"Still, that underclassman was away out of his element. Why did he decline to help you? I mean, the school will be destroyed! Not to mention everything about the White Emperor!"
Shouto shouted out loud, enraged.
"Shouto. That boy was not just any underclassman, he was the Black Emperor, show him some respect."
Kyoka warned him.
"Gah, Prez, you say that but how can we be sure?"
"We said his full name and he reacted accordingly."
The boy scratched his head.
"Yeah, but, are you sure that his name isn't in any textbooks?"
"He's right, President. Perhaps the Black Emperor's name is listed in textbooks."
"You read a lot of books, Hayami. Did you see any of the Emperors' names in any of them?"
"Uh, well... No..."
Hayami dipped her shoulders in grief.
"He reacted and spoke exactly like how I expected."
Both Shouto and Hayami looked at Kyoka, surprised.
"He even changed the way he spoke when I said his full name. I was really talking to the Black Emperor."
The latter sentence, she whispered to herself, delighted.
"Wait, President, so you mean, you knew he'd decline your offer?"
"Of course. Well, I knew it was a possibility but now I think I understand a few things."
"What exactly?"
Hayami asked.
"This could mean a few things. Either, the White Emperor is too powerful, so much that we cannot take him on or the White Emperor's power is unknown to the Black Emperor. However, based on what the Azure Destiny told us, I can take him on."
"Hm? Wait, what? Prez, what are you planning to do?"
Kyoka sighed.
"Is not obvious? The Azure Destiny said that we cannot indirectly stop the destruction of the school, so we stop it directly. We stop the source. Weissmann."
Hayami began talking.
"But didn't that boy say that the Blue Emperor's futures can't be changed? Why don't we just evacuate the students on the day it happens?"
"I do not think he knows it is coming but still... He's the principal and I'm the Student Council President. He has more authority. This will be the only definite way."
She looked at both of them.
"I will take on and kill the White Emperor."
---
There's something wrong with Kyoka-senpai.
In the head, I mean. Why would she even try...
I mean, she's going to face an Emperor!
[Anything can happen. If she's deciding this after talking to Astoria, then there's a chance that she can beat Regulus.]
(Who even is Astoria? Judging from our conversation, she's the Blue Emperor, isn't she?)
[Yeah. Her Singularity is [Thus the Future is set]. She can see into the future limitlessly. The only drawback is that she cannot directly tell anyone about any future. To tell others, she has to draw about it and the others have to interpret it.]
(That's such a roundabout ability.)
[Yeah, I know what you mean.]
Why do I have a bad premonition?
What should I do?
When I asked Altair earlier, he refused to tell me. I have to figure it out for myself.
I guess Altair does have a point. I think I'll go to Altria and return to the dorms after. I'll make dinner for Kuro and then sleep.
---
"You okay?"
Kuro asked, watching me eat my rice.
[You can tell Schrödinger's Cat.]
(Oi. I don't like the way you're referring to Kuro.)
[Uh, well, sorry?]
"The Student Council President came to me."
Kuro scowled.
"What did that slut want with you?"
Huh?
What's with this blatant aura of hate?
Ah, she was like this when she met Akane the first time. The second time too, I think.
"Well, she wanted Altair, not me."
"Altair?"
"The Black Emperor."
"Why though? How did she know?"
"As for how, it's because of another Emperor and as for why... She wanted me to join up with her and beat Weissmann."
"Why?"
"He's the White Emperor and he'll eventually destroy the school."
Kuro froze.
She looked serious.
"Do you know when?"
"Ah!"
[Ah!]
Altair and I both realised at the same time.
[We...]
"I never asked."
"Hah?!"
Kuro slammed the table and my bowl of rice tipped over. She looked at me, distressed.
"You should've asked!"
"I'm sorry! I forgot!"
Why would I forget to ask about something so important?
Besides...
"Oh, that reminds me."
"What? You remembered something important?"
Kuro clearly highlighted, 'important.'
I waved my hand dismissively at her and went to my blazer, which was hanging on hooks on the door.
I took out a box and presented it to her.
I brought it earlier today but I might as well give it to her now. Just to get her out of a bad mood.
"For you."
The girl looked up at me and tilted her head in confusion. Kuro took the box and opened it.
"What..."
Her eyes began glowing and she looked up at me. Kuro looked cute with her cat-like face. For some reason, her tail manifested and began wagging. Her ears began twitching too.
"You brought this for me?!"
Should I not have?
I brought her a necklace for 20,000 CRD. To be honest, I thought about how hard she fought in Japan vs China match and I just brought it for her.
This necklace was silver and had a red gem in the middle. I don't care if it's fake or not, it looks nice and it was cheap. Well, for a necklace.
"Thanks!"
Kuro smiled as she put the necklace on.
Man... Seeing girls genuinely smile is bad for my heart. One day, when my heart skips a beat, I'll probably die.
Maybe I should just get a girlfriend to ease this feeling. No, not yet.
I don't think Kuro would let me, anyway.
"How does it look?"
She beamed at me.
For some reason, it looked nice under the black shirt she was wearing.
"You look good."
I said.
"Okay, my turn."
"Hm? You have a present for me?"
"No, not really, but I'll cook dinner for you."
I flinched.
Never trust Kuro to cook dinner. It'll end up as a poisonous disaster.
"N-no, you don't have to."
"Eh, but I knocked over your rice. I'll cook!"
"No! Don't!"
"But I wanna!"
For quite a while, I was chasing Kuro.
---
In a distant palace, a woman sat upon a throne in a dark room.
She flinched. After doing so, she sighed before putting her fist on her cheek and crossed her legs.
"Anything wrong, Madam Astoria?"
A maid from beside her asked.
The woman, Astoria, stayed quiet for a few seconds before answering.
"I thought that [Thus the Future is set] was indefinite."
"I'm sorry, Madam?"
An image of Shoya chasing Kuro appeared before her.
"The future has changed."