Chapter 26: An Unexpected Invitation
Seidoukan Academy – Underground Vault
The dimly lit space was illuminated only by the faint green glow of Manadyte crystals, scattered across the room.
Bang!
A shattering sound echoed as one of the Manadyte crystals crumbled into dust. The Mana within leaked out, flowing like a stream of green light, slowly drawn toward a single direction—toward Kaiser.
With his eyes closed, Kaiser firmly gripped Ser-Veresta's Activator. The red Urm-Manadyte embedded in the hilt pulsed with a radiant glow, guiding the Mana toward him.
Under its influence, Kaiser's Genestella abilities surged, his strength rising with every second.
"Hah…"
After a while, Kaiser let out a slow breath and opened his eyes.
"That's enough, Ser-Veresta."
At his command, the brilliant crimson glow faded. The surrounding Mana stopped converging toward him, instead dispersing into the air.
Stretching out his free hand, Kaiser clenched his fingers into a fist before relaxing them again. A pleased smile crossed his lips.
"Not bad. Another perfect enhancement."
This was the third time he had used Ser-Veresta's ability to absorb Manadyte energy.
Despite only doing it three times, the effects were already remarkably apparent.
His physical strength and Prana capacity had skyrocketed, and his overall combat ability had grown exponentially.
Compared to when he had first arrived in this world, Kaiser had become immeasurably stronger.
"At this point, I could probably defeat Arkadi Fankenn even without using Ser-Veresta."
A surge of confidence welled within him.
Back when he had challenged Arkadi Fankenn, Kaiser had only absorbed Manadyte once. At that time, in terms of raw physical ability and Prana, he was still inferior to the former Page One.
Had it not been for his Ultimate Authority Over Weapons, allowing him to fight with sheer combat instinct, he wouldn't have even been able to stand on equal footing.
But now—
With two additional absorptions, his physical capabilities and Prana reserves had far surpassed what they had been back then.
In all aspects—strength, Prana, technique, combat intuition—he was now on equal footing with Arkadi Fankenn.
And since they were now equal in every regard—
There was no longer any reason why he would lose.
Even without using Ser-Veresta, if he were to face Arkadi Fankenn again, he could defeat him in ten moves.
That alone spoke volumes.
"Now, I finally have the strength to compete with the Page One… I'm truly among the academy's elite now."
Kaiser's smile deepened.
"Even without Ser-Veresta, I should be able to break into the Top 10. Maybe even the Top 5 isn't out of reach."
In fact, Kaiser was certain—
If he were to face Julis right now, the way she had fought outside the girls' dormitory, he wouldn't lose, even without Ser-Veresta.
Unless she had hidden power she had yet to reveal—Julis, ranked fifth, would likely fall to him.
And if he did use Ser-Veresta…
"I don't even need to wait for the next Official Ranking Battle. I already have the strength to challenge that little girl."
Thinking of Kirin Toudou, Kaiser muttered to himself.
"I wonder how she's doing…"
Ever since the incident outside the dorms, news of Kirin Toudou saving Julis had spread like wildfire across the academy's forums.
Naturally, Kaiser's involvement had also been mentioned.
Specifically, it had been noted that after Kirin saved Julis, Kaiser had stepped in to protect Kirin from an attempted ambush.
Because of this, Kirin had reportedly gone into hiding.
She was still attending classes, but people had noted that she seemed unwell, as if she had suffered repercussions for her actions.
"Did her uncle scold her again?"
Over the past few days, Kaiser had found himself thinking about Kirin more often than he expected.
Unfortunately, he hadn't run into her since.
Beep!
Just as Kaiser was adjusting to his new strength, a holographic screen suddenly appeared before him.
Someone had sent him a message.
"Hm?"
Glancing at the sender's name, Kaiser raised an eyebrow.
"Julis-Alexia von Riessfeld?"
Indeed, the message was from Julis herself.
Its contents were simple.
As a thank you for saving her during the ambush, she was inviting both Kaiser and Kirin out for a meal over the weekend.
"Didn't expect the princess to offer a treat."
To be honest, Kaiser was a little surprised.
