Around the time Isurugi was repelled by Zhixin──
Shizuno, escorted by her older brother’s driver, got off the car at the entrance of a certain garden.
As soon as she put her feet on the asphalt, her body trembled shiveringly.
(It would be great if I were trembling with excitement… but I’m just nervous about this)
She walked as she deprecated herself in her mind.
The quiet garden was within the city, but on the outskirts and far away from Akane Academy.
She plunged forward the 20-storey building raising in the back.
She had to get momentum or else she wouldn’t even know when she would freeze from fear and her feet would end up stop moving.
It was still evening, but the day was completely dark.
Lights were sparsely installed on the road going through the garden, but they were extremely unreliable.
Properly speaking, the building in front of it claimed its presence dazzlingly, lighting all the lights in the windows.
However, and for some reason, most of the lights in the windows weren’t lit, making a huge gravestone aura hang in the air.
Terrifying evil spirits lurked in the darkness, as if waiting and on the alert for──
Without intending to have such hallucination, Shizuno accelerated her pace more and more.
She couldn’t afford to turn back.
She came here to search for the powerful trump card to extricate Moroha.
She had no idea if she would be able to get their cooperation successfully.
No, rather, the possibility was incredibly low. She had no choice but to bet.
And also, put her life on the line.
(Making me have such scary thoughts…. Moroha… Your compensation will be very expensive. We’ll be relaxing and hugging and kissing all day long in my room…. Yes, I won’t let you complain)
She imagined such a thing and forcibly inspired her courage.
She kept walking as she stared at her faltering feet and──
Suddenly, the ground of her path quickly darkened.
(No way…)
Shizuno reflexively looked up at the sky.
It was what she thought.
A man calmly stood three meters above the ground, in the air as if there was nothing there.
Black hair. Black suit. His tie was also black. And he wore black leather gloves.
Only the color of the pupils that glared at Shizuno were blue.
Something displeased him so much that he spat out with an expression as if having swallowed a bitter bug.
– You’re late. Don’t keep me waiting.
Shizuno was unable to reply right away.
She came to meet him of her own accord, but to think they were waiting for her.
Moreover, the French Division Head himself!
Shizuno could do nothing but be overcome with surprise for a short while, without even being clear for her whether she should be honored or that she should feel danger to herself.
The reason was that this 20-storey building with almost no lights turned on was──「Hotel Newcastle」.
Because it was reserved for「Cradle of the Sun」, there were almost on rooms in use in the first place.
Shizuno was lead to the top floor and faced Charles again in the place that became an entrance-cum-lobby in the one-floor suite.
Charles reclined on the chief seat of the sofa laid out in a U-shape like a king.
A monster that still remained unashamedly in the country without listening to the criticism and protests of the Japanese Division and without accepting the fault of interfering in domestic affairs of another country, in other words, an S-Rank that arbitrarily and violently acted in a foreign country.
Shizuno stood stock still without being offered a seat.
She kept a considerable distance from the front of Charles.
This amount of distance between her and the French magician seemed to be for nothing, an unapproachable pressure was there.
Charles glared at Shizuno with a surly face. He got irritated and hit the glass table with his right hand.
She heard that it was amputated by Moroha, but this told her it was completely healed in the last seven days.
The illusion of physical pain and a strong gaze weighed on Shizuno who was alone.
No other person from「Cradle of the Sun」was there, but the countless presences waiting in the back room as if squirming were eerie.
She ended up feeling a strong anxiety because she was by herself.
An audience with “The legitimacy of the Heretic Magician” alone.
When they glared at each other, she was overwhelmed by a strong pressure.
(But because he’s a man like this, he can be the trump card to defeat Lu Zhixin)
An eye for an eye. An S-Rank for an S-Rank.
Shizuno resolved herself and asked a question.
– Why were someone like you waiting for me?
Charles immediately had a displeasured face.
The pressure that glared at her gained strength and Shizuno felt like she would flinch from that.
At the thought of that, Charles changed his facial expression all of a sudden.
With a showy and scornful smile to the point he seemed to be somewhat pompous,
– It’s obvious. You self-interested lot think that Saint-Germain isn’t smart enough to think of something and can’t see through you? It was only a matter of time to rely on me.
He rebuked Shizuno.
– … It seems you know well our predicament and the kind of situation Moroha is at this moment.
– Yes. Zhixin proudly reported to us. He informed us of a very nostalgic name, of the mansion of “the witch of the prison”. He spattered that now that that guy has been driven into a corner, he’s waiting for him to summon that evil spirit-class. What manages that slit-eyed is resentment, but circumstances are circumstances and he can’t ignore them.
The evil spirit-class was the category of the human-type metaphysical whose denomination was determined the other day.
– There’s no way that Moroha is the mastermind, is there?
– … How am I going to know? I may not know what’s inside the mind of the seventh person.
– Do you totally believe in Lu Zhixin’s claim?
