Strike the Blood - Volume 11 - Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO 

SHADOWS OF INTRIGUE 

1 

The New Year’s Eve bells began to ring. 

It was just past eleven fifteen PM. The announcer’s voice over the radio was rambling about the state of the entire country of Japan just before the New Year. 

Motoki Yaze, sitting in the back seat of a taxi, grimaced as the noise filled the air while he pressed a cell phone to his ear. The other person on the line was Kazuma Yaze, his half brother who was ten years his senior. 

After spending thirty seconds on hold, Yaze was starting to get irritated, but then he finally heard his brother get on the line. 

“—It’s me, Big Bro.” 

“I know. Motoki, what of Yume?” 

The first thing Kazuma had asked about was Yume, making no effort to hide his displeasure. That fact elicited a small, strained smile from Yaze. 

Even if it was just on paper, Kazuma was Yume’s guardian, and the power she possessed—that of Lilith, the Witch of the Night—made her a precious pawn of the Gigafloat Management Corporation. Even if Kazuma’s concern was based on such calculations, Yaze still found it oddly amusing that his calm, rational half brother was giving an elementary school girl such special attention. 

“Li’l Yume is sleeping. I’m bringing her home with me right now.” 

Yaze glanced at the little girl sleeping right beside him as he made his report. Maybe it was exhaustion from being unaccustomed to her outfit, but Yume was sound asleep by the time eleven PM rolled around. Left with no other option, Yaze was in the process of taking her to his home. 

“More importantly, something kinda troublesome popped up. I want info.” 

“Sorry, but I’m already past my regular bedtime. If you need something, talk to me tomorrow,” Kazuma gently rebuffed. 

“Bedtime? It’s New Year’s Eve.” 

“Dates are mere symbols humans employ for their own convenience. I have no reason to obey such strictures.” 

“You will never land a woman.” 

Yaze responded to his half brother’s cold reaction with harsh cynicism. He knew the busy Kazuma was very fussy about time, but not even listening to what his younger brother had to say was taking it too far. Yaze couldn’t live with himself if he didn’t get in at least one invective word. 

However, Kazuma didn’t pay him the slightest bit of concern as he said, “If you have a monitoring report, tell it to the Information Department. Hanegiwa should still be there.” 

“I’m talking to you because I don’t think it’s something Ryoko can handle.” 

“…Explain. Make it brief.” 

Perhaps Yaze’s desperate persistence had conveyed his haste, for Kazuma grudgingly opened the conversation. However, because he’d said Make it brief, Yaze’s response was not long-winded. 

“Nagisa might’ve been caught up in some kind of incident.” 

“Nagisa Akatsuki…the Fourth Primogenitor’s younger sister. I heard she had gone off the island, yes?” 

“Tell me her current circumstances. You’re monitoring her, aren’t you?” 

Yaze wasted no time in issuing his demand. Even if her possession by Root Avrora was temporary, it didn’t change that the girl known as Nagisa Akatsuki was such an important individual that even the Gigafloat Management Corporation was concerned. He hardly needed to ask if she was allowed to leave the island without being monitored; it was unthinkable by nature. 

That was why Kazuma’s reply was tinged with an unmistakable bitterness. 

“We lost her. It was right after she arrived on the mainland.” 

“They shook off the tail?” 

“They apparently used an amusement park crowd.” 

The displeasure in Kazuma’s tone increased. For the methodical Kazuma, a subordinate’s failure throwing his plans awry was humiliation difficult to endure. 

“The handiwork of Kojou’s dad, huh…?” 

“Most likely. Gajou Akatsuki, the Death Returnee, would appear to be an even more troublesome opponent than rumored.” 

The old man really got us, thought a flabbergasted Yaze. At minimum, the observer dispatched by the Gigafloat Management Corporation had to be a Hyper Adapter like Yaze—not an opponent that a middle-aged man who wasn’t even an Attack Mage could handle under normal circumstances. 

“So in the end, we don’t know what kind of trouble Nagisa’s gotten caught up in… That’s not good.” 

“Why have you deemed her situation perilous?” 

Yaze’s face twisted in unease as Kazuma calmly posed the question. 

“All contact with Nagisa cut off a week ago. But apparently, this was a photo left behind from her smartphone. Can you see it?” 

“A magic circle… A rather large-scale one at that,” Kazuma murmured after checking the file his brother sent him. “Certainly, using this level of spell in a Demon Sanctuary is out of the ordinary, to say nothing of magic use on the mainland. However, you cannot judge that Nagisa Akatsuki has become involved in an incident based on this information alone.” 

“I see what you’re gettin’ at. The Corporation can’t flex its muscles off the island, right?” 

“Correct, particularly when this image is the only confirmation that something occurred.” 

Kazuma’s tone was blunt and dismissive as usual. However, Yaze fully expected as much. 

Itogami Island was considered part of Tokyo Metropolis, but the Demon Sanctuary was close to a de facto autonomous territory. If the Gigafloat Management Corporation ventured beyond the Demon Sanctuary, its various rights were rescinded. The organization was not permitted to dispatch the Island Guard’s law enforcement units off the island, even to rescue a civilian. 

If push came to shove, however, that logic was nothing more than a front. 

“And if I told you that Kojou is making noise about it?” 

Yaze played his card strategically. Politics had a facade, a back side, and a gray area between the two sides. Demon Sanctuaries existed to govern that third, uncertain realm—and the people that lived within it. 

If you had a card that trumped that false front—some kind of fake justification—you could make your move. 

“He’s got a pretty serious sister complex, you know. If we don’t play this right, I can’t say he won’t rush right out of Itogami Island and look for Nagisa himself.” 

“The Fourth Primogenitor having a sister complex is news to me.” 

Kazuma’s voice did not waver. He’d no doubt expected Yaze to play that card. 

“Well, fine. I understand the situation. I will add more investigators to search for more information. At this stage, it is unwise to dispatch Attack Mages in excess, however, we cannot simply let the situation lie.” 

“I suppose realistically that’s all we can do.” 

Yaze exhaled, dispirited. Even if she was related to the Fourth Primogenitor, Nagisa Akatsuki was an ordinary person, not a demon. Dispatching investigators at all was the largest concession Kazuma could make. For now, Yaze was forced to accept that. 

“Roger. What do we do with Kojou, then?” 

The mood was heavy. Yaze was not confident they could keep the World’s Mightiest Vampire under control when he was half crazed from obscure information suggesting his little sister might be in trouble. 

However, Kazuma’s reply was unexpectedly brief. 

“Continue monitoring him. If necessary, we will deal with him.” 

“Deal with him… Big Bro, you can’t mean…?” 

“Do not make me repeat myself. Continue monitoring him.” 

Kazuma gruffly hung up on him. Yaze slumped his shoulders into the seat of the taxi. Beside him, Yume, in her long-sleeved kimono, was deeply, innocently asleep. 

The change of date would soon be at hand… 

2 

A large crowd gazed in awe at the colorful streaks of light filling the night sky. 

Boom! The loud bursts resonated across the island. It was the fireworks show for the New Year’s countdown. 

Kojou and the others looked up at the wild dance of scattering lights in the night sky from the path leading to the temple. 

Yukina’s eyes were open especially wide as she watched the fireworks. Asagi completely devoted herself to videotaping the fireworks using the digital camera she’d borrowed from Yukina. Kojou, on the other hand, sank his teeth deep into his lower lip, glaring at his cell phone with the look of a man fallen on hard times. With no calls getting through to Nagisa, all he could do was send text after text and pray for a response. 

“Calm down, Kojou. We don’t know for sure that something’s happened to Nagisa.” 

