—Student dormitory.
Normally it is literally as the name states, the place where students live and the place where they can relax at, however, because of the turmoil caused by the variants, the student dormitory has turned into an evacuation point.
The territory that has now lost Mio and Shiki – the two reliable guards -, has obviously increased in uneasiness.
Jin and the others, who had just woken up, had taken this job as their replacement, but as expected, they are unable to bring enough comfort to disperse all the uneasiness.
Even the people that had witnessed their fight with the variant Ilumgand, it would still be hard to suddenly trust in their skills just with that one fight.
If Mio and Shiki hadn't collected the accessories that served as the key of variant transformation, variants would have most likely appeared already.
"What's wrong Eris?"
"Akua, this is bad. The Academy Principal is going mad" (Eris)
"What does that mean? There's nothing particularly strange going on inside the dormitory" (Akua)
"It seems he is trying to utilize those kids. He got wind about them waking up… probably" (Eris)
"Hey, it is not like you are Waka-sama…so where is that random intuition coming from?" (Akua)
"It is difficult to explain. It is like… a spiritual kind of thing? At any rate, I can feel the Academy Principal approaching" (Eris)
"Hah…" (Akua)
"Well then, what should we do? If the students are brought out, we would have to leave here as well. If that happens, there won't be anyone here left" (Eris)
"But Waka's orders were to protect those seven right? I think he considers the other students as extras" (Akua)
"Fufufufu, and so, I have a good idea" (Eris)
Maybe she felt something, Eris, who was sitting hugging her knees at the dormitory's roof, suddenly lifted her head up.
Her partner Akua wondered if something happened and asked her the details, but after hearing that it was the intuition of Eris, she lowered her tension slightly.
Just in case, she talked in a hypothetical way supposing that intuition is correct, but Eris looked at Akua and made an ominous smile and said that she had an idea.
"… Let's hear it out for the time being" (Akua)
"We "protect" the whole dormitory with our combination magic" (Eris)
"C-Combination magic?! Could it be, you are telling me to do that?! I-I don't want to. I don't want to, okay?!" (Akua)
The taller build Akua stands up and rejects the proposal of Eris.
Her expression even showed fear.
She must have quite a bad memory of it.
"But with that we would be able to resolve everything harmoniously. I investigated just now and the dormitory has quite the amount of food left. There might be some slight fighting over it, but they won't seriously go at it. It isn't that big of a deal even if they can't go outside for a while" (Eris)
"I am totally against it!" (Akua)
Akua turns her back at Eris and sits down.
"… I feel like Waka-sama will definitely get angry" (Eris)
"Like hell that would happen! I don't want to taste that shame again" (Akua)
'Buh~ there isn't that much time left you know. Can't be helped then, I will do it alone" (Eris)
"?!! Wait. Is that something that can be done alone?" (Akua)
"Of course there's also a solo version. But my magic power isn't enough so lend it to me okay?" (Eris)
"Oooh! Iazly?!" (Akua)
"Yeah, because if I don't say so, I thought Akua wouldn't do it with me. Now, magic power, magic power" (Eris)
With a trembling finger Akua points at Eris and makes a strange scream, but Eris seems to have understood its meaning.
She has been Akua's partner since a long time ago after all.
"You better remember this later…" (Akua)
Akua looks at Eris with eyes filled with resentment, but it seems she intents to cooperate with what Eris is trying to do, she agreed with Eris and acts in order to give magic power to her.
It is a rare deed that can't be done unless the magic power compatibility of both parties is high.
Akua and Eris may be a rough combi of different statures, but have been together since long so they are able to do it.
"You fell for it, Akua" (Eris)
"?!!! My body is!!" (Akua)
"Fufufu, well then… Let's do it" (Eris)
"N-No! Eris, since when did you learn such a stupid technique?!" (Akua)
The magic power mixes and in the moment it was about to flow from Akua to Eris… Akua's body trembled and suddenly stood up.
It was clear that it wasn't her will.
"Now, your hand… let's hold it~" (Eris)
"Don't mess around! Eris, Eri~s!" (Akua)
Ignoring the shouts of Akua, the two spin around as if dancing.
"Sparkle, diamond of the heart~" (Eris)
"Body, move! If you don't move now, when are you going to move! Move move move—!!!" (Akua)
"Special technique, Kokyt– Hah?! I-Is it running wild?!" (Eris)
The hand that was linked with Eris was shaken off forcefully, the hands that were linked as if forming a shell, were separated.
