Published at 25th of March 2019 10:11 pm

Volume 8 Chapter 1 - The Best Shortcut to Become Strong (Part 2-4)

Part 2

The breakfast everyone made by combining their strength was too extravagant to be considered as a breakfast. It seemed that everyone overdid their effort in their respective attempt to display their good point.

It was an extravagant enjoyable breakfast.

After that he went to school with everyone. Personal training was not the only important thing.

There was no class in the Magic Division that was pointless for real battle. After all the instructor Liz Liza-sensei was a former Knight. Kazuki who had experienced a real battle with Yamato understood well the value of the classes.

Thanks to such kindness, Kazuki was able to concentrate just like usual in class and receive the lesson.

And then when the school was over, the student council members gathered in the student council room.

It was a meeting for the sake of conquering the <Grand Haunted Ground>.

The conclusion between Japan and Yamato turned out that it would be decided by <The Struggle for the Three Sacred Treasures Race>.

It was an agreement to discover the Three Sacred Treasures within their respective territories, and with the Three Sacred Treasures in hand victory or defeat would be decided by [the Kings’ one on one fight].

Each of the Three Sacred Treasures was the embodiment of [the authority of Japan Mythology’s King] that possessed mighty power. With the difference in strength between Kazuki and Ikousai, the number of Sacred Treasure they possessed would become the decisive factor of the match, that was what Amaterasu predicted. Kazuki who saw Ikousai as his rival was also of the same opinion.

Sacred Treasure was born inside a Haunted Ground. A large scale Haunted Ground in the east Japan that could produce a powerful Sacred Treasure in the degree of the Three Sacred Treasures was only possible inside the Grand Haunted Ground, <Fuji’s sea of trees>, the Haunted Ground that had existed since the past <Tokyo’s Great Disaster> and even now it was still continuing to expand its size.

But because the Knight Order couldn’t completely get rid of their spy problem, Commander Yamagata who was promoted into the commanding officer of the operation made a decision that said [only the students of the Knight Academy were allowed to enter Fuji’s sea of trees].

Kazuki who was the Chief Student Council President accepted that order and so he formed groups by picking the students who had the ability for this operation.

This time was a meeting to talk about that matter.

“Well then, first is the allocation for the searching time but…”

Kazuki began to talk while looking around the faces he was familiar with. He was not used to this behavior for leading a meeting. Actually he wanted Kaguya-senpai to be the one that managed the meeting in his place.

Kazuki distributed to everyone the list of a hundred student’s names that had been narrowed down from all the applicants for this Grant Haunted Ground capture based on their quest accomplishment and school grades. Naturally there were many names of the second year students in the list.

The seniors got excited for a while saying things like “That person is here” or “That person is not here”.

“I am thinking of dividing these hundred names into seven groups with me, Mio, Koyuki, Lotte, Kaguya-senpai, Hikaru-senpai, and Kazuha-senpai as the leaders.”

This matter was already something decided from their previous meeting.

With his power of King, Kazuki was able to sense the whereabouts of the companions which whom he had tied a bond with. Inside the Fuji’s sea of trees, all kind of communication devices became unusable, but if they used this power then Kazuki would be able to grasp the general movement of each group.

In this point too it could be said that rather than the Knight Order, Kazuki and the others were more suited to explore this Grand Haunted Ground.

For the sake of making use of that ability to the limit, he had to assign a companion with high positivity level for each group.

“It’s fine as long as they are assigned as a member so there is no need to go as far as making them leader. For the group of someone like Koyuki-chan or Lotte who doesn’t have strong pressure, I think it’s better to insert a second year that can take the group’s leadership. Someone like Kana-chan.”

Certainly Kaguya-senpai’s opinion was true. Although the strength of Koyuki and Lotte didn’t compare unfavorably with the second years, they were not the type that recommended themselves and took the leadership.

“Me, me too, to be a leader is a little…”

Kazuha-senpai raised her hand timidly.

“Isn’t Kazuha-senpai currently one of the top class powerful people in the Sword Division?”

Having a contract with a powerful Diva that was Futsunushi no Kami who had become one with Take Mikadzuchi, her skill in sword art was also above the standard, and a masterful use of diverse kind of general magic. She was not just merely strong, someone like her that could do anything skillfully surely should be able to gather respect from her surrounding in a place like the Grand Haunted Ground.

“Uu―… Because the guys that has always been treating me like a dunce are…”

Kazuha-senpai was hanging her head down while mumbling unintelligibly. Kaguya-senpai who sat beside her petted her head comfortingly.

“I think it’ll be better if senpai has more confidence in yourself but…certainly being made into a leader so suddenly might be too quick.”

“I’ll take the leader position-!”

On the other hand Mio raised her hand full of confidence. Somehow it felt doubtful looking at her like that…

They had to pay attention to the composition of members for these two’s groups.

For Kazuha-senpai’s group she needed gentle members that wouldn’t disagree with Kazuha-senpai’s humility, while for Mio’s group she needed members that could support her calmly.

“Next is, right. I want to put Kamimura-san into Lotte’s group.”

When Kazuki said that after remembering something, Kamimura-san who was standing snugly in one of the room’s corner like a kokeshi doll nodded her head repeatedly *kokukokukoku!* in high speed. When Lotte went “Itsuki-san~” and hugged her, “Lotte-shishou~ !” Kamimura-san hugged her back.

Their master-disciple bond of the otaku world was solid.

“I feel that Nii-sama’s group should be made of a few numbers of elite.”

After Kanae clearly said that in a surprise attack, Kazuki went “Eh?” in bewilderment.

Inside his heart Kazuki was thinking that they head to assign the superior capable person with plenty of experience for Mio or Lotte or Koyuki’s group. But the one who thought differently from him was not just Kanae.

“That’s true isn’t it.” Kaguya-senpai nodded.

“Right right, that’s only natural.” Even Hikaru-senpai also agreed.

“Please wait, there is no need to treat me specially or anything like that.”

“This is not a special treatment, Nii-sama. This is only natural if we think about Nii-sama’s role. In other words Nii-sama has to lead a few elites with high mobility, isn’t that so?”

Kaguya-senpai and Hikaru-senpai also nodded wordlessly as if to say that they were of the exact same opinion.

…It might be like what Kanae said.

It stood to reason. The idea was really so logical that it was strange he didn’t think of that himself.

“Then if we choose from this list the few elites then first from the Magic Division is this person…”

“From the Sword Division this person I guess…”

Kaguya-senpai and Kanae huddled their body together and selected some students’ name.

There would be no mistake if he left the selection of personnel from both department to these two.

“ “What about this kind of lineup?” “

Before long Kaguya-senpai and Kanae wrote the members of Kazuki’s group and presented it to him.

Hayashizaki Kazuki・Ryuutaki Miyabi・Ryuutaki Shinobu・Katsura Karin・Hikita Kohaku

―His group was completely composed of his acquaintances as the members.

Certainly if all the members were his acquaintances then their mobility would increase.

“The Ryuutaki sisters who are prominent powerful people among the Magic Division, and Karin-chan with Kohaku-chan who can fight in flexible way. This is exactly the lineup that can show the greatest performance with the minimum number!”

Kaguya-senpai spiritedly tightened her fist. It was certainly perfect only from hearing her talk.

But no matter how he thought of it, there was one problematic person among the list.

“So Shinobu-senpai is also volunteering to come. Though perhaps she is only coming along to accompany Miyabi-senpai who was volunteering first. But I wonder if she can coordinate with other members skillfully in a party…to be frank it seems impossible.”

“That she is a troublesome character is also one of the reasons why we pushed her to Otouto-kun.”

Certainly trouble would surely occur no matter which group Shinobu-senpai was entered.

Then perhaps he should think of this as a good chance to shorten his distance with Shinobu-senpai.

By any chance perhaps it was exactly because Shibou-senpai was volunteering for this quest that she became bothered and she showed her face this morning.

As for the remaining formation all the seniors were going “This person is strong” or “The combination of this person and that person is good” and the like. While they got excited as they pleased while the people concerned were not here, the decision of the groups’ composition went smoothly.

