-1167- [ Tokoyogi ]

That was something that had happened more than ten years ago.

At that time, Rozen was not even five years old, but due to his exceptional learning ability, he was highly valued by Natsuki, who was in high school at the time. She believed that she should properly cultivate her younger brother and make him into an outstanding man.

Therefore, Natsuki recorded all her knowledge of space manipulation magic and her insights, and gave them to Rozen for self-study.

Thanks to this, although Rozen was just a chubby little kid at that time, he always carried around a very profound book of magic. He would read it diligently wherever he went, absorbing all the spells recorded in it.

Since Natsuki hadn't graduated from high school yet and wasn't yet the famous demon slayer, Rozen and Natsuki naturally didn't live in the top-floor luxury apartment, but just in an apartment in the southern district.

Moreover, since Natsuki had to go to school and work to support the family after obtaining her official license as an attack mage, Rozen was often left alone at home.

What Rozen liked to do the most was to sit on the balcony of the apartment's top floor, reading the book of magic on the long chair, and learning the highest level of magic among all the magic.

The encounter with "that person" happened one day when Rozen was repeating this kind of life day after day.

That day, Rozen was sitting on the balcony's long chair as usual, reading the book of space manipulation magic.

And then, the other party appeared.

"Do you like magic?"

It was a beautiful voice that was both mysterious and peaceful, as if it had come from another world.

The owner of the voice was a woman with long hair that reached her feet, wearing a twelve-layered kimono reminiscent of the Heian period's noblewoman. Her clothes were luxurious and magnificent, but her black-and-white appearance resembled that of a grim reaper. Yet, her youthful and charming appearance was neither human nor ominous.

From this woman, Rozen felt an extraordinary magical aura, even greater than Natsuki's.

"Do you like magic?" the woman asked again.

The voice still carried a mysterious, peaceful, and tranquil feeling.

Listening to this voice, Rozen pondered for a long time before giving an answer.

"I don't like magic, I like miracles."

Indeed.

What Rozen truly liked was the pursuit of miracles, and magic was just one means to that end.

"Is that so?" the woman said lightly. "But have you ever thought that perhaps that is not something this world should have?"

"Not something this world should have?"

What did that mean?

Actually, it's simple.

"Do you think the current state of the world is right?"

For some reason, the woman spoke in a serene tone as she said this.

"People unconsciously use magic, vampires and beastmen walk proudly, and even the so-called primogenitors, who have been given the power to destroy cities and even countries. If powerful beings like them truly go out of control, the world could even descend into chaos because of it."

The woman lowered her eyes and murmured pitifully.

"Is a world so easily shaken really the right face of this world?"

"Is the world we live in really like what it seems on the surface?"

"Or perhaps, have we been living in a dream all along?"

The woman seemed to be asking Rozen, yet also seemed to be asking herself.

Finally...

"People often say that we witches are cursed beings, but who is truly cursed, us or this world?"

With these words, the woman's eyes seemed to ignite, flashing a crimson hue.

And the woman's words made Rozen silent for a long time.

Then...

"Whether someone is cursed or not, it has nothing to do with me."

Rozen voiced his thoughts.

"I also have things I must do. As long as I haven't accomplished them, no matter how many different worlds I traverse or how many different worlds I face, I will continue to move forward."

This was what Rozen wanted to accomplish the most at that time, and it was also an obsession that drove him into a dead end.

Everything was just to save a kind-hearted and pure girl who always held a shield and silently followed by his side.

However, at that time, Rozen overlooked many things because he was fixated on a single idea.

"...Yes."

With an expression Rozen couldn't understand, the woman muttered to herself.

"I also have things I must do. As long as I haven't accomplished them, no matter how many different worlds I traverse or how many different worlds I face, I will continue to move forward."

The woman repeated Rozen's words, and as if determined, she turned her head and looked at Rozen.

Her pair of eyes completely turned into crimson fire eyes, and her aura became completely filled with miasma.

"Thank you, Natsuki's brother."

Leaving these words behind, the woman slowly left.

Rozen didn't stop her, just watched her leave.

Afterward, Rozen learned that this woman was one of Natsuki's few friends, and she was also a pure-blood witch like Natsuki.

However, she was not from Itogami Island but belonged to a criminal organization called the "Library," and even served as its leader, overseeing the Grand Secretary of the LCO.

She was called the "Witch of the Notaria."

Her name was Tokoyogi Aya.

After that, Rozen saw her several times.

Then, not long after, she launched a large-scale experiment on Itogami Island, causing great damage to the island.

The person who arrested and stopped her was none other than Rozen's sister, Natsuki, who was also her friend.

Afterward, Tokoyogi Aya completely disappeared from the human world.

But Rozen still remembered her face, and even more so, her appearance.

Ten years later, Rozen saw this face again.

However, the person was not a friend of his sister, but a friend of his friend.

...

"I'm Tokoyogi Yuuma, a friend of Nagisa and Kojou from the mainland, who grew up playing together since childhood."

Introducing herself in this way, Tokoyogi Yuuma showed a refreshing smile as she entered the room.

"Perhaps I'll have to bother you for a while here, please take care of me, Minamiya."

Tokoyogi Yuuma didn't seem to show any status, standing in front of Rozen, extending a hand to him and staring straight at him.

Rozen met Tokoyogi Yuuma's gaze, looking at her completely different smiling face from what he remembered, and couldn't help but fall silent.

After a while...

"Likewise."

Rozen replied lightly, extending his hand and shaking hands with Tokoyogi Yuuma.

On the side, Nagisa and Kojou watched this scene with great satisfaction and happiness.

Avrora, Kanon, and Astarte looked at each other.

As for Rozen, he had been watching Tokoyogi Yuuma's face from beginning to end.

Soon, he fell into silence.