Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? - Volume 12 - Chapter 5

Contract and Advent

Saturday, April 24th

Koutarou and Maki’s names were displayed on a screen showing the day’s top ten high scores by the exit of an attraction. It was a game where groups of two got on a ride and competed over who could kill the most monsters with toy laser guns. Koutarou and Maki had ridden together and managed to get the top score by a large margin.

“Hey, Kou. Don’t you feel anything after seeing this result?”

Looking up on the screen that was flashing “Koutarou & Maki” at the top of the leaderboard, Kenji slumped his shoulders.

“Feel anything? What do you mean?”

“This is what I’m talking about... You’re always like this...”

Kenji put his hand on the confused Koutarou’s shoulder and lost all will to speak. To Kenji, the fact that a feminine girl like Maki was going all out on an attraction like this with him was a way of sending certain signals. Either dense Koutarou had missed that altogether, or he was willfully ignoring it. Either way, Kenji was worried.

“Satomi-kun and Aika-san should just stop beating around the bush and date already. There aren’t that many couples who go together that well.”

“I think so too. It feels like it was meant to be.”

Kenji and a group of girls all shared the same opinion. Since Koutarou and Maki were so compatible, they should just start dating. The group of girls had gossiped about the special atmosphere between the two of them several times in the past as well. And now that they were going on rides together at the park, it seemed only obvious. Now was the time to try and get the two of them together.

“What do you think about that, Maki-chan?”

“Oh, me? Well... you know... I’m just a greedy woman who’s always after money, so...”

Maki’s face turned red as she blushed. Her feelings were already clear to herself.

“Oh? That didn’t sound like a no to me!”

“...”

Maki instinctively looked over at Koutarou as her classmate nudged her with their elbow. When she did, their eyes met.

“Um... I...”

“Y-Yeah...”

Koutarou had a perplexed expression at first, but when he saw Maki’s eyes, it was quickly replaced with a smile.

She’s certainly got a different feel to her compared to the other girls...

Whenever Koutarou looked at Maki, he got a mysterious feeling. He felt a sense of duty. Like he wanted to protect her. He also felt like they had a lot in common. Koutarou didn’t know what made him feel that way, but the feeling was far from unpleasant. It might have been the same thing that Koutarou felt for the invader girls, but it puzzled him to feel that way about one of his classmates.

She’s just a normal classmate... Could it be because we share a secret?

The only thing Koutarou could think of was the time he saved her life on the mountain. He vaguely felt like that might be the reason.

“I won’t accept this! Aika-san can’t go out with Satomi!”

“Yeah! We can’t let the guy who betrayed the unpopular boys alliance be the first one to find happiness!”

Koutarou and Maki couldn’t stare into each other’s eyes much longer. The hostility from the other boys in the group exploded and blew away the sweet atmosphere between them.

“I’m the one meant to be Maki-chan’s boyfriend! Stop spewing your selfish crap, women!”

“Are you stupid?! Just face facts! Look, it’s written right there on the scoreboard!”

“No, this a mistake! As if something digital like that could measure the bonds and fate between people!”

“You’re talking sense, but you only sound like an idiot right now!”

The quarrel between the boys and girls grew more intense, leaving out the two in question entirely. Koutarou was sorely amused at this development. He found that funnier and funnier, and eventually he couldn’t keep himself from laughing.

“Haha.”

“Heehee...”

When he started laughing, Koutarou heard quiet laughter coming from beside him too. When he looked in that direction, Maki was giggling too. When their eyes met, she smiled happily. He realized she must be feeling the same thing he was.

What is this, really...?

It was a mysterious feeling, but he didn’t mind it. Not with Maki. And so he slowly started to accept the fact that she was important to him too.

A muffled buzzing sound rang out. Maki had just gotten a message on her phone.

The message Maki received was very short. The subject line read “commencing action,” and there was no text in the body. This was all part of the plan, so Maki knew what it meant without any more information than that.

So it’s starting...

The message indicated that Maki’s allies were on the move. That meant Maki’s job was to keep Koutarou here until her allies were done with their work. She was to keep Koutarou, who was considered their strongest foe, away from the action. And Maki took that duty very seriously. She didn’t want Koutarou to fight in the first place. It wasn’t just that she was worried he might get hurt. She also didn’t want to expose him to the malice her allies were capable of.

But... is this really all right...?

Even though Maki wanted to keep Koutarou safe, something was bothering her. She couldn’t help but feel like she was betraying him in a way. If he knew what was going on, he would surely try to stop it. And despite knowing that, Maki couldn’t tell him the truth. That was all to protect him, but it wasn’t what he would want. That was why Maki had a hard time accepting what she was doing.

I don’t know what’s right and what’s wrong anymore... Is this because of the contract too?

What disturbed Maki the most was the contract between her and Koutarou. Since they had a mental connection because of it, Maki tended to value Koutarou and his wishes above all else. She herself wanted nothing more than to keep Koutarou where he would be safe, but that meant her own desires were in direct conflict with what the contract would have her do.

She was torn. She stood there blankly staring at the screen of her phone, unsure of what to do. The sound of a phone vibrating again caught her attention, but it wasn’t hers. It was Koutarou’s.

What was actually vibrating wasn’t Koutarou’s cellphone, but the bracelet on his right wrist. Koutarou pulled his phone out and held it up to his ear and ordered his bracelet to answer the call. This way, he could use his bracelet’s communications without the people around him suspecting anything.

“What’s up, Clan?”

Since Koutarou had gotten the bracelet from Clan, she was the only one who would be contacting him with it. Anyone else would just call his cellphone. That’s why Koutarou didn’t even need to check who was calling him.

“Are you safe, Veltlion?!”

As Koutarou expected, the voice on the other end was Clan’s. But it was much louder than normal. She sounded panicked. Startled by it, Koutarou almost dropped his phone.

“Wh-What now, all of a sudden?!”

“Just answer me! Are you safe?!”

“Y-Yeah... I’m fine. I’m just at the amusement park. Things are fine here.”

Koutarou discretely scanned the area before answering Clan. The park itself was picturesque—the very image of peaceful. If there was any kind of noteworthy incident, it would be his classmates who were still quarreling.

“Which means that the problem is somewhere else?!”

“What do you mean? What’s happened?”

“I just received an SOS from Pardomshiha using gravitational waves! I just assumed she was with you, which is why I called!”

“I see...”

Now that he understood there was an emergency, Koutarou turned his back to his classmates and whispered instructions to Clan.

“Clan, please confirm everyone’s whereabouts and the situation at once. Ruth-san wouldn’t send you a rescue signal unless it was serious.”

Ruth had forgiven Clan and believed in her, but Theia and Clan still hadn’t reconciled. Because of that, Ruth didn’t frequently contact Clan. So if she was asking for help out of the blue, something bad must have happened.

“I thought the same thing, so I’ve already sent an unmanned fighter. I’ll let you know what’s going on once I find out.”

“Thank you, Clan.”

“There’s no need for thanks. Masters and their servants help each other out, right?”

“Maybe so...”

Koutarou nodded at Clan’s words and realized that he’d had something of a change of heart.

Now I’m thinking that being Clan’s vassal might not be so bad...

Masters and their servants helped each other out. For some reason, he felt no resistance to hearing Clan say that. He was no longer objected to the idea of being her vassal. Right now, she was starting to properly display her nature as a princess.