“For the time being we have managed to understand the Demon Beasts that are living in level 1, so there will be no problem with these members. All of them are people who have been piling up accomplishment in quests until now after all.”

Hikaru-senpai said in satisfaction while overlooking the finished member chart from above. From the advance troop unit they had sent out ahead, they had managed to grasp the characteristic of the Demon Beasts that appeared in the [Level 1] area that they were going to investigate this time.

The atmosphere of the student council room relaxed slightly from Hikaru-senpai’s words.

“…I wonder if it will go that smoothly. I think it’s better if we prepare our mentality for a possible intervention from Yamato.”

Kanae curtly gave her argument with her posture reclining on her elbow.

Kaguya-senpai too was making a face that said “Muu―”.

“You are right. Before this too the Haunted Ground was practically trespassed by the Italian Queen.”

Regina slipped through past the gate’s security by transforming from her human figure.

“Commander Yamagata said that he is going to make the security even stricter though.”

The optimistic Hikaru-senpai pointed out the bright side.

Adamantium wall that enclosed the Grand Haunted Ground. In addition the increased security that was even stricter.

Thinking normally, trespassing inside or anything like that wasn’t possible no matter how.

“But there still exists some ways that human intellect cannot even imagine using the Summoning Magic of Diva…”

Kazuki let out the anxiety that was oozing out from the bottom of his stomach bluntly from his mouth.

“…Eleonora was spying using magic that changed her whole body into water. I think we have to assume that an unknown enemy will invade using some kind of unimaginable method like this.”

Because of Kazuki’s words, the atmosphere of the meeting room that had relaxed started to become heavy.

They couldn’t use wireless inside the Grand Haunted Ground and even if something happened they couldn’t call for help. When they imagined that some kind of unimaginable accident would occur in that kind of place, it was really frightening to the degree that made their body hair stood on end.

Failure in the Haunted Ground might be directly connected to death.

Adding the powerful Demon Beasts that had lived there from the start into the mix, this was a situation where it wouldn’t be strange even if some intervention from who knew where like Yamato・China・other magic advanced countries came at them.

The location was a perilous zone where all the battlefields they had gone through until now couldn’t even compare.

“Now that it has become like this, Nii-sama’s group has become all the more important in this quest.”

Kanae concluded like that.

…It was just like she said.

Koyuki was the one who took over the record of proceedings and data preparation that Yumeno-san had done before this.

Koyuki’s methodical and serious manner in her work was by no means inferior to Yumeno-san.

Koyuki stayed behind in the student council room even after the meeting and continued her work. Kazuki was helping with that.

All the work was over around the time when the evening sun painted the student council room in deep red from the window.

Now should be about the time for everyone else to do the housework of the Witch’s Mansion for him.

Kazuki was helping Koyuki with her work was because he had received a promise from her to accompany him in a magic special training after this.

One of his weaknesses among his three weak points―he had a plan to train intensively his chanting speed after this.

Sleep urged a person’s mental recovery. He had recovered back some of his magic power from the magic intoxication this morning.

“Well then, how about we go back home?”

Picking the time when Koyuki finished printing out the printout to be distributed to the students, Kazuki called out to her.

Koyuki said “Ok” and came closer to Kazuki’s side before turning off the electricity of the student council room.

When the room became dark, Koyuki clung to Kazuki’s arm tightly.

“I’m sorry I got delayed this long.”

“I too am sorry to ask you for training.”

“Kazuki said that you want to be taught by me after all.”

Koyuki said that happily and pulled Kazuki’s arm.

It was difficult to share the [trick] of using magic by explaining in words. The person around Kazuki who could do that in the easiest way for him to understand was Koyuki.

“It’s no good unless we train in the most effective way that can suppress the magic power consumption as much as possible. After all we are going to challenge the Grand Haunted Ground the day after tomorrow.”

“Can we do such a thing like that?”

Koyuki nodded while walking side by side through the gloomy corridor where the light had been switched off.

…The broken glass window had been replaced, but the scars on the wall and floor from the battle between Lotte and Yumeno-san in the corridor were still fresh.

“The process for chanting Summoning Magic is divided into four, those are [Access] [Order] [Targeting] and [Cast]. Our training will not be going through all those processes, it’s better to narrow down our training to the process you are poor at.”

“I see, so you mean there is no need to actually chant the spell.”

“From what I’ve seen, Kazuki’s strong point is in the Targeting. Surely that’s because until now there are a lot of chances for you to cast defensive magic to your comrade. In contrast you are bad at Order…the process to exchange information with the contracted Diva. But rather than calling you poor at it, it might be because Kazuki’s Summoning Magic is peculiar.”

The exchange of information in Kazuki’s Summoning Magic needed to go through Leme first before reaching Vepar or Phoenix.

Perhaps because there was one extra filter he needed to go through that the difficulty level for him was high in this process.

“Order, to put simply it is Telepathy with the Diva, so Kazuki’s chanting speed should make progress just by training your Telepathy.”

“If Koyuki said so then that must be true.”

Both of them changed their shoes and got out of the school building.

“Then, let’s do this immediately.”

Koyuki jumped the gun and said so to him when they went out to the boulevard at night.

“Eh? We are doing it here? Certainly we can do it anywhere if it’s just Telepathy but…”

Koyuki pulled his arm in exchange of a reply. She led Kazuki toward the corner of the boulevard into the shadow of the trees where the light didn’t reach.

It was a period of time where all the students had already returned home to the student dormitory.

Having his arm released, Kazuki faced Koyuki.

“After this I will send in a strong thought wave across the [wall of heart]. Sense that thought wave and then please reply to me using your thought wave.”

The wall of heart was the security that was the boundary line of one’s ego. Human’s mind was connected with all human race through the Astrum, but the mind was equipped with a quarantine mechanism so that other people’s mind wouldn’t come flowing inside.

The mind attack magic like what Miyabi-senpai was specializing in broke this wall of heart and exerted various influences to other people’s mind.

If Koyuki threw her thought wave as hard as she could to Kazuki, and Kazuki tried to sense that with all his strength, then he would be able to read the content of that thought wave and he would manage a [telepathic dialogue]. That should become a good training for Telepathy magic.

Koyuki’s body was wrapped in bluish white light and her appearance changed into her Magic Dress.

“I’m calmer in this form when I’m using magic.”

Koyuki said that even before Kazuki could voice his question. Even inside the semi-darkness, Koyuki’s Magic Dress emitted a dim opal light, highlighting the beauty of Koyuki’s white skin.

Seeing Kazuki was unconsciously charmed, Koyuki fidgeted around her thighs in embarrassment.

“Well then, we are starting.”

A thread of blue magic power light lengthened from Koyuki to Kazuki. If Miyabi-senpai’s mind attack magic was a tentacle, what reached out from Koyuki was really something dainty that should be called exactly as a thread.

―The thread touched Kazuki’s wall of heart. Kazuki sensed it with all his strength.

{…I want to eat, ramen.}

Kazuki was taken aback by the unexpected message.

He replied with all his strength.

{So you want to eat ramen, Koyuki.}

{Tonkotsu ramen with dense seafood topping and heavy back fat is good.}

Koyuki transmitted a message that was like a bundle of surprise while keeping her face expressionless.

{Is that so…you unexpectedly have an aggressive taste I see.}

{Please make it after this.}

{Still I have never dealt with tonkotsu…}

This was a special training so it didn’t matter whatever was the topic they used, but he never thought that it they would begin a tonkotsu discussion.

{Seems like you can follow the talk with just this much…well then I’m going to up the gear okay.}

{!?}

The number of the thread of thought that lengthened from Koyuki increased several times over right away.

This is, is she saying at him to perceive all of this!?

Each of the threads was―filled with tremendous density of tonkotsu talk.

