Chapter 29: The Sudden Flag
Alice has been a very special child since she was young.
Her innate dual-colored eyes granted her a high level of clairvoyance from an early age.
Alice can see things that ordinary people cannot.
After being discovered by the Special Circumstances SEMA and awakening her powers, she joined their organization.
Despite her appearance as a child around 13 years old, she is, in fact, a fully-fledged high school student.
However, her growth seems to have stopped long ago, and she shows no signs of development in her chest.
This is why even wearing a middle school uniform fits her perfectly.
With her playful and cute twin-tail hairstyle, she can seamlessly blend into the ranks of junior high school girls.
“Damn it, that sadistic leader actually wants me to experience such humiliation. One day, I will repay him in kind…”
Sitting in her seat, Alice endured the curious gazes from all around and gritted her teeth in her heart.
As for these gazes, Alice has gotten used to them, given her striking blonde hair and blue eyes that make her stand out in a crowd.
Logically, the focus of this investigation should be low-key and cautious.
Girls like Alice with blonde twin tails shouldn’t be considered.
However, Alice’s “eyes” are crucial for this investigation.
The incident originated a few days ago when the Special Circumstances SEMA branch stationed in Kawayama City detected an unusual magical fluctuation.
There were even traces of a “domain” having emerged.
It is well-known that fantasy monsters with domains are “Crown Types.”
The average threat level of Crown Types is often Level 8 or even higher.
Such a high-threat level fantasy monster possesses the power to instantaneously destroy a city and take all human lives.
Therefore, the Special Circumstances SEMA branch is taking this very seriously, especially since Kawayama City has always been a peaceful small town.
Let alone “Crown Types,” even “Ordinary Types” are rarely seen.
Is it hiding in this city? Or is it just passing by?
The information analysis department within the Special Circumstances SEMA could not draw conclusions based on existing intelligence.
They narrowed down a few targets based on traces of evidence at the scene.
Through investigations of the scene, they found that a few ordinary people might have been involved in this extraordinary disaster.
The most suspicious targets are students from Hoshikage Junior High School.
To avoid alarming anyone, Alice and her partner were sent to Hoshikage Junior High School.
Their task is to investigate these targets discreetly.
To see if the targets are related to the disaster caused by the “Crown Type” fantasy monster.
The first target is a boy from Class 1-A, Hoshikage Junior High School: “Tsukimi Kanade.”
At the scene, his lingering life aura was the most intense.
As soon as Alice entered the classroom, she compared it to the photographs in the files and immediately locked onto the inconspicuous black-haired boy sitting in the second-to-last seat by the window in the back row.
However, unfortunately, after taking her seat, Alice realized that the boy was situated in a blind spot just behind her.
There was no way to observe his movements during class.
However, another target was right in her diagonal front view.
“Hoshigami Nagi.”
When Alice first saw this girl’s photo in the files, she was stunned by her breathtakingly beautiful and cute appearance.
The other members at the operation meeting were also teasing that the photo of this target seemed overly edited.
But today, when Alice saw her in person, she found that the real thing was far more beautiful than the photo.
Her waist-length hair, as dark and deep as the night sky, and her perfectly refined features radiated an incredible charm that couldn’t possibly be captured in a photo.
And her eyes.
Those black eyes dotted with countless starlights.
Even after years of working at Special Circumstances SEMA and having seen countless beauties, Alice found herself captivated and unable to look away from those eyes.
Seated in the diagonal back of Nagi’s seat, Alice could easily catch her slender and graceful figure in her gaze.
—Now is a good opportunity.
Alice quietly observed her surroundings.
The class teacher at the podium was announcing details regarding the upcoming sports festival and midterm exams, capturing the attention of the students in the class.
No one is paying attention to her right now.
Alice slowly reached out with her slender fingers toward her right eye.
On her right eye, she wore a pair of green eye contacts to disguise her dual-colored eyes.
If she just took them off for a moment to glance at that black-haired girl—
“Alice, please pay attention.”
The teacher’s voice interrupted Alice’s next action, forcing her to lower her hand and turn her head to look at the teacher.
“And also, Gray, both of you are new here; is there anyone willing to show them around the campus?” The teacher asked with a hint of annoyance.
She then added, “Otherwise, we can let the class representative, Hoshigami, take care of it…”
…..
…..
Now, let’s move a bit back in time to when the transfer student Alice took her seat.
Sitting diagonally behind her, Kanade watched her back with a cautious expression.
(That girl is not an ordinary person!)
DD-chan’s voice echoed in Kanade’s mind the moment Alice walked into the classroom.
According to DD-chan, this transfer student with blonde hair and blue eyes belongs to a mysterious organization dedicated to hunting fantasy monsters.
Her sudden arrival in their class must be related to the supernatural events Kanade experienced with Nagi a few days ago.
While Kanade wanted to ask DD-chan if that dusk wasn’t supposed to be part of its curse regarding “Kamisama?”
But DD-chan brushed it off.
At least Kanade understood that this blonde girl was here to investigate her and Nagi.
DD-chan hoped Kanade would not interact too much with her.
Otherwise, it would be easy for Kanade, who had contracted with a fantasy monster, to be exposed.
It is still unclear whether she is friend or foe, and if she or her mysterious organization might resort to killing to prevent the supernatural from being disclosed…
—Even so, I must protect Nagi.
“Alice, and Gray, both of you are new here; is there anyone willing to show them around the campus?”
—So I absolutely cannot let the delicate Nagi be alone with her…
“Otherwise, we can let the class representative, Hoshigami, take care of it…”
At that moment, Kanade gathered his courage and raised his hand.
“I—I can show Alice around the campus.”
This move drew surprised expressions from all the students present, who turned to look at Kanade.
Feeling the weight of so many gazes for the first time made Kanade want to shrink back, and his cheeks turned slightly red.
But his determination to protect Nagi kept his hand raised, even if it trembled slightly.
“Tsukimi, is it? Then it’s up to you.”
Seeing a student volunteer, the reluctant teacher quickly made her decision.
The next moment.
“Bang!” The noise rang out.
Making the entire class look toward the source of the sound.
There, was Nagi, who had accidentally bumped her knee against the desk, her eyes glistening with tears as she trembled slightly.
