<h4>Volume 1, Epilogue</h4>


    Month X, Day X 2:15 PM Audio recording number 1274


    "…Onii-chan?"


    "Yo, been a while. Are you healthy?"


    "Yup. How about Onii-chan?"


    "I''m fine. I can''t help but to look forward to the day I can see you."


    "Onii-chan… somehow, you seem really cheerful today."


    "Is that so? Well… that''s because something good happened."


    "Something good?"


    "Yeah. Thanks to that, I can do my best like I did before."


    "…don''t overwork yourself, okay?"


    "It''s all right. I have you, and… I have lots ofrades now."


    "Today, I have a lot of things to talk about with you…"


    "Things to talk about?"


    "Yeah. Actually, two years ago——"


    ………………


    …………


    "…it''ss about time, huh. Sorry, Onii-chan has to go soon."


    "Mm. Thankk you Onii-chan. It was fun."


    "No need to thank me. I''vee here ''cause I wanted to see you."


    "I see… ehehe."


    …………


    "…umm. Onii-chan."


    "Hm?"


    "Will you…e to see me again?"


    ………………


    "Isn''t that obvious? I''m your Onii-chan after all…"


    "…………yup!!"


    ——End.


    In ordance with rules, personnel is to perform analysis of this record and store it securely. If a problem is found through analysis, instantly incinerate it.


    Audio recording number 1274.


    Visitor name 【Kusanagi Takeru】.


    Inmate name 【Kusanagi Kiseki】.


    ＊＊＊


    ——One month after the hero''s subjugation.


    "…………grrrrr."


    "Ootori, are you prepared?"


    "Y-yeah. I''m all right, okay."


    In front of the toon''s room, Ouka had ced a hand on her chest and tensed up nervously, seeing that, Takeru scratched his cheek.


    A month had passed. Takeru had fallen, was picked up by Seelie troop and had been ordered to to rest for some time in the intensive care unit.


    Ootori Sougetsu who visited the hospital spoke of Takeru''s future.


    『"——If you cancel your contract with Lapis, you''ll die."』


    『"…………"』


    『"Oh? How unexpected, you aren''t surprised."』


    『"Well, it''s about my body, so somehow…"』


    『"Splendid. Your upper and lower body were joined together with Lapis'' magical power, without magical power supply from her, your body will turn to how it was. If you don''t want to die, you have to do as Inquisition says."』


    『"…in order to get this result, you didn''t dispatch Duhans and made the students fight. In order to let enemy break through, you abandoned Ouka… in order have the hero kill me."』


    『"…HA HA HA."』


    『"Please don''t try to cover it up withughter."』


    『"Think of it as of me holding your life in my hands. You are allowed to continue your life as a student, but since you have a Relic Eater you will have to participate in activities as a Duhan. You have no right to refuse."』


    Sougetsu smiled like a Cheshire cat.


    Just as he said, Takeru couldn''t refuse. He had no reason to refuse now that his life was in Sougetsu''s hands.


    But, even before hearing this, Takeru was already convinced.


    The man called Ootori Sougetsu wasn''t Takeru''s ally.


    He''s an enemy… Takeru was convinced.


    Then a week had passed, currently——


    "Kusanagi——as I thought, can''t we do it next time?!"


    "Which time is it you say that? There''s a limit to being timid!"


    "B-but… to suddenly invite them to dinner…? I turned down such proposal many times, don''t you think it''ll be weird?"


    "Not at all! Just ask normally ''How about we eat lunch together?'' and it''ll be fine."


    "Grrr. This is hard, Kusanagi."


    Trembling strongly, Ouka made a tearful expression.


    …what it all meant was, Takeru had proposed "I think rtions between members are important" on which Ouka had agreed and the situation had turned out like this.


    Or rather, it was more like Takeru forced her with something like a captain''s order so it couldn''t be called consenting, because she was saved before, Ouka reluctantly did it.


    And thus, this plight.


    When ites to involving herself with others, Ouka was this much of a virgin.


    Usually she''s strong-willed and dignified yet… she''s no good at things like these.


    He thought earlier she was just clumsy, but it was even worse.


    She''s been like this for a week already.


    "Even if it doesn''t work, it''s important that you act."


    "Ugh… even if you say that…"


    "Come on, go in for now."


    "…alone?"


    "Practice above anything."


    "Uuu…"


    Even Takeru who wasn''t familiar withmunication felt like an instructor. It was the first time he felt like a boss.


    This is rare, he thought deeply about things like that


    "Fuu… fuu… okay."


    Ouka calmed her breathing and grasped the toon room''s doorknob.


    Takeru smiled wryly looking at her from behind and moved intending to wait by the window in the hallways.


    That''s when.


    *squeeze*… the hem of his uniform was grabbed weakly from behind.


    It can''t be, his face seemed to say as he turned around.


    "…………as I thought…I want to go in together… the one who said will take care of me… is you."


    With tears in her eyes and slightly blushing, she was holding the hem of his uniform.


    Even though Takeru thought she looked cute, he sighed.


    Good grief, the road ahead looks rocky.


    Only weirdos gathered in the Small Fry toon, it seemed like it was true after all.