– Nonsense. I can’t read other’s intentions, so that’s about the same for that slit-eyed. However, there’s no basis to deny it. I don’t think that the evil spirit-class that unexpectedly and whimsically came uninvited to that place is completely unrelated to the seventh person. It’s annoying, but I have no choice but to keep an eye on the situation and sit down even if I have nothing else to do.
Charles started to shake his legs unconsciously and,
– Hey, lass. Did you just come here to have such a worthless talk? I’m wrong, aren’t I? Tell me quickly. I’m busy.
The rumor appeared to be quite true, he showed impatience.
(Didn’t he just say he has nothing to do?)
As for Shizuno, she wanted to break the ice by easing the tension and talking silly things, but… from the looks of it, she was suddenly driven to the wall.
(But now that he saw through me, I have no choice but to put on airs)
She once again resolved herself.
Took a deep breath and stretched her back more aware of it than usual.
Then bent at the waist very deeply.
– Please help us to extricate Moroha.
She said frankly, matching that person’s personality.
Then bowed her head and motionlessly waited for a reply.
– I refuse. Now get lost.
However, Charles’s reply was also frank and curt.
Like cutting in two with a single stroke.
With a presence worthy of the leader of a magic association, she was rejected.
With her head still bowed, Shizuno grinded her teeth out of vexation.
(This is within my expectations. I’m not going to falter, not yet)
She persuaded herself.
Then raised her head, behaved resolutely and kept talking.
– Why can’t we get you to cooperate?
– On the contrary, I ask. Why do I must do that? Why would I have that obligation?
– It may not be your obligation, but it’s expected to be borrowed.
– Humph. Did I order my subordinates to make an assault on you lot?
– That’s right.
– Nonsense!
Charles opened his eyes wide in anger and waved his right hand horizontally.
Even though it was a momentary event, a trace, a line of magic characters was written.
The bluish-white characters that floated in the air became blazing flames, stretched tongue-like objects, passed right next to Shizuno’s face and burned and scorched the wall behind her.
Shizuno was unable to react or move.
The heated air smoothed down her face thick with smoke, and because of that, she could finally understand what had happened.
An unstoppable and quick work she had never seen.
She was horrified.
From his point of view, it was an intimidation that felt like a mere stroke, but even though it could look like that, it was packed with the dreadfulness of the magician called Charles Saint-Germain.
Only one shot of a power-suppressed 1st Rank Dark Arts made her realize the difference in ranks.
No person could stand a chance against Charles, a Kuroma, with only the reflexes of an ordinary person.
– Did you hear me well? I haven’t think of borrowing you anything, and I happen to not have on hand the will to apologize to you in the slightest bit either.
In the middle of the smelling burnt hanging in the air.
Charles said straight out with a violent tone of voice as if raging fire.
– Or is there something else? Do you feel like forgiving me if I verbally apologize? If I help you to extricate Moroha, will you be able to forgive and forget? That’s not how things really work, huh? This is a waste of time. And I hate things that are a waste.
Charles brazenly sat upright.
What’s with that arrogant attitude?
But it ended up being overlooked.
He possessed the real ability to make her say nothing and let it pass.
– If you’re going to resent me, then resent me. I don’t feel the hatred that is directed at me now or the pain and itching even if they are multiplied by 10 or 100.
This was the ringleader of the French Division detested as「extremists」.
This was PSG.
Shizuno knew the degree of difficulty of the other person she ought to persuade by herself again.
She had heard that Moroha didn’t give a single step back when fighting or quarreling with this man, and at the end, he defeated him. How admirable, rather, as one would expect.
(But Moroha is in trouble now. I have no choice but to do it…)
Because she was a king-advisor witch of the realm of the dead.
Shizuno firmly pressed her feet on the floor, fiercely encouraged her seemingly trembling legs and stared back at him, putting strength into her eyes.
– Then I’ll correct myself──
– How insistent. A woman who likes waste. I can’t understand it.
– I’m not saying it’s simple. Please, help us out.
– Ha!
Charles wasn’t able to hold back his laughter.
– Hahaha! Hahahahahah. Hahahahahahahaha! You’re a masterpiece.
He put his right hand on his forehead, bent the spine and laughed his head off as if being unable to bear it.
– Say. If I assist you, how are you going to compensate me? With money? Honor? Status? You fool! I already have more than I can possibly use.
Shizuno’s earlobes were teased by the uninterrupted scorn of Charles.
If she endured it in silence, it would be just as the other person expected.
So she readied herself and tried to brush her hair upward gloomily.
As if driving Charles’s scorn away, just like a household fly.
A showy gesture.
Did this rude behavior in front of him get on his nerves?──The laughter of Charles stopped.
He showed displeasure on his face, made sure to bend his body and rested his chin in one of his hands on the low table.
He closed his eyes partly, and instead of squashing them until now, he turned a penetrating-like sharp glance at her.
That look that felt as if it were appraising her was fanned by another type of eeriness and fear.
