"Ugh... the summer vacation from hell is coming... I wonder if I'll actually make it back alive this year..."
"I've finished watching all the robot anime you sent, and with his help, I've received some guidance. But I wonder if any of it will work on Tannin this time..."
"I've seen plenty of kids excited for summer break, but seeing children sound this depressed about it is a first for me," Cleria said with a surprised blink.
The seasons had drifted by, and the sunlight was starting to grow intense. Since my summer break was reserved for "Under-world" business, I had spent Golden Week and my other holidays visiting relatives, seeing my grandmother, and meeting with my mentor. I'd even gone to the arcade with Lord Beelzebub, where I watched him systematically obliterate every high-score record like a true demon. My sister had returned from her school trip full of stories, and generally, life had been peaceful.
When I visited Ajuka recently, I had bowed my head and presented him with a handkerchief and high-end sweets as a thank-you for the Kuoh incident. I also delivered a bottle of ultra-premium wine from Mephisto. He took them with a slightly distant look in his eyes... I really did cause a lot of trouble for him. Since then, he's been supervising my 'Concept' training, helping me master Concept Rewrite.
Ajuka mentioned that I'm actually his first official disciple. His Kankara Formula is a supreme art that only someone capable of conceptual interference can use. While Sirzechs has incredible power, his is built on the Power of Destructioninherited from the Bael line; a relative could potentially use it. But Ajuka's power has nothing to do with the Astaroth bloodline. It's entirely his own.
'Other than Sirzechs, no one has ever stepped into the same realm as me,' he had said with a small shrug. 'To think a human—even if only through a pseudo-method—might actually inherit my abilities.'
He had followed that up by asking, "Perhaps you should start calling yourself the successor of Ajuka Beelzebub?" I had shaken my head so hard I nearly gave myself whiplash. Please don't say terrifying things like that to a normal human. I can already see my lifespan shortening. Still, our strange mentor-student relationship was set to continue.
"Are we staying with the Flame Dragons again this year?" I asked.
"For the first few days, yes," Lavinia replied. "I heard the eggs from last year hatched safely, so I want to see them. I also need to greet the older dragon children."
We were all gathered in my room chatting when the topic of summer vacation came up. Lavinia and I, who were snacking on Cleria's homemade treats, immediately stared into the distance. After the flags we triggered last year, "summer break" had become a forbidden word. We knew it was going to be intense, and we just wanted to stay in denial as long as possible.
"Hmph. I bet those dragon kids have gotten even bigger," I sighed. "I wonder if they've finally figured out how to hold back when playing with humans."
"…They're still at a very rowdy age," Lavinia noted.
Lavinia, that's just a polite way of telling me to give up hope. It was confirmed: I was going to be the dragons' personal chew toy again. I'd trained for a year, but I still didn't want to get mauled. I knew my teachers wouldn't show any mercy, though. Dragons and Fallen Angels always lead to pain; Mephisto is the only safe place. I'm so glad I joined the Association.
I slumped onto the table, groaning as the countdown to summer continued. Cleria and Masaomi watched us with twitching cheeks. According to Mephisto, Tannin has been planning our training menu for over six months. Tannin, why are you so motivated? Is this payback for your drinking habit? I haven't forgotten the "evil smile" he gave me through the communication circle when I thanked him.
"So you're heading back to the Underworld to train with Tannin, the Dragon King?" Masaomi asked. "I know he's Mephisto's 'Queen,' but you really do hang out with some incredible people, Kanata."
"…Do you want to come, Masaomi? It's training, so you'll get stronger. We can play tag with dragons together."
"Kanata... is that a sincere invitation? Or are you just trying to distribute the damage by adding another sacrifice?"
Darn it, Masaomi's gotten harder to trick. Between the Association training and dealing with eccentric magicians, he's definitely leveled up. I was totally trying to offload half the dragon-babysitting duties onto him. But there was a tiny bit of good intent there. I gave him a bright smile and a thumbs-up.
"There is some good intent! I know you want to get stronger!"
"Oh, right. Sorry for doubting you."
"Masaomi, that smile means he's at least 90% focused on damage distribution," Cleria sighed. "You have to be careful when Kanata gets that look. Doubting people is a survival skill too, you know?"
"More importantly," Lavinia added, "I wouldn't recommend a human going to the dragon territory. Without a unique ability like ours, it's too dangerous. Kanata, inviting someone when you know they can't go is poor form."
"Sorry," I muttered.
The women shot me down immediately. Cleria, as a Devil, was sensitive to emotions and saw right through my joke. Masaomi is immune to combat feints and malicious lies, but he's remarkably weak against casual jokes. He told me he used to get teased by his unit in the Church for that very reason. Now he has Cleria to watch over him.
