Early morning, the day after Asuna's birthday party. I wasn't in my bed at the girls' dorm as usual; I was inside the log house that served as Evangeline's home.
Ayaka and Chizuru had both insisted on coming along as "escorts," but I'd talked them out of it. If Natsumi started getting suspicious about our movements, the whole house of cards would come crashing down.
"Still... isn't this a little too early?" I asked, glancing at the clock on the living room wall. It was 5:00 AM.
"Hmph. Theoretically, the plan is sound, but this is the first time we are putting it into practice," Evangeline replied, her tone lofty. "I have no way of knowing how long the process will take. This is a necessary precaution."
"The truth is, Master was so excited for the school trip that she couldn't sleep a wink last night," Chachamaru added, casually dismantling Eva's dignified front.
"Chachamaru!?" Eva barked.
"Since Axel-san is providing his full cooperation for today's operation, I judged that keeping secrets would be a breach of etiquette... was I mistaken?"
"...Hmph!" Eva turned her head away, pouting.
"Anyway," I cut in, "why didn't you run a trial for this earlier? It doesn't seem like you to just wing it on the day of, even if the math checks out."
"Don't be thick. If I even think about tampering with my seal for a few days, those 'Magic Teachers' who have it out for me would start hounding the old man until he developed a stomach ulcer. Not that I care what happens to Gramps, but there's no guarantee his replacement would be any more tolerable than he is."
I see. Aside from Konoemon and Takahata, it seemed Eva didn't have many fans in the administration.
"And the villa?"
"I considered it. But that place is powered by mana; there's no telling how it would interfere with the ritual. Besides..." She pulled a test tube—likely containing Negi's blood—from her coat. "Asking for such a large quantity of the boy's blood was... difficult for someone who just lost a mock battle to him."
"Wait, isn't Negi coming?" I'd noticed his absence, but I'd assumed he was just running late. If his blood was already in that tube, there was no reason for him to be here.
"Listen... you seem to be a bit forgetful, so I'll tell you again. Your blood is a first-class specimen for any mage—both as a mana restorative and as research material. Even the boy... no, especially because it's the boy, we must prevent him from knowing the truth of your nature."
"Ah... right. Good point."
I didn't think Negi would intentionally leak my secrets, but he was honest to a fault. If he promised to keep a secret, he'd keep it—but he was also a massive klutz. There was no telling when he might let something slip by accident. Keeping him in the dark was definitely the safer bet.
"Can't argue with that. So? What's the play?"
"Right. Once I consume the boy's blood, which I've refined with various potions, give me your arm. I will use your blood to stabilize and enhance the boy's, which should—temporarily—trick the 'Schooling Curse' into thinking my status is normal. At least, that's the theory."
With that, she brought the tube to her lips. I watched her pale throat move as she swallowed, then I extended my arm.
Eva glanced at me for a split second before biting down. She only took a few drops, but as she'd mentioned before, my blood must have tasted vile. She grimaced, swallowing with a look of pure disgust. Seeing her eyes well up slightly with tears made me feel like I was bullying a child... even if I technically was one right now too.
"Guh...!"
"Master!?" Chachamaru rushed to her side as Eva doubled over, groaning as if enduring an internal storm. This lasted for several minutes until, finally, she stood up as if nothing had happened.
"Well?" I asked.
"Hard to say. I don't feel particularly different... but then again, the whole point was to bring my state back to 'normal,' so I suppose that's to be expected. We won't know if it worked until we try to cross the barrier. Chachamaru."
"Yes, Master. Your luggage is here." Chachamaru pulled a travel bag from behind the sofa.
"Excellent! Let's move!"
"Whoa, hold on! It's barely past five!" I protested.
The Kyoto-bound students weren't supposed to meet at Omiya Station until 9:00 AM. Going now would just mean hours of loitering.
"What are you saying?! I haven't set foot outside this place in fifteen years! And our destination is Kyoto! There isn't enough time in the world!"
Even if you get to the station early, the train doesn't leave any sooner, I thought. But before I could say it, Eva had already vanished.
"Axel-san, I apologize for the early start," Chachamaru said with a bow. "I must follow after her immediately."
"Yeah, go on. At this rate, she'll get lost and won't even make it to Omiya by nine."
I watched them go, half-exasperated, half-pitying. She had been stuck here for fifteen years. On top of that, Eva clearly had a soft spot for Japanese culture—she was in the Tea Ceremony Club and even had a small tea room in her house. To her, Kyoto was the holy land. She probably didn't care one bit about the Kansai Magic Association; to her, they were just an obstacle in her sightseeing path.
If the hardliners of the Kansai Association tried to get in her way...
"Kyoto might actually get leveled... No, probably not."
She loved the culture too much to destroy the city. The Association members, on the other hand? They were fair game. In Kyoto, the Mahora barrier that suppressed her power wouldn't exist. Even if the schooling curse dampened her magic, she was still a monster.
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