If he remembered correctly, despite Julis' noble background, strong abilities, and striking appearance, she wasn't well-liked.
Her righteous personality and blunt way of speaking often made her difficult to approach.
She had enrolled in Seidoukan Academy during middle school, and though she had been there for over a year, she had almost no friends.
The only exception was Claudia, who occasionally interacted with her.
For someone like her to actively invite people out…
"Is this just an excuse?"
A knowing smile played on Kaiser's lips.
"Outside, huh?"
Now that he thought about it, he had been in this world for some time, but had never left Seidoukan Academy's campus.
Asterisk was a Duel City, but aside from its six academies and the Festa venues, it also had residential districts, shopping centers, and entertainment areas.
"This might be a good opportunity to take a look around."
At the same time, he could check in on Kirin and see how she was doing.
Though, given her uncle's control, he wasn't sure if she'd actually accept the invitation.
With that thought, Kaiser typed out his response.
"I'll be there."
Weekend – Outside Seidoukan Academy's Main Gate
For once, Kaiser didn't wake up early for training.
Instead, dressed in casual clothes, he made his way to the meeting spot.
"Kaiser! Over here!"
The voice that called out to him wasn't Julis.
Instead, it belonged to someone who hadn't been mentioned in the invitation.
A young man with messy black hair, wearing a loose-fitting shirt and a thin jacket over jeans.
A completely ordinary appearance.
But for Kaiser, this was no surprise.
"So it's you, Ayato."
Indeed—Ayato Amagiri was standing there.
Next to him stood Julis, her arms crossed.
Compared to Ayato's plain outfit, Julis was dressed in a black and pink one-piece dress, its short hemline revealing slender thighs wrapped in lace-trimmed knee-high stockings.
She even held a small parasol in one hand.
It was a surprisingly girlish look, far removed from her usual commanding presence.
If anyone who only knew Julis as the fierce Glühen Rose had seen her like this, they'd probably react as if the world had turned upside down.
Even Ayato seemed a little overwhelmed, standing beside her with an awkward expression, looking very much like an underdressed boyfriend out of his league.
"You're here," Julis said, briefly glancing over Kaiser. After seemingly approving of his attire, she nodded in satisfaction. "Good. This is how you should dress. Unlike a certain someone, who looks too casual to be taken seriously."
Although Kaiser hadn't gone out of his way to dress up, his white shirt, black jacket, and matching black pants—paired with sneakers—gave off a sleek yet effortless coolness.
"It's just whatever I grabbed from my closet," Kaiser admitted.
Chapter 27: A Group of Unreliable People
It turned out that after the duel outside the girls' dormitory, Julis had been attacked again.
And once again, Ayato had been present.
And once again… he had helped her.
Having been saved yet again, Julis had no choice but to acknowledge the debt, unable to treat Ayato coldly like before.
So, she declared that she would return the favor.
But, of course—
Ayato didn't particularly care about being repaid.
Seeing how stubborn Julis was about it, however, he eventually came up with an idea.
Since she insisted on repaying him, why not have her show him around Asterisk?
After all, as a newcomer, he was still unfamiliar with the city.
If he didn't get a proper tour, he might end up in the wrong place again—and that would be troublesome, wouldn't it?
So, naturally, he needed a guide to help him explore the city…
It made sense, right?
It was perfectly reasonable, right?
…
Yeah, like hell it was! (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻
Kaiser barely restrained himself from facepalming.
This was peak harem protagonist behavior.
She just wanted to repay a favor, and he turned it into a day out in the city together?
If this were the real world, this would absolutely be a textbook excuse for asking a girl out.
And yet—
Since this was a fantasy world…
Ayato wasn't doing it on purpose.
No, of course not.
He was just being clueless.
Which, naturally, was the most dangerous kind of romance.
Unintentional flirting was the deadliest weapon—wasn't that how these stories always went?
Kaiser could only mentally scream in frustration.
Unfortunately, that scream had to remain in his head.
Still—at least one thing was certain.
"So, we really were just an afterthought."
If Julis had to repay a favor, she might as well repay everyone's favor at once.
That was probably why she had invited both Kaiser and Kirin.
