novelLegend of Sword (2)
| ← Ch.043 | Ch.045 → |
"Oi Mio, wake up already. Kohaku is going to come after this you know?"
With her twintails untied slovenly when she slept, the slightly amorous Mio was "Nn...I can't wake up if there is no kiss from the prince...", then she stuck out her shapely lips.
Her way of thinking was on the same level as Kanae...
"You, you just want to say that and are only pretending to be asleep aren't you..."
It was not like what she asked was something Kazuki disliked, rather he was tempted to just kiss her for real, but he became aware of Koyuki's chilly gaze so he shook Mio's shoulder with more strength.
―It was 7 o'clock in the morning.
Kohaku showed her face at this time when the SHR would be started soon. She came here a few times a day to pass Kazuki and the others food and the like.
But this time she was a bit late.
"From today onward, it's fine to go out from this room limited inside the grounds of the Sword Division as long as someone accompanies you."
Suddenly Kohaku informed them of the change in the situation.
"Why is that? Isn't it bad if Kanae and the others from the Sword Division student council found out our whereabouts?"
"The Sword Division student council that Kazuki knows doesn't exist anymore."
"What did you say? Did something happen to Kanae?"
"Kanae-dono judged this one one-sidedly and came to attack and was defeated. The school tradition of the Sword Division is based on real strength doctrine, even more compared to the Magic Division. Because of that, the moment the student council president is defeated by someone, she would lose all credibility."
"Then Kohaku won against Kanae!?"
Kazuki was struck with admiration from the bottom of his heart.
"Although you have seven Sacred Treasures, to properly win against that girl..."
"You have said enough. This one heard before that when Kazuki and Kanae crossed swords, Kazuki was the stronger one."
Certainly he had more wins than losses with the score of 139 victories and 118 defeats. However those were not real battles.
"Because Kanae's disposition is to fight using her instinct, she cannot make a serious effort in a contest of strength that was half playing around. If she gets really serious, in just swordsmanship she is much, much stronger than me....I see, so you really won nicely against her."
Kazuki displayed his heartfelt admiration, but Kohaku's expression didn't brighten at all.
"...Anyway this one is taking over the authority of the student council president, Kanae-dono and the others were suspended from school and underwent their penitence in their own rooms because of their crime in assaulting other students. At the same time, the Magic Division is forbidden from entering the Sword Division, all the students will enter states of high alert after school. In other words our preparations are in good order. The next time the Magic Division would appear in this ground is the moment when they come to attack right from the front in order to seriously recapture Kazuki and Lotte."
Kaguya-senpai and the others will come to attack the Sword Division...that was the situation that he wanted to avoid the most.
"Kohaku, I have said this many times, but the Magic Division and the Sword Division shouldn't antagonize each other. To prepare for bigger threats, the Swordsmen and the Magica Stigma have to join their strength. This is not the time to squabble with each other. Even though you won against Kanae with the use of Sacred Treasures, opponents that you wouldn't be able to defeat without the cooperation of the Magic Division will surely appear in the future."
This was an argument that he kept repeating each time Kohaku came to the room until now. If she wouldn't lend her ear this time then―Kazuki intended to use all his strength to escape from this room.
He couldn't just sit around and wait anymore.
Despite laughing off Kazuki's argument with full confidence until now, for some reason this time Kohaku was looking down with doubt residing inside her eyes.
"...This one really doesn't understand why Kazuki is always advocating such a claim. If we let the Magic Division do as they please, you realize that you are only going to be judged as an illegal magician right?"
"I never did anything like causing harm to any knight and trying to steal a Sacred Treasure. Those are false accusations. Inside the Magic Division, there is someone who attempted to trick me into something. Liz Liza-sensei should already tell you that there is some strange distortion going on. If this distortion is not set right, the Knight Academy's situation will turn dire."
"A dire situation?"
For Kazuki to claim that there was [someone who tricked him into something] by himself was a fairly lame thing to do. But it looks like Kohaku had undergone some change in her mental state, she lent her ear to Kazuki seriously.
