School Festival (3)

There was a crimson tent boasting a majestic appearance that was too splendid for

something in a school's courtyard.

The audience seating in stairway shape set up inside it was filled to the brim. Myuu

and others were also sitting at the front row with eyes that were filled with expectation.

Among them, there were people who were making serious expression.

"It's amazing that they built this kind of facility. This isn't at the level of school festival."

"Yeah. Besides… don't you think it feels strangely spacious? I got the feeling that it

doesn't match with its outside appearance…"

"Perhaps, it's their way of using space? I won't doubt it even if I'm told that this is the

work of pro. Perhaps it might even be the government that gave them the referral?"

The people who were talking with each other like that were the reporters――a senior

and a junior of a certain weekly magazine. The senior reporter was someone who was

famous in their business circle. His sharp assessment and investigation were

acknowledged. Perhaps because of that, there were a lot of people of the same

profession sitting near the senior reporter in order to pay attention to his behavior.

Inside the noisy tent where various sentiments wondering what in the world would

happen were mingled, the buzzer that notified of the curtain raising finally rang. The

lighting was turned off and a spotlight illuminated the back of the stage.

When they followed the source of the spotlight, there was the figure of Kouki there.

From the appearance, the light was exceedingly splendid. There wasn't any doubt that

the equipment could be used even in theater or the like.

No one would even think that the lighting at the level of pro was only the outward

appearance. In actuality Kouki who possessed unparalleled attribute in light element

magic was in charge of the lighting using magical mean as well as camouflage.

The audiences focused at the spotlight.

Then

――No, no way-. I never heard about this! Why should I!

――To be more precise it's not you. What we need is the "lord".

――In the scenario it's clearly written "Opening: South Cloud leader"!

――Endo… that's a lie

――You, you guys, you schemed this!? Don't screw around-, I absolutely won't do it! Ah,

this is binding light chain!? Shirasaki!?

――Nn, Endo. Will you relax?

――Even Yue-san… do, don't tell me, you'll force me with Divine Statement? No, no

way-, stop-, stop ittttttttA scream burst out from within the darkness.

The venue fell completely silent in a good way.

A beat later, someone came out with an amaziiing rotation! Kouki's lighting hurriedly

chased after the silhouette that moved to the center of the stage while rotating in

succession with high speed.

"Ladii~~es & gentlemeeen! Welcome, to South Cloud Circus group! To the world of

dream!!"

A trademark pose while making the sound *kyu kyu* from the floor! The butterfly

mask that was replacing the sunglass was pushed up smartly-. Without a pause the

person brushed up his hair with a smooth hand motion while breathing "Fuh" with a

superb leaning posture!

"Your guide of the waking dream――Kousuke E Abyssgate… no"

Another "fuh" was leaked out! One hand brushed up the front hair and stayed up while

the other hand pointed sharply at the audience seats! The audiences jerked and

shivered. In various senses.

"The Abyss Lord."

*Dodododo-* A drum roll resounded and a music that sounded excessively solemn for

some reason danced in the air.

"Today in this time, in this place, everyone here will surely taste the mystery of the

world."

Another meaningless rotation.

"Everyone will surely sense a fragment of the abyss and put a lid on your common

sense!!"

Lighting, come onn-.

Kouki desperately responded to the instruction that wasn't in the plan. As the captain

of the people in charge of the lighting, he gave instruction without delay and produced

spotlights of seven color in conjunction with the other classmates.

In that instant, "Ooo!?" commotion spread.

From behind the guide of waking dream――Abyss Lord, another Abyss Lord with

exactly the same appearance showed up as though they had split.

" "But, rest assured!" "

The voices that were in harmony were also completely the same. 'What trick is this!?'

the senior reporter stared hard with his eyes opened wide like a dinner plate.

But, from behind that senior reporter…

"You can simply, simply, enjoy this moment to your heart's content!"

