Episode 213: The Sprouting Tower of Evil
It’s a festival!
Hooray!
“Ho ho ho, don’t get so carried away that you fall down, My Lord. But don’t worry. If you do fall, I’ll put a bandage on you with your favorite turtle lady.”
Please help.
Kame has been acting like this all day.
As a result of Star Reader’s Staff disappearing, the mutual annihilation effect between perverts has vanished, and lolicon power is overflowing in my brain.
It’s troubling because something that keeps treating me like a loli flows through my mind as if it were a curse.
“Then, we will proceed with guarding the South Area as planned. Kei, Hikari, let’s go.”
“Yes!”
“Yes.”
Our role for the three of us is to patrol while being vigilant against Fake Siera.
There was no way to delay the start date at this point, so we tried to ensure safety by requesting S Rank members for security.
East is Ryuko, North is Rokuhara, West is Tatarai, and South is Mizuki Senpai.
And the Student Council President, Kroma, in the center makes for a perfect formation.
With such a perfect defense setup, even Solciera might find it difficult to invade.
“Oh, I almost forgot to mention, if there’s anything you want or any food you’d like, feel free to say so. I received this Royal Card from President Dia.”
Saying that, Mizuki Senpai showed us a card that shone excessively.
Inside the card, President Dia, dressed royally, was pictured.
“It seems that showing this card makes everything free at all stores.”
“An all-you-can-eat deal!?”
“T, there are other uses besides eating, I think.”
I subtly try to steer things away from eating.
Since Clam isn’t here to act as the brake, Hikari is fully unleashing her energy.
Mizuki Senpai and I are struggling just to keep up.
“It would be good if Clam and the others come soon!”
“We’re planning to meet up around noon… All that’s left is Miuye.”
“The response hasn’t come yet. Is she sleeping?”
“Yeah. It looks like she stayed up late last night. We can’t force her awake, right?”
In times like these, when I remember the impression of having fun together with Hikari, it feels somewhat lonely.
Shit, if only I had marketed myself as the energetic girl type…
“It’s never too late to start, My Lord. And preferably, call me Papa or Father.”
Father, go away.
“…………….I’m sorry.”
No, I apologize.
I didn’t mean to hurt you that much.
It was just a joke, right?
“One shouldn’t become someone who hurts others with jokes. Become someone who protects others and gets angry for their sake.”
Can I believe that?
That’s coming from the one who tried to destroy humanity?
“Still, there are quite a lot of people here! Ah, there’s a line for takoyaki over there! Let’s go!”
“Hikari-chan, that’s not on our route.”
“Ah, that’s right. I almost forgot our real mission!”
“Then how about the takoyaki on our route? It should be a bit further ahead.”
“Really!? Let’s go!”
Hikari runs off with a bright smile like the sun.
The bustling sounds of cheerful people enjoying the festival.
A peaceful scene that makes you forget about calamities.
“…Some day, I hope Fectum can be like this too.”
“Yes. We’ll definitely make it happen with our hands.”
Mizuki Senpai always thinks about Fectum like this.
Including Toa and Miroku Senpai, the three of them must have strong feelings towards it.
“Once we return, I might suggest a festival idea to Miroku.”
“Our school’s unique characteristics are great.”
“Hmm… Then maybe we should have a festival where challengers battle against us. Many skilled warriors gather in Fectum.”
“If we leave it to Mizuki Senpai alone, it might turn into the strongest tournament in Academy City, which is scary.”
If that happens, only tough explorer types will come to this academy.
For a proper festival, it’s better to have cute girls giggling around.
“Then, how about the Puka Puka Turtle Festival? During the period, many cute turtles will swim around Fectum. Kids can ride them too.”
You mean a Lolicon-spreading festival, right?
“I shall humbly serve as the mikoshi bearer. Of course, My Lord will ride on top. You should wear the fluffy princess costume I bought you for your birthday last year.”
This guy’s crazy…
As usual, he’s different from Star Reader’s Staff in his own peculiar madness. Why does he keep talking about events that never happened?
“Hey, come on, both of you!”
Hikari waves her hands cheerfully.
People passing by look at her fondly.
Seeing such a scene, we can’t help but relax our expressions.
“It seems like we’re going to have another food tour.”
“Hahaha. This mission is more exhausting than the task itself.”