Asagi, seeing Kojou in a state of mental anguish, spoke like she was at her wit’s end. Kojou’s shoulders quivered, almost like a child scolded by a pet owner for playing pranks on the poor animal. 

“I know that. I’m completely calm.” 

“This is calm…?” 

When Kojou looked back, making excuses with a quivering voice, Asagi sighed. As before, Asagi was in her long-sleeved kimono, but thanks to the temperature having dropped in the middle of the night, she was a bit sprightlier than before. 

Incidentally, Kojou was wearing a casual outfit: shorts with a parka on top. Yukina, carrying her guitar case like usual, was wearing bordered knee socks and a miniskirt; she looked like she belonged in an all-girl band. 

Meanwhile, the procession of visitors moved in an orderly fashion, and Kojou and the others arrived at the temple’s gate. 

Itogami Temple, where Kojou and the rest had gone for their first temple visit of the New Year, was a popular spot for such occasions for a simple reason: It was a great place from which to see the fireworks. There were numerous islanders frolicking within the grounds, with numerous night stalls lined up to greet them. 

Even amid that jovial atmosphere, Kojou’s face refused to crack a smile. 

With Nagisa unable to take calls, her smartphone had taken a single photo. Its very existence robbed Kojou of the ability to calm down. His gloomy attitude definitely put a damper on the general mood of the highly anticipated New Year’s temple visit, but because Asagi and Yukina knew why he was feeling down, they were in no position to complain. 

“Well, why don’t we pray? This temple is supposed to be blessed by a god, you know.” 

Perhaps Asagi tossed up such irresponsible words because she couldn’t think of any better way to cheer Kojou up. With eyes like a dead fish, he sluggishly gazed at the sign standing before the temple. 

“According to this, the god of this temple presides over prosperity in wealth and marriage…,” he said. 

“Hey, it’s a god. It can fulfill a request or two outside of its specialties, right?” 

Whether her argument was convincing or not, Asagi firmly presented the uncertain logic. 

“Come to think of it, senpai, how did your fortune drawing go?” 

Yukina rather forcefully changed the subject, perhaps hoping to brush the negative atmosphere aside. 

Itogami Temple’s sacred lots were not mere tests of chance; rather, they were exceptionally accurate oracles produced with Demon Sanctuary technology. Considering Kojou’s current troubles, the odds were high that he had obtained beneficial advice from his drawings. 

“…Senpai?” 

However, Kojou remained silent as he offered Yukina his two sacred lots. Taking them, Yukina was aghast—for the two lots Kojou had drawn were stamped with the characters for bad and very bad, respectively. Apparently, Kojou had been unnerved after having initially drawn bad, redrawing only to get very bad instead. 

“Umm…it is all right, senpai. If right now is rock bottom, it should only get better from here.” 

“Right, right. Your misfortune might mean Nagisa has good fortune dancing all around her.” 

“Yeah…well, not that it really matters to me right now— Ow!” 

Kojou, largely the author of his own worries, spoke in a listless tone. Then, he suddenly felt a dull pain from the back of his head. Coins that someone had tossed toward the offering box had struck his head instead. 

“Wh-what the hell?!” 

As he continued to stand there, Kojou was grazed by other coins tossed toward the offering box. It was a common sight at a temple with so many visitors, but Kojou felt like a lot more coins were landing direct hits that year. He feared this was the result of his very bad fortune. 

Yukina drew close to Kojou’s ear, whispering in a small voice, “Senpai, perhaps someone is aiming at you? Somehow, I am sensing some kind of ill will toward you…” 

At that moment, the number of coins pouring down on him noticeably increased. Someone definitely had it out for him. 

“Kojou, maybe someone’s jealous of you? You have Himeragi with you, after all.” 

“No, Aiba, I believe you stand out far more in that kimono than I do right now…” 

“Well, a lot of guys come to pray at a temple of marriage because they want girlfriends. He’s walking with a beauty on either side of him, so of course they’ll send hate his way.” 

“What kind of logic is that?! And it’s not like we’re ‘together’ like that to begin with…!” 

Venting to no one in particular, Kojou prayed in a hurry and fled the space in front of the offering box. Yukina and Asagi paid him no heed, remaining in place as they each offered prayers before the hall of worship. 

Perhaps they prayed for the safety of Nagisa, their friend. Perhaps they asked for something else. Either way, it was not for Kojou to know. 

Even then, the sound of fireworks celebrating the New Year continued to echo. 

As he waited for Asagi and Yukina to finish their temple visit, Kojou pulled out his cell phone and stared at it again. The LCD screen displayed that night-sky photo, sent to him from the laptop. 

When Asagi and Yukina met up with him after praying, he asked the following question just in case: “This image… There’s no way this is just fireworks, right?” 

Giant patterns filled the night sky above them. Artificial radiance danced in the heavens. In that regard, the two scenes did have something in common. But without any hesitation, the two girls ruled out the possibility. 

“I don’t think there’s any way. Besides, digital data can be falsified in all kinds of ways. There’s no need to brood over it this much, I think.” 

“I suppose not. Even if it was a magic circle, it does not mean it was targeting Nagisa specifically.” 

“But there’s no proof it wasn’t, right?” 

Kojou clutched his head, envisioning the worst-case scenario. Asagi might have felt annoyed at that point, for she ignored Kojou and turned toward Yukina. 

“Come to think of it, don’t you know what this is? What magic circle it is—with what effects?” 

“I am sorry. I do not know that much…though Sayaka might know what it is…” 

“Kirasaka…?” 

Kojou, hearing Yukina’s explanation, lifted his face with a start. 

Like Yukina, Sayaka Kirasaka was an Attack Mage belonging to the Lion King Agency. She had been granted the title of Shamanic War Dancer, an expert in curses and assassination. 

“Actually, this magic circle kinda looks like…” 

“Sayaka’s Lustrous Scale, yes?” 

Yukina nodded in response to Kojou’s murmur. She’d probably noticed that from the very beginning. 

The pattern of light captured by Nagisa’s photograph greatly resembled a large-scale magic circle created by one of Sayaka Kirasaka’s whistling arrows. The pattern’s shape and fine details differed, but its size, and the fact it was written into the sky above, were identical. 

“Does someone else have a bow and arrows like Sayaka…?” 

“No. Der Freischötz is difficult to handle, and I have heard that Sayaka is the only one who can properly employ it. The ritual energy required to activate it is off the scale, and the compatibility requirements are exceptionally severe.” 

“Oh…? That’s kinda surprising, somehow.” 

This was the Lustrous Scale that Sayaka had used to try to slice him in half and blast him to death in a jealous rage, waving it around however she pleased, but it was, appearances aside, a surprisingly delicate weapon. 

“But there were rumors a while back that they had generated a mass-production model with simplified construction based on Lustrous Scale data…” 

“A mass-production model?” 

“Yes.” 

“So using that, other casters could use the same spells Kirasaka does…?” 

“I believe so. However, that should not be…” 

Yukina faintly lowered her eyes as she hesitated in her words. 

Using a mass-produced Der Freischötz, it was possible that someone other than Sayaka had traced a magic circle in the sky. However, that did not change the fact that the mass-production model was a Lion King Agency construct. 

In other words, it was indeed someone related to the Lion King Agency who had involved Nagisa in an incident. 

“Shit,” Kojou spat as he checked his cell phone’s incoming call history. He picked out a suitable number and called it. 

“Senpai?” 

“I’ll try asking Sayaka. If this really was the Lion King Agency’s doing, she might know something about it.” 

Off to the side, Asagi glared at Kojou, displeasure plain on her face. 

“Why do you know Kirasaka’s phone number?” 

“I’m not really sure why, but I talk to her over the phone every once in a while. She calls sometimes.” 

“You what?!” 