“W-Well, enough of that! Veltlion, please move to these coordinates. I’m sending your armor there.”

As Clan gave Koutarou instructions, a hologram appeared in front of him displaying a map of the area. In an alley by a warehouse a few blocks away from the amusement park was a blinking red marker.

Right now, Clan had been granted permission to access Blue Knight’s systems. She was going to use that to send Koutarou his armor. And the closest place that wouldn’t attract any attention was that alley she’d marked.

“Got it. I’ll head there now.”

Koutarou drilled the location of the marker into his brain before ending the call. He immediately started moving. He could only imagine what kind of crisis had befallen the girls, making this an abrupt and unfortunate end to his weekend fun.

Koutarou explained to his friends that an urgent situation had come up and that he had to go, and after offering a few humble apologies, he dashed out of the amusement park towards the alley that Clan had shown him. Since it was in the opposite direction of the station where he had come from, it looked like he was taking a roundabout way to get home at first glance, but this was actually the fastest way back to Kisshouharukaze City.

Including the time it would take to get to the station, riding the train back would take at least half an hour. Knowing this was an emergency, Koutarou couldn’t afford to take his time. That’s why he was planning on picking up his armor and flying back. Using the full power of the armor, he should be able to get there within a few minutes.

“Veltlion, there are two places in Harukaze City where I can’t observe any electromagnetic radiation!”

“Where?!”

“Your residence and a redevelopment zone in the suburbs!”

“Examine those areas some more!”

While running through the unpopulated warehouse district, Koutarou continued his call with Clan. She was sending him information the moment she got it. Thanks to that, Koutarou was able to get a glimpse of the situation the girls were in.

Only me and Yurika went out today, so is Yurika in the redevelopment zone? It’s close to the hospital too... The other five are probably at home. Did someone attack Corona House after me and Yurika left? Do they know about us? But who would care about Yurika? She’s just a cosplayer. No... Could it be that they know that Yurika can use magic now?

As information started coming in, question after question ran through Koutarou’s head and his anxiety grew with each one. Even though he knew that the girls wouldn’t go down without a fight, he still felt rushed to get to them. That was just how important they’d become to him.

“I’m seeding the armor now! Once it’s been transferred, forcibly activate it! Bypass the startup system check! Activate using individual settings: Layous Fatra Veltlion, version 38 revised!”

When Koutarou ducked into the alley by the warehouse, he spotted a two meter tall space-time hole. An upright suit of blue armor slowly emerged from it with a puff of air that kicked up dust and debris on the ground. The blue of the armor nearly seemed to be glowing as it emerged into the dark alley.

Once the transfer was complete, the armor sensed Koutarou’s approach and opened up for him. In contrast to its classical look, it was a cutting-edge piece of technology. It was a masterpiece of advanced science that had saved Koutarou’s life many times in the past.

“All right!”

Seeing the armor waiting for him, Koutarou started running faster. With this, he’d finally be able to make it to the girls. That was all he wanted right now, and with the armor right in front of him, he would be there soon.

At least, that’s what he thought.

“Activate Engage. Activate Safeguard, using the exception article to preserve life. Make Satomi-kun unable to walk.”

“Wh-What?!”

The voice of a girl Koutarou knew well echoed through the alley. But when he heard it, his lower body became strangely unresponsive. As a result, he stopped just in front of the armor.

“I can’t move my legs?! What is going on?!”

Koutarou did his best to try and move, but his legs wouldn’t budge. It was as if they’d taken root in the ground where he stood. It was different from being forcibly stopped or held in place by someone else. It was just like his own body wouldn’t listen to him.

“I activated the contract between us, Satomi-kun. If it’s to protect you, it will even do things like restrain you.”

A lone girl appeared in front of Koutarou. It was one of his classmates dressed in an indigo outfit. It was Aika Maki, the same girl he’d just been playing with at the amusement park.

“Aika-san?! Are you the one doing this?!”

Koutarou didn’t know what was going on. He didn’t know why his legs couldn’t move or why Maki had shown up. Based on her tone, he could guess that she was responsible, but he couldn’t imagine one of his classmates being able to do something like this. Confused, Koutarou pressed Maki for an answer.

“No. You’re the one who did it.”

“What?!”

But Maki’s answer only confused Koutarou even more.

“To be precise, your sword did.”

“My sword...? Signaltin?!”

When Maki said that, Koutarou started focusing on himself. He was trying to find the source of what was restraining him.

This really is Signaltin’s mana... Her Majesty’s power is at work!

When he concentrated, Koutarou could feel Signaltin’s mana inside him. It was the white mana that had Alaia’s presence in it. Even Koutarou, who had no talent for magic, could tell that much.

“But why?! Why is Signaltin restraining me?!”

Koutarou could hardly believe it. The power that Alaia had given to him was depriving him of his freedom. He was shocked since he had always believed that Alaia would always be on his side no matter what.

“It’s because you tried to save me...”

Maki spoke quietly to the confused Koutarou. Her eyes were even more serene than her voice and had a very calming feeling to them.

“That’s why the sword fulfilled your wish and created a magical bond between you and me.”

“A magical bond...?”

“Yes, don’t you remember? Back on that snowy mountain when you were trying to heal my wounds... You should have seen something in that white light.”

“On the snowy mountain? Ah...”

Koutarou could clearly remember it even now. Desperate to save Maki inside of that snow-covered lodge, he’d used Signaltin’s powers. In the bright white light the sword gave off, he had seen a vision of a young girl covered in wounds, trembling in the cold out of fear and loneliness.

“I saw... a hurt and trembling girl...”

“I see... I saw a boy. A crying boy embracing a half-knit sweater...”

Maki clearly remembered what she’d seen as well. In that white light, she saw a young boy covered in someone else’s blood, embracing a sweater, and sitting down on the street in a daze.

“Back then, I had given up on everything. I had lost the will to live. Just healing my wounds probably wouldn’t have been enough to save me. That’s why the sword tried to give me hope. Hope that I wasn’t alone.”

“So that girl... was you...?”

Maki, weak and bleeding out, had lost the will to live that night. It wasn’t just her body that was dying, but her spirit too. She needed something to keep her attached to this life. A bond. That’s why Signaltin had shown a vision of Maki to Koutarou—to tell him he needed to save her.

“And you... saw me...”

“You needed it too, right? Hope that you weren’t alone...”

“I... guess so... Somewhere deep inside, I was rejecting others...”

After losing his mother, Koutarou stopped trying to develop relationships with other people. That’s why he needed a bond as well. A powerful bond that would never be torn apart. That’s why the sword had showed Maki a vision of Koutarou’s true self too—to tell her she needed to save him.

“Just wait! I’ll save you right now!”

“It’s okay. I’ll always be with you...”

The two of them had shared the same thoughts. They wanted to embrace the other. They wanted to warm each other’s chilled minds and bodies. They each wanted to hold the other and tell them that they weren’t alone. They wanted to protect that weak, wounded person in front of them. They wanted to protect each other.

“That’s why your sword created a magical bond between us. In order to save both of us.”

Their mutual desire called forth a new spell from Signaltin. A contract to connect their hearts. A bond that would never be cut. At that time, it was what both of them desperately needed.

“A magical bond... But can that really be...”

“You should have felt it before. Haven’t you ever known what I was going to do? What about when I know what you’re going to do? When I do something unusual, why don’t you doubt it?”

“That’s...”