{The secret of tonkotsu ramen’s deliciousness is in the golden combination of the umami ingredients. Tonkotsu possess an abundance of inosinic acid, but when it is added with the glutamine acid that soy sauce possess, it will create a synergism effect not in the range of mere addition of the two component but a multiplication of the two, giving birth of swelling flavor. A dense body and overflowing aroma of the rural beauty bring about the profundity that can be explained scientifically…a complete ramen that possess both wildness and intelligence, that is tonkotsu.}

{Speaking of tonkotsu ramen then it’s Kyushu, but we can see the different inclination of the tonkotsu ramen that we eat here in Kanto compared to its birthplace. We tend to associate the food called tonkotsu ramen with thickness and greasiness, but that is the inclination that is well known in Kanto, yet the tonkotsu ramen in its birthplace doesn’t have any greasiness or thickness in it at all for even a little.}

The thought wave that reached through the wall of heart was delicate, if he let his mind wander even for just a little then it would pass through inside his head and disappear completely. Kazuki held himself to not fall into panic and concentrated his awareness before continuing to listen.

{More about the tonkotsu ramen in its birthplace, its soup is purely using tonkotsu as the main stock. In contrast, Kanto’s tonkotsu ramen doesn’t use only tonkotsu but also various things like seafood or chicken bone, mixing the soup stock to add even further the sweetness of the back fat. If we are talking about tonkotsu then we tend to think of fat but, it’s really obvious yet tonkotsu itself is made from bone so it’s not a fatty ingredient.}

{It can be said that tonkotsu in its birthplace has a sharp taste like a purely polished katana, while Kanto’s tonkotsu is like an orchestra with spreading multilayered flavor.}

Right there Koyuki took a breather, so Kazuki replied to her.

{I never knew that Koyuki was a tonkotsu freak until that far…furthermore, do you like greasy-type of food?}

{Yes…sometimes I just want to gorge myself without thinking. …Do you think I’m strange?}

Kazuki reflexively pondered himself. Honestly saying, the image of Koyuki and tonkotsu ramen didn’t match. But if he was asked if he harbored a negative emotion from that, then the answer was no.

Tonkotsu was a food with strong aroma, but if it was Koyuki then surely she was able to easily and completely get rid of the disagreeable smell that stuck on her with general magic.

Until now Kazuki had never done a date with Koyuki outside the academy, but he imagined that it would also be a fresh and fun experience for both of them to slurp ramen together in a shop that Koyuki recommended.

{It’s not strange. It’s interesting to know of one aspect of yours that I had never known until now.}

Koyuki looked down and stayed quiet for a while.

{I wanted to talk about it with someone since a long time… This is something embarrassing that I normally couldn’t talk about but…I have the feeling that I could transmit it honestly if using an exchange of thought wave.}

Not to mention Kazuki, Koyuki’s chanting speed was even faster than Mio. Regarding that, this girl that had closed her heart for a long time might had the feeling of [wanting to understand each other with someone] that was secretly suppressed inside her heart all this time as the driving force of her strong Telepathy, perhaps there was also that kind of factor behind the secret of her skill.

Surely Koyuki wanted to transmit many of her feelings to Kazuki using this special training as a pretext.

Koyuki opened her mouth and this time she talked using her mouth.

“Kazuki, take in my feeling more and more, then please give your reply to me.”

When Kazuki nodded, Koyuki was happily bashful.

{I like you. Kazuki, I love you.}

With her cheeks reddening bewitchingly, Koyuki transmitted her thought wave at him.

Kazuki too became embarrassed, but this was a special training so it couldn’t be helped.

{I love you too.}

He responded so and hugged her tightly.

{…I’m thinking of what I want to do right now, please sense it and respond.}

Koyuki stared fixedly at Kazuki and transmitted so.

She was earnestly staring at him fixedly while her cheeks reddened.

To perceive an obscure thought that hadn’t been turned into a message past the wall of heart, a Telepathy strength in the level of Lotte was necessary.

But even without having that much strength, he understood what the current Koyuki wanted from him.

Kazuki brought his face near the face of Koyuki who was staring at him drunkenly and overlapped their lips.

Immediately, Koyuki sucked strongly at Kazuki’s lips.

{…Kazuki too please suck my lips. Please, desire me more.}

Even with their mouth blocked from the kiss, their thought wave could reach each other.

Koyuki coaxed him while kissing at the same time.

{Koyuki really likes kissing like this huh.}

Koyuki had the habit of sucking profusely when they were kissing.

That was the manifestation of her feeling of [wanting to desire each other].

From Kazuki’s side too, he sucked Koyuki’s small and soft lips with all he had.

Both of them breathed in at each other, a sound of “puu” that sounded like the whine of a rabbit escaped from the gap between their lips.

{…I want you to touch my ear while kissing.}

He almost failed to sense the thought wave having his attention taken by the kiss, but that somewhat strange demand was just barely taken in by Kazuki. The special training’s difficulty level went up from him being too engrossed on the kiss.

{Doesn’t Koyuki get lewd sensation from having your ear touched?}

Elf’s long ear was a sensitive spot. There was an event before when Kazuki touched Koyuki’s ear and she remonstrated him saying that it was an indecent action. And now this time it was Koyuki who coaxed him to do that.

{…I want you, to do lewd thing to me.}

A frank reply. Kazuki reflexively faltered. He brought up his right hand that was circled on Koyuki’s back until her long ear, and then he stroked her ear from its root until its tips gently like handling a feather.

Koyuki’s back quivered with a twitch.

{Koyuki is a lewd child aren’t you?}

{…Yes. Do that kind of thing even more, I want to feel Kazuki desiring me…I want you to desire my heart and my body too…}

Even during that time they were still continuing to inhale in each other’s lips strongly. Sometimes, a heated sigh leaked out from the corner of their lips. Her expression was not visible while kissing like this, but surely right now her face had became totally red.

{Kazuki’s left hand too, please touch me more everywhere.}

When just her ear was unsatisfactory, she clung at Kazuki while coaxing him.

Kazuki had already separated his left hand―and he put his palm on Koyuki’s small breast.

It was small, but his palm felt the soft squishy mass.

After enjoying that sensation for a while, he discovered a different sensation on the center of his palm. He tried to rub that sensation with the center of his palm in a roll. That part pushed up the Magic Dress’s surface that was like a thin opal film and made known of its presence in pink color.

When that part was stimulated, Koyuki’s breath was steadily becoming rough.

{By any chance, did Koyuki change into your magic dress so it will be easier for me to touch you?}

{…Yes. Rather than a uniform, I wanted to feel directly…}

{Even though you said a reason that sounded serious before this, you liar.}

Kazuki bullied Koyuki with words driven by his sadistic mind.

{Please don’t say mean thing.} Koyuki sucked at his lips even stronger. As if to make excuse that her feeling to desire each other was too strong so it couldn’t be helped.

{My Magic Dress, what does Kazuki think?}

Koyuki transmitted at him a mental wavelength that seemed anxious. Koyuki was still yet to have confidence on herself. That was why she wanted to feel Kazuki desiring her for real and buried her anxiety.

{Koyuki’s Magic Dress has fewer exposure compared to everyone else’s Magic Dress, but it’s thin and half transparent and clings to your skin tightly, it makes you seem really naked instead…I think your Dress is absurdly erotic. Each time I’m beside you, I’m always getting conscious of it.}

He conveyed his thought to Koyuki with honest feeling while his palm was continuing to roll the tips of Koyuki’s breast.

{…Then I won’t hold back and touch your various places more okay.}

With his left hand staying in place, his right had separated from the ear and crawled toward her back or her side, he moved his hand freely following his inquisitiveness. He was looking for a sensitive spot that could make Koyuki’s body tremble in delight.

{Even though Koyuki’s body is really delicately slender, the feeling of touching you is squishy. I wonder if that’s because your bone and muscle are thin, touching your skin that is smooth like baby’s skin feels really good.}

{…I feel good too. It feels really good…! More…touch me more…♪}

Koyuki’s small body was piling up heat gradually. To be enchanted with a girl’s body like this, Kazuki’s chest was getting excited.

Koyuki continued to suck at Kazuki’s lips. She didn’t show any sign of releasing his lips.

Even while continuing to kiss, they continued to talk together of their love in their heart, the sensation of touching their body to each other was sweet.

Koyuki’s thighs were trembling and fidgeting around, rubbing at each other.

Noticing those thighs that seemed to feel unsatisfied, Kazuki was sliding his palm there.

{…There, please touch there. Please touch me until even deeper…}

Koyuki’s thighs shook in invitation.

