Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? - Volume 38 - Chapter 1

The Girl Who Fell From the Sky

Wednesday, August 10th

Koutarou and the girls were now back at Corona House after their beach trip, and even though it had been days, they were still fondly reminiscing about it. It was an eventful and memorable vacation for everyone.

“Come here, Koutarou.” Theia beckoned him with her right hand as she hooked her left index finger around the collar of her shirt.

“Hmm? What for?” he asked, looking up from his homework. Theia was sitting across the tea table from him, and he couldn’t help noting the grin on her face.

“Want to see my tan line?” she asked.

Indeed, Theia had picked up a tan under the summer sun at the beach. The skin underneath where her swimsuit had been, however, was still perfectly pale. The contrast was so amusing that she wanted to show Koutarou.

“Cut it out,” he replied. “I’m not answering an impossible question like that.”

Her offer had him a bit unnerved. If he said that he did want to see, he’d basically be asking her to take her clothes off. And if he said he didn’t want to see, he’d basically be acting like he had no interest in her. It was a dangerous conundrum.

“Ohoho, that was the right answer.”

Koutarou had responded exactly the way Theia’d hoped. Essentially, she just wanted to tease him. She would have been pleased with whatever result as long as it forced Koutarou to look at her and see her as a woman.

“Come on...” he complained.

But in spite of himself, Koutarou understood Theia’s motivations. He wasn’t going to have an easy time picking one girl over the other eight. They’d all risked their lives to show him how they felt, each girl believing they could support one another. Rejecting even one of them would be incredibly painful. Koutarou didn’t think he’d be able to go through with it.

“You could stand to be a bit more cavalier when it comes to simply beholding my body,” Theia scolded him.

“I don’t want to be cavalier.”

Koutarou didn’t think he could reject any of the girls, but that didn’t mean that he could accept all nine of them as girlfriends. It just wasn’t the right way to repay the girls who’d staked everything on him. This was the dilemma of finding himself with nine different people precious to him. It was why he’d even entertained the idea of maintaining the status quo. He thought he would be happy just seeing the girls happy.

“Then continue as you are until you’re satisfied. This, too, is a part of you I love. That’s just how my knight is, and it’s why I’ll wait for you forever. The same goes for the other eight girls.”

“Sorry for being so stubborn...”

“You can say that again.” Theia let go of her collar and laughed. “Hahaha!”

As she did, another laugh came from nearby. “Ahahaha!” This one was from Kotori, who was watching from across the room.

“Kotori?” Nalfa looked up at her friend in puzzlement. The two of them, like Koutarou, were working on their homework.

“I was just thinking how true to form this is for Kou-niisan. Way back when, he’d joke about wishing for a girlfriend. But now that he’s got his chance, he doesn’t know what to do with it.”

Koutarou had always wanted a girlfriend, but he’d never dreamed of actually having one. He figured that it would never happen, or that it wouldn’t work out if it did. Seeing his expectations turned completely on their head, Kotori couldn’t help but laugh. In truth, it was a huge relief to her. She’d been worried about him for some time.

“And the beach?” Nalfa asked. “Was that also because that’s just the kind of person he is?”

“I thought it was strange that he would throw you like that, Nal-chan. He must have been trying to make me angry.”

Unlike Kenji, Koutarou didn’t have a lot of experience with girls, so even his best attempt at throwing a surprise party had been somewhat clumsy. Fundamentally, that was the same problem he was having now.

“Hmph.” Unaware of the younger girls’ quiet conversation, Theia crawled over next to Koutarou and sat down next to him. She then leaned against him to read some manga. “This is acceptable, is it not?”

“I guess.”

“And it would be nice if you’d wrap your arm around my waist.”

“I guess that’s okay too...”

“You never would’ve agreed to that a year ago, you know?”

“Well, you risked your life for me. So easily too. It’d be weird if I didn’t pay you back somehow.”

There, Koutarou put down his pen and pressed his finger to Theia’s forehead. Though he couldn’t see it right now, he was thinking of the red crest engraved there. Given what she’d been willing to sacrifice for him, the ever-serious Koutarou couldn’t just do nothing for her.

“Whether it was an easy or complicated affair is a matter of perspective,” Theia insisted.

“Yeah. That’s exactly the problem,” Koutarou sighed.

“Hahaha.”

“What?”

“It’s nothing.”

Theia set her manga down on the table and began stroking Koutarou’s arm around her waist. After some time in silence, she took his left hand with her right and intertwined their fingers. She then picked up her manga again with her left hand.

“Won’t that be hard to read like that?” he asked.

“Indeed. Just flipping the page is a challenge,” she replied.

“Then just read it normally.”

“I’d like this to be normal.”

“I see...”

“Good.”

“...You know, your scalp got a tan too.”

“That’s a blatant change of topic.”

Theia started reading her manga again with only one hand, but she was up to the challenge.

Since it was the middle of the summer vacation, the Corona House crew filtered into room 106 at different times of day. Kiriha didn’t return until four in the afternoon. By then, Koutarou had reached his homework goal for the day and was reading manga with Theia.

“What an overly complicated way to read a book,” she remarked.

Koutarou and Theia were holding hands, so they were each only using a single hand to read. At a glance, the setup looked remarkably inconvenient.

“See? Even Kiriha-san thinks so,” said Koutarou.

“Surely you’ve gotten used to it by now. Don’t be mean,” Theia replied.

“Well, it’s good to see the two of you getting along so well,” Kiriha giggled.

Thanks to Koutarou and Theia’s conversation, she now had a fairly good handle on the situation and entered the room still giggling. She took a seat at the table for herself and began making some tea.

“It sounded like today’s meeting would be a heated one,” Theia said, stopping what she was doing.

Kiriha shook her head as she steeped the leaves in the pot. The gesture betrayed her exasperation. “Indeed, such conferences are always busy ones,” she sighed.

“There’s the new transfer students in the fall, Ralgwin’s forces, and now Grevanas. There’s a lot on the table, not to mention the fact that everyone else comes to Kiriha-san when they have problems,” Koutarou added.