Koutarou had indeed felt it before. He’d often wondered if Maki could read his mind, both in their everyday lives and in combat. He also felt like he could read Maki.

So... why don’t I doubt Aika-san? What was Aika-san even doing on that snowy mountain? Why was she able to freely use the magical staff? Even now... why am I believing her wild story?

Koutarou had plenty of questions, but he’d never once doubted Maki. He deeply trusted her from the bottom of his heart, and he believed what she was saying even now.

“And this magical bond... this contract... you’re using that to stop my legs, right?”

“That’s right. That’s why you’ll never be able to break free. Please just stay with me here for a while.”

Signaltin was the source of the contract’s power. And if it was Signaltin’s doing, then calling for it wouldn’t resolve the situation. In other words, Koutarou had absolutely no means to free himself.

“Veltlion! I’ve got footage! Theiamillis-san and the others are currently fighting against someone!”

That was when two holograms appeared alongside Clan’s concerned voice from the bracelet. One of the holograms showed Theia’s group and the other showed Yurika’s group. Both were in the middle of a fight.

“Everyone?! It really is the enemy— Wait, that’s the woman from ten years ago!”

Koutarou started to panic when he saw the girls fighting. Both groups were at a disadvantage and looked like they were in serious trouble. But what concerned him the most was spying Maya, the woman he’d fought against almost eleven years ago now. He was well aware of how strong and dangerous she was. If he didn’t rush over there right now, Yurika and the others would meet with a terrible fate.

“Aika-san, please let me go right now! I have to go to help everyone!”

Knowing the danger the girls were in, Koutarou desperately pleaded with Maki to let him go, but she simply shook her head.

“I can’t. Keeping you here is my job.”

“What?! What does that mean?!”

“It means just what I said. Because I...”

Maki paused for a moment before steeling her expression and continuing.

“I am your enemy! I am a member of Darkness Rainbow, the ones who are after room 106!”

“You’re lying! I don’t believe you! There’s no way you would be my enemy!”

Koutarou instantly denied what Maki had said. To him, Maki was a classmate he trusted and got along well with. She couldn’t be an enemy. He didn’t want to believe it.

“I don’t want to believe it either! I don’t want to fight against you! That’s why I can’t let you go! Because if I do, we’d have to fight each other!”

“You don’t have to fight me just because you let me go, right?! You should never have to! You’re not the kind of girl who should be fighting!”

There was no need for that poor girl who’d been so afraid and alone to pick up a weapon. She wouldn’t get what she needed that way. What she needed was to be by someone’s side.

“I can’t do that! We would definitely become enemies! Letting you go would mean I have to annul the contract! And if I do that, you won’t think of me as important! I won’t think of you as important either! We’ll only be able to see each other as enemies!”

The existence of that contract was driving Maki into a corner.

Clan, who could break through the magical girls’ barrier, had been able to inform Koutarou of what was going on sooner than predicted. Because of that, Maki had to forcibly stop him from leaving. But Maki’s magic couldn’t break through Signaltin’s powers that were protecting him. That’s why the only method she could use to hold him back was activating the contract.

And after activating the contract, Koutarou would be held this way for a while for his own safety. In order to free Koutarou from his current predicament, the contract would have to be annulled with both parties’ consent. However, Maki wasn’t willing to annul the contract. Doing that would mean their magical bond would disappear... along with their feelings for each other. In other words, they would return to when they were enemies.

“I don’t want that! I love you, Satomi-kun! I want to have these feelings forever! I don’t want to return to the me that tried to kill you!”

Maki was in tears. She didn’t want to lose who she was right now. It was thanks to Koutarou saving her that she’d come to learn the joys of living for the first time in her life. Even if that was an illusion created by magic, after spending her whole life alone, it was an illusion she was willing to cling to. And she also couldn’t stand the idea that she might try to kill Koutarou if she returned to her old self.

“But if everyone dies because of this, I will hate you!”

“I’m okay with that! Because, because... I can keep you from fighting this way! I can keep loving you!”

To Maki, annulling the contract might as well be the same thing as dying. It would mean that she would return to the lonely version of herself that lived shrouded in darkness. It would mean she would be letting go of the light she had slowly been gathering ever since Koutarou had saved her. That’s why even if Koutarou hated her, even if she was just living inside of an illusion, Maki couldn’t annul the contract.

“If everyone dies, I will hate you! And after that, how am I supposed to continue living?! I just finally learned the meaning of living with them!”

At this rate, Koutarou would lose everything. After his mother passed, Koutarou rejected the company and affection of others. And at this rate, he was going to lose the girls who had taught him that he couldn’t live like that forever. Surely he would blame Maki for not letting him go save them. That hate would drive them apart, and Koutarou would end up losing everyone close to him. He would lose the bright future he had finally found.

“I don’t mind if you hate me! You can curse me if you want! But even then, I will stay by your side! I will forever protect you so that you will never be alone!”

Maki was prepared to endure Koutarou’s abhorrence to stay by his side. Maki would rather bathe in the flames of hatred than return to the dark coldness of solitude.

“So please, Satomi-kun! Let me stay your Maki!”

Maki had spent too long trembling in the bitter cold of isolation, searching for love but never finding it. She would rather keep Koutarou and have him hate her than lose him altogether. In the past, Koutarou might not have known what to say to Maki. He knew just how scary it was to lose that warmth. That’s why he’d been rejecting others all this time.

“Is that really what you want?! Do you really want that kind of future?!”

But Koutarou was different now. He couldn’t stay quiet. He knew that she couldn’t stay like that either.

“What else can I do?! We were enemies before we even met! But I love you! I don’t want to lose this warmth!”

“Believe!”

He shouted that word for Maki’s sake, but when he did, he realized the path he himself needed to follow.

That’s right... I have to believe... I have to believe in the same things Aika-san has to...

Koutarou had to believe in order to save Maki, to save himself, and to save the kind people he wanted to rescue. He had to believe...

“Our future is not as dark as we think!”

That their future would surely be bright. It was that simple.

“There’s no way that our relationship right now is all just a product of magic! We’re the ones who write our futures!”

“Do you really believe that?! That you won’t go back to crying all alone in the future?! That I won’t go back to freezing in that dungeon?!”

Truth be told, Maki wanted to believe that as well. She didn’t want to lose anything. She had been betrayed too many times already. That’s why she was so ready to give up that snowy night in the mountains.

“Of course! If you believe, you’ll never be alone again! So believe! Don’t try to isolate yourself!”

Koutarou saw something of himself in Maki. That’s how he knew what she needed. He would teach her what the invaders had taught him. If she didn’t reject people, she would naturally come to feel warmth at her side. That’s what he wanted her to know. That was the future he wanted her to realize for herself.

“Even if the spell disappears, it’s not like what we’ve been through will too! Our relationship isn’t something made just out of magic!”

“Satomi-kun...”

Perhaps it was true that the contract was the start. But after that, Koutarou and Maki had spent a lot of time together. Koutarou couldn’t believe that all of that would just vanish. And there was a reason he believed that.

“Don’t you know that?! Think! What about all the people we went out with today?! Do you not feel anything at all for then?! Or are they your enemies?! They’re not, are they?!”

“Ah...”

Those words left Maki astonished. There shouldn’t have been a change in how Maki felt about her classmates after being saved by Koutarou. The contract only existed between the two of them, after all. She’d always thought of her classmates as clueless sheep who had no inkling of the way the world really worked.

