-2351- Things will sort themselves out

After that, even though Shizuka Koyomi wanted to do something, she had exhausted too much of her strength earlier. Even though her injuries had healed, she still couldn't move much and fell into a deep sleep.

One could imagine just how much effort Japan's strongest Attack Mage had to exert to escape from Itogami Meiga's pursuit.

But it couldn't be helped. No matter how strong Shizuka Koyomi's abilities were, they were ineffective against Itogami Meiga.

With the Divine Weapon Fangzahn in his hands, her Silent Destruction was rendered completely ineffective. Neither her jujutsu nor magic could work. And facing a Yiangshi—an immortal being—it was no surprise that Koyomi ended up defeated.

To escape from Itogami Meiga, she had fled from the northern district of Itogami Island all the way to the western district while gravely injured and being pursued. Just imagining it was enough to grasp how grueling it must've been.

So after saying all she needed to say, it was only natural for Koyomi—having finally relaxed from her tense state—to fall into a deep slumber.

Everyone vacated the room for her and silently stepped out together.

No sooner had they exited than Akatsuki Nagisa couldn't help but speak.

"Nichiyo-kun, what do we do now?"

Nagisa's face was filled with anxiety.

Not only her—Kanase Kanon and Avrora Florestina also looked lost, and even Himeragi Yukina fell into an unnatural silence.

Itogami Island was now seen by the Sanctuary Treaty Organization as a large-scale destructive magical device and was about to be attacked by its military forces. In response, the Management Cooperative had resolved to resist. With a war between the agency and the island potentially looming, it was too much for girls like them to comprehend. Even now, they struggled to accept it.

And these girls weren't even ordinary civilians. Each of them had ties to the supernatural world and understood all too well that, with things at this stage, the worst-case scenario was very much possible.

They truly didn't know what to do.

In contrast, Rozen remained unexpectedly calm.

"No need to worry. Things will sort themselves out in the end," Rozen said with composed ease.

"You're not worried, Senpai?" Kanon asked in disbelief.

But how could the girls know? Rozen had lived through so many wars that he had long since lost count.

Under these circumstances, even if he wanted to panic, he couldn't.

If anything, the more dire the situation, the calmer Rozen became—a mindset he had long cultivated.

Of course…

"It's not that I don't care," Rozen stated candidly. "No matter what, Itogami Island is where I live. Natsuki-nee is deeply tied to this island. Practically everyone I know is here. If the Sanctuary Treaty forces really do attack, there's no way I can just sit back and do nothing."

Even if the Sanctuary Treaty forces allowed time for the civilians of Itogami Island to evacuate, Rozen couldn't abandon the place.

After all, Natsuki was the warden of the Prison Barrier. Because of her contract, she couldn't truly leave the island either.

Which meant Rozen had no choice but to be involved.

But—

"Even if the Sanctuary Treaty forces actually invade, the Forbidden Four have ways to respond. Otherwise, how could a tiny artificial island boldly declare it would stand against the entire Sanctuary Treaty military?"

That was the thought that kept Rozen calm.

Though the opposing side was a coalition of all Sanctuary Treaty nations—making it practically the same as going to war with half or even the entire world—this place, after all, was the altar for reviving Cain, the God of Sin. According to Koyomi, it must be hiding some kind of terrifying power.

The Forbidden Four certainly knew what that power was. And the Sanctuary Treaty military probably knew as well—after all, the Three Primogenitors who had once fought Cain were on their side.

Given that deterrence, even if hostilities were declared, actual full-scale war wouldn't come so easily.

"War isn't the same as a brawl. You have to consider a lot of things."

Rozen remained composed.

"So until then, there's no need for pointless panic."

That was all there was to it.

Hearing Rozen's calm tone, the girls finally began to settle down.

"Then… then should we contact the family head?" Avrora asked timidly.

By "family head," she of course meant Natsuki.

Rozen spread his hands in exasperation.

"You think Natsuki-nee wouldn't know about something this huge?" Rozen said with a wry twist of his lips. "She's probably already been briefed by the Management Cooperative."

Given how busy Natsuki had been lately—so busy that she hadn't been seen at all—this was likely one of the main reasons.

"In any case, it's too soon to be getting anxious about this." Rozen's voice was cold and clear. "Compared to that, let's take care of a more immediate issue first."

As he said this, Rozen turned his head in a certain direction.

Nagisa, Kanon, and Avrora also seemed to recall something and followed his gaze.

Standing where all their eyes landed was Yukina, silent as ever.

"Yukina…" Nagisa wanted to say something, but didn't know what to say.

"Sword Shaman…" Avrora's expression was complicated.

As for Kanon—usually the most obedient, gentle girl of the group who quietly followed the others' lead—today, for once, she took the initiative.

"Yukina, are you really turning into a Faux Angel?"

Kanon's voice was tinged with sorrow and deep concern, as though grieving over a friend falling into despair.

But Yukina couldn't say a word.

Which was only natural.

"She probably just sensed something abnormal with her body and made a rough guess. She doesn't really know what's happening," Rozen said a little irritably. "And in the end, she still acted so stubbornly. I really don't know if I should call it obstinate or obsessive."

Rozen's criticism made Yukina visibly angry.

"Anyway, to Senpai, I'm just a watchdog. So it doesn't matter, right?" Yukina said coldly.

But that only brought about even harsher words from Rozen.

"Aren't you the one acting like it doesn't matter?" Rozen said bluntly. "You ignored your own physical abnormalities and risked your life to stay behind, fixated on your own point of view. Don't you know how to talk things through with others and find a real solution?"

"A solution? What solution?" Yukina retorted heatedly. "You mean using the same method you used to save Kanon before? What about my memories then? Are you saying you don't care what happens to my memories here, Senpai?"

"That's exactly what I mean—you're the one thinking that way, aren't you?" Rozen locked eyes with her, his words firm and deliberate. "What makes you think I only have that one solution? What if I have a better, more reliable, and flawless plan?"

"I…" Yukina froze.

"You never even considered that, did you?" Rozen pressed. "But don't forget—I can also create the Mechanical Demon-Purging Assault Spear Mark Seven. I know exactly what kind of side effects it causes. And yet I never warned you. I never told you not to use it. Doesn't that prove I already had a way to deal with it?"

Yukina was rendered completely speechless.