– Are you sure? Are you sure that you can present a compensation that will satisfy me?
Here──
For the first time, she didn’t fail to notice the moment when Charles was proactive.
– You will not go to such a terrible place on a whim or to show off.
Shizuno threw out her chest and put on a bold front. She pretended to be full of confidence.
On the inside, she was panicking.
– Try saying it.
Charles ordered with scary and serious eyes and a provocative tone of voice.
Shizuno stealthily swallowed saliva, put her hand on her chest and replied.
– As for the compensation──you can borrow Haimura Moroha once.
If Charles challenged her, her strong spirit would challenge him back.
Yes, the important thing was momentum.
If she stopped once, she would freeze again and wouldn’t be able to move.
If she stopped speaking once, her caustic words and what-not would run out.
– Wha…
Charles was startled, he opened his eyes wide; Shizuno pressed for an answer──the moment he was lost for words.
– This is exactly what you said before. No matter what you do to apologize, Moroha will not forgive you, right? But that’s that. And this is this. If you help us out, I think that Moroha will certainly let you borrow him. Moroha is a man with a deep loyalty. He’s not the type of man who would carelessly say『Don’t think you’ll borrow me』.
She went down on her knees, put her hands on the ground and bowed her head to the king of a foreign country.
She accorded him every courtesy as the person who begged for help, however, her tone of voice was provocative.
As if asking for her looks.
– You can demand gratitude to that Haimura Moroha, so what would the insufficiency be? Rather, this happens only once in a thousand years, so please don’t let it pass.
Shizuno said without stopping.
She stated definitely.
And waited for PSG’s verdict with her head still bowed.
Her breathing was heavy.
It was so disturbed she couldn’t hide it.
Despite she merely talked around that much, this was a proof she was extremely nervous.
Moreover, now that she spoke sharply, it got scarier.
She couldn’t raise her face. She wasn’t able to see Charles.
– Shut up…
The subdued and angry voice of Charles hit Shizuno’s earlobes.
– Shut up…. Why should I be glad to demand gratitude from the seventh person…? Treating you with contempt isn’t going too far…. I said it before, didn’t I? I went to scout that man only as an excuse to fulfill the prophecy! I really didn’t want that man’s power…. Lass, you’re misunderstanding things here! That’s not a negotiation card at all!
As soon as he said so, he raised hell as if having caught fire.
He got angry, raged and roared.
Having lost to that angry roar, Shizuno talked back to not be washed away.
– If that’s the case, shouldn’t you laugh it off? Why are you getting so angry at it?
– Lass!!
Charles’s mana blew violently together with the scream.
Shizuno instinctively threw her face up. And she saw.
The ten fingers of Charles waving like a pianist’s and a total of ten one-line phrases put into written form in an instant.
The enormous mana of the S-Rank was accurately controlled, converging as 10 Dark Arts.
The five of the right wing became burst of flames,
And the five of the left wing became blizzard.
– I will get you to pay──a compensation for your impoliteness and repeated insolence!
Atrocious heat and cold bared its fangs, doing a pincer attack on Shizuno, trampling her down and swooping down on her.
But Shizuno didn’t move.
It wasn’t that she couldn’t move.
Did he purposely do it slowly? Or perhaps the number of processes increased? She now could actually see the spelling of Charles, she received the attack while still being kneeled on purpose.
(Moroha…!)
As she simply recited the name of her loved one in her heart.
The rampaging heat and cold violently exploded.
Raising sounds, colliding from left and right, raising each other’s tusks and mutually biting each other──
At last, they completely extinguished.
Right in front of Shizuno.
After the sweltering heat and the blizzard and the raging roaring sounds went away,
– Tsk.
Charles’s grand click of the tongue resounded in the lobby.
– Be a bit scared.
He spat out, not looking amused.
Once again, this was just a threat.
Charles’s control in terms of aim and power control was flawless, that was why Shizuno didn’t even get a hair damaged, and the heat and cold disappeared like magic.
In fact, Shizuno, who escaped death, was shuddering like her heart was about to explode.
Her face, which looked like her own Noh mask, was nothing but helpful in cases like this.
– Say. Why didn’t you run away?
– … I can’t shamelessly retreat without listening to your reply.
– Stupid and straight person. Are you saying you’re not afraid of dying?
– Compared to my fear of losing Moroha, it is 100 million times better.
– Ludicrous. You’re so in love with that man.
Charles closed his eyes, his face still surly.
He restlessly hit the table with his right hand and started tapping his foot with crossed legs.
He appeared to be meditating something.
Shizuno had no choice but to watch attentively.
But she waited and Charles said nothing.
She only heard the sound of the table being hit and the tapping of his foot getting stronger.
She had heard he was an extremely impatient man, but he took incredibly long to considerate.
– Why don’t you stop being stubborn already, Charles-sama?
Suddenly, she heard the voice of a woman.
Her words were admirable as if she had guessed the mood of their owner, but her tone of voice was quite blunt though.