However when his hand reached until the base of her thighs, Kazuki’s palm stopped.

{It’s no good to go further than this, more than this and my self-control will go away.}

Koyuki glued herself to Kazuki as if saying that she wouldn’t tolerate any gap between them. That was why she surely had also noticed the change that happened in Kazuki’s body. Hearing the words that he couldn’t control himself, Koyuki embraced him while rubbing her body there.

This time it was Kazuki that was toyed around by a tantalizing sweet sensation.

Koyuki put Kazuki’s left knee between both her thighs. She shook her hips front and back giving out stimulation to her lower body.

Kazuki sharply pushed up his left knee that was entangled with Koyuki’s lower body.

“…mm-!♡”

Koyuki’s sigh that leaked out from the kiss’s opening changed into that of a cornered person. She ground her hips with even more of her utmost effort on Kazuki’s knee.

{Koyuki’s thighs become really soaked with sweat.}

{…That, is not just sweat.}

{Then, what is it?}

Kazuki tilted his head.

{Tha, that’s…}

Koyuki’s body trembled in shame while shaking her hips on Kazuki’s knee. The movement that rubbed the part of the clothed crotch on Kazuki’s knee became intense as if clinging on him. A wet sound *kuchu kuchu* was leaking out.

{I, it seems that I like to expose my disgraceful behavior in front of Kazuki.}

Koyuki suddenly confessed to him.

Even when she talked out to him regarding the tonkotsu topic, also creating this kind of situation, all those situations came from Koyuki proactively showing her own [disgraceful appearance].

{No matter how hopeless a human I am, Kazuki will accept me. Acts that make sure of that fact for me, feels good.}

{I have vaguely feel it but, Koyuki is quite an M aren’t you?}

{…Yes. I, might be a pervert. Does Kazuki, hate me like this?}

{If it’s in front of me, then it’s okay for Koyuki to become as perverted as you want.}

Kazuki further strengthened the strength of his left knee where Koyuki’s lower body continued to move rubbing at him.

“…mm-!♡”

There were also the times where Kaguya-senpai or Hikaru-senpai boldly desiring him, but the state of the feeling of each person in this matter was different from each other. Kazuki felt that the state of the feeling of Koyuki like this was also lovely and precious.

{Kazuki-, I’m going to convey all of my feeling after this so…please accept everything!}

{That’s fine, give it to me.}

Several tens of strings of blue light came from Koyuki, her thought waves were reaching out to Kazuki. Kazuki stood ready in order to receive all of those without even missing a single part.

Koyuki’s thoughts flowed into him with the surging force of a tsunami.

{I love you! Love love love love love! I love you love you love you love you love you love you! Love Love Love Love Love Love Love Love Love Love Love, I Love You-!!}

Koyuki who had passed her life until now in isolation finally opened up her heart to Kazuki. Her thought in that state was earnestly powerful.

Despite how she kept saying “I don’t care about someone like you” to him when they first met…

{I really love you too.}

Electric shock ran through Koyuki’s whole body. The heat that had been piling up until now inside her small body exploded in one go, a wave that was impossible to control ran amok in her whole body. Her four limbs powerlessly convulsed in abandon. Kazuki hugged her with all his strength and supported her body in place.

Koyuki became completely exhausted and finally her lips separated from his with a sound “chupu” resounding out.

A single line of saliva trickled down from the corner of her lips.

The stimulation that the girl felt had reached out its climax. That fact also satisfied Kazuki’s heart. Koyuki’s face was completely flushed and tears were fully amassing in her eyes while she kept breathing roughly. Her face was more bewitching than his imagination, yet it looked like she was in a state of slight oxygen depravation.

“…Haa, haa, Kazuki…love…I love you…”

Even now Koyuki kept repeating her words. And even now Koyuki’s knees kept quivering.

Kazuki held up the lovely girl in his arms and carried her in princess-carry.

Koyuki was still in her ecstatic state like that.

“…Koyuki…but you know”

However―Kazuki said something that had to be said.

“What in the world are you doing using training as an excuse?”

The color of reasoning was returning little by little in Koyuki’s ecstatic face.

“Ehem. With this Kazuki’s chanting speed should go up rapidly already.”

Koyuki said that with a crisp expression.

“That’s impossible…”

“It’s not impossible. After all, haven’t we sympathized telepathically until that much?”

If she said it like that then it might be exactly just as she said.

So this too was a shortcut to become strong. While looking up at the night sky, Kazuki reached that conclusion.

The moon had completely risen above the sky. Right now should be about time for everyone else to finish preparing the dinner. A strange feeling of guilt welled up inside him. No, he had done his training yet…

“How about we return home to the Witch’s Mansion? Koyuki too, you have to return back to your uniform.”

“…If I immediately return to my uniform right now, my uniform will get completely wet…”

Koyuki’s whole body was damp. Koyuki genereated blue light―Pyrokinesis and Psychokinesis on her whole body, drying the faint dampness that wrapped her and clearing it away. With that the trace of the act that both of them had done was completely concealed. After that Koyuki returned to her uniform appearance.

“Can you stand?”

“It’s fine to stay like this.”

It really can’t be helped. Kazuki kept carrying Koyuki and followed along the moonlit road.

Part 3

West Japan―Yamato’s provisional government was making use of the building that was originally <Oosaka prefectural office building> as their base of political movement. Once it was a prefectural office building that had deteriorated yet continued to be used, but in this age of magic using the alchemic construction the building had been extensively altered structurally.

All the other surrounding government buildings that were scattered were made into one. Now the dignity of the new prefectural office building that was turned into a giant pyramid in glass style wouldn’t compare unfavorably even when compared to the Oosaka that was right beside it.

It was once the government office building of Oosaka that was expected to become the capital city of a state from the administrative reform proposal to integrate the prefectures into 7 or 9 states but―following the unfortunate fate now it had become a capital city of a country.

Inside such a super modern pyramid, the figure of a woman wearing kimono that looked really mismatched there had appeared.

Yamato’s top brass, Aisu Ikousai.

Usually she was in her own dojo that doubled as her place for desk work where she performed her guidance for the swordsmen that were her subordinates, but today she had received a summon first thing this morning.

There was only one human that was in the position that could do something like summoning her one-sidedly.

Ikousai boarded a glass style elevator and headed for the highest floor of the government building.

On the highest floor of this building was the place where the evil spirits were settling down where they didn’t even work.

Ikousai pushed open the solemn wooden door she immediately came to face the moment she came out of the elevator.

There was an executive room inside.

From one surface of the wall that had been turned wholly into a window that overlooked the scenery from the highest floor, sublime light shone into the room. Inside the room, the inhabitant of this room who [had excellent eye for looking at thing] had purchased a collection of artistic furniture without questioning of the east and west culture, and yet they mysteriously maintained the harmony of the appearance and emitted radiance.

A man wearing a tuxedo was sinking his body on a comfortable sofa.

That man floated a frivolous smile and “Yoo” raised one of his hands at Ikousai.

Bluish hair that looked freezing and the two horns that elongated out ominously from it made apparent how this man was an inhuman existence.

It was Loki.

If it was a call from Kaya then Ikousai would just ignore it. But because it was a summon from Loki, it weighed on her mind. Ikousai didn’t see of Kaya and Loki as one single existence.

She was urged by an uncanny compelling feeling that she had to meet Loki.

For Ikousai―no, for all the people of Yamato, Loki was a puzzling existence.

In regards of the girl called Kaya who adhered to her own desire for destruction, everyone knew about her. But as for Loki, what was he thinking and what his objective was that he would cooperate with Yamato, no one had any idea.

Yamato’s government stayed ignorant about Loki while they conveniently borrowed his power.

There was nobody who didn’t understand how risky that was.

However somewhere in their heart, no one believed in the existence of a [perfectly awakened Diva].

The duo of Kaya and Loki was only seen with Kaya as the front and everyone underestimated them then.

‘She is just an existence that is not much different from a normal illegal magician right’, such optimistic view.

How mistaken such an evaluation was―right now Ikousai who was facing Loki face to face understood.