An Abyss Lord with exactly the same appearance appeared. Since when he was at the

audience seating? Of course, the instant Abyss Lord appeared, the clones normally

came. Without really hiding, the clones came normally.

The audiences were dumbfounded and the reporters were overcome with surprise.

Even amidst that, Abyss Lord's multiplication didn't stop. Abyss Lords appeared from

two more places. They went "Oh, isn't this my beloved little sister and big brother" and

"Fuh" toward the middle school female student and the male university student who

were nearby, but the two of them looked down until the limit and wouldn't meet the

lord's gaze.

" " " " "An experience that will be only once in your life. This is the stage of wonder that

you won't be able to see for the second time!!" " " " "

The outside appearance of the person who was smoothly multiplying was exactly the

same. Even when it was seen from nearby no one could guess what kind of trick was

behind it.

By the way, looking at how clones were further making more clones, it went without

saying how deep the depth level of the lord was. Our vampire princess-sama was

without mercy.

Right after that, scream rose from the audience seating. It wasn't because of

synchronization with scathing opinion of "Looking at the multiplication process once

more… it's a bit scary huh" from the classmates behind the stage.

It was because flame was suddenly spreading on the stage. A wing that was starting

to blow from somewhere whirled and swept away the flame. It was as though the

flame itself was spreading like it was dancing.

Then, a single young man appeared from inside the flame. With a way of walking that

was like a model, he walked to the center of the stage while making a look that might

be the best posed look the person himself could do――

Before he arrived at the center, he vanished. It was as though the young man received

a tackle from a certain someone who flew out with godspeed and got sent flying.

'What is he showing up for… ' The audiences questioned in their mind. The answer for

that was, "… Even I wanted to stand out… I saw you on the stage! Please go out with

me! I wanted someone to tell me that…". With how the audiences couldn't listen to that

testimony of a certain Shinji, the answer would be forever covered in darkness.

The Abyss Lords pulled themselves together and gathered on the stage with acrobatic

movements. While astonished voices were raised seeing the midair leaps, Abyss Lords

became one once more on the stage and he spread put both his arms in a flash.

"Now, carve it into your memory! It's the time of mystery!!"

With those words as the signal, the Abyss Lord vanished behind the curtain with super

consecutive back somersault that would be impossible for most people. The one who

leaped out as replacement was――

"Wha, what's that-"

Someone yelled. Everyone held their breath. After all, what appeared by breaking

through the wall of flame was a huge wolf. The howling figure was like the king of

beast. The huge body and pressure that were impossible for existing organism in this

world made the audiences to make noise 'waa' and 'kyaa'.

That was why, no one hear any sound like the sobbing voice of a person who seemed

to be the Abyss Lord resounding from behind the curtain.

Next,

[Everyone, please don't worry! The name of that wolf is "Karashio"-chan. He is a pet

doggie that can be found anywhere.]

The heavenly voice in the role as presenter and commentary――Nana emphasized."No

matter how you looked at it, that's a monster like Fenrir or Cerberus isn't it!?""If there

is any pet like that it will be an immediate report to the police!" Right after those rapid

pounding of tsukkomi from the audiences,

――Ka, Karashio she said!? Ah, metamorphosis magic huh!? I don't know anything

about this y'know!? Shouldn't it be substitution using Grim Reaper or something!?

――Sakagami… that was a lie.

――So you schemed this huuuh-. Wait, Suzu, why won't you meet my gaze since some

time ago. Don't tell me, it's you!? What the hell have you done to our Karashio!

――Ka, Karashio-chan also said that he want to become wolf! More importantly look!

It's your turn now!

――God dammitSuch voices also resounded, but even those yells weren't noticed.

Ryutaro leaped out from behind the curtain.

"Karashio-. I'm gonna return you to normal now!"

[It's the entrance of the owner! The two of them are always together! They're like close

siblings!]

Ryutaro quietly held out his hand.

*Haup*, there was such sound. Karashio's jaws were snugly covering Ryutaro's hand.

It was exactly the scene of a pet dog biting the hand of its owner.