“If you understand that, go give her a shoulder rub or something.”

“Let go of my hand, then.”

“Hmmmmm...”

Theia reluctantly released Koutarou’s hand. She then went back to reading her manga, this time with both hands, but ultimately closed the book and put it down on the table.

“Kiriha-san, what kind of massage would you like?”

“Let’s see... My shoulders would be lovely.”

“You got it.”

Koutarou moved behind Kiriha. There was nothing wrong with giving a friend a little massage. Kiriha was fully dressed and everything, so Koutarou had no reservations about it. But being bashful was the last thing on his mind once he put his hands on Kiriha’s back.

“Hmm? What’s this...?”

“What is it, Satomi Koutarou?”

“You can’t wait until it gets this bad, Kiriha-san.”

Koutarou was talking about the tension in Kiriha’s shoulders. While he wasn’t as good as Sanae, he could handle spiritual energy to a degree. The instant he’d touched her, he could sense her poor circulation, which compromised both her health and her spiritual energy.

“Sorry. Things have just been so busy,” she apologized.

“You always put yourself last. When it gets this bad, you need to come to me or Sanae,” Koutarou scolded her. He was always polite with Kiriha, but his tone now was especially stern.

“I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful in the future.”

Kiriha understood his sincerity and offered hers in return. She wouldn’t dare tease him for being seriously worried about her. Besides, she had her back to him now. Since he couldn’t see her face, anything playful she said or did might be misunderstood.

“Jeez...”

Koutarou continued to rub Kiriha’s shoulders, pouring spiritual energy into his hands the same way Sanae would. He didn’t have her psychic touch, but it would still help improve Kiriha’s circulation a bit.

As he worked, Theia suddenly let out a giggle. When Koutarou and Kiriha turned to look at her, she was leaning against the table on her elbows and smiling at them.

“What is it?” Koutarou asked.

“You haven’t realized, Koutarou? You never would’ve done this a year ago.”

“Like I said, it’d be weird if I didn’t now.”

In a similar situation in the past, Koutarou had avoided giving the girls massages. He’d counted on the girls to take care of themselves barring extenuating circumstances. In his mind, that was the appropriate thing to do, but lately, that mentality had started to change. He now felt like he needed to repay the girls for everything they’d done for him.

“How considerate of you, Satomi Koutarou. Yet you still wouldn’t touch me anywhere but my shoulders, would you?”

“That’d be the weirdest of all!” Koutarou exclaimed emphatically.

“...That’s a relief,” Kiriha replied with a smile for some reason.

“Huh?” Koutarou was surprised by this.

“I can feel your emotions through the palms of your hands... and I’m relieved.”

Koutarou groaned. He was in the middle of giving Kiriha a massage, meaning he was pouring his spiritual energy directly into her. With it came his feelings, and that was indeed a relief for Kiriha. She now knew what was in his heart, no matter how he might try to deny it.

“I-I really wouldn’t...”

“Of course not. I must have misunderstood.”

“Y-Yeah...”

However, Kiriha didn’t press the issue. She wanted to spare the dignity of the man she loved. She was content to torment him more when it was just the two of them.

Once her massage was over, Kiriha headed into the kitchen to prepare dinner. Thanks to Koutarou, her shoulders felt lighter as she rhythmically chopped up ingredients. There was a unique joyfulness to the sound.

“She’s like a wife happily making dinner,” Shizuka pointed out.

The other girls had more or less the same impression.

“Veltlion is always soft on Kii,” said Clan.

“Really? I think he’s the softest on you, Glasses,” interjected Sanae.

“I used to think so too, but lately I’ve started to think it’s someone else,” threw in Yurika.

“Who?” Clan and Sanae asked at the same time, turning her way.

Responding to their stares, Yurika pointed over her shoulder. “Nana-san. At least, that’s what it seems like to me.”

Nana currently had several blueprints spread out behind Yurika and was discussing something with Koutarou. They were so focused on it that they didn’t even notice Yurika and the others looking at them.

“You’re the only one small enough to infiltrate through there, Nana-san,” said Koutarou. “My armor would definitely get me stuck.”

“Could you please not treat me like a child?” she replied.

“That’s not what I’m talking about. I know you’re an adult, Nana-san.”

“...That stings in its own way.”

“What do you want me to say?”

“Well, I am a woman... so I’d be happy if you appreciated my looks and personality, I think.”

“You’re so cute that I know you can get through an air duct.”

“What?! Now it really sounds like you’re treating me like a child!”

“Seriously, what do you want me to say?!”

With room 106 as packed as it was, Koutarou and Nana were sitting shoulder to shoulder as they looked at the blueprints together. The way they talked made them sound like close siblings, but in reality, Nana was much older. Seeing them together like this, the other girls felt Yurika was onto something.

“You’re right. Veltlion does seem to be soft on Nana...” commented Clan.

“I imagine her looking younger than even Theia-chan has something to do with it.”

“She doesn’t look much older than a sixth grader...” added Theia.

Again, Nana was older than Koutarou and the rest of the Corona House crew. But nevertheless, she was petite and had a remarkably youthful appearance. As Theia said, she could have passed for an elementary or middle school student.

“I think something happened between them at the beach.” When Shizuka said that, everyone turned to look at her. It was simply too loaded a comment for them to ignore. “I mean, didn’t they make all those preparations in secret? That’s the kind of opportunity you need to really get close to someone.”

“It’s not impossible...” Clan murmured.

“Since it’s Nana-san, I think it’s fine,” said Yurika.

“If anything, Nana’s like one of us,” added Theia. “She’s been through a lot.”

Most women would have a thing or two to say about the man they loved warming up to someone else, but the girls’ hearts went out to Nana. They felt no sense of antagonism toward her whatsoever. Especially not after more than half her body had been replaced with machinery. Given how much they’d all come to love her, the girls would never dream of stopping Nana from getting closer to Koutarou. They honestly felt it would be okay if she fell in love with him too.

“Um, so where were we again?” Nana asked.

“We were talking about how adorable little Nana-san can crawl through air ducts.”

