“First, calm down! Give me some space!”
“Muu. My apologies.”
With those words, Kaname pulled away from me—only to immediately lunge back and hug me again.
“No, no, no! That makes no sense!”
“……Umu, quite so……”
For some reason, she looked genuinely reluctant as she finally disentangled herself.
Why the hell did she come back for a second round?
“Forgive my impudence. It is simply that I have finally encountered Lady Shiunin, the person my clan has yearned for through the ages. I could not help but be overcome with joy.”
“No, no, no, no! I have the perfectly good name of Albert von Kronstadt! I introduced myself that way, didn't I!?”
“Hahaha, what are you saying? Naturally, I remember. Albert von Kronstadt is merely an alias you use to walk among the masses, is it not?”
I couldn’t get through to her!
There was a massive, fundamental gap in our understanding of reality.
“Look, why do you even think I’m ‘Lady Shiunin’?”
“It is that Lightning Radiance. It has been passed down through our history. The radiance of the lightning wielded by the great Lady Shiunin was said to surpass natural lightning, to the point of scorching the very retinas of those who beheld it—and your magic was exactly like that!”
“But you can use that glowing lightning too, can’t you?”
“Only those of our clan can. Finding someone else who could manifest it was our clan’s ultimate goal, and at long last, I have succeeded!”
I see—
Summarizing her story, it seemed her clan had some deep connection to ‘Shiunin’.
Should I mention Ancient Magic?
People from the East handled ‘Spiritual Power’, which functioned differently than our magic. Since they were unfamiliar with standard magic, they didn't share the common sense that ‘Ancient Magic is taboo’. Speaking of it might not be an immediate disaster, but—
No, there was no telling where a leak might start. I couldn’t touch the subject so casually.
“You called me Lady Shiunin. But your surname is also Shiunin. How does that work?”
“Our surname is a title granted to my ancestors long ago by the great Lady Shiunin herself.”
The ‘great Lady Shiunin’ must be that arrogant Heian woman.
……Why didn't she know her own followers?
“So that means you have no blood relation to her, right?”
“Indeed. It is more accurate to call us her disciples or devotees.”
“What was the nature of your ancestor’s relationship with this Lady Shiunin?”
“Legend says that my ancestor was granted Thunder Techniques by Lady Shiunin. Since then, the clan has inherited the Shiunin name and waited for the day she would return to this world.”
I see.
And her criteria for identifying ‘Lady Shiunin’ was just the visual brightness of the lightning?
Talk about a loose definition! The bar for entry was practically on the floor.
……Then again, considering the entity actually is inside my book, she wasn't technically wrong.
“Uh, so what kind of person was this Lady Shiunin?”
“A male, roughly fifteen years of age, with a rather nasty look in his eyes and a rotten personality. His name is Albert von Kronstadt.”
I see, so she was Albert von Kronstadt—
Wait, that’s me!
“I keep telling you, I’m not Lady Shiunin!”
We were just going in circles!
“—Not that. I mean the one your ancestor actually met.”
“According to the legends, she was a beautiful woman with hair as black as the night, draped in many layers of exquisite robes. It is said her lightning ran for thousands of miles and scorched all creation.”
It was definitely her.
Dammit, she’s clearly your acquaintance! Why did she claim she didn't know you!?
“……And what happened to the Lady Shiunin of the past?”
“Many powerful foes challenged her—an Onmyouji who read the stars, a Peerless Swordsman wielding a Divine Katana, and even famous generals who commanded tens of thousands—but she crushed them all. After pacifying the world, Lady Shiunin left us with a prophecy: ‘Eventually, one who possesses my power shall appear in this world.’ She then parted ways with my ancestor and vanished into a journey. No one knows where she went. My ancestor passed those words down through the generations, and we chose to wait for her return.”
“……And that’s why you saw my lightning and decided I was her?”
“That is correct.”
“Is there a reason the lightning your clan uses is similar to hers?”