"My contracted Diva, Lemegeton, is the Demon King that unifies Solomon's 72 Pillars. I have to become an appropriate King for her. If the situation keeps like this, all of Solomon's 72 Pillars will be disappointed in us. If Solomon's 72 Pillars wash their hands from Japan's government, that would be the end of this country."
I am a King. It couldn't be helped even if he made thoughtless and outrageous remarks, however this was most likely the truth.
If he didn't resolve himself and take action, the situation would turn dire.
"Unify Solomon's 72 Pillars, Demon King...?"
Mio who watched over the two was dumbfounded. However she knew about Kazuki's ability. If she included that fact, what Kazuki said was not so out of the realm of possibility.
"What this guy said is the truth."
Leme materialized besides Kazuki. Now that he thought about it, since they were confined in this room, she never appeared at all, was it because of her discretion of the other girls?
"...You, haven't you grown a little more since the last time?"
"Are you an uncle that meets his nephew after a long time? This is the fruit of Lotte's positivity level increase."
Leme showed a sullen face, was she being awkward?
Leme's figure had turned into a girl around the age of a first year middle school student. Although there was still some innocence left in her look with that squishy cheek of hers, inside her well-ordered face and figure was a hint of the budding charm of a woman.
If she kept growing like a human with this rate, she might grow into a beautiful girl that couldn't be ignored by anyone.
"This girl is not a bad Diva. See, she doesn't look like a bad guy at all."
"Shop hith~, dhon' fhull fhy sheeck~ (Stop~, don't pull my cheek~)"
While pulling Leme's cheeks widely, Kazuki appealed that Leme was a harmless existence. Was this a success, Kohaku was looking down and thinking for a while.
"...This matter might be something this one cannot decide. Kazuki, this one had someone this one wants you to meet."
"A person you want me to meet?"
"This one and the other also have a power broker behind us."
After a long time, Kazuki and the others could finally get outside led by Kohaku. The group traversed the Sword Division's grounds. They could feel the awfully bright sunlight along with the morning air and fresh cold wind.
Different from the Magic Division, the Sword Division had a Japanese atmosphere. Gentle undulations at the ground made from the artificial hill, a long stretching road filled with lines of stepping stones, stone lanterns and pine trees were attracting their eyes.
"This one fought with Kanae-dono here."
Kohaku said so with a sigh in the immediate area of the clubroom building. Her face seen from the side looked quite uncertain that was so unlike how she usually acted, this place gave a true account of what kind of fight had unfolded here.
Even though Kohaku owned several Sacred Treasures, she shouldn't be able to defeat Kanae so easily.
But no matter what had actually happened in the fight, it wouldn't be able to shake the fact of the outcome.
Even Kanae wouldn't act like a child by insisting in protest against her defeat.
"The person you want me to meet is not in the student dormitory but inside this kind of place?"
The time was still before the start of the school class. Despite that, why would that person be here in the clubroom building and not in his room at the student dormitory?
"There is a special circumstance, she is a Sword Division student, but she spends a lot of her time secretly outside the dormitory."
Kohaku ascended the exterior stairs of the clubroom building while talking, then she knocked on the door of the clubroom with a dirty plate that was hanged on it with the writing of [Pingpong Club]. Looking from its outward appearance, the clubroom looks abandoned already.
"~Mikohime~-sama, this is Kohaku. Coming in."
"...I told you already, don't call me Mikohime-sama! Someone that calls me something like Mikohime cannot come in, idiot―!"
Boos were returned from the other side of the door.
Kohaku was stunned for only a moment, then she opened the door with a key while saying "Entering."
Peeking at the other side of the door, Kazuki's eyes suddenly became round.
The inside of the clubroom was not a conventional high school clubroom, but it had been turned into an altar of Shinto ceremony.