“I said I’m not really sure why.” 

At first, Sayaka called with openers such as Tell me how Yukina’s been doing, but lately, her topics for conversation often strayed outside that: grumbling about her superiors or asking his opinion on new snacks—subjects Kojou cared little about. Since it wasn’t hurting anyone, Kojou didn’t mind. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“I’m not getting through. Or rather, it says this number is no longer in use.” 

And at a time like this, thought Kojou, glaring at the phone in irritation. 

The corners of Asagi’s lips curled up in delight as she teased, “Couldn’t it be that she’s simply blocking your calls? Oh, Kojou, what did you do?” 

“What, it’s my fault?!” 

“In other words, you’ve had a falling out with Sayaka? Why…?” 

“Did you ask her something rude? Like her bust size, or her bra size, or perhaps her three sizes?” 

“Like hell I would! What use would there be askin’ stuff like that?!” 

Asagi ignored Kojou’s pleas of innocence and exhaled. 

Though her words were blunt, they really nagged at Kojou somehow. The coincidences fit together, and the timing made sense. 

Losing contact with Nagisa and their father. Sayaka blocking his calls. Neither were particularly big things in and of themselves. However, lined up one after another, these facts painted a picture that wasn’t pretty. He felt like his vision was being obstructed by an invisible wall of malicious intent. 

“Himeragi, can’t you contact the Lion King Agency?” 

“Of course, I can send an inquiry, but with only Nagisa’s photo to go on, I’m not sure how much I’ll be able to ask of anyone…” 

“That’s more of a pain than I thought it’d be.” 

“It is…” 

Yukina bit her lip and nodded. Kojou remained silent and closed the unresponsive flip phone. 

Asagi gazed at the two of them and shrugged her shoulders, almost like she was getting something off her back. 

“Well, if that’s how it is, there’s no way around it,” she said. 

“What are you talking about?” 

Sensing the suspicion in Kojou’s question, Asagi coughed ever so slightly. The peculiar air of tension she radiated made Kojou’s expression harden in turn. 

“W-well, you see, Kojou… Tonight, both my parents are out, and no one’s around, so…” 

Asagi drew in her breath and steeled her resolve, her cheeks reddening. She squirmed slightly, entwined her two index fingers, and with upturned eyes, she shifted her gaze toward Kojou and continued, “Wanna come to my place?” 

Faced with Asagi’s abrupt invitation, Kojou didn’t move a muscle, cell phone still in hand. 

As Kojou and Asagi locked eyes, Yukina could only stare at them, astonished. 

3 

The Aiba residence was on the eastern beach of Island West. Rare for Itogami Island, the houses were separate and lined up in a row on prime real estate surrounded by lush trees. 

“…Come to think of it, this is the first time I’ve been to Asagi’s place,” Kojou murmured, deeply impressed as he observed the oriental-style mansion. 

According to Asagi, this was the first time she’d invited a friend over to her place. It seemed the odd tension in Asagi’s voice when she’d invited him was nothing more than that. 

“It is an incredible house…” 

Yukina also voiced her admiration as she looked up at the enormous metal gate. 

On Itogami Island, a man-made isle with astronomical land prices compared to the mainland, a separate house was a considerable extravagance by itself. Even among the others at the site, the Asagi residence stood out from the pack with its sheer size; the mansion had clearly been built with a lot of money invested into it. 

“We have to live here because it’s convenient for security purposes. It’s an old building, so don’t get your hopes up about the inside,” Asagi said nonchalantly as she disarmed the security at the entrance. 

Kojou knew she wasn’t being modest—she was speaking the truth. 

This was the Demon Sanctuary of Itogami Island. There was no way Asagi would live on an island like that if she were simply another rich man’s daughter. She had domestic circumstances of her own. 

“Wait here while I clean up the room. It’ll only take five minutes,” she said firmly, leading Kojou and Yukina past the entrance, which was nicely air-conditioned. There was even a bench for guests. 

Even though the wait wasn’t an issue for Kojou, he asked, “Want a hand with the cleaning?” 

“Just wait here!” 

He was only trying to be considerate, but Asagi’s eyebrows rose as she glared at him. Peek and I’ll kill you, her look suggested. Apparently, she was ditching Kojou because there was something she really didn’t want him to see. 

After Asagi left, Yukina gazed at the entrance and quietly murmured, “Security certainly is tight here.” 

Kojou seemed a little surprised as he looked around the area. “You can tell?” 

“I do not know about the mechanical trappings, but it uses a fairly high-end enchantment for repelling intruders, and a curse reflection ward besides.” 

“Huh.” Kojou nodded in admiration. 

“Well that’s ’cause Asagi’s dad is an Itogami City councilor.” 

“Councilor?” 

“It’s kind of like a city parliament. Apparently, that’s how Asagi was brought to the island.” 

“Oh…” 

Suddenly, Yukina seemed to understand her situation. Many of the students living in the Demon Sanctuary had their own circumstances, and Asagi was no exception to the rule. 

She’d been living on Itogami Island since before entering elementary school. At the time, Itogami Island still had numerous law enforcement issues, and many mainlanders looked upon its residents as bizarre. The daughter of a statesman of that same Demon Sanctuary, Asagi couldn’t have had an easy time growing up. That she never talked about it was probably her pride at work. 

“Oh my… Guests?” 

Perhaps Kojou and Yukina’s conversation had been overheard. They noticed the patter of someone rushing down a corridor, and an unfamiliar woman poked her head in. She had an unadorned and fairly youthful look. Her long, tied-up black hair went nicely with her light velvet kimono. 

As Kojou and Yukina stood rooted at the entrance, she gave them a smile of approval, almost like an innocent child’s. 

“Sorry for imposing.” 

Kojou and Yukina reflexively bowed their heads before they could think of anything else. I thought no one was supposed to be here, he grumbled at Asagi in his own mind. 

“H-happy New Year.” 

“Happy New Year.” 

Seeing Yukina’s awkward greeting, the woman’s eyes narrowed in delight. It was a shockingly friendly attitude toward visitors arriving in the dead of the first night of the New Year. 

“Friends of Asagi, yes? Splendid. To think she would bring friends here. You must be hot over there. Come on in—no need to be so reserved.” 

“Um, uhh… Asagi…said to stay right here, so—” 

“By any chance, would you be Kojou?” 

Just as Kojou was trying to beat a hasty retreat, he was intercepted by the woman’s direct line of questioning. 

“Yes. Kojou Akatsuki.” 

“My, is that so…? So you’re the one. Tee-hee—I’m glad to finally meet you… And this lovely young lady must be Himeragi. Nagisa is off to see family, yes?” 

“Y-yes. Pleased to meet you.” 

Yukina, completely swept up in the kimono-clad woman’s momentum, bowed her head once more. The woman’s inquisitive eyes glimmered as they scrutinized the pair’s reactions. Though her demeanor was pleasant, it was oddly difficult to get in a word with her. They were going on the assumption that she was Asagi’s mother, so they didn’t know how to react. 

“Aaah…?!” 

Asagi, returning from tidying up her room, noticed the woman’s presence and let out a puzzled yelp. 

“Sumire, what are you doing here?! Weren’t you supposed to be going back to your parents’ place tonight?!” 

“Sensai’s work ran late, so the schedule changed.” 

As she gave her reply with the utmost nonchalance, Sumire Aiba lifted her head to see Asagi standing on the ascending stairway. 

Sumire was Asagi’s father’s second wife; in other words, Asagi’s stepmother. It seemed like the relationship between Asagi and Sumire was a bit complicated—not exactly bad, but it looked like Asagi had a hard time dealing with her stepmother, though that didn’t seem to be the case the other way around. 