*Splurt* The blood that was spurting out was surely paint, no doubt about it.

[Oops! Karashio-chan is trying to overthrow his owner! What will the owner do!?]

Nana was getting into the mood. Even though it was circus, she was becoming like a

live commentator.

Originally it was a scenario of Grim Reaper versus werewolf, so Ryutaro transformed

half in desperation.

"You're being disobedient huh, KARASHIOOOOOOO-"

A stir surged from the audience seats. A high school boy was transforming before their

eyes. That appearance was exactly like the werewolf in story.

"Se, senpai-, just what is this!?"

"The, the flame must be projection mapping or something! The clones and the wolf

and the werewolf, they're all special makeup!"

"That's too forced-"

The reporters were also in chaos. In any case the gazes of everyone were fixed on the

stage. It was truly just like the Abyss Lord said, it was like they were pulled into a world

of dream. In addition, the vice principal who came to monitor the situation collapsed

with the white of his eyes showing. Aiko who was also came to supervise hurriedly

supported him.

"Garururu- (I won't return to be dog-)"

"Stupid idiot!"

Karashio who became a wolf that was his dearest wish and the werewolf Ryutaro

clashed on the stage. Even the audiences who were in daze at the beginning, after

hearing the voices like "Both sides do your best~~" from Myuu and others who

conveniently turned into hired applauder, they gradually threw away their common

sense "Who cares about the detail!" and began to get excited.

[Strong-, Karashio-chan is strong! As expected from the partner of the wolf boy! At this

rate this might get out of hand!]

Nana might have talent as a live commentator. Sparked by her yell, the audiences sent

out words of encouragement to Karashio and his owner in loud voices.

Nana raised her voice following the scenario of South Cloud leader toward those

audiences.

[Is there any wild-animal tamer among the audiences!? Or perhaps, is there any zoo

caretaker here who can manage somehow if they're against something at the level of

Fenrir or werewolf!?]

Everyone thought, 'No way there's anyone like that!' and 'You raise the hurdle of zoo

caretaker too much!'.

"There is!"

'There is one!?' while such tsukkomi echoed, the one who stood up from the audience

seats was a high school girl who dressed like a gal. Or rather, it was Taeko.

Takeo got down on the stage with light and jaunty footsteps. Announcer Nana

addressed her.

[Dear audience! Do you have a whippp!?]

"I have! I'm a high school girl after all!"

'Where in the world there is high school girl who constantly carry around a whip', such

tsukkomi resounded inside everyone's heart.

They also did their best to ignore Nana's sales pitch [That's certainly natural! Whip is

convenient. It can be used for taming, and also for taming, after that it can also be used

for taming! If there are those who still doesn't have one, after this show we will open

a stand that display and sale the product, so please look around and purchase one

there!].

Taeko swung her whip *pishi- pishi-* loudly with a strangely good mood. Karashio's

gaze moved to behind the curtain. The leader's thumb up came out suddenly. Karashio

nodded and changed his target to Taeko while growling.

"Ei-"

A cute shout. However, the sound of slashing through wind that the whip generated

wasn't normal. It was to a degree that Karashio leaped back quite fearfully. *Hyugoh,

buruannn, shugoooo-*, the tip of the whip that made the pleasant sound moved with

a speed that easily surpassed the speed of sound. It was already producing

afterimages that it looked like it was splitting into many whips.

"Ei-"

"Owah-!?"

The whip flew toward the werewolf with a smile. The whip's ferociously attacked

Karashio and werewolf Ryutaro like Yamato no Orochi.

The two of them dodged with splendid combination, but seeing Ryutaro and

Karashio's desperate look, the whip handling of Taeko who was gradually looking

more ecstatic was increasing in intensity…

Karashio left behind his master and quickly showed his belly. It was a posture that

screamed "I'm fine with being just a dog already".

"Karashio!?"

