'Nacht-sama........well, isn't that just a threat.......?
　Aisha muttered apologetically behind Nacht's back.

'Mm?　As far as I'm concerned, it's just a request for help?

"f*ck you!

　Nacht tilted her head slightly at the prodding of her good friend and sister.

'Kensei-sama!　What is this all about?　Why bring a woman to a sacred ceremony site?　Besides, the Divine Prayer Technique is a great festival!

Calm down, Yozora. We have entrusted Nahat-chan with everything in the land of peace this time.
　Yozora blushed even more at those words.

'To an outsider!　What on earth do you have in mind!

Isn't it enough?
　Nacht says happily.

'Of course!　Lady Halka and your mother!　Are you convinced!

'Hmmm... I guess it's not quite convincing... We didn't have a choice in the beginning, Yozora...'

"...give it up...
　The two of them say with a look of understanding.

''Kensei-sama!''

I think it's important to give up...

You!　What the hell did you do to everyone?

　Yozora makes a pass at Nacht as if Nacht is brainwashing her.
　He is a terribly rude fellow.

'Oh, um--what on earth did you do to the Divine Prayer Technique?　Ho, are you sure you can't use it anymore?
　Nahat just laughed at the timidly listening hiyuki.
　It's a smile as if to say that the prank was a success.

'Well, I'll explain that part inside - you can go in.

　He said it pompously, as if Nacht was the administrator.
　Ignoring Yozora, who continued to scream and yell, Nahato easily proceeded to the secret depths of the Land of Harmony.





◆





This is a place where you are not allowed to enter without permission...?
　With a gait that seemed to suit such a word, Aisha invaded the main hall of the Earth Spirit Grand Shrine.
　Now that the outer wards and the elites of the guard have been neutralized by Nacht's hands, there is no one to prevent them from entering.

''Haha, Aisha makes a funny joke. There is no such place in this world where you can refuse me entry, is there?''

..........
　I don't know why.
　I thought I said the most obvious thing, but Aisha looks at me with a terribly cold eye.

''Aisha...?''

''Huh...I think Nacht-sama should grow up for good........''

What do you mean? There aren't many people who are as well qualified as I am.

..........
　It was so cold that Aisha's eyes were almost reaching absolute zero.
　Nacht gave one deliberate coughing fit before he dug his grave any further.

'Well, well, anyway ... let's get to work for Stel, too.

"So what are you going to do next after trespassing, Master Nacht.........

I'll just slip in a few minor modifications to this imperfect and dangerous technique.

　In front of me, there was a magic circle deeply carved into the earth.
　No, it would be more accurate to say that that's all that existed.
　When you think that even the intricate and elaborate magic crystals that have a radius of twenty meters, and even the vast amount of magic power that is stored in a thinly shining jutsuutsu is just a control jutsu, you can almost feel even a faint impression of its elaborate construction.

''It's amazing........this is what Haruka-san was talking about, er, the super awesome jutsu for controlling the earth vein, right.......''
　Aisha ruminated on Halka's cursory explanation.

The only thing that's here, though, is that control technique. This magic circle covers the entire Kusatsu area around this place. It is an important technique that prevents the flow of magical elements into the city and is the lifeline of the country of harmony, which separates the living areas of magical beasts and people.



"Mm, I'll try.

You have to promise me that part!

　Nacht smiles thinly at Aisha, who says she is worried.
　I'm sure he has confidence, of course, but that's the reason why he's trying to interfere with, rewrite, and optimize other people's techniques on such a large scale. Nacht can't guarantee a hundred percent success, either.

Well, if it fails, then ... let's go with plan B--

Is there such a thing?

"Mm, I call it Operation Clout!

I hope you can make it work.

　Receiving Aisha's dry cheers, Nacht leisurely invades the magic circle.
　He waded through the vast amount of magic and stood in the center of it.

'Oh, um, is there anything I can do to help Aisha?'

　Aisha said.
　Of course, ninety-nine percent of Aisha's role is to support Nacht, but she also has another important role to play.

''Altering the magic formula will require a certain amount of time. There will be outsiders coming in, so you'll have to convince them not to interfere with me.

'Huh, uh, well, that's never going to get you to listen to me!　For all intents and purposes, Aisha and the others are the bad guys, now!

　Aisha looks anxiously at Nacht, but Nacht just smiles happily.

'Then I leave it to you--'

　The next moment after he said those words, Nacht dove deep into the depths of the art form.




◆




　The letters glow in the air, the geometric patterns float up and then sink down again.
　It seems rudderless, but in fact, something changes before Aisha's eyes with precision.
　The sight of Nacht's hand in the center of the change, holding it out, was simply beautiful, to the point where it would seem absurd not to admire it.

　I want to watch that figure for a long time, like this.
　As she thought this, Aisha's ears twitched.
　The sound of wild footsteps, carried by the wind.
　The sound of such footsteps loomed vigorously, and with a bang, an old-fashioned door was opened.

''Ah, um, this is--''

Don't let them catch the intruder!