“After such a long trip, you simply must relax for a while. I’ll prepare some tea. We even have the Iris House dorayaki Asagi is so fond of. Those little red-bean pancakes really are quite tasty.” 

“Never mind that. No need for snacks today. I just brought them here ’cause there’s something I need to take care of in a hurry.” 

Asagi was desperately trying to shoo her stepmother away. However, Sumire displayed the mysterious strength of her persistence as she said, “Is that so? But they’ve come all this way…” 

“You two go ahead without me! Up the stairs—it’s the room on the right!” 

“Ah…pardon us. Let’s go, Himeragi.” 

“Right.” 

Thus ordered by Asagi, who sounded like she had her back against the wall, Kojou and Yukina ascended the stairs which were made from a rare breed of tree native to Itogami Island, something flat-out extravagant. 

Upon locating the room Asabi mentioned, Kojou opened the door and went inside. 

Boasting a baby-blue and pink color scheme, it was a stereotypical girl’s room. 

A closet was crammed chock-full of Western-style clothing. Various magazines, cosmetics, and stuffed animals were strewn around the room. There was a school uniform on a hangar on the wall, perhaps fresh from dry cleaning. The scattered pillows and rumpled sheets made the room appear very lived-in. Of course, Kojou, whose little sister would be furious if he was ever caught in her room without permission, could not help feeling a bit unnerved. 

“So this is Asagi’s room… Well, it suits her.” 

“Is it really all right for us to let ourselves in?” Yukina asked without budging. 

“She told us to, so it should be fine,” Kojou answered, almost for his own benefit. 

It being an unfamiliar room of a female classmate made it hard to relax, but on the other hand, devices characteristic of Asagi’s other side were there as well: a Spartan, office-use monitor and a rack-style PC cluster. She did most of her part-time job from home, so she had a ridiculously high-spec computer. The instant he noticed its presence, Kojou faintly understood just why Asagi had invited them to her room in the first place. 

“Sorry for the wait. Sit wherever you’d like.” 

Asagi returned to the room, carrying a tray packed with tea cakes and drinks. Surely, her looking fairly exhausted wasn’t just a figment of Kojou’s imagination. 

“You didn’t go and touch anything you weren’t supposed to, did you, Kojou?” 

“I did not. More importantly, is everything okay with Sumire? You didn’t get much of a chance to say hi…” 

“It’s fine. To be honest, I didn’t even expect to see her tonight.” 

Asagi spoke through a pout like a stubborn child’s. 

But after placing the tray on a table, Asagi sat at her computer and revealed an impetuous smile, like she was finally back in her own element. 

“More to the point, you want to know how Nagisa’s doing at the moment, right? Just wait a sec—I’ll check things out.” 

“‘Check things out’? What do you think you’re gonna do? I don’t think Grandma’s temple is connected to the Net,” he asserted with a rueful tone. 

It was a low-tech, run-down temple to begin with, plus it was in a mountain range where even cell tower signals could not reach. He didn’t think Asagi could check on Nagisa’s safety against that backdrop no matter how good a hacker she was. 

However, as if such things were minor inconveniences, Asagi smiled boldly and said: 

“Computers aren’t just for checking the inside of buildings. Mogwai, put the data I extracted through these filters.” 

“My goodness, we only just started the new year. You really run your AI ragged, li’l miss.” 

An oddly human-sounding synthetic voice could be heard over the speakers of Asagi’s computer. This was the avatar of the five supercomputers that controlled Itogami Island—the supporting AI that Asagi had dubbed Mogwai. 

“Stop flapping your lips and do it!” 

“Yeah, yeah. Happy New Year…aaand—!” 

Mogwai began analyzing the image according to the program Asagi had input. 

Mogwai had a calculation ability on par with the finest in the world, but it was quirky and difficult to use; it was said that Itogami Island had virtually no engineers able to bring out its full potential. But for some reason, it got along with Asagi and dutifully followed her orders—and hers alone. Thus, in the blink of an eye, Asagi and Mogwai completed complex work that would have taken ordinary engineers months to finish. 

The screen displayed a shady-looking man with a trench coat and a lively looking middle school girl walking around an airport: Gajou and Nagisa Akatsuki. 

“Surveillance cameras…!” Kojou exclaimed when he realized what he was looking at. 

Even as he did, the images of Gajou and Nagisa were continually replaced. Using the security cameras in the airport and matching running the image through Itogami Island’s face recognition data, Asagi was analyzing their every movement. 

“There are aircraft boarding records, after all, so I thought I’d retrace their path from that point on. If I can get to the credit card history, I’ll know what they bought, too.” 

Asagi proudly thrust out her chest, looking very satisfied with herself. Kojou understood the logic of it, but actually executing it had to be far easier said than done. She was invading the servers of public infrastructure and credit card companies, stealing their data, and isolating it to those two individuals. It was enough to make your head spin. 

However, if she kept this up, it was indeed possible to check on Nagisa’s current whereabouts. 

“Incredible…” 

“This is the so-called surveillance society, huh?” 

Yukina exhaled in admiration as Kojou’s shoulders cringed in fear. 

“Keh-keh.” Mogwai laughed cynically right around when Gajou and Nagisa were coming out of an airport lobby. 

“Daddy got a rental car at the airport—under a false name.” 

“What’s my dumb dad using an alias for…?” 

Thanks to Mogwai, nothing came of it, but if circumstances were different, they might have lost track of Gajou and Nagisa then and there. No, clearly that was Gajou’s intention. He was acting with all the caution of a mafia boss. Geez, just how shady are you? wondered Kojou, beside himself. 

Asagi was using police license-plate-recognition cameras to follow Gajou’s car along the freeway. It was a system that checked license plate numbers to assist in searching for wanted criminals. 

However, Asagi nervously exclaimed, “Huh?! There’s no route data left… He switched license plates?! Since when?!” 

“Keh-keh… Thorough one, ain’t he? I’ll find him using driver-image data.” 

“From Haneda, he headed for Tokyo…but he got off the freeway just before Shibuya.” 

“Shibuya?” Kojou asked. 

Why’d he go to a place like that? he wondered, knitting his brows. It was still a considerable distance to Grandma’s place in Tangiwa. 

“There’s a purchase record from a secondhand clothing store in Harajuku… Also, they stopped for cake and drinks.” 

“That’s a store Nagisa wanted to go to. She said she learned about it from a TV show a while back,” Yukina added, albeit reluctantly. 

What the heck is she doing? thought Kojou, amazed. Incidentally, at around the same time, he was back on Itogami Island being attacked and nearly killed by Divine Beasts and an evil deity, but that was another story. 

“They checked in to a hotel and… What is this, a strip club?” 

Asagi checked the ticket from Gajou’s credit card purchase history and shot Kojou a look of disgust. Apparently, Gajou had slipped out of the hotel in the dead of night to have some fun at a strip bar. 

“I don’t know anything about that! That moron just did that on his own!” 

“They went to Dreamland the next morning, huh…and they stayed at the hotel on the grounds, too.” 

“Is there even a point to tracking ’em like this…?” Kojou murmured, disheartened. 

He’d expected to find out if Nagisa was safe and sound, but before long, it had become an operation to expose the various stupidities of Gajou Akatsuki’s actions. The last image on the amusement park security cameras was of Gajou wearing kitty ears on his head, enjoying himself in a manner disgraceful for a man of his age. As his son, Kojou couldn’t help but be ashamed. 

“They’re on the move.” 

After that came images of Gajou at a cabaret club and Nagisa visiting old friends of hers from her elementary school days who she hadn’t seen in ages, both thoroughly enjoying themselves; and after that, they finally seemed to remember just where it was they were going in the first place. 

