Prologue

7 am.

[Beep beep]

I received a call from Principal.

CLACK.

“…What is it, so early in the morning.”

“HAPPY NEW YEAR, brat!!!”

CLACK.

I ended the phone call and heaved a long sigh.

[Beep beep]

…It’s him again.

CLACK.

“That was heartless of you, brat. Can’t you wish me a happy new year in return?”

“Come on, Principal. Don’t you feel bored doing this for five years?”

“Come on, brat. Don’t you feel bored cutting off my sincere wish every year?”

“Not really. So what do you want?”

“I want you to fulfil my promise, that’s all.”

CLACK.

He ended my call.

What’s his deal…? This guy is getting weirder each year.

“Big brother, are you done yet~? Everyone is waiting~!”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m coming Restia…!”

It was a new day, as well as a new year, starting today.

After I changed into my sports clothing, I headed downstairs from my room without feeling any particular difference compared to yesterday, or rather, it was just as usual, where I would have a daily jogging routine with my little sister and magical beasts.

…That said, it seems… I will be spending my last year with them.

“What’s taking you so long?” Restia asked with a pouted look as she placed her hands at her waist.

“…Well, you know, it’s New Year— and the usual,” I answered with a speechless look.

“He really doesn’t get tired of that……”

Even my cute little sister was speechless.

“Let’s go, Restia.” I casually pointed at the front door with a head and eye gesture.

“Ok~” She answered with a cheerful look.

By the way, today’s the first day of year XX93.

Which means I’m turning 16 this year.

Time flies, doesn’t it?

…I can’t believe I’m still stuck on this island, even after that time.

“Big brother, are you okay…? Why are you in a daze?”

“Hmm… I wondered why.” I said with a grin while staring at Restia.

If it weren’t for Restia, my blood-related younger sister and Ruby, my magical pet whom I see as a little sister— I probably would’ve gone mad ages ago.

By the way, I think I should introduce myself.

My name is… erm…… well…

“M… Master…!!! There’s some strange noise coming from far away…!!!”

Ruby suddenly came running to me and Restia from the front yard while flipping her hands up and down, with a confused and bewildered look.

“What…!? Are you serious, Ruby!?”

“It’s coming from there…!”

When Ruby pointed towards the sky with her finger— without any warnings, an air vehicle suddenly crashed through the terrible storm barrier surrounding this island for decades.

I immediately recognized what it was.

Isn’t this… the type X helicopter from Central Imperial Island…!? After all these years, it finally made it…!?

“…Big brother, is this……?”

“Everyone prepare for battle nya!!!”

THOK.

When Ruby commanded the rest of the magical beasts to put on a battle formation, I immediately knocked Ruby on the head with my knuckle— stopping her. If not, she would probably smash that thing to pieces.

“…Why, master…?”

…How dare you even look at me with such puppy eyes.

“That thing is Principal’s doing,” I answered. “It’s called a Type-X helicopter, it’s not an enemy and you aren’t allowed to destroy it.”

“Erm, big brother—”

CRACK.

…Eh, it broke the barrier that was protecting my house.

CRASH.

…and the front yard, with my newly sprouted vegetables.

BOOM.

…and stopped right exactly at one of the landmines I set up to repel the rogue magical beast invading my territory.

Although the Type-X survived everything, it ended up in tatters.

Usually, people won’t survive that explosion, but fortunately, the people inside are from Central Imperial Island— they were built differently.

I immediately activated my device and turned on the loudspeaker mode.

“Hey, whomever it is— you okay in there!?”

After a while, a man in a black suit, seeming in his thirties— struggled to climb out from the helicopter.

Wait, isn’t that Herman? Wow, Principal sent him to fetch me?

Although he was quite far away, I immediately recognised him because of his messy hair and scruffy beard.

“...Urp— BLERGHHHHHH…!”

A second later, he puked.

…at my front yard.

Patience me— patience.

“…You alive, Herman?” I yelled.

“I-I-I’m doing f-fine……” He replied using his own loudspeaker system. “BLERGHHHHHHHHH!!!”

…He puked, twice.

“...S-S-Sorry about that……” Herman apologized with an almost dead look. “…P-Please……”

He made a gesture with his shaky hands to invite me to get on the Type X helicopter.

“Hold it…!” Restia immediately uttered while standing in front of me with her arms folded. “You aren’t telling my big brother to get inside that scrap metal, are you?”

“Scrap metal? No, you are wrong. This is the type X-586— the newest model that could travel anywhere, be it raging storms or—”

BOOM.

Maybe Herman was too focused on trying to explain the greatness of this aircraft. He stepped on another landmine, and it blasted him all the way to us, with some crash landing and his face ending on the ground.

He would definitely survive. After all, that suit he’s wearing isn’t something normal at all.