　By the time Aisha opened her mouth to ask for an explanation, an angry voice rang out.
　The five samurai carrying magically charged swords were quickly closing in on Aisha.

"'Kaha--

　All of them groaned in agony and collapsed, holding their throats.

'Oh, um, could you please listen to me?'

'　What are you--

''Oh, um, I just asked the genie-sama to thin the air a bit. As long as you stay away from us, it should be perfectly fine.

Well, I hope you got it right, then.
　A woman with a sharp look in her eyes shouts out to order another attack.

'Oh, um!　Please listen to me!

The word of the intruder is not worth listening to.

"Well, well, you see, I got Haruka-san's permission just in case.........

'But still!　You will not be allowed to enter the main shrine of the Jirei Grand Shrine without permission from me, the Lord of Kusatsu. You are criminals.

'Ugh, to my face I'm sorry dad I'm sorry Aisha has been a bad girl... not!　Um, well, I feel like I'm doing something terribly bad, but that doesn't make it any less bad!　So, rather than fighting in this place, would you be willing to listen to me for a moment?

　The woman who had been holding her naginata unfastened her stance with disapproval and turned her sharp eyes on Aisha.

'I am Kusatsu the lord, holly conoha. You people - no, what is that thing doing!

　Konoha's eyes shifted from Aisha to Nacht, who stood in a whirlwind of brilliance.
　The expression on his face could only be summed up in one word: stunned.
　I was just stunned to see Nacht, who was risking his life to even control it, or so it could be said, manipulating the magic circle as if it were a toy.

''Well, he said he was modifying something imperfect and dangerous.

'There's no way I can do that... I want to say that with all my heart, but I can't not face reality... so what's the point...? ...It would normally be the destruction of kusatsu, but it's not, is it?

　Konoha said, as if he would have guessed from Aisha's demeanor, which was not hostile.
　In fact, none of them lost their lives until Aisha and the others arrived here.

''That's, well, Aisha doesn't really understand either...''

　Aisha didn't know the full extent of what was going on.
　Still, when it came to the sake of Shtel, Aisha would support Nacht with all her might. That's all, so even if it was called a purpose, the truth was that there was no particular purpose.

''If it's true, we should probably eliminate that one by force right now.

　The moment Konoha said that. Aisha's eyes become sharp.

''But if we interfere now and the magic circle itself is destroyed, it will be useless. I'll let you guys be brought in afterwards.

'Ugh, I knew Aisha and her friends were criminals...'

No matter how you commute the sentence, it will be a beheading.

　Conoha says to Aisha, who is pale.

'So testify falsely to deserve a reduced sentence - you said that you had Harka's permission, and you have come to interrupt the Great Festival with her guidance?

What's the... what's the... what's the big festival?



I'm sorry....

''The Grand Festival is a ceremony in which the princess maiden activates a divine prayer technique - the technique that she is now regrettably controlling is supposed to be used today by Yozora... no, it was supposed to be used by Hyuki.
　Aisha says to Konoha, who casts a shadow and sinks darkly.

'Was it really that dangerous?'

'The legendary Demon King - or more precisely, one of his companions, the founder of magic - Isis Grimoire, left behind a secret method. This is just an imitation of it. It's a substitute that is not a burden, and the magic transformation is not perfect. The princess priestess must exercise the art form when her numerous wishes - no, desires - conquer the magic power that is swirling around her desires. It is an extremely demanding ritual, both physically and mentally.

So it's incomplete and dangerous, you didn't try to fix it?

That's just the way it is. Who in the world would ever think of fixing the magic that our former ancestors who were taught by Master Isis had left behind, when even Haruka had spooned them.

　Aisha looked at Nahat, and Konoha looked at Nahat as well, as if she was being followed.

''So now I feel like my common sense has been shattered.........''

'Oh, well, you see, Nacht-sama is insane, so........'

　The two people staring at each other froze in ambiguity.
　As if to pierce such silence, the magic circle shone like a stellar star, and in an instant, a new circle spread across the earth.
　The dress that Nacht wears softly floats up, and the hand that was being held out to the earth slowly leaves.

''Hmm, well, I guess that's about it.''

'This is........three control systems.......?　What the hell did you do...!

'Nacht-sama, so.......you succeeded.......?

Well, that's something to go by, I think, thank you, Aisha.
　With that, Nacht approached Aisha and gently stroked its head.
　Aisha did her best to keep her cheeks from loosening, but her mouth still turned up slightly.

'Well, I was engrossed in the work, but I could hear you. You said something interesting, Konoha, the Lord of Kusatsu.

　Nacht's words sounded heavy, as if they had power.
　Because Konoha was also a great lord, he had a sharp and heavy air about him that even Aisha could understand. But compared to the heavy pressure of Nacht, who is born to be a champion, as if to say so, it is somewhat lighter.
　It's a good thing that you're able to get the most out of it," he said as he folded up to Konoha, who was about to be pressured.

It's a good idea to make a contract with me to protect the girl you love.

　Nacht's appearance as he spoke to her looked like a demon.