The two Koyanskayas were displeased. It was obvious from a glance that a human reeking of arrogance was summoning their Master.
'Insolent creature.'
Light Koyanskaya, Assassin, didn't dislike humans. She loved their cycle of downfall and success.
But her Master was different. She wished for their eternal happiness and for there to be no abyss for them.
Because they were that special, because they were her Master.
Yet, someone was showing hostility towards her Master. It was a grave sin, deserving of death.
Child? Adult? Age had no relevance whatsoever.
"How utterly impudent."
So she instantly moved behind the child, kicked them into the room, then closed the door and entered.
The closed door was sealed using magic. Not just the door, but even the windows were blocked with magic.
Dark Koyanskaya, Foreigner, laid down a sound-dampening spell to match. The fleeting blue light that twinkled inside the room was proof.
Not only that, but she also laid down a spell to block presence. It was a rudimentary formation, but its effect was outstanding.
"Now, what in the world are you doing?"
The kicked child stood up, frowning. Despite being a child, their bloodlust was incredibly potent.
However.
"It seems you don't know your place and are utterly rude."
Dark Koyanskaya from the front, and Light Koyanskaya from the side, unleashed their bloodlust.
Dark Koyanskaya, Foreigner, was deeply annoyed. To act violently, and even with bloodlust. Her hands were itching to inflict truly sticky abuse.
"Uh, ugh…!"
The bloodlust vanished from the eyes of the child who was trying to stand up. Their throat tightened, and they gasped for breath.
Their chest felt constricted. Their heart felt like it would burst.
The aura emitted by the two Servants pressed down on the child from front and back. It was an intensity that threatened to crush them entirely.
"Cough…!"
The child fell to their knees and curled up. It was humiliating.
How dare a mere woman overpower a man? For the child, it was an unbearable situation.
'But… are they really women?'
The child thought, even as they gasped for air.
Until the door opened, they had clearly felt ordinary. Though somewhat alluring, they were ordinary.
Now? They were far too different.
Cursed spirits. They were so formidable that it brought to mind the Special Grade Cursed Spirits they had only heard about.
Even as they were dying, the child understood the difference in class. And because they understood, they were furious.
"Master, shall I kill them?"
Foreigner, who stood guarding her Master, asked. If the command was given, she would erase them without leaving even ash.
Her Master was gentle, but also cold. Especially towards those branded as enemies.
"Hmm… no. For now, I'd like to talk a bit."
The child sitting on the bed said, looking at the cowering child. The difference in height was a difference in class.
"Understood."
The two Koyanskayas immediately released the pressure and suppressed their presence. Alluring, but like ordinary people.
Meanwhile, the child sitting on the bed stood up. An expression of surprise was visible on their face.
It's him alright. The trash who died at the hands of Zenin Maki's mother, and was then killed by Maki herself.
Extreme patriarchal ideology. A sorcerer. Zenin Naoya's face from the manga flashed through my mind.
"What's your name?"
I squatted in front of the child and asked. Since things had come to this, I intended to meet them at eye level.
'Looking at their age, around first year of middle school, or late elementary school? Or perhaps older?'
They might have learned jujutsu by that age, but it was fine. Koyanskaya would react before the child could use jujutsu.
"You… who are you? How are you keeping these monstrous bitches?"
"Don't call them bitches. They're my women."
Knowing the child's personality, I pushed hard. My feelings of unforgiveness were also strong.
"Oh, Master…♥"
The two Koyanskayas smiled, seemingly delighted. My answer seemed to please them.
"Now that you know, think carefully before you answer."
"Ah… understood."
The child replied with a terrified face.
No matter how arrogant, a child is still a child. Having faced the bloodlust of high-ranking Servants, they couldn't help but be afraid.
"My… my name is Naoya. Zenin Naoya."
"Zenin? Same surname as Toji-san?"
"Th-that's right! I'm Toji-kun's relative! If you go by the family tree, I'd be his cousin brother or something like that."
The child, Naoya, replied in a thick accent. My prediction was correct.
"Oh, really? A relative? But I heard the relatives there dislike Toji-san…?"
"They're all idiots, aren't they? Their brains must be in their dicks. How strong is Toji-kun, after all…!"
Naoya's eyes sparkled as he replied. His language was rough, but his high evaluation of Toji was just as in the original.
Because of that, he harbored intense inferiority towards Maki, but… he knew how to perceive the difference in strength.
Only. He knew how to see it, but not how to acknowledge it.
"I know that too."
"So, who exactly are you? And why were you with Toji-kun?"
"You're curious about that."
"I'm dying of curiosity. So, please just tell me."
Naoya trembled as he pleaded. He seemed utterly terrified, to the point of trauma.
"If you make a binding vow that you won't tell anyone what you hear from me, and that you may only speak with my permission."
"Binding vow? So you're a sorcerer too? No, a curse user?"
