"Greetings, Kanata! We've come to visit!"
"Hello, Kanata. We aren't disturbing you, are we?"
"Welcome, Cleria, Luciana. Please, come in. It's a bit of a mess, but make yourselves at home. Masaomi should be here soon once he finishes his shift."
After my training session with Masaomi, I had returned to my private quarters within the Grau Zaubererheadquarters. Masaomi was currently working hard as a guard and security detail to build up his official record within the Magicians' Association. Since today was the day Cleria usually visited my room, I expected him to wrap up his work early. I quickly cleared the tools spread across my table and piled them onto my bed.
It was a bit of a workaround, but my room was currently the only place where Cleria and Masaomi could meet without reservation. Their relationship was still a secret. We couldn't exactly have a high-ranking noble Devil from the Underworld openly meeting a former warrior of the Church. Until Masaomi's skills were fully recognized and Director Mephisto offered him a formal contract, they had to be patient. Masaomi's relentless work ethic was driven by his desire to stand proudly by Cleria's side as soon as possible.
Since my room and Lavinia's were on a floor personally managed by Mephisto, general magicians were barred from entry. It made for the perfect clandestine meeting spot.
To the rest of the organization, I was simply a boy of Eastern descent who had befriended Masaomi due to our shared heritage. As for Cleria, while she was a subject of intense curiosity for the magicians researching the Underworld, she was technically a guest of the Devil government. As Mephisto's protégés, Lavinia and I had been assigned to look after her, so her visits to my room didn't raise any eyebrows. Keeping up the act was a bit of a chore, but it was worth it.
"I'll get some drinks. What would you like?"
"Could I have some Japanese tea?" Cleria asked with a pouted lip. "The biggest problem with moving to the Association is the lack of Japanese food. I lived there so long that adjusting is harder than I thought."
"I'll have the same, thank you," Luciana added. "Shall I help you prepare it?"
"Oh, thank you. I'll get the tea; could you get the cups from that shelf?"
I suppressed a chuckle at Cleria's complaint. She was right; Japanese staples were non-existent in this part of the world. The tea I was about to serve was something I'd specifically brought over from Japan. Since I only visited the Association via teleportation after school or on holidays, I didn't get homesick for the food, but for those living here full-time, it was a genuine struggle. I realized that since I'd be working here in the future, I'd need to plan for a steady supply of rice and miso.
I brought out the barley tea from the built-in refrigerator. Luciana had the cups ready, and Cleria had spread out some homemade sweets on the table. Both of them were excellent cooks and often brought over treats they'd made.
They also frequently prepared meals for Lavinia and me. Lavinia, in particular, ate with them every day. The Association's cafeteria served some... questionable experiments that could lead to a very bad day if consumed carelessly. Before they arrived, I always made sure to buy a bento in Japan before teleporting over.
Now, we were treated to home-cooked meals, which was a huge relief. Mephisto had even thanked Cleria for ensuring I got proper nutrition during my growth spurt. It was also a godsend for Lavinia, who tended to get so absorbed in her research that she'd forget to eat or rely entirely on emergency rations. Japanese people really do take their food seriously.
"Phew... tea really is soothing," Cleria sighed. "By the way, what were you working on? I'm sorry if we made you rush to clean up."
"Oh, don't worry about it. It's an assignment from Mephisto. The deadline is still a ways off."
"An assignment from the Director? I'm sorry for interrupting your work."
"If you don't mind us asking," Luciana added, "what kind of work do you do for him?"
I hesitated for a moment under their curious gazes, then decided it was safe to tell them. I retrieved one of the items I'd moved to the bed and placed it on the table. They leaned in to examine it.
"I'm not supposed to tell anyone else, but since you both know about my Sacred Gear, I think it's fine."
"So... this work involves your Gear?" Cleria asked.
"Exactly. For example, take this stone..."
I picked up a dark, brownish rock with my left hand and summoned my Partner into my right, adjusting the spear's length to about the size of a spoon. I pressed the tip against the stone.
"Remove."
I activated the ability, erasing the specific chemical bonds and impurities within the rock. The stone began to shrink, pockmarking with holes until it became a dense, black mass. I handed the transformed ore to Cleria, who touched it tentatively.
"Is this... refined ore?"
"Unbelievable," Luciana whispered. "Did you just use a Sacred Gear to instantly delete the gangue and unwanted minerals that usually require high-heat smelting to separate?"
"Yeah. By selecting only the unnecessary parts to erase, I can produce materials with near-100% purity. Most of the requests are for crystals. Their value skyrockets when they're flawless, and they're essential catalysts for high-level sorcery. Low-quality quartz is practically free, so I can make quite a bit of pocket money just by 'cleaning' them. And then there's this..."