Akua's head faced slightly downward, and with an angered expression, she glares at Eris.
"… Eris, are you prepared?" (Akua)
"No well, once you try it out it will feel good. No wait, that's not it. It is true that there's no time. It is definitely better to have the spell done. Calm down" (Eris)
"Who do you think you are making angry?!" (Akua)
"At any rate, I understand. This time for sure I will do it by myself. This is for the sake of Waka-sama~ Akua~" (Eris)
"Wuuuu~" (Akua)
Akua's thoughts had calmed down a bit, but this tells Akua that Eris' intuition was correct.
Because she learned that the Academy Principal is really heading to the Student Dormitory personally.
Her growling still continued, but she stopped herself from attacking Eris.
"Hah… The solo version is lonely" (Eris)
"SHUT.UP!" (Akua)
"Let's do it again with renewed spirits!" (Eris)
"Seriously, okay?" (Akua)
At the edge where Eris went to, she lifted both hands to the sky, and after that, she linked them both as if forming a shell.
"The greatest technique of the Shiratori's, from my mentor- Aghbuu!" (Eris)
Even though she was in the middle of a speech, a punch was nailed at Eris' abdomen.
"Just go to sleep already, you stupid girl! The aria has already finished, so something like this, even I can do it!" (Akua)
"Mugugugu" (Eris)
"I can do it! Koky-, nevermind, [Floral Ice Prison]!" (Akua)
"Muguu!!" (Eris)
Strange magic power expands at once on the roof of the Student dormitory and converts into water element.
Three patterns of different designs appear over the head of Akua and Eris vertically.
The emerald green light coming out from Akua's right hand passes through each one of them.
After a while of ascending, it stood still for a moment, and then, as if marking that as its summit, it released several bundles of light.
The bundles of light pierce the ground and fill its surrounding with ice. The student dormitory had been enclosed in an ice cage.
It only took a short time.
A spell that is quite large in scale and strong.
From the spells Akua and Eris can use, this one is pretty high up.
It is actually not a spell that should be used on 'mere' variants.
It is a selection stemming from Eris' playful personality, and Akua who is the one acting as the main spellcaster of it, her fatigue is totally not deserved.
Her fatigued look is not a pose, she is really exhausted.
"To attack me while I was doing the presentation. Don't you have compassion nor the sense of beauty, Akua?!!" (Eris)
"Waka-sama told me to do that when you are running off your mouth and doing weird things!!" (Akua)
With a tired face, Akua refutes the energetic Eris.
"In the first place, this spell doesn't have such a stuffy name! Listen well, it is [Aurora]" (Eris)
"Shut up. Seriously, just shut up Eris. Also, that names feels wrong somehow" (Akua)
"Don't mind it. There are many techniques that change name when it is Solo version. Anyways! You have to say Kokytos and then, stopping once, you raise your voice and say Floral Ice Prison!" (Eris)
"… Waka-sama, it is already reaching the point where only me isn't enough to stop her anymore…" (Akua)
"In the first place, if we are going for the literal translation, it should be Floral Cold Water Prison. Akua is really half-baked and near-sighted" (Eris)
"Yes yes" (Akua)
In the first place, the characters that Makoto uses are only on the level of interesting for Akua.
Eris is just unnaturally knowledgeable about them, that's all.
She is at the level that if she were to go to Lorel, she would be highly praised by the people with knowledge about the Wise language.
Maybe she learned things from other places, she uses words Akua has never heard before to do comedic dialogues with Makoto.
Since a while back, before even meeting Makoto and Tomoe; Eris, has been thick in the strange component.
In any case, may it be kanji or in cross-wise writing, leaving aside if it was embarrassing or not for Akua, she still tried her best.
"Hey"
"Yes yes"
"… How are we going to leave?" (Eris)
"… Oh" (Akua)
A proper retort from Eris.
The Forest Onis Akua and Eris, are confined at the Student Dormitory with Jin and the others.
It has been settled that Mondo will be praying to the heavens.
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
Mondo, seeing that spectacle from faraway, dashes in front of me and makes a jumping dogeza.
E-Eh? Was that something the combi did?
I understood the reason he lowered his head.
But I also clearly understand that it wasn't his fault.
