Published at 25th of March 2019 10:11 pm

Volume 7 Chapter 3 - Behind the Scenes (Part 1-4)

Part 1

Kazuki was driven by a feeling of self-condemnation.

He was defeated by Ikousai and the operation fell into failure.

It was an operation that he was ordered to do, but in the first place the operation itself was sloppy. It could be said that Kazuki was only made to shoulder the compensation of that sloppiness alone. That was why no one was trying to blame Kazuki.

But even though no one blamed him, Kazuki couldn’t help but be conscious of the failure inside his heart.

{…That operation, it might have succeeded if the Zekorbeni could be used skillfully.}

Leme reverberated her voice inside Kazuki’s heart with a sigh.

That whisper spread like a ripple and made Kazuki’s heart fell into discord.

{If you used Zekorbeni skillfully, you should have been able to defeat Ikousai right away and managed something like driving away the contractor of Son Goku. Ikousai still doesn’t possess the power of King. Son Goku is a powerful Diva but he is not in the class of Chief God. You who are the Solomon King, are the person with the highest rank at that place until the King of Russia came along.}

Leme pointed out while being unusually bitter with her usual insolence drowned out.

{You were worried about the magic power consumption and got stingy with the Zekorbeni, but if Lotte’s positivity level was just higher and you could invoke [Deep Striker] instantly with Zekorbeni, you should have been able to fight composedly with the assurance that you could always escape anytime.}

There was no room for him to give an excuse against what Leme pointed out because she had watched over the events from beginning to end.

The operation was sloppy. But if only he possessed more strength then he could make it succeed.

It was not only that. What made Kazuki even doubly more agitated was―his encounter with the existence of people that were called as BasileusKing of the other countries.

The three Kings that Kazuki encountered, each of them had really different personalities but all of them were without a doubt a King through and through. From head to toe, they had the unwavering of what was exactly called King.

They were reigning as King in their respective countries. They were aware of that position themselves.

And then, most likely their true strength too…

Whether that pride, that status, and that strength too, weren’t all of that lacking in his self…

In the case that his current self confronted them, did he think that he would be able protect his important people…

“…Kazuki, what are you doing getting absent-minded in the middle of class. That’s dangerous you know.”

His cheeks were stretched apart.

When Kazuki returned to his senses, he was on the school ground.

It was in the middle of magic practice’s class. …Certainly it was dangerous.

Being seen half-daydreaming made him completely embarrassed.

―He was in this kind of mood all along since last evening.

Beside him was Koyuki in her Magic Dress tiptoeing while reaching out her hands to pinch Kazuki’s cheeks.

“Dancing wing scattering what are sparks. Trail behind wind of spiral, become the life gouging bullet! Flap and shoot out! Barrett!!”

Mio who was slightly at a distance in confrontation with him released an offense magic.

Kazuki who returned to his senses wrapped his body with Resist in fluster.

Kazuki attempted to block the bullet of flame attack with Psychokinesis, and simultaneously tried to steal the heat from the flame. Instantaneous magic power operation―Defense by using general magic like this was called Resist.

Kazuki’s Resist was penetrated by the flame bullet even with its force and heat reduced and this time it collided with Kazuki’s defensive magic power. Blue magic power light and sparks shined magically in front of Kazuki’s eyes.

There were two types of defense method for magicians against an attack from an enemy; they were [Resist] and [defensive magic power].

Resist was producing phenomenon that was in opposition of attacks from an enemy by means of one’s own magic technique. An impact against another impact of the reverse vector, heat with cold, the user had to instantaneously judge and bring the phenomenon into being.

Defensive magic power was the subconscious use of magic power that occurred from human’s self-defense instinct in reaction against dangerous situation. In the first place [the power that distort reality] dwelled inside magic power, if large amount of magic power overflowed instantly it could overwrite any kind of attack completely and terminate it.

However, this subconscious feat of strength totally consumed an inordinate amount of magic power. Because there was a limit to the amount of a human’s magic power, there was the need to not rely on defensive magic power as much as possible and instead to weaken the opponent’s attack using Resist that consisted of controlled magic power.

“Although defensive magic power is said to be invoked subconsciously, daydreaming in the middle of magic practical skill class is really dangerous. …Is there something worrying you?”

Koyuki looked up at Kazuki worriedly.

He completely made her worried. But Kazuki couldn’t clearly express this murkiness inside his chest as a worry. That was why he tried to dodge the matter.

“No, I’m just remembering how cute Koyuki was last night coming sweetly on top of my bed, and I just got carried away cherishing that memory.”

Koyuki’s cool face flushed bright red in a flash. And then…,

“O nihility of the ancient times, become the deep breath that reside inside this blank chest. Inside this flowing silence of rejection, freeze and be silent…Glacier Wind!!”

Instantly she turned to Kazuki and cast an offense magic.

“Uwaa-!” Kazuki reflexively raised his voice while weakening the freezing wind from the very close distance using Resist. In the end he couldn’t Resist and his defensive magic power flared up and his magic power was smashed.

“Hayashizaki! You too, maintain your chanting and attack back!”

Liz Liza-sensei who supervised the class noticed Kazuki’s predicament and told him off.

Kazuki consolidated his chanting somehow and turned to Mio before invoking his spell.

“Barrett!”

The flame bullet hit Mio who was standing at a distance and magic power light shined.

This was training where the students attacked each other with magic. By making partners attack each other, their chanting and Resist were drilled at the same time. It was a training that was shaped fairly close to real battle.

If they didn’t even do this, then they couldn’t polish their Resist technique for the real battle, but while it's only natural, this was quite a dangerous training, and so it turned into a training that was not allowed in the place where the eyes of the teacher didn’t reach.

This was not an independent training and could only be conducted in class. The time could be said as precious.

Liz Liza-sensei walked approaching them.

“When I see it like this, even though you and Amasaki can use the same magic but there is quite a difference in power huh.”

“Is that so? I know that there is a difference in our chanting speed but…in power too?”

“Of course. What is called chanting speed, is so to speak a Telepathy with Diva. By Ordering what kind of magic phenomenon this sides want to produce, then the Diva will transmit the [magic blueprint] to you as the reply. By pouring magic power into that blueprint, magic is Cast in this real world. But even when you use the same blueprint, the more magic power amount you bring forth instantly you can make occur a large scale phenomenon to that extent. …Hiakari is strong in Telepathy and that’s why her chanting speed is fast, while the amount of magic power Amasaki can handle in one time is a lot so her power is high. That someone can handle a large amount of magic power all at once means that his magic power circuit is thick. If your meager magic power circuit is a straw then Amasaki’s finely tempered magic power circuit is a water supply pump.”

Hearing Liz Liza-sensei’s words, Mio went ‘Ehhem’ while puffing up her chest proudly from afar.

Mio and Koyuki were elites who had been training their magic techniques for a long time even before receiving their Stigma.

For a long time Kazuki was training his sword skill from morning until night, that was why he could say that it was only natural there was a big gap between them.

“The third rank in this year, Yumeno is excelling in Resist. Though I want her to become at least a little more offensive.”

When Liz Liza-sensei said Yumeno-san’s name, Mio went “Muu…a hidden powerful person” and her expression changed and became completely tense.

“…I can only train more to shorten this gap then.”

When Kazuki said that positively, Liz Liza-sensei slackened her expression slightly and nodded.

“Amasaki is also above you in Resist, so just by simply you two firing at each other there will be a big gap forming between you two.”

Of course Kazuki possessed a wide range of defensive magic and evasion ability due to his Foresight.

But that didn’t mean that he could always manage to tidily cope out against enemy attack like that. There would be surely many cases in the middle of battle where Resist technique would become necessary.

…Immature. Even before thinking about my immaturity as King, like this I’m also immature even as a magician!

This is not the time to have conceited worries! I have to advance forward with even more abandon!!

“Mio! Koyuki! Fire even more magic at me!!”

“Eh? Then without reservation…Barrett!!”

“Having fighting spirit is the most important. …Glacier Wind!!”

Two elements of offensive magic came flying at him simultaneously. Kazuki couldn’t defend with Resist and a large amount of his defensive magic power was smashed, he then got blown away from the recoil.

“…Don’t do anything rash, you idiot.” Liz Liza-sensei smiled wryly while watching over them.

Part 2

“The contents of the suggestion box…they are something like [I want actual combat class to be increased] or [I want the points of Quest participation to be softened], the enthusiastic opinions are really increasing.”

-The student council room after school.

Kazuki and the others overturned the suggestion box and they were in the middle of confirming the contents of the letters.

“About that, right now is the period for exams so aren’t they just wanting to run away from the class lectures?”

Hikaru-senpai made banter to make fun of it.

“That might also be the case though.” Kaguya-senpai gently smiled saying that.

These two were also top class in their classwork. Kaguya-senpai went without saying, but Hikaru-senpai too.

“With the war against Yamato this time, I think everyone’s awareness is rising up. This goes for both the people that participated in the real battle and also those who were house-sitting before.”

“Right. While their motivation is especially rising up like this, currently it might be okay to give a consideration for curriculum to change flexibly. Though it’s still not okay to neglect the classroom learning just because of that.”

Headmaster Amasaki too nodded from Kaguya-senpai’s words.

“The amount of the lesson is insufficient. Maybe we have to increase the classes itself more. Around ten hours per day should…”

Hearing Headmaster Amasaki's words, Kaguya-senpai went “Wait, wait…” and stopped him with a wry smile.