While I have a break, the Kuoh team will be working as usual. Masaomi's diligence has earned him some respect, so he's taking on more security work. Cleria and the others are focusing on studying magical tools. The Belial Worthless ability can temporarily nullify supernatural powers, making them perfect for identifying cursed objects or artifacts. Since it's similar to my Erasure, they've been finding all kinds of creative uses for it.
Masaomi and I have also been talking to Mephisto about his potential reincarnation. He's been studying the process with Cleria. He seems to have made up his mind, but he wants to do as much as possible while he's still human.
For example, there are certain holy sites or restricted areas that are easy for humans to enter but impossible for Devils. He's been visiting those places, doing research, and stockpiling holy water—preparations that can only be done now.
"Hahaha, well, even if I could go, I'd pass this time," Masaomi said. "My position is still too unstable for a long trip to the Underworld. Besides, thanks to Kanata, I'm finally starting to get a feel for 'Pseudo-Senjutsu.' I'm going to focus on that training here."
"Are you sure that's safe? Every time my Partner erases your aura for a bit, you collapse and vomit."
Masaomi had been training in Senjutsu, which Mephisto said was easier to learn as a human. To help him "feel" his inner energy, I'd been using my Gear to temporarily delete his outer aura. Once you become a Devil, the external factor of "Demonic Power" makes it much harder to tap into your internal life force. If he learns it now, the ability will carry over when he reincarnates.
I'd asked Professor Azazel if I could teach Masaomi the "Pseudo-Senjutsu" method after one of our sparring sessions. He'd given me the green light immediately. "Sure, why not. He has the combat sense for it and he looks sturdy. Besides, I can always use more experimental data." I realized then that my teacher definitely views Masaomi as a lab rat. I could see a very stressful future for him if he joins Mephisto's peerage.
"I'll be right by his side during the training," Cleria added. "If he pulls in bad energy, I can wipe it away with my Worthless power."
"It's hard to do safely without Cleria there," Masaomi admitted. "I still struggle to distinguish my own energy from external energy, and it gets confusing."
"I get that. My Partner filters the external energy for me, so I can just focus on the flow."
"Kanata's Sacred Gear really is a hard worker," Lavinia noted.
Professor Azazel had once asked me if I was trying to "work my Gear to death." I'm always grateful to him. My Partner is more sensitive to my body, mind, and soul than I am, so I can't help but rely on him. I'm 100% sure I'd be useless without him. Since we're "connected until death," I don't have to worry about him leaving, at least.
Thanks to him, I can use Senjutsu with almost zero risk because he instantly deletes any "bad" energy I accidentally pull in. I don't have deep knowledge of the art, so I mostly just use it for presence-detection and reading auras, but it's incredibly useful for daily life.
Hearing Lavinia, I asked my Partner internally: Should I try to work harder on my own without relying on you so much?
I received a sharp, biting thought in response:
Ouch. True, but ouch. You didn't have to be that mean. Then I felt a follow-up thought:
***
"Oh, that reminds me! I wanted to tell you something, Kanata. Do you have a day free before summer break starts?"
"A day? Sure, I can make time."
Cleria smiled brightly at my answer.
"Diehauser's schedule is finally opening up. He's been buried under work since the strike last year, but he finally has a breather. He talked to Director Mephisto and asked if he could visit the human world—officially to see me, of course."
"Wait, really? Is it okay for the Emperor of the Games to just show up here?"
"It's an unofficial visit. He'll get permission from the Satans and the high command, and he promised not to cause any trouble."
I couldn't help but grin. I haven't seen Diehauser in person since our meeting in the dragon's nest. We've talked over comms, but the man is a superstar now; his workload must be astronomical. To think it took him over six months to get a vacation... being popular sounds exhausting.
He had helped us so much with the strike and the negotiations. Without Diehauser Belial, I never would have been able to save my friends from the Old Devils. He's the ultimate hero to me and the people of the Underworld. I really wanted to thank him again and just catch up.
"…So I finally get to meet my 'brother-in-law' in person," Masaomi muttered.
"You've talked to him on the comms, right?" I asked.
"Oh, I did. I prostrated myself. I apologized until my throat was sore. I thanked him. And then we talked for an hour about how amazing Cleria is!"
Masaomi, you have some thick skin. Diehauser had so little free time and he spent an hour of it listening to a guy gush about his sister? The Emperor had blessed their relationship, but as a brother, he clearly had some "complexes" to work through. Good luck, Masaomi.
