Hal sighed.

  "To be honest, I don't think any clues will turn up. If anything could be found, I'm sure one of us would've discovered it long ao. After all, Tokyo is our territory."

  "Yes. Minadzuki hasn't warned me this summer."

  "I'm putting the odds at fifty-fifty. If he really didn't play any tricks..."

  "Or perhaps Galad-san was very cautious and even came up with measures to counter magical investigation when he was setting up his trap..."

  "Yes, that's right. You really know a lot, Shirasaka."

  "That's because you taught me a lot, Senpai."

  Hazumi was smiling demurely at Hal from up close.

  This was a cramped cabin inside a transport ship. Hal was sitting on the bed as so was the excessively pure junior student.

  Not only was she sitting on the same bed as Hal, but she was leaning very close to him.

  Why was she sitting here when there was clearly more space? To be honest, Hal was completely baffled. However, leaning against him, offering support, Hazumi's touch and warmth made him feel very comfortable in mind and body.

  Letting this continue might not be half bad—Just as this notion surfaced in his mind, Hal shook his head.

  "Oh—Shirasaka, shouldn't we give each other a bit more space?"

  "But Senpai, you looked so unwell just now."

  "Just now?"

  "Yes. When the dragon king—Princess Yukikaze—showed up, you looked like you were beleaguered by coldness, like you had a high fever, the look on your face was very scary..."

  "Oh."

  Hal could now understand why Hazumi was leaning against him. However, he found it odd.

  Even so, this distance was too close. What was Hazumi thinking? Even if it were out of worry... This was virtually... As his thoughts reached this point, Hal jumped in surprise.

  Because Hazumi reached out gently with her left hand and touched his right hand.

  The junior student's sudden action made his heart skip a beat. Hal did not know if his adorable protege was aware of his feelings, but she said worriedly, "Also, Senpai, your body is so cold and hard."

  "R-Really?"

  "Yes. It feels like metal, you know?"

  "..."

  Metal. Hal recalled the giant lifeform he had been fighting several hours earlier—the silver dragon—and could not help but think.

  Perhaps he too might turn into something like that...

  Try as he might to not think about this, such a possibility was impossible to rule out no matter what.

  Just as he was about to be imprisoned in this pessimistic mindset—

  "Senpai, your body is really cold. E-Excuse me!"

  Sitting next to him, Hazumi suddenly took off her shoes and moved over the bed.

  Kneeling on the bed, she hugged Hal's head. As a result, Haruga Haruomi's face was buried into her bosom—

  "Sh-Shiraska!?"

  "Can.. we stay in this posture for a while? I'd like to do something."

  Hazumi's voice sounded full of determination.

  Her usual self, polite and reserved self, was nowhere to be found. Next, the junior student began to stroke Hal's head gently. Round and round, it seemed like her motions intended to massage and soften the hard surface.

  During this time, Hal's face remained buried in Hazumi's chest.

  For a fourteen-year-old, Hazumi was "very well developed" and fairly busty. Hal never thought he would ever get a chance in his life to confirm the sensation of her chest in this manner—

  "Oh, Senpai, you're relaxing a little now."

  "I-I see. That's good to know."

  Damn it. Form is no different from emptiness, and emptiness is no different from form... Exercising self-control to prevent his mind from having inappropriate thoughts, Hal mentally thanked Hazumi for her care and concern from the bottom of his heart.

  The kind-hearted junior student was probably doing this out of worry for Hal's health.

  Of course, Hal felt very embarrassed that he was being held and comforted in this posture like a baby. However, Hazumi's kindness and her voluptuous—were soothing his heart even more. Both his mind and body were relaxing...

  Feeling an indescribable sense of comfort, Hal's consciousness gradually faded.

  "Oh right..."

  On further thought, he had made the Crimson Queen use the sun-shooting divine bow by his own power alone.

  This was his first time to attempt this. His magical power was surging to the point of overflowing. His entire body felt unusually hot. Conversely, he must have accumulated a lot of fatigue too.