“Sa, say…”

With a timid hand movement, Kamimura-san who was standing in the corner of the student council room raised her hand.

Everyone’s gazes concentrated on Kamimura-san.

Kamimura-san was then whispering something into the ear of Lotte who was standing beside her.

Lotte then kept nodding ‘hm hm’ and then interpreted for everyone.

“Among the many Diva-san of the Japanese Mythology, it seems those with strong battle power are saying that they are okay with cooperating with the Knight Academy by making contract with the students of the Sword Division desu.”

“What do you say, is that true!?” Headmaster Amasaki spontaneously jumped from his seat.

The students became able to use Summoning Magic other than Solomon 72 Pillar. In addition to that the students of the Sword Division were… This was a proposal that was going to completely remake the way things were in the Knight Academy.

“Although I say that, among the Divas of Japanese Mythology right now those who are in the martial faction with high battle strength are actually only a part of them, so that’s why they are going to grant their Stigma by selecting students among the Sword Division who possess superior magic talent…doing things in such form is what Amaterasu-san seems to be proposing desu.”

Kamimura-san kept nodding up and down following Lotte’s interpreting.

“I see, there is no way of refusing. There is not but…we have to create a special class in the Sword Division and include class of contract ceremony and chanting practice won’t we? I’m just joking saying ten hours before but, this looks really serious.”

When Headmaster Amasaki became eager, Kaguya-senpai floated a wry smile.

“Even though here I thought that the contract ceremony for the first year was finally over already…”

The guide for the contract ceremony was the job of the Magic Division’s student council president. The guide had to use advanced magic technique to travel underworld to Astrum because they must maintain the safety of the new students. Only this job couldn’t be shouldered by the adults whose magic power had weathered down. This was the reason why the presence of the Student Council in the Knight Academy was so large.

“…But if Kana-chan get selected like this then she will be aa-mazingly strong then! If you are selected then I’m going to teach you a lot about Summoning Magic!”

Kaguya-senpai smiled sweetly to Kanae. It couldn’t be helped because Kaguya-senpai wanted to get along with Kanae. But Kanae turned her face aside with a ‘puih’.

“Even in the case that I get selected, I’m going to turn it down.”

“Eh, why?”

“I have decided to become stronger than Nii-sama only in sword. Besides even if I become able to use Summoning Magic half-bakedly, won’t I become nothing more than an inferior copy of Nii-sama. If I’m going to try to become stronger than Nii-sama, then I should pursue that goal with my own originality to the very end.”

Using only sword skill to the very end―it seems that resolve of hers was steadfast.

Not being picky of one’s means for the sake of becoming stronger, was also one kind of efficient thinking. Kazuki who was trying to make Summoning Magic and sword art coexist within himself, was the possessor of such thinking.

But Kanae, when she becomes really earnest for something, she turns into some sort of demon.

Rather than poorly reaching her hand to various things, the way of following through her original intention consistently might be able to let Kanae surpass the wall that blocked her path in her case.

Kanae directed her gaze to Kazuki in a glance. “…Besides even if I don’t specially become Nii-sama’s conquering target, my positivity level have been already in the max value anyway.”

Hearing those words gave a slight shock to Kazuki.

“…So you know, about Leme’s ability.”

Well, though if she didn’t know about it already, then there was no way she was going to leave alone the matter of how Kazuki recently became really close with various girls.

But…did she know as far as the matter of kissing?

Even if she said that she knew…he felt troubled somehow. Even if she called herself his little sister but their relationship was of a step sibling, however his step-father was treating Kazuki as a true son. That was why for Kazuki too, Kanae was equal to a true sister.

Moreover for him, his father was the greatest benefactor in Kazuki’s life. Kanae was that father’s real daughter. No matter how great the relationships between them are, no matter how much the advances came from Kanae’s way, for Kazuki there was some line that was too sacred to violate.

“I’m not a target of conquest but Nii-sama’s rival! …Though currently I’m considerably far behind him!!”

Rival―when he suddenly entered into the Hayashizaki household, for Kanae, Kazuki who began to start sword training together with her was without a doubt a rival. That was the starting point of the both of them.

Even while Kanae came flirting with him full of love, the truth was she was still obsessing wholeheartedly over that.

The relationship between the two of them couldn’t be expressed so simply with a single word of intimate.

“For this one, the matter about the Sacred Treasure is more concerning rather than Stigma. …About the talk of the plan for allowing the free use of Sacred Treasure, what happened to its development from that side?”

The one who asked like that to Headmaster Amasaki was the owner of strength that was number 2 in the Sword Division, Hikita Kohaku.

“Ooh, that’s right. There is also some progress regarding the Sacred Treasure too. …Because Yamato used Sacred Treasures in the previous battle and there was damage that came out from the Knight Order, the bunch in the government and the top brass of the Knight Order also finally became proactive in releasing the Sacred Treasures. Just that the Sacred Treasures we have in the vault are distributed by prioritizing the Knight Order and it seems nothing but a few will be given to the Knight Academy though. Even the Sacred Treasures that Hayashizaki and Charlotte pillaged from Isonokami Shrine are to be given to the Knight Order.”

Kohaku made a dissatisfied face hearing that.

“…The more one accustomed himself in using a Sacred Treasure, the more he will become able to draw out the power residing inside it. Looking at the long time prospect, I think it will be better if they circulated it to the students who have future prospects…”

“For the people on the actual scene, what is the most important is what is right in front of their eyes. It’s just something obvious.”

Kohaku’s dissatisfaction was pinned down by Headmaster Amasaki using the really obvious reality.

“Be that as it may, though few, there are still some Sacred Treasures allocated to us, with Japanese Divas and the Sacred Treasures it seems that the standard of the Sword Division’s strength will increase considerably won’t it.”

Kazuki gathered that conclusion positively. That time when he fought Ikousai, and the time when he once fought Beatrix too, Kazuki had felt keenly how useful Sacred Treasure was.

…Sacred Treasure huh.

Himself too, he had his own ability, if he could choose some kind of Sacred Treasure for his own sake…

Such desire flashed for an instant inside Kazuki’s mind. It was a natural desire for a swordsman.

…But the few numbers of Sacred Treasures should be prioritized to the students of the Sword Division rather than himself.

Kazuki owned a great number of options in his way of fighting, and those abilities too was still in the middle of development.

“The Sacred Treasures will be transported to this academy in the near future. If those are distributed by prioritizing those with superior results then there won’t even be any complaint for the Sword Division’s doctrine of strength.”

Diva outside the Solomon 72 Pillar and also Sacred Treasures were both something excluded until now.

The Knight Academy was also going to change little by little.

With the appearance of enemies and facing actual battle―this academy was changing toward a structure optimized for battle.

Whether himself or the Knight Academy, both must change more.

To become even more accustomed to battle.

“Say, is it okay for me to say a few words? There is something I feel a little concerned with the school’s atmosphere.”

As if she was choosing the time where one topic was finished, Yumeno-san raised her hand reservedly.

Everyone’s gazes gathered on the girl.

“The truth is lately, it looks like the squabble or perhaps I should say the quarrel between the fellow students of the Magic Division and the Sword Division is increasing.”

Everyone went “Eh?” in shock.

“I don’t notice such thing though. Rather, throughout the battle, the Magic Division and the Sword Division too keep opening their hearts to each other little by little…”

When Kaguya-senpai said that, everyone else nodded too.

However Yumeno-san, even while acting reserved but she clearly shook her head.

“We who are in the [battle frontline group] feel like that but, it looks like the [house-sitting group] is different. Even in the newspaper committee there are also some that were in the house-sitting group but…it seems that the atmosphere of the Knight Academy during the house-sitting had worsened. It didn’t become an issue because of the welcoming mood from the return of the battle frontline group, however some kind of spark can be felt smoldering out of sight.”

That time when Kazuki was guided by Kazuha-senpai in the Sword Division, there were many friendly gazes but, he also remembered that there were gazes of hostility directed at him.

Atmosphere of both extremes―was it the discrepancy between the battle frontline group and the house-sitting group?

Kazuha-senpai said to him that “Kazuki’s popularity is increasing” but, she felt like that only because she was in the battle frontline group, she might have not noticed the mood of the house-sitting group.

“What kind of thing happened in that squabble or quarrel you mentioned?”

“That’s…the people of the Magic Division decided one-sidedly that [there must be Yamato’s spy inside the Sword Division], then the Sword Division’s people opposed against that and became threatening. When we of the battle frontline group fought Yamato, the story that [Japan has a bitter fight because there is a spy inside the Knight Academy] was also spreading from somewhere to the Knight Academy…”

The story that the war became a bitter fight because of the spy’s fault, was spread from somewhere…?

‘Don’t tell me’, Kazuki doubted his ear.

“How strange. Even though the mobile phones of the students who went to the battlefield should have been entrusted to President Hayashizaki. Even if we chase after the rumor but the source of the story is really unknown.”

Just before <Magic War・Okehazama>, Kazuki made a talk that there might also be a spy among themselves in the Knight Academy and he earned the acknowledgement of everyone for him to take custody of their mobile phone.

There was no method to spread a fact like [the war is hard because of the spy’s fault] from the battlefield to the Knight Academy.

“Ah, I received a special permission to always carry around a mobile phone for sending my article of the battle’s coverage to the academy but…I didn’t do anything like that!”