“I... I... think... of everyone... as... as my friends...”

Maki was intensely shaken, but her true feelings escaped her lips. She now thought of her classmates as friends. In the months since Maki had started attending Harukaze High, her feelings had changed without her even realizing it.

“Even if the magic disappears, we won’t become enemies again! As if something like that would ever happen! And even if it’s like you said, you have friends now! You won’t be alone anymore!”

Koutarou was sure of that. Even if they had been hostile in the past, they were both different people now. They was no way they’d go back to being enemies. And even if they drifted apart after this, Maki now had other friends. Even if she became estranged from Koutarou, she wouldn’t be alone.

That’s right... I’m hopeful... I want everyone in our class to have a bright future too...

What Koutarou said to Maki equally applied to him. They needed to believe in the same things. In a way, by trying to save Maki, he could feel that he was changing himself little by little.

“Even if our relationship gets a little worse, we can always rebuild it! We have all the time we need to do that! You won’t be alone!”

“Do you really, honestly think that?”

Maki unconsciously approached Koutarou, one step at a time. She already knew that she wasn’t alone. That even if she annulled the contract she wouldn’t return to her old self. But she was still anxious about one thing. And she wanted courage to be able to overcome it.

“Believe! Open your eyes and look around! Don’t give up and close off your heart!”

“Will you stay my friend too, Satomi-kun?! Even if I change, would you be able to hold on for me?!”

Maki was worried that her feelings towards Koutarou would start to waver if she annulled the contract. That’s why she wanted the courage to be able to believe that wouldn’t happen.

“I’ll probably do something terrible! I might be cold to you or even hurt you! Wouldn’t you hate me even then?!”

Maki believed that Koutarou would give her the courage she needed. Standing right in front of him, she stared right into his eyes and asked him for the words she needed to hear.

“Don’t worry! You’re Aika Maki, our classmate!”

“...”

Maki saw the strong will in Koutarou’s eyes. It was like that will reached out to her and summoned something deep from the bottom of her heart. Willing to concede, she cast her face downward. Several drops of liquid fell to the ground in a spotted pattern. Maki then slowly walked forward step by step until her forehead was pressed up against Koutarou’s chest.

“Satomi-kun... please... even if it’s just for now... could you please hold me?”

“Aika-san...”

Koutarou still couldn’t move his lower body, but he had free reign of arms. He listened to her request and embraced the girl crying in front of him.

I have to protect her... I did swear to, after all...

With a strong urge to protect her, Koutarou held Maki close. As he did, Maki clung to him like she was trying to eliminate all possible distance between them.

“Satomi-kun, I... I...”

“It’s okay, Aika-san. There’s no way that anxiety and sadness is a product of magic. Those tears are without a doubt your own.”

“Satomi-kun...”

Her tears still flowing, Maki only held Koutarou closer. And Koutarou embraced her right back.

It will definitely be okay... There’s no way that all of these feelings are just from a spell... Magic couldn’t create this much sadness... Satomi-kun is right...

While embracing Koutarou’s warmth, Maki finally made up her mind.

“Satomi-kun... I understand... I’ll believe... in these feelings that have grown in me...”

Maki believed in the feelings that she had for Koutarou. That her feelings wouldn’t all vanish just because she annulled the contract.

“In return... can I ask you for one thing...?”

“Yeah.”

“I want to stay like this until the contract is annulled...”

“I understand... I’ll stay like this...”

“Thank you, Satomi-kun...”

Maki pressed herself against Koutarou. But despite her tears, there was no trace of fear or sadness on her face. She believed in her own feelings now. And it was because she believed that she was able to take a step forward towards her future.

It gave her the strength to say without hesitation, “Disengage: Koutarou and Maki...”

Those words were the incantation that marked the end of a bond between two people. But in this case, they also signaled the formation of a new, eternal bond between them.

As Maki annulled the contract, a pure white light enveloped them as it had once before. They were pulled apart from each other, leaving them both alone in the light.

But in the next moment, a young girl appeared in front of Koutarou, and a young boy in front of Maki. That boy and girl rapidly grew into Koutarou and Maki as they were now. They found themselves facing each other in the bright white light.

“Why...?”

Maki pressed her hands against her chest as she looked at Koutarou with a surprised expression.

“What do you mean?”

Koutarou smiled at Maki. In contrast to what she was feeling, he was quite calm. Perhaps it was because he felt Alaia’s presence in the white light that surrounded them.

“This is strange, Satomi-kun... I annulled the contract, but nothing changed...”

“Nothing?”

“No...” Maki tilted her head and explained. “I still love you as much as I did a moment ago... and I don’t have even an inkling of an urge to kill you. I thought my feelings would change because of the annulment...”

The contract was already annulled. As proof, Koutarou could now move freely. Maki was waiting for a change to come over her, but it never did. That confused her.

Maki hadn’t expected all of her love for Koutarou to vanish once she annulled the contract, but she’d certainly expected to feel differently afterward. But now with the contract voided, it turned out that all her worry had been for nothing. Maki’s feelings remained the same.

“Pfft, heh... Ahahahaha!”

Koutarou started laughing. He had an idea of what had happened.

“I see, so that’s it! It’s obvious once you really think about it! Ahahahaha!”

He realized that he and Maki had overthought the whole thing. He could hardly stop laughing at himself for it.

“Satomi-kun?”

Seeing Koutarou laughing like that, Maki looked at him suspiciously. Koutarou desperately tried to hold his laughter as he explained.

“...Heh, I was just thinking that I had forgotten who gave me this power.”

Koutarou looked at the light enveloping them.

“She was wise, virtuous, and overflowing with benevolence... There’s no way that this sword that contains her feelings would selfishly rewrite your emotions, Aika-san. I think things just returned to normal after the contract was no longer needed.”

Alaia’s feelings and her oath were embodied in Signaltin. The sword’s magic brainwashing Maki would be equivalent to Alaia brainwashing her, and Koutarou couldn’t imagine her doing something like that with her powers. Even if she’d had to for some extreme reason, its effects should have gradually waned after Maki was able to live on her own. But really, the sword had only borrowed from the future bond that Koutarou and Maki would one day share. The bond they shared now.

“Then... there was never any need to worry about brainwashing?”

“I think not. That’s why you don’t feel any differently, right?”

“Maybe, maybe not...”

Now that she understood the truth, Maki revealed a delighted smile. Her feelings had been her own all along. She loved Koutarou out of her own volition. That sensation brought out an immense joy in her.

“I just might not feel any change because my feelings of love towards you are hundreds of times more profound than my feelings of hostility towards you.”

Maki didn’t know for sure, but that’s what she wanted to believe. She wanted to believe that love had won out. That was the more romantic option.

“H-Hey...”

Koutarou instinctively blushed at Maki’s sudden declaration of love. Even though the contract was supposed to have been annulled, her feelings were seemingly transmitted directly to Koutarou. Apparently, annulling the contract had almost no effect on their compatibility.

“Heehee, I’m sorry.”

Having been freed from a great deal of suffering, Maki flashed a refreshing smile. Her expression was filled with childlike innocence and affection.

“To be honest, I wanted to tease you a little more, but... please go. There’s no one else you need to save here.”

Maki felt like she shouldn’t keep Koutarou any longer. There was something he had to do, so they would part ways here.

“You idiot.”

A dull thud rang out in the alley.