A complete accident, really.
Had it been a more scheming man, he might have pretended to be happy while secretly lamenting the missed opportunity.
But of course—only a completely oblivious protagonist like Ayato could stand there, grinning like an idiot.
"Where's Kirin?" Kaiser asked, dropping the pointless train of thought. "Did she refuse the invitation?"
He vaguely remembered that Kirin's uncle had warned her to keep her distance from the Page One, lest her true strength be exposed.
So, if Kirin had declined, Kaiser wouldn't have been surprised.
However—
"At first, she did turn it down," Julis admitted. "She seemed conflicted about it."
Taking a deep breath, Julis composed herself.
"I wasn't going to force her, but I heard that after she saved me, she hasn't been doing well… so I insisted."
Julis didn't know the full truth—that Kirin's uncle was a controlling, power-hungry manipulator.
But she could tell that Kirin had been troubled since that night.
It wasn't hard to figure out.
So, naturally—Julis couldn't just pretend not to see it.
Kaiser processed this for a moment.
Then, realization dawned.
"Maybe this whole outing was really about Kirin."
News about Kirin's struggles had even surfaced online.
If Kaiser had noticed it, Julis had definitely noticed it, too.
Perhaps that was why she had gone out of her way to plan this outing.
For someone as proud and independent as Julis, taking the initiative like this was rare.
But with Ayato pushing things along, it had ended up turning into a group outing.
So, while Julis claimed this was about repaying favors—
It was obviously not that simple.
At the very least, Julis wouldn't consider a single meal as enough to truly repay a debt.
Thus—
This whole event revolved around Kirin.
Which meant—
Kaiser and Ayato were just the extras tagging along.
"Looks like she's here," Julis suddenly said, shifting her gaze toward the academy's main gate.
"S-Sorry! I'm late!"
A crisp, clear voice rang out, perfectly timed.
Everyone turned toward the entrance.
The next second—
They saw a flustered Kirin, practically sprinting toward them.
"S-Sorry to keep you waiting! I really apologize!"
The moment she reached them, Kirin immediately bowed, over and over, frantically apologizing.
But—
At that moment, none of them—not Kaiser, not Ayato, not even Julis—paid attention to her words.
Their focus was on something else entirely.
Her outfit.
For once, Kirin wasn't wearing her Seidoukan Academy uniform.
Instead, she had dressed in casual clothing.
She wore a white long-sleeved blouse with delicate lace trim, the kind with buttons running down the front.
The hem was tucked neatly into a high-waisted, pleated blue skirt—which was even shorter than Julis'.
Her thighs were bare, her legs smooth and slender, leading down to a pair of mid-calf boots.
It wasn't flashy—
But it was youthful and undeniably cute.
It suited Kirin's age perfectly.
Except…
"…"
Everyone's eyes naturally drifted downward—
To a certain part of her blouse where the buttons looked like they were barely holding on for dear life.
"W-What's wrong?"
Noticing the subtle yet strange reactions around her, Kirin grew even more anxious.
Was there something wrong with her outfit?
Had she messed up?
But… but this was the only thing that still fit!
It had only been two months since she had enrolled at Seidoukan Academy.
And yet, her old clothes no longer fit properly…
Nothing else would even button up!
o(╥﹏╥)o
"I-I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!"
In a panic, Kirin bowed even deeper, her voice trembling—
Entirely unaware that her apologetic movements were only making things worse.
Even Ayato, a staunch protector of pure romance, had turned red and averted his gaze.
"I-It's fine! You didn't do anything wrong!"
Julis finally recovered, trying her best to calm Kirin down—
Though her voice sounded unnaturally stiff, and her smile looked just a bit forced.
There were even tears forming at the corners of her eyes.
What kind of unfairness was this…?
"Yeah, you're not late at all."
Kaiser coughed, internally chanting a silent prayer for self-control before speaking as normally as possible.
"There's still a few minutes before the agreed time. No need to apologize."
"R-Really?" Kirin hesitantly looked around.
Seeing that no one objected, she let out a deep sigh of relief and patted her chest—
Which only made things worse.
Kaiser immediately turned away.
