A Storm is Coming

Time quickly passed until evening.

Because of Naoki, Ayaka, who usually spent Friday afternoons at home researching magic, spent the entire afternoon in alleys this time.

A bullet made of crow feathers pierced the body of the last spirit. Watching it vanish, Ayaka couldn't help but feel drained.

Walking over and supporting her, Naoki smiled: "Your hard work paid off. That's probably the last one around here."

"R-Really…?"

Ayaka slightly out of breath, leaned gently against Naoki's chest. After using Magecraft all day, she felt utterly depleted. Though not to the point of being unable to move a finger, she didn't have much energy to walk on her own.

Seeing her state, Naoki bent down, slipped his arm under her knees, and lifted her into a bridal carry.

This wasn't the first time—earlier that morning on the way to school, it was the same—but the sudden intimate contact made Ayaka blush and feel embarrassed: "W-W-W-What are you doing?"

"You look exhausted. I'll take you home. Or do you want to walk? Until your legs give out and you can't stand?"

"Ugh… But you should've told me first… And I just need a short rest."

"Then consider me meddling. Hold on tight."

"Huh? Wait—"

Ayaka barely realized what Naoki was about to do when the sound of rushing wind filled her ears. The scenery around her dropped rapidly. The narrow view from the alley suddenly widened!

She was once again carried into the air.

"Ugh…"

The strong wind made it hard for Ayaka to keep her eyes open. She had to squint and curl into Naoki's embrace.

Come to think of it, this was odd. Ayaka considered herself quite shy around new people. Even the friendly Ciel took a long time to get her to interact normally. But with Naoki, for some reason, Ayaka unconsciously placed him in the category of someone very close to her.

As if she'd known him for a long time.

Yet this was only their third day of knowing each other.

(Is it because he has such a gentle aura?)

"Ayaka."

Naoki suddenly called her name.

Lifting her head slightly, Ayaka asked: "What's up?"

"Look ahead."

"Ahead?"

Taming her hair, disheveled by the wind, Ayaka obediently looked forward—at the edge of the city bathed in twilight, along the glowing horizon, the setting sun cast its final rays before disappearing.

It was beautiful.

Ayaka couldn't help but think. This was her first time seeing a sunset from a place like this, even seeing a sunset like this at all. Since her father and sister passed away, her world had felt dark. A vibrant, colorful world like this—she hadn't felt it in a long time.

"Pretty nice view, huh?"

Landing on a building's rooftop, Naoki held her and gazed at the city and sunset.

"You must've seen it many times, right?" Ayaka leaned against his chest. "I'm jealous that you get to keep seeing this."

"If you want, I can bring you to see it every day, at least until I leave this place." Naoki replied with a smile.

See it every day?

Looking at the sinking sunset, Ayaka shook her head slightly: "No need. If I saw it every day, it wouldn't feel this beautiful."

"Take me home."

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Night fell quickly. Shortly after Naoki and Ayaka returned to the Sajyou household, the sky was completely dark.

After making simple fried rice from leftover ingredients in the fridge, the two sat on opposite sides of the dining table and began eating.

"Ayaka, can I ask something?"

Suddenly, mid-meal, Naoki spoke.

"You've been using Magecraft all day, right?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"When you use Magecraft… don't you feel anything strange?"

Ayaka frowned: "Strange? Strange how?"

"Like, activating Magecraft is really difficult—something like that." Naoki said. "Actually, I can't use Magecraft right now."

Can't use Magecraft?

Naoki's words stunned Ayaka: "What… what do you mean? Like you said… you're having trouble activating Magecraft?"

Nodding, Naoki picked up a fork, attempting to use Substitution Magecraft he'd learned from Angelica to change its shape. Mana flowed smoothly in his body, no issues there. But just as the shape was about to change, the Magecraft, one step from completion, suddenly collapsed.

"As you can see." Naoki set the fork down. "Since arriving in Tokyo, it's like something's blocking me, preventing me from using Magecraft smoothly. Though I could force it, the efficiency would be terrible, and the effect would be greatly reduced. So, seeing you use Magecraft so fluidly this afternoon, I got curious—aren't you experiencing the same thing as me?"

"I did… but that was when I was a kid."

Now that she thought about it, it happened not long after her father and sister passed away. Ayaka often failed at using Magecraft. Back then, she assumed it was because she hadn't recovered from the grief of losing her family and her mental state was poor, so she didn't dwell on it.

But now, Naoki's situation…

(Could there be something else in Tokyo besides the time loop and spatial seal? Is this the work of a Magus other than me?)

Ayaka bit her lip. For something like this to happen right under her nose, she, as a Magus of the Sajyou family, had been far too negligent.

"Ayaka, do you remember when you started using Magecraft normally again?"

"Huh? I-I remember… It was after my first visit to my father and sister's graves, if I recall correctly." Ayaka replied. "After returning from there, I found I could use Magecraft normally, and the Magecraft I'd always failed at before, I could master quickly."

Graves?

Naoki raised an eyebrow: "Where are those graves? Can I go there?"

"Sure… You want to go to see if you can use Magecraft again?"

"Though I'm used to getting caught up in all sorts of situations, this one really unsettles me. If I don't get my ace card back, I feel like I'll be at a huge disadvantage later."

As he said this, Naoki glanced out the window—the wind was strong; it seemed like rain was coming.