"…Ridiculous. Is this the truth?"
"I wish it were a lie. Unfortunately, it's a fact. The Emperor has incited an upheaval that has engulfed the entire Underworld."
"To think such a thing… Was information regarding our plan leaked to Emperor Belial?"
"I don't know. His reasons for this 'strike' seem unrelated to our affairs. However, the Emperor is undeniably out of control. It would be reckless to assume this won't impact our operation."
The Devil spat out the words, his face contorted in a mask of loathing. Normally, he would maintain a sneering, ironic mask to hide his true intentions from the Church, but now he made no effort to conceal his agitation. The sheer lack of composure revealed just how backed into a corner the Devils truly were. That desperation was palpable to Touji Shidou as he listened to the representative of the Bael Faction.
It had happened suddenly, around noon on a weekday. Touji had been suppressing his doubts, performing his duties as a faithful servant of God at the church, when an emergency summons arrived from the Bael Faction. Citing the risk of intercepted communications and the fact that Devils could not approach the consecrated grounds, they instructed Touji to meet them alone in the forest on the outskirts of town.
Though suspicious, the urgency in the Devil's voice compelled him. He told his comrades only where he was going and set out alone. They were worried, but if a problem had arisen regarding the "purge" of a fellow believer, Touji had no reason to refuse.
Upon his arrival, the Devil informed him of the Emperor's rampage in the Underworld. Naturally, they omitted the details regarding the Rating Game corruption and the strike; they simply stated the Emperor was causing a global disturbance. Even sharing this much with the Church was a massive risk. Though they were temporary allies, they remained bitter enemies at heart.
Under normal circumstances, such information would never be shared with someone like Touji. But the Old Devils were desperate. To protect their vested interests, they needed every card they could play against the Emperor. However, the Belial clan members within the Underworld had already been secured by Diehauser's peerage and associates. In their frantic search for leverage, they turned their eyes toward the human world—specifically toward the Emperor's cousin, Cleria Belial.
Faced with the Emperor's declaration of war and their own powerlessness to stop it, the Bael Faction was consumed by a fear that bordered on a compulsion. They had always looked down on others; they had never imagined an opponent who would confront them head-on. To them, the "natural order" was that they were the ones who tormented the weak, toyed with lives, and accepted tearful pleas for mercy. They were incapable of conceiving a strategy that didn't involve those same cruel methods.
Their narrow-minded conclusion was simple: to protect their authority, the Old Devils would involve the Church and exploit the "weakness" of Cleria Belial. Fearing a direct confrontation with a "strong" opponent like the Emperor, they chose to take Cleria hostage to create an advantage. Their plan was to threaten him: Admit defeat to the administration, or Cleria Belial will be purged.
If Zeukram Bael had known of this plan, he would have stopped it with everything he had. There was nothing to be gained by winning this way. He would have been furious at their attempt to provoke the Emperor further. However, Zeukram was currently pinned down in Auros, and without its leader, the Bael house had ceased to function. The Old Devils had become a disorganized mob, trapped in a cycle of shifting blame and fearing when they might be cast aside. Their psychological breaking point had arrived much sooner than the Satans or Zeukram had anticipated.
This was the price of a lifetime spent preying on others for their own gain. They were beings who had lived by taking through force. Yet, simultaneously, they were beings who had been robbed of the ability to think by that very same force. The consequence of that reality, laid bare by the Emperor's declaration, was about to descend upon Kuoh Town like a calamity.
"I understand the situation," Touji said. "But what is our required course of action?"
"The Bael Faction cannot move. If a Devil acts, the Emperor's peerage or the Belial family will notice immediately. However, the Church can seize Cleria Belial without raising suspicion."
Touji had been skeptical of the Devils' situation at first, but since they had no reason to lie about such a massive upheaval, he assumed the unrest in the Underworld was real. If the Emperor was on the move, it was something the Church could not ignore. But when he heard the Devil's proposal, Touji was left speechless.
Seize Cleria.
Touji's eyes widened. He had believed the purge should be postponed specifically to avoid provoking the Emperor. He thought if he informed the Church higher-ups of the trouble on the Devil side, they might hold the execution order. That would give him more time to convince Masaomi Yaegaki to stand down.