"Alright," he quickly said, shifting focus to Julis.
"Where are we eating, Your Highness?"
Surely, the isolated princess of Seidoukan Academy knew a good restaurant, right?
…Right?
Kaiser had serious doubts.
"What's with that look?!"
Julis frowned, clearly reading his mind.
"Of course I know a place!"
(…It was just one she had found online, based on Claudia's recommendations.)
(…But still! Claudia had good taste, right? Right?!)
"Let's go."
Spinning on her heel, Julis led the way.
Ayato and Kirin hurried to follow.
Only Kaiser—expression blank—muttered:
"According to the map, the commercial district is that way."
He pointed in the opposite direction.
A long silence fell.
A group of clueless students, none of whom had ever properly explored Asterisk, stood frozen in place.
"Sigh…"
With the tired sigh of an exasperated parent, Kaiser opened his holographic map.
"Forget it. I'll lead the way."
Sometimes, technology was far more reliable than people.
Chapter 28: You Have Issues!
Asterisk was shaped like a six-pointed star, with each of the six academies, including Seidoukan Academy, occupying one of its six outer points.
Leaving the academy grounds and following the main street, one would soon enter the urban district.
The urban district was divided into two main sections:
Outer Residential Zone – Connected by a light rail system that ran in a circular route, linking the harbor area, residential districts, and the six academies. Students frequently used this line to travel around.
Central Zone – Primarily serviced by an underground metro and divided into the commercial and administrative districts.
Whenever the Festa was held, tourists from around the world flocked to Asterisk, which was why the commercial and administrative districts occupied massive amounts of space. Even dueling stages were scattered throughout these areas.
As a Duel City, the most common infrastructure in Asterisk was, unsurprisingly, combat arenas.
There were:
Three large-scale arenas
Seven mid-sized arenas
Countless small-scale arenas
And, of course, the largest and most famous of them all—
Sirius Dome.
By the final stages of every Festa, all remaining matches were held exclusively at Sirius Dome, making it Asterisk's de facto center.
After all, during the Festa, almost every visitor came to Asterisk for this reason.
Thanks to this, Sirius Dome remained one of the busiest places in the city year-round, even outside of Festa season. It had become Asterisk's top tourist attraction.
To accommodate both the Festa's demands and the influx of tourists, the commercial district had been developed into a thriving metropolis of its own.
Being the weekend, the commercial district was significantly more crowded than usual.
Neatly paved stone streets were filled with students, all dressed in casual clothes, though they still wore their school badges—the only indication that they were academy students.
In Asterisk, wearing a school badge was mandatory even on holidays.
The reason was simple—this was a Duel City.
Even on days off, hot-blooded students often challenged each other to duels for various reasons. If they didn't wear their school badges, an official duel couldn't be properly registered.
Thus, this rule existed to facilitate proper dueling procedures.
Fortunately, today seemed peaceful.
The streets were bustling with endless streams of people, but no one had challenged anyone to a fight—yet.
By the time Kaiser's group arrived, it was already almost noon.
"S-So many stores…"
Kirin Toudou, who had finally relaxed a little, looked around in awe, her large eyes filled with curiosity.
"There really are a lot… and so many people too," Ayato added, his gaze darting around in fascination.
For someone new to Asterisk, he was behaving exactly like a country bumpkin visiting the big city.
"This district is mainly restaurants. Every store has a menu with prices posted outside, so no one walks in only to be surprised by expensive meals," Julis suddenly interjected.
She had been quiet for a while, probably out of embarrassment over their earlier conversation, but now, she had finally found a way to regain some dignity.
"The place we're looking for is closer to the Outer Residential Zone, a bit far from the metro station. It doesn't get too crowded, but it has excellent online reviews—even students from Queenvale Academy frequent it."
Hearing this, Kirin looked toward Julis with curiosity.
"Queenvale Academy for Girls?"
"That's right. So, it should be worth trying."
The moment Queenvale Academy was mentioned, both Julis and Kirin reacted with a somewhat strange expression.
Seeing this, Ayato tilted his head in confusion.
"Is there something special about Queenvale?"
Of course, Ayato knew of Queenvale Academy.
