Vol 4 Chapter 1 (1/2)
Chapter 1 - Witch-Hunting Festival
Part 1
On a forest road on the outskirts, under a single glittering street-light, there were two people
One of theic Academy The other one's identity couldn't be determined because of the darkness
”I finally got you cornered, Mephistopheles!”
The boy standing under the flashi+ng street-light released a murderous intent towards the other one
Probably because of the intense flashi+ng light, the identity of the other existence standing there was unclear
It was even unknohether it was a man, or a wo the other person was s
”You can only laugh now I'll take revenge and destroy you right now”
The boy approached the eneun
But the figure still had a big smile As the fluorescent lamp flashed, it moved its lips
”——Revenge? What are you saying? Aren't we best friends, you and I”
As if the intensity of sound was ht sky
Wrinkles appeared between the boy's eyebrows Strength was applied to the boy's fingertip placed on the trigger
He won't miss At this distance, he will definitely pierce its heart
The boy clenched his teeth and released the bullet
The bullet shot by the boy flew straight, and hit the figure slightly to the left of its chest; a direct hit to the heart
The figure staggered, and its knees folded as if it was a broken doll, it fell on its stomach after that
After approaching it, the boy turned the corpse over with his feet
At the same tiht fro street lamp
The boy's face was distorted with grief
” damn it!”
It was the corpse of a person as this boy's best friend, hoh both joys and sorrow
”I took revenge for you so sleep in peace”
Atte to close his eyes, the boy touched his eyelids
That's when he noticed it was a rabbed the boy's arm
”Wha——t?!”
Even before the boy could react in surprise, the corpse rose up
Right in front of the boy's eyes was the face of his best friend, causing him to pull his face away
”WhaaATt a shAAmEEee!”
”your heart should be destroyed!”
”Ahya! Ahyahyahyahyahya!”
The corpse thrashed and waved violentlyloud noises
After a few seconds, from the left side of his chest; full of holes, ca the heart was still working
”Did you ans positions?!”
”The heart's on the righttt, I had to use precious instant charerous”
Quickly realizing that the situation was coainst his enemy's forehead
”Iii——giiiiiiiiiiiiIIII!”
Next moment——it was the boy who screamed
His hout the dark forest road
At the same time, the corpse held the boy's arround
The fluorescent light's blinking became more intense, the inside of the boy's head started to lose its way
”Hiihiiiin-no no get out d-don't enter my h-head d-don't enter it!!”
The Boy's tonguehim to articulate
”I beg you! Stop it!!”
His cheeks were spas
”No——impossible——wait a moment——stopp——”
His tone of voice changed Against the boy's will, his ed
Tears spilled out from his eyelids, as if it was the boy's soul itself
”Help——I can't——i your best, is it painful?”
With words that felt like a death sentence released from his mouth, the boy cried
”NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! ——Gyahaha!—— I don't want to disapeaaaaaaaaaaarrrr!——Gyahahahahaha! ——Uwaaaaaa! ——Gyahahahahahahahaha! Mother——Gyahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!”
His cries of agony were drowned out and laughter took over
The boy'san arc like the half-hed
The fluorescent light disappeared cohter continued even in the darkness, at sohter suddenly stopped
He raised his body froround, and removed the sand which was stuck to his body His behaviour looked natural, but it was different from before
On his mouth, a smile reminiscent of a crescent moon remained
”I wonder why humans call out for their mothers when they about to die”
He grit his teeth with disdain His gestures were like that of a devil, as if so else resided in his body
That's when the expression disappeared froetation in the darkness
In the darkness, there was a hu the darkness, a beautiful woround, and she was suspended in the air
”ohh? Why are you in a place like this?”
The so that had entered the boy, called out to the woman
She closed her eyes deeply, anda sound
After the woman advanced forward, the leaves were blown in by the wind as if forround were blown into the air and changed into lush green leaves
The scene made it seem as if the woman imparted life onto the dead leaves
That appearance see called a saint, it harbored incredible sanctity within
When the woman reached 'that' she raised her face
”Long time no see Mephistopheles”
With a voice so clear and serene it was spine-chilling, the woman called 'it'
The thing called Mephistopheles squinted for just a moment
”What do the people froht-see how I have my meal, I'll have you pay a fee Mother Goose”
”Kuhihi” Mephisto laughed merrily
The wo beside hiedy that happened in this place, and opened her eyes wide
Beautiful ruby-coloured eyes glared at Mephisto
”how filthy Even though I austed by you”
”Instead of judging ive me the reason for your visit already”
Uncaring, Mephisto asked a question Mother Goose ied the topic
”Both the Hero's assault and prevention of infore from Nikaido Mari failed”
”Yeah, I know Who do you think I am”
”I'll be frank This failure is not just Haunted's, but you are responsible for it as well”
Her voice was gentle, but theof her words directly scolded him
”Originally, it was arranged that you and Haunted prepare a strategy together You were to create a disturbance, and Haunted was to assault that's how it should have been”
”Oh, is that so”
”If you worked together it wouldn't have ended like that”
Hearing Mother Goose's voice, the vegetation that surrounded her started to move and rustle
Mephisto understood the characteristics of Mother Goose, so when he saw the buzzing of trees, he knew she was incredibly upset
”there's no way I can ith that ht is similar, but we ourselves are way too different That usted by that man”
”Even so, that's not a reason to not contact headquarters and to disappear without a trace My mission is to locate you, and to take you back to headquarters Even if I have to use force to do that, it doesn'tyour mission”
The trees rustled again, but Mephisto was still unfazed
”Abandoned the mission?”