But the Devil shattered Touji's naive hope. With eyes filled with a brewing madness, the creature sneered at the priest—and at the Emperor far away in the Underworld.
"Wait, you mean to use her…"
"Time is of the essence! If we use her, we can stop the Emperor. Then, we can use the responsibility for this riot to oust Diehauser Belial and the entire Belial family with him. They won't be in any position to start a war then. And afterward, Cleria Belial can be killed easily."
"But—!"
"Wouldn't the Church love to see the Belial family—a hostile organization—erased from the board? The Emperor has shown hostility toward us, the Old Devils. He deserves to be cut off. Even the Great King Bael would surely be pleased."
The Devil laughed, spreading his arms in a display of ecstatic arrogance. He spoke as if his logic were absolute, convincing himself that his desired future was inevitable. They had even begun to view the Emperor's rebellion as a convenient excuse to eliminate a nuisance they had long despised. Watching the Devil laugh like a maniac, Touji felt a cold sweat run down his back.
How can they discard their own kind so easily?
Touji couldn't suppress his revulsion at the Devil's smile. He had been taught that Devils were inherently evil, and the creature before him was the literal embodiment of that teaching—betraying his own kind, mocking others, and barely concealing his ravenous greed.
Yet, this made him question everything once more. Were the woman Masaomi Yaegaki loved and this Devil truly the same species? The image of Masaomi and Cleria—two people who loved and trusted each other, laughing together in happiness—was so bright and precious to Touji that it had caused him nothing but pain. He had been crushed by the reality that he had to tear them apart.
"Why won't you even try to understand? Why do you only deny her? Why can't you look at her as a person, and not just as a Devil?!"
Masaomi's words from their encounter on the pedestrian bridge a month ago echoed in his mind. The Church's teaching that "all Devils are evil" began to fracture in Touji's heart. Is this teaching truly absolute? Is every single Devil truly wicked? He found it impossible to reconcile the disgust he felt for the Bael Devil with the radiance he saw in Cleria Belial.
"It's too late… I can't stop now. I can't… I can't stop—"
Touji's subconscious thoughts leaked out as a broken repetitive murmur. His personal emotions and his devotion to God ground against each other until a hollow, fractured smile appeared on his face. He no longer knew what was right or wrong. He only knew that he had gone too far to turn back.
"Please, understand," the Devil continued, his voice slick with manipulation. "If we don't move now, the Emperor will notice us. Diehauser Belial is busy with the Underworld for the moment, but once things settle, he will likely contact Cleria. If that happens…"
"…He might learn about the situation from her," Touji finished.
"Precisely. If the Emperor learns of this scandal involving the Church, his rage might turn toward you. Emperor Belial is a man capable of throwing the entire Underworld into chaos. He won't listen to the Satans or to us once he rampages."
The Devil skillfully stoked Touji's anxieties. If it was truly a global incident, Cleria would find out eventually. She might even try to contact the Belial family herself. The Devil was right: they were out of time.
Yet, none of these logical arguments reached Touji's heart. All he realized was the simple, cold fact that he was incapable of stopping.
"Capture Cleria Belial, use her to threaten the Emperor, and strip the Belial family of their power. That is your plan."
"Exactly. However, if we hold her, the Emperor's peerage might try to take her back. But if the Church is the one holding her, they won't be able to move so easily. They were engaged in a forbidden romance, after all. That gives the Church plenty of excuses to detain her. We'll handle the cover-up regarding our cooperation later."
"..."
"Oh, I have an idea. Let's say the Church, in the line of duty, captured Cleria today because she 'happened' to be seducing a priest. We Devils will then tell the Emperor that we are negotiating with the Church to save her—in exchange for him settling the unrest in the Underworld. A fair trade."
Touji wondered if things would really go as this Devil planned. The Bael Faction held immense power; they could certainly cover up an incident like this. But would an Emperor who incited a global strike back down so easily? Most importantly, could the life of one woman truly stop him?
"…No, there's no point in thinking beyond that."