As one of Asterisk's six academies, it was famous worldwide—even children recognized its name.
The six academies—Seidoukan Academy, Saint Gallardworth Academy, Jie Long Seventh Institute, Le Wolfe Black Institute, Allekant Academy, and Queenvale Academy for Girls—were all funded by the Integrated Enterprise Foundation, and each had its own unique culture.
For example, Seidoukan Academy's symbol was the red lotus, representing an unyielding spirit. The academy promoted freedom and independence, resulting in lenient regulations.
Because of this, many Strega and Dante students chose Seidoukan, as they wouldn't have to worry about being treated as experimental subjects.
As for Queenvale Academy—
Its symbol was the Nameless Goddess, and its school culture emphasized brightness and elegance.
However, in order to enroll, students needed not just combat ability and academic achievements—
But also…
Beauty.
That's right.
Queenvale Academy… didn't accept ugly people.
Why?
Because its backing corporation practically controlled the global entertainment industry.
Unlike the other academies, which focused on training Festa competitors, Queenvale Academy prioritized producing idols.
Their strategy completely disregarded Festa rankings. Instead, their students were encouraged to pursue careers in entertainment.
Because of this—
Queenvale Academy was the only all-girls school in Asterisk.
It was the smallest of the six academies.
Its Festa rankings were often at the bottom.
Its students took pride in their top-tier, idol-level looks.
And they weren't wrong.
Many of them were world-famous idols, including some of the biggest names in the industry.
For most girls, it was a place full of dreams and aspirations.
And for most guys…
It was basically paradise.
Of course—
Neither Julis nor Kirin were the type to idolize that kind of place.
But even they couldn't completely ignore its allure.
Naturally—
"You wouldn't get it," Kaiser said, patting Ayato on the shoulder.
"Huh?" Ayato blinked in confusion.
Expecting a dense harem protagonist to understand such things was asking too much.
Knowing this, Kaiser had no intention of explaining.
He simply sighed and patted Ayato's shoulder again, leaving him even more bewildered.
Eventually, the group turned a corner and entered a narrow alleyway, stopping in front of a small restaurant.
"This is the place."
After checking the location and photos, Julis confidently pushed the door open and led the group inside.
The restaurant was cozy and well-lit, with a limited number of seats—about twenty at most, including the counter.
Yet, most of the seats were already occupied.
And—
Almost every customer inside was a girl.
A beautiful girl.
From their school badges, it was obvious—
They were all from Queenvale Academy for Girls.
"Are… are we really eating here?"
Ayato looked around at the room full of stunning women and immediately felt out of place.
Meanwhile, Kaiser was completely unbothered, his attention drawn to the soft background music playing in the restaurant.
"Pretty good music."
As Kaiser listened, Julis and Kirin had already started ordering food.
"What about this one?"
"It looks delicious… but isn't it a bit pricey?"
"It's actually very reasonable. Don't worry about the cost, just order whatever you like."
"T-Then… I'll go with this…"
Watching the two excitedly discuss the menu, Kaiser turned to Ayato.
"Aren't you going to order?"
"I don't really mind. I can eat anything," Ayato replied lazily, his usual relaxed smile on his face.
But then—
He started staring at Kaiser.
Intensely.
"What…?"
Kaiser felt a chill down his spine.
Why was this guy staring at him instead of appreciating the view?
And just earlier, he had casually said, "I can eat anything."
You have issues!!!
Chapter 29: Another Magic Sword?
"You've been staring at me for a while now, Ayato."
Unable to ignore Ayato Amagiri's blatant gaze any longer, Kaiser turned toward him and asked directly.
"Do you have something to say?"
"Yeah… a little," Ayato admitted, hesitating for a moment before making up his mind. "I heard that you have an Orga Lux—one called Ser-Veresta. Is that true?"
The moment Ayato asked this, Kaiser immediately understood what he wanted.
"Oh?"
Kaiser raised an eyebrow and smirked.
"You interested in Ser-Veresta?"
"Something like that."
Ayato's response was vague, but his expression grew noticeably serious.
"If possible… could I take a look at it?"