  Now that Hal finally obtained reprieve for his tensed mind, his exhausted body was attacked by the onslaught of drowsiness.

  "Senpai, did you fall asleep...?"

  With his face buried in Hazumi's bosom, Haruomi-senpai drifted into slumber.

  She could hear gentle breathing. Trying to avoid waking him up, Hazumi kept her movements as light as possible while shifting her arms and body to lay Senpai down on the bed.

  Having confirmed that he was sleeping peacefully, Hazumi reached out again.

  She touched Senpai's face. Not only was Haruomi-senpai not fat, his physique was on the skinny side. However, his cheeks were very soft and fleshy to pinch.

  Then she even touched Senpai's head, right arm, left arm, feeling his body nonstop.

  "Thank goodness. Looks like what I just did is working." Hazumi exhaled in relief and a smile finally surfaced on her face.

  After that—after the Crimson Queen had used the technique of assured annihilation—Hazumi had felt bothered ever since.

  Today, Haruomi-senpai was wearing a t-shirt with pants.

  After using the technique of assured annihilation, the parts of his skin not covered by clothing, such as his face or his arms, would reflect sunlight from time to time, shining brightly. It did not seem like an illusion at all.

  It shone as though the surface was covered by a layer of glass.

  Worried, Hazumi had stuck closely to Senpai as soon as they had entered the cabin, so as to confirm the texture of his skin, and was greatly shocked.

  In addition to appearance, even the tactile sensation was like glass.

  Cold and hard.

  Furthermore, Haruomi-senpai himself had failed to notice this. Most likely, this was one of the symptoms of transforming into a dragon—Hazumi felt certain of this. Just as he had been unaware of his memory loss, it was also very difficult for him to notice the hardening of his body.

  Hence, Hazumi had forcibly suppressed the shock in her heart to prevent Senpai from noticing. However—

  "I shouldn't have pointed out Senpai felt like metal to the touch..."

  As soon as he heard these words, Senpai's face turned dark.

  Hence, to make up for her mistake, she had hugged Haruomi-senpai's head. She guessed that such intimate contact might possibly cause Senpai's body to change in a positive direction.

  After pressing her bosom against Senpai, she found the change she was hoping for.

  Haruomi-senpai's hardened body gradually turned soft, recovering a human body's "pliable" texture.

  "Fortunately, it's just like what Hinokagutsuchi said..."

  Hazumi currently breathed a sigh of relief from the bottom of her heart. She even felt overjoyed.

  "Senpai recovered... Does this mean that even a body like mine is able to make him happy?"

  At New York during August, the former dragon queen had said, 'Obtaining combat power and the wisdom of the unorthodoxy would lead Tyrannoi and hybrids to become more like dragons...'

  'Conversely, the opposite situation can happen too. Pleasures that could only be enjoyed as a human would occasionally cause someone farther along the path of becoming a dragon to revert back to human appearance.'

  Indeed. According to this logic, Senpai would derive intense satisfaction as a closet pervert from erotic behavior and revert slightly to being human.

  Hence, Hazumi mustered her determination to give it a try this time.

  If only things would continue to be this easy—Hazumi sighed with worry and suppressed the uncertainty in the bottom of her heart.

  Part 3

  "That silver dragon... Pavel Galad, yes?" Hinokagutsuchi spoke with mockery in her voice.

  She was with Hal and Asya, walking in Kogetsu Academy's campus. Roughly half a day had gone by after the wielder of the dragonslaying sword had reappeared.

  The morning sun they had witnessed from the tiny island in Tokyo Bay was already setting in the west. It was roughly 7pm right now.

  "Yes. How did that dragon become so strong within just a few months? I can't believe even Hazumi-san's trump card didn't work..."

  "Hmph, what is there to be surprised about?"

  Asya was baffled while Hinokagutsuchi remained unfazed.

