The city of Tokyo is divided among three major families.
The Isemi family, who had been managing the city since the beginning.
The Reiroukan family, latecomers who settled in Tokyo but are steadily prospering, unlike the declining Isemi.
And the Sajyou family, who could be described as just an ordinary family of magi...
Logically, one would assume that the Isemi family—with their large hospitals and various resources despite their decline—and the Reiroukan family—the frontrunners among the newcomers—would overwhelm the Sajyou family. However, the reality is exactly the opposite. Because of a single person, the balance of power among the three families in Tokyo is tilted so heavily toward the Sajyou family that comparison is effectively meaningless.
Manaka Sajyou.
Described in official materials as 'The Omnipotence that became a girl,' even dozens of bizarre feats and epithets would be insufficient to explain her abilities.
First, she literally ignored the poison of Serenity—said to be similar to the Hydra's lethal venom, capable of killing even Servants and First-Class Phantasmal Species—as if it were nothing. Furthermore, she went as far as to create a bizarre Mystic Code by modifying that toxin to turn a target's Magic Circuits themselves into circuits of death.
She possesses a vision close to Clairvoyance, capable of capturing even high-level Presence Concealment or Noble Phantasms meant to hide one's identity—for instance, an invisibility cloak similar to Hades' Kynee, or Robin Hood's Noble Phantasm, 'No Face May King.' Whether it is an aptitude for the Beast or simple teleportation, she could instantly appear and disappear within the workshop of Paracelsus, a First-Class Servant, without any restriction.
By the age of eight, she had mastered two systems of magecraft that Kayneth El-Melloi took over thirty years to master. Like Medea, she can gather mana from the atmosphere and create crystals without a single sacrifice. Of course, I could manage something similar using Seal Absorption, but she does it effortlessly without such techniques.
It is not without reason that Ozymandias, evaluated as the greatest Pharaoh of all time and a Divine Spirit, called her a 'Goddess.'
Even Brynhildr, who knows the terror of Fafnir, personally evaluated her as being on par with the dragon. And Rider, who possessed immense pride as a god who shines equally upon all humans, called her a 'Goddess.' Though, one must take into account the sarcasm implying that this goddess was an evil god destined to devour the world.
"...Investigation would probably be meaningless."
Up until now, I have diligently utilized the Einzberns' information network, but in this specific case, I did not rely on them.
Whether Proto-Arthur exists in this timeline is unknown, but sending homunculi—who are at best comparable to 'mere' Heroic Spirits—against an 'Omnipotent' entity was nothing short of a suicidal act.
Driving to Tokyo in a car using the license I acquired last year, I parked in a suitable spot and headed toward the Sajyou residence, which I had located on a map beforehand.
Unlike the Isemi family, who are extremely exclusionary to outsiders, or the Reiroukan, who are thoroughbred magi, the Sajyou family seemed quite open... and I began to slowly make my way toward their home.
Whether by luck or misfortune, I did not encounter Manaka Sajyou on the way. I rang the doorbell at the gate a few times.
Soon, a young woman's voice rang out, and she made her appearance.
With a gray ponytail, a short black skirt, and—as the finishing touch—a short whip that looked like it belonged in some strange, erotic roleplay, the woman glared at me with vacant eyes. Then, she cried out in surprise.
"Huh? You're that guy who rose to the rank of Grand just a while ago?!"
"...?"
"What business do you have with the Sajyou family? Don't tell me you're here to take my friend away...!"
"..."
No, more importantly... who even are you?
As I stared at her blankly without responding (truthfully, I was just speechless), she took my silence as an affirmative answer. She tossed her whip into a corner and drew a small ritual dagger.
"...Even if you are a Grand-rank magus, you should know that intruding into someone else's workshop without notice is a suicidal move...!"
"W-Wait. I didn't come here to fight..."
"Get lost! No one takes my friend away!"
She quickly raised the dagger and plunged it into her own left arm. Immediately, I felt a sharp pain in my own left arm as a mark resembling a stab wound appeared, and black spots began to spread.
"Curse magecraft... Witchcraft? No, wait. Why are you attacking me out of the blue, lady...!"
"Dammit, don't play innocent! If you lay a hand on my friend, with this curse, I'll..."
"Look, first of all, stop with the meaningless self-harm."
Using Seal Absorption to devour the curse pattern on my arm, I watched as her eyes widened in shock.
