"So Yuuma-chan's going to stay on Itogami Island from now on?"
Akatsuki Nagisa blinked her big eyes as she asked, her long black hair lazily spilling over her shoulders, the morning sun softly settling over her adorable pajamas.
Beside her, Kanase Kanon and Himeragi Yukina looked just as freshly woken, the latter clutching her cup and glancing around from time to time.
This place… had something happened here?
As a Sword Shaman, she'd picked up on some traces.
"Did something happen this morning?" Himeragi Yukina asked softly. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
When they'd gotten up earlier, Avrora—who was usually a serious sleepyhead—was already at the dining table, and she hadn't even finished her breakfast yet.
Something was off. Very off.
"Ah, that." Arcueid, sitting on the sofa and propping her cheek with one hand, said without changing her expression, "It was a gas explosion."
"…Are the gas pipes on Itogami Island really that unreliable?"
"Just kidding~ It was a rehearsal for the fireworks festival in a couple of days."
Arcueid waved a hand dismissively and gave a pinch to Root next to her, who was engrossed in a game.
Come to think of it, after Tokoyogi Yuuma snatched Avrora's body, Root had obediently come back—none of the safety measures she'd put in place were needed.
Watching Root flash a triumphant smile after beating the boss, Arcueid thought quietly to herself.
Has she already been tamed?
"Due to certain special circumstances, Tokoyogi Yuuma will be staying under Natsuki-chan's care for the time being," Arcueid said to Akatsuki Nagisa while rubbing Root's cat ears.
A witch being captured after losing a battle is pretty reasonable, right?
After the whole Prison Barrier incident was over, Tokoyogi Yuuma's disposition was temporarily decided as being taken under Minamiya Natsuki's wing to assist her as a deputy.
As for the witch's contract on her…
"If you help us out from now on, we might consider releasing your mother," Minamiya Natsuki said, looking at Tokoyogi Yuuma before her, her expression blank as she relayed Arcueid's words.
"Really?" The tightly bound Tokoyogi Yuuma lifted her head, a glimmer of hope flashing in her eyes—only to fade away immediately.
Tokoyogi Aya was a dangerous witch; it was unlikely she'd be released so easily.
Seeming to notice Tokoyogi Yuuma's disbelief, Minamiya Natsuki added flatly, "We'll perform some follow-up procedures on Aya at that time."
"Procedures…?"
"It's fine to tell you." Casting a glance at the chained Tokoyogi Yuuma, Minamiya Natsuki lightly pointed toward the tattered azure knight behind her. "It's regarding the witch's contract."
All of a witch's power comes from a contract with a demon. If something like that were to be severed, of course the witch would lose all her power.
The witch's contract…
Tokoyogi Yuuma paused, then nodded in sudden understanding.
Minamiya Natsuki's guardians were the Fifth Primogenitor's bloodkin, the ones maintaining the Prison Barrier were also them, and there was Minamiya Natsuki's close relationship with the Fifth Primogenitor.
Yes, there could only be one answer!
Minamiya Natsuki was the Fifth Primogenitor's witch.
Though she didn't know how it was done, it was clear the Fifth Primogenitor had a considerable understanding of demonic contracts.
'I don't know what you're thinking, but it seems there's no problem now.'
Minamiya Natsuki folded her arms and watched quietly as Tokoyogi Yuuma's eyes began to sparkle.
The witch's contract was one of those extremely high-difficulty spells that modern technology couldn't analyze, so breaking the curse naturally was impossible too, but…
"Huh? A witch's contract? I don't get this stuff at all," Arcueid said, hands on her hips, looking completely matter-of-fact.
"Isn't that sort of thing just meant to be broken?"
Right—if it can't be severed, then just smash it directly. You could even go so far as to kick out the contracted demon and take its place yourself.
"Terminating your witch's contract is also feasible," Minamiya Natsuki said, patting Tokoyogi Yuuma on the head before leisurely turning to pick up the breakfast that had automatically refreshed from home. "As long as you work properly."
The aroma of breakfast danced lightly in the air, gradually spreading to every corner of the room.
The fragrance not only tantalized Minamiya Natsuki's taste buds, but also made an exceptionally loud sound echo in her ears.
A certain girl who'd been doing all sorts of strenuous exercise after waking up instantly lowered her head, a faint blush spreading across her fair skin.
"I'll buy you a portion later."
"Thank you…"
--+--
"Should we get something for Avrora and the others too?"
Kanase Kanon held a bag of groceries in one hand and an ice cream she'd just bought from Lulu's in the other. Licking the cool, sweet treat, her eyes shone.
"It's already ordered. They'll deliver it to the house a bit later," Trimmau said expressionlessly, her small tongue swiftly sweeping over her own ice cream, her pale purple pupils narrowing comfortably.
"That's good." Kanase Kanon happily accepted another ice cream handed to her by the shop clerk, a blissful smile on her face, her silver hair swaying gently in the evening sunlight.
They were out buying ingredients for dinner.
"The ingredients for the dishes Master requested are all purchased," Trimmau confirmed each item on the list one by one. When her finger slid to the last entry on the screen, it suddenly paused.
[If you dare put strawberries in the fried rice, you're dead.] — Arcueid.
'Sigh, Master's palate is still too limited. Everyone should try this pinnacle of flavor enjoyment at least once.'
Trimmau nodded silently to herself and casually nudged the strawberries in the shopping basket a little to the side.
Just as she was pondering how to sneak them in, her peripheral vision caught a strange man approaching them.
A tourist?
The Halloween Festival had ended a while ago, but some visitors still hadn't left.
"A pleasure," the man in a pure white cloak and overcoat said, tipping his magician-like hat in greeting.
"Hello."
Trimmau gave a slight nod and pointed vaguely toward a nearby security booth. "If you need directions, please ask the cat over there."
"I'm not lost," the man said cheerfully, narrowing his eyes—a terrifying, blood-red gaze shifting past Trimmau toward Kanase Kanon, who was eating her ice cream behind her.
"That silver-haired girl is truly beautiful."
A pickup attempt?
Trimmau silently took a step back, turned, took Kanase Kanon's hand, and began walking away, while glancing sideways warily.
"If there's nothing else, we'll be going."
"There is, actually, a small matter." The man followed after the girls, lifting a hand cheerfully. "I'd like to get to know the young lady beside you."
How annoying.
Trimmau immediately frowned in displeasure, gently nudging Kanase Kanon ahead to keep walking.
Master said it's best not to cause fatalities when dealing with persistent pests. Anything else is fine.
She glanced slowly toward the security booth.
'Since Kanon is here, better not. I'll just let—'
The moment her gaze shifted away, the man's right arm suddenly released something, and then—
A metallic, silvery liquid coiled around her arm like a snake.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.