It was not a superficial problem like the growing horn on Loki’s head or the like. It was exactly because Ikousai was a possessor of perception power that was far removed from average people that she could grasp it.

The sensed magic power wavelength from Loki was―completely different from a normal human.

Ikousai’s spine was shuddered by the eeriness of being face to face with [an intelligence body that was not human].

It was similar with the chill when one was staring at the eyes of a reptile.

Perhaps Yamato had been selling their soul to a devil…

“Well, just sit there.” Loki lightheartedly prompted her.

Ikousai too took a seat at the sofa in the opposite site that interposed a marble low table between her and Loki.

The door at the depth of the room opened. From there a woman putting on a black mantel came out carrying two sets of tea cup. Ikousai reflexively put her guard up. That woman was one of the illegal magicians that fought Ikousai in the Ise Imperial Shrine. If she remembered correctly―she was the woman whose body was possessed by <Hel>, the goddess of death in the Norse Mythology.

But with an emotionless movement as if not noticing anything, the woman put an antique flora danica tea cup before Ikousai. The aroma of the carefully selected tea leaves was really fragrant.

“You ain’t need to worry, this girl already don’ remember of anything from that time you know.”

After the black clothed woman also presented the tea to Loki, she lowered her head in a nod and exited the room.

Ikousai was once again personally saw vividly a human that was inflicted with what was called the [loss of humanity].

“…Until now I had never thought of those illegal magicians other than as [idiot bunch], but to become like that as the result of pursuing strength, it feels atrocious.”

She was not even planning to look for an approval, Ikousai was putting it in words for herself.

At Ise Imperial Shrine before, there was a time where Ikousai was going to hand over everything of herself recklessly to Susanoo from her hatred at Kaya. The one who stopped her then was Hayashizaki Kazuki.

At that time the sense of values inside Ikousai was shaken.

“Something like a strength obtained from handing over your ego to the Diva is mistaken.”

Ikousai leaked out her words while she kept staring at the door at the room’s depth.

“There ain’t any right or wrong in strength you know. The guy who won gets everything, the loser just died. That girl escaped from the fate of failure by becoming like that. Nothing is gonna make me say that what she did is mistaken.”

Ikousai was perplexed hearing those words of rejection that was strongly different from her thought.

Unexpectedly she had the feeling that she had just touched Loki’s [fixation].

“Odin and those other bunches prattled about [honorable death] or [dignified loser] and whatever, but for the person himself that died, those honor or dignity whatsoever cannot even become any excuse. In front of the twilight of Ragnarok all that can just eat sheet.”

Ikousai stared at Loki and blinked her eyes.

What he said was very interesting but her comprehension couldn’t catch up. Ikousai who didn’t have any interest in learning mythology just have the thought of [who is Odin again…] and lost the chance to step further into Loki’s inside.

Loki immediately made a face of someone who just became aware of his verbal slip,

“Well,, putting that aside.” He changed the topic of the talk.

“You b*tch, what are you planning to do? If it keep like this, Yamato is not gonna be able to win against Japan y’know.”

“…What do you say you bastard?”

Strength filled Ikousai’s glare but Loki didn’t even paid it any mind.

“All of the prospect of victory that you idiots imagined was shouldered by the trump card called Yumeno Shiori, ain’t right? A spy that had slipped into the center of the enemy and didn’t have the self-awareness of her being a spy, a possessor of personality that can make use of Hayashizaki Kazuki’s mental naivety and might be able to kill him, a cursed Sacred Treasure only that girl can use…she was exactly a [Joker]. And yet you guys made her impatient for achievement and was captured without even being able to bring down Hayashizaki, the other spies were also completely got rounded up in one whole swoop. What a bullsheet miscalculation huh.”

Ikousai’s expression unintentionally twitched.

“I didn’t have anything to do with that strategy but…those old men, they cornered Kaori too much. But from the beginning I don’t have any intention of relying on spy or the likes. With this our chance of winning is fifty-fifty, it just means that everything will be fine if I win in the end.”

“That’s impossible y’know.”

“…What? I won at Isonokami Shrine before this.”

“That’s Hayashizaki Kazuki’s fault of [thinking too much of the future] just so you know. You actually know yeah? That guy is in the process of awakening his special power as the King of Solomon. That guy made use of his full power when he was fighting me. I guess that perhaps the magic power consumption of his power is just too fierce. …In case that guy doesn’t give a damn about what come later and use that power fighting you, there ain’t gonna be any chance for you idiot to even overturn the situation and win.”

“That just means that guy made a miss in his decision! That’s still within my capability!”

“Well, what you say is not entirely incorrect. …That guy's losing sight of his own forte.”

“That guy’s forte you said…?”

Loki lectured with a face that seemed to say [if it’s about Hayashizaki Kazuki then I’m the one that know him best].

“That guy’s strong point is in his tendency to [not insert himself in his calculation] yeah. He is always prioritizing other people while constantly taking action that risked his own life. He done that not only in a scene of battle where it really damn matters, he even disciplined himself to always act like that even as far as his daily life. That guy always resolved himself and seldom loosening down. There ain’t nothing more scary than this kind of human for sure. If I said so myself, that guy is even far scarier compared to the other King bunches.”

“…I didn’t feel that he is really that unique of a human…”

“He already got infected with a disease at that time in the Ise Imperial Shrine. That ghastliness the first time he made me bore wound on my body had been already thinning down.”

“Disease you say?”

“’What’s going to happen if I die’, that guy for the first time was thinking that kind of thought. After all throughout his whole life, this is gonna be his first time being burdened by that many people he is thinking as important. But swinging your sword timidly ain’t gonna make your opponent scared right?”

“That is the basic among the basic of mental preparation.”

“But that’s the deepest level of the sword art. That guy also just got involved with the other Kings, just right before he got killed he must have immediately noticed the thing he lost from himself. If it become like that then you idiot have no chance to win anymore ain’t that true?”

“…”

“No need to get ashamed. After all that guy is the King of Solomon and you are just a mongrel right now. Susanoo’s power of King is [Usurpation]. As long as you haven’t defeated other Kings and plunder their power, it’s impossible for him to become a special Diva.”

“…”

The words handed down from Loki’s existence who stood in the different stage from human was not something that Ikousai could possibly accept. For her who had lived doing nothing but pursuing strength until now, humiliating words like [there is no need to be ashamed] or the like was not something she wanted to hear at the end of her road.

While swallowing the many words of fury she had―Ikousai remembered the violent emotion of that moment where she was going to hand over herself to Susanoo for the sake of strength.

“You ain’t gonna win in a match of fifty-fifty. But if you can get your hand on two of the Three Sacred Treasures then there ain’t no way to know where the match is gonna end.”

“You just keep talking in the way that seems like I’m in a very much disadvantage, but in the end you just want to say that the match depends on the Sacred Treasures? Hmph, doesn’t this mean that everything comes down to luck, how foolish.”

“No, it’s not like that at all. …Though it’s better if I had talked about this before all this development. Actually the Three Sacred Treasures, all of them are located in Fuji’s sea of trees.”

“…?” Ikousai was bewildered, wondering ‘what is this guy saying?’

“If it keep like this Hayashizaki Kazuki will collect all Three Sacred Treasures, and you idiot is gonna challenge him like that empty handed. If there is still a spy left, there should be a possibility to steal the Sacred Treasures even if the other side collected them, but because Yumeno Shiori was captured those bunch of spies are in their last breath. When Yumeno Shiori got captured, it got me thinking [ain’t this checkmate already], so that’s why I intentionally called you idiot here and talk to you like this. Oi, what are you planning to do I ask.”

For a while Ikousai’s eyes turned into a dot from Loki’s words and after around thirty seconds she screamed “WHA, WHAT DO YOU SAY!” while standing up from the sofa, making Loki said to her “You’re loud”.

“Fu, Fu Fu Fuji’s sea of trees has all three of the Three Sacred Treasures you say!? Why didn’t you tell us that sooner!? No, why do you know about that kind of thing!!”

“It’s because ten years ago I often visited Fuji’s sea of tree.”

“Ten years ago…?”

She didn’t get the answer. Ikousai glared at Loki demanding for further explanation.