It seemed like she noticed that a suspicion was falling on her during the course of the conversation, making Yumeno-san deny it in fluster.

Kazuki took a glance at Lotte. Lotte was carefully watching.

Seeing that state, Kazuki believed in Yumeno-san. He was already holding a feeling of fellowship toward her, and if it was Lotte then she should be able to fathom whether what she said was a lie or a truth with a high probability.

“For the moment, I had investigated the log of the newspaper and the news since coming back home to the Knight Academy but, [because there is the spy of Yamato inside Japan the war turned into a bitter fight]…there is no such news at all.”

“Right, the Knight Order and the government should have been clamping hard on the news regarding that.”

Headmaster Amasaki nodded on what Yumeno-san substantiated.

Then why was it the students became jumping at shadows from the spy’s existence, was it just a pretext for conflict?

“…I think, there is also a spy remaining among the house-sitting group. To cause friction among the students of the Knight Academy, the spy intentionally circulated the rumor that there is a spy and stirred up antagonism.”

Even though he thought that the Magic Division and the Sword Division was finally in the process of uniting into one…

For such disruptive maneuvering to be conducted during the house-sitting when the Student Council couldn’t have any control at all. While it happened in just a small scale, this was plainly a bothersome harassment.

…Just as he thought the spy problem had to be resolved quickly.

“Even though we finally had begun to meet compromise, it’s really unpleasant for this to be complicated again…”

Kaguya-senpai made a face sadder than anyone with her head hanging down.

“We really have to seriously settle the score uh, this troublesome spy.”

Kanae too hit her fist with an expression even manlier than Kazuki.

“I have a proposal for just such a case however-!”

Suddenly Yumeno-san leaned her body forward and talked.

“Let’s deal an intelligence war with an intelligence war-!”

“Intelligence war you say?”

“We too need to scatter some bait so we can catch the spy! Inside the school newspaper, we are going to write information that the spy won’t be able to resist taking a bite at, then we are going to lure out the spy. How’s that! The other side is quite bothered by Hayashizaki-san’s action after all, so I think it will absolutely go well!”

Yumeno-san asserted with her eyes sparkling bright. Indeed, they got him at Isonokami Shrine through the spy, so this time it was their turn to set up the spy instead.

“Looks interesting! Then for that [bait], it’s fine even if it’s just bogus information right?”

Hikaru-senpai leaped at the topic with a mischievous expression.

“For example how about this one I wonder! The other day there was this meeting between the government and the envoys of the Magic Advanced Countries see. …Secret Order Handed Down to Hayashizaki Kazuki! The Chief Student Council President of Our School Planned to Have a Clandestine Meeting With a Certain Top Brass of the Knight Order in a Certain Spot in the Metropolitan! …We place a scoop like that. If we do that then the spy is going to loiter around Kazuki’s vicinity and we are going to ambush there and catch him red handed!”

“We already know that there is a spy and yet that kind of article come out in newspaper, doesn’t that look too forced?”

Kaguya-senpai said with a cautious look. For these two to be able to immediately think of such idea like this and immediately criticize it, the way their heads work were fast.

Yumeno-san leaned her body forward and shook her head exaggeratedly while saying “No-!”

She looked like a different person from her usual reserved impression. …She really liked school newspaper, this girl.

“In the newspaper articles so far, the article about how the Chief Student Council President received the right to command from Regimental Commander Yamagata was really popular. As expected for the representative of the academy to contend equally with the top of the Knight Order is something everyone is really proud of. An article with this kind of content is a really good material that the reader will happily eat up. Getting my eyes dazzled by my greed for this kind of scoop that I completely forget about the spy’s existence before publishing this information…that kind of feeling, isn’t that realistic?”

Certainly. It had the impression of a stupid mistake made by a really green student.

“Even if the other side thought that this is [suspicious], this is not something that they can just pass up. Some kind of action will absolutely occur.”

Koyuki too said that and approved. “Certainly it seems effective.” Kazuki nodded.

“…If it’s that kind of thing then I have the most suitable story here.”

Mixed with everyone’s loud voice, Headmaster Amasaki talked with a grave voice.

“This is not something that can even be talked in this kind of place so I thought that I’m going to call Hayashizaki alone later to talk, but actually Commander Yamagata is coming to Tokyo and he said that he is coming because he wants to talk with Hayashizaki.”

“Eh?” Hikaru-senpai’s eyes opened wide.

“Something that I talked jokingly is really true? This is only an idea I came up with randomly.”

Hikaru-senpai pressed her hand to her mouth while saying “A horse comes from a gourd! I’ve awakened to my prophetic ability!”

“By any chance it’s really true, he is going to hand down some kind of order to the Knight Academy?”

Kaguya-senpai asked with a little anxiety.

“I don’t know about that. It might be that he merely wants to treat you to a meal as thanks for before this but…if this is made into an article then it will surely look realistic.”

“Is it really okay to make that kind of information as an article?”

“If it can make us catch the spy, then whatever kind of risk is just a trivial problem. Even if we can only catch a single person, from there a possibility that we can root all spies out one after another exists.”

It seemed Headmaster Amasaki didn’t just say this without thinking. He continued his words seriously.

“However the government and the top brass of the Knight Order really don’t move in order to counter the spies at all. The very order to crack down on the spies is being obstructed. The way things are they really cannot even stir at all to catch the spies.”

“Isn’t the guy that obstruct the spy countermeasure is the spy himself?”

“It’s not limited to just that. All politicians have enterprise or support organization that back them, those guys also suddenly threw their weight around and gave pressure. Even so, there are guys that bet their own political career and not bowing to the pressure, but there are already several people, that had met suspicious death.”

An oppressive silence flowed into the student council room. This was too heavy.

But if he thought calmly, a story this heavy was only natural. Moreover the life of the adults who didn’t have defensive magic power was fleeting if it was seen from the position of Kazuki and the others.

“We cannot do anything at all, so it is the true opinion of all the adults that we want the students who are in a carefree standpoint to catch the tail of the spy. We are not going to object no matter what kind of method you use, okay. However this is really not a story we want children to hear though, hahaha.”

“Don’t just laugh this off.” Mio said with teary eyes from this heavy topic.

“I’ll do it.”

Yumeno-san clenched both her hands strongly and squeezed out her voice tightly.

“I’m going to bet my journalism soul on the line and with the school newspaper Chief President entrusted to me as my weapon…I’ll show you all that I’m going to expose the great villain!!”

In order to stand against the intelligence maneuvering of the spy, the newspaper committee president of the academy stood up resolutely.

“Then we will leave that to Yumeno-san. The matter now is how we are going to catch the spy that is going to be lured out.”

The date and time of the secret talk between Kazuki and Commader Yamagata will be made a scoop in newspaper.

If they did that then the spy would move out to investigate Kazuki until the arranged date.

The especially big chance was the time when Kazuki was heading to the secret talk location until the talk was over.

During that period, they had to form a team to watch Kazuki’s surrounding and catch the spy.

But that was not a simple undertaking. The time when Kazuki made his preparation for the assault operation to Isonokami Shrine, he was busy but nevertheless he completely didn’t notice that he was being spied on.

In the end the spy that was shadowing Kazuki, was he someone really skilled or possibly he was using a shady magic…

“Let the Sword Division handle that one.” Kanae said.

“Certainly, this kind of thing is suited for the Sword Division that can immediately move out to attack when the time comes. In the case of Magika Stigma, the target will already escape while they are chanting.”

Kaguya-senpai too nodded. “So it’s going to be a ninja corps desu!” Lotte’s eyes shone.

“Tsukahara. You are going to be the leader of the corps.”

Kanae said jumping the gun. Kazuha-senpai who was told that went “He?” with a stupid voice.

When Kanae said Tsukahara, it seemed that Kazuha-senpai didn’t understand who Kanae was talking about, but Kanae really meant her.

“I have to choose the members from among the guys of the Sword Division who has some capacity in using general magic after all. So you teach those guys the technique we talked about before, like the Echolocation magic or the magic for erasing the footstep sound.”

Certainly Kazuha-senpai’s general magic technique consisted of things that were most suitable for covert operation.

“Bu, but even if you tell me that kind of thing so suddenly, the way to do those magic for me is just something intuitive so I cannot really convey it skillfully you know. I’m not really that good in Telepathy…”

“Then I’ll be the interpreter desu!”

Lotte who did the interpreting for Kamimura-san announced herself to be Kazuha-senpai’s interpreter this time.

Interpreter―first Lotte would sympathize with Kazuha-senpai in the middle of using general magic, then Lotte would Trace Kazuha-senpai’s mental movement and learn it. If they did that then Lotte could take the teaching role and she would convey the way of using that magic to the students of the Sword Division using Telepathy. It was going to take a little detour but certainly that seemed effective.

“Kazuha-oneesan, please take care of me desu.”

Lotte grasped Kazuha-senpai’s both hands with a smiling face.

Having her hand held by a girl younger than her, Kazuha-senpai’s cheeks reddened. ‘By any chance perhaps she can be my friend’, surely such feeling of expectation was flashing inside her right now. And then Kazuha-senpai obediently nodded deeply.

From that day, the operation to bring the spies to light quietly progressed.

Kazuki who was in the center of the operation needed to be only in the middle of it without doing anything special. Until the day of his secret talk with Commander Yamagata, he was going through his ordinary days just like usual doing things like studying for his exam and doing magic training.

