Drr drrr drr drr.
The alarm clock was, as always, annoyingly loud, but today it didn't even bother me. I took a deep breath.
Ahhh, I'm still alive. My head isn't cracked, my arms and legs are still attached, and apparently, I wasn't murdered in my sleep. Everything's perfect. Even the weather is playing along – it's raining. And that means: I don't have to look anyone in the face. Everyone wears hoods. Even school can't get on my nerves today.
I quickly pulled on my pants. Luckily, I had locked the front door last night – after the Yuna incident. Today's only subject was "Defensive Magic Theory". That means: no equipment, no practical training, and most importantly – no effort.
Perfect day, here I come.
I opened the door – and was immediately greeted by a magnificent thunderstorm. The clouds were dark, heavy, beautifully gray. The wind bit lightly into my cheeks, but that was fine. I love it when the world looks like it's about to end – it makes my own misery barely noticeable.
"Good morning, Kaede," a tired, all-too-familiar voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
"Bad morning," I muttered, turning reluctantly to the side.
Of course. My luck never lasts long.
Yuna stood there, soaking wet, as if she had been pulled from a pond. Her hair clung to her face, and her expression said it all. That dangerous smile was back too. I knew what was coming.
"I've been waiting for you for two hours. Apparently, you didn't plan on going to school on time," she said in a disarmingly innocent tone.
I burst out laughing.
"Pfff, hahahahaha! You idiot! You stood in the rain for two hours in front of my door? Hahahahaha! Are you insane?!"
I clutched my stomach.
Zing!
A loud sound – and then a stabbing pain. She had hit me. Hard enough that I landed on the wet ground.
"Great," I muttered. "Now I'm wet too."
I pulled myself up and rubbed my shoulder.
"Well, still not as wet as you, Yuna," I grinned.
But then something came to mind.
"Say… where's Mr. Watsukawa?"
Yuna flinched. Her expression flickered. Nervously, she stepped back.
"I just barely escaped from him, that… that pervert!"
I burst out again.
"Pffff, hahahahaha! That horny expression on that guy's face is priceless. He's basically a walking fine!"
Yuna snorted.
"And you think that's funny?!"
"Hilarious, you crazy chick. You got what you deserved."
Click.
A soft sound at my neck made me freeze. I slowly looked down. On the collar I was suddenly wearing, a small rune began to glow.
"What was that?!" I stared at Yuna in shock.
She smiled blissfully.
"It's just a safety measure. So you don't run away from me."
She stepped closer, slowly, with a disturbingly obsessed expression. Her eyes fixated on me like I wasn't a person anymore – but an experiment. An object. An artifact.
"Show me, Kaede. I want to see it. The explosion magic."
I swallowed. She couldn't be serious.
"And if I show it to you… then you'll leave me alone for half a year. No – a full year."
She nodded eagerly.
"A whole year! And I'll even give you lots of Rul!"
Rul?
My brain took a short break. There's nothing more important to me than that three-letter word. My mouth was faster than my brain:
"I'll do it, Yuna."
"Yessss!" She jumped up and down excitedly.
"Then let's go straight to the next training field!"
I groaned.
"Ughhh…"
Boom.
I was back on the ground again. This time from a magical shock of the collar.
"Oh, Kaede! I completely forgot to take off the magic collar for bad dogs," she said in a tone like it was nothing.
She really did have two personalities. The friendly one – and the merciless one.
I stood up with a sigh, wrung out my clothes as best I could, and was just about to protest when she grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me along.
"Come on! I want to see it!"
"Yeah yeah, I'm coming…"
We walked about ten minutes across the damp school grounds until we reached the next empty training field – an oval area with soft grass and few onlookers.
But that wasn't the disturbing part.
I had the feeling the whole time that we weren't alone.
I turned around – and there he was.
Mr. Watsukawa.
He was peeking out of a bush. Soaked. With his flashing eyes, he watched us like a stalker on a hunting expedition.
I sighed.
"Great. Now he's watching young girls in the woods. Has he got a thing for Yuna or what?"
I shrugged. "Whatever. He probably knows everything anyway. Teachers have access to the magic records."
But something about his gaze seemed… different. More focused.
As if he wasn't watching Yuna – but me.
And suddenly, I had a bad feeling that this day might not be as perfect as I'd hoped…
Come on, Kaede, I'm waiting.
Hmm… It's not like I break promises, but this…
It was still drizzling, and I was already soaking wet.
Not that it really bothered me, but still – I just couldn't do it.
"I don't think it's going to happen, Yuna."
"WHAT, KAEDE?! I WAITED IN THE RAIN ALL THIS TIME FOR THIS?! I HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO!"