"I'd love to see him. I'll clear my schedule," I said.
"Thank you. …And there's one more thing. Diehauser has a favor to ask you. He's talked to Lord Beelzebub and Director Mephisto about it, and they said it's up to you."
"Up to me?"
Cleria looked a bit hesitant. It seemed it was a request that might be awkward. She explained that during the strike, a certain Devil player had become suspicious of Diehauser's motives. To win his cooperation, Diehauser had been forced to tell him a portion of the truth. Now, that Devil wants to meet the "mastermind" who talked Diehauser Belial into the strike.
"Mastermind? Me?" I sputtered. "Is that guy confused? Everyone else did the hard work; I just made a few suggestions!"
The room went silent.
Why are you all looking at me like that? Okay, maybe I triggered the whole thing. Maybe I accidentally flipped Diehauser's "Revolution" switch. And maybe I caused the Church unit in Kuoh a fair amount of trauma.
But I just asked for a strike and then cried while acting as a magical girl! Calling me a "mastermind" is going too far. I wanted to scream that the real chaos was caused by the adults getting carried away!
"Anyway!" Cleria said, pivoting quickly. "This person is going to be Diehauser's strategist for the upcoming reforms. So he asked if you'd be willing to meet him. It's not mandatory; you can say no if you want."
"Cleria, you just blatantly changed the subject."
"Regardless," she continued, "the fact that the Satans and the Director left it to your judgment means this person already knows quite a bit about their involvement. It's up to you, Kanata."
I sighed, accepting the subject change. The "mastermind" rumor would probably vanish the moment he met me anyway. I scratched my head, thinking it over.
This Devil had seen through Diehauser's act during the strike and had become his ally. If he had the Satans' and the Director's blessing to fight the old guard as a strategist, he must be trustworthy. And Diehauser definitely needs more reliable allies besides the "corrupt group."
"So, who is it?" I asked.
"Lüdiger Rosenkreutz."
"Wait, REALLY!? I get to meet the Upsetting Sorcerer?! I want his autograph!"
They had told me it was my choice, but when I answered instantly, everyone gave me a pitying look. The world is so unfair, I thought.
***
"Azazel, I've prepared several sizes. Which one should I send?"
"Oh, thanks, Shemhaza. Hmm... the kid is a bit on the small side, so let's go with the smallest one for now."
"He's a middle schooler now. He'll be growing soon, so a size up would be better. It'll make later adjustments easier."
"…You're a cadre of the Fallen Angels mentioned in the Bible, yet you obsess over these details. This is why everyone calls you the 'Mother' of the organization behind your back—"
Shemhaza offered a thin, elegant smile.
"Oh? Since we're all getting on in years, perhaps I should focus on our health and budget. I could start by strictly regulating the alcohol consumption within Grigori."
"I am deeply, sincerely sorry."
Azazel, the Governor General of the Fallen Angels, bowed his head in a perfect apology to his Vice-Governor. He knew Shemhaza was a man of his word. And if alcohol was banned, the other cadres would blame Azazel, not the one enforcing the rule. The hierarchy of their private lives was truly ruthless.
Shemhaza shrugged and went back to selecting the clothes. The outfit was primarily blue with lavender sleeves and a black torso. It looked somewhat like a school uniform, but the design was far too stylized for a normal school. It looked more like a costume for a specialized agency.
He packed two sets and a dress shirt into a bag. Azazel watched him, then reached for some paperwork to pass the time. He felt he should contribute a little work since he was asking for so many favors.
"I've prepared this uniform so a human coming to Grigori won't look out of place," Shemhaza noted. "Does the boy know about the Nephilim?"
"Ah... probably not. I haven't told him much about our inner workings."
"Then please explain it when you give him the clothes. Inviting an outsider into our headquarters is usually unthinkable. We are bringing him here under the fiction that he is a student of the Nephilim, not a magician of the Grau Zauberer."
Azazel sighed and nodded. His friendship with Mephisto Pheles was not public knowledge; only a handful of cadres knew about the connection. Bringing Kanata here as Mephisto's ward would have raised too many questions.
So, Azazel had decided to use the name of the Nephilim—the school Grigori maintained for Sacred Gear possessors they had taken under their protection. Officially, Kanata would be presented as a student whose Gear required deep research.
Most Fallen Angels ignored humans anyway. Seeing a child in the school uniform wouldn't register as anything more than a student on an errand. No one would bother to verify his records. It was the perfect cover to bring him into the fold.
"…Kanata Kuramoto. Mephisto's protégé, and the boy you helped six months ago," Shemhaza mused.