“Ow! What are you doing?! I was being serious here!”

Maki clapped her hands over her reddened forehead and puffed out her cheeks in a pout. He’d smacked her about 70 percent as hard as he would Yurika, which was probably too much for a normal girl. Maki had every right to complain.

“You just don’t get it, Aika-san.”

“Huh...?”

But Koutarou wasn’t apologizing. Instead, he scolded her.

“Don’t give me that! Here!”

Koutarou presented his right hand to Maki.

“Satomi-kun...?”

Maki didn’t understand what Koutarou was doing, so she blankly looked back and forth between his hand and his face.

“I told you, didn’t I?! Don’t try to isolate yourself!”

In that moment, Maki realized that Koutarou had no intention of leaving her alone.

“Aika-san, you don’t have to fight anymore! But come with me and support me from the sidelines! Pray for me!”

As those words reached Maki’s ears, Koutarou grabbed on to her left hand.

“Ah...”

Maki’s heart started pounding at an explosive pace, and it sent warm blood coursing all throughout her body.

I was... born for this person... to love him, and to be loved... I’m sure of it...

Maki was on an emotional high she might never come back down from. She felt like she had to do something, but she didn’t know what. She could hardly think. She was in daze and her mind was one big blur. And no matter how many deep breaths she took, she couldn’t collect herself.

Normally being in such a state would be upsetting, but all Maki felt was overwhelming happiness.

“I understand, Satomi-kun...”

Maki nodded.

“I’ll pray, but it won’t be for your victory. I’ll simply pray that your future will be bright forever and ever...”

Maki squeezed Koutarou’s hand back. It meant everything to her.

Wrapped in Maya’s flames, Harumi fell to the ground unable to even scream. Without any protection against the high temperatures, her body was severely burned in several places. It was bad enough that it didn’t take a medical degree to tell her live was in jeopardy.

“Sakuraba-senpai, Sakuraba-senpai!”

Even Yurika could tell as she ran over Harumi. But as a magician, she understood the situation was especially grave.

With these burns, not even my strongest healing spell would be good enough! At this rate, Sakuraba-senpai’s going to die!

Yurika had knowledge of healing spells that far exceeded what modern medical care could achieve. But Harumi’s injuries were so serious that not even Yurika’s best magic could save her now. It was a miracle that she was even still breathing.

What can I do?!

Yurika desperately racked her brain. She ran through every spell she knew in her mind to try and come up with a way to help Harumi, but it was fruitless. With Harumi dying in front of her, Yurika was panicking.

It’s going to take something extraordinary! I need to think of a combination of spells that would keep her alive... No, maybe I could anchor her soul and turn her into a ghost like Sanae-chan!

She tried to come up with a combination of spells to save Harumi, but nothing came to her. As a last resort, Yurika began considering anchoring Harumi’s soul to the land of living while she healed her body.

Wait, Sanae-chan?! That’s right! If I do it like Sanae-chan, then it might be possible!

Thinking of her ghostly friend, Yurika had an epiphany. Confident this new idea would work, she resolutely grasped her staff in both hands.

If I fuse with Sakuraba-senpai like Sanae-chan does with people, then there’s a chance I can heal her!

Yurika was going to use a fusing spell.

When fusing two living creatures, their minds would merge and their bodies would create an average form between the two. In other words, if the gravely injured Harumi and uninjured Yurika fused, their shared body would only be half as injured. In that state, Yurika’s healing magic might work. And after treating her, they would simply separate.

However, that was an incredibly dangerous bet. There was no guarantee that the healing magic would work even after they fused. Yurika wasn’t even sure she’d be able to use magic once they fused. First and foremost, she’d somehow have to manage to stay conscious through the intense pain. And if her healing magic failed after they fused, Yurika might die too. But Yurika didn’t let that possibility stop her. She wanted to save Harumi regardless of the risk.

“Temporary Fusion! Modifier: Stabilize! Effective Time: Half!”

Yurika held her staff overhead and chanted her spell, adding in two additional modifications. Since she just needed enough time to cast her healing spell, she shortened the effective time and used that mana for greater stability instead. All she could do after that was pray that she would still be conscious after the fusion, and that she’d still be able to use her magic.

Please go well! Please, let me save Sakuraba-senpai!

The orange light that had gathered at the tip of her staff enveloped her body as well as Harumi’s. Their silhouettes both became faint and melded into the orange light that only grew brighter.

While Yurika was trying to save Harumi, Kanae and Maya continued fighting.

“How foolish... Just what could come of that?”

But when she sensed Yurika’s spell activating, Maya stopped moving for a moment. She glanced over at the two girls wrapped in light with a dumbfounded expression. Not missing her chance, Kanae swung her staff down to attack Maya.

“I won’t let you interfere!”

“I wouldn’t interfere. If I leave her to her own devices, that Rainbow girl will use up her mana this way. And once she can’t use her magic anymore, she’ll be useless.”

Encyclopedia sensed Kanae’s great sense of hurry and cast a spell that sped her up. Maya was also wide open since she was distracted by Yurika and Harumi. But even then, she was one step ahead of Kanae. She started moving well in advance and easily dodged Kanae’s staff while attacking with the blade on her right hand.

“And you won’t beat me on your own... I win, Kanae.”

“Ugh!”

Just blocking Maya’s bladed attack was all Kanae could do. She was unable to defend herself from the follow-up kick she unleashed right after, and ended up taking it straight on. The attack sent her flying and she slammed into the ground a few meters away. The difference in power was obvious. Like Maya had said, Kanae would never beat her on her own.

“It looks like your disciple will take the same path you did, Nana...”

Ignoring Kanae who could no longer move, Maya stared at Yurika and Harumi. She could see two masses merging in the orange light surrounding them. Yurika and Harumi’s fusion was almost complete, but Maya had no intention of intervening. She knew that she would have the advantage if she didn’t.

Maya figured that even if Yurika managed to heal Harumi, between the healing spell and the fusion spell, her mana would be seriously depleted. Fusion was a highly advanced spell, and so was all strong healing magic. Maya couldn’t imagine that Yurika would had much mana left in the first place considering she just had used several spells in their fight. It wouldn’t take much more before she hit her limit. That’s why letting Yurika do as she pleased now would actually end up working out in Maya’s favor.

“I guess that just means she was a rather good disciple...”

In the past, Nana had thrown away her life as a magician in other to save the powerless Yurika. And now, Yurika was about to throw herself into a situation where she would be unable to win in order to save Harumi. In the end, Nana and Yurika were very similar. They walked the same path of selfless righteousness. That was what Maya was thinking as the orange light started taking the form a person.

However, that was where things took a turn Maya hadn’t expected.

“...What?!”

Suddenly, other colors began mixing in with the orange light. There were blue and white lights that merged with it, making it a tricolor swirl. From there, the orange light began dying down and instead the blue and white lights grew stronger.

“It wasn’t just a normal fusion?! Is it a transformation?! Or is it a summon?! No, that doesn’t matter! I won’t let you, Rainbow Yurika!”

Maya thrust her arms forward and began incanting a spell.

“Multiple Energy Bolts! Target Option: Sidewinder!”

Maya had lost the majority of her mana now that most of her body was mechanical, but it wasn’t like she was completely unable to use spells. She was limited in what she could cast and how often, so she saved it for emergencies like this.

It doesn’t matter what that is, I can’t let this go the way Yurika wants!