When she noticed, one of the back doors was opened and a beautiful woman with curly and beige hair suddenly turned up.
– Chloe? Who tell you it was okay to come out?
Charles fixedly stared at her.
– Now, now, why don’t you take a break?
The beautiful woman called Chloe appeared to not be able to endure it at all and came to the lobby with a coffee cup placed on a tray.
She was friendly, but she put the cup in front of Charles with a gallant manner of using her hands.
Charles was disappointed, but snorted, picked up the cup and sipped his coffee.
– How about the young lady that is with you here?
– … I’m okay. … I appreciate the sentiment.
Shizuno feebly shook her head at the unexpected invitation.
Honestly, this was the boldest she could be.
Charles got scared and withdrew.
Chloe smiled cheerfully and said in a way without showing she cared about Shizuno’s refusal.
– Moments ago, you asked why Charles-sama was waiting for you, yes? For the past week, Charles-sama couldn’t apologize to you all but he wanted to apologize, so he has been distressed about it. Because you came to visit us, he went to greet you with great joy.
– *Spew*.
Charles spewed coffee all of a sudden.
For some reason, Shizuno was surprised.
While she was dumbfounded,
– Chloe! This chitchat is!
Charles, whose top quality suit was stained with coffee, changed his facial expression and yelled at the beautiful woman.
But Chloe simply played the fool and shrugged her shoulders, she felt no guilt.
Her attitude in front of the leader of a magic association.
Was she a very bold woman? Or was there a relationship of mutual trust between them that Shizuno couldn’t understand?
– Is… that so?
Shizuno timidly confirmed,
– Nonsense! That’s not the case! Have you lost your mind!?
Charles’s face turned bright red and rebuked strongly.
Well, normally, it was highly unlikely that a magician like Charles would pick Shizuno up for a reason like that.
Did he end up being ridiculed by Chloe?
– That is because Charles-sama is truly a bothersome person.
Shizuno, who looked at Chloe smiling as if feigning ignorance, hadn’t the slightest idea.
Greatly choked by the coffee, Charles coughed many times.
– Lass. You said you won’t return until you hear my answer?
He suddenly stood with an annoyed face.
– In that case. I’ll tell you my reply. Whatever you are or do it’s of no concern to me. Your deal and our deal will be settled by us. I’m done here.
He turned back and quickly retired to the back room.
With an impatient and almost fidgety fast walking as expected.
In the end, not even one word of Shizuno struck a chord in his heart…?
Shizuno stared at his back while shaking but Charles didn’t take notice of her anymore.
However, no sooner than he touched the doorknob,
– Chloe. See that lass off. She’s cheeky, but her determination is the only thing I respected. On the honor of『Cradle of the Sun』, treat her politely.
He left those words with her as if spitting out.
The figure of Charles disappeared beyond the door which was closed violently.
For an instant, the lobby fell completely silent. Shizuno could only cast her gaze to the floor.
– See me off, huh? What a bothersome person.
What broke the silence was Chloe’s laughter.
When she noticed, she was pulling out a saber hanging from her waist with sheath and all.
It was a sword of the same design that the magicians of「Cradle of the Sun」affixed to their hips.
Chloe came to Shizuno’s side,
– Your summoned courage paid off, young lady. It is correct that you have relied on Charles-sama.
She gently presented that saber.
Is she telling her to accept it?
Instead of nodding, Chloe winked full of playfulness.
– And the rest is as Charles-sama says. Your beloved one will be taken back with your hands. You are a woman thankful for her good fortune, aren’t you?
Shizuno, who exchanged all sorts of words with Chloe in the elevator and was seen off to the entrance on the first floor, hurriedly walked through the garden and returned to the original road.
She carried the saber in her chest with great care.
About this time, Isurugi and Tanaka arrived near the mansion and the preparation of the《Transportal》was being done.
She wanted to get to where Moroha was fast.
Although she felt hurried, she remained down to earth and ran while feeling anguished.
Suddenly──her smartphone rang.
It was a call from Satsuki.
– Hello? Elena-san told you, didn’t she? Are you ready to sortie?
『That Leshya went arbitrarily! And alone!』
She really acted arbitrarily without consulting.
Shizuno couldn’t help feel surprised.
– Why didn’t you stop her?
『She called me on the phone, I did run quickly, but when I arrived she wasn’t there anymore!』
– She should have been together with the school principal…
『It looks like the school principal gave her permission to go alone!』
– Why… did she…?
Despite being shocked, Shizuno hurried, accelerating her pace.
– Understood. I’ll return as fast as I can. Don’t decide on your own to rush there too, alright, Ranjou-san?
She jumped into the car that was waiting outside the garden and verbosely reminded Satsuki.
She ended the call, and when the car began to move gently, she turned her eyes forward.
She saw through the windshield that the sky was dark.
This not only meant it was already night. Clouds were also emerging.
The stars couldn’t be seen because they were blocked.
Shizuno held the saber tightly once again.