Instead of answering, Kaiser simply reached into the inner pocket of his jacket and pulled out a jet-black Activator.
This single action not only captured Ayato's full attention but also drew the interest of the two girls sitting across from them.
"So this is… Ser-Veresta…"
Ayato stared intently at the black hilt, his gaze locked onto it as if mesmerized.
His hand instinctively reached out—
As if he wanted to touch it.
But—
"Whirr!"
The Activators trembled violently, and the red Urm-Manadyte embedded within Ser-Veresta pulsed with a brilliant crimson light.
At the same time, an intense heatwave radiated outward, surging toward Ayato's hand.
"Hot—!"
Ayato recoiled as if burned, pulling his hand back instantly.
A faint wince of pain crossed his face.
"A-Ayato-senpai?!"
"Hey! Are you okay?!"
Both Kirin Toudou and Julis gasped in shock, their voices overlapping as they spoke.
Even Kaiser was taken aback.
He had not expected this kind of reaction.
"Sorry."
Recovering quickly, Kaiser immediately retracted Ser-Veresta's Activator back into his jacket.
"I didn't think that would happen."
And he meant it.
"It's fine, it's fine!"
Despite the minor injury, Ayato waved off their concerns with a carefree smile.
"I guess I'm just not welcome, huh? Ahaha…"
"You…"
Julis sighed, clearly exasperated.
"Do you ever stop being so oblivious?"
Then, in a scolding tone, she continued—
"This is basic knowledge. Orga Lux are highly temperamental and generally won't allow anyone but their recognized wielder to touch them. Isn't that obvious?"
"Is it?"
Ayato tilted his head, looking genuinely clueless.
Scratching his cheek, he added,
"I… actually didn't know that."
"It's true," Kaiser confirmed, though he also pointed something out.
"But normally, when an Orga Lux is in its inactive state, it doesn't react that strongly—even if it's an unpredictable one."
"Then why did yours react so aggressively?"
Kirin asked hesitantly, looking slightly concerned.
"Uh… well…"
For the first time, Kaiser felt a bit awkward.
Scratching his head, he replied—
"Probably because Ser-Veresta is too possessive and doesn't want anyone else touching it?"
Though he hadn't directly communicated with Ser-Veresta, as its wielder, he could vaguely sense its thoughts.
And just now—
When it had rejected Ayato—
He had felt something similar to annoyance.
A clear, almost childish sense of displeasure.
Ser-Veresta had already fully acknowledged him as its one and only master.
It didn't want anyone else laying a hand on it.
That was most likely why it had reacted so strongly.
"Huh. Guess your Orga Lux really likes you," Julis mused.
She wasn't sure if she was teasing him or testing him.
"No wonder you can use Ser-Veresta's abilities in such an unbelievable way."
"By the way, Kaiser-senpai…"
Kirin, still curious, hesitantly asked,
"What's your compatibility rate with Ser-Veresta?"
But the moment the words left her mouth, she realized her mistake and quickly panicked.
"I-I'm sorry! That's a personal question! Please don't feel like you have to answer!"
While Orga Lux borrowing records were public, compatibility rates were not.
Some people chose to keep them hidden to prevent opponents from gathering intel.
So when Kirin realized her blunder, she immediately apologized.
"It's fine. It's not a big deal."
Kaiser shook his head, completely unbothered.
"My compatibility rate with Ser-Veresta? The final recorded value was 100%."
Well—
Technically, the last recorded value was 100%.
After that…
The system failed to register a number, and the screen glitched into unreadable data.
But Kaiser wasn't about to say that out loud.
Some things were better left unsaid.
Still, even just 100% was enough to shock the others.
"Complete compatibility?"
Julis murmured under her breath, her gaze toward Kaiser growing more serious.
"That's incredible!"
Unlike Julis, Kirin simply expressed pure admiration.
Only Ayato seemed unfazed—
Not because he wasn't impressed, but because he still didn't fully understand the significance of an Orga Lux compatibility rate.
Instead, his face showed… disappointment?
The truth was—
Ayato had transferred to Seidoukan Academy for a very specific reason.
To search for his missing sister.