Maya’s intuition as a warrior told her that what was about to appear in front of her was very dangerous. That’s why she didn’t hesitate to use magic.

She focused on the miniature staff built into her right arm and several red lights started to surround her arm. At the same time, Maya took aim with the gun in her left arm. She was going to attack with both at once.

“Take this!”

Maya’s attack was slightly faster than Yurika and Harumi’s fusion. The storm of magical bolts and energy bullets came straight for the girls. Both attacks were deadly, and should’ve been fatal to the defenseless Yurika and Harumi.

“How?! The attacks disappeared?!”

However, the magical bolts and energy bullets all disappeared just before reaching Yurika and Harumi, as if they had only been an illusion. They hadn’t been blocked or repelled, they had simply—quite literally—disappeared.

“That’s not possible! Just the presence of that spell erased my attacks! Just what is going to appear?!”

“Yurika-chan... Sakuraba-san...”

Both Maya and Kanae, who had finally managed to get up, were unable to take their eyes of the spectacle taking place in front of them. They continued to stand and blankly stare at the blue and white light.

The light grew stronger and the ground and air around it began trembling with a roar. Then the expansive light shrank in an instant and a lone girl appeared. It was a girl unfamiliar to both Maya and Kanae.

“That’s... Yurika-chan and Sakuraba-san’s fused form...?”

“No! It’s not something that simple!”

Their fused form should have shared their features. But this girl looked like neither Yurika nor Harumi. She had long, beautiful white hair that shimmered a faint blue here and there. She wasn’t dressed in either of their outfits either. She was wearing something close to a blue and white shrine maiden’s uniform.

But what stood out the most were the two globes floating around her. They were about the size of volleyballs and made from a translucent material like glass. Each one glowed a distinct color, blue and white respectively.

This girl didn’t look anything like a fused Harumi and Yurika should. Moreover, there was no sign of her being burned. It was as if Yurika and Harumi had been replaced by someone else altogether.

“That is without a doubt a being of higher existence... Just what did you do, Nijino Yurika?!”

Maya looked mortified and gritted her teeth in frustration. She had enough experience in battle to know she stood no chance against the girl in front of her. That was just how much power she was radiating.

“What was I... I think I tried to help myself, then we fused...?”

But the girl who had appeared was puzzled as well. Her mind was cloudy and she hardly knew who she was, much less where she was or what was happening.

“Take this, you monster!”

As the girl was standing there in a daze, Maya saw her chance and attacked. She threw out the same mixed attack she had before.

If this doesn’t beat her, I don’t stand a chance!

Maya figured that this was her one and only shot at victory.

“Kyah!”

However, the moment the girl sensed danger, she let out a scream and Maya’s attacks disappeared just like they had before. It was completely bizarre. The girl hadn’t done anything but scream.

“Impossible! That wasn’t magic or spiritual energy, and she didn’t even use a tool or item! She simply negated my attack with nothing! To think such power existed in this world! The difference in power is like night and day!”

Maya was absolutely astonished. There was no fight to be had here. She gave up and accepted her defeat. Like an ant being crushed by an elephant, she would probably be wiped out before her opponent even realized she was an enemy.

“What is happening...? I don’t know... anything...”

But the girl didn’t come after Maya. Maya’s attack had only left her more scared and confused than before. She stood there in a daze, but then looked up.

“But I can tell... that person is approaching...”

The girl was only looking at a wall, but she seemed to be staring at something far, far away. Something beyond that wall. And she saw something there that brightened her expression.

“Everything will be fine... He will save me...”

That was when the two globes around the girl suddenly disappeared without a trace. When they did, her outline became faint as an orange light surrounded her. That orange light separated into two forms, each of which gradually took the shape of a person. One was Harumi and the other was Yurika. After fusing, the two girls now returned to their original forms.

“Ha! What? Was that all?! What a bluff!”

Having resigned herself to defeat after the appearance of an unknown enemy, Maya couldn’t help laughing at herself when that enemy suddenly disappeared.

Sustaining something like that would take a vast amount of energy. Of course it would only be temporary! There was no need for me to panic.

Maya found her own fear incredibly amusing. Now that she’d escaped imminent danger, she realized how ludicrous the whole situation had been. It would be a while yet before she stopped laughing about it.

Yurika, who had returned to her original form, was surprised by the same thing Maya was.

W-We just transformed into something! I think it’s probably because of the surplus of power in the fusion... but that transformation was so powerful that I couldn’t sustain it for long! That’s why we returned to ourselves!

Yurika didn’t have a clear understanding of what had happened either. She still couldn’t tell what they had transformed into or what had happened during that time. All she knew was that it was a mystery.

“Th-That’s right! Sakuraba-senpai!”

That was when Yurika remembered the friend she’d so desperately wanted to save. She forced her exhausted body to crawl over to Harumi, who was lying next to her.

“Thank god, her wounds are healed...”

Yurika closely examined Harumi and found that all of the burns on her body had vanished without a trace. Yurika figured that it was likely an aftereffect of their transformation.

“I don’t know what happened, but I was able to save Sakuraba-senpai...”

Relieved that Harumi was all right, tears streamed down Yurika’s cheeks. That was when Harumi opened her eyes.

“...Nijino-san.”

Seeing Yurika, Harumi tried to get up. Yurika hurriedly reached out and supported her.

“Sakuraba-senpai! Are you okay?!”

“Yes. Thanks to you, Nijino-san.”

Harumi smiled and slowly nodded.

“You can tell?!”

“Yes. Maybe it’s because we fused... but I still have some of your memories.”

“Now that you mention it, I also have...”

Thinking about it, Yurika realized she could remember things that she’d never experienced before. She had memories of knitting and being in the hospital. She was quite sure those belonged to Harumi. But it was mutual. And looking at the situation, Harumi reached a certain conclusion.

“Nijino-san, you really are a real magical girl...”

“That’s... Yes. I’m sorry for not telling you...”

Yurika had been about to deny what Harumi was saying, but she quickly changed her mind. Harumi now had some memories of Yurika as a magical girl, so excuses wouldn’t work anymore.

“It’s okay. You don’t have to worry. I can understand why you wanted to hide it. Because... of him...”

“Sakuraba-senpai...”

Yurika blushed at Harumi’s words, and Harumi started blushing as well. Both girls had fallen in love with the same boy, and now that they had shared memories, they each understood why the other loved him too.

Pretend wrestling with Satomi-kun... It’s painful, but it’s a warm and fun feeling... Maybe I should have Satomi-kun try some techniques on me too... If he does it with Nijino-san, he might be willing to do it with me... Submission, huh?

So this is how Sakuraba-senpai and Satomi-san met... He appeared out of nowhere and saved her when she was surrounded by enemies... It’s like something out of a shoujo manga... Ah, those are her memories from the play. They first met during the club recruitment... But this is just like a shoujo manga too... I’m jealous... As for me, our meeting was... 

They both got to see a different side to the boy they loved. Sharing such memories took both of their romantic feelings to new heights. They were more in love than ever before.

But they couldn’t afford to dwell on it now.

“Sorry to interrupt after your little celebration over your recovery, but it’s about time for you two to die.”

Maya approached with weapons in both hands. Her top priority was now to eliminate these two girls. After seeing their fusion and transformation, she couldn’t guess what else they had in store even if Yurika did run out of mana. And even if they didn’t have any other tricks up their sleeve, it would only be trouble if she let them get away. She might even have to fight them at full power again in the future. And so Maya calmly decided to quash that possibility here and now.