I pulled out a bag containing a plant with a sickly purple hue. Both women recoiled. Luciana nearly dropped the ore she was holding, while Cleria pointed a trembling finger at the bag.
"Kanata... if I'm not mistaken, that's a toxic weed from the Underworld."
"It is. One bite would be lethal. But if processed correctly, it's a powerful medicine."
"Processing it is the problem," Luciana noted. "The toxin is so integrated that only the most advanced medical labs in the Sitri territory can extract it without destroying the medicinal properties... wait."
Cleria clapped her hands as she realized the trick. I stabbed the spear through the bag and into the plant, focusing my intent.
"Remove: Toxin."
The toxic elements vanished. Normally, refining this plant meant throwing away seventy percent of it just to get the poison out. By erasing the poison directly, I preserved the entire plant and removed the need for expensive, time-consuming chemical processing. The result was a high-purity medicinal base produced in seconds for zero cost.
I get a lot of requests for liquids and foodstuffs too. Magicians are always hunting for high-quality ingredients for their potions and rituals. Mephisto handles the logistics, so most of my clients are Association researchers. Once, Professor Azazel even brought me a live blowfish and asked me to erase the poison so he could have it as a snack with his sake. It seems he remembered me doing something similar with Underworld lizards over the summer. I'm starting to feel less like a student and more like a high-end handyman.
"…I see now why Director Pheles told you to keep this secret," Luciana mused. "That Gear is incredibly versatile. But is it really safe to use your power so openly?"
"Well, I don't work in public. I keep the Gear's presence hidden, and Mephisto tells everyone it's my 'Unique Magic.' Magicians are very protective of their trade secrets, so no one really asks questions as long as I deliver results."
"That is... remarkably vague," Cleria noted.
"This is a magicians' organization. Talent and results are the only things that matter. Being vague is actually the best way to avoid suspicion."
Actually, Mephisto filters all the requests, so I never even meet the 'clients.' I just do what my boss tells me. I don't know who the requests are from or how much they pay, but I trust Mephisto's judgment. He's been selecting jobs that double as training, helping me get faster and more precise with my Erasure. I owe a lot to him and the Association, so I'm happy to help.
***
"By the way, you go by 'Sho' and always wear that hood here, don't you?" Cleria asked. "It was a bit of a shock when I first arrived."
"Yeah. Since I still live in Japan with my family, Mephisto insisted on extra precautions. I was hesitant at first, but plenty of magicians wear hoods or masks as part of their 'aesthetic,' so I don't really stand out. As long as the order comes from the Director, people just accept it."
"The head of a global organization shouldn't be this attentive to a single child," Luciana noted, her brow furrowed. "Kanata, just how many requests have you handled?"
I thought back. I started working shortly after the New Year, so it's been about four months. Mephisto and Professor Azazel have been coordinating my 'work' with my Gear training.
At the Association, I usually handle a few dozen large-scale projects—removing hazardous waste or mass-producing refined materials. For smaller items, I do the work at my home in Japan. Miltan and the 'Milky' crew deliver the goods and pick up the finished products, so I've probably done thousands of items by now. I think I even have regular customers.
"I don't know... a lot?"
"And your pay?"
"Mephisto manages it. I'm a kid; I don't need that much money. He gives me an allowance for things I want and saves the rest for me. I told him that since I'm living under his protection, he should use half of my earnings to fund the Association's research."
At first, I was curious about the prices, but eventually, the math became a chore. Plus, I'm a commoner at heart; seeing too many zeroes in a bank account is actually quite scary. I prefer not to check my balance these days.
My hobbies—manga, games, and magical gadgets—are relatively cheap. And since I view the work as training, I feel a bit guilty taking so much money for it. I guess my "plebeian" mindset is here to stay.
The only big expense I have is Miltan's salary. He isn't officially part of the Grau Zauberer; he's more of a "freelance magical girl" or mercenary. Mephisto leaves his activities to his own discretion, though he warned him to watch out for other organizations.
Since I was the one who dragged him into the supernatural world, I felt responsible. I act as his "sponsor," covering all the expenses for his magical girl activities. In return, he acts as my personal 'trump card' if an emergency arises. We're still best friends, of course.
"Wait, Luciana," Cleria whispered. "Is Kanata... actually rich?"
"The cost of removing the toxin from that single plant alone would usually be astronomical," Luciana replied, her face twitching. "To do it instantly while preserving the entire specimen... researchers would pay almost anything for that. If he's doing this for thousands of items... Kanata might actually be personally funding a significant portion of the Association's budget."
