Chapter 132

Episode 130: Wandering

On the day of the Territorial War.

Even from the early hours of the morning, each faction had begun their activities.

Among them, Mikage Academy’s Student Council had already been active since before dawn.

As representatives for the dissolution of Kisou Academy, they had received support from other schools and many companies; this battle was one they absolutely had to win.

“Victory must be made even more certain. …Is that your reason, Rinka?”

In the Student Council room, while preparing a cup of coffee to wake himself up, Yukihira said this.

Behind him, Rinka was gazing at him.

“The attack on Mihaya feels too off to attribute to Kisou Academy. It seems we’re being guided to think this way naturally.”

“Hmm, if you say so, then it probably is,”

Yukihira did not refute Rinka’s words.

If she felt something was amiss while within the Silver Twilight, then he should trust her instincts.

“To tell the truth, I also thought something was odd. Kisou Academy may be a crude academy, but there’s her at the top. As long as she’s there, they wouldn’t take any risky actions prior to the Territorial War.”

Yukihira added plenty of cube sugar to his brewed coffee and poured in some milk.

Then, he drank it all down with apparent satisfaction.

“You’ll go anyway, even if I try to stop you — to the main base of the Silver Twilight, won’t you?”

“…Have you seen the future?”

“I have. And I tried to stop it. But it’s futile. You are stubborn after all.”

Yukihira chuckled with a look of exasperation.

“This matter definitely involves the Silver Twilight. Their methods are familiar. That person doesn’t like to get their hands dirty themselves.”

“It’s too late to stop now. But what about Tourak?”

“What do you mean by ‘what’?”

Rinka tilted her head.

But seeing that, Yukihira snorted through his nose, saying “You know perfectly well.”

“The current him…he’s unstable. With Mihaya gone, someone needs to be by his side.”

“…I’ll return before the Territorial War.”

“Can you promise that?”

“Yes.”

Her eyes were filled with strong determination.

They were different from when Rinka used to be part of the Silver Twilight.

She no longer treated herself merely as a tool but acted to survive as an individual human being.

“Good eyes. Precisely because of that, it would be a pity to lose them.”

Yukihira said this, then took out a gemstone from the extended domain and tossed it to Rinka.

“…What is this?”

“Isn’t it beautiful? One of the relics I possess. It can twist the cause and effect of death once.”

The blue gem rested in her hand.

If Yukihira’s words were true, it meant that it could help evade a destined death once.

“You’re giving this…to me!?”

“Yeah. Because you need it more than I do.”

Yukihira smiled, sat down on the chair, and put on his eye mask.

“I’m going to take a nap now. Feel free to go wherever during this time. But…make sure to come back properly.”

“…Yes. Definitely.”

Rinka nodded strongly, bowed, and then hurriedly left.

After some time had passed—

“…Oh, I heard from Rinka that you’re usually in the training grounds.”

While still wearing his eye mask, Yukihira spoke.

Behind him stood Tourak, unusually quiet and cold.

With a face resembling a ghost’s, Tourak said,

“Please allow me to join the first team.”

“Hmm…”

Yukihira showed signs of hesitation, tapping his temple a few times.

Then, he rotated his chair and spoke with his eye mask still on.

“That’s impossible.”

“Why not?”

“It’s meaningless. You are one of our trump cards for this Territorial War, just like me. If we place you in the first assault team, the defensive line will collapse. Given that the opponent has an S Rank member, we’d prefer to avoid that.”

A logically sound statement.

This time, Tourak and Yukihira’s roles were to delay Rokuhara, the S Rank member of Kisou Academy.

Since Mizuki was taking on the offensive role, having both of them focus on defense was optimal.

However, Tourak didn’t seem willing to back down upon hearing this.

“There’s no problem. I’ll cut down everything at the front lines.”

“Are you able to do that right now?”

“…Not yet. But I will surely be able to use Star Slash by the time the Territorial War begins.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about though.”

Yukihira leaned his cheek on his hand resting on the table.

At the sight, Tourak opened his mouth irritably, the moment Yukihira whispered, “Let’s do this instead.”

“In short, all you need to do is demonstrate your strength. Give me the basis for why you can defeat all the students of Kisou Academy at the front line.”

“…I don’t have Star Slash right now.”

“So—just hit me with an attack. Just one move, and if it reaches me, I’ll let you do as you please.”

Yukihira pointed at his own neck.

“If you’re about to obtain Star Slash soon, hitting me here should be easy enough. Right? After all, no matter how high-quality a weapon is, it’s useless without skilled hands to wield it.”

“I understand…then let’s begin.”

Tourak, who normally wouldn’t accept such a proposal, swallowed it this time.

Summoning a rugged sword from his Dive Gear,

“Lutra isn’t necessary?”

“No, it’s not needed. Causing serious injuries to the Student Council President would be troublesome.”

“You talk a lot.”

Smirking lightly, Yukihira watched as Tourak took a stance for a quick-draw technique.

His specialty—a single lethal strike.

It was the foundation of the deadly swordsmanship passed down by the Gattou family.

“Whenever you’re ready.”

“Understood.”

Leaning his cheek on his hand, still wearing his eye mask, Yukihira smiled.

In contrast, Tourak exuded an almost murderous aura.

“—!”

The sword was drawn.

The enhanced physical abilities of a Demons Gear contractor far surpassed those of ordinary people.

Combined with techniques refined over long periods of history, it created an astonishing speed.

The blade was unleashed toward Yukihira.

Yet, Yukihira remained unchanged, wearing his eye mask, yawned, and muttered—

“Oh dear.”

He tilted his head.

At that moment, the window behind Yukihira shattered, and something flew in.