After switching to a new rental car, Gajou and Nagisa left the metro. They had finally reached the fourth day since leaving Itogami Island. Seeing this, Kojou breathed a sigh of relief as he said, “Looks like this time they headed for Grandma’s place.” 

“This matches up with the dates on the texts Nagisa sent…,” Yukina asserted calmly. 

Using the cameras placed along the freeway as a measuring device, it was easy to follow the rental car. Gajou and Nagisa’s four-wheel-drive vehicle did not encounter any particular trouble, finally arriving at Kannawa Lake. Kojou and Nagisa’s grandmother lived at an old temple constructed on the edge of that artificial lake, the product of Kamioda Dam. 

The time stamp on the image data left by Nagisa’s smartphone roughly coincided with when Asagi calculated the rental car would have arrived. The difference was about fifteen minutes at most. In other words, Nagisa had witnessed that giant magic circle moments after arriving at the temple they were heading to. 

Or perhaps it was possible that the magic circle was triggered precisely because Nagisa and Gajou had arrived. 

If the activation of the magic circle waited until their arrival, it would be no mere coincidence: It meant that either Nagisa or Gajou was the target. 

“Mogwai, have you noticed?” 

“Yeah, it’s odd.” 

For their part, Asagi and Mogwai lowered their voices, apparently sensing that something was off. 

“What is?” Kojou asked. 

“The travel was too smooth,” Asagi replied. “The roads should be packed this time of year, but the car Nagisa and Gajou were traveling in didn’t slow down from traffic congestion at all.” 

However, Kojou didn’t really understand why Asagi was so on guard. 

“It’s not just a coincidence? Besides, GPS systems tell you the shortcuts nowadays, right?” 

“Naaah, because the other roads are like this.” 

Mogwai displayed a road map of the area. Apparently, red dots indicated congested roads. The massive congestion breaking out on the major thoroughfare made it so crammed that you’d think it was faster to get out and walk. 

“In Tangiwa District…only the road to Kannawa Lake is clear. It’s more like everyone’s subconsciously avoiding the road. Maybe they went onto the other roads, making them even more packed.” 

“Subconsciously avoiding the road…? Hey, you don’t mean…?” 

“Someone placed an aversion ward…?!” 

Kojou and Yukina gasped when they realized the cause of the deviation in traffic. 

Without Gajou and Nagisa knowing, someone had cast a curse to drive everyone except them away from Kannawa Lake. Put another way, the ward invited in Nagisa and Gajou—and only them. 

Kojou had assumed everything had begun with the magic circle Nagisa had photographed. But he was wrong. This curse was already active before she approached Kannawa Lake. 

There was no longer any room for doubt. Someone was after one of them: Gajou or Nagisa. 

“There’s a ward on the entire area around Kannawa Lake? You can do that?” 

“You can. However, it requires considerable preparation and many casters—” 

“So it’s not the sort of curse a single person can fling, yeah…?” 

Irritated, Kojou gritted his teeth. 

An aversion ward was Sorcery 101. At one extreme, you could establish a minimum strength ward just by planting a single D O N OT E NTER sign on the side of the road. The aversion spells used by Yukina and her kind put ritual energy into small objects, but the basic principles didn’t change. 

But however simple the principle, the power and effort involved in maintaining a ward increased exponentially the more you expanded the scale. Something on the scale of driving all unrelated human beings from Kannawa Lake’s environs was a fairly large-scale undertaking. 

“Mogwai.” 

“Got it.” 

Asagi didn’t even need to spell it out for Mogwai to look into it. Once you knew a large organization was in play, deducing its identity was not so difficult. After all, the organizations able to muster an aversion ward of this magnitude were few and far between. Furthermore, the more people involved in something, the more difficult it was to cover it up. 

Food, sleep, travel, communications—the traces of the various actions required to sustain activity as a group and the resulting flow of money told you the organization’s identity. 

“I see. I get how they’re doing it.” 

Mogwai laughed sardonically as he brought up an image on the monitor. It displayed a group of people, all in camouflage and bearing firearms. 

“There are reports all around Kannawa Lake that roads are closed due to avalanches or landslides. The Self-Defense Forces have been dispatched in the name of disaster relief.” 

“Self-Defense Forces…?” 

Rather than be surprised, Kojou was simply confused. Certainly, Gajou’s semi-criminal fieldwork made him an archeologist of some notoriety, but he wasn’t a dangerous enough individual to be targeted by the SDF. That went double for Nagisa, a simple middle schooler. There has to be some mistake, he thought. 

“But the group actually calling the shots seems to be called the Sorcerous Disaster Commission. They’re the ones who put up a spell ward.” 

“Sorcerous Disaster Commission…?!” 

Yukina reacted immediately. Her lips were trembling, and she seemed to be going pale before Kojou’s eyes. With a look of shock plain on her face, she trembled as if seized by fear. 

“Himeragi?” 

“The SDC is one of the Lion King Agency’s dummy organizations. Its chief missions are researching ways to avert sorcerous disasters and conveying information to government agencies.” 

“The Lion King Agency…?! What the heck’s going on here…?” 

As Yukina explained, her voice sounded faint enough that it seemed it might vanish. Kojou turned a reproachful look toward her. 

The Lion King Agency was an organization that defended against large-scale sorcerous disasters and sorcerous terrorism; at the very least, that was what Yukina had told Kojou. Hence, even when he had seen that magic circle, some part of his heart had been at ease. There’s no way the Lion King Agency is after Nagisa, he thought deep down. 

However, the evidence left behind flew in the face of that. 

With Yukina at a loss for words, Asagi calmly replied in her place. 

“So the SDF and the Lion King Agency are collaborating to seal off Kannawa Lake…in the name of preventing damage from a sorcerous disaster. In other words, this is the reason all contact with Nagisa has been cut off.” 

“You mean Nagisa’s…involved in a sorcerous disaster…?” 

“Or maybe they called your li’l sister over to create a sorcerous disaster instead. Keh-keh.” 

Mogwai’s laugh oozed with ill will. The artificial intelligence’s words sparked a worry in Kojou he couldn’t articulate. 

Certainly, Nagisa had been at the center of an enormous sorcerous disaster at one point in the past. That disaster had involved tens of thousands of people, and a gigafloat had sunk as a result. However, that was hardly her fault, and the cause of it was long lost. There was no reason for Nagisa to be related to a sorcerous disaster at that late stage. 

Kojou tried to maintain his own calm. Beside him, Yukina’s body wobbled heavily. 

“The Lion King Agency… No… Why would…?” 

Noticing something was wrong, Asagi cried out, “Himeragi…?!” 

Yukina, continuing to take shallow breaths, seemed to go dizzy as she collapsed. 

“Himeragi?! Hey, Himeragi!” 

Held within Kojou’s arms, Yukina shook her head, trembling in fear. Then she blacked out completely. 

4 

The horizon over the water was faintly beginning to brighten as Kojou gazed at it and sighed. 

The landscape spread before his eyes was the garden of Asagi’s own home. It was not terribly broad, but it was the sort of extravagant, traditional Japanese garden that you never got tired of looking at. 

It was almost five in the morning on New Year’s Day. 

Yukina, who’d had a mild fainting spell, was resting on Asagi’s bed. “I’m gonna get this kimono off now, so scram,” said Asagi, driving Kojou out of her room. 

He figured mental shock was probably the cause of Yukina’s collapse. 

Yukina had been shaken by the suspicion that the Lion King Agency had involved Nagisa in an incident—one beyond her expectations. Kojou might be Yukina’s target for observation, but Nagisa was different. She was the closest thing to a real friend that Yukina had. Somehow, the Lion King Agency was involved in her disappearance, and without informing Yukina of a single thing— 

The shock had apparently hit Yukina, who had been raised by the Lion King Agency from a young age, a lot harder than Kojou thought it would. It wasn’t as if she was mentally fragile; if anything, being shaken was the natural reaction. Yukina might have been a Sword Shaman and highly capable in combat, but deep down, she was nothing more than a girl in middle school. 