"…Is something wrong?" I asked.
"No! Nothing!" Cleria shouted. "Kanata, you have to be careful! Don't follow any suspicious people! And if I ever offer you candy again, make sure you don't just follow me blindly! You can't trust anyone!"
Hey, I followed you because it was YOU. I have some standards. Besides, I'm in middle school now. I remember the safety rules from primary school.
"Phew... as expected of Kanata," Cleria sighed. "You always find a way to surprise us."
"And we're slowly getting used to it," Luciana added.
"Please don't talk about me like I'm a jack-in-the-box."
I moved the last of the refined materials to a safe spot. Cleria began browsing the shelves. My room was full of magical tools and prototypes; having a woman scrutinize my living space was a bit embarrassing. Masaomi, please get here fast.
"This place is full of magical items," Cleria noted. "Can I touch them?"
"Nothing is dangerous, but be careful not to trigger anything."
"I will. Officially, I'm here to learn magical technology, so I want to contribute as much as I can."
"Magic was originally developed by analyzing demonic power," Luciana explained. "For a Devil, it was once seen as an inferior version of our natural abilities. But human creativity has birthed spells that achieve things demonic power cannot. It's been very educational."
The two of them began examining the items on the shelf with scholarly intensity. I shrugged and went back to organizing my work gear.
"Oh? This is an odd one," Cleria said, picking up a plastic-looking object. "It looks like a toy."
"You're right. Kanata, what kind of tool is this?"
"Oh, that? My teacher left that here. He forgot it after a training session, and I've been holding onto it. I found it during spring cleaning and was planning to return it next time I saw him."
It was shaped like a brightly colored water pistol. It looked like something a child would play with at the beach, but I knew better. It was a prototype device based on highly advanced (and highly questionable) technology.
"What does it do?" Cleria asked.
"It swaps your gender."
"——EEK!?"
Cleria threw the gun like it was a live grenade, and Luciana scrambled back against the wall. They were both breaking into a cold sweat, staring at the "Gender-Swap Prototype Gun" with pure terror. I didn't think they'd react that strongly.
"Wh-Why would you just have something that terrifying sitting on your shelf?!" Cleria shrieked.
"It's only scary if someone points it at you," I reasoned. "As long as you don't pull the trigger, nothing happens."
"It changes your gender! That's not 'nothing'! Why are you so casual about this?!"
Because it belongs to Professor Azazel. In my previous life, that item was a staple of the series, so I wasn't shocked. But I guess for a "local," the idea of instant gender reassignment was borderline cosmic horror.
Come to think of it... Miltan had said his wish was to "become a girl." I'd felt a bit guilty sending him to face Shidou as a magical girl, but maybe this gun was the solution to his problem? He wants to be a "Magical Girl," not necessarily a woman... but it's worth a shot, right? I decided to ask him about it next time we hung out.
I picked up the prototype and tucked it into the back of the shelf, out of sight. The two Devils watched me with a newfound sense of awe—or perhaps fear. I hadn't even done anything, but I guess being the keeper of such an artifact gave me a certain "menace."
"Phew... sorry. I lost my composure," Cleria said, wiping her brow. "Let's look for something more... normal. Kanata, what's this cute little compact case?"
"That? It was a Christmas gift from some acquaintances. It's called the 'Milky Magical☆Stand Up!'"
"Milky Magical... Stand Up?"
"Yeah. If you hold it and say the name, you automatically transform into a magical—wait, NO!"
"Wait... WHAT—!?"
The "Milky" fans had given me a transformation kit so I could become a magical girl "anytime, anywhere." The outfit and wand were stored inside the compact via spatial magic, and it was enchanted to automatically resize to fit the user perfectly as they grew. It was a terrifyingly advanced piece of fan-merchandise. They had been so happy when they gave it to me that I couldn't say no, so I'd just left it on the shelf.
The seal was broken. Cleria tried to drop the compact, but it was too late. A storm of sparkling glitter and heart-shaped light particles erupted, swallowing her whole. Luciana stood by, trembling with tears in her eyes. As the light faded, the door to my room swung open.
"Sorry I'm late, everyone! Cleria, Luciana, it's been a wh—"
Masaomi walked in at the exact perfect (or worst) moment. Standing before him was a magical girl with grey hair tied into twin pigtails, wearing a frilly crimson outfit and holding a sparkling wand. Cleria stood there, frozen, looking like she was about to burst into tears.
Masaomi stared at his transformed lover.
"Touji... I found it. I found Eden..."