"Yeah. Like I said, I only lent a hand."
"A romance between a Devil and a priest..."
"It was worth it. The Satans are already thinking about peace. They wouldn't have handed those two over to Mephisto otherwise. The old Satans never would have talked, but this new bunch is different."
Azazel had told only Shemhaza the full story of the Kuoh incident. Shemhaza was his right hand and his best friend. He was also a man who had his own secret history with a Devil woman. He was the one who actually kept the organization running while Azazel played with his hobbies.
"The Devils are entering an era of massive reform," Shemhaza said. "As fellow residents of the Underworld, we will be the first to feel the impact."
"That's why I told you. If the Devils get loud, it affects us. If we're going to move toward peace, we can't afford to be late to the party while they're shifting."
"…You've changed, Azazel. At first, the idea of you cutting into your hobby time to work and manage subordinates was as likely as Michael being nice to you."
"Hey!"
Azazel winced. Michael, the Archangel, was a saint to everyone except Azazel, for whom he reserved his most acidic insults. They'd been at each other's throats since they were in Heaven. The thought of a smiling, kind Michael made Azazel break out in hives.
"I'm actually trying here, and that's the thanks I get?"
"Hehe. Sorry. …I am grateful to that boy, honestly. You seem much more... alive lately."
"Whatever. I just... I just want to have another mahjong tournament and raise some hell again."
Azazel looked away, embarrassed. Peace was just the fastest way to get back to the fun. Shemhaza smiled. The mahjong tournament had been a diversion to keep the Fallen Angels from interfering with the Devils, but for the two of them, it had been a glimpse of the future they wanted. It would take time, but they were committed to the path.
"Enough small talk," Shemhaza said, his tone turning professional. "I have a report for you. The Sacred Gear you asked me to track has been found."
"——! You found it!?"
Azazel stood up so fast his chair clattered. His red eyes burned with a dangerous light as he looked at his friend.
"Yes. We secured the host a few days ago. We performed a covert analysis of the ability..."
"And?"
"…It was the opposite. There was no problem at all. It's both a relief and a disappointment, but that Gear did not exceed its 'existing framework.' We'll keep an eye on it, but for now, it presents no danger."
Azazel slumped back into his chair, exhaling a long breath of exhaustion. Several of his fears were gone, but new questions took their place.
"I see... I thought since it was a mass-produced model, there might be multiple 'Conceptual' versions popping up after I saw Kanata's. It's a rare power, and I wanted another one for the collection... but I guess I should be glad that 'Concept Nullification' isn't just appearing everywhere. That would have been a nightmare."
"The new host only possesses the 'Material Destruction' trait," Shemhaza explained. "We tried to guide them toward 'Concept' interference, but they were confused. They said they 'didn't know how' and 'didn't feel like they could'."
"They don't 'feel' it, huh? That's a host's instinct. Unless a Gear has a soul sealed inside, it communicates its limits to the master."
Azazel had been searching for another Ruin Lorn Scarlet ever since he met Kanata. The boy's version was an anomaly. Its "Concept Nullification" was so dangerous that Azazel was relieved his guardian was a Great Devil who wouldn't let it be misused.
Offensive Gears like a Longinus were tracked because of their power. But a Longinus was unique; only one of each could exist at a time as long as the host was alive.
But Ruin Lorn Scarlet was a common category Gear. There could be hundreds of them in the same era. That was why Azazel had been worried. If "Concept Nullification" was a fundamental shift in the Gear itself, there could be an army of Kanatas. But it seemed the anomaly was limited to the boy.
"Phew. Well, good work. Keep tracking any others we find, but it's good to know the threat level is low."
"It only deepens the mystery of Kanata Kuramoto's Gear," Shemhaza noted. "A single-trait Gear for 'Material destruction' has added a secondary power for 'Concept destruction.' That 'dual-trait' feature is usually reserved for a Longinus."
"In my mind, that thing is a Sub-Longinus already," Azazel said. "Kanata can't kill a god yet, he's still growing, but he's already showing the traits that separate normal Gears from the God-Slayers."
"And what exactly is that barrier between them?"
"Possibility."
"What?"
"A Longinus is a 'Mass of Possibility.' It reads the host's 'Everything'—their will, their desires—and evolves or changes to answer them. That's their greatest trait. Most people just look at the raw power, but that's only a part of it. I've researched Gears for centuries because I never get tired of that potential."
The reports from Mephisto about Kanata's relationship with his Gear matched the traits of a Longinus perfectly. In Kuoh, when Kanata needed a solution, the Gear had changed to provide it. The boy would "screw up" and the Gear would work overtime to save him.
