Utaha Kasumigaoka only half-understood.
Roy had explained a lot.
The part she could grasp was that the magic in this world was completely different from what she had read about in novels. It was something entirely unique—complex, intricate, and esoteric.
But since the evaluation of magi now included strength as a criterion, and Roy was the lowest rank, Frame, did that mean he was among the weakest of magi?
Yet, he had effortlessly killed a magical beast larger than a lion with a single move.
And if that was the case, why had the Cause-rank magus at the refugee shelter been so enthusiastic about Roy earlier that day?
"You should go take a bath first."
Roy walked out of the kitchen, water still dripping from his hands.
He pointed in the direction of the bathroom.
"I'll bring you some clothes in a bit."
"...Understood."
Utaha remained silent for several seconds before getting up and heading to the bathroom.
The bathroom was also traditionally Japanese in style, giving her a sense of old-world charm. Fortunately, the water and electricity were still functioning.
As she began to take off her shirt, she suddenly paused.
Looking down, she realized the shirt was completely soaked, and the outline of her undergarments was faintly visible. Though not entirely clear, it had a certain allure.
Had he seen everything during dinner?
The girl wrapped her arms around herself, her face flushing with what could have been either shyness or anger, making her look both delicate and alluring.
After a while, she let out a bitter sigh and sat down on the stool to rinse herself off.
Her fair skin and curvaceous figure were undeniably striking.
But her mind was preoccupied, her attention far from the act of bathing.
"I've brought the clothes."
Thump!
In the quiet bathroom, the sound of her heartbeat suddenly intensified, filling her with nervousness and making her feel as if she were sitting on pins and needles.
"I've left them by the door. If they don't fit, just make do."
As soon as the words were spoken, footsteps echoed, gradually fading away.
Utaha let out a sigh of relief, her smooth, rounded shoulders slumping in exhaustion.
An hour later.
Utaha sat formally in front of the kotatsu, wearing a loose, pure white pajama set. She had removed her headband, and her long hair still carried a hint of moisture from the bath. Her skin looked even more delicate than it had during the day, glowing from the warmth of the bath.
Her expression was serious, as if she were deep in thought.
Hearing Roy's footsteps, the girl suddenly tensed.
Then, as if she had made an important decision, she looked up at Roy.
The boy was dressed in a simple white T-shirt and indigo pants. Without the baseball cap, his damp, messy white hair was fully visible—thick and slightly curled at the ends, giving him an elegant and fashionable appearance.
His glasses were also off, and for the first time, Utaha could clearly see his features.
Indeed, his face was as finely crafted as a work of art—not leaning toward handsomeness or beauty but possessing a kind of androgynous charm that seemed to transcend gender. His face was more captivating than any idol she had ever seen on TV.
Under the light, his skin was strikingly pale, not at all inferior to her own as a girl. His slender frame gave off a fragile, almost sickly vibe.
Looking at his face, Utaha suddenly felt a sense of unease.
She couldn't quite place where the discomfort came from, but it lingered in her mind.
There was something off about his face, though she couldn't pinpoint what.
Suddenly, Roy turned to look at her.
Utaha's eyes met his blood-red pupils, and her body instinctively trembled, as if she had been locked onto by something dangerous. A sense of panic welled up from deep within her.
For some reason, his blood-red eyes seemed much more sinister now. Against the backdrop of those eyes, his expression had lost some of its gentleness from earlier in the day, replaced by a cold indifference.
"You're here."
Roy noticed the girl sitting formally by the kotatsu, put his glasses back on, and smiled.
The gentle smile instantly dispelled the cold aura around him, and his demeanor softened once more.
"You can sleep in the side room tonight."
Utaha was a bit unsettled by his rapid shift in demeanor but didn't dwell on it.
She breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Thankfully, Roy didn't seem to have any intentions of making her serve him in any indecent way.
She was a refugee, and based on the attitude at the shelter, refugees held a very low status in this world. Even for minor offenses, while not necessarily punishable by death, people could be killed without a second thought.
If Roy had demanded that she serve him tonight, she would have had no choice. Refusing might have led to her death.
And who knew if magi had some kind of hypnotic abilities?
Fortunately, Roy hadn't done anything like that, which put her at ease.
Utaha quietly felt relieved. The master she was serving wasn't the type to be driven by lust.
Under Roy's arrangements, Utaha settled into one of the side rooms. Though it was called a side room, it was larger than the main bedroom in most homes, complete with a bed, bedding, and a wardrobe.
After the lights were turned off, Utaha lay in bed, her thoughts a tangled mess.
Earlier at the shelter, she remembered that the blond, dark-skinned Cause-rank magus had seemed interested in her looks and had intended to take her away.
Then Roy had arrived, also claiming to have taken a liking to her, and had taken her from the other man.
But after she had settled in here, Roy hadn't done anything.
If he had wanted to do something, she would have been powerless to resist. There was no need for him to pretend to be a gentleman. This meant that Roy genuinely had no such intentions.
Of course, she wasn't hoping he would do anything. She was just puzzled.
If he didn't have those kinds of intentions, why had Roy taken her from that dark-skinned man?
To be honest, she didn't like that dark-skinned man either. The way he had looked at her was as if she were a commodity, not a fellow human being.
In comparison, Roy was gentle and gentlemanly, far better than that dark-skinned man. Naturally, she preferred serving under Roy.
She wondered how Tomoya Aki was doing, but since he was a guy, he probably wasn't in as bad a situation as she was.
Too much had happened today, and she was utterly exhausted. Her mind quickly turned to mush, and she drifted off into a hazy sleep.
"I hope I wake up tomorrow and find out this was all a dream..."
***
Meanwhile.
After settling Utaha in, Roy grabbed a bottle of alcohol and sat alone under the eaves.
He looked up at the sky, but the thick clouds blocked everything. There was no moon in sight, making the idea of drinking under the moonlight a luxury.
He tilted his head back, taking large gulps of the liquor. The spicy taste stimulated his senses, burning from his throat down to his stomach. Unlike the gentlemanly image he projected, his drinking style was casual and unrestrained.
"It's about time to begin..."
***
Late at night.
Roy changed into a new outfit, donning a long black robe and a mask that concealed his entire face. Dressed entirely in black, he left the residence.
Only his blood-red eyes were visible.
Without the glasses to obscure them, his gaze was much sharper and colder than during the day.
Silently, his figure disappeared into the night.
To the west of Fuyuki City stood a small hill, less than a hundred meters high, with only a long staircase leading up to it.
This hill was called Mount Enzou.
Originally, there had been a temple on this hill called Ryuudou Temple. But during the cataclysm ten years ago, the temple had been burned to the ground, and the family of the head priest had perished in the flames. Even now, the area remained a charred wasteland.
"There are quite a few barriers here."
The black-clad figure stopped at the foot of the mountain. He had made his way here without alerting anyone.
"But they're meaningless."
Under the mask, the man's lips curled into a malicious smile.
He closed his eyes, then opened them again.
A gem-like brilliance shone in his eyes.
***
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