As the trees around were treue between his lips
”My work is ongoing without any problems”
”what do you mean?”
”Releasing everyone froht?”
The two's line of sight met
The fluorescent la Mephisto's face was no longer visible as the shadoas dropped, and her figure was no longer visible It was unclear noho it was
”If you let me do as I please, I will crush Inquisition with my oo hands Then you will be able to release witches that are trapped in there”
””
”I too, want to get back my body that's stored in there Our interests are the saive up”
Hearing no pretence in these words, Mother Goose started to think
”I'll show you the way the one called DevilMephisto fights”
The witch called Mephistopheles, her existence itself was very vague
Therefore, it was not registered as a specific risk in Inquisition's records Just a ruendary witch known to no one
DevilMephisto Not even she herself, knew her own identity
Part 2
Healer'sSeelie's hospital as surrounded by white walls Probably because of the acrid smell of chemicals, but Takeru didn't like this place
Takeru walked through the white corridor while slightly nervous
Since they were on ca his uniform He held a bouquet of flowers in his hands
”306 306 oh”
After counting the rooms in the third hospital ward, he found his destination
The roo the tournament attack, it here Yoshi+mizu Akira's clone was hospitalized Almost a month passed since then, but Akira didn't wake up yet
He heard a clone's body eaker than a normal one, but Takeru didn't know about the details
I wonder if Kyouya will come today as well
Just when he was about to knock on the room's door, he stopped for a moment
According to what the HealerSeelie at reception desk told him, Kyouya visited Akira's hospital room every day and looked at her until the day was over When he ca around Akira like that as well Kyouya's belly was pierced by Haunted and he was trapped under a fallen tower after which he lost both of his legs
Despite a heart-rending feeling e him, Takeru knocked on the hospital room's door
The ere open for ventilation, and the razed his cheek
A si changed compared to when he came before
”eh?”
However, Akira was not there There was no life-supportingthere
Kyouya wasn't there It had completely turned into an empty room
I wonder if her hospital rooed? Because he heard her condition settled down as co to visit, but see was bad
That's when there was an announce from a wristwatch-type device to all students
When he pressed a button on the se eht his eyes closer in wonder, and there was,
【”It's an e festival executive co festival』 will be held During the first period, there will be a student ymnasium at that time”】
”witch-hunting festival?”
Takeru tilted his head puzzled
『Witch-Hunting festival』 is an festival that used to be held in old Denmark, where people burned a scarecrow that was to resehastly event Because witches used to be ras that acted like evil-warding a
It was currently the winter solstice, since the original one was perforic Academy only borrowed the name
Its contents could be easily described as of a normal festival that could be held anywhere
”——Everyone, I'm sorry to call you out so suddenly! This ti festival which has been abolished for a long time will be carried out this year! It's a traditional event made for students, I want everyone to be pleased with it!”
Making a refreshi+ng declaration fro festival executive chairman, Tenmyouji Reima
Blond hair and blue eyes, refined features A good young irls
”Of course, there is a reason for it to be resueted by witches, everyone should be aware of that fact already The press has already pointed out Inquisition's lack of a sense of crisis There have been calling for amender recently However, I do not harbor any doubts about the way this school is functioning I think it's only thanks to the senses honed through actual fighting that people are able to become inquisitors”
Reiathered students
”Everyone probably thinks the same It's unbearable to have our efforts denied That's why I thought we should restore the event now This traditional event used to be loved by this city's residents In other words, ue in the world that's shallow thinking, I know, I don't h”
Reiirls to raise their voices excited
”For exaht How about it, everyone? Will you cooperate?”