“Before I stayed inside Kaya, there was the period where I was takin’ over the flesh of a different human. Right after the outset when humans began to get awakened to magic, so to speak the period of <Tokyo Great Disaster>. At that time with the Haunted Ground that was the first created in this country, the Fuji’s sea of trees as the stage, I played just a little with the beginning of the Knight Order as the opponent. Right, at that time the Sacred Treasures were already there.”

Ikousai’s eyes turned into dots for a while again.

“You, aren’t you just saying an outrageous matter smoothly? You are saying that this is the second time you take over a human and materialized?

“It’s a little wrong to say that this is my second materialization I think. At that time I too was still not used to all this, so I couldn’t let out my consciousness to the surface as much as now.”

“You fought the human of this country ten years ago? However, there is no such record left behind…?”

“Of course there is no record left. That was the time where other than me many Divas and Demon Beasts also went wild everywhere and the country fell into pandemonium. The Divas were also still pretty sheetty in how to take over human, they cannot restrain their host from going wild, that time they just rampaged around pointlessly. Looking at it from those human’s position, there ain’t no way they could have guessed which Diva was residing inside the possessed magicians that were going wild. That was the period when you idiot was still a clueless kid, the Tokyo Great Disaster was that kind of time.”

It was a period where human still didn’t know left and right, but it was naturally different from Loki’s point of view.

Right now, Ikousai shook from hearing the terribly precious [testimony].

“The way they fought at that time was a pretty crude stuff that it’s not even gonna be any argument if you compared it with now. Human too still didn’t really understand the way to use magic, and we too couldn’t manifest our power satisfactorily after all. But…there was only one scary strong woman that looked like a mutation. That woman sealed the rampaging Divas one after another, and at the last she fought me and my host. Yeah, it was at the Fuji’s sea of trees. That woman died, but my host also got done in and I too got sealed. What that woman used that time was the thing she discovered at Fuji’s sea of trees…<Ame no Murakumo>. Though maybe that woman herself didn’t know what the hell it was the item that she was using.”

King of Britain―Arthur Basileus said that the Three Sacred Treasures would surely spring forth in concert with the human who was suitable as the King.

Ikousai gazed at Loki with unrestrained wonderment. That was a fact that overturned all of their assumption.

“You said that there was already a human that should have become the King ten years ago!?”

“The sin of that Amaterasu woman is heavy yeah. After all the her at that time perhaps seriously ain’t noticing anything. No, perhaps even now she ain’t notice anything yet. That Susanoo too is gonna flip out.”

Ikousai felt faint thinking back upon the complaint of Susanoo that flew the banner of revolution after he was feeling furious from Amaterasu’s lack of will to decide the King of the Japanese Mythology. What an outrageous thing to have happened behind the scene.

…But that woman, was dead!

“Who is that woman?”

“Dunno. My consciousness at that time was cloudy from being a mental body and got made to go along with the mayhem of my previous host. After that I too became concerned and fished around various things in the records of Japan’s government and the Knight Order together with Kaya, but there is no information left at all about that woman.”

“She is the savior of this country right!? Why is there no record of that anywhere!?”

Ikousai felt furious from the absurdity―the absurdity of having the patriotic hero who brought salvation to the country being completely forgotten by everyone.

“That’s because in the very end that woman got killed by me. No one knew how that woman was a hero or anything, that woman herself wasn’t aware of how big she was. Although that woman practically defeated the majority of the Demon Beasts and the Divas alone by herself, perhaps that woman thought that the other bunches also defeated around the same number like herself.”

“…Did her comrades know nothing about her?”

“Even though they were called the first Knight Order, but they were not a bunch that had orderly plan or anything. It was just several humans that had awakened to magic were frantically fighting against the Demon Beasts and the Divas, and then when everything was over they gathered and recognized each other's existences as comrades saying [We are the Knight Order]. But at that time that woman was already gone. What a conceited bunch aren’t they. That’s why strictly speaking that woman is not a part of the first Knight Order. She is the <Zero Knight>.”

“…The forgotten hero…Zero Knight…”

“She was a scary strong woman. I ain’t remembering it clearly, but that time I too thought this, someone that doesn’t give a fuck for her own life is scary…”

“Didn’t you say that there is no honor for a human that loses and dies?”

Loki went ‘hah’ with a face of realization and glared at Ikousai.

And then he awkwardly changed the topic again.

“From then on the strength of the Knight Order increased and it became difficult for Diva to take over human. It’s no good unless we take over the human’s flesh body more perfectly and so we worked hard behind the scene. And then the one who finally manage to attain perfect materialization in Japan were only me and Nyarlathotep, but the other guys are still just as you can see currently. Even though the Order side is favorably exerting their influence into human’s society, the Chaos side cannot keep being sloven. …So, that’s all for the story of the past. Anyway you get the idea that if the situation keep like this then no way you are gonna win.”

“…All of the Three Sacred Treasures are on the territory of the other side, but we had lost the spy to steal them from inside. That’s what you mean.”

Ikousai obediently accepted Loki’s opinion. Surely if the talking partner was Kaya she wouldn’t be able to persuade Ikousai like this.

“…In other words from the start Yamato had already been in a fatal disadvantage. You bastard, why did you keep silent about this matter and accepted Arthur’s proposal?”

Arthur’s proposal was established with the acceptance from both camps. Of course that acceptance also reflected Kaya’s opinion, in other words Loki’s opinion too. Loki warped his mouth crookedly and laughed maliciously.

“You idiots want to advance the matter so you can make do as much as possible without my cooperation aren’t y’all, but like this now my cooperation become indispensable for you idiots! Ku-ku-ku! …For me there ain’t such thing like disadvantage or whatever. If I already knew from the start that all Three Sacred Treasures are in Fuji’s sea of trees, then there is a lot of way to make use of it.”

“I got it, just move on to the main question. What should I do?”

“Yamato’s side too gotta have to infiltrate Fuji’s sea of tree.”

“Fuji’s sea of trees is surrounded by wall. The security there is also strict.”

“Ku-ku-ku, it’s convenient if Japan’s side also think that their security is complete with just a wall like that. Just think about it, it’s a wall see? What is called wall has limit on it. It’s really simple, crawl under it using Midgardsormr’s ability. The wall’s depth is just barely something Midgardsormr can crawl under yeah.”

Ikousai thought [It’s vexing, but I see] while wrinkling up her eyebrows in understanding.

“The number Midgardsormr can take along including himself is four people as the limit. Take three of my underlings with you as the leader. Those you are going to take are the ones I can trust the most among my troops…<Loki Einherjar>’s Midgardsormr, Hel, and Nyarlako, those three.”

“You don’t plan to go?”

“I said that all of the Three Sacred Treasures are in Fuji’s sea of trees, but it doesn’t mean that I had seen them other than <Ama no Murakumo>. It’s only my hypothesis that if in that period of time the Three Sacred Treasures were all born in set then they would be all in Fuji’s sea of trees. That’s why just to make sure I’m going to sweep over the Haunted Grounds in west Japan. This is your battle, that’s why I’ll take the work behind the scene.”

This was a war to decide which one was suitable as King between Hayashizaki Kazuki and Ikousai.

Ikousai tightened her expression and nodded.

“It’s not gonna be enough just exhausting all of your strength. Probe out for Russia’s Ilyailiya’s cooperation. If Midgardsormr is the invader of the earth then that girl is the ruler of the sky. She got to be able to simply penetrate the Haunted Ground.”

“Making Russia go along with our side…that kind of talk then.”

“Furthermore…we gotta do everything we can do. Let’s rouse out the Einherjar.”

“Making Germany attached to our side too? How? That country is different from Rusia and if we have to say which side they are then they are in opposition against China right?”

“The aide of Einherjar’s captain, Eleonora is looking for a reason to make opposition with Japan. The cause is because the captain Beatrix is adoring Hayashizaki Kazuki too much. She began to think of wanting to separate the distance between the two. If we blow negative information to this Eleonora a little, she will surely go along with our side merrily.”

“Wait a second, I don’t know anything about that. This is information from when?”

The information from the spies had been severed. Ikousai was perplexed about how did Loki grasp information that she knew nothing about.

