Crisis of the Apocalypse
Moonlight filtered faintly through the night sky.
“……Hoo.”
Sawamura Cento stepped out into the courtyard for a moment to catch her breath. Closing her eyes, she let out several deep sighs in a row.
Honestly, it was a bit overwhelming.
The discipline of sorcery felt utterly different from any school subject she'd studied before. Her master, Shihei Rin, had praised her as a genius, but there was no helping the mental fatigue from grasping and adapting to something so new.
How the hell did they do it?
Those guys in the next building over had apparently trained for three straight days and nights last weekend. It was insane.
She lacked the confidence to push herself that far. Sorcery was fairly interesting and suited her aptitudes well, but she didn't have the madness for that level of dedication.
“……I'll just do it moderately, like always.”
Just like how she wore a mask at school, studying just enough to look like the model student.
This time, it was the same—learning sorcery simply to adapt to this new world.
As Cento repeated this to herself inwardly, a sudden sense of incongruity welled up, but she only tilted her head, unable to pinpoint its source.
─Come on…!
─So dishonest…!
“Hm?”
Suddenly, voices interrupted her reverie. A commotion arose from the direction of the estate's main gate.
Cento tilted her head. Given her nature, which disliked chaotic situations, she shouldn't get involved.
But amid the shouting, she could've sworn she heard Ichimaru Shiki's voice.
If that man's there, I won't be in any real danger, she thought, crossing the estate grounds toward the gate.
This place is safe, too.
It had felt awkward at first, but after bumping into the Shihei household members over the past few days, a subtle sense of closeness had grown.
They were always kind and warm. She'd wondered if it was just formal hospitality toward guests, but no—it wasn't.
They truly cherished her as the benefactor's close friend and their master's disciple.
Sawamura Cento. A woman with a different name, barely acquainted, yet they treated her—with a touch of exaggeration—like family, or at least a comrade.
……Though no one would tell me who that benefactor is or what the debt of gratitude entails.
They'd all smiled and clammed up, saying the family head and Shiki would get mad if they spilled.
It could've felt like exclusion, but aside from that secret, everyone treated her with genuine warmth.
It was awkward by Cento's standards, but she'd quietly realized it:
This place was safe. Comfortably so.
At the very least, better than that old house where she'd been dumped after losing her parents. No relatives would suddenly show up begging for money, nor shameless ones claiming they'd raise her for the inheritance.
She dared not even dream of calling them 'family,' but still—it was a secure refuge.
In Cento's heart, the Shihei estate had firmly taken root as her home base.
It had happened before she knew it. For someone who'd worn masks for years, it felt like astonishing magic—or sorcery itself.
With a resolute heart, Sawamura Cento strode firmly across the grounds.
Here, in this estate.
Especially with Ichimaru Shiki present, nothing truly shocking would happen to her.
“This is blatant kidnapping!”
“Now, now, didn't you tell me to explain it convincingly?”
“I said explain, not kidnap?!”
“Hmm, Miss Eris, speaking like that only makes me feel wronged and hurt! Can you see my hands trembling from the shock right now?”
“Shut up! If you plan to keep deceiving me, send me back right now!”
“Eek, you finally came to visit my home—shouldn't we sit together, have some tea, some snacks, and make it cozy…?”
“It was never cozy to begin with!”
“…….”
Sawamura Cento wore the expression she'd made once upon seeing something bizarre.
Ichimaru Shiki and Eris Betelgeuse bickering like children. Or, put differently, a shady thug forcing his way in with a child clutched in his grasp…….
And as an accomplice to that thug, should she aid this conspiracy? Or at least uphold some morals and call the police?
“Hmm.”
Sawamura Cento fiddled with her phone for a while before deciding to become a full accomplice.
She stepped forward into the bright moonlight at the main gate.
Ichimaru Shiki turned his head as if only just noticing her, flashing a grin.
He hoisted the Eris in his arms like a trophy.
“Oh, welcome home.”
“A gift?”
“Yes, yes, Cento-san. I thought you might get lonely studying alone, so I brought a friend to train with……”
“Who decided that?! I'm a full member of the Betelgeuse family, and I have my own master—!”
“So, where should we bury her?”
“……Huh?”