The creation of Rewrite and the ability to distribute powers were way beyond the scope of a normal Gear. They happened because the Gear changed its state to match Kanata's desperate wish. It was acting like a Longinus. And the host was completely oblivious to what his "Partner" was doing.
"…He's doing all of that unconsciously? Is he really that dense?" Shemhaza wondered.
"He's remarkably decisive when it comes to being an idiot," Azazel laughed. "He does these things with a straight face and then rates himself as 'average.' It's hard to put into words, but the kid is just... 'off'."
The two ancient beings shook their heads at the boy's perspective. Talking to a tool, building a robot out of Gears, pretending to be a Satan, throwing the Underworld into chaos... he did it all because he sincerely thought it was the best solution.
Kanata possessed a "magic word" that kept him grounded in this world of monsters: "It's okay, I haven't messed up as bad as Issei." Because he knew the results of the original protagonist's actions, he used them as a yardstick. And because he respected Issei's strength, he underestimated his own potential.
Azazel, who understood the boy's personality, knew it would be cruel to pry into that psyche. But it also made watching him incredibly entertaining. They dropped the subject and went back to their Grigori reports.
"Oh, Azazel. One thing wasn't in the report. Half a year ago, you went to the human world to provide support while hiding your identity as Governor General. How exactly did you intervene?"
"——! Cough! Hack! ahem!"
"…Azazel?"
"N-Nothing, Shemhaza! It was a great finale! All's well that ends well, right!?"
"What did you do...? Well, the budget reports for last year were clean, so I'll let it slide for now."
I can't tell him. If Shemhaza found out he'd misappropriated Grigori research funds to build a giant robot for fun, the "Mother's" lightning would strike for real. And he definitely couldn't mention that he'd used Mephisto's official contracts as a way to "wash" the money he'd spent on Zazel-ger.
He'd told Shemhaza the contracts started in February when they really started in January, securing a month's worth of funding for his pet project. As long as Mephisto didn't talk, he was safe. Azazel gave a frantic, dry laugh.
He had two more worries. One: praying that his "Super Robot" evidence—currently sitting in his private warehouse—remained undiscovered. Two: ensuring Kanata kept his mouth shut when he arrived. He could already see his student looking at him with a gaze that said, "You're a hopeless adult."
Azazel might be working now, but at his core, he was still Azazel.
***
"Oh! Is that the big brother from the hospital?"
"Wait... Issei? What are you doing here?"
"Irina is helping at the church, so I'm just taking a walk."
"I see. I'm glad you two are still close."
Issei Hyoudou had spotted Kanata Kuramoto wandering around with a map. Recognizing him as the "Big Brother" who had helped him and Irina before, he ran up to him. Kanata smiled and patted his head.
"Actually, I'm looking for a friend's house, but I can't find the street. Issei, do you know where this is?"
"Hmm... wait. Isn't this Miltan's house?"
"Eh? Oh... right. You play with Miltan too. But... you've actually been to his house? You're that close?"
Is it already too late? Kanata muttered. Issei didn't mind the mumbling and offered to lead the way. Kanata looked stressed for a moment but eventually followed.
"We watch anime at Miltan's house! Dungam, Magical Girls... he has everything!"
"Ah... I might have been the one who recommended those. I didn't know Miltan was such a fan."
"Why are you going to Miltan's house? To watch anime?"
"I'm... er... I'm going to fulfill a promise."
"Whoa."
Kanata couldn't tell the kid he was there to test a gender-swap gun on his friend. He had decided to visit Miltan's private home to keep the secret from the Association members.
"…And Miltan said we couldn't follow because it was dangerous, but he fought a secret evil organization!" Issei continued.
"What? Who was it this time?"
"Um... 'Bael-something'? I don't know, but they wear suits and strike poses. Miltan gave them a 'Fist of Love'! Be careful, big brother!"
I should really tell him to just call the police, Kanata thought.
They walked through Kuoh, Issei chatting about school and "Irina's Legends" while Kanata listened with a mix of amusement and horror. Kanata bought Issei a crepe as a thank-you. Issei was happy to have met him again and resolved to tell Irina everything.
"Here we are. Thanks, Issei."
"No problem! Next time let's all watch anime together! You, me, and Irina!"
"Uh... sure. As long as it's just anime. I guess I have to make sure Irina doesn't get too influenced by Miltan. See you later!"
"Yay!"
With a promise made, they waved goodbye.
(Later, when Issei asked how Miltan's wish went, Kanata would simply say: "The beam reflected back with twice the power. It was... intense." Issei assumed it was a video game story and didn't pry.)
***
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