If the Emperor abandoned Cleria, she would simply die. If he chose her life, the Old Devils would destroy the Belial house regardless. She would lose her place and be exiled as a Stray Devil. Eliminating her after that would be child's play.
Whether it succeeded or failed mattered little to Touji. If the Devil side fell into further chaos, the Church could simply play the part of the innocent party, claiming they were only performing a purge due to a forbidden romance. It was the only path left.
If he did nothing, the Emperor would eventually learn of the scandal. Touji didn't know how a Satan-class being would react, but if he incurred such a being's wrath, Kuoh Town could easily be erased from the map. His comrades, his wife, his daughter—everyone in this town could vanish. He had to eliminate that possibility.
He understood that this choice also destroyed any chance of Emperor Belial recognizing and blessing the love between Masaomi and Cleria. But Touji couldn't believe in such a fairy tale. No—he couldn't allow himself to believe in it. He was a warrior of the Church. He could not place his hopes in a Devil.
He could no longer stop of his own volition. He had already come too far.
***
After a while, the Devil vanished into a magic circle, saying he would discuss the negotiations regarding the Emperor. In the silence of the forest, Touji's eyes naturally drifted toward the sky—toward the Heaven where the God he believed in resided.
"…This must be the right choice."
As a believer and a warrior chosen by a Holy Sword, he clung to the belief that not trusting Devils was the path of righteousness he had to walk.
However—
"Yaegaki."
The Bael Devil had never once mentioned the other individual involved. It was true that it would be difficult for the Emperor and the other Devils to move against the Church openly. But there was one person who could point a sword at the Church without hesitation. One person who might actually be able to save Cleria. They had forgotten the existence of the priest who loved a Devil.
Perhaps it was because they viewed humans as insignificant insects. Touji had intentionally refrained from mentioning Masaomi to the Devils. He didn't want them interfering in his final settling of scores with the man.
"You'll stand in my way, won't you? No matter how hopeless the situation, you'll keep moving forward on the path you believe in."
Touji closed his eyes and recited a verse from the Bible. A moment later, he swung his arm through the empty air, and a beautiful blade appeared in his grip. This sword, appearing like a phantom, was the culmination of everything he had built as a warrior of the Church.
It was a weapon modeled after the legendary Holy Sword Excalibur—once the strongest blade, shattered into seven pieces during the ancient war. The fragments had been recovered and reforged using alchemy into seven swords with distinct traits. The one in his hand was a replica of the Holy Sword of Phantasms, Excalibur Nightmare. Though it was a replica, in the hands of a veteran like Touji, its power was no less than the original.
"But you've never beaten me, Yaegaki. And this time, I have my fellow Exorcists with me. We have more than enough power to eliminate Cleria's peerage. You won't be able to reach me alone, no matter how hard you struggle."
Touji's voice was mechanical, as if he were painting over his doubts with cold facts. It was an obvious outcome. The gap in power was so overwhelming it shouldn't even be called a contest. Unless a miracle on the level of a divine intervention occurred to warp the very fabric of fate, Masaomi had no chance of winning.
"…So, at the very least, let it be my hand that ends you."
He left the rest unsaid. Touji stroked the blade of the Holy Sword to confirm his resolve. With a single swing, the blade vanished back into the mist. With a dark light in his eyes, the warrior began the slow, deliberate walk back to the church to inform his comrades of his decision.
"If you can stop me… then stop everything I am."
His final, self-mocking words vanished into the air like bubbles, unheard by anyone.
***
"…Wow."
"…Indeed."
That was all we could say after watching the Underworld broadcast through a channel Mephisto-sama had temporarily linked for us. It was so intense I didn't even know where to start. The top three players were going absolutely wild. Even Tannin was hammered.
"Yeah… okay. I didn't think the Underworld would get this chaotic."
"…Wait. Kana? 'This chaotic'? Wasn't this your plan?"
"Well, yeah. But I honestly thought the strike was just going to be… you know, a bit of prep work."
I gave a dry laugh as Lavinia hit me with a silent, heavy stare. Hey, I just suggested the strike as a way to confuse the administration and force a negotiation! I never imagined the entire Belial family would start doing TV appearances and protest marches, or that Diehauser-san would announce a massive reform for the Game. Honestly, I just made the suggestion; I didn't know the specifics of how they'd execute it.