The only one in the Witch’s Mansion that became especially busy was Lotte. Everyday after school together with Kazuha-senpai she conducted magic technique coaching for the Sword Division students until the day became dark.

The day Kazuki was going to meet Commander Yamagata was next Sunday.

Because after the preparation of the Sword Division students was over, the newspaper club had to immediately publish the newspaper extra, they had no surplus margin of time.

“…Now that I think back, recently I haven't had a relaxed talk with Lotte.”

While Kazuki was studying alone in his room, he suddenly thought that in the spur of moment when he was taking a breather.

The relationship of everyone in the Witch’s Mansion was good. Even so there were many combinations where someone was always together with a specific partner. For example there were many times of Kaguya-senpai having tea with Hikaru-senpai or playing analog game with Koyuki. There was many times where Mio was picking a quarrel with Koyuki one-sidedly.

For Lotte she had no particular inclination and got together with everyone.

She especially took action assertively toward Karin or Kamimura-san who were still newly entering this place.

Making something like [a position for herself where she feel comfortable somehow] and then feeling content with herself there without going anywhere…Lotte didn’t do such thing. It was as if she was always acting like a lubricating oil in regards to the whole group.

Was it because of that―when he looked back he got the feeling that Lotte was the one who spent the shortest time together with Kazuki.

When he came to himself once again, Kazuki became excessively wanting to spend some time together with Lotte.

Lotte returned home to the Witch’s Mansion just before dinner.

“Lotte, can I bother you a little?”

After the dinner, Kazuki visited Lotte’s room.

When he knocked, a bright reply of “Come in desu!” immediately came. When Kazuki opened the door, the moment it opened sounds of footstep *tabatabataba!* dashing near could be heard and with a *do―nn* Lotte tackled him.

“Is something the matter desu? Onii-san.”

‘She looked like a big dog that frolicked at the owner after watching the house’, Kazuki thought a little.

“You were out pretty late, and then it got me thinking of how it is going with the training of the people from the Sword Division.”

“About the training huh. …Honestly it’s really serious desu.”

Kazuki and Lotte sat on the bed side by side.

There was a bed and a desk furnished inside the room of the Witch’s Mansion. There was only one chair that was a set with the desk, so there were many cases when Kazuki sat on the bed side by side naturally when it became just him and another person in somebody’s room.

“When we did it in practice, the magic is quite advanced even with mental Trace desu.”

Lotte wrinkled up her eyebrows and made a ‘muu~’ face.

“It’s impossible for everyone to learn the magic before Wednesday desu. I think the progress will certainly pass Wednesday. Kazuha-oneesan that can do all of those magic so easily with a nonchalant face is a little strange desu.”

“So even from what Lotte sees, Kazuha-senpai is amazing.”

Lotte nodded many times over *kokukoku* vigorously. Really Kazuha-senpai was amazing.

“That is really a genius-oneesan desu. …While everyone was in the middle of learning, she worked out another different trick at the side you know. For Kazuha-oneesan to be not really that strong in something like a mere Enchant Aura might just be because of her personality I think desu.”

“Aah, I also thought similarly like that when she was practicing swords together with me.”

Kazuha-senpai had a strong will of wanting to become strong, but she was a person that completely didn’t feel any burning desire of antagonism of wanting to surpass the enemy right in front of her eyes. She was being ‘hoho~nn’ somewhere inside her. (ho-hum perhaps?)

Essentially she was a peaceful person, he guessed.

“But I’m really happy that I could make friends with Kazuha-oneesan desu!”

“Kazuha-senpai, she didn’t make any strange behavior once in a while?”

“She was acting strange but she is a really kind person desu!”

It seemed like there were still times where Kazuha-senpai acted strange.

But Lotte was a child that could surmise why someone acted strangely. Lotte had surely accepted Kazuha-senpai’s feeling of [I want to become friends] more frankly than anyone else.

For some reason Kazuki petted the head of Lotte beside him gently. “Why is onii-san petting my head~” While smiling Lotte too got playful at Kazuki.

If there was an angel in this world then there was no doubt that it was Lotte.

“Kazuki-oniisan, is it okay for you to not go to the place of other people today desu?”

While leaning her body pleasantly on Kazuki’s shoulder, Lotte asked with a soft tone of voice.

“I want to be together with Lotte tonight.”

Lotte raised her face and turned an expression that brightened suddenly.

“Is there something you want to do? Something like game or anime trial listening convention.”

“I want to talk until we fall asleep desu! I want to ask various thing about Kazuki-oniisan. After all now that I think back, I have never heard any story about Kazuki-oniisan’s past.”

Story of the past, is it… Kazuki reflected while embracing the fawning Lotte tightly.

Kazuki kept embracing Lotte and rolled on the bed together and began a pillow talk at the same time.

He told in advance that it was not a fairly interesting story though.

The first earliest memory that he had―the scenery where he was abandoned in front of the gate of the orphanage by his mother.

From there the time he spent in the orphanage and the period where he was adopted into Hayashizaki family.

When Kazuki gave some selected rendition of Kanae or Mio’s interesting episodes, Lotte burst into laughter hearing them.

―However in the middle of the story, it was obvious that the matter Lotte cared about the most was the fact that Kazuki was an abandoned child.

“Perhaps I and Kazuki-oniisan are a fellow similar people.”

When Kazuki finished his story, Lotte murmured lowly.

“Why?”

“We were saved by kind people when we were empty, and then now we can be like this.”

Lotte’s usual bright voice changed completely and she talked with a quiet depressed voice.

Even Lotte that looked naïve still had a wound that was not healed yet.

What about himself then? Could he possibly stood back up from the wound of the past?

“Kazuki-oniisan is my senior in treading along through a path similar with mine long even before I started stepping on that path, so perhaps even in this aspect I feel onii-san is a special person.”

“Is that, about how we are licking each other’s wound?”

“That’s not it. Kazuki-oniisan is looking forward and I too am supporting Kazuki-oniisan while also looking forward, that’s what I think.”

Supporting each other was different than licking each other's wound, was it.

Certainly that was true. The difference between the two was whether they were looking forward or not.

“Even if I am currently looking forward, then that’s thanks to Lotte and everyone of the Witch’s Mansion.”

Kazuki petted Lotte’s head again while saying that. While doing that he suddenly thought.

“Perhaps right now I’m in the middle of losing sight of the thing called my comrade’s support. Even though this is something so obvious…”

He was completely convinced that everything was his fault when there was a failure. And then he was floundering around trying to take care of everything upon himself. That was just his hubris.

King―perhaps the impression of that kind of word was making his heart in disarray.

“If that’s so Kazuki-oniisan, please rely on me more and more if there is something going on.”

“Currently Lotte is already doing your best always helping me until you come home late after school right?”

“Just about this much is no concern desu! I’m going to show Kazuki-oniisan that I can support a lot more and more of your heavy burden with this arm just you see-!”

While lying in the bed, Lotte suddenly lifted up her right arm and made an action of trying to flex her arm’s biceps.

It was a thin arm with no signs of muscle at all. Lotte’s eyes opened wide in perfect circle and stared at her own arm and said “Ehehe, I’m going to do muscle training a little more” and laugh trying to gloss it over.

But in contrary to her delicate right arm, Kazuki thought that there was nothing more assuring than Lotte like this.

“Thank you, Lotte…”

Kazuki strongly embraced Lotte tightly one more time.

“…Ehehe, this is warm. It seems that Kazuki-oniisan is relying on me to a very great extent right from the bottom of your heart desu♪”

While being hugged by Kazuki, a large heart mark emerged out from Lotte’s chest and it was absorbed into the Stigma in Kazuki’s right arm.

Charlotte―138

Part 3

Yumeno-san and others of the newspaper committee had already finished making the newspaper article.

When a contact from Kazuha-senpai and Lotte came in on the night of Thursday that the technique coaching of the Sword Division students was finished, the newspaper committee members immediately pasted the newspaper extra on the academy’s bulletin board and distributed the paper to the students on Friday next day.

That distributed news made excitement and expectation boil up inside the school.

Yumeno-san was summoned by Headmaster Amasaki during lunch break that day and she was scolded for carelessly leaking information even though there might be a spy in the academy.

Of course that was a part of the scenario.

The newspaper extra only reported that a secret talk would be conducted between Kazuki and Regimental Commander in the weekend while regarding the secret meeting location was not written. If the spy read this article, then he should be starting to investigate around Kazuki’s person for the sake of knowing the location of the secret talk.

Possibly on the day Kazuki was heading to the secret talk, the spy would tail him.

From that day the special corps of Sword Division who had been trained in covert action magic was secretly making surveillance on Kazuki’s surrounding. The person concerned, Kazuki himself became somewhat awkward even when he was going to the toilet.

…Had the spy really begun to investigate about his action, he wondered.

Setting aside the happenings behind the scenes like this, the ordinary days of the academy went by unconcernedly just like usual.

However, the presence of the spy couldn’t be sensed at all…it still kept like that even until the appointed day of the secret meeting.

Part 4

“I wonder if the spy doesn’t plan to make any move?”

Kaguya-senpai called out toward Kazuki who was wearing the uniform of the Knight Academy regardless of the holiday to head to the secret talk location.

Kaguya-senpai was making an anxious face kept in tenterhooks.

“The spy might commence trailing me from now on instead.”

