Darkness lingered.Iruma floated in a dream—not peaceful, but cold.
Kirio's words echoed through the void:
"All demons return to the originator… eventually."
His voice, cruel and tired, seeped through Iruma's mind like thick fog.
"No matter how hard they try, demons revert to their instincts—despair, destruction, craving. You'll see. You'll become like me."
Iruma flinched in his sleep. No... I won't...
A warm hand brushed against his cheek. He stirred.
"...Iruma."
Iruma blinked open his eyes to find himself resting on Sullivan's lap, the gentle giant watching over him with his usual doting smile and worried gaze.
"G-Grandpa… you're back?" Iruma croaked.
Sullivan nodded, stroking Iruma's hair with fatherly tenderness."Yes. You've been through a lot."
Sullivan began to explain:
"A little while ago, Bars Robin fired an arrow."
It had carried a message—and Robin's Bloodline Magic, Bullseye Shot, ensured it reached Sullivan no matter where he was.
"I was still under interrogation when I caught it midair," he added with a playful smile. "Right between my fingers."
Reading the urgent words, Sullivan knew something had gone wrong at Babyls.
"I escaped Henri's men—don't worry, I apologized later—and rushed back. I saw the fireworks first… then the falling meteors."
With precision and care, he had removed the falling debris and worked with the staff to cover up the chaos.
Then, he found Iruma.
Iruma sat up, asking quietly, "What happened to… Kirio?"
Sullivan's gaze turned somber.
"He was calm when arrested."
Flashback: Sullivan & Kirio
Bound in magic-resistant cuffs, Kirio sat on a bench, ankles crossed and smile unshaken.
"You didn't run," Sullivan said.
"Why would I?" Kirio shrugged. "Even if you brought the whole army, I wouldn't go anywhere."
Sullivan questioned him, sharp and serious:"Did you plan this alone?"
Kirio nodded, unbothered."Yes. I don't regret it.""After years of building up magic… it all vanished in an instant."
He laughed softly to himself.
"The look on my face—that expression when it happened—wasn't it something?""That's how you know I was feeling something."
The twisted glint in his eyes dimmed only briefly as he said:
"Tell Iruma-kun this—"'It's a shame the fun was ruined… but I had a good time. Let's enjoy each other again someday.'"
Sullivan said nothing for a long moment.
Back in the present, Sullivan sighed.
"The investigation will be complicated. But since the school was unharmed… he'll be punished appropriately."
He smiled again and picked Iruma up—placing him on his shoulders, to the boy's surprise.
"You still need to take responsibility for this whole mess."
Iruma flinched."I'm… I'm gonna get scolded, aren't I?"
But then—
Cheers.
Laughter. Whistles.
The sound of the student body, celebrating.
From the viewing deck, Iruma saw hundreds of students clapping and waving, voices rising in joy.
"Iruma-kun! That was amazing!""The best fireworks ever!""You saved the festival!"
Sullivan chuckled warmly."Looks like you're not in trouble after all."
As Sullivan jumped down with Iruma still on his shoulders, Ameri dashed toward them, breathless but proud.
"Iruma-kun! That was… magnificent.""But next time… maybe tell me ahead of time?" she added, cheeks slightly red.
"I thought we'd watch it together…"
Iruma blinked. "But I didn't say anything…Damm."
"Exactly. "
Students crowded around Iruma, bombarding him with praise and questions.
"Can you make more fireworks?""It is Iruma. There is no one else but him!""Where did that dragon come from!?"
Sullivan handed him a megaphone.Iruma took it nervously, then cleared his throat.
"I'm from the… Magical Tools Research Division."
The crowd blinked. That old storage club?
"Together with Alice, Clara… and Kirio—we made the fireworks."
Gasps.
Iruma bowed slightly.
"I'm sorry about the trouble earlier. But… thank you. For watching."
No one booed. No one scolded.
They clapped.
As Iruma looked out over the crowd—his friends, his classmates—he spotted Alice and Clara, waving enthusiastically.
In his heart, a quiet voice whispered.
"Kirio-senpai…"
He closed his eyes briefly.
"I won't forget you.""You are a fearful devil… but we spent time together. You taught me something.""And I'll never give up. On people… or myself."
---
The sky above Babyls was dyed in soft gold, the late afternoon sun dipping into orange as the final day of the Main Festival reached its end. Colorful streamers drifted from floating booths, laughter echoed through the hallways, and the air smelled like sweet popcorn and something suspiciously magical.
"What a wild day," Iruma muttered, watching as Opera expertly balanced three prize bags on one hand, their expression unchanged. Sullivan walked beside him, humming cheerfully with a candy apple in his mouth.