Five years ago, his sister had come to Asterisk and studied at Seidoukan Academy.
Then—
One day, she had mysteriously disappeared.
Her records were erased.
No matter how he searched, there was no trace of her existence.
As if she had never been here at all.
His interest in Ser-Veresta wasn't random.
Because Ser-Veresta's previous wielder…
Had been his sister.
Of course—
All official records of this had been wiped clean.
The world only knew of an older wielder from over a decade ago.
They didn't know that a Seidoukan student had wielded it five years ago.
In the original story, Ayato had used his Special Scholarship rights to apply for Ser-Veresta.
He had passed the compatibility test, obtaining a 97% rate—an incredibly high score.
But despite this—
Due to his poor control over Prana, he was never able to properly wield it.
Kaiser, seeing Ayato's disappointed look, considered something for a moment.
Then—
He spoke.
"You're a Special Scholarship Student," he reminded.
"That means you have a free pass to choose an Orga Lux. If you're interested, why not check out the Equipment Bureau?"
Even though Ser-Veresta was already bound to him, there were still other Orga Lux available.
And Ayato—if guided correctly—could benefit greatly from obtaining one.
As Kaiser thought this, Ayato suddenly smiled.
"Actually… I already have plans to visit the Equipment Bureau after the weekend."
Then—
With a casual, almost offhanded tone, he added—
"The Student Council President told me that a new Orga Lux—one related to Ser-Veresta—will be transferred to Seidoukan Academy soon."
"A second magic sword, huh?"
Ayato smirked.
"I'll be testing for compatibility with that one."
Chapter 30: Where Have I Seen Her Before?
"Another Magic Sword?"
The moment Ayato spoke those words, the entire group froze.
Especially Kaiser—his face showing clear surprise.
"Are you talking about another one of the Four-Colored Magic Swords?"
Kirin asked with a puzzled expression.
The Four-Colored Magic Swords were a set of four special Orga Lux.
Ser-Veresta was just one of them.
Alongside it, there were three others, each also bearing the title of a Magic Sword.
So if Ayato was talking about another Magic Sword, then he was most likely referring to one of the remaining three.
"Why would they suddenly transfer another Four-Colored Magic Sword to Seidoukan Academy?"
Even Julis was confused.
"That… I'm not really sure," Ayato admitted.
"The Student Council President only told me that it had something to do with Ser-Veresta."
Hearing this, Kaiser's mind clicked into motion.
Could it be… because his compatibility rate with Ser-Veresta had surpassed the limit?
A compatibility rate exceeding 100% was unprecedented.
Without a doubt, this anomaly must have caught the attention of not only the academies but also the Integrated Enterprise Foundation itself.
In such a scenario, it would be entirely reasonable for researchers to investigate whether this phenomenon was unique to Ser-Veresta or if it could occur in other Orga Lux as well.
And if they were to research a weapon—
It would make perfect sense to start with the other Four-Colored Magic Swords.
The Four-Colored Magic Swords were not just similar in name.
They had all been created in the same laboratory, sharing a common origin far deeper than most outsiders could imagine.
If Ser-Veresta had broken its compatibility limit, then it was entirely possible that the others could too.
Thus, Seidoukan Academy likely arranged for another Four-Colored Magic Sword to be transferred in.
And, naturally—
To test whether its compatibility rate could also surpass the limit, they needed someone to wield it.
That was where Ayato came in.
Even if Ayato couldn't break compatibility limits like Kaiser, as long as his rate was high enough, it would allow Seidoukan to collect valuable data.
By comparing his performance with Kaiser's, they could analyze the potential of the Four-Colored Magic Swords in greater depth.
"Unbelievable."
Kaiser exhaled sharply, looking at Ayato with an amused expression.
"He lost Ser-Veresta, and immediately, another high-tier Orga Lux is being sent straight to him?"
The harem protagonist buff was insane.
Meanwhile, Julis, who had no idea about all these underlying connections, simply stared at Ayato before scoffing.
"If you really become the wielder of another Four-Colored Magic Sword…"
Her arms crossed as she hmphed.
"Then I'd like to fight you again."
Something about Ayato bothered her.
