After Kasumi's warning, Kuraihime once again paused before entering the school. She looked up and down to observe it thoroughly. After her observation, she tilted her head to the side and closed her eyes. With her eyes closed, she began to walk towards the Magistrate Institute. Once inside the school, she was greeted by its magnificent interior. Luxurious surroundings, golden statues, and a red carpet laid out before her. As she stepped further inside, she continued her walk.
Suddenly, from behind her, a voice spoke, saying, "Welcome... miss." It spoke with a soft tone.
Chapter 6 - The Deity of Harmony
Upon being greeted, Kuraihime turned slightly to side-eye the source of the voice. There stood a small elderly woman, holding onto her hat and cane, with her eyes closed and a smile on her face. Seeing her, Kuraihime slowly turned and bowed to the elderly lady. After Kuraihime's bow, the elderly lady nodded in response.
"Are you the young lady that our lord has been expecting..?" she asked Kuraihime. Kuraihime nodded gently and replied, "Yes," in a polite manner. The elderly lady nodded back and began to walk forward, gesturing for Kuraihime to follow her. She conveyed her message by simply passing by Kuraihime, indicating for her to come along. While they continued walking through the wide and lengthy hallway inside the school, Kuraihime observed her surroundings closely.
She noticed various symbols, magical frames, and pictures of different students decorating the hallway. As she looked around, her attention was drawn to the ceiling, where she spotted a large rune circle with five smaller circles inside it.
Each of these circles contained Nexus Markings, and they rotated slowly while emitting a vibrant green light. The entire space outside the large circle was bathed in this green glow. As her attention deepened on the ceiling, the circles within the larger circle started moving and shifting positions. They gradually sped up their rotations and rearranged themselves, eventually forming a single rune circle inside the larger one, occupying its entire space. Now, there were only two rune circles, one inside the other. At this moment, an image of a singular eye entered Kuraihime's mind, causing her to come to a halt in her steps. She pictured it as a large and beautiful eye watching her from behind, accompanied by a heavy feeling as if her very soul was being pulled downward.
However, after a moment, the sensation disappeared. Kuraihime closed her eyes and shook her head slightly while bowing her head, tightening her eyelids. After a moment of closing her eyes and bowing her head, she slowly raised her head and opened her eyes. To her surprise, the elderly woman was standing beside a door, still smiling and with her eyes closed, subtly indicating that Kuraihime should enter through that door.
"Please come in," the old woman said to Kuraihime. She slowly walked towards the door, and with a gentle grasp, she turned the doorknob and opened it. As she pushed the door open, what lay behind it was a spacious office that resembled the principal's office. In this room, a woman stood by the window, her hands resting behind her as she gazed outside. This woman had orange hair, yellow eyes, and was dressed in a white dress with a black headband.
Upon her gradual entry into the office, the woman who had been positioned there initiated conversation, politely addressing Kuraihime, "Good afternoon, Miss." In response, Kuraihime executed a respectful bow. Subsequently, the woman turned her gaze towards Kuraihime, her eyes imbued with a luminous gleam.
Pause-- Magic in Focus?! - In advance, the NexusGift of Uramitsu Kuraihime, designated as "Malevolith" - stands as her wielded power to command and manipulate the abstract realms of Darkness and Curse. She wields these concepts limitlessly, one of the key attributes of her NexusGift being its exemption from any form of restraint or confinement. This potent ability predominantly finds its application in both spiritual and physical forms of attack. However, the principal utilization of this extraordinary gift lies in her capacity to exert influence over the soul of any individual, regardless of the soul's inherent form, guided unwaveringly by the presence of Malevolith.
Returning to the present moment!
As the elderly woman who had escorted Kuraihime turned to take her leave, she did so with a serene demeanor, maintaining her closed eyes and gentle smile. The door closed behind her, bringing about a momentary silence between Kuraihime and the woman facing her. In this brief interlude, their gazes remained locked.
After a moment, the woman slowly closed her eyes, her smile lingering on her lips as she nodded faintly. While her head was still inclined, she voiced her thoughts, "You're quite intriguing. I didn't anticipate that my selection would yield something other than mediocrity." She continued to maintain her pleasant smile, even with her eyes shut.
"My apologies for any perceived waste of your time, by the way i am, the entity known as Kagetsu Reuin. The Diety of Compexity. and I am aware that you might still harbor uncertainties about my identity, despite the information conveyed to you by Miss Kurogane Herself. Nonetheless, I am the being bestowed with the title 'The Primordial Reaper of Harmony.' I hold dominion over Hoshimori, and I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Uramitsu Kuraihime," she articulated, her smile persisting as her eyes remained closed.
"As I welcome you to this institution," Reuin began, her voice retaining its soft and melodic quality, "I had the privilege of witnessing your journey, all thanks to the insights provided by Miss Kurogane. Your actions and thoughts have been accessible to me, as I harnessed the power of ideas as tools."
Pausing for a moment, she regarded Kuraihime with a sense of curiosity and continued, "Before we commence, is there anything you wish to convey or inquire about?"
Upon hearing this question, Kuraihime raised her eyebrows slightly in response and posed her own query, her voice filled with intrigue, "...Who am I...?" "Ohh...?" Reuin responded, arching her left eyebrow slightly and gazing at Kuraihime with a gentle smile. "Who are you indeed? What is your identity as a being, living within this vessel?"
Upon hearing Reuin's response, Kuraihime let out a soft sigh and closed her eyes briefly. She then blinked slowly as if lost in thought. In response, Reuin let out a light giggle, maintaining her gentle smile as she watched Kuraihime.
Afterward, Reuin snapped her right finger, and suddenly, two chairs appeared in front of her table, one of which was right beside her. She extended her right arm towards Kuraihime, gesturing for her to take a seat. Reuin executed this gracefully, her eyes still closed and her smile intact as she indicated for Kuraihime to join her at the table.