Like Maki said, the decisive battle against Rainbow Heart was at hand. The opening round would be when they moved to seize the mana in room 106.

“It’s obvious that whichever side controls that pool of mana during the decisive battle will have an advantage. So this is where it starts...”

Maki mumbled to herself with a serious expression as she realized the gravity of the situation.

I have to keep Satomi-kun out of this fight...

There was a massive quantity of mana in room 106. It was in a league of its own, even when compared to the artifacts—powerful magical items—that Maki and the others had gathered. Maki suspected it was related to Signaltin and Encyclopedia, but there was something that kept her from being certain. Moreover, in the middle of all this was the boy she loved. If she did nothing, he would be dragged into the conflict. Maki began racking her brain to try and come up with a way to avoid that.

“The ideal would be if we could seize it now, but it should be fine as long as we seal it before the decisive battle.”

Maya continued on from where Maki left off. Darkness Rainbow’s absolute priority was to make sure that Rainbow Heart didn’t use the mana themselves. Seizing the mana came second.

“Then let’s blow away the building around the mana. If we clear the area, they won’t try and make use of it for fear of being seen.”

Listening to Maya’s words, Crimson proposed a rough plan—destroying Corona House so that neither side would be able to use the mana. It was something of an unwritten law that magicians were required to conceal the existence of magic from normal society while on Earth. By leveling the building that contained the mana pool, it would become impossible to do anything with it in secret. Crimson’s idea was simple and savage, but quite effective.

“We can’t do that.”

However, Maki immediately rejected it.

“Why not?”

Crimson was unhappy with this. She thought her plan was a good idea. Maki continued on in an attempt to convince her otherwise.

“If we do that, then we can’t use the mana either. It’s also likely they’d begin reconstruction immediately. Besides, we can always destroy it later if we need to.”

There wouldn’t be any point in destroying the building if it was rebuilt before their decisive battle. There was a similar problem with sealing the mana pool. If they were going to do that, they would need to do so just before the battle. Their focus right now should be solely on seizing the mana.

“How slow are you going to take this...?”

Crimson grimaced at Maki’s explanation. She hated trouble. But since she understood what Maki was saying, she didn’t raise a fuss.

“Green, what do you think?”

Instead, Crimson asked for Green’s opinion. Green was the calmest and most intelligent of the four in the room, so Crimson was willing to defer to her opinion.

“Hmm... In order not to waste all of Navy-san’s efforts, let’s not blow up any buildings this time.”

Green slightly tilted her head and indicated the clothes lying scattered around the room.

“Well, okay.”

Crimson easily gave up on the idea when Green backed up Maki. Strategy wasn’t her forte in the first place, and she would be happy as long as she got to fight against strong opponents.

You’re a lifesaver, Green...

If Corona House was blown up, its residents wouldn’t go unscathed. Since Maki wanted to protect one of those residents, she was grateful that Green had come in on her side.

“So, Maki, how about the boy?”

Hasty as she was, Crimson pushed the discussion forward. Secretly relieved, Maki answered her question.

“Our relationship is going well. I’m sure he would think of me as a good friend.”

“Hmm, for someone who hates dealing with people, you’ve sure worked hard on this.”

“...Well, thanks.”

“Maki, couldn’t you just lead that boy somewhere else?”

That was when Maya spoke up. She’d heard reports of the dangerous boy who wielded a powerful artifact. The best outcome would be if he joined their cause, but if that wasn’t possible, they needed to separate him from the pool of mana somehow. It was a common tactic to pull the most difficult opponent away from a fight.

And looking at everything that had happened, it seemed as if the artifact he had made use of the mana in room 106. They would inevitably need to keep him away until they could seize control of the mana for themselves.

“I wasn’t the one that set it up, but I happen to have plans to go out with him tomorrow.”

“Then try to stall him for as long as you can. I’m interested, so I actually would have loved to meet him, but I have more important business to attend to.”

Maya flashed a smile as she said that, her words laced with sinister meaning.

Maya-sama is after Yurika...

Maya was planning on eliminating Rainbow Heart’s archwizard, Yurika, while Maki kept Koutarou away. Seeing Maya grin, Maki understood all of that implicitly. She gave her master a nod in return.

“I understand.”

Maki had no objections. Things were actually developing in an ideal direction for her.

If it happens tomorrow, I can protect Satomi-kun...

The person Maki wanted to protect was the same person Maya considered a threat. Maki didn’t just want to protect Koutarou from physical harm; she wanted to keep him from getting involved in anything bad.

He shouldn’t have to fight. I can’t let him...

The boy she loved had skill in battle and a powerful weapon, but that didn’t mean that fighting suited him. Maki believed he was the kind of person that died a little on the inside when he had to hurt others. If he had to go through too much of that, it would eventually consume him.

