Tohno Shiki walked into the church.
Two days had passed, and the church had been restored to its original state, looking no different from before. Only some windows and furniture had been damaged, and replacing them had been enough to redecorate the school.
Due to the unexpected death of the magecraft instructor, the school had taken a day off, reopening only today. Rumor had it that another magus had taken over the instructor's duties.
"What's on your mind, Young Master Shiki? You seem so lost in thought?"
Shiki sat in the front row, head lowered, clearly preoccupied. He hadn't even noticed the church gradually filling with noise.
A nearby student, eager to get closer to the younger brother of the mayor, leaned over with a teasing smile.
"Just something minor..."
Shiki snapped out of his thoughts and offered a polite smile before falling silent again, showing no intention of sharing his troubles.
The student pursed his lips, muttered something under his breath, and distanced himself without another word.
"The young master of the Tohno family is really hard to approach."
"..."
Shiki heard the muttered remark clearly but said nothing, inwardly sighing in resignation.
"How am I supposed to discuss something like this with anyone...?"
Two days ago, after being singled out by that guest named Roy, Akiha had confessed to him that they shared a single life.
Akiha still refused to explain the origins of the situation, stubborn as an iron gate. She only revealed that Shiki had indeed died once in the past and that she had revived him using her unique ability. Now, he was alive only because she was sharing her life with him.
The reason his body had always been so weak—prone to anemia and fainting at the slightest exertion—was that his life was only half of what it should be. A half-life could never sustain the activity of a complete living being.
All these years, Akiha had lived with only half her life. He had no idea how she had endured it, all just to keep him alive.
Shiki's heart was a mess of conflicting emotions.
He was deeply moved that Akiha had protected him like this, but he didn't feel he had ever done much for her in return. He had hardly ever helped with the municipal affairs that kept his sister constantly busy. To receive such profound affection without deserving it weighed heavily on him.
"Should I accept Roy's offer or not...?"
This was the question tormenting him.
He truly didn't want Akiha to bear the burden of his life while also managing the city's affairs, carrying such immense pressure. If Akiha were ever in danger and lost because she lacked the strength, he would regret it so much he'd wish he could die in her place.
Roy's ability could help him "revive."
If he accepted his help, he could regain a healthy body and no longer be a burden to Akiha. She wouldn't have to sustain his life with her own.
But the price was handing over Tokyo.
This left Shiki unable to decide.
He wasn't particularly politically astute and didn't fully grasp the weight of such a condition.
Yet even someone like him could tell that Roy harbored great ambitions.
Restoring the world to its original state, erasing the curses, driving the magical beasts and cursed spirits back to the corners of the world, and allowing humanity to reclaim its place as the masters of Earth... Of course, these were all good things. No one would refuse them.
The key question was—could Roy's words truly be trusted?
If he was lying, or if there was some hidden trap, and they agreed too easily, signing a self-binding vow, wouldn't that be equivalent to walking right into his scheme? If that happened, not only would he and Akiha be implicated, but even the hundreds of thousands of people in Tokyo would be dragged into the pit. That would be his sin.
"Ah..."
Shiki slumped onto the desk, his mind a battlefield of conflicting thoughts.
At times, he was tempted to rush home and immediately accept Roy's conditions. At others, caution took the upper hand, leaving him hesitating for a long time, unable to make a decision.
"Class is starting."
Right on time, the new magecraft instructor stepped into the chapel hall as if deliberately timing his entrance.
The new teacher had a long, horse-like face, his expression icy, exuding an aura that warned others to keep their distance.
Shiki patted his cheeks, forcing himself to break free from the tangled mess of thoughts.
Just as he was about to shift his focus to the magecraft lesson, he glanced curiously at the seat beside him.
"Teacher, Yumizuka-san hasn't arrived yet."
He raised his hand and addressed the new instructor.
The seat next to him belonged to Yumizuka Satsuki.
But now it was empty. Satsuki was usually punctual—had she been delayed today, or was something holding her up?
"Not my concern."
The new teacher's face remained indifferent, not even sparing a glance at the empty seat as he pulled over the blackboard and began the lecture.
"A typical magus..."
Shiki's lips twitched slightly, a flicker of irritation in his heart.
He had heard that after the Great Calamity, magi had undergone some changes, but by and large, the majority were still the same—detached from human ethics. Compared to them, Instructor Varien was practically approachable.
But magi were inherently like this—cold and unfeeling. There was nothing he could do. Even Akiha had to treat them as honored guests, using every means to keep them around. He couldn't make demands recklessly. If he ended up driving a magus away, all of Akiha's efforts would be wasted.
"She'll probably arrive soon."
Shiki didn't dwell on it.
About three minutes after the magecraft lesson began, the chapel doors swung open.
Shiki thought it was Satsuki arriving late, but when he turned to look, he saw that the person entering was Oumaru, his face stiff as he walked to his seat.
Only then did Shiki realize that Oumaru was also late.
And then, for the entire day, Satsuki never showed up.
After school in the afternoon, Shiki organized his notes and headed for the chapel exit.
Just as he stepped out, his peripheral vision caught Oumaru speaking with someone in a corner, though he couldn't make out what they were saying.
He paid it no mind and left the chapel on his own.
Instead of going home, he headed in another direction.
'Yumizuka-san was unexpectedly absent today. With magic classes, if you miss even a single lesson, you'll immediately fall behind in the next one.' He decided to deliver his notes to Satsuki's place since they were on good terms, and he knew where she lived.
"Satsuki? She left home this morning."
"She left this morning?"
Shiki froze on the spot.
"You mean she didn't go to school?"
Satsuki's mother looked deeply worried.
"That child is our family's hope! What on earth could she be doing?"
Shiki left the Yumizuka residence with growing unease.
Tokyo City was currently experiencing frequent cursed spirit incidents.
Over ten cursed spirit attacks had reportedly occurred in just the past two days. It wasn't impossible that Satsuki might have encountered one by chance.
Upon returning home, Shiki immediately sought out Roy, who was temporarily staying with him.
Nearly all the recent cursed spirit incidents in Tokyo had been resolved by Roy alone. Whenever he arrived at the scene, he could end the battle within three seconds.
Moreover, Roy had met Satsuki before. If she had really been attacked, Roy should have noticed something at the scene.
"Yumizuka Satsuki? Haven't seen her."
Roy thought for a moment before shaking his head.