“Sakuraba-senpai, get behind me! I’ll protect you!”

“Nijino-san, no! You don’t have enough mana left to fight her!”

Yurika was about to step forward and defend Harumi, but Harumi stopped her. Since Harumi now shared Yurika’s memories, she knew that Yurika didn’t have enough power left to fight.

“Run away, both of you!”

But before Maya could attack, Kanae summoned what strength she had left and stood between Maya and the girls.

“Higashihongan-san?!”

“Kanae-san!”

“There’s no need for all three of us to die! Now go!”

Kanae turned her staff into a bow and fired arrow after arrow at Maya. However, Maya neither shot down the incoming arrows down with her gun nor deflected them with her blade. Badly wounded and without Yurika’s support magic, Kanae couldn’t even hit Maya anymore.

“At least your spirit is the same as it was back then, Kanae.”

“I won’t let you kill these girls! They’re my daughter’s friends!”

“Just stay down, Kanae. There’s no need for you to die as well.”

Unlike Kanae, however, Maya was uninjured and would have no problem hitting her target. Kanae tried to protect herself with her staff, but was unable to fully block Maya’s attacks.

“Guh! Aaah!”

Kanae took a direct hit from Maya’s knee and fell down on the spot. She tried to get up yet again, but she had reached her limit. She just didn’t have the strength to get back on her feet.

“Goodbye, girls. Nice try, though.”

“Sakuraba-senpai!”

“Nijino-san!”

Maya bid farewell to the girls as she turned the barrel of the gun on her left arm on them and began gathering mana in her right arm. Seeing that, Yurika and Harumi tightly embraced as if trying to protect one another. They knew they were about die.

“Energy Javelin. Modifier: Area Effect.”

Summoned by Maya’s indifferent voice, a spear of red light flew at Yurika and Harumi in a hail of bullets.

“I’m sorry for getting you involved, Sakuraba-senpai...”

“Don’t worry. You’re my best friend, after all...”

Having used up all of their power, the two girls were helpless. They closed their eyes, tightly holding on to one another. All they could do in their final moments was take comfort in the fact that they weren’t alone.

But in the end, neither attack reached Yurika and Harumi. The only thing that reached them was the sound of consecutive impacts, similar to a jackhammer being used on a street.

“H-Huh...?”

Confused by that, Yurika opened her eyes and saw someone in blue armor standing in front of her.

“Clan, it didn’t properly block the bullets. Are you sure you didn’t break the barrier when you were messing with it?”

“Of course I didn’t! The distortion field is operating normally! The enemy’s attack is what’s abnormal!”

Next, Harumi opened her eyes wide in shock as she heard that voice. She was met with the same sight Yurika was.

“I guess so. She’s a magician, after all.”

“Even taking that into consideration, the power behind those bullets is abnormal! Don’t rush in until I can gather all the data necessary! Not even your armor can take too many hits from that!”

“Pfft, I’ll take as much care as I do for your dinner.”

“Veltlion, you’re being awfully mean today!”

Vivid blue armor. A tall, manly figure. A powerful voice that instilled courage. But all with a gentle aura to it. His presences was unmistakable. Overwhelmed with relief and nostalgia at his arrival, Harumi instinctively shouted out his name.

“Koutarou-sama! Clan-sama!”

“Satomi-san?!”

Hearing Harumi and Yurika’s surprised voices, he turned around.

“Are you okay, Sakuraba-senpai? You too, Yurika?”

“Yes! Nijino-san saved me!”

Harumi was in tears, but she was smiling broadly.

As long as he’s with me, I will be okay... No, that’s not it... I’d gladly walk into any future with him!

Harumi felt like the last piece of the puzzle fell into place. Like her world was now complete. Like she belonged right here with him. And feeling that she’d been led here by destiny, Harumi was steeped in a deep sense of joy.

“Yeah? Good job, Yurika.”

Learning that Yurika had done her best again, Koutarou flashed a small smile. Hearing that the normally useless Yurika had given it her all made Koutarou happy. He felt the same pride an older brother would to see his helpless little sister accomplish something great.

“Th-Thanks!”

And that helpless little sister felt the same way. Yurika nodded her head repeatedly with tears in her eyes. She was genuinely happy.

“But, but, but, Satomi-san, how did you find us?!”

Koutarou’s arrival was quite a surprise for Yurika. She hadn’t been able to contact him, and Sanae who could follow the traces of auras wasn’t with him either. It should have been impossible for a normal person to peek insider her ward.

“Yurika, apparently the ward you magicians make cuts off electromagnetic radiation and sound too well, so you kinda stand out that way.”

Because the ward to keep people away completely isolated an area, it actually made it easier for Clan to detect with her sensors. If the ward had also released dummy electromagnetic radiation and sounds, it would have been like picking a needle out of a haystack.

“‘You magicians’? Satomi-san, d-did you...”

Koutarou’s answer came with another big surprise, and Yurika’s face turned pale. Anxiety, fear, and panic filled her chest. How he’d found the ward wasn’t what spoofed her, but two very specific words: “You magicians.”

He knows... Satomi-san was the only one I didn’t want to find out about this... but he knows...’

Those two words didn’t imply that Koutarou thought she was a freeloading cosplay. No, they revealed that he thought of her as a real magic user.

“Y-You’re wrong! I-I’m not a magician! Um... I’m just cosplaying with the staff you gave me!”

In the past she might have confirmed that he was right, but now Yurika was desperately denying it. She rapidly shook her head, causing her hair to sway and her tears to scatter.

Admitting to being a magical girl would mean losing her normal, everyday life. For the first time in her life, she’d found someone that needed her. Yurika wanted to live her life with that person, both of them supporting each other. It was to that end that she had to conceal the fact that she was a magical girl no matter what. And it wasn’t just for his sake. She just wanted him to think of her as very normal, and if possible, cute girl.

“I’m terrible! I’m just a useless girl! It’s not like that! I’m not a real magician!”

She wanted him to scold her when she was sloppy. She wanted him to hit her when she was up to no good. She wanted to be his practice partner for wrestling moves whenever he had free time. She wanted him to praise her if she improved her grades a little. She wanted him to pat her on the head if she didn’t place last at the school festival. She wanted the two of them to read manga and discuss it together. She wanted to fight over snacks. Yurika simply wanted to live a normal life and get excited and depressed over normal things.

But she was about to lose all that. If he found out that she was a magical girl, he would definitely look at her in a different way. She was terrified of that, and her fears and frustrations came to the surface in something of an unsightly way. Yurika cried out like a baby being torn away from its family.

“Calm down, Yurika.”

“You’re wrong, you’re—”

A dull thud rang out.

“Augh!”

Yurika had ignored Koutarou’s attempts calm her down and continued arguing vehemently. But that all came to an end when she felt a familiar pain in her forehead.

“Yurika, I only want to know one thing.”

Putting a hand on her head, Yurika looked up and saw Koutarou staring right at her. He had a powerful, gentle, and very trusting expression.

“What are you going to do after you graduate?”

“Ah...”

Koutarou’s words pierced Yurika’s heart and easily swept away all the anxiety, fear, and panic that she was feeling. In their stead, she was filled with relief, hope, and happiness.

This person really is... my... my...!

Tears spilled from Yurika’s eyes, but she responded with a big smile.