“...You can be surprisingly mean at times, Satomi-san.”

“And you can be surprisingly cute at times, Nana-san.”

“Gosh! You’re doing that on purpose aren’t you?!”

“Yes.”

“Satomi-san!”

Nana was particularly cute in the moment, almost like she’d regained a spark of childlike innocence.

“Dinner will be ready soon so— What are you doing?”

The girls continued to observe her and Koutarou until Kiriha walked in to get them for dinner.

The group stopped what they were doing to clean up the inner room for dinner, and by the time they were done, everyone else had returned to the apartment too. Koutarou and the girls made for a party of ten, and lately Nalfa had been joining them as well. Nana was with them tonight as well for a total of twelve people. Room 106 was as crowded as ever.

“You have to eat your vegetables, Yurika-chan,” Nana reminded her.

“Okaaay.”

“Is there anything you don’t like to eat, Nana-san?” Koutarou asked.

“As a former soldier, I can eat anything,” she replied.

Sanae normally sat next to Koutarou, but Nana took that seat tonight. She and Koutarou had been putting their heads together all evening, and they continued to chat away even now with dinner on the table.

“I imagine Maki-san is probably the same way,” she suggested.

“That’s right. My preferences don’t affect my palate. I’ve even taken survivalist training.”

“So how’d Yurika end up hating so many foods even though she’s in the military too?” Koutarou had to ask.

“I’m not cut out for it.”

“Still,” Koutarou laughed, “for being able to eat anything, you sure don’t eat much, Nana-san.”

“How much food do you think this body can handle, Satomi-san?”

“You’ll never get taller if you don’t eat right.”

“I’m already a grown adult!”

Koutarou’s first impression of Nana had been that she was brilliant and levelheaded, but that perception had changed over time. Right now, he felt like she might actually be as young as her appearance led one to believe. Beneath her calm, cool, and collected demeanor was a childish side after all. Of course, being treated like a child still upset her. She was just about to voice a complaint when...

“Satomi-san, what do you think I— Oh?”

“What is it?” Koutarou asked.

“Well, my right hand feels strange.”

“Let me see.” Koutarou eyed Nana’s hand, which she raised for him to get a better look. Since he was sitting to her right, she practically held it up to his face. “It looks the same as always to me.”

“The movements feel unnatural, like there’s grinding...”

Nana set her chopsticks down on the table and made a fist, opening and closing it repeatedly. It appeared perfectly normal to Koutarou, but Nana said it didn’t feel right.

“Hey, Clan?” Koutarou called over to his partner in crime.

“On it. Hold these for me,” she replied, pushing her bowl and chopsticks at Koutarou before fiddling with her bracelet. “Nana, can you do without your right arm for a minute?”

“Sure.”

Nana’s arm abruptly stopped moving and went limp. It was one of her artificial limbs, and Clan had switched it into maintenance mode.

“Hmm, the system’s not reporting any abnormalities... What do you think, Pardomshiha?”

“Looking at the nervous system data, it’s just as Nana-sama says. The feedback is a little different from normal.”

Clan and Ruth worked together to analyze Nana’s arm. Since they were the ones who’d developed the operational system for her artificial body parts, they were more familiar with them than anyone.

“Here, Clan. It’s going to get cold,” Koutarou offered.

He then used Clan’s chopsticks to hold out some food for her. He wouldn’t ordinarily use such poor manners at the table, but she was working hard for Nana’s sake right now. He would’ve felt bad letting her dinner get cold.

“Hom.”

Without hesitation, Clan took a bite of the food she’d been offered. Today’s main dish was Kiriha’s handmade gyoza.

“Homma nomph nomph.”

“Swallow before you talk.”

“Hahh!”

Koutarou fed Clan gyoza after gyoza. Theia did the same for Ruth on the other side of the table. Watching the four of them, Nana suddenly burst out laughing.

“Hmm?” Koutarou perked up at this and turned to look at her.

Their gazes naturally met. Nana smiled, her warm eyes full of kindness. It suddenly dawned on him that she couldn’t use her right arm at the moment.

“Here.”

And so he held out a gyoza for her too. He didn’t know what she was thinking, but he felt it was worth a shot.

“Satomi-sa—” Nana faltered in surprise, but then... “Nom.”

She smiled again and happily chomped down on the gyoza. She looked like a kid being fed, and the sight put a smile on Koutarou’s face.

“Urk... You’re treating me like a child again, aren’t you?” When Nana saw him grinning, she swallowed her gyoza and furrowed her brow.

In response Koutarou shook his head. “I would never. I was just thinking about how cute you are.”

“Like a child?”

“Yes. I mean... no, not at all.”

“I wonder...”

Despite his assurances, Nana only grew leerier. Koutarou decided it was best not to mention that pouting made her look even more childish.

The repairs to Nana’s arm took half an hour from start to finish. Replacing a few parts occupied most of the time, but all in all, it was a quick and easy job. Nana opened and closed her hand again when the work was done and didn’t feel anything strange. Everything was back to normal.

“Thank you very much, Princess Clan, Ruth-san.”

“No thanks required. That was simple customer service.”

“Do let us know if you experience any other problems.”

“I will. Thank you.”

Nana bowed gratefully to the two girls. In spite of her looks, she was incredibly mature. Not only that, but her military background made her especially decorous. Once she’d thanked Clan and Ruth properly, she turned around.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Yurika-chan, Maki-san. Let’s go.”

“Okay.”

“Yes.”

The other two magical girls had been doing their homework, but when Nana called out to them, they closed their notebooks. The three of them would be going out together.

“Meow!” Snoozy desperately climbed up into Maki’s lap. He didn’t want to be left behind.

“We’re not going out to play, Snoozy.”

“Meow...”

“We’re going out on patrol, so wait here with everyone else, okay?”

Indeed, the three magical girls were set to go out on patrol tonight. While Yurika and Maki were assigned to protect room 106, Rainbow Heart’s primary mission was to prevent the misuse of magic. The girls regularly made rounds around town to that end.

“Let’s take him with us. He’s worried about you, Maki-san,” suggested Nana.