The place where Kazuki and Commander Yamagata were going to hold their secret meeting at was in the Chinese food restaurant in the distance not far off from the Knight Academy. There was the most suitable private room for the secret talk at that Headmaster Amasaki’s regular restaurant. For the side of the restaurant too it seemed they were a high class type of restaurant that had the knowledge that their space was used for that kind of thing.

A restaurant that was used to entertain those like politicians, it was that kind of thing.

“Whether in the downtown or inside the restaurant, there are eyes of surveillance laid out. In the case that the spy is tailing me, he will be caught without fail.”

Kazuki talked to give Kaguya-senpai a peace of mind. However inside his heart Kazuki also felt some anxiety. He couldn’t even imagine what kind of method or magic the spy used to bewilder their eyes.

“In the first place what is it that Commander Yamagata wants to talk about?”

Kaguya-senpai tilted her neck though it was already too late asking that now.

“Now that senpai mentioned it, we were just told the fact that this is a secret talk, that we aren’t worrying what if the content of this talk is really vital. What kind of story I will get told there, I also need to prepare my heart.”

By some chance it could be that the Knight Order was going to hand down some kind of order to the Knight Academy again. The battle with Yamato had already been suspended but…

It was possible that this invitation for a meal was perhaps really just a show of gratitude for everything until now.

They didn’t know if the spy would really do some kind of action. They also didn’t know what was Commander Yamagata going to talk about. Kazuki and the others had made all sorts of preparations, but there was the possibility that everything of this was just fruitless efforts of the students. In that case, the normal ordinary days would still continue…

Normal ordinary days. There was so many things Kazuki should do in order to become stronger.

Nevertheless, he was also lacking in some respects…

“Then I’m going, senpai.”

“Take care, Otouto-kun.”

Kaguya-senpai gently reached out her hands to Kazuki’s collar and fiddled around with his necktie. It was not like the necktie was particularly crooked, so it seemed that she just wanted to try an act that was like a new wife somehow.

Kazuki had buttoned up his shirt until the uppermost button, and his necktie was scrupulously tied. The uniform he wore was applicable to be a dress suit for a student, so it wouldn’t present any problem even in a high class restaurant that demanded a dress code.

After Kazuki got out from the Witch’s Mansion he headed to the downtown and walked toward the designated restaurant.

Had something already happened right now?

Or else had nothing happened yet?

Perhaps the spy had already been captured and one of the circumstances had been settled.

While feeling unable to calm down from expectation and nervousness mixing inside him, Kazuki walked to the China Town in front of the train station. Walking down the street with a distant scenery―.

He arrived at the destination, the Chinese food restaurant, [Blue Dragon ChamberSeiryuubou].

When the vermilion door in Chinese-style was opened, he was welcomed by a waiter that stood with his back straight.

Even without introducing himself, the waiter guided Kazuki wordlessly to a private room underground.

There were several private rooms underground for the purpose of celebrity reservation.

It was a closed room with strict security and isolated from the tumult at the surface.

When the deepest door that looked especially extravagant inside it was opened, inside the room that was decorated extravagantly like the emperor palace of China, Commander Yamagata whose face he was familiar with was waiting.

Commander Yamagata expressly stood up from his chair and then he thanked Kazuki saying “Sorry to call you like this”.

“No, I absolutely cannot come to a restaurant this expensive by myself so I’m happy.”

“Hahaha, is that so. Even supposing that you have money, no one would frequent this kind of restaurant while he is still a student.”

Kazuki took a seat right in front of Commander Yamagata.

“And so, is today’s talk just for treating me to high class Chinese food to show thanks?”

Kazuki talked without beating around the bush. Commander Yamagata too immediately shook his head.

“No, of course…I called you because there is something I want the Knight Academy to do for me.”

“To begin with it seems I have to tell you what kind of talk was exchanged in the place of the ceasefire negotiation.”

Regarding the [large conference], Kazuki didn’t know anything except to the degree of what was reported in the mass media.

“The media reported grandly that the ceasefire was established right? Does that mean west Japan will keep being Yamato, is there no way to recover them back…the mass media regarded those matters as problems though.”

Right now even while the society hurled abuse to the government and the Knight Order as incompetent, however with the intervention of the unfamiliar bunches of the Magic Advanced Countries, the society also felt the anxiety against the unseen future.

“Of course we didn’t spend that much time just talking about whether we are going to ceasefire or not. This matter is still not disclosed to the mass media, but during the ceasefire negotiation there were several [agreements] that got concluded. Those are agreements that really change the future of east Japan and west Japan.”

“Agreements?”

“Let’s talk about this step by step. First the objective of the Magic Advanced Countries’ envoys of coming here are for the sake of determining which side has the legitimacy in that war.”

They had already anticipated beforehand that it would become that kind of development. That was why Commander Yamagata curtly rejected the bunch of <Ryouzanpaku> that approached them to ask for Japan’s cooperation.

“In the first place there is no such thing as legitimacy in a coup d’etat.”

Like that Commander Yamagata talked about the legitimacy of Japan itself.

“Looking from our point of view, Yamato’s actions especially their political tenet doesn’t have any meaning at all and was nothing more than a violent coup d’etat. …So far as it goes, they also claimed that what they are doing is to correct the social unfairness from the preferential treatment to Magika Stigmas, but in this country there is no such thing happening.”

He wondered about that. Inside his heart Kazuki was bothered about that but he didn’t try to interject there.

“They caused a divide of this country using an illegitimate violent coup d’etat. Even though we move to subjugate them but other country intervened without any right at all, that’s our perception about this case.”

There was truth in that outline, he could even say that it was a sound argument. Kazuki nodded.

“And then in this matter that should be resolved as the problem of our own country, China and the resistance organization against China, Ryouzanpaku came to intervene. These bunches moved as they please without giving any notice to us beforehand. The army of China suddenly reinforced Yamato, and Ryouzanpaku who revolted against that temporarily gave their cooperation to our side. But in the first place it is not the case that we had made contact with Ryouzanpaku and formed a cooperation set-up with them. This is nothing more than a high pressure salesmanship of kindness from Ryouzanpaku.”

…About this time the fellows from Ryouzanpaku might be angry.

But if Japan was misunderstood that they had a cooperative relationship with Ryuouzanpaku, it would completely legitimize China’s hostility to Japan. There was the need to clearly outline the sequence of events that Ryouzanpaku moved out because China went along with Yamato.

“We don’t have any intention to tie any relation with Ryouzanpaku even from now on. We also have no intention to participate in the antagonistic relationship between China and Ryouzanpaku. But if from now on the army of China keep getting stationed inside the territory of Yamato, we too are going to make Ryouzanpaku’s army stay inside our territory.”

If China didn’t get out of this, Japan would borrow Ryouzanpaku’s strength to drive them out, it was like that. This too could be said as a justifiable right, and Ryouzanpaku’s face could also barely get saved.

“But what we desired is for China and Ryouzanpaku to dispense with their interference, that is to say we want to subjugate the violent coup d’etat by Yamato as our country’s problem to the very end…such thing was what we first insisted on.”

“I think that’s a logical argument. In the first place, saying it logically, this is a battle where the legitimacy rest in our side.”

Some thug acted violently inside our country. For other country to interfere when this side was subjugating that didn’t make sense. That was why all of you please stay quiet and just watch. It was that kind of logic.

If China and Ryouzanpaku withdrew, then there would be no turn for the Magic Advanced Countries to come out anywhere.

“Yes, that’s supposed to be a politically correct argument. The politicians who participated in the conference too asserted all of that full of confidence. But the other side were religious countries. What they were looking was a mythologically correct argument.”

With an expression full of bitterness, Commander Yamagata spitted out with a half careless tone.

Mythological correctness…?

“It seemed that Yamato’s side claimed to the Magic Advanced Countries that [it’s only correct that Japanese archipelago is ruled by the gods of Japanese Mythology]. Looks like the argument that make them agree more is the argument of that side. Yamato’s argument was largely received in the conference, and our side got criticized disparagingly. This means they doesn’t mind any violent coup d’etat or whatever Yamato did as long as they have the feature called Japanese Mythology.”

“That’s…really extreme and outside of our imagination.”

“We already know that those guys think of the Mythology as the first and foremost. Nonetheless, we didn’t think that they are going to be this hard to talk with.”

Commander Yamagata released a deep sigh.

Kazuki remembered about what Beatrix told him before that [It’s fun the part where we talk about stupid thing, but we absolutely cannot understand each other in deep aspect].

An absolute rejection from a group that possessed different sense of values.

Don’t tell him that this meant the international community was supporting Yamato?

“That’s so but the other side’s claim that they [obtained the divine protection of Japanese Mythology] is also full of holes right? They are only borrowing Susanoo’s power and making the Divas into Wild God to manipulate. Moreover the majority of Japanese Divas had already come to their senses from being Wild God and they are separating themselves from Yamato.”

“Correct. The guys above has also made understand about that circumstance from your report, so they strongly objected Yamato’s claim. Above all the chief god of Japanese Mythology Amaterasu is in our hands. But it seemed Yamato and China claimed that looking historically Susanoo’s side is the more just one as the lord of Japanese Mythology compared to Amaterasu. It’s the case that Amaterasu was the [invader] that came along later on.”

That too was one way of looking at it, another side of the myth. It was not unnecessarily mistaken.