“…Still alive, Herman?” I murmured to the twitching Herman.

“……Yes. But I think I had several concussions.” He replied, with a weak voice sipping out from the gaps between his face and the ground.

“I have a piece of bad news for you, Herman. It seems you need to prepare another ride for me,” I said.

“…I’m afraid not,” Herman replied while struggling to stand. “I’ve received his orders to take you with me.”

“Then… I’m afraid you would’ve to go through them first,” I replied with a smile.

Restia and Ruby stood in front of me in their battle stances. It seems they weren’t intending to harm Herman… yet.

“…Now, isn’t that cruel?” Herman murmured. “To think I was forced to beat the crap out of you and your family……”

…Yup, he’s hostile.

“Don’t underestimate them, Herman,” I replied. “Both of them aren’t someone whom you could beat alone.”

“I’ve trained for a hellish six years ever since that day,” Herman answered with a smile. “Something like this isn’t going to stop me.”

““So do we.””

With those words, Ruby and Restia immediately closed their distance between Herman and threw a punch aiming for his solar plexus and neck.

“Whoa there.”

Herman made a somewhat surprised look and caught both of their fists before they landed. The impact cracked the ground below his feet.

I immediately leapt forward…

POW!!!

…and threw a punch, stopping before contact with his face. The sheer air pressure blasted through him and forced the type X-586 helicopter to slide backwards along with some creaking sounds.

“…I never thought you would join the fight,” Herman murmured with cold sweat and a wry smile. “…How unfair.”

If Herman was just an ordinary person, his head would probably be crushed.

“It wasn’t fair to begin with,” I replied. “…Decide, before I punch you for real.”

I wasn’t trying to brag, but, my punch would ignore all the magical barrier he’s stacking on him. Even though it might not kill him, but I’m sure it would hurt a lot.

Herman immediately released Restia and Ruby’s fists and raised his hands.

“Okay, okay, I surrender,” Herman muttered.

After I took a quick glance at his feet that did not back off even an inch…

“…Liar.”

POW!!!

“Gaaahck…!!?”

…I punched him in the stomach, and he flew all the way back to his Type X-586 helicopter.

Surprisingly, Herman landed on his feet and refused to fall, even though he was clearly in lots of pain.

“LUCIFER NIGHTWALKER VON NIGHTMARE— JUST LET ME END THIS FARCE ALREADY!!!” He screamed with anger and pain while coughing some blood. “DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TRIED TO COME ALL THE WAY HERE!? IT’S 586 TIMES!!!”

…So that’s how you got that model name.

“I just need you to come one more time, Herman,” I murmured. “Besides, should you really be talking to me with such a tone?”

“Oh, Principal say I could treat you however I want.” He casually answered while wiping off the blood on his mouth.

…Damn that bastard.

“Herman— that thing is clearly falling apart……” I said.

“WHO CARES!!? JUST GET ON THE DAMN VEHICLE ALREADY…!!!” He yelled.

Suddenly, a magic circle appeared beneath Herman’s feet. It was a teleportation magic circle created by Restia.

“Wha— W-Wait…!!!”

“Be gone,” Restia uttered.

After a bright flash, Herman disappeared along with the Type X-586.

Restia suddenly turns to me and hits my chest with her harmless fist.

“What is the meaning of this…!!?” She screamed. “You promised me, big brother!!! You promised you would never leave me alone!!!”

After spouting those words, Restia hugs onto my body and started crying.

[Beep beep]

A while later, my phone rang. It was Principal. It seems Herman reported to him.

“Ruby, can you please take Restia away for a moment…?” I said.

“Ok… Restia…”

“No…! I don’t want to weave my dearest big bwother…!!!”

The reason why Ruby didn’t cry like Restia did, was because she did not understand what was going on. If she knew I was leaving, she would probably do something much worse than Restia.

After a while, Ruby finally peeled Restia off from me and took her back to our house.

CLACK.

I casually accepted the call.

“…What’s the meaning of this…?” Principal uttered in a very fierce tone.

“That thing broke down. What did you even expect? Also, tell Herman to teleport directly to my island next time.”

“Do you know how much does that thing cost?” He uttered.

“I’m the one who approved of that cost, so it’s around 235 million?”

“…It’s 120 billion.”

“What!? This is a freaking scam!”

“We tested and sacrificed 586 models just to enter your island safely, which is inside the god-damned Bermuda Triangle! What do you expect!?”

“You just want to force a debt on me! I know what you want— just say it!”

“If you want to pay your debt, you could either pay back 120 billion or enrol into Imperial Knights Academy for three years, as promised.”

“Can I not choose either of them?” I uttered. “It’s not like you could force those on me.”

“If you don’t, I will freeze your bank account and destroy your house.”