That alone made Kojou unable to blame her in any way. 

But on the other hand, he was nervous. For all Kojou knew, Nagisa might be in danger while he was standing there like that. All the same, at that point, Kojou had few cards left to play. 

Feeling irritated, like he was slowly being roasted over a high flame, Kojou stood in the garden before the break of dawn. It was then that his feet were assaulted by a sudden impact. 

“Aaagh?!” 

In danger of losing his balance, Kojou’s eyes went wide when he realized what had happened. The first thing his vision caught was a set of sharp canines, followed by eyes with an inquisitive glint. 

“A…a dog…?!” 

His heart still beating fast from the surprise, Kojou somehow managed to keep the playful pooch at bay. It was a big, muscular dog that seemed over thirty kilograms, and was likely heavily mixed with boxer. Its face was gruff, but it gave off an impression of cheerfulness and intelligence. 

Kojou’s shock was still raw when he heard a low, calm voice from behind. 

“We tried to raise him to be a guard dog, but he’s a bit too fond of people.” 

When Kojou looked back, he saw a casually dressed middle-aged man. 

He wasn’t all that tall, and his demeanor was, if anything, gentle. However, there was a peculiar air about him. The first word that came to Kojou’s mind had three syllables, starting with ya and ending in za. The man was far more frightening than the scary-faced boxer. 

“How is the young lady who came with you?” 

The man opened conversation in a gentle tone that belied his appearance. 

“I think she’s all right by now. Some things happened, and she was caught by surprise a little.” 

Reflexively, Kojou straightened his back and responded clearly. It was the respectful posture he took toward his elders, which he’d learned in his old athletics club. 

“If it is no great matter, that is good, but it is best not to push things too hard… Not for her, and not for you.” 

The man gave a generous nod as he spoke. That was when Kojou remembered that he already knew who this man was. They had never directly spoken to one another, but he’d seen the man many times. This was Sensai Aiba, Itogami City councilor—Asagi’s father. 

“Sorry for causing trouble on a day like this.” 

Kojou apologized to Sensai for imposing in the wee hours of the morning on New Year’s Day. However, Sensai shook his head, somehow seeming delighted as he said: 

“I don’t mind. After all, this is the first time Asagi brought you, her friends, over to visit, and it is not often one has a chance to speak with the World’s Mightiest Vampire.” 

“…?!” 

Kojou was unable to keep his face steady in the face of Sensai’s casually spoken words. His entire body became slick with sweat as he inquired, largely on reflex: 

“You…know about me…?” 

“Surely, it is nothing that should surprise you. However I may look, I am an Itogami City councilor. Many people in the Gigafloat Management Corporation are friends of mine. They do try to keep me at least minimally informed about potential dangers that may occur on Itogami Island.” 

Knowing full well of Kojou’s identity, Sensai displayed a composed smile toward him. 

“Now that I’ve broached the subject, may I ask you for one favor?” 

“A favor…from me?” 

Kojou inquired in a suspicious tone. Even an objective observer would find Sensai’s words unexpected. 

Certainly, Kojou had obtained the power of the Fourth Primogenitor, but the ability was largely useless beyond indiscriminate destruction. Kojou himself was no more than a poor, powerless student. When it came to living large inside Itogami Island, Sensai had far more power than he did on every front. 

Even so, he narrowed his eyes, giving Kojou what somehow seemed like a forlorn look. 

“This is probably something only you can do, Akatsuki.” 

“Huh?” 

“The favor is for Asagi. Please make that girl happy.” 

“……Huh?” 

Kojou looked back at Sensai Aiba’s intimidating face as he doubted his own ears. 

He could not immediately comprehend what was being said to him. It was almost like what the father of a lovely bride would say to her groom. But though he wondered if this was a joke, Sensai’s look was far too serious for that. 

“Er, um… What do you mean by that…? What about what Asagi thinks?” 

Don’t tell me he’s gonna make me marry Asagi out of the blue, Kojou nervously thought. Given Sensai’s connections and influence, making that happen was probably child’s play. 

Sensai’s expression did not change as he continued in a quiet, conversational tone. 

“Someday you, too, will understand, but my daughter was born carrying a somewhat troublesome destiny… In one sense, as much as your own, if not more.” 

“Asagi’s…destiny?” 

Kojou, affected by Sensai’s calm demeanor, regained a little of his composure. However, no matter how he thought it over, he couldn’t understand the meaning of Sensai’s words. Asagi was an ordinary human being, unlike Kojou and Yume. It wasn’t like she was an Attack Mage like Yukina and Natsuki, either. 

When he thought harder about it, the only thing that stood out in his mind was how terrorists had once abducted Asagi because of her preeminent hacking abilities. And yet, he sensed something like unshakable conviction from Sensai’s eyes. 

“Therefore, if the time comes that Asagi needs you…will you stand by her side?” 

Sensai spoke in a tone full of confidence, almost like a prophet. 

Kojou may not have known what he truly wanted, but long before, the answer to that question was set in stone. 

“Well, of course.” 

“I thank you, Kojou Akatsuki.” Sensai smiled, full of satisfaction. Then he suddenly put on his capable politician’s face as he said, “Incidentally, I have two daughters. I understand you are the firstborn son of your family, but there is the option of entering my family via adoption. I wonder what your parents would think about that?” 

“Huh? Adoption?” 

So you are talking about that, thought Kojou, ferociously thrown for a loop. What happened to Asagi’s destiny and all that?! 

“I am a politician, after all, so it is about time for me to think about who will continue my legacy. Oh, there’s nothing to worry about. The fame of the Fourth Primogenitor will serve very well in an election. And if you are interested in the world of politics, in time, I will mold you into a fine politician.” 

“Er, ah, right now I’m not really interested in that stu—” 

“But fooling around with girls is a no-no. Just no. If you have female acquaintances besides Asagi, do sort that out as quickly as possible. I will provide whatever money you require.” 

“I told you I’m not into that stuff…” 

With Kojou hesitant, Sensai endeavored to persuade him with the full force of his skilled politician’s talent. But as the man did so, Kojou made a pained sound as something struck the back of his head. This was followed by a sharp blow that hit the tip of his nose. 

“What are you two talking about?!” 

“Oww… A-Asagi?!” 

As Kojou moaned, putting a hand to his face, he saw Asagi posing with what looked like a whip. Her cheeks were as red as the sun floating over the horizon for the first time that year. 

“Goodness, just when I wonder where you’ve run off to… Kojou, you don’t need to humor anything Dad says to you!” 

“Er, but as the head of a political party, the issue of a successor is rather—” 

“Oh, shut up! Get him, Azar!” 

“Nuoooo?!” 

Asagi transformed into a beast tamer as she sicced her beloved dog on her own father. The giant boxer dog playfully bowled Sensai over right then and there. His dignity as a stern-faced politician evaporated into thin air. 

“Kojou, you wanted to bring Himeragi home, right? Sumire got a car ready, so…” 

Asagi pointed toward the Aiba residence’s front door as she spoke. When Kojou looked, he saw Sumire escorting Yukina near the entrance to the garden. The look on Yukina’s face was still a bit stiff, but her physical condition seemed to have improved. 

That said, it had been an all-nighter for Kojou, and his physical energy was finally reaching its limits. He was concerned about Nagisa, but to maintain his ability to make rational decisions, among other things, he needed to go back home and rest for the time being. 