“I am told it is a power she bestowed upon us. Only those of our bloodline who undergo rigorous training can manifest such lightning. It is the pride of our clan.”
I’d heard most of what I wanted to know, but honestly, I was stunned. In the original game, Kaname was just a simple, muscle-brained character. I never imagined she had a history linked to Ancient Magic.
Now, what was the best way to handle this?
“Do you truly believe I am this Lady Shiunin?”
“Without a doubt!”
“Even if I deny it?”
“There is no mistaking that vivid lightning! My eyes do not deceive me!”
Technically, she was right. I was a ‘Shiunin associate’.
After thinking for a moment, I made my decision.
“Fine. I don’t mind if you think of me as Shiunin.”
“O-O-Oh……!”
Kaname’s eyes sparkled.
Her clan must have been waiting for an incredibly long time. To be the one to finally fulfill that ancient oath brought her visible joy.
—Her loyalty to the name Shiunin was borderline obsessive.
If she was connected to that entity, it was better to have her on my side. Rather than letting her run wild, I should keep her under my control.
“On one condition. Do not mention the name Shiunin within the academy. And call me Albert.”
“……I understand, Lord…… Albert.”
“Like I said before, Albert-dono is fine. There’s no reason for you to use ‘Lord’.”
That should keep the name Shiunin from spreading. As far as I knew, it wasn't a common name, but you never knew where a King of Knowledge might be hiding. I had to be cautious.
“Well then, we’re done for today.”
“Ah, wait……”
Kaname looked restless, her hands fidgeting at her sides.
“If possible, would you allow me to embrace you one last time?”
“Hah?”
What was with this girl? She’d done that second hug earlier, too.
“Why?”
“I feel…… wonderful when I embrace you, Albert-dono.”
“You’re a total pervert!”
“No, you misunderstand! It is…… a matter of fact that it replenishes the Lightning Charge within my body!”
“Lightning Charge?”
“I use the Lightning Charge stored in my body to perform the ‘Thunderclap Slash’. It usually recovers naturally by absorbing Static Electricity from the air, but touching you, Albert-dono, provides a replenishment of the highest quality.”
Was the power of Shiunin flowing into her through me?
“……Fine. Just once more.”
“Truly!?”
“Yeah. I want to see if there’s any truth to what you’re saying.”
She wrapped her arms around me, burying her face in my chest.
“Haaa…… ah, aaah…… It is so warm and soothing…… I can feel the strength being restored to my body…… I could stay like this forever……”
She really was a pervert.
Great. Now I’d become a human battery.
“May I embrace you again another time?”
“……Sure, if I’m in the mood.”
When I said that, Kaname beamed, pressing her cheek against my chest. If anyone saw us like this, the misunderstanding would be catastrophic.
I eventually managed to peel her off me and retreated to my room in the dormitory.
Once there, I pulled out the Imperial Book of Weather Control and stroked the cover. I could have just ignored this. Not solving the mystery of Kaname wouldn't really hurt me.
That said, leaving a quest half-finished felt disgusting.
As a former gamer, I was the type to see things through to completion. It’s that feeling when a challenge is right in front of you—you get obsessed. You throw in every resource you have, stay up all night, and push until you win. That was me.
Since a path to the finish line had appeared, I had to take it.
I’d found a lead for this Insta-Death Trash Quest, and now that I had it, I couldn't sit still. I was itching to test my theory. If I backed out now, it would feel like I was running away.
It was just my nature.
Now, for a final check before I challenged this insane quest.
……Do I finally have all the pieces, Albert von Kronstadt?
Shiunin had declared she would kill me next time. She wasn't the type to make idle threats. I needed enough leverage to make her listen.
After thinking it over carefully, I convinced myself.
The information I have is enough. I can win this.
I took a deep breath and opened the Imperial Book.
As I followed the text with my eyes, the world blurred into a haze, and the scenery around me began to shift.