I knew the adults had been holding meetings to make the strike a success. I knew things would get messy once Diehauser moved. But seeing the actual chaos in the Underworld with my own eyes made me wonder: Did I screw up? I'm the one who proposed it, but I'm actually kind of shaking here. Thinking about the original plot and how much this changes things is giving me a stomachache.
"Um, Kana…"
"Look, Lavinia, I did think it through! Sort of! But geniuses like Mephisto-sama and Ajuka-sama didn't stop me, Diehauser-san and Tannin-san helped out, and even Professor Azazel was laughing his head off! So I figured… it would be fine…"
"I understand, Kana. Once this is all over, let's go buy gifts and apology tokens for everyone together. As your partner, I'll do my best to help."
Lavinia smiled at me with a radiance that felt almost divine. I hung my head, feeling guilty toward her, the protectors, and everyone in the Underworld I'd dragged into this. She gently patted my head like a saint comforting a child.
I'm being consoled by a girl younger than me. Thank you, and I'm sorry. I kind of want to cry, but I'll see this through to the end.
"So, does this mean your 'preparations' are complete?" she asked.
"Y-Yeah. Now we just wait for the administration to beg the Satans and the Great King to mediate so they can talk to Diehauser-san. We've got plenty of 'bombs' to drop on them. We fight until they let go of Cleria-san."
"The key is how long the administration holds out, then."
Diehauser-san still had the 'King' pieces as his trump card, plus evidence of the administration purging their own kind to protect their interests, and more from the Rank 2 and 3 players. If they played hardball, we'd just drop another bomb. The sins the Old Devils had spent centuries accumulating were our weapons.
We couldn't drop everything at once if we wanted to avoid a total riot, but Diehauser-san's acting was perfect: 'I'm very angry, so if you don't listen, I might just get desperate and leak everything.' Ajuka-sama would also be helping from the shadows, claiming he was just trying to "calm the Emperor down."
Based on my knowledge of the original series, if the Great King Bael thought the way he did in the books, he wouldn't allow the Old Devils' authority to be dragged through the mud any further. Right now it was 'Administration vs. Emperor,' but the more evidence came out, it would become 'Old Devils vs. Emperor & The People.' If that happened, the people's anger would spread beyond the Game to their everyday lives. A simple apology wouldn't cut it; their entire authority could collapse.
"Of course, if it goes that far, Diehauser-san might be held responsible too," I noted.
"Will he be alright?"
"The big shots of the Old Devils will definitely try to settle things before it hits that point. After all, the only ones losing authority here are the Old Devils. The Satans' authority is unscathed. With the people's support, the Satans could just swallow up the weakened Old Devils. The result would be a total Satan-led government."
Lavinia gasped at the mention of a total Satan regime. Organizations like the Angels or Fallen Angels were streamlined because their leaders—like Michael or Professor Azazel—had stayed the same for eons. But the Devils' original leaders were dead. People found it easy to oppose the new Satans like Sirzechs-sama. The old guard hated bowing to "youngsters."
That twisted structure was exactly what caused the crises in the original story. Personally, I'd love for the useless Old Devils to get ousted so Sirzechs-sama could lead properly, but that would require Diehauser-san to be a sacrifice. I hate that idea, and Ajuka-sama said he didn't want to use that method either. Apparently, even the Satans felt a bit uneasy about using a game strike to seize total power.
Even a human like me can see the dangers. There's no way the Old Devils won't notice. If they focus only on the Emperor, the Satans will just walk away with all the power they spent centuries guarding. They're cunning old Devils, after all. It'll be fine.
"…You're amazing, Kana."
"Huh? Why?"
"That you can think about Devil politics like that. I didn't even realize this would lead to such a massive issue. And you've been in the 'Under-world' for less than a year."
"Ah… ha ha… well, Ajuka-sama taught me a lot, and I'm directly involved in this case. Plus, I have some info on the Devil side I haven't told you yet, so I wouldn't say I'm amazing."