“Sorry to make you go through all this trouble, Asagi. You were a big help.” 

“Oh, that’s all right. I’m worried about Nagisa, too, you know.” 

Asagi waved dismissively, as if concealing a blush. 

“I’ll gather what info I can, so act calmly, will you? In particular, watch Himeragi so she doesn’t run off and do something reckless. Also, take this.” 

“…Huh?” 

“This is my spare smartphone. If you have this, you can talk straight to Mogwai. There’s no guarantee he’ll do what you tell him, but I thought you should have it in case it comes in handy.” 

“R-right.” 

With a hint of concern on his face, Kojou gazed at the garishly pink smartphone that was handed to him. 

The model was unfamiliar, and the device had traces of being modified in all manner of ways. The only thing displayed on the screen was an avatar resembling a poorly sewn teddy bear. Of course, Kojou knew that Mogwai was extremely capable but felt deep down that he wasn’t very trustworthy. All the same, his power was necessary to narrow down Nagisa’s whereabouts. 

“Keh-keh… It’s a pleasure.” 

Whether aware of Kojou’s gloom or not, Mogwai flashed a sarcastic smile. 

5 

The car Sumire Aiba had arranged for Kojou and Yukina was expensive and painted black. Unexpectedly, it was Sumire herself behind the wheel. 

Apparently, she used to be a driver in Sensai’s employ. According to her, right after Sensai’s first wife passed away from illness, he fell into peril due to a trap laid by a political enemy, and while continually on the run, the two fell in love. Kojou didn’t know how far to believe her tale, but Sumire’s driving skills were the real deal. 

Since marrying Sensai, she’d settled down as a proper politician’s wife, but even then, she felt calmest when driving a car—or so Sumire asserted. 

With those words as the foundation, she engaged in even friendlier chitchat than she had in her own home. She was particularly interested in knowing how Asagi, her stepdaughter, was doing in school. She also lobbed pointed questions about Kojou and Yukina’s relationship. 

Since Yukina was still holding her silence, staring somewhere in the sky above, it naturally fell to Kojou to answer those questions. Even in the early morning, the main thoroughfares were packed; Sumire looked like she was enjoying herself, but Kojou’s mental energy was being whittled down bit by bit. 

“—I am sorry to interrupt. But could you please bring us to Hill Number Six?” 

The car was just crossing a familiar intersection when Yukina spoke, almost as if she’d suddenly remembered something. “Ahem!” went Sumire, strongly coughing at that instant. 

It was not surprising this gave her pause. Hill No. 6 was the name of a special place on Island West. It was a row of lodging facilities catering to couples—in other words, a love-hotel district. 

“Er, not for that. It’s not like that at all. Hill Number Six is where the Lion King A—erm, an acquaintance of Himeragi’s is running a store. Right, it’s kinda like an antique shop.” 

Kojou desperately explained away Sumire’s misunderstanding. 

Sorcery-wise, Hill No. 6, densely packed with special structures, had numerous magical blind spots. The Lion King Agency made use of that characteristic, laying down an office that served as a communications relay. To the naked eye, it looked like nothing more than a run-down antique shop, and at any rate, a special ward wiped the place from people’s memories without any trace. 

Yukina probably wanted to go there to get in touch with the Lion King Agency, but Sumire didn’t know what Yukina intended. 

“It’s all right, don’t worry. I’ll keep it a secret from Asagi. It’s good to be young…” 

“I said it’s not that!” 

Sumire’s excessive sympathy and consideration only backed Kojou farther into a corner. Certainly, having this exposed to Asagi would be more trouble than it was worth, but having Sumire misunderstand that much was a pain. 

“Here is fine. Please stop the car.” 

Kojou was so nervous he didn’t even notice that Yukina somehow seemed backed into a corner herself. When Sumire pulled the car over to the curb, Yukina politely gave her thanks and rushed out. 

“Now then, I will wait here for about three hours. Take your time.” 

“What?! No, ah, please go home. It’s bad for you to wait around in a place like this.” 

Kojou shook his head in surprise at Sumire’s excessively generous offer. Whatever the circumstances, he certainly couldn’t put her through that much trouble. Besides, Kojou couldn’t judge whether it was all right to let Sumire, a civilian, come into contact with the Lion King Agency. 

However, it seemed Sumire read Kojou’s intent differently. 

“In other words, three hours will not be sufficient for your activities…” 

“What do you mean, activities?!” 

“I’m kidding. You have your reasons, don’t you? But please try not to make Asagi cry too much,” Sumire said with a mischievous smile. 

Sly like a fox, thought Kojou as he sighed. He couldn’t tell at all just how much she understood. But he did grasp that she was a woman made of far sterner stuff than her appearance let on. He could understand why Sensai Aiba had chosen her as his wife. 

“Go on ahead.” 

“Sure.” Kojou bowed his head as he got out of the car. “Sorry for the trouble.” 

Yukina was standing at a narrow intersection midway up the hill. Her lips were pursed, her expression was hard, and it felt like she’d lost her usual air of composure. 

“Himeragi. What’s up with Professor Kitty?” 

Kojou made certain of his surroundings as he asked. 

Professor Kitty was the nickname Kojou had arbitrarily assigned to Yukina’s master. She was apparently a formidable Attack Mage, but Kojou had only met her through a cat serving as her familiar. 

“…Wait, where was it? The Lion King Agency branch office was around here, wasn’t it?” 

“The ward’s enchantment has been changed. Even I cannot decode it.” 

Yukina spoke in an almost monotone voice. Kojou realized that the very cold ring of her voice meant Yukina was angry. Apparently, the Lion King Agency involving Nagisa in something behind Yukina’s back had really gotten under her skin. 

“Then even you can’t get in? Why’d they go out of their way to do that?” 

“I do not know. However, if that was their intention—” 

With that, Yukina suddenly moved a hand to the guitar case on her back. From the case, she drew out her silver spear in its folded form. 

The spear’s shaft slid forward, making a metallic clang as a three-pronged blade deployed. Even early in the morning with no sign of anyone close, Kojou was flabbergasted that Yukina was wielding her spear in the middle of the street. 

“H-Himeragi?!” 

“Stand back, senpai— Snowdrift Wolf!” 

Yukina wildly swung the silver spear. 

Her spear, called Demon-Purging Assault Spear Type Seven, aka Schneewaltzer, was a secret weapon of the Lion King Agency. It had the ability to nullify magical energy and rend any barrier asunder. 

Naturally, this effect was fully functional against the aversion ward the Lion King Agency used to conceal its own branch office. After a ting, the ward was annihilated, leaving behind a sound like glass breaking as the look of the surrounding urban landscape changed. A tiny alley appeared, one they had somehow managed to miss until then. Within, they could see a run-down antique shop. It was the familiar branch office of the Lion King Agency. 

“That was nuts…” 

“It is an emergency.” 

Kojou exhaled, seeming beside himself, as Yukina, still brandishing the spear, replied bluntly. 

Yukina’s personality, serious to the point of excess, had a glaring flaw: She got very worked up about things. This rampage was the result. Even if the act was out of concern for Nagisa, it wasn’t good. Kojou knew painfully well why Asagi had told him to keep Yukina from doing anything reckless. 

When they finally reached the antique shop, Kojou put a hand on the door and listlessly shook his head. 

“So they’re closed… Figures.” 

It was six AM on New Year’s Day. Of course, the door would be locked. The curtains over the windows were shut, so they couldn’t peer inside the shop. 

“I have to say, without Professor Kitty here, it really does look like a simple antique shop. That talk of it being a Lion King Agency branch office—that’s not some kind of mistake, is it…?” Kojou said lightheartedly. 