“Yeah,” agreed Yurika. “Can’t you use your special carrier?”

They both seemed to be on the cat’s side. They’d feel too sorry for him if he got lonely at home.

“Oh, fine... Can you be a good boy, Snoozy?” Maki asked.

“Meow!”

“Then let’s go together.”

“Meow, meow!”

It was already late and the girls would be out for several hours, so Maki had been planning on leaving the cat at home, but she ultimately relented and decided to bring him along. In the end, Maki was soft on Snoozy.

“Nana-san, would you please forgive me already?” Koutarou called out as the girls made to leave.

“Don’t talk to me.” Nana, however, departed in a huff. She was still steamed.

“Satomi-san, it’s really unusual for Nana-san to get this mad,” Yurika noted.

“I hope she forgives me by the time you guys get back... What do you think, Snoozy?”

“Meow!”

Snoozy ran after Nana, and Maki couldn’t help laughing. “It looks like he’s going to smooth things over for you,” she commented.

“I hope to goodness it works... See you later, Aika-san.”

“See you.”

Thus the magical girls set out on patrol. Most of the time, the job was incredibly uneventful. There were few magicians in Japan and even fewer who would abuse magic. The girls thus rarely had any encounters while they were out, but they did the rounds regardless to keep the neighborhood safe. It was quiet work, and they expected tonight to be no different... Yet they were very, very wrong.

After the magical girls left on patrol, Koutarou brought out a new board game. He wanted to do a test run to get a grasp of the rules.

“There sure are lots of pieces here, Koutarou,” Sanae remarked, touching a plastic bag chock full of parts for the game.

“I think those are for the zombie hordes,” he explained.

“So we’re fighting zombies?” Sanae brought the plastic bag to her face. Up close, she could see tiny human figures with tattered clothing—the zombies.

“No,” Koutarou replied. “Apparently every player makes their ideal zombie village.”

“I can see why it’s called ‘The Afterforest,’” said Harumi, scanning the back of the game box.

Currently, Koutarou was sitting at the tea table with Sanae, Harumi, and Shizuka. The four of them were looking at the game with great interest. Theia, Ruth, and Kiriha were around too, but they were all staring intently at their computers or various documents instead.

“So we build villages?” asked Shizuka. “Sounds pretty peaceful for a zombie game.”

“Well, humans do attack from time to time, Landlord-san.”

“We get to make villages and defeat humans?!” exclaimed Sanae. “Now that sounds fun!”

“A battle between zombies and humans, is it? I’m glad the characters look cute,” commented Harumi.

The theme and main goal of the post-apocalyptic game was survival. Each player made their own zombie village, which would occasionally be attacked by human enemies controlled by other players. Whoever could last the longest and defeat the most humans would be declared the winner.

“It says here that it’s for four to ten players,” said Sanae.

“Then it’s just perfect for us,” Harumi giggled.

The Corona House crew was ten members strong, meaning it was a game they could all play together. They might even be able to squeeze in Nalfa and Kotori, who were becoming regulars around room 106 as well.

“Apparently five people are recommended for the best balance,” read Harumi.

“Ideal or not, we can still playtest it with the four of us, right?” asked Shizuka.

The instructions advised five players for the optimal gameplay experience, but the group only had four people available to play at the moment. Shizuka thought it would still be plenty, and Koutarou agreed. Sanae, however, had a different idea.

“Don’t worry, leave this to Sanae-chan! Hyah!” she shouted, a wicked grin on her face. “Now we have five!”

With a poof, she’d forcibly separated her spirit from her body to call out Sanae-san. That was Sanae-chan’s idea of a solution.

“S-Sanae-chan, can you please stop doing that so suddenly?!” Sanae-san begged.

“Who cares?” Sanae-chan replied, exasperated.

“I do! I need time to mentally prepare!”

“Jeez, you’re such a pill...”

No sooner had they split than the two Sanaes began arguing. Though they shared the same soul, they looked and sounded like separate entities at the moment. No one thought there would be any issues with them playing each other in the game.

“She always makes that look so easy...” Koutarou remarked in awe.

Sanae essentially had a split personality, but by sharing her soul and body, her two halves could coexist. It was a most unusual situation, and one that not many people would be able to manage or handle... yet Sanae did it like it was nothing. Since Koutarou could use a small amount of psychic power himself, he understood just how incredible that was. He was impressed every time he saw it.

“But wouldn’t you feel a little lonely if Higashihongan-san suddenly stopped being able to split herself?” Harumi asked.

“Honestly, yeah...”

“You really are no match for Sakuraba-senpai, Satomi-kun,” Shizuka laughed.

“Okay already,” said Koutarou. “Let’s get this game started.”

“Hey, he’s trying to change the subject!” Sanae-chan cried.

“Look who’s talking!” yelped Sanae-san.

With that, the five of them settled down and set up the game together. But just as they were about to start playing...

“I’m back!” a familiar voice announced from the front door.

“Wait, huh?” Koutarou was puzzled when he heard it.

It couldn’t possibly be who he thought it was based on the direction it was coming from. Befuddled, he turned to see who it really was...

“Announcing a not-so-proud return is yours truly, Higashihongan Sanae!”

By all appearances, it was a third Sanae. And, true to form, she burst into the room flashing a peace sign. No matter how Koutarou looked at her, she was definitely Sanae. Everyone else seemed to see the same thing, and thus room 106 erupted into a clamor. Sanae-chan and Sanae-san were the most vocal of all.

“That’s me!”

“It’s us!”

They were both aghast to see a third version of themselves.

“What’s going on? Did you finally figure out how to split yourself into three?” Koutarou asked. He and the girls were used to Sanae’s antics, so they figured this was some new trick.

“It does indeed look that way,” remarked Harumi.

“No!” Sanae-san exclaimed. “That’s completely different... Um, it’s hard to explain, but she’s not the same Sanae.”

“But she is a Sanae?” Koutarou asked.

“Yeah, no doubt about it,” Sanae-chan answered.

“But she’s not another part of us,” Sanae-san clarified.

“Whaaat?!” Koutarou exclaimed.