"That's the last Division we visited," Opera said, glancing at his list. "Technically, we conquered them."
"Thanks to you." Sullivan wagged a finger. "You broke every game in half."
Opera looked sideways. "Says the man who barged into every booth asking, 'Is this where the legendary Demon King division is?'"
Iruma chuckled quietly, the kind of laugh that snuck out when he wasn't looking. Today felt... warm. Ridiculous. Embarrassing. And a little bit healing. Like a memory you didn't realize you were making until it settled in your chest.
Sullivan suddenly turned to face Iruma, his face growing serious — or as serious as Sullivan could get.
"Iruma-chan."
"Yeah?"
"This may be the first time we've ever done something like this together. Just the three of us. So..." He spread his arms wide, as if attempting to hold the whole sky. "I wanted to show my very best emotional face to my dear, dear grandson!"
"Pff—" Iruma tried to hold in his laughter, but the image of Sullivan trying to cry and failing miserably with goofy eyes broke him. Still, something tugged softly in his heart, the sincerity behind the silliness.
This is my family.
He felt a hand lightly on his shoulder. Opera didn't say anything. He didn't need to.
"IRUMA!!" a familiar voice called out.
Iruma turned to see Lied and Jazz jogging up to him.
"Man, your festival was crazy," Lied huffed. "That Susanoo thing? Wild. I still see purple every time I blink."
"You got a solid family, too." Jazz gave a slight smirk. "Way better than mine. My brother bumped into me and stole my wallet while pretending to hug me. How does he do that?"
"My sister overslept and missed the entire festival," Lied grumbled. "She said she 'felt my energy from afar' though. Whatever that means."
Iruma gave them both a gentle smile and—without thinking—wrapped an arm around Sullivan's and Opera's shoulders.
"Yeah," he said quietly. "I've got a great family."
Just then, a magical chime echoed through the air. Everyone around them stopped. The lights across the festival blinked in rhythm with the echo, and a magical voice boomed overhead.
"Attention, all students, faculty, and visitors. The Division Festival is now coming to a close."
"All votes have been cast, and evaluations tallied."
"We will now announce the final rankings—
—and the title of Best Division!"
A hush fell across Babyls. Students from all years looked up, clustered in their festival booths or sitting with family. Some held hands, some held breath.
A shining projection of the Broadcast Division floated above the central tower. A student with a microphone grinned with theatrical flair.
"Coming in third place…"
A slow drumroll echoed magically.
"The Dodgeball Division! With their intense target-breaking game, dynamic engagement, and pure chaos—they brought the heat!"
Applause burst through the grounds. Opera simply raised a brow and crossed his arms, clearly not surprised.
"In second place…"
Another beat of suspense.
"The Demon King Division! With Sabnock Sabro's one-demon play—'The Rise of Kings'—and their regal presentation, they nearly took the crown!"
Iruma smiled. "Sabro did great," he whispered, and somewhere nearby, Silvia was jumping up and down with excitement.
"And now, the moment you've all waited for—"
The floating camera zoomed in dramatically on the announcer's face.
"The Best Division of this year's Main Festival is…"
A thunderous silence. Even the magical lights flickered once for effect.
"The Magic Research Division! Their multi-phase presentation of magical weaponry, customized fireworks, and transformation outfits, combined with strategic marketing and full-student participation, pushed them to the top!"
Gasps echoed. Then cheers.
Iruma blinked.
"Wait. That's... us?"
Alice stepped up beside him, arms crossed smugly.
"Of course. Our efforts were flawless. We had Clara's chaos, your fireworks, my genius. It was inevitable."
Clara somersaulted into view from seemingly nowhere, wearing a squid hat. "WE'RE NUMBER ONE!! I'M GONNA THROW SNACKS AT PEOPLE IN CELEBRATION!!"
She actually did. Her siblings somewhere nearby screamed with joy.
Sullivan clapped proudly. "My Iruma-chan is in the best Division? Fufufu, I'll have to make a commemorative statue!"
Opera sighed. "Please don't."
Amaryllis strolled by holding a drink shaped like a demon cat. "Oh my, best division and erotic fireworks? Iruma, you're quite something."
Alice physically tackled her away before she could embarrass them further.
Iruma stood still for a moment as the celebration exploded around him. Laughter, lights, applause. His eyes drifted upward to the sky where the festival lights sparkled like stars.
Strong enough to kill someone…
That desire still lingered. It hadn't vanished. But—
—this was the kind of warmth he could protect.
He clenched his fist, heart steady.
"I'll keep walking forward. With all of them. Heh"
"Iruma sama i have request for you?"
"What alice?"