Chapter 285 The Morning Summons and the Price of Truth - Chaotic Reincarnation: A God Lost Across Infinite Worlds

"I simply cannot believe it! The nerve!"

Those were the first words out of Ayaka's mouth the second she burst back into the room. Fortunately, Chizuru and Natsumi were still at the baths; otherwise, her complete lack of discretion regarding the "secret" of magic would have been another headache entirely.

"Alright, calm down," I said, looking up from my seat. "What happened?"

"What happened?! Evangeline-san and Chachamaru-san, that's what! Using offensive spells—and committing such... such violence against poor, adorable Negi-sensei! And then... to have her tongue slithering across his delicate neck... Oh, heavens! No, that is quite enough! If anyone is to do such a thing, it should be me—!"

As she drifted off into whatever fever dream of a delusion she was currently inhabiting, I reached for the harisen paper fan I'd previously confiscated from Kagurazaka. I brought it down squarely on the back of Ayaka's head.

The satisfying thwack echoed through the room, snapping her back to reality.

"Oh? My... what was I saying?"

"You were recapping the encounter between Eva and Negi."

"...Ah, yes. So I was."

She cleared her throat and regained her composure. According to her, Kagurazaka, Asakura, and Ayaka had managed to track the fight without much trouble. The reason was simple: neither Eva nor Negi had bothered with recognition-obstruction barriers. They had been flying through the night sky, trading high-level spells with reckless abandon. Even in the dead of night, it was a miracle the entire campus hadn't seen them. Or perhaps the academy's permanent leyline-based illusions had done the heavy lifting of covering for them.

In any case, Negi had supposedly won the magical exchange, only for Chachamaru to intervene. Being a gynoid, Chachamaru had easily restrained Negi—who, physically speaking, was still just a ten-year-old boy. Just as Evangeline prepared to drink his blood to break her "curse of the infernal school days," Kagurazaka had charged in with a flying kick.

A chaotic tag-team match seemed imminent until Asakura and Ayaka arrived on the scene. Faced with a crowd, Eva had finally retreated. Whether she backed off to avoid an escalation that would pit her against me (via Ayaka) or simply because she found the growing audience tedious, I couldn't say. But she hadn't left quietly. She'd dropped a parting shot—a cryptic comment suggesting a deep connection between her and me.

Damn that vampire, I thought. She's been planning to drag me into the center of this from the very start.

"So," I said, leaning back. "Where do I stand in all this?"

"Well, Negi-sensei began to cry out of pure terror of Evangeline-san, so we managed to gloss over the specifics for the moment, but..."

"It's only a matter of time," I finished for her.

"Precisely. Having Asakura-san there to witness the magic firsthand was the fatal blow. If it were just Asuna-san, we could have fooled her—she's a bit of a blockhead—but Asakura-san is different."

That was the crux of the problem. Asakura Kazumi was the kind of person who would happily use herself as bait if it meant landing a scoop. There was zero chance she would let a lead like "Axel might be involved in the supernatural" slip through her fingers. The only saving grace was that Negi had been there too. Between a mysterious kid who might have information and a teacher who definitely just cast ice magic, it was obvious who she'd prioritize.

For now.

"And where is our resident paparazzi now?"

"She seemed to feel a twinge of guilt about interrogating a weeping child, so she went back to her dorm... though she did make it very clear that she expects a full explanation in the coming days."

"I see. So Asakura is handled for the night. Still... I didn't expect Kagurazaka to already know about the magic."

"Indeed. From the way she spoke, she has known for quite some time."

I shot Ayaka a look. Pot, meet kettle. Ayaka had only known for about three months herself, and only because she'd stumbled into my business.

"And what about the two of us? Did she ask?"

"She said she would save that for later as well..."

I contemplated our options. Generally speaking, I have a distaste for memory manipulation. But I had to wonder if it would be more efficient to just have her mind wiped and be done with it.

"No, that wouldn't work," I muttered.

Wiping her memory would be a temporary fix at best. Negi was fresh out of the academy; his mana control was still erratic. His tendency to accidentally trigger "Disarmament" spells whenever he got flustered was proof enough of that. Asakura was a bloodhound who lived for scandals and secrets. Put those two in the same school, and she'd catch him again within a week.