“…Amaterasu and Susanoo are in a relationship that contested each other for the chief god seat of Japanese Mythology. When the circumstance from our side is setting up Amaterasu and their side is setting up Susanoo…it becomes that the chief god of Japanese Mythology is still not coming into existence.”

“Seems it’s something like that. That’s why those bunch of Magic Advanced Countries’ [conclusion mythologically] said that [both Japan and Yamato still don’t have any legitimacy to rule Japan archipelago], like that.”

“That’s really an insult for those politician lots, what they are saying.”

Commander Yamagata made a face full of bitterness. With this Kazuki now could grasp the present situation.

“Now then, from there the opinion of those bunches of envoys also became scattered around. Russia proposed that it’s fine to reopen the war for the sake of determining the chief god of Japanese Mythology, but Britain, Italia, and Germany opposed against that. That’s because China showed a stubborn stance of not going to withdraw their soldiers. Britain, Italia, and Germany are regarding China’s true objective as quite dangerous. On the contrary Russia is in a state of affairs that is being tolerant in regards to China.”

Ilyailiya Muromets―the girl who introduced herself as Thunder EmperorGrozny Basileus had said her apology about how she visited Yamato first before Japan.

For some reason it seemed that Russia and China had a close relationship behind the scenes.

“If war is no good then how should we settle the score…it’s fine to say that we waste most of the time last week talking about this.”

At that time a waiter appeared in the private room saying “Here is the appetizer”, a lot of cuisines in small amount each were lined up on the table. The waiter stood still for a moment wondering whether he should give the explanation of the cuisines but reading the atmosphere of the place he got out without talking much.

“This is a rare chance so let’s talk while eating.”

Commander Yamagata said while being less formal.

…However, for him to eat high class cuisines just alone with a superior while talking something important like this…

Kazuki restlessly brought a cold Jinhua ham to his mouth.

“Britain’s envoy talked that there should be items called <the Three Sacred Treasures> in Japanese Mythology. The one who possess the Three Sacred Treasures is exactly the true King. The symbol of King determined in Mythology…”

“The Three Sacred Treasures? You mean, the ones that are handed down to the Imperial Family…?”

The Three Sacred Treasures―<Eight-span MirrorYata no Kagami>, <String of JewelsYasakani no Magatama>, and <Grass-mowing SwordKusanagi no Tsurugi> of the three treasures. Making their appearance in Mythology, they were being handed down until the present times, but it wasn’t known whether those items handed down were really the real thing according to the Mythology.

Commander Yamagata shook his head.

“No, not the sacred object representation that was created in this world imitating the item that is talked in myth…but the authentic Sacred Treasures that possessed the power just like what was talked in myth. In fact, at the time when the King is born into this world it seems that those Sacred Treasures are created in Haunted Ground somewhere. There is a precedent in Britain, they say that when the King was born the holy sword that become his symbol was created in response.”

The holy sword possessed by the high King of Britain’s Mythology…Kazuki too immediately had the one sword so famous even for him flashed in his memory.

If by some chance that really existed, then as a swordsman there was nothing he could say except how jealous he was.

“It’s said that the current King of Britain became recognized as King by pulling out a holy sword that was stabbed into the ground of a certain Haunted Ground. And there is also a similar legend in Japanese Mythology, and so isn’t it fine to decide that who hold those items is the true King. After the English side proposed such, the surrounding countries also consented to that mythological proposal. In short―this is <The Sacred Treasures Search Race>.”

The Sacred Treasures Search Race!

Kazuki’s chopsticks that was in the middle of bringing a shark fin to his mouth spontaneously *gashan* made a loud voice.

“Sacred Treasure is created due to the Haunted Ground’s magic power. In other words there should be three of those things scattered around the Haunted Grounds somewhere in Japan, possibly even inside the Haunted Ground that is going to be born from now on. This is something hard to believe for us, but those guys believed in these items' existences. We have to find those items so that they will recognize us as the legitimate guardian of Japanese Mythology!”

That was the conclusion of the first international grand conference since the diplomatic relations with other countries were severed…!

Commander Yamagata took a bang bang chicken with his chopsticks in a grand way and then he stuffed it all into his mouth in one bite.

“For our destiny with Yamato to get settled by something like treasure hunting, how unbelievable…”

As expected from foreign cultures of other countries…a really out of imagination conclusion.

Kazuki felt a discomfort. His mood felt like he was made fun of for some reason.

But surely the big shot politicians above him felt even more ridiculed by this.

“If in the case that the discovered Sacred Treasures are divided into one side possessing one item while the other side has two items, does the one that found more win?”

“No, when all three of the Sacred Treasures had been discovered, the fellow Kings that possessed each of the Sacred Treasures they had found will duel and the victor will take all the Sacred Treasures. That’s how this will be decided.”

Kazuki felt a little relieved. There was a duel right at the end ―if he thought of this like that then this sensation as if this event was a game was fading.

In the worst case, if he could find even just one then he could stand in the stage of the duel.

{Uu―un, but with only one it will be harsh then. The side who discovered two will be overwhelmingly advantageous nyo.}

Suddenly, the avatar of Amaterasu emerged out besides Kazuki.

It seemed she appeared through the circuit of positivity level between Kazuki and Kamimura-san.

{The Three Sacred Treasures bestow special powers to the King you know. Your power and Ikousai are rivaling each other so the difference from one of the Three Sacred Treasures should become a decisive difference nyo.}

Amaterasu talked with a tired face as if she was going to fall asleep.

“Now that I think back didn’t Kamimura-san used Yata no Kagami and Yasakani no Magatama back in Yomotsu Hirasaka using Sacred Treasure creation magic?”

For the Sacred Treasures that were their search target to be able to get created temporarily using Amaterasu’s Summoning Magic could be thought as somehow strange.

“That’s the original nyo. From the beginning Yata no Kagami and Yasakani no Magatama were Sacred Treasures where Amaterasu’s power were residing and those items became something special. I can bring forth that fundamental power. It’s just, rather than the power of those originals, the real things that later on gathered faith as the Three Sacred Treasures are storing even stronger power. It’s better to think of them as different items already nyo.”

“What’s with that somewhat sticky way of talking, adding [nyo] in the end of your sentence?”

{Farewell nyo} Leaving those words behind, the little girl Amaterasu vanished.

“Even strength huh. I was thinking that you are the one who was overwhelmingly stronger though.”

‘Uu―mm’ Commander Yamagata groaned. He was happy with his faith at him though.

“However, isn’t this rule disadvantageous to Japan?”

Kazuki turned back to the commander and said what weighed his mind.

“Searching where are the Three Sacred Treasures located somewhere in the Haunted Grounds…if that’s the rule, doesn’t the vastness of the Haunted Ground in Yamato’s territory far surpass the Haunted Ground in Japan’s territory?”

Japan’s Knight Order marched out as fast as possible if there were Haunted Ground created and dealt with it quickly before any serious harm could reach the people. They completely dealt with the Haunted Ground before it could spread.

But the more a Haunted Ground spread out, the magic power inside it increased thickly and it was said with that magic power it was easier for powerful Demon Beast and Sacred Treasure to be born. That meant it was hard for Sacred Treasure to be born in Japan.

In regards to that, for the current Yamato―as far as Kazuki saw when he infiltrated Ise, even when Haunted Ground was born it was mostly left as it was to enlarge itself rapidly.

With that kind of situation, surely there were various sizes of Haunted Grounds scattered throughout various places in Yamato.

East Japan that punctually liberated Haunted Ground until now was always seriously working hard and so there was nothing like a calamitous giant haunted ground remaining here. It was a good thing that the country was safe but there was also no Sacred Treasure here.

If there was the Three Sacred Treasures created in Haunted Grounds somewhere acting in concert with the confrontation to decide the true King, there was a fairly high chance that it would be created in the territory of Yamato’s side that right now was in chaos…such thinking was only natural.

Wasn’t that a rule that made fool of the side that did their best.

“No, you also cannot say that. It’s not the case that Japan’s Knight Order are able to deal with all the Haunted Ground. This side of east Japan is also neglecting a Haunted Ground that we cannot deal with.”

“Neglected Haunted Ground…? I never heard that kind of story though.”

If there was that kind of thing, wouldn’t the mass media gave more of a bashing to the government?

Right there some waiters entered the private room carrying the cuisine. Commander Yamagata’s expression made a high-strung expression for an instant and then he erased his expression. The waiter served a soup that was enough for four people’s share.

The soup had a clear amber color but it was releasing an amazing rich aroma, a really mystical soup.

The waiters sensed the atmosphere of the two guests and left from the room wordlessly.

Actually there was no doubt that this was a soup that had to be tasted while it hadn’t cooled down yet, but…Kazuki and Commander Yamagata continued their talk.

“…After all this is a story that is not really reported in the news see.”

“Haunted Ground that is not reported in the news…?”

“<Fuji’s Sea of Trees>. Against this very first observed Haunted Ground in Japan, JDFthe national defense agency at the time couldn't do anything at all and just overlooked its enlargement. Around the time when the Knight Order was established its scale had already become something totally out of hand. Even right now it is still left alone as an evacuation zone with a radius area of 20 kilometer and still continuing to expand―it’s a <Grand Haunted Ground> that people are starting to forget. Just this one Haunted Ground can rival all of the Haunted Grounds in west Japan altogether. If in the case that there are the Three Sacred Treasures in east Japan, it will be definitely there.”

Grand Haunted Ground…

Kazuki lost his words from the shock that was as if his world was overturned.

