Vol 1 Chapter 2 (2/2)

But that thing was still there

On the opposite side of the shadow, so that could be called an altar had been erected, and so had been put to rest there, and there it lay silently

The first thought that ca

If you cut open a body vertically and emptied the insides, then this should be what it would look like, right?

What was on the altar was a body that had its insides removed

You couldn’t call it just skin because it still had plenty of flesh attached—

And tt was too e it a decidedly warped existence

From the clothes and the body size, as well as the skin and limbs, he knew all too hose corpse this was

This was

“Nadeshi+ko…!”

What was in front of hi that was once his sister

Unable to bear it, a cry of anguish and despair burst forth from Raishi+n’s throat

In response, the older brother silently looked down upon the younger with nothing but an icy gaze of steel

(5)

Raishi+n wondered if he had been noticed or not

The male student with the silver lance in his direction

There were two people— or rather, two bodies following him

Adorned with frills and lace, they were clad in beautiful dresses The dresses had a kinky aesthetic to theue with the late nineteenth century trends, their scent was that of death and decadence Both girls were breathtakingly beautiful, but also clearly unworldly

Glancing between the outside scenery and Raishi+n’s hard gaze, Charl spoke in a surprised voice

“That’s the Magnus, isn’t it? What, are you going to target him this time?”

“Yaya”

“Yes”

Raishi+n and Yaya stood up Charl also rose to her feet with a start

“Wait… Are you serious!? Hold on a second!”

She grabbed on to Raishi+n’s arm— and flinched

Raishi+n’s eyes had a brutal glint in theh courage to issue hi

“I won’t say anything bad Just give up on hiainst”

“Definitely?”

“Yes He’s head and shoulders above everyone in tery His coeneration, and since he’s started at this acadeenius A one-man force who uses six automata simultaneously At this point in time, he’s considered the closest person to the Wiseman— hey, Raishi+n!”

He didn’t stay to hear the end Raishi+n was already starting to walk off

“Unfortunately, I’m a hard-headed idiot I need to try for myself before I understand”

With quick feet, he left the table

Bursting out of the cafeteria, he called out to the back of the black coat

“Wait up, you nus?”

The nus stopped

The two female automata stepped in front of him as a protective measure

Upon seeing one of them, a maiden with pink hair, Raishi+n’s face involuntarily twisted into a griht s to come out, and he couldn’t keep his calm composure anymore

That doll’s resemblance was excessively so

“Yo Having your dolls wait upon you as you take a walk? As always, you have the worst hobbies ever”

“… Who are you?”

“Don’t break my heart now I flew all this way from the other side of the world just to meet you”

Although his tone of voice was light, Raishi+n was acutely aware that his core was burning up

If you hated soh Raishi+n was keeping his anger under control, wrath was pouring out from him calmly and quietly

Even if he kept his voice low and killed off his emotions, wrath continued to spill out fro on the streets ca in the cafeteria stopped to stare in their direction, where it looked like a massacre was about to take place

Magnus stared at Raishi+n intently, before finally speaking in a calm voice

“It seems like you have mistaken me for someone else”

“If that’s what you think, so be it However, I just have soive you—“

While talking, Raishi+n lifted his arm, and in that split second,

So happened, but Raishi+n couldn’t comprehend ent on

Like a bouquet of flowers had been thrust towards hirance

The fluffy feel of frill tickled his nose, and his vision was blocked off His hands and feet were in contact with the soft skin of a girl Finally, numerous blades were held at his throat

Exactly like a flower bouquet, Raishi+n was enveloped in a sea of colour that was hair, eyes and dresses

There was so behind him, and someone in front of him There was also someone on his shoulders He didn’t knohere they had appeared froainst his skin

A total of six automata had pounced on Raishi+n at the same time

Where had they appeared from? And when did they appear?

Up till this moment, he hadn’t sensed the presence of the other four units

“Raishi+n!”

Yayadeeper in response With that, Yaya couldn’t do anything, or Raishi+n’s head would roll before she could even act

“… You ladies are so hasty”

With a wry smile, Raishi+n slowly reached for the harness around his waist

“Don’t be so rash Since we have just made each other’s acquaintance, I just wanted to present this token to you as a gift”

Opening a pouch, he removed a small bottle from within

There was so the situation he was in, it wouldn’t be a stretch to iine it was some sort of explosive

“… Stand down”

At Magnus’s command, the dolls withdrew their weapons

The pink haired maiden retrieved the bottle fronus’s

“I thank you for this gift”

With only those words, Magnus and his Squadron departed from the scene

“Raishi+n…! Are you hurt anywhere, Raishi+n…!?”