The whole surface was colored brightly with vermilion and gold colors, while there was a large altar in the inside. There was not even a shadow or shape of anything ping-pong club like inside. In the middle of the room, there was a girl clad in the Sword Division's uniform.
"Kohakuu―, I have said this so many times, but a title like miko or hime is not appropriate for me. I'm just one girl that had decided to reach success in life by the sword, a swordswoman! So stop elevating me to a weird position!"
A girl with a short-cut hair in shaggy-style that made her look energetic. With an imposing countenance that really suited a swordsman, she was sulking at Kohaku in dissatisfaction childishly.
When that girl noticed Kazuki, she thrust her index finger to him and raised a loud voice.
"A young man in the Magic Division uniform...I heard about it before, this guy is the enemy of women, Hayashizaki Kazuki! Kohaku, what is this about? Why will you take this kind of guy to this altar? Have you been corrupted by him!? En-gacho!"
(...Wait a second there, what does she mean by "enemy of women"!?)
"Mikohime-sama, first please let me introduce them....Kazuki, in this side is Tsukahara Kazuha-sama. A senpai in the Sword Division."
"You said Tsukahara, so she is that teacher's...?"
"Correct, she is his daughter."
"Stop calling me Tsukahara, I'm going to be compared with that good-for-nothing glasses father. Then Kohaku too, stop that stiff tone of yours when talking to me already. You're my important friend after all."
"Before you are this one's friend, Kazuha-senpai is the mikohime of the sword."
"I told you to quit it haven't I―! I'm angry here, otherwise I'm going to cry!?"
Kazuha-senpai waved her arms about energetically. The long sleeves of the Sword Division's uniform were flapping around.
"Then Mikohime-sama, these are those who were chased by the aforementioned Magic Division, Hayashizaki Kazuki and Charlotte Liebenfrau, and the additional two that were dragged into that strife."
"Wait there, what's with that mention of 'additional' you said! I'm the one with the number one charisma you know!?"
Though the mention about getting dragged into this was true, Mio was still angry because she was introduced lightly.
"I understand their problems when I see them. But why would you take them to this place?"
"I wish for Mikohime-sama and Sword God-sama to hear their story."
"I told you...don't call me Mikohime..."
Kazuha-senpai was being fed up with how Kohaku keep calling her Mikohime.
(...Mikohime, Sword God...?)
"Kazuki, Kazuha-senpai is being contracted with a Diva outside of Solomon's 72 Pillars, she is the same as Kazuki, an illegal magician in the eyes of the law. Because of this one and my comrade's encounter with Senpai here, we started to get really serious about overthrowing the Magic Division."
Kazuki spontaneously faced Kazuha-senpai with shocked eyes.
"Wait, is it okay for you to reveal me as an illegal magician so lightly? Of course it's not okay you know!"
Kazuha-senpai glowered at Kohaku. Looking at her abundance of emotion that she showed, it seems there was no unnaturalness at all in her like a person that was having their heart encroached. She was overflowing with energetic vitality, a very open and bold woman.
"Well, indeed I am an illegal magician. But my Diva is by no means an evil existence. I'll show you the proof right now, you'll see."
Kazuha-senpai chanted a spell, her body was enveloped with vermillion light of magic power.
"Mine bare hands grasp the red hot ore. Ridges on the sky, blade on the earth, merge in a flash namely as the only sword. Thy inscription is ~Futsunushi no Kami~! Oh god of iron and fire, show thy forge!"
Kazuha-senpai's hands were both swallowed in burning flame.
Inside that flame, a hot red iron [sword] was created.
That sword was not a Japanese katana. It was an ancient double edged sword that was used in the era far before even the katana.
A human's face was carved like a relief in the part of the hilt,
The avatar that was born from the spell was floating away lightly from Kazuha-senpai's hand.
"...Mine name is Futsunushi no Kami! One of the pillar gods that had watched over the children of Yamato from ancient times!"
The rough human face that was carved into the hilt opened its eyes suddenly and widely and proclaimed to Kazuki and the others.