“The rest is going to be decided in this one week. Now then, from here on is the real issue at hand that I want to tell you but…”

Commander Yamagata suddenly put his elbow on top of the table and he leaned his body forward.

The story until now was something that even the spy should be able to grasp already.

The real issue. As if his switch was flipped after hearing those words, Kazuki was once more being conscious of the spy’s existence. Was the spy who came to tail or to intercept his communication had already been captured by his comrades?

Without paying any intention to such turmoil inside Kazuki, Commander Yamagata got into the core of the problem.

“―A request for a new quest from the Knight Order to the Knight Academy. This is something I decided arbitrarily, the top brass of the Knight Order is still not aware of this.”

The information from now on should be exactly the information the Yamato camp would be so eager to get that they weren’t going to be able to hold their drool…

Kazuki paid attention to their surrounding somehow or other. His gaze darted around the surrounding. It was mostly a subconscious action but there was infinitesimal Extra Sense occurring in his gaze.

That was also the customary practice as the swordsman of Hayashizaki-style who principled themselves in battlefield presence.

That was why at that time Kazuki noticed.

“!?”

The vicinity of this private room was being surrounded by minute magic power.

Kazuki’s countenance changed before he stood from his chair and looked around his vicinity.

Thin and flat magic power was traveling along the wall, ceiling, and the planks of the floor inside the room, flowing like a blood in capillary vessel.

When they first entered this room, there shouldn’t be this kind of magic power.

“Something wrong?”

Commander Yamagata asked thinking Kazuki’s behavior as strange.

Kazuki didn’t respond to that and began his spell incantation.

The thinly spreading magic power…he was going to burn them all wholesale!

“This hand reach out to the height of Babel, right now this hand grasp the thunderbolt of god tightly! In accordance with my life, o lightning, whirl by my will! Collider Field!!”

Lotte’s weapons creation magic. Kazuki equipped an iron armor that sprung forth barrier of electric current in his right hand.

When that iron armor was stuck onto the floor, he raised his fist overhead.

The skill user could consciously control the electric current produced from this iron armor. Avoiding Commander Yamagata who had almost no defensive magic power, and also in order to not send damage outside this private room, it was possible to only flow the electricity to the magic power presence that was surrounding this room.

That instant, the magic power that surrounded this room reacted oversensitively. The magic power moved *zuzozozozozozo!* and leaped forcefully as if in terror, gathering in one spot at the ceiling.

At one point in that ceiling, a deep black stain was formed in a blink of eye.

…It was water! The water that was tinged with magic power was flowing through the wall and the ceiling of this room!!

From the ceiling, [splash], a single blob of water spilled down to the floor.

It was not a drop of water dripping down, but a large blob of water that might possibly have the mass of a single human.

Toward the phenomenon so strange even though it was involved with magic, Kazuki and Commander Yamagata gulped their breath.

The blob of water that spilled down on the floor was not spreading out and staining the floor, having a fixed elasticity it swelled on top of the floor like a slime.

That big pile of water―transformed into a human’s shape.

It was completely like a water human. That shape reflected light while being transparent in glitters, but it was shaped into a face that even Kazuki had remembered seeing before.

“…Eleonora!!”

The Einherjar’s, water Magika Stigma!

The water that made a human shape, in the blink of eye its texture mutated―into the original living flesh of Eleonora in her Magic Dress appearance.

“…O undulating stormy seas, envelope my hand become the whip that strike the small person without mercy! Flöte Schlange!!”

When Kazuki took the stance of going to hit her with his iron armor, Eleonora too cast an offense magic and directed the water whip to Kazuki while taking an intercepting stance.

It was the level 1 magic of her contracted Diva but it was still a frightfully fast chanting.

“Splendid. If electric current is flowed when I’m becoming a thinly spreading water, then I would helplessly fall into magic intoxication. That was really dangerous just now.”

“Spy of Einherjar…!”

Commander Yamagata judged the situation and leaked out a voice of dismay.

She changed her own body into water and permeated herself into the ceiling, wall, and the floor inside the room.

Squirming water that possessed a will…a magic unimaginable by their imagination. If it was in a building that used wood which contained a lot of moisture, it was possible for her to creep in anywhere like this.

Kazuki remembered the happening at Nagoya.

Kazuki and others were talking regarding the treatment for the Ryouzanpaku fellows inside the command room that had soundproofing applied. There Eleonora appeared late, but the girl showed a behavior as if she had seen through their conversation so far.

There was no mistake that she also performed espionage like this that time.

Soundproofing or whatever else was irrelevant, she was permeating into the soundproof material.

“Were you the spy? So you, were leaking out information to Yamato.”

When Kazuki grilled her with question, Eleonora shook with her eyebrows twitched.

As if she was doubted of something that didn’t even get close to imagination.

“…It’s hard to deny if I am asked whether I’m a spy or not, but it’s really vexing that I’m suspected to be related to Yamato. All of my action is done for the sake of Captain Beatrix.”

“For Beatrix’s sake you say?”

“It’s dangerous for you and captain to deepen your relation more than this. And so I…am trying to gather information that can become pretext for hostility between Germany and Japan. Not a dangling relationship like now, with a clear hostile relation between our two countries even Beatrix can get over you. If there are some kind of material that can be used to persuade even my country. Even if it’s just something with strained interpretation…”

Eleonora’s eyes narrowed suddenly, a chill like ice resided inside it.

“Captain’s spirit as a soldier must not get colored by emotion and become dulled. Rather you should be killed by Captain Beatrix’s hand.”

The Einherjar was by no means Kazuki and the other’s ally.

“…Hayashizaki-kun, what to do?”

Commander Yamagata asked Kazuki.

“…Let’s request for her to withdraw. Peacefully.”

“Is that fine, doing so?”

Commander Yamagata entrusted the decision to Kazuki until the end was surely because he understood that if they stirred up trouble here then he would only dragged Kazuki’s feet.

Commander Yamagata didn’t see him as a subordinate or a student. He was regarding him as an equal human. Kazuki was happy of that.

“The other country surely wouldn’t say any protest even if we defeat her here, but our relationship with Beatrix and her group will break down.”

Personally it was not like his relationship with Beatrix was particularly a something or other.

Surely worsening their relation with Germany here was not good.

“Also I think it’s the truth that this girl has no connection with Yamato.”

It was just by chance that in the timing while their side was searching for Yamato’s spy that they could also discover her. Rather than saying this was a coincidence, this was an inevitable timing.

Just now he unconsciously got flustered, but Germany was strongly in precaution against China. It was hard to imagine that the Einherjar would do something like leaking out information to Yamato who was tying relationship with China.

For Yamato there was no meaning to deliberately employ the Einherjar whose relation with them was internationally complex as a spy even though they already had spies slipping through the government and the academy beforehand.

“Even if we commence attack from our side against an opponent that is searching of material for hostility with us, that will be just what the opponent wish for. If we have to say which side the anti-China Germany is in, they are a party that is closer to ally of our side.”

“I’m glad that our side’s intention is transmitted. After all I too want to refrain from getting into something like a one-to-one fight against you in this place.”

Right there the door of the private room was knocked and “The main dishes”, the waiter came in.

The waiter turned his gaze to Eleonora and “Oh?” he made a puzzled face.

“Excuse me but, this honored guest is…”

“An exhibitionist and an illegal intruder. Please lead her out.”

When Kazuki said that with a slight vengeful thought, Eleonora said “You, even if you don’t say it that way…”, for the first time her expression was shaken, then she undid her Magic Dress and returned to her Einherjar uniform appearance.

Eleonora was taken away by the waiter.

Magnificent main dishes were lined up on top of the table. With Eleonora gone, Kazuki and Commander Yamagata sat back on the chairs.

“Anyway it’s fine to return to the story right?”

Kazuki nodded. There was no more presence of magic power around them.

Kazuki finally tried the soup before the main dish. It was thoroughly getting cold.

“The government had handed down directive to the Knight Order for <Operation Fuji’s Sea of Trees Exploration> and I became the commanding officer of that operation.”

“That’s…congratulations.”

“This is not a proper thing for someone of my rank, but this is the form of recognition for my achievement in the battle against Yamato. In other words this is completely thanks to you. Both Kougetsu Kanon and Yagumo Akane are appointed as staff officer, we plan to ask for your assistance in various things.”

Commander Yamagata faced Kazuki and lowered his head deeply.

Kazuki became completely flustered and said “All that even without commander-san bowing your head to me…!”

He was not used to an adult being this modest.

He also felt a confusion when Headmaster Amasaki gave his recognition to him but―in the society there were also adults that could face a kid straightforwardly without paying any heed to age or social position.

“Now then, from now on is the main topic, but…for the sake of this operation, I don’t plan to move the Knight Order until the very last minute.”

“Ha?”

Hearing that declaration that could be taken as a dereliction of duty, Kazuki opened his eyes wide.

“I’m going to take my time preparing, straining my excuse even if my superior keep pestering me, making difficulties, to the end I won’t let the knights enter the sea of trees of Fuji without exception. And then, I’m going to make a request for Quest to all of you of the Knight Academies to explore the Fuji’s Sea of Trees, that’s what I’m thinking.”

He really said something outrageous here…

While Kazuki reached out his hand to a Peking duck, he felt a painful nervousness as if a pitch black tar was poured into his stomach.