Crying while running over, Yaya clung on to him

“I’, and yet…!”

“… I finally get it, Yaya”

“Eh…?”

“The only way I can get close to hiht…”

He was covered in cold sweat Now that it over, his knees were tre

His instincts and his very spirit itself were frightened

Charl wasn’t lying earlier The way he was at the moment—

He definitely wouldn’t be able to win

Any surprise attack would be useless Personal attacks would only shorten his lifespan If he wanted to defeat Magnus, doing so under the liht Party would be the most sensible

Nevertheless, he still couldn’t see any way of victory even down that route The reality was if they did engage in battle, it would only last a second

Raishi+n had been training hi battle

He was utilising Yaya’s potential at 120

He had coned to outwit the enemy

With all these, was there even a ten percent chance that he could reach his goal?

(Will I ever reach his level…!?)

The difference in their strength was overwhel off a cliff

He felt the ground beneath his feet turn todown into the earth

Having been forced to realise the difference in power, he felt his willpower draining away But at that moment—

Clap, clap, clap So him

“The rumours are true about you Barely four days into your enrol your teeth at the Marshal”

Turning around, he saw a solitary male student who had a friendly smile on his face

With smooth, beautiful hair, he was a very handsoirl His voice had a distinct and clear quality to it, sounding like a an exceptional stringed instrument

Greeting Raishi+n with a captivating smile,

“Pleased to ht with you, won’t you give me a moment of your time?”

(6)

A the puppeteers, there were those who aimed to become puppet craftsmen

Using and creating were not the sainally it was considered two co structures were co that there were a considerable number of aspects that overlapped with each other

With that in mind, the academy introduced the Machine Technical Vocations course, as well as prepared dedicated facilities for those anted to become puppet craftsmen

The place Magnus was heading to noas the Machine Technical Vocations building

With theafter him in succession, he branched off the main street onto a s, just in front of a grove of trees, he stopped unexpectedly

It was the young professor of the Machine Physics departhness that stood out rather than her beauty She wasn’t wearing her glasses, which she nor a lecture

Reacting to her presence, Magnus’s puppets alter their stances subtly

However, Kian to casually chat with hiht manner

“How did you find Second Last?”

“… What do you mean by that?”

“Isn’t he an interesting fellow? What do you think were his first words when he received his test results? I believe they were ‘what should I do to get into the Night Party?’, if you can believe that “

“The Night Party—“

“Isn’t it laughable?”

“… No If there were to be any upsets, then it will be by his hand”

“Oh? Souy?”

Magnus didn’t reply He could guess Kimberly’s intentions, and it discomforted him

“Well let’s leave it at that — What’s that?”

Unfolding her crossed arnus’s hand

It was the small bottle filled with powder that he had received from Raishi+n just earlier

“Without proper analysis of its couess, I’d say it’s probably ash”

“Ash?”

She had a surprised look on her face After a —near the Machine Technical Vocations Building— and grinned

“I see While you are an excellent puppeteer, you are also a puppet craftsman And a very skilled one at that too For a craftsman of your level, it shouldn’t be a probleic arts— and use it to create a puppet”

Magnus didn’t answer However, Kin of affirmation

“Although, it’s really strange Why would Second Last pass so like that to you of all people?”

“… He was throwing down the gauntlet A symbol to mark a shon”

He suddenly muttered Kimberly raised her eyebrows in puzzlement

“In a certain Oriental clan, throwing the ash of a dead person signifies vengeance for the deceased”

“… Does he have soainst you?”

As expected, Magnus didn’t answer

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll excuse myself now”

“By the way, Magnus”

Magnus passed by her, but Kimberly cut him off with her interjection

“Have you heard about this rumour? I’m not sure who started it, but rumour has it that each and every one of your puppets is a Bandoll”

Once again, Magnus stopped in his tracks Kimberly continued,

“I’ a human’s flesh and blood as parts Not ash or re human into material Such parts would have vastly superior affinity with y as compared to remains or a memento… But, obviously, this is a violation of the code of ethics all es must follow”

Her words were disguised as casual gossip, but her whole body was radiating a sort of tension akin to killing intent

Magnus’s dolls had picked up on it, and faced Kimberly with hostility

Kimberly had a cruel smile on her face, like it had been carved with a knife

“Can I ask you to clarify that for me?”