  Inside the school, the young girl in a scarlet kimono should be quite conspicuous, but it was already after school and evening to boot. Practically no students could be seen along the path to the library.

  Walking with her head up and chest puffed out, Hinokagutsuchi smiled arrogantly.

  "The brat did it too. Do you believe the silver dragon to be less capable than he is?"

  "I see, so that's the principle here?"

  "Warrior, mage, hero... I'm confident that I'm inferior to him in talent for every job class," Hal could not help but agree.

  Furthermore, Hinokagutsuchi continued, "If only that was all there is to it... Fully knowledgeable dragons would embark on long adventures for the sake of conquering the Road to Kingship. Up into the heavens, down into the oceans, deep into space, even crossing dimensions on occasion. Only by discovering flints and the power of dragonbane during their arduous travels can individuals become Tyrannoi—"

  "A treasure hunting quest, in other words."

  Hidden in the possessions left behind by Haruga Haruomi's late father was a treasure of dragonkind—a flint.

  Only the flames generated when this type of stone shattered were able to awaken dragonslaying runes. Whether the Rune of the Bow or the Rune of the Twin Katana, both would be nothing more than symbols without the flints.

  Hal had experienced this first hand. In other words—

  "Having completed that challenging quest, Galad's abilities as a 'treasure hunter' might be superior to mine—I guess this could be a possible deduction..."

  "The items and knowledge he obtained over the course of his travels ought to be quite abundant too..."

  Previously, Pavel Galad had limited himself to "only sending the hero into battle."

  But this time was different. Was he going to bring out all of his abilities in his attempt to defeat Haruga Haruomi followed by Princess Yukikaze?

  After pointing this out, Hinokagutsuchi vanished into thin air.

  They had reached the library, chatting while they walked. However, rather than the library, Hal and Asya's destination was the cultural clubs building opposite to it.

  "Huh? No one's here."

  Hal tilted his head. He had agreed to meet up with his companions here.

  Juujouji Orihime, Shirasaka Hazumi, and Luna Francois. None of the trio were here.

  "Let's get going first, since they will be coming later anyway. It'd be a hassle to keep that person waiting."

  "You're right," Hal agreed with Asya's suggestion and walked up the stairs of the cultural clubs building.

  The destination was the third floor. The room of the UFO Research Club.

  "So you two have come."

  The one they sought was waiting behind the door.

  President of five cultural clubs, namely the Drama Club, the Mass Media Research Club, the Literature Club, the Science Insider Club, as well as the UFO Research Club, and at the same time, an extremely suspicious prophet.

  Dressed in an outfit resembling maternity wear, gender indeterminate.

  Her name was President M. Calling herself the "mother" of all club members, she was a superhuman unparalleled in both physical and mental greatness.

  "I have been waiting here, focusing my mind, only because you lot requested for a discussion with me."

  "Much appreciated. What we wanted to discuss is the same as what I mentioned over the phone last time," Hal immediately went straight to the point.

  "I'll cut to the chase... We don't know if our enemy, who could potentially wreck Tokyo, be setting up some kind of trap?"

  "How would I know? I am neither a clairvoyant nor Zhuge Kongming."

  President M immediately offered a valuable oracle.

  "Well, considering various circumstances, why not just handle things flexibly?"

  "Is this a suggestion coming from one of your skills?"

  "No, Haruga, this is simply my personal opinion and common sense."

  "Hahahahaha."

  Laughing wryly, Hal conversed with President M.

  Forget it. He had not hoped for much to begin with. Trying to push the issue could end up bringing divine retribution. These were the feelings behind his wry smile.

  Asya frowned.

  "Can't we think of a solution? This is a crisis that could sink not only Tokyo but even all of Japan. It might even be the prelude to the world's destruction. Please offer us more of your guidance."

  "My, how greedy you are."

  They were on fairly good terms, perhaps because Asya had been under President M's tutelage on a one-to-one basis.

  Asya made her request assertively, believing there was no need to be formal with President M. The prophet and possibly revolutionary species of human closed her eyes and began to meditate. The atmosphere was quite solemn.