She shook me so hard my clothes practically dried faster than the rain could soak them.
I looked at her, annoyed.
Why is she acting like the victim here? I'm the one being forced into this – in the weirdest way possible.
I looked at her again and said, in an even duller voice:
"Maybe another time."
"No way, Kaede."
Her gaze turned eerie, her hair covering her eyes as I noticed her reaching into her left pocket for the collar.
But then, suddenly, she stopped.
I didn't know what had gotten into her, but she stared at me as if the moon had just crashed into the Earth.
She shrank back and hid behind me.
Well, in every dramatic light novel, this would be the part where the final boss appears –
but this is my story, so definitely not the final boss.
I turned around, and the first thing I saw was Mr. Watsukawa with glowing eyes.
He was making strange movements with his hands.
I didn't know whether to be disturbed or mentally broken –
What's wrong with this school?
"Hahaha, alright, joke's over. Yuna, you shouldn't be putting collars on your classmates and all that. Didn't you learn your lesson?"
he suddenly said cheerfully.
Yuna peeked out from behind me and said timidly:
"I'm sorry, please… I've learned my lesson."
Wait… did the creep actually do something to her, or am I misunderstanding this?
"Well then, Yuna. Now to you, Kaede."
He put his arm around my shoulder.
I tried to remove it, but he wouldn't let go.
"The look in your eyes tells me you already know that I know, Kaede.
But what I'm more curious about is why you won't use it."
Short pause.
"Your amazing explosion magic."
Why don't I use it?
Simple:
There's nothing I hate more than that magic.
If it hadn't existed, none of this would've happened.
My family only became a target because I had powerful magic even as a child.
Out of respect for them, I don't use it – or so I thought.
"Well, Kaede, I can tell it's weighing heavily on you – and I don't know the reasons.
But refusing to use this magic… it's a slap in the face to the ones who gave you that gift.
To those who could use your help, whose lives you could ease – or even save.
Standing by makes you an accomplice."
His voice suddenly turned loud.
It was unexpected.
Even though he didn't know why I wasn't using it, he still had arguments.
"You have… you have no idea!" I shouted, my voice trembling.
It was pure anger coursing through me.
Or was it something else?
"This damn magic only brings misery! It's the cause of everything!"
Mr. Watsukawa looked surprised.
Only now did I realize – this had all been a deliberate provocation.
Watsukawa:
"Knew it. There's always a reason."
Kaede:
I looked at Yuna, who seemed a bit startled and confused.
But I didn't know why she looked that way.
Then I felt it – a single tear running down my cheek.
Why? I didn't feel sad.
I looked over at the grassy field beside us, but my mind was blank.
"Well, Kaede…"
Mr. Watsukawa spoke again, calm and gentle.
His voice suddenly felt soothing.
I glanced at him from the corner of my eye.
"Have you ever used your explosion magic before?"
His words sank deep into me.
I didn't know how to respond.
It was the first time in ten years I was being confronted with my past.
I knew the answer – but I stayed silent.
I couldn't answer.
I was embarrassed.
"I take your silence as a no.
So how can this magic be bad, then?"
He suddenly shouted again and shook me.
I wanted to respond, but he didn't let me.
I wanted to run – fast –
but I was frozen in place.
Was I having a panic attack?
Then I felt a hand on my shoulder.
"It's okay, Kaede. I'll make sure you don't hurt anyone. I'm very strong, after all," he said with a smile. Then he let go.
For the first time in years, I saw light again.
My destiny isn't decided by anyone but me.
It can't go on like this.
If this power really isn't cursed, then nothing bad will happen.
I closed my eyes and raised my hand.
It wasn't hard – I just had to cast.
And yet…
I took a deep breath.
I could finally see them again – after eleven years –
my mother's and father's faces.
They were smiling.
"Explosion Magic: Blast Ray!"
Before I knew it, a fiery beam shot from my hand like a tornado.
It was razor-thin – thinner than a bullet – and still tore a small hole in the ground about ten meters ahead.
It felt completely different from shadow magic – no side effects, nothing.
I felt so…
Boom!
"Kaede!" I still heard Yuna's voice,
then everything went black.
Watsukawa:
"Don't worry, he's fine.
It was just a little too much for his nerves."
"Well then, would you be so kind as to carry him to the school's infirmary?
You'll both catch a cold otherwise."
"Yes, I'll do it," Yuna stammered and disappeared with Kaede.
Yuna:
"I don't get it. Why did the situation suddenly become so serious?"
Mr. Watsukawa took out a cigarette and sighed.
"What a problem child…"
Then he smiled.