I felt a bit guilty. I was relying heavily on my "original plot knowledge." Come to think of it, I'm just a kid who's been in the supernatural world for less than a year. My life has been so dense lately I felt like it had been years. I was happy to be praised, but knowing the answer wasn't entirely mine was complicated.
Normally, a human wouldn't understand the inner workings of Devil politics or the mindsets of their leaders. This whole incident worked out because my meta-knowledge fit perfectly—from the Emperor's resolve to the political structure and the sins of the Old Devils.
The original story was a turning point for the world, a time of upheaval. I realized again that meta-knowledge is a dangerous thing if used in the wrong way.
"A-Anyway, what should we do now? The strike is confirmed. There's nothing to do until the next move."
"Hmm, I suppose so…"
Lavinia tilted her head. It was almost 4:00 PM; high school would be letting out soon. My sister would be late due to club activities, but Cleria-san and the others would be heading straight home. I wanted to contact everyone in Kuoh once they were back, but we still had about thirty minutes of dead time.
"Too short for magic practice, too long to just sit here," I muttered.
While the Underworld was in chaos, the human world was perfectly peaceful. We couldn't get involved in Devil business openly since we're human magicians, after all. I felt a bit bad while everyone else was working so hard. I decided to check the Underworld feed one more time.
The screen showed live reports from Agreas. Diehauser-san was currently talking to reporters about the future of the Rating Games.
Everyone was hyped up, but honestly, Devils are either incredibly patient or just obsessive to have played the same game for hundreds of years. If it were me, I'd be screaming at the devs to update the game and add new features. I guess the difference in lifespan between humans and Devils is part of it.
Then again, the Rating Game is like a sport. If someone suddenly changed the rules of soccer or baseball, people would be like, "Wait, what?" The reason this reform is such a big deal is because the Rating Game is the only entertainment in the Underworld. That's why the administration has so much power.
If they had something like 'Azazel Quest' or an MMORPG-style game where they could actually enter the world, that would be so cool, I thought.
Maybe I'll ask Ajuka-sama if he can make something like that when I go to thank him. Since this era is earlier than my previous life, they don't even have smartphones yet, and video game tech is still primitive. I'm enjoying the "classics," but as a former modern kid, I feel a bit unsatisfied.
It'll be a long time before this world catches up to my old era. I hope the Three Great Powers make peace soon so Professor Azazel and Ajuka-sama can swap tech. They'd make so many cool games. For the sake of world peace—and new games—I really need that treaty to happen.
"Thinking about games makes me want to play one," I whispered.
Lavinia hit me with her second silent stare of the day. Sorry, I know this isn't the time. I briefly wondered if the "Little Mil" fans downstairs would be up for a four-player game. After discussing it with Lavinia, we decided to just watch the Milky anime in the living room and wait quietly. It seemed like the most peaceful option.
Then, a magic communication arrived.
"…Wait, Miltan?"
"Is it from Little Mil?"
I was surprised. Usually, I'm the one who initiates contact. Plus, at this time, he should have been at the church for his consultation. This was the first time he'd contacted me like this. A wave of inexplicable dread washed over me.
I took a deep breath to steady my heart and funneled magic into the communication circle. It glowed green, and a deep, husky voice came through. Lavinia and I exchanged a tense look.
"Um, Miltan? Is something wrong?"
"Kana! I'm so glad I got through!"
I exhaled in relief hearing his voice. At least he wasn't in immediate danger. But there was a frantic edge to his voice that I couldn't ignore. My bad feeling was getting stronger.
I wondered why now, but experience told me my intuition had a 100% success rate. From Stray Devils and Magicians to Fallen Angels and Dragons—my "danger sense" was never wrong. My teacher told me it was a trait of Sacred Gear possessors.
Since a Sacred Gear is linked to the owner's life force and soul, the dread I feel is like a signal from the Gear itself. In my case, since I trust my partner—Ruin Lorn Scarlet—completely and "rely on it like a baby," according to Professor Azazel, I receive those signals without any interference. Apparently, the spear is borderline overprotective. I thought it was a bit dry lately, but maybe it's just a tsundere.