"Mikohime-sama is contracted with Futsunushi no Kami-sama, but she hid this matter and went through the Sword Division....So to speak, [the Magica Stigma of Sword Division]."
In contrast with Kazuki who was the swordsman of the Magic Division...Kazuha-senpai was the Magica Stigma of the Sword Division!
"Is there no danger? If you are possessed and your mind gets hijacked then..."
Kazuha-senpai turned indignant toward Kazuki's apprehension.
"What are you saying, you enemy of women! You're going to be cursed by all the god-sama that had been in Japan since ancient times! I had associated with Futsunushi no Kami since I was born! If he had any intention to hijack my mind than he would have already done it a long time ago!"
"Guwahhahha!" Futsunushi no Kami laughed.
"That's correct, I don't have any such intention like stealing human's flesh body. I'm also not interested in human's faith. So to speak, I am the same as Solomon's 72 Pillars. I bind a contract only to grant strength to this frail young girl!"
"Don't call me frail, idiot!"
"Guwahhahha! Hooww cute!"
The human-faced sword―Futsunushi no Kami was laughing heartily. The expressive features of the carving in the hilt felt like a good natured uncle, Kazuki couldn't see any lie at all from him.
There was no reason to think that just because he is a Diva, he wanted to steal human's body from anyone. Lotte's Prometheus was also like that.
Each Diva's objective were different. The current law that grouped all the Diva that were not among Solomon's 72 Pillars as something to be wary of and classified those Diva's contractor as illegal magicians might be too rough and broad. Though thinking of the risk of those Divas with evil intentions, that kind of law probably couldn't be helped, but...
Now that he thought about it, the illegal magicians that were captured by the Knight Order was when their mind was encroached, thus losing their sanity and turning violent. Supposing that the Diva was not encroaching their mind, as long as they didn't use their power and hid their stigmata, they could pass off as normal humans and keep living normally.
By some chance, perhaps there was a lot of [Hidden Illegal Magicians] contracted secretly with Divas from various mythologies that stay under the radar in this country outside of Kazuha-senpai.
"...Japan Mythology's Diva!?"
Leme materialized at Kazuki's side.
"Oooh, little girl! Are you one of Solomon's 72 Pillars?"
Futsunushi no Kami asked to Leme.
"Leme is the King of Solomon's 72 Pillars, Lemegeton. Right now most of my strength and memory are lost. This guy is the master of Leme's contract, if he grows to become an appropriate King, Leme will also recover het strength and memory."
Leme spoke rudely while pointing at Kazuki.
"But the government and the adults in this academy don't trust Leme and Kazuki, they gave us designations as illegal and pursued us. On top of all that, they even created some suspicious plot by giving us false charges and treated us like criminals..."
"I see. How pitiful, even though you are just a little girl. But won't it be okay if you just explain it through the 72 Pillars?"
Futsunushi no Kami who was floating around in the air buoyantly slanted his body and asked Leme.
Was that gesture something like someone tilting his neck in wonder?
Certainly, if a Diva like Asmodeus or Phoenix just explained to the people that [Lemegeton is our King], all the issues would be resolved neatly.
"That's no good. Solomon's 72 Pillars had decided not to intervene in the actions and decisions of the people in this country. We granted power freely to this country without the rule of faith so we can see with our own eyes what they will use that power for. Right now is still the stage where they need to be aware of what had awoken in this world, isn't that right? If they make a move like eliminating the King, who are Leme and Kazuki, for their own selfish interest then...Solomon's 72 Pillars are going to forsake Japan and move to a different place."
Leme answered with some cruelty spreading into her sentiment.
"...Eh, what's with that! Isn't that bad!?"
Mio who listened carefully in that place couldn't help but raise her voice.
"In which case, in the current situation, all of you are currently in the process of running out of patience toward the government of Japan then, guhaha."
"The situation is just like you said. In the meantime, this guy...our King, what is he going to show to us, Leme is looking forward to it in anticipation....And then, what is the stance that Japan's Mythology is taking? I thought that Japan's Mythology didn't plan to concern themselves with the humans proactively."