“……Pardon?”
Ichimaru Shiki and Eris blinked at each other, heads turned.
The pair, who'd been so noisy, fell into a brief, dumbfounded silence.
Cento asked calmly.
“What? Weren't you gonna bury her?”
“N-No, we weren't.”
“…….”
The star mage, Eris, realizing she'd encountered another madwoman threatening her life, simply shut her mouth.
After that, things proceeded peacefully.
The drawn-out squabble in the courtyard evaporated like heat haze in an instant, and everyone moved indoors.
Since it had come to this, they gathered all the key players for the planned Hyakki Yagyo episode in the drawing room.
Kitagawa Kenichi, who had returned home for some rare rest, was also summoned.
His vacation canceled, he squatted in a corner, muttering gloomily.
“……You said you'd be honest, no lies, so why…….”
“Come on, we won't train as promised. We'll send you right home after the briefing, so calm down.”
“Really?!”
The protagonist's emotions were swinging wildly. Getting stronger was good, but he'd need better mental management to avoid cracking.
With that thought, she scanned everyone in the room.
─Staring intently.
“Something to say?”
“Nothing.”
Sawamura Cento had been gazing at me steadily since returning to the estate. Our eyes kept meeting as a result.
By the game's lore, she bore the title of Ancient Weapon, but since she seemed to read minds, I tried not to even think about it.
Now, she was the sorcery genius Sawamura Cento.
“……I can go home! No training! I can go home tonight!”
The deranged Kenichi……explanation omitted.
Ichinose Hotaru, the Fire Shrine Maiden, hadn't fully matured her powers yet, so she wasn't brought along. That left one more.
“What're you looking at?!”
The star mage, Eris Betelgeuse. Despite agreeing to come here consensually, she kept grumbling.
Part of me wanted to stop time and have a private chat, but as a fine gentleman, I had no hobby of tormenting kids.
“Since you're only 150cm……”
“Wh-What?! It's 153!”
“Aw, no need to be shy. Everyone knows it's exactly 150, no margin for error.”
“I said 153!!!”
Eris Betelgeuse flew into a rage.
But what could be done? Her character settings had her fixed at '150.'
I'd mentioned the height, but out of respect for a lady's privacy, I'd skip her weight.
“Alright, alright! Not everyone's busy, so I'll explain very simply.”
I clapped my hands, drawing all eyes in the room.
Meeting their variously emotional gazes and confirming their focus, I decided to drop the bomb.
With my usual sly smile, infused with the utmost sincerity of my life, I spoke.
“Humanity is currently facing an apocalyptic crisis.”
“Bullshit.”
Eris spat it immediately, but with my benevolent heart, I ignored her and continued.
“Haha, believe it or not, that's up to you, but the apocalyptic crisis is undeniable fact. If you like, Miss Eris, feel free to use your truth-verification magic?”
The star mage Eris Betelgeuse scowled and declared.
“That doesn't work on lunatics.”
“Ah.”
What a pity.
Doesn't budge easily, huh.
With deep melancholy, I nodded and executed the second persuasion method.
“No helping it! Then we'll have to use a surefire confirmation method, even if it's a hassle.”
“……Huh? Hey!”
Tucking the blonde kid under my arm, I stood and beckoned the remaining two.
Cento and Kenichi, fine students that they were, followed without objection.
Exiting the room led to the courtyard, and looking up revealed the moonlit night sky.
“A few days ago, a seal of several decades broke, throwing the world's balance—what you'd call the heavenly mechanism—into severe disarray.”
“I've never heard of that!”
“Well, it happens. This is a closely guarded secret known only to a tiny fraction of this world.”
It was a tale I never wanted to learn until my dying breath, but no choice.
The apocalypse was closer than I'd thought.
I reached toward the empty air.
“──Open.”
Drawing my sword, I slashed straight at the sky.
Pouring all my energy into it.
Reaching for the night heavens.
“……Shiki, your hair—”
“Shh, look up.”
As they widened their eyes skyward, a screeching keeeeen…… rent the lofty heavens, unveiling the hidden vista.
“……Huh?”
Beside the brilliantly shining moon loomed a far larger crimson moon.
As if it had always been there.
Naturally.