After finishing the clean-up at the northwest section completely, we transmitted with thought transmission that we intended to return to the academy.
At that moment, something strange happened at the Student Dormitory.
It was suddenly covered in ice and unable to lay a finger on it.
We don't understand the situation inside, so currently we have no troops that can move and can't tell them to return and investigate that place.
Mondo originally wasn't going to accompany us, but the moment he heard about this, he told us he wanted to go along with us.
There's already no variants, so as long as we hold back the influx of variants from other sections, Lime alone is enough.
His opinion was the same, so I decided that it was okay and accepted Mondo accompanying us.
I see.
So he had a presentiment huh.
I also remember that ice pyramid.
I tried connecting with Jin through thought transmission, but as expected, it was cut off.
Akua and Eris as well.
From what I heard of Eris in the past, this is supposed to be a barrier of complete isolation.
And in truth, it is scary tough. To destroy it with physical attacks or magic attacks, you would need quite a lot of effort.
Even against Tomoe and Mio it will last for a while, so it is quite the technique.
Well, by the next day I noticed it wasn't perfect though.
It has an incredible weak point.
Well I couldn't find the heart to point out that weak point in consideration of Akua, since they went through so much trouble as to wear embarrassing frilly clothes, deceived by Eris with that pointless dance, and even making a speech about the special technique.
What was it? Kokytus, maybe?
The rough Forest Oni combi showed me that barrier magic, one with a bright red face and the other all energetically.
It is definitely more embarrassing for the taller one to match the shorter one by bending her knees… but well, leaving that aside.
"Mondo, this is not really your fault. Akua and Eris must have had some sort of circumstance to do so. I will investigate just in case, since it seems something has happened, but now that I think about it, it is convenient to have the students inside that thing. Shiki, they have food right?" (Makoto)
"Yes. If it's for a few days, there won't be any problems. I don't know if they will exhaust it thoughtlessly, but well, even if they don't eat for one or two days, they won't die" (Shiki)
"Well there's someone here that could fight against a dragon after going three days without eating and only taking a simple meal after" (Tomoe)
"Tomoe, don't remind me. That's how it is, Mondo. You don't have to mind it much. Now, get up get up" (Makoto)
"Waka-sama… I am truly sorry! I will give those idiots a harsh punishment later" (Mondo)
"I will leave that to you. Anyways, we have to return to the Academy. In any case, we can't converse with them right now, so what are you going to do Mondo? Return to where Lime is? We will do something about that thing over there" (Makoto)
"But then!" (Mondo)
"We have yet to decide if we will destroy it or keep it like that after all. That thing, is pretty conspicuous you see. Maybe Root is also unexpectedly holding his head in pain right now" (Makoto)
"Kuku, you have a point. He might also be unexpectedly surprised by it. Mondo, if that's true, I will give a reward to the Forest Onis later. The punishment will be as Waka stated, your own decision, but the reward is fine to give it to everyone. Well, it is not settled yet though" (Tomoe)
Tomoe talks with the apologetic Mondo as if she is having fun.
After Mondo got his camp and passed several mock battles with Tomoe, Mio, Shiki and I; his way of acting towards us gradually changed a lot.
In the Forest Onis, Akua can also be considered as one of the people that has changed nicely, but Mondo changed quite a lot.
The stubborn him made a dramatic change as if a hoodlum had transformed into a ninja.
It seems he had quite the confidence in his power [Tree Punishment], and when that power was completely crushed, he must have faced some sort of change inside of him.
But well, only the person himself knows the whole truth. I am just speculating here.
"Thank you very much for your benevolent words, Tomoe-sama" (Mondo)
"Umu. Go ahead and return to where Lime is. Leave this to us. You guys should rest for tomorrow" (Tomoe)
"Then, excuse me" (Mondo)
"Yeah, have a good rest" (Makoto)
Mondo salutes once and goes back.
Lime and Mondo aren't the members that have to return to Asora today to report, so this is the last time we will see him today.
In the midst of dusk, we look at the icy work of art that's shining in the setting sun while walking once again.
"What are going to do with that thing? Destroy it? Leave it?" (Makoto)
"Isn't it fine to just leave it as it is? It is pointlessly sturdy and troublesome-desu" (Mio)
"I hold the same opinion. Depending on the situation of the Academy, they might even recruit the students to fight" (Shiki)
"I also think the same. 'It isn't something that can be destroyed in one or two days', is how we should leave it as" (Tomoe)
Mio, Shiki, and finally Tomoe, seem to be against the destruction of that work of art.