This time Leme was the one that asked Futsunushi no Kami. Distinct color of wariness was floating in Leme's expression towards Japan's Mythology. Suddenly Futsunushi no Kami's face turned serious and he answered.
"True. Frankly speaking, I don't have any trust in any of you from Solomon's 72 Pillars."
The Diva of sword with strangely deep character, Futsunushi no Kami started his story with grave expression.
"We, the Divas of ~Japan's Mythology~ are a mythology that doesn't particularly demand faith from humans. We don't have any intention to aim for a monotheism where the gods are absolute and things like subduing the humans and basking ourselves in self-satisfaction. Having an altar built for me and also an interesting person like Kazuha as a partner for playing around with is more than enough. We are the native friends of the children of Yamato, the local friend, think of us as the localee."
"Localee...is that vocabulary that is used by god-sama?"
"Guwahhahha, I'm happy that you can insert the tsukkomi there! When I'm the idiot someone is going to tsukkomi, just having someone accompanying me for that is enough to satisfy me! The same goes with my other comrades. But if we are neglected and become sulky, then we will go wild and bring forth calamity!!"
Harming the mood of the god-sama would cause a great disaster, that was the standard pattern for Japan's folklore. Are they friendly or vicious...
"By the way, usually I put some offering on the altar here, chatting with Futsunushi no Kami about what happened today at school, playing some games, or other things. We are close friends see!"
Kazuha-senpai's expression broke open slightly and she puffed up with pride.
"Mikohime-sama doesn't have any friends in class after all"
"Kazuha doesn't have any friends except me after all, guwahhahha!"
"Do, don't say that I don't have any friends! ...It can't be helped that I cannot make any friends...No wait, Kohaku is my friend right? That's why don't call me Mikohime-sama..."
"Bu, but senpai is the one that is contracted with Sword God-sama so no matter what it's too auguste..."
Kohaku was flustered. When she started to call Kazuki informally before this she was also hesitating very much, it seems she had quite a reserved character against someone established as her senior.
Kazuha-senpai dropped her shoulders in dejection hearing Kohaku's reply.
"...~Nature's Worship~ isn't it? Even in Europe, similar mythologies that believed in spirits are not few."
This time Prometheus' form also appeared at Lotte's side.
"However nature's worship at Europe was distorted in the present era because of the censure in the middle ages that demarked them as demon's beliefs. Japan's Mythology can be said to be a rare case because they are a primitive faith that is still continuing into the present era, don't you agree."
Prometheus' original form and strength had returned for a time in the middle of the fight with Beatrix.
But it seems it was nothing more than a temporary recovery using Leme's power, he immediately returned back to the form of a young boy afterwards.
Looks like he still had to reside inside Lotte to recover his divinity from now on too.
"Hou, looks like this time a youngster came out. Are you that one, the Diva who is said to be contracted with the heretic magician Charlotte Liebenfrau...?
"Correct, Prometheus of the Greek Mythology, best regards."
Prometheus presented his hand for a handshake, but when Futsunushi no Kami presented his sword body suddenly he drew back his hand in shock. What are they doing, these Divas?
The situation developed into a gathering of three Divas, each from a different Mythology.
Solomon's 72 Pillars also had a secrecy doctrine, so this was an exceedingly rare scene.
"We of the Japanese Mythology were not particularly concerned when Solomon's 72 Pillars started to get along with the people of Japan. Thereupon there is this feeling of us being treated lightly in recent times that make us irritated!"
Futsunushi no Kami talked with a lively tone. It seems he was irritated.
"The consensus opinion of the whole body of the Japanese Mythology is that whatever other Mythology attempts to do in Japan is inconsequential...but for me personally, recently I was entertaining doubt about whether it is okay or not to leave the people of Japan, who are my friends, to Solomon's 72 Pillars."
"Mu, so Futsunushi no Kami has something he is unsatisfied with Leme and the others. I'll accept your challenge then."