A specialist in Sacred Gear research once looked at me and the spear with a straight face and said, "You two are definitely not normal." It's a useful trait, but knowing it means something bad is coming makes it complicated.
"Miltan, did something happen at the church? With Shidou?"
"Yeah! Until a moment ago, I was practicing my 'magical girl' poses with the priest."
What are you doing, Shidou? I know you can't say no to Miltan, but still.
"Then suddenly, the priest got a call. He looked really panicked and headed out alone into the forest behind the church."
"Into the forest? Alone? What about the other Exorcists?"
"They looked really worried. They're still waiting for him to come back."
I shook off my frustration. Based on Miltan's report, that call wasn't from a Church member. If it were a comrade or a boss, he could have just talked to them away from the civilians. There was a reason he left his worried comrades behind to go into the forest.
"Miltan, where are you now?"
"I'm away from the church. The priest apologized and said the church was closing for the day. So I don't know what's happening inside now."
"…I see. Thanks, Miltan. It might be dangerous, so don't go near the church anymore."
I wanted more info, but asking Miltan was too risky. He had done enough. For a responsible man like Shidou to cancel a consultation and kick civilians out of the church meant an extreme emergency.
And my bad feeling wasn't going away. If my hunch was right, the one who called Shidou was a Devil from the Bael Faction. That explained why he had to leave the church grounds—Devils can't get close.
But why would the Bael Faction contact the Church now? The Underworld is in chaos. They shouldn't have time to mess around in Kuoh Town while the Emperor is on strike. They only wanted Cleria-san because her romance with a priest gave them an excuse to silence her before she could talk to Diehauser. But now the Emperor has already started a riot, so why Cleria—
"…Wait, is that why?"
A horrifying realization dawned on me. The Bael Faction was being hunted by the Emperor. They were likely searching for any leverage they could use against him. And their search had led them here, to Kuoh Town.
"Mephisto-sama's intuition was right," Lavinia noted.
"Lavinia?"
"Kana, we are members of the Grau Zauberer. We cannot appear on the 'surface' of this incident. If the Devils find out we're involved, it won't just expose the Magician's Association; it could make them suspect Tannin-san due to his connection with Mephisto-sama."
"…Does that mean we can't save Cleria-san?"
My face must have gone pale. She was right. We couldn't move openly. That's why we'd been supporting them from the shadows. I'd hated it, but we'd had to leave everything to Diehauser-san. The same was true here in Kuoh.
Even if the Bael Faction and the Church were about to hurt Cleria-san, we weren't allowed to help. If the Grau Zauberer's interference was exposed, it would be a disaster. But I couldn't just abandon everyone. What was the point of everything I'd done if I stopped now?!
"Your actions affect me and the rest of the club! You are a Devil of the Gremory peerage! Realize that!"
"Then remove me from the peerage! I'll storm that church as an individual!"
Ah, I get it now. I finally understood how Issei Hyoudou felt in the original story. The desperate need to save a friend, to stand up for what's right even if it meant throwing away your organization. And Rias-sama's words stung. Mephisto-sama and Lavinia had done so much for me. To cause them trouble would be incredibly selfish.
"Lavinia, even so, I—"
"That is why, Kana, if we are to intervene, we need to prepare 'different identities'."
"I can't just abandon a frien—wait, what?"
My resolve to go alone was cut short by Lavinia's playful smile. She giggled at my stunned face and put her hands on her hips, acting slightly miffed.
"Don't try to be a reckless hero by yourself. You're my partner, Kana. I promised I'd let you drag me into your problems, remember?"
"…But the Magicians' Association…"
"Exactly. I can't use my Sacred Gear. It's too famous that I'm the possessor of Absolute Demise. I'll also have to change the style of my magic."
Lavinia tapped her chin thoughtfully. So, as long as we weren't recognized as Grau Zauberer magicians, it was fine. There are plenty of other magician organizations, not to mention freelancers and Strays. Humans are everywhere, so it's hard to pinpoint an identity. Without solid proof, no one would dare suspect an organization run by one of the oldest Devils.
"And Kana, you shouldn't show your Sacred Gear's ability to the Devils either. It might not be famous, but its effect is rare enough to be identified."