"Even I don't know that. Anyway, do you want to do it?"
It was fine to tell him, but it would be troublesome if he had a loose tongue. Killing him was also a gray area.
'Of all people, it had to be a child.'
If I had met an adult Naoya in this situation? It was highly likely I would have killed him or rendered him unable to recover.
However, now he was a child. A child who had just entered middle school.
His personality formation was roughly complete, but not entirely. There was room for improvement.
Meeting him like this might be a coincidence, but if I could make good use of that coincidence? Couldn't I save many people too?
'I can't use suggestion magic.'
Hypnosis-like suggestion magic has weak effects and doesn't last long.
If that's the case for ordinary people, what about sorcerers? It would just be a waste of magical energy due to their resistance from cursed energy.
"Y-yes, I'll do it! If I do, will you tell me everything?"
"Yes. I'll tell you."
"Then I'll make the v-vow. I'll make it, so please tell me."
I nodded, looking at Naoya. Since he was still a child, I intended to bet on his rehabilitation.
'He's a child, so he's impatient.'
If he were an adult, I would have approached calmly, but not now. His clumsiness was evident.
The condition I'd just put forward was a binding vow that only he would keep the secret. I had no risk at all.
Of course, if there had been a risk, I wouldn't have accepted the vow.
Naoya probably instinctively knew that too, but… I wasn't sure. It also seemed like he just accepted it impulsively because he was desperate.
"First, you're asking how I made Toji my subordinate, right? We made a binding vow, but I won't tell you the details. It's a personal matter."
"No, that's the most important thing…!"
Naoya's eyes widened. Naturally, he was dumbfounded that I was hiding the information he most wanted to hear.
"It's a personal matter. There was no coercion."
"You didn't overpower him with force?"
"I could have, but it was a binding vow made with proper agreement. Next question? Anything else?"
As I sat on the bed, Naoya also got up. He seemed a little more relaxed.
"Y-yes, there is. Those women, what exactly are they? They're definitely not human, but they don't seem like cursed spirits either…"
"You can sense that?"
"I can. So, can you answer?"
"I won't tell you that either. It's too complicated to explain."
"No, what kind of…!"
Naoya burst out in anger, then abruptly flinched and hunched his shoulders. He got scared again as soon as he looked at Foreigner.
"No, if it's like this, I don't know anything, do I? Why did I even make the vow?"
"That's true, but I'm answering with as much sincerity as I can."
"It's absurd, but I can feel you're not lying. So your claim of sincerity isn't entirely false either."
Naoya nodded obediently. My sincerity seemed to have gotten through.
"But why do you look down on women so much?"
"Well, a lass who doesn't know how to walk three steps behind should have a knife plunged into her back and die."
"Can you say that in front of them?"
When I asked, pointing at Foreigner, Naoya's mouth clamped shut.
Even if he had noticed they weren't human, women were women. He must have clearly seen a future where he'd be trampled if he said the same thing.
"You can't, can you? You can't unconditionally disrespect women, and you can't unconditionally elevate men. Do you understand now?"
"Ah, understood."
Naoya nodded. But even with the nod, he showed no signs of truly comprehending.
"You don't genuinely understand?"
"Huh? No. I understood. You're right."
"Right, my ass. You're just trying to pretend you understand because it's disadvantageous, aren't you? You're hopeless."
It seems I'll have to show him some power. He might only realize something if he sees it with his own eyes.
To meet him here of all places, what a mess… All I can do is sigh.
"Master. May I offer a suggestion?"
Assassin, who was guarding my back, spoke. She seemed to have a plan.
"Hm? What is it?"
"From what I see, this little one doesn't know their place."
Doesn't know their place. Hearing those words, wrinkles formed between Naoya's eyebrows.
He was displeased, but couldn't speak. He must have been frustrated in many ways.
"That's my concern too. Is there a way?"
"There is."
Assassin's eyes curved gently. Her gaze was sly and chilling.
'Ah…'
I could roughly imagine what she was thinking, and what would happen to the half-rotten Naoya.
From ancient times, a beating was the cure for such cases. He probably went astray continuously because there was no one to set him straight.
"It'll be troublesome, are you sure?"
"Yes. You wish for this little one's reformation, Master, don't you? As a secretary, I must step forward."
"Thank you."
I bowed my head with sincerity. I was grateful that she offered to act directly.
"Hmm. Discipline is my specialty, so shall I take care of it?"
Foreigner also stepped forward, her eyes sparkling. Both were cruel, but Foreigner was indeed a bit more severe.
"W-what are you talking about right now? Discipline?"
Naoya stammered, asking. His face was deathly pale.
"It's all for your own good."
I sighed, looking at Naoya.
Both Assassin and Foreigner stepping forward would be a waste of resources. Only one needed to go.
And I had already decided who it would be.