Leme faced Futsunushi no Kami and took a fighting pose.
"To start with number one, the current Japan make light of the swordsman too much. I am the Sword God that was worshipped by the lineage of Tsukahara for generations, this tendency to make light of swordsman is not something pleasant for me as the Sword God."
"Precisely, exactly like that." Kohaku raised a voice of approval.
"That, even Leme and the others of Solomon's 72 Pillars can say we are troubled by that too. The Japanese government is the one that gives favorable treatment to the Magica Stigma on their own accord....Well, though it might turn out differently if Solomon's 72 Pillars' magic handling are more focused on reinforcement magic like Thor of the Norse Mythology from the other day..."
"And then one more thing, the matter of the ominous ceremony that is performed in the underground of this academy. That ceremony is eerie no matter how you see it, it makes Solomon's 72 Pillars look all the more dubious."
"Ominous ceremony? What are you talking about?"
Leme's eyes turned perfectly round. It seems somehow she really had no knowledge of the mentioned ceremony.
"The swordsmen continue to be discriminated unjustly, and then an ominous presence can be felt from the underground of this academy. From these two primary factors, I harbor a considerable distrust toward Solomon's 72 Pillars. In that occasion, the humans of the Sword Division elevated Kazuha and I and raised a plan to aim for the restoration of the swordsman's rights, we too were cooperating with them in this plan. Though even if I say cooperation, but it will become a problem if Kazuha fights in the center stage extensively and get the designation of illegal magician, that's why there is nothing I can do except to bestow the ~Divine Protection~ indirectly to those swordsmen."
"By earning the Divine Protection of Futsunushi no Kami-sama, we become able to draw out ~Battou Kaikon~ from Sacred Treasures that possessed element of ~Sword~."
"Battou Kaikon?"
After hearing that unfamiliar words from Kohaku, Kazuki interposed a question to her.
"Kazuki is still not accustomed to using Sacred Treasures right? What is called Battou Kaikon is to make a path between the mind and the Sacred Treasure, a skill to draw out the essence of strength that Sacred Treasures possess."
Now that she mentioned it, the first time he used ~Raikiri~, there was the sensation from Raikiri that tried to address him. By coming to a mutual understanding with the Sacred Treasure like that, it seems they would be able to pull out some kind of special move.
Kohaku's group of comrades were swordsmen that each possessed special moves of Battou Kaikon. Certainly their group was fairly strong with that kind of ace. He could see how Kohaku could be so full of confidence.
"...It's dangerous to only rely on just one sword. If these swordsmen could use the Sacred Treasures skillfully, there wouldn't be any need for Japan's government to depend solely on Solomon's 72 Pillars for all of its military power."
"...By no means are we doing this for our own personal grudge against the Magic Division and the Magica Stigma."
Kohaku whispered with a sigh.
"Leme understands in general about the matter with Futsunushi no Kami. But...what is that you mean about the ominous ceremony!?"
Leme was in the condition of taking offense. Leme didn't have any knowledge about the [ominous ceremony] that was the crux of the matter mentioned not long ago, she looked very reluctant to be doubted because of that.
"Hmmm, sometimes there are outbreaks of ominous magic power from the underground of this academy. It made my sword bodyradar reacting, like 'binbinbin'. And also, about this ominous ceremony, there is no doubt that it is related with a Diva. This stinks. Absolutely suspicious."
"Ominous magic power...but I have never felt anything like that since I came to this academy. Maybe we cannot feel it because Leme-sama and my power haven't returned completely."
The young boy Prometheus tilted his head in curiosity. His power was still not insufficient after all.
On the other side, Leme was being angry in a huff.
"Wait right there, Leme has amnesia so she is not really clear with the situation, but Solomon's 72 Pillars are undoubtedly the ally of this country! If there is any ominous presence, then that is a separate case from Leme and the others!"
"But, in fact I really feel it."
Futsunushi no Kami talked back with a particularly stern face.