The surprise didn’t fully set in until he heard what Sanae-san said. A Sanae, different from the two he knew, had appeared out of the blue. When this dawned on all of room 106, the apartment fell into an uproar. Even the girls who’d been working finally stopped what they were doing.

“S-Sanae-sama, where did you come from?!” Ruth asked.

“Well, from right here,” the third Sanae replied.

“You mean you had another body we didn’t know about?!” Theia asked.

“No, that’s not it. This is my body—just a different one,” the third Sanae replied again.

“Does that mean you came from the future?!” Clan asked.

Based on her own experiences, that was her first guess. The third Sanae looked a little more grown-up upon closer inspection, so it seemed like a logical conclusion to Clan. Nevertheless, the third Sanae shook her head.

“It’s a little different from that too. How do I explain this...?” she mumbled.

“Don’t ask me,” said Koutarou.

“Well, um...” The third Sanae really wasn’t sure what to say, so she folded her arms to think.

While the group waited for an explanation, Koutarou scrutinized the third Sanae. There was no doubt in his mind that she was the real deal. Her behavior and mannerisms were just like Sanae’s, after all.

A third Sanae, huh...?

However, like Clan, Koutarou also felt that this Sanae looked a bit more mature. That made him uneasy. He didn’t want to imagine what might have forced her to grow up so quickly. While he was thinking, he could hear the front door open again.

“We’re baaack! Hey, she really did come here, Maki-chan!”

“Oh, good! I wasn’t sure what to think when she suddenly flew off like that.”

“I’m just glad we found her before things got any more complicated. Although it looks like everyone here is confused enough as it is...”

The three magical girls, Yurika, Maki, and Nana, had returned from patrol. And based on their conversation, it sounded like they’d already encountered the third Sanae.

“Oh, welcome back, everyone!” she greeted them.

“Don’t give us that,” Nana replied, somewhat disgruntled. “We were worried sick when you disappeared on us.”

“I’m sorry. I just wanted to see everyone as soon as possible...”

“I understand how you feel, but please be more careful considering the circumstances.”

“Yeah. I will.”

The magical girls seemed relieved to find the third Sanae at the apartment. Seeing this, Koutarou figured that they must have some idea of what was going on. He quickly turned to Nana for answers.

“Nana-san, what is going on here? Who is this Sanae?”

“I still don’t fully understand it myself, but it seems this Higashihongan-san comes from another world.”

“Another world?!”

Sanae’s psychic abilities were so powerful that paranormal phenomena were a daily occurrence around her. The rules of the real world and common sense practically didn’t apply to her. But even though Koutarou was used to that, this news still shook him.

While Nana, Maki, and Yurika were out on patrol, they’d happened upon the third Sanae as she fell from the sky like a meteorite. She’d tried to explain things to them too, but she hadn’t had much luck. Thankfully, however, she’d remembered that she had a letter in her possession to do the explaining for her.

“And this is that letter?” Koutarou asked.

“Yes, and while we were reading it, she disappeared,” Nana recounted. She then handed the opened letter to Koutarou. After everything that had happened, it seemed she’d forgotten that she was angry at him.

“That sounds just like Sanae, yeah.”

“Eeheehee.”

“That wasn’t a compliment.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Koutarou gave the third Sanae a hollow smile and glanced at the addressee of the letter. When he saw the words “To Satomi Koutarou-sama and friends,” he called for Kiriha.

“I think you should see this, Kiriha-san.”

“What is it?”

“Take a look at this handwriting.”

Koutarou presented her with the letter. She looked confused for a moment, but then sagely nodded as she scanned the document.

“This is my writing.”

“I thought so.”

“There’s no doubt about it, yet I have no memory of writing this.”

Kiriha understood why he’d specifically called her over, but she couldn’t tell him what he wanted to know. Though the letter was written in her hand, she personally had not written it. Overcome with a strange feeling, she returned the letter to Koutarou.

This isn’t the first letter I can’t remember writing, though... I wonder if this contains a clue to the mystery of the first.

Kiriha was thinking of the letter that had appeared that spring. That, too, had been in her own handwriting. It had stated that her memories of April 5th had been altered, but the exact details were unclear. That still bothered her, so she was hoping this second letter might contain more information.

“The Kiriha from my world wrote this, so please read it,” the third Sanae urged. She’d given up on trying to explain the situation herself.

“Okay, I will.”

Koutarou nodded and pulled the letter from the envelope. Its contents left him utterly confounded.

To Satomi Koutarou-sama and friends,

If the formulas Clan-dono left behind are correct, Sanae should have safely reached you to deliver this. I’m sure you must be surprised to see her, but please keep your wits about you and read this letter carefully. It contains critical information about an enemy you’re destined to fight.

First, allow me to explain that we are from a reality different from your own—a parallel world that diverged from yours at some point. It appears that the years have passed differently for us, so our Sanae might look slightly older than yours, but rest assured she’s still Sanae. I imagine you’ve come to see that already.

There is too much to cover concerning the existence of parallel words, so I will omit any attempt at an explanation. I’m sure your Clan-dono will be able to fill you in on the details. Allow me instead to fill you in on the abnormality that has occurred in our world.

It all began when Maki and Clan-dono disappeared. We didn’t know what happened to them at first, but investigation revealed the cause. They were swallowed by what Sanae refers to as “the creepy spinning thing,” also known as the gates of hell or whirlpool of chaos.

We used every method at our disposal in an attempt to save them, but the results were not favorable. And in the process, a new enemy who wears gray armor and wields the power of the whirlpool appeared. We call him the Gray Knight, and as we fought him, we suffered further losses.

The Gray Knight’s goals are unclear, but we believe he is planning to make his way to your world. He has seized the necessary means to do so, including magic and spiritual energy technology. This was a most unexpected discovery for us, but in truth, it might be the clue we need to turn the tables. Whatever the Gray Knight means to accomplish, since you oppose the whirlpool of chaos, you are inevitably an obstacle to him. This is why we felt the need to warn you of him. And by sending you reinforcements knowledgeable of the situation, we hope the odds of the battle to come are in your favor.