Around the time Isurugi was repelled by Zhixin──
Shizuno, escorted by her older brother’s driver, got off the car at the entrance of a certain garden.
As soon as she put her feet on the asphalt, her body trembled shiveringly.
(It would be great if I were trembling with excitement… but I’m just nervous about this)
She walked as she deprecated herself in her mind.
The quiet garden was within the city, but on the outskirts and far away from Akane Academy.
She plunged forward the 20-storey building raising in the back.
She had to get momentum or else she wouldn’t even know when she would freeze from fear and her feet would end up stop moving.
It was still evening, but the day was completely dark.
Lights were sparsely installed on the road going through the garden, but they were extremely unreliable.
Properly speaking, the building in front of it claimed its presence dazzlingly, lighting all the lights in the windows.
However, and for some reason, most of the lights in the windows weren’t lit, making a huge gravestone aura hang in the air.
Terrifying evil spirits lurked in the darkness, as if waiting and on the alert for──
Without intending to have such hallucination, Shizuno accelerated her pace more and more.
She couldn’t afford to turn back.
She came here to search for the powerful trump card to extricate Moroha.
She had no idea if she would be able to get their cooperation successfully.
No, rather, the possibility was incredibly low. She had no choice but to bet.
And also, put her life on the line.
(Making me have such scary thoughts…. Moroha… Your compensation will be very expensive. We’ll be relaxing and hugging and kissing all day long in my room…. Yes, I won’t let you complain)
She imagined such a thing and forcibly inspired her courage.
She kept walking as she stared at her faltering feet and──
Suddenly, the ground of her path quickly darkened.
(No way…)
Shizuno reflexively looked up at the sky.
It was what she thought.
A man calmly stood three meters above the ground, in the air as if there was nothing there.
Black hair. Black suit. His tie was also black. And he wore black leather gloves.
Only the color of the pupils that glared at Shizuno were blue.
Something displeased him so much that he spat out with an expression as if having swallowed a bitter bug.
– You’re late. Don’t keep me waiting.
Shizuno was unable to reply right away.
She came to meet him of her own accord, but to think they were waiting for her.
Moreover, the French Division Head himself!
Shizuno could do nothing but be overcome with surprise for a short while, without even being clear for her whether she should be honored or that she should feel danger to herself.
The reason was that this 20-storey building with almost no lights turned on was──「Hotel Newcastle」.
Because it was reserved for「Cradle of the Sun」, there were almost on rooms in use in the first place.
Shizuno was lead to the top floor and faced Charles again in the place that became an entrance-cum-lobby in the one-floor suite.
Charles reclined on the chief seat of the sofa laid out in a U-shape like a king.
A monster that still remained unashamedly in the country without listening to the criticism and protests of the Japanese Division and without accepting the fault of interfering in domestic affairs of another country, in other words, an S-Rank that arbitrarily and violently acted in a foreign country.
Shizuno stood stock still without being offered a seat.
She kept a considerable distance from the front of Charles.
This amount of distance between her and the French magician seemed to be for nothing, an unapproachable pressure was there.
Charles glared at Shizuno with a surly face. He got irritated and hit the glass table with his right hand.
She heard that it was amputated by Moroha, but this told her it was completely healed in the last seven days.
The illusion of physical pain and a strong gaze weighed on Shizuno who was alone.
No other person from「Cradle of the Sun」was there, but the countless presences waiting in the back room as if squirming were eerie.
She ended up feeling a strong anxiety because she was by herself.
An audience with “The legitimacy of the Heretic Magician” alone.
When they glared at each other, she was overwhelmed by a strong pressure.
(But because he’s a man like this, he can be the trump card to defeat Lu Zhixin)
An eye for an eye. An S-Rank for an S-Rank.
Shizuno resolved herself and asked a question.
– Why were someone like you waiting for me?
Charles immediately had a displeasured face.
The pressure that glared at her gained strength and Shizuno felt like she would flinch from that.
At the thought of that, Charles changed his facial expression all of a sudden.
With a showy and scornful smile to the point he seemed to be somewhat pompous,
– It’s obvious. You self-interested lot think that Saint-Germain isn’t smart enough to think of something and can’t see through you? It was only a matter of time to rely on me.
He rebuked Shizuno.
– … It seems you know well our predicament and the kind of situation Moroha is at this moment.
– Yes. Zhixin proudly reported to us. He informed us of a very nostalgic name, of the mansion of “the witch of the prison”. He spattered that now that that guy has been driven into a corner, he’s waiting for him to summon that evil spirit-class. What manages that slit-eyed is resentment, but circumstances are circumstances and he can’t ignore them.
The evil spirit-class was the category of the human-type metaphysical whose denomination was determined the other day.
– There’s no way that Moroha is the mastermind, is there?
– … How am I going to know? I may not know what’s inside the mind of the seventh person.
– Do you totally believe in Lu Zhixin’s claim?