That’s why Maki wanted to keep him away from the battle in order to protect him. She loved Koutarou just the way he was now. He was neither a soldier nor a hero, just a normal boy that was a little strange. But Maki loved that boy who knew the same loneliness she did more than anything.

“Won’t that be dangerous with just Navy-san? The artifact in question is supposedly very powerful...”

Green furrowed her brow. Maki hadn’t gone on the offensive so far because Satomi Koutarou was too strong. It seemed to the others, then, that Maki facing him tomorrow should be a big risk.

“I’ll be fine, Green. I’ve been working up to this.”

Maki had no intention of fighting him. She also didn’t think that he would attack her. She couldn’t imagine being in danger, even going alone. However, just saying that she would be fine wasn’t enough to satisfy Green.

“Perhaps, but if it does develop into a fight, then Navy-san alone won’t be able to— Oh?”

But as she spoke, Green realized something and flashed an astonished expression. After staring at Maki for a moment, she smiled.

“I see... So that’s how it is.”

“What?”

Maki wasn’t following Green’s meaning. She just stood there, looking confused.

“Navy-san, you’ve made a contract with a devil or something, haven’t you? That’s why you said that you’ll be fine on your own... I finally understand.”

In contrast to the confused Maki, Green seemed satisfied and nodded.

All magicians were able see the mana surrounding people, but Green was exceptionally good at it thanks to her specialization in divination and information gathering. Thanks to that, she was able to see even concealed magic or weak traces of magic that normal magicians would overlook.

And Green had spotted something special within Maki. It was a kind of magic that compelled two intelligent creatures to help one another.

To magicians, it was a type of magic called a contract or engagement, and there were primarily two reasons to use such a thing. One was to form a contract to bind a demon in service to a magician, a so-called familiar. The other was when making a deal with a creature of a higher existence, primarily forming a contract to receive aid when specific conditions were met.

When forming such contracts, the more powerful the being, the more complex the conditions tended to be. And Green had noticed a very complex contract connected to Maki. That’s why she assumed that Maki had made a contract with a devil, an extremely high level demon.

“Wha...”

Maki was at a loss for words.

A contract? That’s not... With who, even? And when?

Maki had no recollection of forming a contract with someone, so what Green was suggesting took her by surprise. It was enough that she suspected Green must be jesting.

“So, Green, what kind of contract is that?”

While Maki was stumped, Crimson muscled her way into the conversation. If Maki had made a contract with someone, it would mean she’d gotten a serious power-up. To Crimson who valued strength more than anything, this was extremely interesting.

“It’s an equal and persistent contract involving a mental connection between the parties... and there’s no limit to the mutual assistance. It’s almost like they’re one and the same. It’s quite a bold contract...”

“Maki... are you planning on marrying that devil or something?”

Hearing the details, Crimson began laughing with an amazed expression. The contract was far stronger and complex than what she had imagined. Simply put, it was contract that bound their hearts and bared their souls to one another. Until death did they part, they were bound to protect each other. It was such an odd, complex contract that it wasn’t strange that Crimson would laugh and compare it to marriage. But the complexity of the contract also indicated that Maki had contracted with an extraordinarily powerful being. Crimson could imagine just how strong that bond made her. It was exciting.

Marriage...?

When Green mentioned that word, a certain boy appeared in Maki’s mind.

“Ah...”

That was when Maki realized that there was indeed someone who fit what Green was describing. But that too stumped her quite badly.

But... that’s... impossible...

If that really was the truth, everything that Maki believed might have been a lie.

“What’s he like? Tell us, Maki.”

Interested because Maki had clammed up, Crimson prodded her for information. She thought Maki was just being secretive about the source of her power, and didn’t think there was any deeper meaning to it than that.

“Th-That’s...”

“Just leave it at that, Crimson. Even if we’re allies, it’s against the rules to pry into each other’s affairs.”

Pale and in shock, Maki was unable to give an answer. Fortunately, Maya gave her a helping hand. Darkness Rainbow had a rule about not interfering in the business of others, and pushing Maki to reveal who she’d made a contract with could be seen as a violation of that rule.

“Hahh... And we finally got to an interesting topic...”

Crimson sighed regrettably, but she easily relented and quickly backed off. Crimson was curious about the creature Maki had contracted, but it was also true that revealing such information would put Maki at a disadvantage. So Crimson thought that Maya’s words were justifiable.

“Green, you too.”

“Yes, Maya-san. And I’m sorry, Navy-san...”

Green politely bowed her head as she apologized for revealing that Maki had formed a contract without permission.

“No, that’s okay...”

Maki offered forgiveness, but her mind was elsewhere.

S-Satomi-kun, I... I...

Her body trembled as unease welled up from the bottom of her heart. Just a few moments ago, Maki had been leaping for joy as she was cheerfully trying to pick out what clothes to wear for tomorrow.

I... Just what... are these feelings...?

But there was not a trace of joy left in her now. The solitude and despair she thought were long gone had seized hold of her once more.