Please consider this letter your warning and Sanae your reinforcements. In all honesty, I would have loved to send you more help, but only Sanae was capable of crossing the boundary between our worlds. Her powerful spiritual energy allows her to withstand the shock of the journey, so she is our only hope.

I do not know if you have already encountered the Gray Knight, but if the powers of chaos have been getting stronger in your world lately, then it won’t be long. He wields not only chaos, but also magic and psychic powers. From here on out, if you encounter the whirlpool, assume that he’s behind it. And if he has yet to appear, please use the time you have left to prepare.

Just in case, I have recorded the formulas for moving between parallel worlds in a memory device enclosed in this letter. Clan-dono and Ruth should be able to confirm their authenticity. With that, I hope you understand that this letter is no lie and no joke. In the event of an emergency, please make use of the formulas. And if, by blessed fortune, you are able to resolve everything, please use them to return our Sanae to us (if she so wishes).

Finally, I would like to apologize. We were unable to solve this problem ourselves. For that, I am profoundly sorry. Please forgive us for asking you to handle it.

We began our battle with the Gray Knight at a disadvantage. He ambushed us at the outset and remained one step ahead of us at every turn thereafter. We subsequently lost our opportunity to mount a comeback, and we were thus left with no alternative but to rely on you. I can only hope this letter and Sanae reach you, and that they will be of help. We pray for your victory.

Your loving friend,

Another Kurano Kiriha

Once he finished reading the letter, Koutarou speechlessly passed it to Kiriha. He was struggling to accept its contents and wanted her analysis. He also wanted to know what she would say about it coming from “another world.” Kiriha took the letter and quietly, carefully read it. When she was done, she pulled the small memory device from the envelope.

Seeing this, Koutarou asked her briefly, “What do you think?”

“There’s no doubt in my mind that I wrote this,” she replied. “It’s not just my handwriting. Even the style is identical. Including the formulas as proof is something I would do too.”

Kiriha did not doubt the letter’s authenticity. If she had to write a letter to explain comparable circumstances, this was exactly how she would do it herself.

It’s also similar in feel to that letter from April. I wonder how these two letters are related...

Kiriha also considered the letter from April a compelling piece of evidence. The similarities were just too striking. But because she couldn’t bring that up, she kept her assessment to the letter at hand.

“Of course it is! That’s because our Kiriha wrote it. She wanted to beat the Gray Knight to the punch in your world,” said the third Sanae. She was relieved that they were finally on the same page.

“The Gray Knight, huh?” mused Koutarou. “I don’t think we’ve met the guy.”

This mysterious Gray Knight was a central figure of the other Kiriha’s letter. Koutarou had no idea who it was, however, so even if the letter was real... it still didn’t quite feel like it.

“He attacks using magic, spiritual energy, and science at the same time. But that’s not all. He also uses a weird, vague gray power,” said the third Sanae, her smile quickly disappearing as she tried to explain. She didn’t fully comprehend his powers, so she had a difficult time communicating their danger to Koutarou and the others.

“He uses a vague, gray power, you say?” Theia asked, her head cocked to the side.

That detail struck her as strange. They’d encountered the whirlpool of chaos on multiple occasions, yet everyone it preyed upon had ultimately been swallowed by its power. It used people—not the other way around. The other girls were similarly puzzled with one exception, or rather two.

“Sanae-chan, she must be talking about that, don’t you think?”

“Oh! You mean when the enemies suddenly disappeared in their secret base?”

Sanae-san and Sanae-chan had an inkling. The description of “a vague, gray power” reminded them of what had happened in the raid on Ralgwin’s base. Just before Koutarou and the girls seized victory, Ralgwin and a portion of his forces had escaped via a gray mist. It had reeked of the whirlpool’s power, so it had made a strong impression on Sanae.

“There were no traces after they disappeared, so that’s a possibility,” Kiriha agreed.

They’d investigated the incident after the fact using science, magic, and spiritual energy technology, but nothing had yielded any information about how Ralgwin and his men had gotten away. It was as though they’d simply vanished into thin air. If that was the doing of this mysterious Gray Knight, it would actually explain a lot.

“What are you talking about?” the third Sanae asked.

“Uhhh... you explain,” Sanae-chan quickly replied, looking to Sanae-san.

“What?! Um, we attacked the bad guys’ secret base this one time, but everything got gray and fuzzy around them, and that’s when they disappeared.”

The third Sanae nodded upon hearing this. “Yeah, that’s how he works. Happens all the time.” She’d seen him disappear in that fashion several times herself.

Koutarou watched the three Sanaes with a smile. “This is a relief...”

“What is?” Clan asked upon seeing it.

Koutarou pointed at the trio and explained, “No matter where she’s from, she’s still Sanae. There’s no mistaking it.” He was now absolutely certain of her identity after seeing them together.

“That’s true,” Clan conceded. “It also lends credence to her claims about coming from a parallel world.”

“Yeah.”

Sanae never lied about anything important, so if this girl really was Sanae, then there was no reason to doubt her now. Koutarou and the girls, as reluctant as they might be, had no choice but to believe her and the letter.

“That being the case,” said Clan, “it sounds like we don’t have much time to waste.”

“Yeah. We now know the enemy’s coming. Moreover, you and Aika-san were swallowed up by the whirlpool in her world,” Koutarou said with a severe expression.

Not only did they need to defeat the Gray Knight, they needed to save Maki and Clan from the third Sanae’s world. They’d been able to help Dark Purple, but would they be able to do the same for someone else? If the mysterious Gray Knight was involved, it likely wouldn’t be easy. Koutarou wanted to begin making preparations as soon as possible.

“I know. But first things first, we need to verify those formulas,” Clan said bitterly.

With infinite parallel worlds in existence, there were inevitably some where Clan was already dead or had never existed to begin with. She knew that, yet even so, she couldn’t simply ignore the fact that she’d been swallowed by the whirlpool of chaos in the third Sanae’s world. Maki likely felt the same way. But even putting her emotions aside, Clan felt compelled to act, for she’d realized another element of danger in the situation.