“This Grand Haunted Ground that is left alone until this much because it is unmanageable even for the Knight Order, you are going to leave it all to be taken care of by the students?”

“The main reason that it became unmanageable and is being left alone is because the Knight Order is too busy and there is not enough manpower to be allocated there. It’s not a problem of strength. I think if it’s the Knight Academy that you lead then this is in the level that you can sufficiently deal with. I have no doubt here that the Knight Academy in the generation of you all is the strongest in history you know.”

“Even if you said that kind of thing to the person that just entered the academy three months ago.”

“I don’t want to let Yamato’s spy get their hand on Fuji’s Sea of Trees. The people I can trust in the Knight Order is too few. Of course I know that it seems there is also a spy that had slipped into the Knight Academy. But even so there is also a simplicity in the command system of the Knight Academy. If it’s you then you should be able to control how to deal with the spy.”

Certainly, that was able to be done in Magic War Okehasama and Sekigahara.

“And also you have started to move your spy countermeasure right? I’m waiting in expectation for your result here.”

Kazuki finally brought the Peking duck wrapped in batter into his mouth.

It was delicious but, he became unable to feel its enjoyment.

As the repayment of this meal, an outrageous work was going to be pushed onto him.

However…there was also the feeling of a small fire being lit inside his heart from being completely relied on like this by the person in front of his eyes.

‘…Is that so.’ Kazuki noticed for the first time.

He might be sulking right now.

When he thought about how he was harshly worked about in the war, and then when it became a ceasefire he was kept out of the loop, and on top of all that he was mocked by the [King] of the other countries of how he was so out of loop…

“I will make my former knight subordinates that I can trust take the position as the guards that protect the gate of Fuji’s Sea of Trees. There should be no possibility for the old generation of knights to be polluted by the spy compared to the active duty generation.”

China first sent in their spy to the center of the government and making use of their authority they were sending spies for generations to the Knight Academy.

If the sequence of the spies’ infiltration was like this, then the more they traced back the generation the degree of the contamination should be lower.

“I instructed them to absolutely not let any knight enter. During that time I ask all of you to complete the capture of the Haunted Ground. I’ll leave things like capturing squad composition and whatever else to you. Fuji’s Sea of Trees is vast but making the best use of your ability, it should be effective if you divided your team into several units.”

Kazuki’s ability―he could sense the general location of the girls who had deepened their bond with him and have a telepathic communication that transcended distance with girls who had positivity level more than 150.

“Fuji’s Sea of Trees is…all kind of electromagnetic wave and GPS are obstructed due to the magic power distortion, compass too goes crazy there. Even if there is no spy accompanying you, I think your leadership is suitable for traversing this Haunted Ground on foot.”

There was some truth there.

However…this unknown Grand Haunted Ground might be even more dangerous than a war with human as the opponent.

There was almost no life lost in war because of the blessing of defensive magic power, even in the worst case they would become a prisoner of war.

However they couldn’t hope for that kind of mercy and allowance from the Demon Beast that became their opponent in the Haunted Ground.

Surely it would be best to gather the elites as the member for participating in this quest. Even if they were divided into several units, at the very least there must be one person added among each team that was a girl that had tied a bond with Kazuki. Like that he wanted to constantly be able to grasp their movements.

The students who didn’t get to participate in the war against Yamato were wrapped in passion of [I too am going at the next battle for sure!]. If right now he was taking applications from students for participation in the Quest this time, perhaps there would be too many candidates.

Surely it would be necessary to make the participation conditions of the candidates’ rank and Quest’s practical experience even stricter compared with the battle against Yamato.

After Kazuki collected his thoughts on that and conveyed it to Commander Yamagata, he nodded with a hum “Right”.

“I want you to select the members as careful as possible. It might be strange for me to say this seeing that I’m the one who burdened all these to the students, but the public opinion will be severe if there are victims that come out from this.”

Escaping from responsibility…rather than calling it that it seems that he was aware himself that he relied too much on the students.

“Selecting the members carefully should also double as obstruction for the spy to slip inside. I especially want you to be cautious of the Sword Division students.”

“…You too are suspecting the Sword Division?”

“That’s just a logical thinking. Enrolling into the Sword Division is easier compared to enrolling into the Magic Division. I think if they are sending a spy then they are going to send them to the Sword Division.”

“That’s so but as a spy the return of the earned information will be far bigger in the Magic Division right? Even though the hurdle to enroll into the Magic Division is high, but if they figured out a child with high magic talent beforehand and raised her as a spy…that child will surely get bestowed with Stigma.”

Fundamentally, Solomon 72 Pillar was choosing their contractor from the quantity of magic power.

Which Diva was choosing which student seemed to be determined from the match of both sides' personality wavelength.

He especially felt it when he was looking at Koyuki and Vepar.

“That’s…certainly that’s so but…you are right, insert one comrade you can really trust into each unit without exception and don’t slack off on your surveillance even to the students of the Magic Division.”

The door was knocked and the waiter came carrying the desert of Chinese dim sum.

During that time, Kazuki and Commander Yamagata held their tongues and reopen their conversation once the waiter was gone.

“It’s better if we move out as fast as possible isn’t it?”

When Kazuki said that, Commander Yamagata nodded while moving a mango pudding with a spoon into his mouth.

The instant he stuffed his cheek with the pudding, that expression of his broke out into a smile like a kid.

“Yeah, after all the slower the capturing goes, the pressure on me to move the Knight Order is going to be troublesome.”

When he exited the Chinese cuisine restaurant with Commander Yamagata, Kazuha-senpai and Kanae was waiting for him in front of the entrance.

The special unit of the Sword Division was not around them. In exchange…

“Seems like the talk is over isn’t it, Nii-sama.”

While Kazuki responded with a nod, he asked with knitted eyebrows.

“…This girl is?”

Kanae was seizing the scruff of the neck of a dark skinned girl that was extolled with wild beauty.

“…Roshoukou of Ryouzanpaku was tailing Nii-sama, so I caught her.”

Shoukou-san went “Tahaha” with an embarrassed wry smile in her expression. She was wearing a T-shirt and jeans that were often worn by ordinary girl of Japan, a rough outfit that seemed to be procured from somewhere.

“Commander Yamagata, was there no treatment like restraints or monitoring done to her?”

“Of course this girl was given to the custody of the Knight Order.”

“Of course I went a little wild and escaped ze! What’s called picaresque hated any shackle! You guys didn’t teach me for even a bit about the conference’s content, so that make me think to investigate it myself see. Then I wondered if I’m gonna learn something if I hang around you.”

Shoukou-san directed her eyes to Kazuki in a glance. This person too was loitering around Kazuki. …Of course there was no way that this girl was a spy from Yamato.

“Went wild you say…? You mean there was some kind of damage that came out?”

Commander Yamagata became slightly flustered.

“I didn’t really do anything big okay, Commander-san. I took care not to use Summoning Magic in the middle of city so that’s why I got caught like this. No but, this person is strong! A big shot huh.”

Shoukou-san answered Commander Yamagata with a slightly respectful tone.

“For the moment, I know my position. However we resented the treatment you give us. If the conference was over already, there is nothing wrong with letting us know how the situation had developed isn’t it? I was showing a light rampage as the expression of my discontent.”

She was by no means a thoughtless person. Her action mixed intelligence and wildness and also combined with haggling. Shoukou-san bared her eyes to Commander Yamagata glaringly and made him faltered.

“Got it, I’m going to inform you the circumstances. For now we are going back to the garrison first.”

“If you talk to us upfront like that, our bunch too is not gonna do anything violent yeah.”

“…Kanae-kun, release her.”

When Commander Yamagata said so, Kanae released her hand from Shoukou-san’s scruff of the neck in a flash.

With a smiling face in a good mood, Shouko-san snuggled close with a ‘pyon’ besides Commander Yamagata.

“How ‘bout we go back cordially while holding hands too?”

“Lay it off, we look like parent and child so I might get reported.”

After the commander replied wearily to Shouko-san’s frivolous talk, Shouko-san leaked out a voice of vulgar chuckle “Hihhihhi”. Kazuki looked back to Kanae’s direction.

“…So there was no other spy?”

Was there no other spy with the exception of Eleonora and Shouko-san. Kanae nodded deeply toward Kazuki’s question.

In the side Kazuha-senpai too tilted her head while knitting her eyebrows.

“…If there was a suspicious guy then we shouldn’t miss them I think but as you see―. We are convinced though that we have already stretched our surveillance without any gap.”

“Maybe the spy noticed the surveillance in return and so they stopped taking action in the open instead.”

“Hm―mm, we have already trained intensively in covert action though. Well, even with our footsteps erased it’s not like our figure also got erased so I cannot guarantee that absolutely.”

So this meant that the crucial spy itself didn’t fall into the trap.

But from now on the exploration of Fuji’s Sea of Trees would begin with the Knight Academy becoming its spearhead.

Surely it would be best to continue the security around him from now on too.

“If the spy is caught, hand him over to the Knight Order.”

Commander Yamagata who was dragging back Shoukou-san turned around their way.

“There is Telepathy interrogation group in the Knight Order. If it’s them then they will surely be able to drag out the information using interrogation and Telepathy and then haul out all the spies like pulling out sweet potato. It’s important to catch even just one no matter who. With just a single action of you all, it might be possible to eradicate all the spies.”

Interrogation and Telepathy was it… Kazuki nodded while feeling a shuddering thing inside him.

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