Hello, Ichimaru-kun.
Hello, Ichimaru-kun.
Bubble bubble—! The potion boiled furiously in the intense heat. I watched the purple liquid in the cauldron intently, tossing in each ingredient one after another according to the golden ratio formula in my head. Psssh! Fsssh! Every time I added something, the potion reacted with violent chemistry, and convinced it was nearly complete, I poured everything in.
Kaboom! The cauldron shook like lightning had struck inside it. Staring at the dark red potion within, I realized the truth.
"My god!"
This wasn't medicine—it was poison. Deadly enough to send Hero's parents straight to the afterlife instead of saving them. The kind of extreme toxin that could kill even a dying Imugi on the spot.
"Looks like I have a talent for top-tier assassination. Who knew I'd whip up something like this by accident."
It was such a dangerous talent that I nearly disposed of it right then, but I paused. Hmm, what if I fed it to Kenichi bit by bit? Wouldn't that build up his poison resistance? The thought made it suddenly too valuable to throw away.
"I'll set some aside as a gift for Kenichi."
Who else has a friend who thinks of him like I do? Feeling a swell of pride, I carefully portioned out the poison for my dear friend Kenichi.
Then I kept trying to brew the antidote.
"Maybe increase the spirit herb ratio a bit."
Kaboom—!
"Hmm, or just pour in the mana water..."
BOOM!
It exploded violently. I never thought I lacked talent in alchemy or pharmacology. Failure is the mother of success, after all... Boom! Boom! Boom! Explosions upon explosions—how many failures did I endure?
"—Eureka!"
In a lab blackened as if struck by hundreds of lightning bolts, I finally succeeded.
"This should do it!"
At last, a result that didn't explode. Well, I don't know the effect yet, but feeding it to someone should reveal something. Grinning happily, I tucked the bubbling black antidote into my pocket.
Chirp chirp—the sparrows sang in the morning. A Western-style mansion fit for nobility, a bit removed from central Tokyo. The garden meticulously tended every day, servants bustling about—a true noble's estate. Yet its young mistress was far from satisfied.
It wasn't a lack of cute toys or dolls, nor a need for snacks.
"Yes, Melissa. How are the results?"
Her parents, who used to bring her such things, had suddenly taken to their beds. And now they were far away in England, the heart of magic, seeking life extension and new treatments.
Today was the day for results, and the girl's grip on the receiver loosened as her strength drained away.
"...I see. No real improvement, huh. No, just keeping it from worsening is something to be grateful for."
Not grateful at all, really, but Eris Betelgeuse forced a bitter smile as she spoke.
"Yes, keep up the good work."
She wrapped her true feelings in a kind tone for the person trying so hard on the other end.
Click. The line went dead. Eris replaced the receiver and took a deep breath.
"...Haa."
Clenching her eyes shut, Eris thought. How long did she have to keep begging others? If only she could fly to England and stay by their side, her heart might feel at ease.
—The stars' revelation: do not leave that place.
Damn that master of hers, forbidding her from leaving Japan. Otherwise, she'd have flown there ages ago. If the old coot were senile enough to dismiss, but no—her master was a perfectly hale grand mage.
...What was it again? A fated encounter, an incident would come, so don't leave?
"Haa, when the hell is that supposed to happen?"
No vague prophecy, that damn fate, damn master, damn curse... She wanted to punch them all, but the curse most of all. The wretched curse that tore her happily living parents away to some far-off place.
...Every morning, wondering if bad news awaited when she woke. Opening her eyes filled her with dread...
Eris Betelgeuse squeezed her eyes tighter, grimaced fiercely, then suddenly swept a hand over her face and forced her lips into a smirk.
"Hmph, time to go."
School had been hell lately thanks to that lunatic Ichimaru Shiki, but it was still bearable. His speech, his expressions—nothing likable about him. Just like his shady looks, he knew way too much about weird stuff.
...And he's bizarrely strong, too.
Recalling the fight with him the other day, Eris shuddered suddenly. An utterly inscrutable guy. But as a mage pursuing truth, she couldn't just leave it alone.
"...Today, I'll get answers."
Whatever she couldn't ask yesterday, she'd grill him on everything today—his identity, the source of his powers, how he knew what was coming. She'd checked through personal connections, but no one in Tokyo knew the details of the chaos. So how did he know?
Ichimaru Shiki—definitely something off about him. Yeah, today she'd ask it all!
Stamping her feet and marching her short legs furiously, Eris soon reached Classroom 1-A.
"Ahaha! What a fine morning!"
"......"
Seeing the man grinning as usual made her frown instinctively, but Eris Betelgeuse mustered her patience and approached.
"Hey."
"Huhuhu! Why do you call for me, Miss Eris?!"
"...Ugh."
For some reason, Ichimaru Shiki's grin was even creepier today. Answering so eagerly, like he'd been waiting for her to speak. Chatting here felt like it'd drain her sanity.
Turning her sparkling, smiling eyes away from Shiki, Eris scowled and said,
"...You, after school—meet me behind the school building!"
"Hahaha! As you command!"
"......"
Eris suddenly wanted to go home.
"Huhuhu, this is a good sign."
Eris Betelgeuse approaching me first—looks like her favorability has built up. Sincere feelings transcend all barriers, reaching the soul directly, after all.
Just give her the elixir, and it'll be perfect.
No way she's fallen for me, right? No clinical trials, but a genius like me made it, so it'll definitely work. When to give her the antidote? Maybe right when she's riled up and furious?
Lost in such idle fantasies, the school day ended in a flash.
"Shiki, heading home right away?"
"Huhuhu, Kenichi. You've rested two days already—shouldn't we train today?"
"...Ugh."
Yesterday was a holiday, and last night I was brewing the antidote instead of hanging out with Kenichi. So today, I definitely had to make time. After a quick chat with Eris, straight to playing with Kenichi—that was the plan when...
"...Hm?"
Something in the shoe locker? A pure white envelope slipped out.
"Oh? A love letter?"
"...No way."
Hotaru lit up at the sight, while Cento and Kenichi shook their heads in disbelief.
"Hmm."
Annoying how they denied it so vehemently without being involved, but honestly, I subconsciously thought the same. Who'd send a love letter to a guy with this speech pattern? Call it intuition.
Please come to the back of Building A after school today.
"Huhuhu, as expected, Miss Eris! No need for a letter, though!"
I shouted, though a bit disappointed.
"...What, a duel spot?"
Hotaru, sensing our vibe from Eris's recent attitude, seemed to abandon her hopes.
"Good thing no casualties."
Kenichi nodded smugly, as if it were obvious. Hmm, maybe I really should build his poison resistance someday. Firmly resolving inwardly, I flashed a bright smile at them.
"Well then, I'll be right back!"
Stop time and mess her up? Or hand over the elixir? Heart racing with choices, I rushed to the spot in the letter—only to find no golden-haired brat, no Eris Betelgeuse.
Just a fidgety girl waiting behind Building A.
Staring at the ground, she noticed my footsteps, looked up abruptly, and smiled shyly.
"...Ah, hello, Ichimaru-kun."
I never expected the haughty brat Eris Betelgeuse's follower to use such a timid tone. The girl I'd saved from falling on the stairs on our first high school day—Tachibana Sawako. Done with Eris's errands? Having perfectly stolen her appointment, Sawako looked up at me with dewy eyes and said shyly,
"Could you... spare a moment?"