“!??”

Reacting instinctively, Tourak swung his blade at the incoming object.

It was his habit due to often using quick-draw techniques as counters.

A faint sound of something being cut echoed in the Student Council room.

“…What was that?”

Picking up the neatly bisected object, Tourak tilted his head.

It was a bullet used for sniping.

“Oh, it seems like I’ve been saved by Tourak-kun. Thanks a bunch!”

Yukihira said this with a light tone.

Standing up, he threw a summoned knife toward the broken glass outside.

“Phew.”

Yukihira leaned back deeply into his chair again.

Whether or not the knife hit its target, or even what it was aimed at, he showed no concern.

Stretching casually, Yukihira seemed quite relaxed, as if about to fall asleep anytime soon.

“I’m the Student Council President, so every now and then, I end up getting targeted for assassination. Fortunately, I’ve managed to survive each time.”

His voice lacked any sense of tension despite narrowly escaping death.

“And so…though I appreciate the help, a promise is a promise. Since you failed to land a hit, right?”

“Such…that just now…”

“—So, you make excuses even on the battlefield?”

Wearing his eye mask, Yukihira said this.

Yet, there was a certain weight in his words somewhere.

“Distractions, things not going according to plan, the opponent playing dirty—it doesn’t matter. You shouldn’t demand sincerity from your enemies either.”

“…Even so, I…”

“It’s fine. Even if you don’t understand now, you’ll learn later. Leave the difficult tasks to your seniors. For now, why don’t you visit Mihaya?”

With that, Yukihira turned his chair around as a gesture indicating he was done speaking, and began loudly pretending to snore.

“…Thank you very much.”

To this sight, Tourak gave a formal bow and left.

“Really, the freshmen this year are too responsible for their own good.”

Yukihira’s words echoed emptily in the room.

■

Good morning!

I’m everyone’s Mysterious Beautiful Girl, Solciera!

Though I’m super sleepy, I’ll do my best as a Mysterious Beautiful Girl!

It’s still dark outside, practically night, and I’m stifling yawns while trying to maintain my mysterious vibe as a Mysterious Beautiful Girl.

‘Sleepy Solciera’s chibi illustration fits perfectly for loading screens.’

What kind of signal are you picking up?

Find the angel quickly!

My act as a Mysterious Beautiful Girl is reaching its limit!

“Should be around here, right?”

“Yes.”

Looking down at the street from the rooftop of Kisou Academy’s building, I responded mysteriously to Clam’s words.

Unbeknownst to anyone, I’m currently in the middle of pretending to be Solciera killing angels.

The cool image of a beautiful girl slaying the noble existence known as an angel.

Normally, I’d be excited, but not today.

Previously, I irresponsibly said I’d invite angels before killing them ♥, so Clam came along with me.

Rather, Clam followed me.

Ever since the Trans Anchor incident yesterday, Clam’s sense of distance has been off.

“So, how do you plan to kill the angel?”

“Fufu, no need to rush. Everything happens according to the stars’ wishes.”

I coolly smiled and patted Clam’s head.

Meanwhile, Star Reader’s Staff was working hard for us.

“Where is the angel…? This is where Eina comes in handy…”

While complaining, Star Reader’s Staff searched desperately within Kisou Academy, while I continued misleading Clam with plausible-sounding statements.

It’s embarrassing for Solciera not to know where the angel is.

…By the way, is the angel really in Kisou Academy?

It’s not in a different location from the original story, is it?

“Still…you didn’t have to follow me. You could have stayed with everyone else and watched the Territorial War.”

“Nope. I’m going with you.”

“Alright.”

Where’s the Hikari x Clam pairing…?

“We have a Hi×Clam fanfic involving Solciera being devoured by them!”

No, seriously, find the angel quickly.

“Milock already has her reasons, so it’s fine. In fact, if I go back alone now, I’d raise suspicion.”

“…I think, given the lack of movement from other academies during the Territorial War, we should conquer the dungeon—right?”

“That’s correct. I’ll just present a random Dungeon Core I hunted during my days as Jouka. Milock will handle the rest, so relax.”

Relaxing is impossible!

Meaning, I have to continue acting as a Mysterious Beautiful Girl while being monitored by Clam.

Irresponsible comments aren’t allowed anymore!

It’s a sudden-death mystery now!

“How to easily locate an angel…”

Don’t rely on the internet!

“So, we didn’t find the angel this time. How was it?”

That’s annoying, stop it!

“What can I do? I’m searching now, but I have no clue where it is! Later, I hope you’ll help me create a ‘Solciera Messed Up’ book!”

Help me work quietly!

The sign of finding an angel in the original story was a crack in the sky.

Angels appear as if splitting the sky.

This is the first debut of angels in the original story, but honestly, their presence only serves to indicate the existence of angels.

Killing them myself would be fine.

Moreover, having a random angel interrupt the important event of Touarak and Rokuhara fighting during the Territorial War ruins the aesthetic.

Since the appearance of the angel coincides with the Territorial War, the Mysterious Beautiful Girl will make adjustments.

Leave historical revisions to me – ^_^

Therefore, I will kill the angel!

I can execute Mysterious Beautiful Girl moves.

Touarak can play the protagonist role during the Territorial War.

This is what they call a win-win situation.

“Found it! Angel detected!”

Seriously!?

Alright, let’s go! Guide me well!

“They should be waking up soon.”

Saying this, I slung a large scythe over my shoulder.

Clam stood beside me, smiling happily.

Beautiful girls’ smiles are cute, aren’t they? ^_^

“Shall we go then?”

“Yep.”

And so, we disappeared from the rooftop.

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