During their duel, he had been clumsy and unimpressive.
His fighting style had seemed off—as if something was missing.
And yet…
She couldn't shake the suspicion that he was hiding something.
After all, he was a Special Scholarship Student.
That alone meant that he wasn't ordinary.
The six academies constantly scouted top talents from all over the world, offering them Special Scholarship Student status.
Those selected were given numerous privileges:
Full tuition exemption
Living expense stipends
Priority access to equipment
The right to borrow an Orga Lux
To be granted this status, one had to be exceptional.
And if Ayato, a Special Scholarship Student, got his hands on a Four-Colored Magic Sword—
Then, without a doubt, he would become a dark horse in the academy rankings.
As this thought crossed Julis' mind, she cast a side glance at Kaiser—
Another dark horse who had recently risen to prominence.
At the same time, Kirin also looked at Ayato, her gaze turning serious.
"Ayato-senpai… really does seem deeper than he appears," Kirin murmured softly.
Kaiser, meanwhile, couldn't help but smirk.
"Oh? Feeling pressured?"
"Ahaha…"
Now fully in the spotlight, Ayato could only offer a sheepish laugh.
"W-Well… shall we order?"
In an attempt to change the subject, Ayato quickly stood up, looking for a waiter.
However—
At that exact moment, someone was already walking past him.
A customer had just finished their meal and was heading out, coincidentally crossing paths with Ayato.
"Watch out!"
Both Julis and Kirin noticed at the same time, calling out a warning.
But—
Before their voices even reached Ayato—
"Oh my?"
The customer dodged effortlessly—
Not just with precision, but with an unexpected grace that seemed almost unnatural.
The movement was so smooth, so elegant, that it left Ayato, Julis, and Kirin completely stunned.
So much so—
That none of them reacted when the person's beret slipped off in the process.
Kaiser, on the other hand, reacted instinctively—
His hand shot out, catching the beret midair before it could hit the ground.
"Ah… I'm sorry!"
Finally snapping out of it, Ayato quickly bowed in apology.
"I didn't notice you behind me! That was my fault!"
Hearing this, the customer let out a soft laugh.
It was a laugh as graceful as the movement had been.
Light, melodious, and strangely captivating.
"Be more careful next time, alright?"
She smiled.
"You've got pretty good reflexes, you know? If you don't watch where you're going, you might end up hurting someone by accident."
"I-I will!"
Ayato nodded, his voice earnest.
"Thank you for the warning."
"It's nothing."
The girl waved her hand casually.
Even this small gesture carried a sense of refined elegance.
"Here."
Standing up, Kaiser handed the beret back to her.
Only then did he finally get a good look at her.
She was a young girl, around their age.
She had long, chestnut-brown hair and wore a casual outfit—jeans and a loose-fitting blouse.
Her appearance was simple, yet her posture, her movement, and the way she carried herself gave off a uniquely graceful charm.
She looked light, effortless, almost like an untethered spirit.
However—
Because her bangs were long, partially covering her face, Kaiser couldn't see her features clearly.
But—
Judging by her smooth skin, her delicate jawline, and the hints of her facial structure—
She was undoubtedly beautiful.
Perhaps even rivaling Claudia.
"Thank you."
The girl stepped closer, reaching out to take back her beret.
At that moment—
A strange feeling stirred within Kaiser.
"…Have we met before?"
The words left his mouth before he could even think about them.
The girl paused.
Then—
She let out another gentle laugh.
"Perhaps."
She neither confirmed nor denied it.
Instead, she lightly patted Kaiser's shoulder—
And whispered something intriguing.
"If we get the chance…"
She said softly.
"Let's talk more about your Ser-Veresta, shall we?"
"Kaiser of Seidoukan Academy."
Before Kaiser could even react—
The girl turned and walked away, her steps as light as a drifting feather.
Leaving behind a lingering mystery.
"…Who was that?"
Kaiser frowned, staring after her.
The feeling in his chest—
The sense of familiarity—
Didn't fade.
Instead—
It only grew stronger.
Inside the restaurant, the background music continued playing.
A soft, soothing melody.
One that sounded—
Strangely similar to the girl's voice.