A Young boy - a Young girl - a Sword, these three Divas that were glaring at each other made for a zlightly foolish appearance.
Was it because the Divas that gathered here were only human-friendly Divas, but there was really no dignity at all that could be seen from them.
"That is the matter at hand, but Futsunushi no Kami-sama..."
Kohaku interposed herself between the Divas.
"It seems Kazuki is being accused with groundless charges by someone in the academy's inner circle. Someone that would trap Kazuki who is the King of Solomon...if that is the origin of the ominous magical power then...the true opponent that we ought to fight might not be the Magica Stigma."
"...Hmmm, so that is Kohaku's real intention of bringing these people to my location. After all Kohaku is prudent unlike with Kazuha. I'll believe you, guwahhahha!"
"Hey wait Futsunushi no Kami, why do you put out my name there for the comparison!?"
...The one that led Kazuki into these predicaments and the ominous magic power from the academy's underground.
Were these two event not originated from the same root?
Thanks to Kohaku lending her ear to Kazuki's words, Kazuki could become aware about such significant facts. If they could solve this puzzle, then it might be possible for all of these problems to be resolved.
"Moreover, this one had lost confidence. This one had the conviction to defeat Otonashi Kaguya and slay the owner of the ominous magical power just because this one owned Sacred Treasures. However..."
"...The fight last night made you waver in your path. You too are an expert, but your opponent last night is also a magnificent and praiseworthy swordsman. To bear a sense of defeat against that kind of opponent is not a shameful thing."
The swordsman that Futsunushi no Kami praised so, there was no doubt that he referred to Kanae.
"This one is still too immature to realize the ideal of Futsunushi no Kami-sama."
Kohaku dropped her shoulders and hung her head dejectedly.
"Gahaha, there, there." Futsunushi no Kami used his sword body and tapped Kohaku's head lightly.
...He seems to try to comfort her, but it sure didn't look like it...
"As I thought, this is not the situation where the Sword Division and the Magic Division can waste their time fighting each other."
Kazuki asserted once again toward Futsunushi no Kami.
"Hmm. If Kohaku also says that much, then it seems there is a need to also take your words into consideration. Then let's do this. Your group alone will head toward the underground of the academy and make clear about the true identity of the ominous magical power. If in the end you can prove that Solomon's 72 Pillars are unrelated with that, I will also believe in you."
"...Do you know where the exact location of that magical power is, and also the route?"
"I do. But the entrance to the underground is locked with barrier and stigmata authentication. The barrier can be torn off by my power, but the lock of stigmata authentication can only be passed by owners of Stigmata, my cute kids from the Sword Division couldn't even investigate that place."
I see, if there was unknown magical power produced from a place that couldn't be passed except by owners of stigmata, then it was not unreasonable to suspect the Magic Division and Solomon's 72 Pillars.
But owners of stigmata were not limited to just the contractors of Solomon's 72 Pillars.
Stigmata was the proof of the connection that had been tied with a Diva. Stigmata had the role of the code to allow Divas to pass through to the heart of the contractor, even in the case of possession contracts there would still be a small stigmata emerged in the body.
Wasn't the possibility that the perpetrator who was passing through that exit and entrance was an illegal magician quite high?
"Wait a second, wait a second, is it really okay to just trust these guys that easily?"
Kazuha-senpai, who had kept quiet for a long time opened her mouth with an astonished expression.
"Mikohime-sama, Kazuki is a person that is worthy of trust."
"I told you, don't call me Mikohime! ...After all isn't he a happy guy who makes who knows how many women serve him? I don't want to side with that kind of shameless guy no matter what."
"......That's...certainly, this one too feels deep inside that Kazuki is surrounded by a little too many girls and is quite astonished."
(Hey wait, so Kohaku also thought like that!?)
"That's a fair argument....Kazuki really has no integrity against various girls. To even call someone like me cute, cute...also having bizarre obsession for maids..."
Even Koyuki also murmured her approval.