Ryutaro let his guard down and the whip hit. "Abii!?" Ryutaro made a strange scream,

however, he endured it with his inherent guts. He took a stance imposingly and

grinned fearlessly,

"Come at me more! Get me even more heated up!"

Ryutaro intended to make the audiences even more excited with a lovely adlibbed line

but…

When he accidentally looked, there was a small silhouette peeking out from the edge

of the curtain――it was Suzu. Her eyes were expressing her feeling more eloquently

than anything. It said, "… pervert". At the same time, there was a cheering voice that

was louder than anyone from the audience seats.

"Keep going-, Ryutaro! Thy should open that door-"

It was the hopeless dragon-san. When he turned his gaze to her, she gave a thumb up

with a nice smile.

"I, I ain't like youuuuuuu-"

At this rate he would be acknowledged as pervert. He ignored things like rousing the

audiences and quickly moved to end the show of whip's superb technique and

werewolf's godly dodging but… Taeko-san who was starting to get into the mood was

unexpectedly strong!

The rampage of Taeko was really getting out of hand, so a new instruction came from

South Cloud leader.

[This is a disasterrr-. Among the audiences, is there a wizard who can do something

about this with just a few words of "because it's fantasy"!?]

The audiences weren't having any doubt anymore.

"There is one here! Today is the anniversary of the establishment Hogwar○ school of

witchcraft and wizardry, so I'm accidentally here yeah!"

The one who stood up was Kentarou. He headed to the stage and waved a short wand.

Instantly, thick white smoke rose up and covered the stage from view. It was the magic

of petrification. Taeko and Ryutaro whose movement was forcefully stopped were

recovered by Kaori in godspeed.

The flame and wind were also settling down along with the white smoke. During that

time the leader gave Shia the go sign.

The one who leaped out from inside the white smoke was a rabbit eared clown riding

on a giant ball. She was wearing a colorful clown costume that was arranged to look

cute and a red cushion ball on her nose. It was a rabbit clown.

Cheers rose seeing the display of magnificent acrobatics that would make any

acrobatic group went pale.

Then,

[Dear guests! Please look at below your seat!]

When they followed the words of announcer Nana, they found a basket there that was

filled with a lot of rubber ball.

Right after that, the rabbit clown was,

"Try hitting me with that if you can desuu~~. Well, it'll be impossible for the ordinary

people thoughhh! Pugyaaa—-"

She provoked with an annoying face and gesture as though she had a role model for it.

Tio who accepted the role as hired applauder stood up in order to make the guests

discarded their hesitation,

"Thou shall die-"

She said and threw quite seriously. The ball that flew while making the sound of

roaring wind caused the guests to instantly go pale, but the rabbit clown dodged with

a nimble somersault. She grinned while standing upside down with one hand on the

large ball.

"Eeeh? Did you do something just nooow? Ah, you threw just now eh! Slooo~~w!

Coould it be you have stiff shoulders? Puu-giggle giggle-"

Even though she knew it was just an act, vein snapped on Tio's forehead. The rabbit

tail that was shaking left and right to make fun of her looked excessively irritating.

"Dear guests~, what are you doing hesitating like thattt~. Even though you won't be

able to even graze mee! Fuhyahyahyah"

Behind the curtain, Hajime and Yue spoke "Uwaa, her copying rate is high~" in

admiration. One of the audiences stood up, then another…

They started to throw all at once!

"Funfufu~~n♪ Can't you quickly throw alreadyy~. Ah, I'm sorry! Everyone has

actually started!"

Why won't the ball hit! You- you-! Don't get carried away damn you!

"It's fine for everyone to get serious soon you knoow? Ah, everyone is already serious?

I'm sorry-, I never even thought that everyone's level is only to that degreee~, pupuh"

Match the timing! What're you all doing there! The barrage is thin!

A mysterious sense of unity was starting to form among the audiences. Even the

reporters right now were getting absorbed with throwing balls.

However, the annoying rabbit clown was hopping *pyon pyon* from ball to ball, from

the stage's pillar to pillar. She moved around freely to every direction round and

round, and it was just as she said, the balls didn't even graze her. Coupled with her

nonchalant face it was truly irritating.