– Nonsense. I can’t read other’s intentions, so that’s about the same for that slit-eyed. However, there’s no basis to deny it. I don’t think that the evil spirit-class that unexpectedly and whimsically came uninvited to that place is completely unrelated to the seventh person. It’s annoying, but I have no choice but to keep an eye on the situation and sit down even if I have nothing else to do.
Charles started to shake his legs unconsciously and,
– Hey, lass. Did you just come here to have such a worthless talk? I’m wrong, aren’t I? Tell me quickly. I’m busy.
The rumor appeared to be quite true, he showed impatience.
(Didn’t he just say he has nothing to do?)
As for Shizuno, she wanted to break the ice by easing the tension and talking silly things, but… from the looks of it, she was suddenly driven to the wall.
(But now that he saw through me, I have no choice but to put on airs)
She once again resolved herself.
Took a deep breath and stretched her back more aware of it than usual.
Then bent at the waist very deeply.
– Please help us to extricate Moroha.
She said frankly, matching that person’s personality.
Then bowed her head and motionlessly waited for a reply.
– I refuse. Now get lost.
However, Charles’s reply was also frank and curt.
Like cutting in two with a single stroke.
With a presence worthy of the leader of a magic association, she was rejected.
With her head still bowed, Shizuno grinded her teeth out of vexation.
(This is within my expectations. I’m not going to falter, not yet)
She persuaded herself.
Then raised her head, behaved resolutely and kept talking.
– Why can’t we get you to cooperate?
– On the contrary, I ask. Why do I must do that? Why would I have that obligation?
– It may not be your obligation, but it’s expected to be borrowed.
– Humph. Did I order my subordinates to make an assault on you lot?
– That’s right.
– Nonsense!
Charles opened his eyes wide in anger and waved his right hand horizontally.
Even though it was a momentary event, a trace, a line of magic characters was written.
The bluish-white characters that floated in the air became blazing flames, stretched tongue-like objects, passed right next to Shizuno’s face and burned and scorched the wall behind her.
Shizuno was unable to react or move.
The heated air smoothed down her face thick with smoke, and because of that, she could finally understand what had happened.
An unstoppable and quick work she had never seen.
She was horrified.
From his point of view, it was an intimidation that felt like a mere stroke, but even though it could look like that, it was packed with the dreadfulness of the magician called Charles Saint-Germain.
Only one shot of a power-suppressed 1st Rank Dark Arts made her realize the difference in ranks.
No person could stand a chance against Charles, a Kuroma, with only the reflexes of an ordinary person.
– Did you hear me well? I haven’t think of borrowing you anything, and I happen to not have on hand the will to apologize to you in the slightest bit either.
In the middle of the smelling burnt hanging in the air.
Charles said straight out with a violent tone of voice as if raging fire.
– Or is there something else? Do you feel like forgiving me if I verbally apologize? If I help you to extricate Moroha, will you be able to forgive and forget? That’s not how things really work, huh? This is a waste of time. And I hate things that are a waste.
Charles brazenly sat upright.
What’s with that arrogant attitude?
But it ended up being overlooked.
He possessed the real ability to make her say nothing and let it pass.
– If you’re going to resent me, then resent me. I don’t feel the hatred that is directed at me now or the pain and itching even if they are multiplied by 10 or 100.
This was the ringleader of the French Division detested as「extremists」.
This was PSG.
Shizuno knew the degree of difficulty of the other person she ought to persuade by herself again.
She had heard that Moroha didn’t give a single step back when fighting or quarreling with this man, and at the end, he defeated him. How admirable, rather, as one would expect.
(But Moroha is in trouble now. I have no choice but to do it…)
Because she was a king-advisor witch of the realm of the dead.
Shizuno firmly pressed her feet on the floor, fiercely encouraged her seemingly trembling legs and stared back at him, putting strength into her eyes.
– Then I’ll correct myself──
– How insistent. A woman who likes waste. I can’t understand it.
– I’m not saying it’s simple. Please, help us out.
– Ha!
Charles wasn’t able to hold back his laughter.
– Hahaha! Hahahahahah. Hahahahahahahaha! You’re a masterpiece.
He put his right hand on his forehead, bent the spine and laughed his head off as if being unable to bear it.
– Say. If I assist you, how are you going to compensate me? With money? Honor? Status? You fool! I already have more than I can possibly use.
Shizuno’s earlobes were teased by the uninterrupted scorn of Charles.
If she endured it in silence, it would be just as the other person expected.
So she readied herself and tried to brush her hair upward gloomily.
As if driving Charles’s scorn away, just like a household fly.
A showy gesture.
Did this rude behavior in front of him get on his nerves?──The laughter of Charles stopped.
He showed displeasure on his face, made sure to bend his body and rested his chin in one of his hands on the low table.
He closed his eyes partly, and instead of squashing them until now, he turned a penetrating-like sharp glance at her.
That look that felt as if it were appraising her was fanned by another type of eeriness and fear.