“You mean for traveling to other worlds? What’s the rush there?” asked Koutarou. In his eyes, if they trusted Sanae, then there was no reason to verify the formulas for proof. He thought her word was enough.

“You don’t understand, do you? Just the first half of this is enough to recreate my Super Space-time Repulsion Shells,” replied Clan. She was looking at the bigger picture here.

“Oh! So that’s what you mean!” Koutarou gasped.

He finally realized what she was getting at. If the Gray Knight had the means to travel between parallel worlds, that meant he also had the potential to weaponize the ability. Clan was rightfully worried about that possibility and wanted to study the formulas in hopes of finding or developing a defense against it.

“So we need to hurry... Pardomshiha, let’s begin right away.”

“Yes! I’m happy to be of help!”

Clan took the memory device from Kiriha, then she and Ruth both quickly made to leave. They’d be using the lab aboard the Hazy Moon to test and research the provided formulas. Time was of the essence and their mission was dire, so they departed the apartment with serious expressions on their faces.

“I’m sorry for dragging you into this, Koutarou,” apologized the third Sanae.

He and the girls believed her story. They even understood the gravity of the situation. Clan and Ruth were already getting to work on it, in fact. Sanae really did feel guilty about what she was putting them up to.

“I’ll admit getting a third Sanae is kinda mind-blowing,” replied Koutarou.

“Yeah! It’s like when the third Love Cure finally comes along!”

“I-I don’t think that’s a good comparison, Sanae-chan...”

“Yeah, c’mon! Take this seriously! I’m doing my best to be serious here too!” shouted the third Sanae in a complete change of tone. She was angry that Koutarou and Sanae-chan had derailed the conversation.

But that was exactly what Koutarou had been hoping for. “That’s more like it, Sanae. That’s how you should be,” he said.

“Koutarou...”

“Besides, you’re way more important to us than this Gray Knight guy. If you’re in trouble, of course we’ll help you out. No matter where you’re from.”

“Thanks...”

Sanae nodded as tears began to well in her eyes. They eventually spilled down her cheeks and dripped off her chin. She, too, now felt like Koutarou was Koutarou—no matter where he was from.

“See?! It’s this just like a Love Cure story?”

“Sanae-chan, shh! Don’t ruin the moment!”

A certain wish began to blossom in the third Sanae’s heart. With it came hesitation, however, so she decided to ask first.

“Koutarou...” she hesitantly called out.

“You don’t have to be so reserved with me,” he replied.

“Yeah, but... I’m from a different world, you know?”

“That doesn’t matter. To me, you’re still Sanae. So you can do whatever you want.”

“...Thank you. I think I will.”

With that, the third Sanae softly hugged Koutarou. She wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed him tight. Koutarou wasn’t sure what to do at first, but he soon returned the hug.

“Is this all you need?” he asked.

“Yeah. I just needed a little pick-me-up.”

“You were lonely, weren’t you?”

“Yeah.”

“You came to another world all on your own, after all. But we’re together now.”

“Yeah. I’ll do my best for everyone...”

The third Sanae hugged Koutarou for a while. She said nothing more, simply because she felt no need for words. She was comforted enough as it was.

Once she returned to her room below room 106, Kiriha quietly began pondering the situation. She did not doubt what the third Sanae had said, nor did she doubt the letter. But there was still something bothering her.

There was nothing about the other girls in the letter. And it didn’t even mention our biggest concern at all. Why would I have done that?

It was the omissions in the letter that worried Kiriha most. The letter had recorded the disappearance of Clan and Maki, but short of Sanae, there wasn’t one word about the fates of the other girls. It was strange.

The situation might be more troublesome than we think...

If Kiriha were in the shoes of her alter-self, she would have been sure to include that information. She felt there had to be a reason the other Kiriha had left it out. Perhaps the other girls were seriously wounded, for example. That bit of information would have spurred Koutarou to immediately come to their world, meaning it would be easier to resolve the situation in this world if he remained none the wiser about their condition. But that was only one possibility. Kiriha suspected that, whatever it was, the reason was grave.

As she was thinking, there came an unexpected knock at her door.

“Kiriha, do you have a moment?” It was Sanae—most likely the visitor from a parallel world. The Sanae of this world wouldn’t have bothered knocking.

“Come in,” Kiriha called. “It’s not locked.”

“Thanks.”

Without hesitation, Sanae stepped inside. As Kiriha expected, it was the third Sanae. She approached Kiriha with a meek expression.

“What’s the matter?” Kiriha inquired. “It’s pretty late.”

“There’s something I need to tell you. Just you.”

Sanae walked over to Kiriha and silently stared at her. The third Sanae looked more grown up than the Sanae of this world, and that impression was only strengthened in this moment.

“It’s about the version of me from your world isn’t it?” Kiriha asked.

“You knew?”

“Indeed. That information seemed intentionally left out of the letter... But you don’t look very surprised.”

“Yeah. My Kiriha said that you would figure it out on your own if she wrote it that way. You really are Kiriha too, huh?”

“I see.” Kiriha could make sense of what her other self had written with the expectation that she could read between the lines. She sagely nodded and gestured toward a nearby chair for Sanae. “This won’t be a short chat, will it? Please have a seat.”

If this were quick and easy, Sanae wouldn’t have had to come all the way to her room to discuss it. She could have just mentioned it in passing whenever the opportunity presented itself. So, in preparation for their discussion, Kiriha began pouring tea for the two of them.

“Thanks,” said Sanae, taking a seat and a cup of tea from Kiriha.

She silently watched the surface of her drink for some time, but Kiriha did nothing to rush her. She simply offered snacks that the haniwas brought in for them. And after long enough, Sanae finally looked back up with a determined expression.

“I’m sorry for dragging my feet. I have something important to tell you.”

“It does indeed seem serious.”

“It is, so here goes!”

Sanae then began to share the finer details of what had happened in her home world. She meant to tell Kiriha absolutely everything before she lost her nerve. She relayed the story of how Clan and Maki had been swallowed by the whirlpool, and then what happened afterward...

