Prologue
Mathew’s mansion was in the midst of a veritable war.
A temporary command post was set up on the premises, and the fast-paced soldiers streaming in and out of the house gave the impression that a battle was about to begin.
Under such circumstances, Hiroto, Mizuho, and Marion moved to the reception room on the first floor of the mansion, each with a different look on their face. Once in the reception room, Hiroto sat down on the sofa facing Mizuho and the others and opened his mouth.
“Mizuho-san, Marion-san, I’m sure you have a lot of questions for me, but I’m sorry, I can’t disclose everything. But I will tell you both what I can. And I want you to keep what I’m about to tell you as confidential as possible.”
Mizuho and Marion simply nodded to Hiroto’s serious expression.
“Okay, even in my Shitenji family, there are some things that I can’t disclose. That goes for every ability user everywhere.”
“That’s right. But, this time, it has to do with the fact that all of Hiroto-san’s existence has disappeared from our memories, doesn’t it?”
Hiroto nodded to Marion’s obvious question.
“I am not a natural ability user. My family is a family of ability users. We keep this a secret.”
Mizuho and Marion listened to Hiroto’s story. And they were not surprised about this.
Mizuho and Marion both felt somewhat that this was the case. Hiroto’s knowledge of non-humans and ability users, as well as his fighting style, was too sophisticated to be called that of a natural ability user.
Also, they sensed that he had probably acquired this knowledge through actual combat. They could not imagine where he had acquired that much experience, but it might have something to do with the secret that Hiroto has.
“My family is originally from a family of spirit swordsmen. But for some reason, we avoided being publicly known and kept our distance from the agency.”
“A Spirit Swordsman, you say? I’ve heard that Spirit Swordsmen are the most skilled at manipulating spiritual power amongst all other ability users. But Hiroto-san’s spiritual power is ……”
Marion listened to Hiroto and gazed at him with concern.
“Umm, I can’t use Spirit Swordsman’s techniques. Rather, I couldn’t master it. It’s because of a unique constitution. However, there is a reason why I have this peculiar constitution.”
Hiroto spoke to Mizuho and Marion who were staring at him intently.
“I have spiritual and magic powers.”
“What!?”
“No way, that’s ……!”
Mizuho and Marion could not believe it right away. Because the information was too absurd. If that were true, Hiroto would not exist here.
If one had opposing spiritual and magic powers in the same body, the body would be blown up on the spot.
However, Hiroto conveyed what he could as best he could, expecting the two to react as they did.
He told them that he had both spiritual power and magic power inside him.
And only magic power is sealed.
For that reason, he explained that he had developed a peculiar constitution that causes his spiritual power to leak out.
He also told them that he is now a Senki practitioner and learned to use both spiritual and magic power simultaneously, using Senki’s characteristic of not repelling spiritual power and magic power as a hint.
And, the simultaneous use of spiritual and magic power can bring out tremendous power, but the repercussions include being forgotten by others.
He couldn’t tell them about the stuff managed by the Domori family like the other side of the Demon Cave, or the world of demons, but he told them what he could.
Hearing Hiroto’s story, Mizuho and Marion were astonished, and their expressions became serious, but they finished listening to everything he said.
“Wait a minute, everything you …… said is so out of order, I can’t even get a word out.”
“T-this…… Senki. I have only heard of it, but it really existed.”
“No, well, they’re just a bunch of old …… heads …… who I hope I never have to meet again, you know? No, really.”
Mizuho had something she really wanted to confirm with Hiroto.
“As I was saying, Hiroto has used his spiritual power and magic power at the same time …… a few times by now, right?”
“Eh? Uh-Uhmm.”
“Is that so,……. Then each time, people have forgotten about you. Like at the time of the rookie exam,…….”
Hiroto’s expression turned serious at Mizuho’s words.
“Uhmm,…….”
Hearing this, Mizuho and Marion can’t help but look at him with concern.
Why would this boy make such a sacrifice to use his power?
Even during the last rookie exam, there was nothing beneficial for Hiroto. In fact, he was forgotten even by those whose lives he directly saved.
What is it that drives Hiroto to …… make him go that far?
However, Mizuho and Marion have come to understand something of the character and nature of …… this boy by considering his thoughts and actions in this request, and his behavior during the rookie exams.
Mizuho and Marion gazed at Hiroto with concern and a little anxiety.
Mizuho and Marion can see it now.
They are sure that this boy will not hesitate to use his power if he thinks it is necessary.
And even if the price is that everyone forgets about him.
“Hiroto-san ……”
“Uhmm? What? Marion-san.”
“Whenever you use that power, does everyone forget about you? Is there any …… exception to that?”
Marion asked Hiroto quietly but pressingly as well.
When Marion asked him that, Hiroto recalled those irreplaceable people in his mind,…… and also his current irreplaceable friends.
“Exceptions…… yeah, except for my relatives, there were a few people who remembered me.”
Hearing this, Mizuho and Marion became somewhat cheerful.
“And …… there were two who never forgot me.”
“Eh!? Really? What kind of people are they?”
“Umm,…… one of them is gone now.”
Mizuho and Marion shut their mouths.
Because Hiroto’s eyes seemed to stare off into the distance for a moment when he said that.
It might have been their imagination. But for a moment, they felt uneasy, like Hiroto’s mind was not here.