While exchanging light-hearted banter, we slowly made our way toward Hikari.
“–My Lord, enemy presence detected.”
Both Mizuki Senpai and I stopped simultaneously.
The instinct of an S Rank and the warning from the angel kicked in almost at the same time.
“Mizuki Senpai”
“Yeah.”
Mizuki Senpai turned around as if propelled.
There stood Solciera.
The crowd mistakenly thought it was some kind of performance and showed no signs of fleeing.
Fake Siera deployed a magical array for artillery attack toward those people.
At the same time, Mizuki Senpai announced,
“Second tactic.”
“Understood. Hikari-chan! Second!”
Without looking back, I said that and dashed forward.
Moving straight through the crowd was nearly impossible.
However, there were two of us here who could overturn that premise.
“Second, understood!”
The voice that seemed to come from behind quickly passed over me, turning into a streak of golden light that shot overhead.
Hikari, propelling herself with light wings like a jet, moved in a straight line.
But even that wouldn’t be enough to stop Fake Siera’s artillery attack in time.
Artillery fire was unleashed among the panicked people.
Screams rose, and they finally started to flee, but there was no way they could avoid it.
Between the people and the artillery fire, a wall of flames appeared.
The unstoppable defensive wall that incinerated magic at its source held back and burned away the artillery fire one after another.
And my moment came after that.
“Kei, it’s up to you.”
For a brief moment, my vision was enveloped in flames.
Hikari charging forward dealt with the main body of Fake Siera, Mizuki Senpai ensured the safety of the people with the wall of flames.
My remaining role was to secure complete victory.
“Perfect timing, Mizuki Senpai.”
The instant my vision cleared, what lay before me was the back of Fake Siera.
Not teleportation magic based on burning distance, but instantaneous movement.
I manifested a dagger and thrust it toward the open back.
The flames coiling around the dagger burned away the interference barrier.
My blade easily pierced through Fake Siera’s back.
“Hikari-chan!”
Confirming that Fake Siera’s movements had ceased due to paralysis, I called out her name.
Soon, dazzling light appeared in front of Fake Siera.
“Shining! Punch!”
With a shout, Hikari swung her fist wrapped in light wings with all her might.
Fake Siera, whose movements had already been restricted, had no way to counter.
Receiving Hikari’s punch head-on, Fake Siera turned into sand and scattered, disappearing.
All of this happened within three seconds since its appearance.
Securing the safety of the people, preventing escape, and delivering a fatal blow to minimize damage from the fight.
This was a one-day tactic devised based on our trio’s special abilities, encompassing all those elements.
“Victory!”
“Hikari-chan, good work.”
While the people around were still trying to grasp the situation, Hikari raised a peace sign toward the sky.
We were surprised that Fake Siera would appear in the morning.
“Kei, Hikari, are you alright?”
“Yes! It was a great tactic!”
“No casualties. For now, let’s report to the Chroma Student Council.”
Relieved by my words, Mizuki Senpai nodded.
That’s right.
We also need to tell everyone that that was a fake.
It would be bad if rumors spread online that Solciera is evil.
Thank you for letting me know, Kame.
I would’ve noticed later if it was just me.
“My thanks aren’t necessary, My Lord. I would like to commend you… but this is where it begins.”
Eh?
What does that mean—.
“Wh-!?”
“What’s happening? Is it an earthquake?”
“It’s shaking!”
Suddenly, the ground began to shake violently with a loud noise.
There couldn’t possibly be an earthquake in this academy zone built above the sea city.
“Enemy reactions are increasing continuously. This is the main event, My Lord. Bring back the Star Reader’s Staff.”
Unable to respond properly to Kame’s warning,
“What… is that…?”
Far away in the central district,
a tower so large it was visible even from here was sprouting right now.
Simultaneously, the images on numerous monitors throughout the city and on airships changed.
There, President Dia was seen fighting in a world of gold.
“Student Council President!? Mizuki Senpai, something’s wrong!”
“This is trouble!”
“Don’t panic. This was anticipated, which is why President Dia hired us.”
Amidst the cries of frightened people and the successive appearances of Fake Sieras,
the world instantly turned into a cacophony of screams, yet a clear voice reached us from the monitor.
“Then, shall we begin the Queen’s Return Ceremony?”