Wait a second you all, we have all come up to this point and yet the situation would change because of this kind of matter!?
"It's hard to understand for Leme why a Harem King doesn't have any more credence from the humans. It's a different case don't you agree? Harem Banzai. O Our King, more Harem is a must."
Leme started talking about a topic that provoked even more animosity from the girls. You should just keep your mouth shut.
"Kazuki is not a shameless guy at all! He absolutely doesn't do anything that I hate at all!"
"That's right desu, Kazuki-oniisan is a perfect gentleman desu! Rather I'd welcome it if he do anything like that desu!"
Mio and Lotte came in Kazuki's defense vehemently.
"Hee...they really put their faith on you huh. I'm reluctant to give in but even if the matter about the harem and so on is not included, we still don't understand whether these guys' strength are reliable or not. If they invaded the underground and yet they just collapse and die in a ditch without even any results to show for it, won't it just make the situation even worse?"
"Mikohime-sama, Kazuki and the others' strength are the real thing. Besides, other than Kazuki and his friends, there is no one else that can enter that place. We don't have stigmata."
"That's why there is me. After all I'm the owner of Futsunushi no Kami's stigmata. Rather than making these kind of guys go there, I'll go!"
"It's dangerous to go alone Mikohime-sama!"
"That's foolhardy Kazuha. I don't want to lose my cute contractor, also I don't want to expose you to danger, that's why I made a proposal so these guys are the ones that'll go to that place you know?"
Kohaku and Futsunushi no Kami cut in while panicking to stop Kazuha-senpai who was chattering in high spirits.
"You two, don't make that face like you are my parents! Compared to these guys, I am more...Futsunushi no Kami, give me the Magic Dress!"
"...Haahhh, what a hopeless girl."
While breathing a long sigh, Futsunushi no Kami suddenly changed into a lump of red flame. That flame enveloped Kazuha-senpai―The uniform of the Sword Division disintegrated into Prima Material and transformed into the Magic Dress.
Her Magic Dress was resembling the white and red miko uniform, he could feel the spirit of Japan seeing it.
At the same time, Kazuha-senpai's hair was lengthening with a thud. A majestic appearance suitable for a Magica Stigma of Japan's Mythology, then Kazuha-senpai drew a katana from her back smoothly.
"Duel with me, Hayashizaki harem-guy! A weakling with no integrity like you, there is no way you have any character that could be relied on or any real strength!! If I win, then your harem party will be dissolved at once and I'll be the one to lead those girls over there to search the underground!!"
"Eh, I don't want to do that kind of thing!" "Main gott!? That's tyranny desu!"
Mio and Lotte were booing from the side, but Kazuha-senpai didn't even turn to look.
"...Don't joke with me." As expected, Kazuki was fed up with that proposal.
"You are going to hinder us in this kind of place with that kind of trivial reason! You have shot your mouth harshly as you please from a while ago, things like enemy of woman...Mio, and Lotte, I have decided that I'm going to protect them with my own hand! I will absolutely not do anything like entrusting them to any other person!!"
"Then...show to me the suitable strength to protect a woman―!"
Now she said it...Bring it on!!!
"...The only one suitable to become my knight is no one other than Kazuki. Get her Kazu-nii!"
"I am Kazuki-oniisan's property desu. Onii-san, please do your best!"
For some reason the female camp were roused up in happiness.
"Somehow, you my King and even the girls are starting to get accustomed with the harem situation huh―"
Leme secretly whispered inside Kazuki's mind using telepathy.
But...I'm not particularly saying that I want to do something shameless together with the girls like what Kazuha-senpai said.
"That duel challenge, I accept!"
{Yosh, Our King. Make this girl submit too just like in the duel with Amasaki Mio! And then make Futsunushi no Kami obey Leme together with inserting her as a member of the harem for sure―!"
Wahaha―, Leme's loud laughter was resounding inside Kazuki's mind.
| ← Ch. 043 | Ch. 045 → |