And Mizuho and Marion had an idea of who that person was.
The vampire who had acquired the Satori ability during the newcomer’s examination had said …… that she was the beloved one whom Hiroto had lost. The two become convinced that it was probably that person.
After a moment of silence, Mizuho becomes curious about the other one.
“Hiroto, who is the other one? A relative?”
“Umm? No, the other one is a classmate. We go to the same school.”
“What? Same school?”
“Eh, classmates?”
Mizuho and Marion were surprised to catch glimpses of Hroto’s daily life, and at the same time, the two girls couldn’t help but think of something that they had to confirm.
“Is that a woman?”
“Is that person a woman?”
For some reason, Mizuho and Marion’s expressions seemed to disappear, and Hiroto’s back went cold.
It was as if their eyes were disappearing in the shadows …….
“Eh? Uhmm, that’s right …… We’re like childhood friends! We’ve known each other for a long time, so I guess that’s why she remembered me.”
Suddenly, a burst of spiritual power erupted from Mizuho and Marion.
“Hee!”
“Heh, Childhood friends, I see”
“Hmm, I see. …… childhood friend.”
Hiroto’s body, which had never been cowed by any battlefield, naturally began to tremble as a dark aura (spiritual power) burst from the two of them.
“Hiroto!”
“Hiroto-san!”
“Yeas!”
“When this request is over, be sure to give us your contact information. And also, give us detailed information about your school, etc., you know. ……”
“Eh!? W-Why? I get it with my contact information, but even the school details?”
“Huhuhu…… Hiroto-san? Is something wrong with that?”
“No! There is not! I’ll give you a detailed report after this request is completed!”
Normally, Hiroto’s face would warm up at Marion’s smile, but right now, it is not soothing at all.
(I get scared of these two from time to time!)
Hiroto clung to the sofa, trembling and shaking.
Hiroto managed to calm himself down and now he gathered up his courage to tell Mizuho and Marion what he really wanted to say to them.
“Mizuho-san, Marion-san.”
Mizuho and Marion turned their heads to Hiroto as he spoke to them with a serious expression.
“I don’t know what to say,……, but I’ll tell both of you my honest feelings.”
“Eh?”
“What is it?”
Mizuho and Marion looked a little nervous at Hiroto’s unexpected words.
“Thank you for remembering me. Mizuho-sand and Marion-san were the first. To remember me in this way.”
“……ah”
“Hiroto-san, ……”
Mizuho and Marion looked at Hiroto with mixed feelings as he bowed his head.
They strongly believe that they have done nothing to be thanked.
However, considering the circumstances surrounding Hiroto, this must be his true feelings.
But that’s too …… much, they both squinted.
“There have been people who remembered me in the past. But they all remembered me by associating with those who had not forgotten me. Of course, I was very grateful for that. ……”
Hiroto looked alternately at Mizuho and Marion.
“But, Mizuho-san and Marion-san were the first who remembered me naturally, without any such thing. That’s why I got courage from you two today! I can connect with people without depending on anyone! I’m going to make more effort so that people won’t forget me!”
Mizuho and Marion stared at Hiroto’s serious eyes for a while, and then they both laughed.
“You’re an idiot,…… Hiroto”
“Hiroto-san is such a dummy.”
“Eh?”
“Hiroto, I’m not good at socializing with people either, so I can’t say anything great about it,…….”
“I’m also a shy person, so ……”
Mizuho and Marion smiled gently. And at those two smiles, Hiroto’s heartbeat jumped and his cheeks unconsciously blushed.
“It’s a matter of course, Hiroto.”
“Even I know it is natural.”
Hiroto looked at Mizuho and Marion in amazement.
“So, you stay as you are. I told you earlier. You can do whatever you want to do. That is what your behavior up to now has made us think.”
“That’s right. Everyone can forget someone they’ve met. Hiroto-san’s case is just a little bit extreme. Just as other people meet and connect with each other, we had a connection with Hiroto-san. So, it is fine for you to continue as you have been.”
Hiroto looked at Mizuho and Marion in surprise after hearing those words.
Right now, Lieselotte’s smile that Hiroto met in the Demon World overlapped …… the two of them.
But Hiroto shook his head violently.
(Mizuho-san and Marion-san are themselves. They are different from Lieselotte. These two are my friends who connected to me. Yeah, they are irreplaceable.)[TN: Man’s friend zoning them]
“You know …… you shouldn’t cry over something like this, Hiroto.”
“Eh!? What? I-It’s not that! My eyes …….”
“Fufufu, yes, Hiroto-san. Please use this to take the dirt out of your eyes.”
Mizuho remarked in dismay, while Marion laughed and held out a handkerchief to Hiroto.
The two of them may have still wanted to ask Hiroto some questions, but he didn’t ask anymore. They just told him to come to the room when he decided on his answer as to what he was going to do.
As soon as the substitute SS-ranked ability user arrives, Hiroto and his team’s mission would be over.
But on the contrary, until then, Hiroto and the others have a reason to stay here.
Mizuho told Hiroto to decide what to do in the meantime and left the reception room.
[TN: I should have written mana instead of magic power… late realization. sed lyf
Yosh, the new volume begins. Lets hope that it won’t take more than a year like last time.]
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Thanks for the chap~~~~
Thanks for the chapter. Waiting for the next chapter