– Are you sure? Are you sure that you can present a compensation that will satisfy me?
Here──
For the first time, she didn’t fail to notice the moment when Charles was proactive.
– You will not go to such a terrible place on a whim or to show off.
Shizuno threw out her chest and put on a bold front. She pretended to be full of confidence.
On the inside, she was panicking.
– Try saying it.
Charles ordered with scary and serious eyes and a provocative tone of voice.
Shizuno stealthily swallowed saliva, put her hand on her chest and replied.
– As for the compensation──you can borrow Haimura Moroha once.
If Charles challenged her, her strong spirit would challenge him back.
Yes, the important thing was momentum.
If she stopped once, she would freeze again and wouldn’t be able to move.
If she stopped speaking once, her caustic words and what-not would run out.
– Wha…
Charles was startled, he opened his eyes wide; Shizuno pressed for an answer──the moment he was lost for words.
– This is exactly what you said before. No matter what you do to apologize, Moroha will not forgive you, right? But that’s that. And this is this. If you help us out, I think that Moroha will certainly let you borrow him. Moroha is a man with a deep loyalty. He’s not the type of man who would carelessly say『Don’t think you’ll borrow me』.
She went down on her knees, put her hands on the ground and bowed her head to the king of a foreign country.
She accorded him every courtesy as the person who begged for help, however, her tone of voice was provocative.
As if asking for her looks.
– You can demand gratitude to that Haimura Moroha, so what would the insufficiency be? Rather, this happens only once in a thousand years, so please don’t let it pass.
Shizuno said without stopping.
She stated definitely.
And waited for PSG’s verdict with her head still bowed.
Her breathing was heavy.
It was so disturbed she couldn’t hide it.
Despite she merely talked around that much, this was a proof she was extremely nervous.
Moreover, now that she spoke sharply, it got scarier.
She couldn’t raise her face. She wasn’t able to see Charles.
– Shut up…
The subdued and angry voice of Charles hit Shizuno’s earlobes.
– Shut up…. Why should I be glad to demand gratitude from the seventh person…? Treating you with contempt isn’t going too far…. I said it before, didn’t I? I went to scout that man only as an excuse to fulfill the prophecy! I really didn’t want that man’s power…. Lass, you’re misunderstanding things here! That’s not a negotiation card at all!
As soon as he said so, he raised hell as if having caught fire.
He got angry, raged and roared.
Having lost to that angry roar, Shizuno talked back to not be washed away.
– If that’s the case, shouldn’t you laugh it off? Why are you getting so angry at it?
– Lass!!
Charles’s mana blew violently together with the scream.
Shizuno instinctively threw her face up. And she saw.
The ten fingers of Charles waving like a pianist’s and a total of ten one-line phrases put into written form in an instant.
The enormous mana of the S-Rank was accurately controlled, converging as 10 Dark Arts.
The five of the right wing became burst of flames,
And the five of the left wing became blizzard.
– I will get you to pay──a compensation for your impoliteness and repeated insolence!
Atrocious heat and cold bared its fangs, doing a pincer attack on Shizuno, trampling her down and swooping down on her.
But Shizuno didn’t move.
It wasn’t that she couldn’t move.
Did he purposely do it slowly? Or perhaps the number of processes increased? She now could actually see the spelling of Charles, she received the attack while still being kneeled on purpose.
(Moroha…!)
As she simply recited the name of her loved one in her heart.
The rampaging heat and cold violently exploded.
Raising sounds, colliding from left and right, raising each other’s tusks and mutually biting each other──
At last, they completely extinguished.
Right in front of Shizuno.
After the sweltering heat and the blizzard and the raging roaring sounds went away,
– Tsk.
Charles’s grand click of the tongue resounded in the lobby.
– Be a bit scared.
He spat out, not looking amused.
Once again, this was just a threat.
Charles’s control in terms of aim and power control was flawless, that was why Shizuno didn’t even get a hair damaged, and the heat and cold disappeared like magic.
In fact, Shizuno, who escaped death, was shuddering like her heart was about to explode.
Her face, which looked like her own Noh mask, was nothing but helpful in cases like this.
– Say. Why didn’t you run away?
– … I can’t shamelessly retreat without listening to your reply.
– Stupid and straight person. Are you saying you’re not afraid of dying?
– Compared to my fear of losing Moroha, it is 100 million times better.
– Ludicrous. You’re so in love with that man.
Charles closed his eyes, his face still surly.
He restlessly hit the table with his right hand and started tapping his foot with crossed legs.
He appeared to be meditating something.
Shizuno had no choice but to watch attentively.
But she waited and Charles said nothing.
She only heard the sound of the table being hit and the tapping of his foot getting stronger.
She had heard he was an extremely impatient man, but he took incredibly long to considerate.
– Why don’t you stop being stubborn already, Charles-sama?
Suddenly, she heard the voice of a woman.
Her words were admirable as if she had guessed the mood of their owner, but her tone of voice was quite blunt though.