The alternative was to bring her into the "inner circle." It wasn't the perfect solution, but it was the better one. Still, I felt a slight pang of hesitation about dragging a normal civilian into the line of fire. She was a middle school student, yes, but in this world, at fourteen or fifteen, you were practically an adult. Especially in Class 3-A, where "normal" was a relative term. If she understood the risks and chose to step through the looking glass anyway, that was her prerogative.

"I'll have to talk to her... but first, I need a word with the Dean."

"Axel-kun?"

Ignoring Ayaka's confused expression, I pulled out my phone and dialed Konoe Konoemon's private number. After a few rings, he picked up.

"Hello? Headmaster speaking. To what do I owe the pleasure, Axel?"

"Cut the act. I assume you know about the mess Negi and Eva made tonight."

"Indeed," his voice crackled over the line, sounding far too amused. "Hard to miss such a flashy display."

"Well, we have a problem. Aside from Ayaka and Chizuru—who already know—and Konoka and Kagurazaka—who were supposed to find out—there was a witness. Someone with no prior connection to the magical world saw Negi in action."

There was a pause. When Konoemon spoke again, his tone had dropped an octave into something much more serious. "Are you certain?"

"Positive. She had a front-row seat to the dogfight. For now, the situation is stable because Negi's waterworks distracted her, but she isn't going to let it go."

"And the student's name?"

"Asakura Kazumi."

"Hmph! You mean the girl who runs the Mahora Times?"

Even the Headmaster knew her name. That was either impressive or terrifying.

"That's the one. So, what's the play? Are we going with memory erasure?"

"That would be the standard procedure... but I take it you have reservations?"

"Memory erasure isn't just unpleasant; in her case, it might be useless. She's too sharp. She'll just find out again, and we'll be right back where we started."

"A fair point," Konoemon sighed. "But we cannot simply leave things as they are."

"I agree. That's why I want a meeting. Tomorrow morning, early. Asakura, myself, Eva, and you. And Takahiti, if he's on campus."

There was a moment of silence on the other end. "Takamichi is currently away on business. It will have to be the four of us. Though, getting Evangeline to attend a morning meeting... vampires and early hours don't traditionally mix."

"We'll tell her it's mandatory. If she doesn't show, we'll proceed without her. How do you want to handle contacting Asakura?"

"Normally, I would leave that to a teacher, but given the circumstances..."

"I'll handle it," I said. "Tomorrow morning, 7:00 AM, in your office. That work?"

"Yes. That would be most helpful."

I hung up and turned back to Ayaka.

"You heard that. There's a meeting at the Dean's office tomorrow morning. I need you to relay the message to Asakura."

Ayaka looked worried. "I can do that, but... are you sure about her memory? I would hate for her to be forced into something..."

"That depends entirely on her. She can choose to step into our world with her eyes open, or she can choose to walk away and forget. If she chooses the latter, the Headmaster will likely handle the rest."

It was harsh, but that was the reality of the secret world.

"I understand," Ayaka said quietly. "Given what we've faced... sometimes not knowing is a mercy." She was likely thinking of the mages I'd eliminated, or the raw power Eva displayed.

She pulled out her own phone and dialed.

"Hello? Asakura-san? Yes, it's Yukihiro. I'm calling about earlier. There's been a development that requires your immediate attention. Yes... regarding Negi-sensei and Evangeline-san. Can you meet us at the Headmaster's office at 7:00 tomorrow morning? They're willing to explain everything. Yes... I'll be there too. I'll come by to pick you up. See you then. Goodnight."

She clicked the phone shut.

"How did she take it?" I asked.

"She was suspicious, naturally. But she agreed on one condition—that I attend as a witness. She's worried about being outnumbered by people she doesn't know."

"Doesn't she know the Headmaster?"

"By reputation, yes. But she knows him as the man who signs the checks and enforces the rules, not as a confidant."

"Fair enough. I'll let Konoemon know you're coming. Since the school already knows your status, it shouldn't be an issue."

"Thank you, Axel-kun," Ayaka said, bowing her head slightly, her expression a mix of relief and lingering anxiety for her friend.

Character Profile: Axel Almar

Level: 38

PP: 625

SP: 462

Ace Bonus: SP Boost (Consume SP to enhance Slime performance)

Growth Type: All-Rounder / Special

Terrain Ratings: Air: S | Land: S | Water: S | Space: S

Spirit Commands:

Skills:

Kills: 376

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Chapter 289 - Chapter 285 The Morning Summons and the Price of Truth