Chapter: 58. Special Existence
“The thing the professor is carrying…?” Mana repeated in a parrot-like manner what Kanade had just said.
“Tsukimi-kun, what are you talking about?”
Mana’s reaction made Kanade realize that she didn’t know the truth about the Shikikan.
He looked at Mana’s serious expression and hesitated, turning his head to the side.
Mana immediately understood.
As a crimson light flashed in her eyes, the shadow beneath her feet spread like a tide, creating a weak whirlwind that wrapped around the two of them inside the classroom.
“This way, we don’t have to worry about anyone overhearing our conversation,” Mana said briefly.
Upon seeing his childhood friend manifest two completely different abilities, Kanade noticed from her subtle magical reaction that her magic was considerably stronger than before.
This gave him more confidence.
Under Mana’s gaze, Kanade organized the information he had in his mind and attempted to lay everything out for her.
He spoke about the murder case of the professor at Tsuki no Gakuen, the reason everyone was brought to the Shikikan, and the threats from Kitano-sensei, among other things.
Mana’s slender brows furrowed more tightly as Kanade spoke, and her expression grew increasingly grave.
Once Kanade finished sharing what he knew, Mana pondered for a long time, seemingly mulling over the information she had just heard.
Kanade waited patiently for her, knowing that what he had just said was not easy to accept.
The only sound that enveloped the two was the soft whistling of the whirlwind surrounding them.
He didn’t know how much time had passed.
Finally, Mana lifted her head from her contemplation.
“…..Tsukimi-kun.”
“Yes.”
“Assuming what you said is true, why are you telling me this only now?”
Mana’s tone remained as plain as ever, but Kanade could sense she seemed to be blaming him.
However, Kanade didn’t hold it against her; after all, from Mana’s perspective, he was just an ordinary person without any abilities, who, after getting caught up in such an event, not only failed to seek her help immediately but also intended to solve the problem on his own.
“Because… I’ve managed to sort out some things in my mind,” Kanade said, not directly apologizing as he usually would, but instead gathering his courage to share his recent thoughts with Mana.
“…..Sort out?”
“Yes, for instance, why Kitano-sensei wanted to make a deal with me.”
Kanade wore a serious expression and, without waiting for Mana’s response, continued speaking.
“From the conversation I had with the student council president last night, I finally understood a point.”
“If the information can be known by the student council president, then Kitano-sensei, as a teacher at Ark Academy and someone appointed by the chairman to investigate this matter, would undoubtedly have access to information not less than that of the student council president.”
“Then… why would he want to bargain with me? There are hardly any people with more serious suspicion than I have.”
“I have no alibi for the day the professor was murdered, and I appeared at the scene of the attack after having been registered at the hospital during the incident with Fuyuko and Konomi, especially since I have no record of awakening any abilities…”
“For whatever reason, Kitano-sensei shouldn’t have sought me for a deal,” Kanade said, expressing the first realization that had struck him.
“…..Indeed, it’s quite strange for a teacher to privately approach a student for a deal,” Mana nodded, seemingly affirming Kanade’s thoughts.
“Exactly, and that’s the second strange point—why did Kitano-sensei want to deal with someone privately?”
“If what he said is true, that an important item from Ark Academy was left at Noah Hall, and that only a select few people can observe it…”
“——Then it would be enough to just wait for the people from Tsuki no Gakuen to come and take it,” Mana picked up the conversation.
She suddenly understood where Kanade was going with this.
“But he didn’t do that; instead, he asked you, Tsukimi-kun, to find the item and the criminal before the people from Tsuki no Gakuen arrive… Upon further reflection, this is indeed strange…” Mana covered her mouth in disbelief.
——It’s such a simple and obvious principle.
——But I didn’t find it strange when I first heard it?
This made Mana feel a discomfort in her heart, as if it were covered in black sludge, until Kanade’s words pulled her out of it.
The last time she felt this way was—
“When Konomi-chan lost her memory…”
Mana murmured incredulously.
“Ah, I only came to realize this suddenly too…” Kanade said, while nervously twirling his bangs, focusing on dispelling that uncomfortable feeling inside him.
“This matter is related to the guy who attacked Konomi-chan two and a half years ago?” Mana looked at Kanade with her ruby-like eyes, which sparkled with unprecedented sharpness.
“I… don’t know, but I can confirm that Kitano-sensei is very suspicious.”
“When I went to Noah Hall with Kitano-sensei earlier, I discovered that I could ‘see’ that special item from Tsuki no Gakuen. Although I tried to control my reactions as much as possible at the time, once I figured out his suspicious points and based on his later actions—”
Kanade paused for a moment, as if struggling to break through that layer of “sludge,” and then slowly said:
“It seems he discovered this back then; he wanted to get his hands on it before the Tsuki no Gakuen people could recover it. That’s why he came to propose a deal to me. From this angle, we can understand the motive behind Kitano-sensei’s series of actions.”
“Tsukimi-kun, you really… are a bit special…”
“W-What?”
Kanade looked puzzled at Mana, who suddenly sighed.
“In the extraordinary world, ‘special’ seems to be a very unique term,” Mana explained. “I’ve heard that every influential figure in the extraordinary realm has shown their ‘special’ side in one way or another in the past.”
“Plus, coupled with the mystery surrounding you and that space, Tsukimi-kun, who knows, you might become an incredible existence in the future.”
“……No, that’s too exaggerated,” Kanade said, shyly scratching his head.
“Then, this time, I’ll leave the command to you, Tsukimi-kun.”
“Huh?”
“This matter involves an opponent who has the ability to cause interference, and even the most obvious points of dissonance are things I cannot perceive. So we need you, Tsukimi-kun, to take charge, while I will unconditionally trust your orders.”
Mana determined the course of action based on the influences this incident had triggered.
Although she initially intended to handle the matter herself, as it was too dangerous to involve Kanade, an ordinary person without awakened abilities, the situation showed that, when faced with an enemy that could interfere with one’s perception, one must have a pair of “eyes” capable of seeing clearly.
She only needed to serve as the “weapon” and “shield” for those eyes.
“Ah, ah, thank you, Mana.”
Upon realizing this, Kanade was momentarily taken aback but quickly adjusted his mindset and nodded heavily.
——This time, I won’t repeat the mistakes of the past.
Kanade recalled the tragic event that occurred during his first time “commanding.”
——Don’t let power blind your eyes.
His best friend’s words echoed in his mind.
“Although I don’t even know what that item from Tsuki no Gakuen is, since Kitano-sensei is going through such great lengths to get it, we must not let him succeed—”
——Especially since he dared to threaten Konomi.
——He must not be forgiven.
With this hatred, a faint golden glimmer flashed in Kanade’s eyes.
In the white space.
Black flames surged, igniting the sludge surrounding them.
Sparks fell from the air to the ground, gradually transforming into flowing streams of pitch-black flames, forming a circular tree diagram.