  "Let me see... From our conversation over the phone, there is one matter that bothers me greatly—That... trump card? ...Which the little angel used, you said the enemy blocked that move."

  "Oh, yeah, that's right. The mystic ritual of a goddess to eliminate dragonslaying weapons." Asya nodded.

  Still with her eyes closed, President M continued, "Rather than blocking it... The enemy rekindled the flame instead. That is the answer to the riddle."

  "How did he do it?"

  "I am not the one who should be figuring that out."

  "Got it. Can you give us more concrete advice?"

  "How shameless of you. When encountering situations where feminine charm cannot be applied, you really turn into a monster the farthest thing away from being useless."

  "W-Why are you bringing up feminine charm now!?"

  "Fine, fine—Oh, but I seem to be seeing something vaguely. Let me see, 'Counter a treasure with another treasure. You are advised to release the stored goods'."

  "Such a cryptic oracle..."

  "Something is better than nothing. A drowning man would gratefully grasp for even straws."

  President M suddenly opened her eyes and stopped meditating.

  It looked like that was her last piece of advice. As far as Hal and Asya knew so far, President M's prophesies always matched "the future's outline." Hopefully, it would be the case this time too—

  Regardless, the paradoxical being of the "Amazon of indeterminate gender" told Hal and Asya, "Allow me to add a final word. When it is time to make a decision, think about the future—three months from now, three years from now. What consequences will your decision have on the future... If you take that into consideration, things will work out perhaps?"

  "In a way, the President might be the most reliable of all humans."

  "That's because the President often gives us honest advice, though it's mostly impossible to understand."

  "This time, she was like a real fortune-teller, leaving so much room for interpretation and concluding with a suggestion that's like life advice."

  "I really wish she'd give hints that were easy to understand."

  Hal and Asya exchanged remarks poignantly.

  They had left the UFO Research Club's room and were standing in front of the clubs building again.

  It was almost 8pm but Orihime, Luna, and Hazumi still had not arrived. They could not be reached by cellphone either. What happened?

  While Hal was puzzling over this, Asya suddenly said, "Anyway, let's go. I think there must've been a minor mistake or accident. If it's a serious incident, I'm sure Hiiragi-san would contact us, so there shouldn't be anything to worry about."

  She made a good point.

  Hence, Hal and Asya began to wander aimlessly on campus during the evening.

  The school yard was deserted. All the students in athletic teams and clubs had apparently gone home already. In an unexpected turn of events, Hal and Asya got to spend time alone with each other.

  "But are you sure you don't need to have dinner?"

  "I ate a sandwich before coming to school, so that's plenty enough."

  Plenty enough! Hal could not believe he heard these words coming from Asya on the subject of eating.

  The bottomless abyss of a stomach and humanoid typhoon—Recalling his childhood friend's former image, Hal was overcome with a strong wave of nostalgia.

  But he ought to accept this sort of change with an open mind, probably.

  Hal switched mindsets and decided to change the subject.

  "Say, I never thought we'd be studying at a normal school."

  "And we're taking our studies pretty seriously too."

  "By the time I noticed, even though it's not a lot, I've gotten to know a couple of people I can call friends."

  "Didn't you gain a whole bunch of female friends over the past six months?"

  "Well yeah, but the people I know have always been skewed towards the female side. After all, my line of work revolves around witches."

  "True, but—"

  Walking side by side with Hal, Asya poked fun at him, "Haven't you always insisted you'd never date a witch?"

  "That's because all witches are weird... No, all witches have too much personality. They're fine as coworkers, but dating is out of the question."

  "That's what you claim, but what's the truth? Right now, Luna is pursuing you, Hazumi-san calls you 'Senpai♪' and super likes you, Orihime-san is on really good terms with you, and finally, even the WotC in New York..."

  "Oh dear."

  "But judging from the situation, it looks like you've retracted your statement."

  "Retracted?"

 

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