“I’m going to Kisshou U! Together with Satomi-san and Sakuraba-senpai!”

There was a mountain of things that Yurika wanted to say, but simply saying that she wanted to go to Kisshou University was enough to convey all of it. Yurika knew just what Koutarou had meant by his question. That was all they needed for now.

“...Got it. Leave the rest to me. You just sit tight and work on your multiplication.”

“Yes... I don’t want anything to do with multiplication, but I’ll try...”

After nodding, Yurika felt her strength leaving her and she slumped down to the floor. And just like Koutarou asked, she started doing multiplication in her head. No matter how many numbers she put together, however, there was no way to calculate the happiness she was feeling.

Turning his back towards Yurika and the others, Koutarou closed in on Maya one step at a time. She put her hands on her hips and calmly waited for his approach.

“I’ve kept you waiting.”

“That’s not quite true. Well... if this was a date we had decided on beforehand, I might have half a mind to slap you.”

Surprise wasn’t the only reason Maya hadn’t attacked Koutarou yet. Since she knew how powerful Koutarou was, she had to make adjustments to her mechanical body to get ready to fight him.

The amount of time I can continue fighting will drop considerably in exchange for this boost in power... But for a date with this boy, I don’t have any other choice...

There were normally limiters on Maya’s body to keep it from breaking itself by going too fast or strong, but Maya released those in order to fight Koutarou. She wouldn’t be able to fight as long this way due to the wear and tear on her mechanical parts, but it came with a considerable increase in power.

“Well, I was on a date with your disciple.”

“If you’re here... does that mean that Maki is dead?”

Maya narrowed her eyes slightly. It was a subtle change, but her expression became much sharper. Koutarou only shook his head in response.

“No. I have her captured. There’s a lot I want to ask her, after all.”

“I see. Then take good care of her. You should get some good use out of her,” Maya said, her sharp expression easing some.

“Is that all you have to say as her master?”

“Now that she’d been captured, she’s just a liability.”

“I’ll just pretend I didn’t hear that. I feel bad for your disciple.”

“As kind and considerate as ever...” Maya said wistfully as her lips curled into a grin. “Honestly, I wondered after hearing Maki’s report, but to think it really was you... What a surprise.”

“It’s been about eleven years, hasn’t it?”

“You shouldn’t keep a girl waiting for a date that long.”

“Aren’t you a little old to be calling yourself a girl?”

“Putting it like that makes me feel bad for Kanae.”

Maya indicated the collapsed Kanae off to the side of the room. Maya and Kanae were actually around the same age.

“As for me, however, you can see for yourself that both my mind and body are young enough for me to talk like that.”

Maya struck a pose to show off her good looks. And she did indeed have the charm to pass as a much younger girl.

“That said, in the short time since we last met, you’ve turned into quite the strange girl.”

Koutarou observed Maya’s body with a serious expression. Maya was indeed quite beautiful, but her body was covered in strange markings. At her shoulders and legs, her body had even split apart to reveal mechanical parts. Even Koutarou could tell that her body was mostly artificial.

She has artificial limbs... and her torso is artificial too? She’s practically a robot...

No matter how charming Maya was, there was no danger of Koutarou falling for her. If anything, his heart was only beating faster from the tension and fear.

“Good boys don’t stare at girls’ bodies like that. And I’m not the only one who’s changed.”

Maya gave a soft smile, but she was carefully observing Koutarou too.

He was a special boy to begin with, but... he doesn’t seem to have aged a day in eleven years. And that armor is suspicious too. It wasn’t in Maki’s report... It seems to have a few tricks to it. It even nullified my Energy Javelin... It was either the boy’s power or the armor’s... and since he’s here after dealing with Maki, he’ll probably be using magic too...

Maya had witnessed Koutarou break through the wall and ceiling of the abandoned building to protect Yurika and Harumi. She’d seen firsthand that his armor was powerful. And adding that to the power she already knew Koutarou had, she knew she was going to be in for a serious fight.

“You’re not wrong. I guess I’ve become a little strange myself.”

Koutarou let out a laugh, but his eyes remained dead serious.

“Then here’s a proposal for you... What if instead of just having this little date today, we start dating seriously?”

“What?”

“I think we both want to avoid a war of attrition against an opponent with unknown powers, no?”

“...Are you asking me to join you?”

“My, we’d be real lovers. I don’t hate children like you, boy. If we team up, we could defeat any real enemy.”

Maya was serious. Ever since figuring out the boy Maki had fought was the same boy Maya had encountered years ago, she’d wanted to recruit him. However, her reason was different from Maki’s. She only wanted Koutarou’s power. That was the other reason Maya hadn’t attacked yet.

“It’s not like we want to kill you. We’re just after the mana in that room. And we’ll do anything we have to in order to get it, whether that’s fighting or becoming lovers.”

“Mana...”

Koutarou recalled what Yurika had said in the past.

Now that I think about it, Yurika was always talking about evil magical girls targeting the mana in my room... Since it turns out she’s a real magical girl, I guess it makes sense that she was telling the truth...

Thanks to Yurika, Koutarou had some idea of what Maya was talking about.

“If you become my lover, I will spare the others. Even Yurika over there. Of course, you would have to persuade them...”

Maya knew that Koutarou could control the mana in room 106 to a certain degree. In other words, making Koutarou her ally was essentially the same thing as taking the mana. Moreover, if she could make Koutarou her pawn, she could regain a leading role in Darkness Rainbow. On the other hand, deciphering and controlling the power wouldn’t help her much now that she wasn’t a serious magic user. That was why pulling Koutarou over to her side was nothing but positives for her.

“I see, so that’s how it is...”

While he didn’t know exactly why, Koutarou understood that Maya was seriously trying to make him her ally.

“How about it? It’s not such a bad deal for you. You’ll be able to protect your friends, after all...”

Maya whispered to Koutarou in a sweet and flirtatious voice. She was alluring in a way that could make almost any man’s heart waver.

“I refuse.”

However, Koutarou flatly rejected Maya’s proposal without any hesitation. Unable to accept no for an answer, Maya questioned him.

“What?! Why?!”

“Honestly, it’s not a bad deal. And you’re beautiful.”

“Then why?!”

“It’s simple. It’s because there’s someone that wants to protect that room from you guys.”

“Yurika?! You’re saying you prefer her over me?!”

The prideful Maya erupted. She could have accepted just about anything, but Koutarou’s reason was Yurika of all things. Maya was convinced that she was superior to Yurika in all ways possible, including her strength and her femininity. That’s why she couldn’t tolerate Koutarou’s answer. Her pride didn’t let her, both as a warrior and as a woman.

“You would probably never understand just how amazing Yurika is.”

“Of course I wouldn’t understand! She’s a complete failure!”

Maya took a stance while furiously denying what Koutarou said. The weapons installed on her body all took aim at Koutarou, one after another.

“That’s right. We’re all failures. Unlike you...”

Yurika’s wish was enough of a reason for Koutarou to stand his ground. And what had led him to feel that way was all the time they’d spent together as failures.

And so, Koutarou chose to fight.

What he was protecting was something that couldn’t be put into words. Power, talent, money, and status meant nothing in the face of this. Koutarou and the invader girls had found something truly special together.

“Cradle, give me my sword.”

“As you wish, my lord.”

“Come, Signaltin!”

Koutarou summoned his sword. The sword that would shine to realize the oath sworn upon it.