And so, announcer Nana asked the audiences like every time.

[This is annoying! Isn't there any master of throwing among the guests!?]

"If there is any then that clown will have been shot down already!"

"The, there is one here!"

"There is one!?"

The one who stood up was Yuuka. The angry yell of the senior reporter was only

natural, so she went forward while twitching slightly.

[Do you bring anything to throoww-]

"I do!"

Yuuka crossed both her hands in a flash, and trump cards were spread out in a fanning

shape.

"Go-, Funne○!!"

It was the leader's instruction. It seemed he wanted her to say that no matter what.

The trump cards were thrown all at once. Even though they were thrown

simultaneously, all of them rotated in high speed while approaching from different

directions. They didn't stop there, right after the rabbit clown dodged, the cards made

a U-turn and rushed from behind. The trump cards came from literally every direction.

The trump cards that returned to their owner were immediately thrown again. Two

set of cards were already thrown into the storm of trump cards. A total of 108 cards

were dancing wildly on the stage.

It was an omni-directional juggling by throwing more than a hundred cards.

In front of that godly feet, the audiences were watching with their anger toward the

provocation vanishing without a trace.

However, as expected from the rabbit clown.

"I, is she splitting up her upper body?"

"I, is that, afterimage? That's impossible"

The voices of the reporters were astonished. Their mouths were fully opened as

though their jaw had come off from beign shown the afterimage dodging like a certain

Matri○ agent in real life.

[That was close-. It seems that the speed is insufficient by throwing cards! And so, is

there any greengrocer among the guests here!?]

Why greengrocer? While such question was filling the audiences, naturally,

"There's one here!"

Kaori said while standing up and lifting up shopping bags with full capacity on both

her hands.

[Next is there a master of old school of sword art here!?]

"There is one!"

Of course, Shizuku also stood up. It was really audiences seats that were filled by every

kind of people.

Like that, Kaori threw vegetables――radish, carrot, celery, cucumber toward Shizuku.

Shizuku shaped them into sticks with butter knife. Courteously, the vegetable sticks

were then flying toward Yuuka from the impact of the cutting.

The electrifying sword art, or rather the butter knife art due to the consideration

toward the swords and firearms control law didn't even give the audiences time to

raise their voice in admiration. The vegetable sticks that got settled between Yuuka's

fingers were thrown with speed that made them looked blurry.

It was the moment that the vegetable stick throwing skill that not only could pierce

wooden plank, but even thin iron plate or smartphone was born.

At the same time, the side effect was activated.

"It's a waste!"

The rabbit clown couldn't dodge. She could only catch the sticks with her mouth and

chewed *kari-kari, mokyuu-mokyuu* in high speed.

As the result, she couldn't win against the quantity,

"Abaah"

The rabbit clown was toppled over while holding on the vegetable sticks. It was truly

comical like a buffoon. 'Waaaaah' The audiences cheered in excitement.

Yuuka who helped the rabbit clown to stand up, and Kaori and Shizuku, the four of

them bowed gracefully toward the audiences. Everyone sent them applauses without

holding back.

In front of the developments that were like raging waves from the start, there were

already no one who could focus to question or doubt anything, right now anyone was

boiling up to simply do nothing but enjoying the world of dream that was overflowing

with godly feat.

After that.

The shows of the other classmates were completed, and at the end it was Yue.

The lighting was turned off temporarily on the stage and when the lighting showered

down once more, there was the figure of a girl sitting on a chair floating there. That

figure that wasn't twitching at the slightest while sitting limply without any strength,

coupled with her beautiful face caused many audiences to misunderstand that she was

a life-sized bisque doll.

Using telepathy, Yue's voice resounded directly into everyone's head. A tale of a doll

that wished to become the lover of the young man it loved was spun.

Right after that, the space glittered. It was the beginning of a time of magic.