“This is the newest information just so you know. Even with the spies exterminated ain’t anyway that’s all of my information source. As proof that I’m talking straight from the gut, let me teach you one of my trump card. Other than changing my external appearance however I want it, I also can conceal my magic power wave, this is my [Perfect Transformation] ability. The information just now is something I gotten myself infiltrating and fishing around the Knight Order.”

A skill to transform perfectly――Ikousai was astonished. There was no doubt that Loki and Kaya could grasp the political power of Yamato in their hand in so short of time and toying around with Japan’s government until now was because of their secret maneuvers using this secret skill.

But it was a trump card that would be not effective anymore if the existence of such skill was exposed.

Ikousai’s heart was moved that Loki shed light of such secret of his by himself to her.

“That’s right, let’s give Nyarlathotep’s experiment data to Eleonora. If we make them misunderstand that even now such thoroughly immoral experiment is still continuing with the government’s approval, that’s more than enough reason to make them start hostility with Japan. With that I gotta cross the border one more time to circulate this bullsheet information but, well, I’m not gonna just make you do everything yourself.”

“You said all the things that we can do but…you are not going to move those guys from China?”

The <Emperor’s Directly Controlled Unit> that served under The King of Chukadou―<Reborn Emperor> Fu Xi, they too had declared their cooperation with Yamato and currently was stationed inside Yamato’s territory. Those girls were exactly the strongest group that Yamato could move among their battle power.

“Those guys cannot be controlled if we just move them poorly. Ilyailiya is going solo so she surely ain’t gonna do anything overambitious, but those girls are coming in group. Those guys might steal all the Sacred Treasures instead and if that happen then it’s gonna be a war with China before a war with Japan.”

China was taking part with all their might in this war between Japan and Yamato. If they got betrayed to that extent then the situation might develop into such a large scale problem. Just because they came in such a large number that they became hard to handle.

“I got it, then I’m immediately moving out to act. Call Midgardsormr here!”

“No wait, you are going to infiltrate Fuji’s sea of trees at the same time with Hayashizaki Kazuki entering there too.”

“WHY.” Ikousai became hotblooded.

“You ain’t gonna be able to avoid fighting the Demon Beast if you infiltrate the Haunted Ground. If you fight then magic power will get emitted. There is the risk of the other side’s lookout sensing that magic power.”

“I see…if I infiltrate at the same time with Hayashizaki Kazuki and his group entering, then no one will be able to differentiate my magic power with his then.”

“That’s right, everything will slip under the radar in the commotion…like that.”

Ikousai nodded obediently. Thought of ‘let’s just follow along with him’ was welling up inside her.

Rather than her wariness against this mysterious existence called Loki, the thought that Loki’s cooperation was really indispensable for the sake of victory against Hayashizaki Kazuki had become far bigger.

“…If you manage to discover and snatch away the Three Sacred Treasures in Fuji’s sea of trees, then get ready to run away and make sure to escape. Really really, don’t you dare get the mood like wanting to fight Hayashizaki or whatever, remember this.”

But when Loki talked so, the sharpness of a blade returned to Ikousai’s eye glint and she glared at him.

“We are breaking the rule to challenge Fuji’s sea of trees. You bastard, Ilyailiya, and Einherjar, we are attacking from three direction. Everything is moving just as I expected.”

Loki declared.

“And then the biggest enemy ain’t Hayashizaki Kazuki. It’s those guys that’s gonna move if someone try to break the rule…Arthur Basileus and Regina Olympia Folnar.”

Part 4

“This place is really pleasant isn’t it? I had never thought that I will receive such a warm welcome.”

The chandelier with many glittering crystals on it illuminated the golden colored wall and the vermilion carpet.

Arthur Basileus sat on a chair while crossing his long legs and he directed a satisfied smile from his heart toward Commander Yamagata.

Commander Yamagata was feeling grateful. As a top brass of the Knight Order, there was no reason for him to excessively behave modestly towards Arthur looking at their position as an equal negotiation partner. But for him who had worked his way up the organization ladder, the aura possessed by [the chosen noble King] was dazzling.

“Forgive me for how long it took to prepare this place. In any case this [Akasaka Imperial Villa] hasn’t been used for a long time as a state guest house.”

Japan had severed their diplomatic relationships with foreign countries for a long time now. Therefore visitors from foreign countries hardly ever came. So the state guest house was steadily losing its role.

This time Japan was welcoming Arthur, Regina, and Ilyailiya, the three Kings. Causing the government of Japan to be pressed to restore the state guest house in a rush.

The three Kings who until now had been welcomed in a high class hotel inside the city were finally invited into a place of residence befitting their status as a noble visitor.

“I understand how you have exerted your utmost effort for us. This Arthur cannot hold back my feelings of gratitude. The time used is not a problem. Beside by no means that hotel was a bad place. Queen Regina, you also think so right?”

Arthur turned the talk to Regina who was sitting in a chair beside him.

The Queen of Italia answered with expressionless indifference.

“Immediately execute the chef that served the food he dared to call as Neapolitan spaghetti to me as my lunch before.”

“Tragedy always comes from contact with foreign cultures doesn't it?”

Arthur covered his face exaggeratedly with both hands.

“But if I have to say a food that delicious cannot be called as fish and chips.”

“By the way may I ask for what business I was summoned here?”

Commander Yamagata asked while comparing the expressions of the two Kings.

Commander Yamagata who was appointed as the commanding officer of the Fuji’s sea of trees’ investigation, right now he was the man with the most free time in the Knight Order.

He was in the position to move the Knight Order, but he couldn’t move the organization carelessly until the purification of the Knight Order from the spies had been finished. And so it was his idea to have the students led by Hayashizaki Kazuki conquer Fuji’s sea of trees for him.

Therefore he would lose if he worked.

Throughout this whole day all he had done was to keep thinking of excuses for when his superior came calling to kick his butt and order him to move the Knight Order when suddenly the Kings called him to come to this state guest house.

There was no cause for him to be condemned by them and to be told to work, but for some reason a guilty conscience was rising inside him.

“Aah, first is this matter but…”

Arthur said that and raised his right wrist. There a bulky metal bracelet was fixed to his wrist. ―It was made from adamantite. The bracelet was supposed to be considerably heavy.

“That’s a transmitter with built-in GPS. Its inexcusable but all of your actions are being monitored with that. We also placed some human observation around but just using humans is quite unsure.”

“Yes, I have noticed that we are constantly being followed.”

Arthur nodded. Regina too scowled her face in displeasure.

“After all it will be too simple if we can move freely just by killing our observer. A reasonable thinking. Having a machine attached close to our skin is heavy and unpleasant but it can’t be helped.”

Arthur added another question without revealing out any dissatisfaction like Regina.

“Is the accuracy of this thing called GPS something certain?”

“It has measurement error in span of 10 cm.”

“If I’m not mistaken I think GPS has the function to take picturon secretly. I think it’s called [satellite photo], if that is used then can you also immediately detect an intruder that trespass into the Haunted Ground I wonder?”

Arthur didn’t have a detailed knowledge on culture of science. Arthur asked as if remembering vague knowledge.

“No matter how high the accuracy is, it’s impossible to capture the figure of a human that acts under the cover of trees. It might be within the scope if it is in the forest of trees that has been liberated from being a Haunted Ground, but probably it will be only to the degree where we can just barely differentiate the figure.”

“Hmm.” Arthur hummed with a prudent look.

“Besides satellite photos are not something that can take pictures in real time. After all the photo comes from the manmade satellite that is in orbit right above the photo target. To reduce the time lag there is the need to increase the number of satellites a few more. Japan is not launching satellites into orbit very much anymore.”

The number of satellites Japan could use freely was decreasing compared to the time when they had a reliable allied nation called USA. If Japan tried to launch any new satellites, then they would only provoke other Magic Advanced Countries.

“I thought that what is called GPS is this transmitter exchanging electromagnetic wave with the satellite that flies in space and using that to specify the whereabouts of this machine, but electromagnetic wave won’t reach this transmitter if it get entered into ground or water won’t it?”