“We tried all kinds of things to get Glasses and Maki back, but that’s when the Gray Knight started coming for us. We made contact with the spinning thing—the whirlpool of chaos—to try to save them, which made it easier for him to attack.” There, Sanae forlornly cast her eyes downward. She couldn’t continue while making eye contact. “Next were Theia and Ruth. Then Yurika. We were being swallowed in the opposite order we met Koutarou.”

“That’s what happened?!” Kiriha was surprised. She’d braced herself for bad news, but this was just about the worst case scenario.

“It was probably my turn next... But before it happened, we completed the device to allow travel between parallel worlds. And now I’m here.”

“I’m impressed you could finish it without Clan-dono.”

“Our Glasses had already done most of the research thanks to her bomb before she was swallowed. So Ruth, Kiriha, and Yurika did the rest.”

The other Clan had continued R&D around the Super Space-time Repulsion Shell after her own time travel experience. It was nearing its final phases, and she had been close to fully unraveling the mysteries of space-time when she was taken. Ruth had found the research data after her disappearance and created the blueprints for the world-hopping device, which the other girls had helped her complete.

“So it was thanks to their quick work that you were able to reach us,” remarked Kiriha.

That point was actually of some concern to her. Rather than relying on Sanae’s powers alone to protect her on her journey, it would have been safer to use a spiritual energy condenser and field to shield her. No matter how strong she was, she still had her limits. Spiritual energy tech should have allowed the other girls to travel with her as well. So why hadn’t they used it? The answer was simple... There’d been no time.

“It was really close,” said Sanae. “The Gray Knight was attacking the Hazy Moon, so everything was done in a hurry... Kiriha even said it was a total gamble, but we couldn’t just let him wipe us all out.”

“So the others who were left behind are already...”

“Yeah... Probably either dead or swallowed by the whirlpool. There’s no way to know for sure, though...”

The moment was burned into Sanae’s memory. She’d watched in horror as Harumi and Shizuka held the Gray Knight at bay on the other side of the hatch while Kiriha finished the preparations to send her away.

“I’ve activated the device. In thirty seconds, you’ll be transported to another world.”

“I’m ready!”

“Listen, this is a gamble. There’s at best a fifty-fifty chance of success.”

“But we have to try! We’ll just lose otherwise.”

“You’re our only hope. I’m sorry—”

Bang!

“He’s here!”

“Kiriha!”

“Don’t worry! I won’t let him lay a finger on you or the device!”

The second before the device had activated, Sanae had seen the hatch blow open and the Gray Knight step through. Kiriha then put herself between them, and the next moment... Sanae was gone.

She could only imagine what had happened to Harumi and Shizuka, but she knew it couldn’t be good. If they were alive and well, they never would’ve let the Gray Knight through the hatch. And it was hard to imagine Kiriha had defeated him alone. She had no proof, but Sanae feared the worst for them all. That was part of what she wanted to tell the Kiriha of this world.

“So you don’t have to worry too much about saving my world, okay? I think it’s already a lost cause.”

Once Kiriha fell, there would have been no one left to stop the Gray Knight. Sanae could hardly believe Earth, the underground, Forthorthe, and Folsaria were all still safe.

“So that’s why you didn’t say anything...” Kiriha mused.

“Yeah. If I had, I’m sure Koutarou would’ve jumped to action. Even if everyone there’s already dead...”

“Indeed. That’s just the kind of man he is.”

Defeating the Gray Knight alone would be difficult. If Koutarou and the girls of this world were also saddled with trying to save a parallel universe, their chances of success would only diminish further. That was why the other Kiriha had told Sanae to keep quiet about their fates. If such information was to be revealed, she asked that it wait until after the Gray Knight was taken down.

“But I’m the only one who knows, so if I die, then no one knows... That’s why I’m telling you, Kiriha.”

“A prudent decision.”

The secret Sanae carried might be a key factor determining the battles to come. It was too important to risk letting it die with her, so she’d decided to come clean to Kiriha for safety’s sake.

“So if there’s ever a battle, try to make sure the two of us aren’t in the same place,” requested Sanae.

“Understood,” replied Kiriha. “I’ll also write a letter just in case.”

“You really like letters, don’t you?”

“Yes. I feel like they’re a great way to convey thoughts and feelings.”

“I’m pretty sure our Kiriha said the same thing.”

“We are the same person, after all.”

“Yeah, I’m starting to see that.”

A small smile finally appeared on Sanae’s face, though she looked somewhat lonely to Kiriha.

“Sanae, there’s something I’ve been wondering about,” she said.

“What is it?”

“The Gray Knight is already here and assisting Ralgwin, but didn’t you come here before him?”

“I left before he did, yeah, but with our prototype device, I ended up wandering through space for a while.”

With every advantage, the Gray Knight had reached this world before Sanae. The journey through space-time wasn’t easy, so the other Kiriha had tried simplifying things by only sending Sanae through time. It was the safest course of action; it had just meant that it took her longer to arrive on Earth after making the time jump. And in the meantime, the Gray Knight had arrived first.

“So that’s how it worked out,” commented Kiriha. “The Gray Knight must have gotten his hands on your data and jumped straight here regardless of the risks. That’s how he was able to arrive first and make a preemptive strike.”

“I think so too, yeah.”

Though they couldn’t say so definitively, both Kiriha and Sanae believed that was what had happened. The Gray Knight had departed later, yet had arrived sooner thanks to a more accurate jump.

“Is that all you wished to tell me?” Kiriha asked.

“No, it’s not.” Sanae shook her head. She still had more to share. “There’s one more thing. Probably what you want to know the most.”

“I did notice it was omitted from the letter as well.”

“This is actually what I wanted to talk to you about most.”

“...Let’s hear it.”

Kiriha’s expression tensed. She’d had a terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach all this time, and the fact that Sanae was only bringing this up after the girls’ fates alarmed her even more.

“It’s about Koutarou...”

Thus Sanae began explaining what had happened to Koutarou. The news shook Kiriha, and it would play a vital role in shaping their battle to come.