After seizing the dagger with Bansho Ten'in and tossing it far away, I spread my hands open to show her I was unarmed and began my attempt at an explanation.
"Look, I have no weapons now, and I have no intention of killing you. If I were planning to kill you and take your friend, I would have arrived much sooner... And seeing as you know who I am, you probably know what kind of person I am. Regardless of who your friend is, if I were going to kidnap her, I would have come with a lot more noise... like the Einzberns or a Magician of the Fifth Magic."
"...I suppose that's true."
"So, who are you? I'm just here to meet a person named Manaka Sajyou of the Sajyou family."
"...As I thought, you are targeting my friend!"
"Wait, you're saying you're Manaka's 'friend'?"
I felt like I had just heard something completely nonsensical.
Manaka Sajyou. Friend.
"No, impossible. How could such a thing even happen?"
"What kind of gibberish is that... What is your objective for coming here!"
Just as she and I were shouting at each other, the door behind her slid open with a rattle, and a smooth voice, like rolling jade beads, drifted out.
"Celeinke~ she's an acquaintance of mine, so stop that and just come in."
"M-Manaka, are you sure? Just in case you didn't know, this guy is a madman who beat the Lord of the Department of Evocation within an inch of his life!?"
"If he intended to kill us, he would have dropped a meteor directly onto our house from the start."
"That's true—no, wait, that meteor thing actually happened?!"
"Yeah, he probably dropped it just to call out the Jewel Old Man. He's quite an interesting fellow."
The woman claiming to be Manaka Sajyou finished speaking and opened the door wider. I looked back and forth between the two of them, unable to believe the sight before me.
A room decorated with colorful wallpaper, a closet full of various ornaments and romance novels...
And in the center stood 'Omnipotence' wearing a wedding dress.
"Hello. This is our first time meeting face-to-face, isn't it?"
The Omnipotence that became a girl was now looking at me with a human smile.
*
Once Celeinke realized she had truly been making a fool of herself, she began digging an imaginary hole in the corner of the room to hide. Manaka, letting out a bashful laugh, eventually coaxed her over to sit at the table.
"Celeinke Icecol Yggdmillennia... I don't recognize the name Celeinke, but I certainly remember the name Yggdmillennia."
Yggdmillennia.
The Masters of the Black Faction from the Apocrypha timeline.
Of course, that story began with Jeanne d'Arc and Siegfried and ended with a 'Pregnancy Group'... but the concept of two factions clashing in a Great Holy Grail War was an interesting premise.
But why is one of the Masters from that story hanging out with Manaka Sajyou...?
"...Just to be sure, you are the real Manaka Sajyou, right?"
"That's right. Honestly, I was wondering when you'd show up. I considered starting a Holy Grail War, but I decided against it because I thought you might try to kill me if I did."
"No, while it's true you could probably start one, you're saying you didn't do it because you were afraid I'd kill you?"
"Don't look at me like I'm some kind of monster. I'm human too, Magician of the Third. I'm afraid of dying just like anyone else."
"Seriously, my brain is about to break!!!"
I thought a sane Manaka Sajyou acting with 'common sense' was enough to cause Gestalt collapse, but a Manaka Sajyou who 'considers' the feelings of others?
"Oh, come now. Things don't always have to go according to common sense."
As Manaka spoke in a playful tone, Celeinke Icecol Yggdmillennia, who was still digging her imaginary hole, suddenly seemed to remember something. she approached Manaka and spoke in a dramatic, theatrical voice.
"Child, life never quite goes the way you think it will."
In response, as if struck by inspiration, Manaka rushed toward her. They interlocked hands and began to dance as if performing ballet, reciting lines that felt strangely familiar to me.
"And that's why life is so much fun, isn't it?"
"Old stories about a handsome prince appearing to save a beautiful princess... like Manaka..."
"I think I've grown a little tired of those by now."
"I like stories where a cute girl like Manaka takes the lead to seize her own happiness."
"And I like having a cool and sexy woman like Celeinke as a friend. It's much more exciting!"
Having finished their dance while facing each other, the two shared a stylish high-five.
"Rank 4 of the anime lines I've always wanted to say!"
"I didn't expect it to work out so perfectly."
After watching this entire spectacle, I spoke flatly.
"Wait... is this what you meant by being 'rendered harmless'?"
Seriously, who could have predicted that Manaka Sajyou would turn into an otaku?