“There will be a need to add a relay station in order to make the electromagnetic wave reach underground to a certain degree.”

“I see, the technology has advanced even further then the knowledge that I have.”

“Of course there is a limit so to the utmost we want to ask you to not go to a place where electromagnetic wave won’t reach. If the transmission to the transmitter gets interrupted then we will immediately mobilize all the knights in to scramble out.”

“How about the material of this bracelet?”

“It is an alchemic material invented in our country called adamantite. It’s difficult to be destroyed even with the power of Summoning Magic.”

“Well, when it gets destroyed the transmission will be cut off and the knights will scramble out to our location then.”

“I think it’s difficult to destroy it though.”

When Commander Yamagata answered back like that, Arthur knitted his eyebrows questioningly.

Regina was “Ku-“ leaking out a small chuckle.

“This material called adamantite, from its appearance it’s the same material with the wall that encircled Fuji’s sea of trees right?”

“Yes. …Is there something you want to talk about regarding that?”

Commander Yamagata asked after the through and through questions of Arthur were over.

“Aah, I don’t want you to misunderstand. It’s not that we are discontented from having this transmitter attached to us. It’s just…we are worrying whether the competition between Japan and Yamato is performed impartially, if there will be room for someone to interfere dishonestly. After all right now we are mostly let to do as we please freely.”

Commander Yamagata immediately considered about how right now Ilyailiya Muromets was not here in this place.

Her country, Russia was said to be close with China.

He felt like he was being implicitly warned to [be careful of that guy].

“In our position too, even while showing as much respect as possible to all of you, we are also planning to make preparation so we can immediately react if you move out in some kind of action.”

“Hmm…certainly as long as this GPS is attached to us then we won’t be able to act as we please. Of course if someone took action for their own convenience then I too will move. After all that is a conduct that will break the balance of the world.”

Each respective Advanced Magic Countries were putting a check on each other―that was exactly why the peace of this world could be maintained. This country was especially important.

“Also Fuji’s sea of trees is encircled by a wall of adamantite and it can only be entered through one gate. In order to not let turmoil like before happen again, the security of this gate has been made even stricter. This time no one will be able to trespass even if they transform into a bird or an ant.”

Commander Yamagata talked with confidence.

“It’s great that it became a good experience.” Regina smiled cynically.

“Let’s leave aside the reliability of the GPS but the wall is quite worrying. Does Queen Regina think so too?”

Arthur asserted clearly. Regina too nodded clearly.

Commander Yamagata didn’t understand their reason and tightened his expression while asking “Why is that?”

“If it’s just a wall on that level then I and Queen Regina can destroy it if you give us thirty seconds.”

“In addition.”

Regina who kept playing with her bracelet since a while ago let out some words.

“It seems this material is composed by magically binding the Prima Materia to strengthen the hardness of the material. It can be destroyed even by brute force, but it will be even simpler to break if there is an attack magic or Sacred Treasures that is compatible with both physical destruction and Enchantmagical divine protection destruction.”

“Of course Queen Ilyailiya is also able to destroy the wall. In short it doesn’t deserve any reliance whatsoever.”

Commander Yamagata lost his face’s complexion.

“Commander Yamagata, I have one request…no, I have a proposal!”

Arthur stabbed the stick in his hand on the ground vigorously *katsun* and stood up.

“I want you to let me patrol the surrounding wall of Fuji’s sea of trees. If something happens, I want to be able to move immediately. Queen Regina, you too come with me!”

Regina too stood up solemnly, and continued while throwing out her chest.

“Very well. After all I had said that I will watch over the situation regarding this country and Hayashizaki Kazuki for a little more.”

Commander Yamagata was troubled. These two were also an important target of observation.

“No, even without troubling the both of you…could you two please only move at the critical moment? In the first place both of you are also someone that we have to keep watching about.”

“I ask you to not be so reserved like that. I want to show my gratitude for the fish and chips that was even more delicious than the one in my motherland.”

“The Neapolitan spaghetti that I ate really didn’t suit my taste but…well, just consider it the apology for before.”

Arthur and Regina approached him straightforwardly. Surprisingly they were a duo that was really pushy.

Commander Yamagata suddenly reconsidered. …The current standing of Japan was made up from the Magic Advanced Countries putting a check on each other to maintain the balance of the world. In the case that one of the Magic Advanced Countries ran wild, it was almost impossible to settle the situation without borrowing the hand of other Magic Advanced Countries.

Then fight fire with fire―rather than just keep maintining vigilance on these two, wouldn’t it be wiser to consider them as an object to be used skillfully?

Moreover this King called Arthur…he had this hunch that treating his good will with disdain would only cause something troublesome on the contrary. Strangely when this problematic character Regina was together with Arthur, he could see a balance was struck mysteriously between them.

“…If both of you say so.”

After he finished considering everything fully, Commander Yamagata suddenly changed his attitude.

“If it becomes like this then I’m going too!”

Out of nowhere, the lid of the trash box in the corner of the room was blown away like an explosion and the face of a woman stuck out from there.

Commander Yamagata and the two Kings widened their eyes in surprise and stared at that person.

“Ro, Roshoukou! Why are you in that kind of place! Are you trash huh!?”

Commander Yamagata raised a voice that was close to a scream.

Roshoukou―the female boss that managed the resistance organization <Ryouzanpaku> that defied China.

While her face that jutted out from the trash box broke out into a wide friendly grin, she extracted herself out from there.

“When the Kings called you here I just thought that I too have to pay my respect and show my face at least once without fail nyaa. But geez, even the trash box in this state guest house smells like a flower and feels really comfortable. Oi commander, move me to live here too. I don’t mind even if it’ just in this trash box ‘kay.”

“What are you saying you idiot. Day by day you keep getting carried away.”

As if he had been already used to deal with this girl, Commander Yamagata talked with her familiarly.

“You guys came even though we had never called for it or anything, a business hotel is far more than enough.”

“What do you say you asshole―! Now you really have said it huh, oi!”

Shouko clapped Commander Yamagata’s shoulder while laughing in guffaws.

“It seems that the relationship between you two is mostly good humored isn’t it?”

King Arthur was looking fixedly at the two of them acting like that.

‘Damn it’, Commander Yamagata went pale. Ryouzanpaku was an anti-China organization. If Japan was misunderstood to have a close relationship with this Ryouzanpaku, their claim that [Japan was the unilateral victim] in the clash between Japan and China’s military power would be broken.

“You said that you want to participate in the patrolling, as expected so you have a relation of cooperation with Japan then I wonder?”

Arthur questioned in detail as if he was wielding a sharp blade.

“I beg your pardon to not have any strange suspicion, King of Britain.”

Faster than the panicked Commander Yamagata, Shouko frankly leaned her body forward and objected.

“I don’t want to let China do as they please, that’s why I propose to ask the favor for letting me participate in the patrolling. I’m not saying that I want to get buddy-buddy with Japan. If you are saying that then doesn’t that mean you two also want to carry favor with Japan by proposing to cooperate in the form of patrolling.”

Shouko proficiently talked around the question well with fluency that was unsuited of her wild appearance.

These last few days, Commander Yamagata had lost arguments against this woman many times and he personally felt vexed.

“Hmm, it’s just as you say. We were the one that determined the rule of conducting the race of struggle for the Three Sacred Treasures after a careful selection, what we are doing is nothing more than volunteering to patrol.”

“In other words aren’t our standings totally the same then. Aren’t you bastard just playing innocent and try to doubt us?”

Shouko stared in an intimidating glare with the King of Britain as her opponent. But her gaze was not wrapped in intensity but composure. Reason and wildness were always coexisting inside this woman of small status without any contradiction.

“I see, interesting. Even if you have a reasonable argument, there is almost no human who can clearly say that in front of a King like this.”

Arthur open heartedly showed his tolerance.

“You too please by any means mobilize together with us.”

“Yep, I’m thankful.”

It seemed that Roshoukou was acknowledged by Arthur. But at the side, Commander Yamagata’s expression twitched looking at the formation of a trio that seemed would be very troublesome.

Let’s use them skillfully―although he thought that for an instant, he didn’t have a feeling that he would be able to control them for even a bit.

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