When she noticed, one of the back doors was opened and a beautiful woman with curly and beige hair suddenly turned up.
– Chloe? Who tell you it was okay to come out?
Charles fixedly stared at her.
– Now, now, why don’t you take a break?
The beautiful woman called Chloe appeared to not be able to endure it at all and came to the lobby with a coffee cup placed on a tray.
She was friendly, but she put the cup in front of Charles with a gallant manner of using her hands.
Charles was disappointed, but snorted, picked up the cup and sipped his coffee.
– How about the young lady that is with you here?
– … I’m okay. … I appreciate the sentiment.
Shizuno feebly shook her head at the unexpected invitation.
Honestly, this was the boldest she could be.
Charles got scared and withdrew.
Chloe smiled cheerfully and said in a way without showing she cared about Shizuno’s refusal.
– Moments ago, you asked why Charles-sama was waiting for you, yes? For the past week, Charles-sama couldn’t apologize to you all but he wanted to apologize, so he has been distressed about it. Because you came to visit us, he went to greet you with great joy.
– *Spew*.
Charles spewed coffee all of a sudden.
For some reason, Shizuno was surprised.
While she was dumbfounded,
– Chloe! This chitchat is!
Charles, whose top quality suit was stained with coffee, changed his facial expression and yelled at the beautiful woman.
But Chloe simply played the fool and shrugged her shoulders, she felt no guilt.
Her attitude in front of the leader of a magic association.
Was she a very bold woman? Or was there a relationship of mutual trust between them that Shizuno couldn’t understand?
– Is… that so?
Shizuno timidly confirmed,
– Nonsense! That’s not the case! Have you lost your mind!?
Charles’s face turned bright red and rebuked strongly.
Well, normally, it was highly unlikely that a magician like Charles would pick Shizuno up for a reason like that.
Did he end up being ridiculed by Chloe?
– That is because Charles-sama is truly a bothersome person.
Shizuno, who looked at Chloe smiling as if feigning ignorance, hadn’t the slightest idea.
Greatly choked by the coffee, Charles coughed many times.
– Lass. You said you won’t return until you hear my answer?
He suddenly stood with an annoyed face.
– In that case. I’ll tell you my reply. Whatever you are or do it’s of no concern to me. Your deal and our deal will be settled by us. I’m done here.
He turned back and quickly retired to the back room.
With an impatient and almost fidgety fast walking as expected.
In the end, not even one word of Shizuno struck a chord in his heart…?
Shizuno stared at his back while shaking but Charles didn’t take notice of her anymore.
However, no sooner than he touched the doorknob,
– Chloe. See that lass off. She’s cheeky, but her determination is the only thing I respected. On the honor of『Cradle of the Sun』, treat her politely.
He left those words with her as if spitting out.
The figure of Charles disappeared beyond the door which was closed violently.
For an instant, the lobby fell completely silent. Shizuno could only cast her gaze to the floor.
– See me off, huh? What a bothersome person.
What broke the silence was Chloe’s laughter.
When she noticed, she was pulling out a saber hanging from her waist with sheath and all.
It was a sword of the same design that the magicians of「Cradle of the Sun」affixed to their hips.
Chloe came to Shizuno’s side,
– Your summoned courage paid off, young lady. It is correct that you have relied on Charles-sama.
She gently presented that saber.
Is she telling her to accept it?
Instead of nodding, Chloe winked full of playfulness.
– And the rest is as Charles-sama says. Your beloved one will be taken back with your hands. You are a woman thankful for her good fortune, aren’t you?
Shizuno, who exchanged all sorts of words with Chloe in the elevator and was seen off to the entrance on the first floor, hurriedly walked through the garden and returned to the original road.
She carried the saber in her chest with great care.
About this time, Isurugi and Tanaka arrived near the mansion and the preparation of the《Transportal》was being done.
She wanted to get to where Moroha was fast.
Although she felt hurried, she remained down to earth and ran while feeling anguished.
Suddenly──her smartphone rang.
It was a call from Satsuki.
– Hello? Elena-san told you, didn’t she? Are you ready to sortie?
『That Leshya went arbitrarily! And alone!』
She really acted arbitrarily without consulting.
Shizuno couldn’t help feel surprised.
– Why didn’t you stop her?
『She called me on the phone, I did run quickly, but when I arrived she wasn’t there anymore!』
– She should have been together with the school principal…
『It looks like the school principal gave her permission to go alone!』
– Why… did she…?
Despite being shocked, Shizuno hurried, accelerating her pace.
– Understood. I’ll return as fast as I can. Don’t decide on your own to rush there too, alright, Ranjou-san?
She jumped into the car that was waiting outside the garden and verbosely reminded Satsuki.
She ended the call, and when the car began to move gently, she turned her eyes forward.
She saw through the windshield that the sky was dark.
This not only meant it was already night. Clouds were also emerging.
The stars couldn’t be seen because they were blocked.
Shizuno held the saber tightly once again.