“… Is this an interrogation?”

“Chalk it up to personal curiosity”

Magnus appeared to think for a moment—

“In accordance with the guidelines for the Night Party, there is no rule that states you cannot use a Bandoll”

Was all he said

Kimberly’s eyes sharpened, like a sword that had been honed with a grindstone

“… Can I take that as your answer?”

“If you want to, Professor Kimberly”

Without a proper goodbye, he left His footsteps were those of a person bri with self-confidence, steady and assured

Compared to hi Kimberly, they repeatedly looked over their shoulders as the followed behind after Magnus

As they walked away in a line, Kih, followed by a wry smile

“Really, what a fearso age… If the Maestros at the workshops caught word of this, they would definitely become depressed”

Gazing at the back of the boy disappearing into the Machine Technical Vocations building, Kimberly muttered

“Also, Magnus Who exactly did you turn into material?”

Obviously, there was no one around to answer that question

(7)

Give a moment of your time, or so the handsome lad said

At first glance, Raishi+n didn’t feel any ill intentions coure of his automata was nowhere to be found

Raishi+n glanced at his left ar, which had caught his eye

The letters ‘Censor’ had been eraphic script In other words, he was part of the discipline committee

Also, he earing a white glove with gold thread embroidery

In short, this person was also soht Party

A discipline corades Raishi+n couldn’t think of a reason to doubt him

“Rather than stand here and talk, why don’t we head inside? Unless I’m mistaken, you were in the middle of lunch, correct?”

The handsome lad pointed to the cafeteria with a set Raishi+n to relax— or to put it in another way, his suard down His entleness Raishi+n remained cautious, but since he didn’t have a reason to turn him down, he followed him back into the cafeteria Yaya followed quickly after him

Entering into the cafeteria, the students started to buzz In particular, the nue He was used to being stared at, but this was his first ti stared at positively

“Felix!”

Back at his table, Charl’s head bounced up Although her face wasn’t particularly dirty, she hurriedly dabbed a paper napkin to her mouth

The handsorinned at her,

“Hey there, Charl May I join you?”

“N-n-no, obviously you c-can’t!”

“That’s so cold And how cruel of you All this while I’ve been asking and you haven’t givenwith him so readily”

“T-this is because he just did as he pleased— do you have any business with me?”

“I would like for you to go out on a date with me”

“I r-r-refuse I s-s-strongly decline W-hy me anyway?”

“Just kidding, of course—not really, but today I’m here because of a different reason”

His solden hair fluttered as he turned to face Raishi+n

“I have so to discuss with you, Raishi+n Akabane”

Charl and Yaya stiffened in shock Then they slowly glanced over at Raishi+n timidly From the expression on their faces it was clear they had jumped to some weird conclusion

Raishi+n re some cold pork into his mouth

It had gone cold, but it hadn’t turned hard yet Enjoying the flavour of the meat juiceshis time to do so,

“If you’re asking h?”

“Come now, don’t say that I assure you I’m the sort on’t bore you”

“I’m surprised What could a member of the Rounds, as well as a vital cornerstone of the acadesfort possibly want from me, someone who’s Second Last?”

“I’m the one who should be surprised, since you know so et me after Charl?”

The atmosphere became strained

Felix was s as usual, and his voice had no trace of hostility, but the tension was broadcasted throughout the cafeteria, causing the commotion caused by the students to stop in an instant

After a while the first to break the tension was Felix

“Won’t you ith me?”

With a carefree expression, he abruptly posed the question to Raishi+n

“H ith me, consider it a request Not as an individual, but as the head of the disciplinary committee”

“I refuse”

Felix chuckled

“I see So you’re the type that makes swift decisions, Raishi+n However, won’t you at least take some time to think this over? At least let me explain the situation”

“That won’t be necessary I don’t wish to gain any more partners than I already have”

“Not even if ere to offer you—“

Irritatingly, he deliberately took his time to finish his sentence

“—an entry qualification to the Night Party?”

Raishi+n’s fork stopped

An entry qualification to the Night Party So Raishi+n had to obtain at all cost

As their gazessilence descended

Was this a devil’s invitation, or perhaps so else…?