"Wait, me too? Honestly, without my Sacred Gear, I have zero combat power. And Professor Azazel said Ruin Lorn Scarlet is a mass-produced type. It's not one-of-a-kind like a Longinus…"
"…I don't know the details, but that was Mephisto-sama's message. If you use your power, make sure they don't realize you're using Ruin Lorn Scarlet. Besides, you've worked hard on your magic for six months. Have some confidence!"
"I mean, sure, I've studied, but…"
I can turn water into hot water, dull pain, or see through things. How am I supposed to fight with that? I haven't even found my "style" yet. Even if I used a pseudo-Copy to use Lavinia's attack magic, it wouldn't be enough.
"A magic that fits me… something from my knowledge that's easy to use and makes me a fighter immediately, even with my average stats. Does something that convenient even exist?"
"We'll do our best with what we have. For the sake of your dream, Kana!"
Looking at her—stretching out her hand with a confident smile while I was being a coward—I almost cried. I'm so lucky. And I realized Mephisto-sama must have approved of this. He wouldn't have sent that specific message about my Sacred Gear otherwise. I should listen to his advice.
My partner was willing to follow my selfishness to the end. Even though my actions deserved a lecture from the organization, she was staying by my side. A warmth flooded through me, and I squeezed her hand tight.
"…Thank you, Lavinia. Truly."
"Hehe, you're welcome."
My panicked heart began to settle. If the Bael Faction's plan was what I thought, Cleria-san wouldn't be purged immediately. First, I needed to contact her peerage at her house and warn them. Then, Lavinia and I needed a disguise.
We might be short on power, but we'd save them with everything we had!
"Kana! Miltan will help too! I'll save my friends and the priest!"
"Wait, Miltan, that's too dangerous—"
"I know it's dangerous! But I want to save them too! To face hardship for the sake of love and justice—that is what it means to be a true Magical Girl!"
Crap, the communication was still open. He'd heard everything we said and was now fully fired up. But I couldn't let a "normal" person (mostly) get involved in a fight between Devils and the Church.
I had to talk him out of it. I know Miltan is unstoppable once his "Magical Girl Switch" is on, but I didn't want him in danger. I turned to Lavinia for backup.
"I see… that's the way," she whispered.
"Wait, Lavinia?"
Something was wrong. My "danger sensor" was now pointing straight at Lavinia.
"Kana, I've found it. Our new identities and our magic. In this mystical land of Zipangu, we won't be suspected. And if it's for the sake of Cleria-san's love, it's a perfect reason to help them!"
"Um, Lavinia? I have nothing but a bad feeling about this."
"It's okay, Kana. Let's fight together for love. That is the essence of a Magical Girl!"
"Exactly, Lavi! Let's work together to protect love!"
The Ice Princess, armed with misunderstood knowledge of Japanese Magical Girls, nodded firmly. The boy-girl with a presence that transcended logic let out a battle cry. My vision started to go blurry. I'm being forced into this, aren't I? I knew better than anyone that once their "Magical Girl" and "Airhead" switches were on, there was no stopping them.
And I was the one with the least say in this. They were helping me with my selfish request, after all. Besides, I was the one who decided to save my friends. To do that, I'd dragged in the Magicians' Association, Tannin-san, and Professor Azazel. I'd broken into Ajuka-sama's hideout, made Diehauser-san go on strike, and thrown the Underworld into chaos.
So… so… I can still do this! I can keep going!
"Let's get ready! There should be plenty of costumes and props in the magicians' house. We'll all transform!"
"Costumes… transform…"
"If we're transforming, I'm coming over right now! I remember seeing masks that the 'rival' magical girls wore. I was told they have powerful concealment magic so our identities won't be revealed!"
"Excellent, Miltan!"
"..."
The "Magical Girl Catastrophe" was talking excitedly, leaving me far behind. My stomach hurt so much. Why was reality hitting me like this? Did I do something wrong? I'm just trying to save my friends. Even my spear was glowing in a way that felt like it was mockingly cheering me on.
"Reality is pain…"
To face the reality that was about to unfold, our battle began.