Supporting his refreshi+ng declaration, the female students cheered
The reaction of the other students was not the best It wasn't really caused by the fact that they were jealous of girls cheering on Reiht of the school festival as of a silly sideshow
There were no points to earn like there was during the mock battle tournament, so it was obvious they won't be motivated In the first place, the event was abolished three years prior because there was not enough students participating Half of the students crowded in gymnasium had bitter expressions on their faces
”Witch-Hunting festival that's one unpleasant sounding name”
Said Mari as standing on Takeru's right, just beside him
Ikaruga as on Takeru's left suddenly looked towards Mari whileon a mint candy
”Essentially, it's just a festival It's no different from a festival in a normal school”
”Is that so? If you say it's a sih, I never experienced one”
Mari said that with a somewhat excited look on her face
Takeru looked at Mari's expression it changed as she calain
”Isn't it rare for the student council to organize an event? Nor the Student Council President or Chairman would plan?”
Ikaruga wondered as she took out the mint candy from her mouth
”The president was too busy with the case of the raid on Alche the Witch HuntersDullahans around And the Student Council President Kusanagi should know already, right? That one would have definitely said so like a school festival is a pain in the ass”
”I guess But still, to think our school had a Witch-Hunting Festival executive couy who's on the stage”
”If I', he's a student who came from the school's branch school last month They say he was student council president over there, heFestival to raise his appeal He has a despicable face, but doesn't he do more than the student council president?”
Being told that, Takeru who knew the personality of the current student council president smiled wryly
AntiMagic Acadeare A second year An incredibly short girl with fiery red hair, carefree personality, a neglective sloppy and a weirdo like the three of them
She's been always narrowing her eyes nonchalantly and since she spoke to other students hatefully, for soet ood person, but even from the unreliable Takeru's point of view she seemed unreliable, he didn't knohy she was elected as the student council president
However, some people referred to her as 『Little Chairman』, she was an existence feared by quite a few people Takeru didn't knowher
Rehed and played with her hair
”I'ood with her, I never knohat that type of person thinks”
”What's up with that, aversion for the same type?”
Mari said that with a half-smile
”Everyone standing at the top of this school is rotten From what I hear, that student council president person feels unreliable but well, if it were so If a certain humble someone were to become the student council president, the school would have become extremely formal like the japanese army before world war II〜”
After Mari said that, Ouka who stood on her right responded with a hit on Mari's solar plexus
obbuu, Mari raised a pitiful scream and crouched
”Who's stiff”
”t-thatretort was too tough”
”It wasn't on purpose Just a habit Whenever I attack I aim for vital points”
”Didn't you clearly say 'attack' now?! Don't aim for vital points! In the first place, don't attack people!”
”Shut up I said already that it wasn't on purpose Also, it's your fault for having a solar plexus in such a place”
”Over a million people have their solar plexus in the same place!!”
Like usual, the two started to (intensely) batter at each other, Takeru tried to appease them
So like an anis as well Of course the relatively quiet Small Fry Platoon was drowned in screa because of Reima
”What whaat, the only ones who are enthusiastic are first year girls? Well, I can understand your loss and gain philosophy That's why! There are good news for those of you ant points For this Witch-Hunting Festival there's a new idea which be a great new addition to it”
While everyone corinned
Suddenly interested in the unexpected development all the students raised their faces
Reima triumphantly pointed at the students and said in a loud voice
”Make money! And if you donate that et what you desire!”
The gymnasium reverberated with cheers from the students
After re the microphone from the stand Reima started to explain the new system
A special syste to host an event, during which they will be earning special currency from the visitors who coathers, the et for the test platoon system
The value of the special currency is equivalent to that of normaltheir own e for points And it's i it at the clearing house
The exchange ratio is one point for a thousand of the currency Fractions of that amount are not added to the points In simpler terical Heritage
Of course, for veterans who already reached the pro the last six months, in consideration for thee the special currency for normal money
The expenses are covered by the school However preparation and sales are all to be done by students on their own
”——There are no other rules! You can do anything as long as its not against the law! Enjoy yourselves! And obtain points! There will be no other event like this!”
Reima motivated the students
Everyone was silenced, and not a single person was acting noisily now
Just, there was an eerie fighting spirit, and their eyes were glowing like that of a leopard's at night, displaying their motivation
So to speak, it was a very typical reaction for the students of this school Getting points without platoon activities? Investigation and co money?
———It's a Godsend!
As everyone quietly readied thea shook her head and said
”Good grief That's refreshi+ngly snobbish As expected of a school system based on missions They won't bite if there's no bait”
”But this way it's gotten uys results are in last place so you can use this opportunity to earn points I'll help you out too〜”
Mari said that and winked, but Ouka as beside her had an unconvinced expression on her face
”you're useless when you cannot use ic”