A violent geyser of blood erupted from his nose. His vision blurred from blood loss, and he collapsed behind the door with a blissful smile on his face. The entrance to my room now looked like a grisly crime scene.
"…Is there a problem?" Lavinia asked, appearing behind Masaomi. "I saw in a Japanese manga that it's important to preserve the scene of an incident."
"No! Masaomi is still alive! And 'preserving the scene' doesn't mean freezing it in a block of ice, Lavinia! Put the wand down! If you use the Longinus here, he'll be preserved for eternity!!"
"…Ugh... h-hic... waaaaah!" Cleria finally broke, sobbing into her hands.
"It's okay, Cleria! You're still within the 'safe' age range for the costume! The damage is minimal!" Luciana shouted, grabbing Cleria's shoulders and crying right along with her.
It was absolute chaos. I was frantically trying to stop Lavinia from triggering her Absolute Demise while the two noble Devils were having a mental breakdown. The look on Mephisto's face when he came to check on the noise was something I'll never forget.
From that day forward, "Don't touch anything in Kanata's room" became the absolute law of the Association. I really didn't think I owned anything that dangerous, but between Professor Azazel and the Milky fans, I guess I was the epicenter of a very specific kind of catastrophe.
***
"Oh! Issei! My mom is baking cookies for the church social today. Do you want to come over and have some later?"
"Really? Your mom's cooking is awesome! I'm definitely there!"
"Great! I'll tell her!"
Primary school had let out for the day. Issei Hyoudou, carrying his shiny black schoolbag, grinned at the girl who had run up to join him. Looking at his childhood friend, he couldn't help but think how much she had changed.
Until last year, he had thought they were the same gender. But since starting primary school, Irina Shidou had swapped her trousers for a skirt and tied her chestnut hair into twin pigtails. Even a boy as dense as Issei had to admit she was definitely a girl. She was still aggressive, though—on Christmas, she had proposed a plan to "ambush Santa next year to get extra presents" and made Issei promise to help.
"You've changed a bit, Irina," Issei noted. "You don't even climb trees as much anymore."
"I graduated from tree climbing! I... I thought I should act more like a girl, that's all."
"The 'girl' who wiped out the entire other team in dodgeball today?"
"They were just weak!"
"The 'girl' who challenged a sixth-grader to a fight and knocked him out in one punch?"
"He was being mean to another girl!"
"The 'girl' who talks with her fists and has become the boss of the first-graders?"
"That's the 'Fist of Love' I learned from Miltan!"
Issei wondered what "acting like a girl" meant to her, but he just nodded along. Their mothers were frequently called to the school, and Issei had made it his unofficial job to provide damage control for her. He'd known Irina Shidou all his life; to him, she was just being Irina.
"But why'd you want to act like a girl anyway?"
"Because... because Mom said it would be better for... for you, Issei..."
"Huh? Oh, by the way, how's your dad? Is he coming home soon?"
"Oh... yeah. He sent a letter! I wrote back about you and school. I told him Miltan and I are protecting the peace of Kuoh while he's away. The other day, some 'Destroyer' high schoolers were being bad, so I gave them a taste of the Fist of Love!"
"Whoa, magical girl fists are no joke. I'm sure your dad is glad to hear you're doing so well."
In reality, Touji Shidou had reportedly coughed up blood after reading that letter, his recovery set back by several weeks. His return to Kuoh Town was still a distant dream.
Miltan, true to his word to Kanata, had kept the children away from the supernatural side of things. He performed his "Magical Girl Duties" strictly through physical force, maintaining the public order of Kuoh Town with his fists. So far, the only effect on the local children was a growing belief that "Magical Girls are freaking awesome."
"Yeah, I hope so," Irina said. "I miss Dad, but... I'm okay! Because you promised you'd always stay by my side, right Issei?"
"…Well, yeah. You were crying back then. I figured if I was there, you wouldn't be as lonely."
When Touji Shidou had been moved to the overseas facility, Irina had been devastated. Issei had found her crying and comforted her as best he could. He remembered what his grandfather had told him: "Women are strong, Issei. I was wrapped around your grandmother's finger for fifty years. But they aren't strong all the time. When a woman is weak, that's when a man has to step up and protect her." His grandfather had also added, "That girl is going to have a great chest one day. Take care of her," right before Issei's grandmother swatted him upside the head for "teaching the boy nonsense." That was the Hyoudou family tradition.
Irina's eyes sparkled at Issei's reminder of his promise. She grabbed his hand, her pigtails swaying.
"Let's hurry home!"
Issei laughed, and the two children walked together, their shadows stretching out on the path home.
***
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