Countless fine fragments were tinged with light and glittered. Suzu who was one of

lighting team produced them. It was a show using "Holy Severance – Cherry Blossom"

(the technique to control the fragments of a broken up Holy Severance).

Doll Yue that received magic had life breathed into her and moved. There many

audiences finally understood that she wasn't a bisque doll but a real girl. Enraptured

sighs were leaked out from them.

But, the change didn't end. Golden light enveloped Yue, and her figure changed into an

adult woman. The peerless beauty caused everyone to forget to even breathe. Then

right after that, the audiences cheered 'waaah'.

It was because the beauty floated lightly. It was as though she wasn't restraining by

anything anymore, she drifted in the air lightly like a feather. The figure that was

enveloped in golden light like aurora was so beautiful it would entrance anyone.

It should even be expressed with the word divine.

It was completely silent. The quietness came as though there was a tacit understanding

that they mustn't break the mystical time.

In the middle of that, Yue sang. The voice that was smoother, more charming, and more

glamorous than any musical instrument rode on the melody and spread.

Anyone was intoxicated by the gentle and calm singing voice.

But, the song was gradually rising in tempo. When anyone noticed the musical tone

had changed into a joyful song that would make anyone's body naturally followed the

rhythm.

It was the finale.

The people who had been performing until now were coming up on the stage one by

one.

Even Kouki and others who were in charge of lighting came up on the stage and the

one who came out last was the South Cloud leader aka Hajime.

Yue showed a happy smile from the bottom of the heart that anyone understood that

only this smile wasn't an acting. She got down and took Hajime's hand.

The sprightly song excited the audiences to the peak…

Like that,

"With this the dream time is over. Thank you very much for coming to watch the

performance of us returnees. Please enjoy the continuation of the school festival."

Hajime came forward and bowed. Following him all the classmates also bowed.

Right after that, cheers shook the air as though there was explosion. The wild

enthusiasm that was reverberating like an electric shock was surely without a doubt

spreading throughout the school. Whistling resounded and applauses were playing

out like heavy thunder.

Hajime and others smiled wryly, however they bowed once more with a face that

showed a sense of accomplishment. Yue secretly opened the tent with magic, and from

there light of reality shined in.

With that the audiences finally went out in droves as though they had woken up from

their dream but…

The heat inside their heart didn't feel like it would cool down for a while.

After that, perhaps that heat propagated.

The people who learned that the performance was only for one time rushed the school

festival committee to protest. The vice principal said "Do it until your limit!" even

while almost fainting. With that go sign, Hajime and co hurriedly performed nonstop

until four times.

At the post-festival event after the school festival was over, as expected even the

returnees from other world became totally exhausted.

"…Haa, in the end we couldn't look around the school festival except at the morning.

Even though I wanted to show Myuu around more."

Hajime said that while sighing. Yue who was snuggling on him let out a chuckle.

"…Nn. You regret it?"

When Hajime noticed, all the classmates were looking at him. Hajime looked to be

thinking for a bit before he shrugged. And then, he lied down spread-eagled and

entrusted his body to the pleasant fatigue that he hadn't felt for so long.

"There's a sense of accomplishment that is equal with that last decisive battle. It's not

a bad school festival."

He said such thing along with a gentle smile.

Seeing everyone's demon king-sama like that, Yue and others were also lying down

spread-eagled one after another while laughing in agreement.

"…You're trying to end this with a good vibes but, Nagumo, I won't forget the

resentment of turning me into Abyss Lord."

"…Endo? So you're here."

"Obviously I'm here! I'll cry you know!"

Everyone jerked for a moment. When they recognized that it was the lord――or rather

Kousuke, bright laughter spread once more.

Also, this matter of school festival was greatly publicized in the mass media. It also

became a great commotion in the internet and Hajime ended up running around to

deal with the fallout but…

It was the fault of the performance of South Cloud leader who knew no self-restrain――in

other words he reaped what he sowed, so he worked hard even while shadow was

forming under his eyes.