He didn’t intend for his words to come off as a jab, but the instant Yukina heard them, she looked ready to burst into tears. 

“Ugh…!” 

Then she gripped her spear, turning its tip toward the door of the antique shop. She meant to break down the door. Realizing this, Kojou rushed to pin Yukina’s arms behind her. 

“H-Himeragi, wait! What exactly are you going to do after breaking into the shop?!” 

“Senpai, please stay out of my way! Let go of me!” 

“Just calm down, okay…? No point busting into the place if there’s no one in there!” 

“But…!” 

“In the first place, ain’t no way an antique shop is gonna be open at this hour on New Year’s Day. Aren’t the Lion King Agency employees out for the New Year’s holiday? They work for the government, after all.” 

“They wouldn’t be… At a time like this…!” 

Yukina seemed mortified as her shoulders trembled. 

It wasn’t as if he couldn’t understand her feelings of anger. On the mainland, part of the Lion King Agency was surely still at work under the name of the Sorcerous Disaster Commission. Besides, Yukina couldn’t possibly accept that her superiors were taking the holiday off. 

“You can’t get in touch with the Lion King Agency HQ?” 

“High God Forest is isolated from the outside world…” 

“How about contacting other branch offices?” 

“I…do not know how.” 

Yukina’s voice became fainter with each question from Kojou. “I see,” he murmured, sighing heavily. Though she had been granted the title of Sword Shaman, Yukina was on the outer edge of the organization. She hadn’t been granted any way to gather information about the organization as a whole. 

“Himeragi, their not telling you anything means the Lion King Agency wanted us thoroughly cut off from information. I mean, we only got ahold of Nagisa’s photo through dumb luck. If it was just some sort of communications lapse, it doesn’t explain why we can’t get in touch with Kirasaka.” 

“…Senpai, how can you be so calm about this? The Lion King Agency might have involved Nagisa in some kind of dangerous incident for all we know!” Yukina reproached him. 

Kojou shifted his gaze to the sky, looking conflicted, and said, “It’s not that I’m calm about this. I didn’t trust the Lion King Agency much to begin with, so them betraying me wouldn’t be that shocking.” 

“Ngh…” 

“Ah, nah, it’s not like I ever doubted you, Himeragi.” Kojou added the quick follow-up once he saw Yukina biting her lip and looking forlorn with a downcast gaze. 

“But it’s like Asagi told us before,” he continued. “The Lion King Agency’s actions aren’t always just. Besides, you’ll find factions and internal disputes in any large organization.” 

“…Internal disputes…?” 

The Sword Shaman blinked in surprise. Apparently, Yukina, straitlaced to the bone, had never considered the possibility that the Lion King Agency contained people she could not trust. 

“Himeragi, I’m saying that if there’s a side of the Lion King Agency you’ve never seen, that’s no reason for you to feel guilty. I don’t know about Professor Kitty, but at the very least, I don’t think Kirasaka would ever betray you.” 

“I… I suppose not…” 

Yukina nodded with a frail look. It wasn’t as if she’d put her feelings completely in order, but she did seem to accept that much. After all, it was far from established that the entire agency had betrayed her. 

Then, with Yukina having regained her composure, her cheeks suddenly reddened as she looked up at Kojou and said, “Um, senpai. I’d be happy if you finally let go of me now…” 

“…Huh?” 

Hearing her words, Kojou belatedly remembered that he was still pinning Yukina’s arms behind her. Yukina’s body was delicate enough that the embrace had slipped from his mind, but for all that, she was unexpectedly soft, and her skin was gently and intimately pressed against his. 

“Or rather, just where do you think you’re touching…?” 

“R-right… Sorry.” 

Hearing the ice in Yukina’s voice, Kojou nervously pulled his hands away. 

“No, it’s fine. It was my fault to begin with…” 

Once she had calmed down, Yukina put her clothes in order. Then she folded her spear and returned it to the guitar case. 

“Well, setting all that aside, we still don’t know what the Lion King Agency’s goal is. No clues, either…” 

Kojou murmured at his own expense, feeling stifled, as if walls were closing in around him. 

He couldn’t get in touch with Nagisa or Gajou. With the Lion King Agency shutting off information, they had no way of knowing what had happened at Kannawa Lake. Asagi said she’d check on things, but the information you could gather via the Net had its limits. Unlike Itogami Island, a man-made isle, the Kannawa Lake environs were still thick with nature, and virtually no electronic devices for Asagi to hijack. 

What should we do? Kojou asked himself internally. 

The next moment, in the middle of the road, early morning with no sign of anyone around, he heard the echo of a gentle voice: 

“It would seem you are in distress, Fourth Primogenitor.” 

“—?!” 

Kojou and Yukina simultaneously turned in the direction of the voice. 

For the first time, she entered their sight—a slender figure standing with her back to the dazzling morning sun. Traditionally-styled, long, black hair trailed down her back, and she wore a similarly old-fashioned black sailor outfit. Even against the sun, her beauty was unmistakable, but because of her eyes, which seemed to look down on the entire world, her natural expression made her appear rather sinister. 

“Kiriha Kisaki…!” 

Yukina immediately raised her guard, reaching for the guitar case on her back. Kojou, too, lowered his center of gravity, adopting a posture for moving at any instant. 

Kiriha Kisaki was a Priestess of the Six Blades of the Bureau of Astrology—an expert in anti-demonic beast combat. They employed the same techniques as the Sword Shamans of the Lion King Agency and the two professions were said to be opposite sides of the same coin. 

About a month prior, she and Yukina had faced off against each other during the Blue Elysium incident. 

The victor of that duel had not yet been decided. However, at that moment, Kojou didn’t get the feeling they would be picking up where they left off. Nor was there any sign of Kiriha reaching toward the large tripod case she carried on her back. 

“It’s been a while, Yukina Himeragi. What an awful face. Are you aware that you look like an abandoned puppy?” 

Kiriha looked back at the hesitant Yukina, trying to rub salt in her wounds. She wasn’t attempting to pick a fight—it was just the only way she knew how to talk to other people. 

“You want to know what the Lion King Agency is up to at Kannawa Lake, yes? Am I wrong?” 

“And you know…?” 

“Yes, of course. I can tell you if you’d like.” 

Kiriha looked back at the surprised Kojou, smiling sardonically. 

The Bureau of Astrology she belonged to was a special agency under the umbrella of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Since their organizational objectives overlapped, they and the Lion King Agency’s interests were frequently at odds—hence why they kept track of the Lion King Agency’s movements. 

“Really, I wanted to tell you much sooner, but you two were embracing so intimately, I just couldn’t find it in me to interrupt.” 

“Wha—?! W-we were not!” 

“That wasn’t embracing, dammit!” 

Kojou glared, with a red-faced expression that screamed You were watching us?! Kiriha smiled with indifference as she gazed at the pair’s reactions. 

“I do not mind telling you the truth, but our Bureau of Astrology and the Lion King Agency are at odds. Despite that, will you trust my words?” 

“Just tell us already.” 

Kojou bared his fangs and pressed Kiriha to continue. 

“If hearing the information isn’t convenient for the Lion King Agency, you’re the ones who benefit from giving it to us. In that sense, I’ll trust you,” Yukina said. 

“I see. A sound decision.” Kiriha nodded in a show of admiration. 

She knew Kojou’s objective. The Bureau of Astrology no doubt intended to use Kojou to hinder the Lion King Agency’s actions. But that also meant Kiriha was certain Kojou would end up as the group’s enemy. 

“Very well, I shall tell you all that I know. Though I believe you will regret your decision…” 

Kiriha stated her preamble with the crimson-dyed horizon at her back. 

Such was how that fated day—a day upon which Kojou and Yukina would be faced with a difficult decision—began.