If it was to protect the students, they would have used it as soon as we left the student dormitory, so some sort of circumstances must have occurred to make them utilize it.
Let's just confirm that part and then leave it as it is then.
Those two can manage things inside after all.
"Only ask for the circumstances to those two and leave it at that then" (Makoto)
"I think that's fine. Tomorrow we will move onto liberating the remaining sectors and continue carrying out our functions. We still don't know clearly which country will be the first one arriving, but we will give a baton pass to them and that will mark our job as finished" (Tomoe)
"What about cooperating with the reconstruction?" (Makoto)
"I think that it should be fine to just leave it to the Forest Onis, Eldwas, and Lime's group who are already here. What's next would be how Root will close things. What I predict is that he will have the countries glare at each other and bring out the achievements" (Tomoe)
"Then the call of the Merchant Guild would be the most pressing problem huh" (Makoto)
"… Well, I wonder about that. Rembrandt doesn't seem like he intends to do much moving, but that guy called Zara might be unexpectedly easy to deal with you know?" (Tomoe)
"Zara-san huh. Right now that person is weakened, but he is actually a really formidable person. I don't think he is an easy guy like you think though" (Makoto)
"He is facing this kind of crisis after all. If he were to clearly learn 'from somewhere' that this was done by the demon race, one of the thoughts he might have is to somehow secure the use of the Kuzunoha's teleport transportation for emergencies. I don't know who leaked it, but he seemed to already know about Mio and my level, so I wonder, how is that man going to move?" (Tomoe)
Tomoe seemed to be having fun from the bottom of her heart as she seemed to remember something while laughing.
So she is saying that he would use us as a supplier in moments of emergencies?
It is true that representative Zara said he had gold but had nothing to use it on.
Maybe it is because I am just not good with him, I end up thinking he is not that kind of easy individual, but Tomoe seems to have a different thought.
"… If he still intends to place pressure even after this situation, it would be better to just cut off his head now, Waka-sama" (Mio)
"Mio, that's just…" (Makoto)
"A person that takes the outstretched hand, and yet, holds a knife with the other hand, is just not worth giving them compassion. Good with good, evil with evil-desu wa" (Mio)
That's one way of thinking about it though.
"With this, this town will realize the reality that this place is also at war with the demon race.The Academy, the merchant guild; they won't be able to stay as they were before. I think this is a desirable change for us, Waka-sama" (Shiki)
Shiki.
With all that's happened, it is certainly true that this will most likely make them aware.
N?
In that case…
"We find a suitable moment to expose that this was the deed of the demon race?" (Makoto)
"No. The Academy should be able to reach that conclusion on their own. I modified the collected ornaments a bit, so that will serve as evidence" (Shiki)
"So you made it easier to know. No matter how incompetent the ones investigating are, they will probably realize in 2 days and report it" (Mio)
Mio and Shiki answer my words with a smirk.
That must mean the modification is effective.
But in that case…
"If they learn that this is the work of the demon race, won´t it be bad for us? Kuzunoha Company is being suspected of having connections with the demon race, is what the representative said" (Makoto)
I do know Rona-san in person, so it is not really a lie.
"Waka, I wonder how much of those inconsiderate words will the residents believe in. Isn't that an accusation without proof to begin with? I think that malicious gossip is as good as gone already. If they spread such a thing thoughtlessly, it will only make the surrounding residents see them with bad eyes. After all, we risked our bodies to help evacuate the residents and became the strength of the Academy to subjugate the variants. We are heroes" (Tomoe)
"I… see" (Makoto)
No well, thinking that they will become so intimate is one thing, but will it really make all the gossip disappear?
"If there's a company that still wants to do something after all this, there's also the option of letting it spread in town. It might be interesting to watch, kukuku" (Tomoe)
What an ominous laugh.
The evil magistrate Tomoe, or maybe the wholesaler Tomoe has come out?
I can tell that she is thinking about a lot of things.
How to say it, she looks quite lively.
When counted on, these three are truly reliable.
Oh.
The Academy.
We already cleaned up half of the variants today.
Tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, I wonder what kind of existence will Kuzunoha Company and I be viewed as in this town.
I don't think it will take long to learn about the result.