Miyume woke up as the sun was setting.

Looking up at the sky, shifting from crimson to deep blue-purple, Miyume realized she had been asleep.

“Oh, you’re awake?”

“Mmm… Toa-chan, did I fall asleep?”

In response to Miyume’s question, Toa smiled and nodded.

It seemed Miyume had dozed off while leaning against Toa’s shoulder.

“There wasn’t much going on, so I guess I just drifted off.”

She remembered chatting on a bench, crepe in hand.

But with the uneventful peace, she had let her guard down and fallen asleep.

“Maybe you were tired from helping Hikari-chan?”

“I didn’t think I was that weak, though. Ah, sorry. You could’ve woken me up, you know?”

At her words, Toa shook her head lightly and said, “It’s fine.”

“I thought, once in a while, this kind of time isn’t so bad. Peaceful, with nothing to do… We’ve been so busy until now.”

Debt, infiltration into the Knight Academy—so much had happened.

They had never had the luxury of wasting time like this.

Moments like these only existed in the present.

“Miyume-chan, can you grant me a request?”

From here on, things were about to get noisy again.

■

Apparently, there was a place Toa wanted to visit together at midnight.

Faced with Toa’s serious expression, Miyume had no reason to refuse.

Not only did she not harbor any ill will toward Toa, but the biggest reason was—

(Where did Luka-san go?)

Luka had disappeared.

She was neither in the infirmary nor the student council room, and the medical check-up that could have been Miyume’s excuse to refuse had also vanished.

With the midnight rendezvous set, time passed surprisingly fast this time.

Before they knew it, midnight had passed, and Miyume and Toa arrived at a certain location.

“Uh, this should be the place…?”

Toa stopped in front of a laboratory, looking slightly uncertain.

There was no sign of people around, only scattered lights dimly illuminating the corridor.

“Is it here?”

“Yeah… I think so…”

Toa looked around, an uneasy expression on her face as she tilted her head repeatedly.

Seeing this, Miyume spoke up.

“…Did Konie-senpai call you here?”

“Huh!? H-how did you know!?”

“Because this is Konie-senpai’s lab.”

Miyume pointed at the door in front of them.

Toa, hearing that, let out a small sound of realization.

“O-oh, I see. I didn’t know that.”

“Why did you bring me here?”

“Well…”

Toa hesitated.

Because neither Konie, who had started this, nor Kei, was present.

(Kei-kun went to gather information and hasn’t come back… What now?)

Kei had instructed them to consult Konie if he didn’t return.

But Konie was nowhere to be found.

(Did the plan fall apart?)

While Toa was lost in thought, Miyume suddenly spoke.

“Ah, Luka-san.”

“Eh?”

From the dimly lit corridor, a girl with disheveled blonde hair approached.

Beside her, Ruruika swam along the hallway, sticking close to her.

“…Miyume, what are you doing here?”

Step by step, Luka wavered closer like a phantom.

Unconsciously, Miyume took a step back.

Toa, however, stepped forward, deploying her weapon.

“Luka-san, what are you doing here?”

“I’m the one asking questions, Miyume. Why are you at Konie’s lab? Making amends with Konie… seems like an odd time for that, doesn’t it?”

Luka’s gaze turned sharp as she stared at Toa.

“Did she manipulate you? That student there?”

“Luka-san, I—”

“Silence.”

A chillingly cold voice.

Miyume, seeing a side of Luka she hadn’t before, shrank behind Toa, peeking out hesitantly.

“Luka-san? What’s wrong? You’re scaring me…”

“Miyume, let’s go home. The student with you is an enemy.”

Luka pointed at Toa.

“She must have been trying to take you away with Konie. But that plan has already failed.”

“…No way.”

Toa’s voice trembled in despair.

A plan Konie had devised.

But now, the girl who started it all, and even her allies, were gone.

Toa’s options were dwindling.

“—”

“Oh? Converging artillery fire?”

The heavy cannon roared, gathering light.

But the distance was too close for Toa’s long-range attacks to be effective.

“A gunner without a frontline guard is no match. Ruruika.”

At Luka’s command, Ruruika responded with a sharp cry and dove into the floor.

Silence dominated the hallway for a brief moment—

Then, a tail shot out from behind Toa.

“Behind you!?”

She tried to aim, but it was too late.

Her cannon was knocked from her grip, and she was slammed into the wall.

“Toa-chan! …Luka-san, stop! Toa-chan isn’t the enemy!”

“Yes, I agree.”

“Then—”

“But even so, I cannot let her go. This is for both of you.”

Luka stepped toward Toa.

Ruruika circled the surroundings, preventing her from retrieving her cannon.

Luka looked at Toa and smiled, somewhat relieved.

“You don’t seem to be injured. Toa-san, Konie asked you to come here, didn’t she?”

“…I—”

“It’s fine. You were just following a request… So leave. Forget about tonight as soon as possible.”

“Huh?”

Surprisingly, Luka was trying to let Toa go.

Her tired eyes were devoid of light, but her urgency was clear.

“Why…”

“Hurry. If she finds out, you’ll end up just like Konie.”

“—Who do you mean? I’d love to know.”

A lively, bouncing voice echoed.

At the same time, a single butterfly entered Toa’s vision.

A familiar black butterfly.

Luka stiffened and turned toward the voice.

“Kanon, wait. She’s—”

“I know. She helped Konie try to take Miyume away. Right?”

Butterflies gathered, forming the shape of a person.

A girl with plain brown hair and a white coat.

There was no mistaking it—it was Kūna Kanon.

“Hey, Toa-chan. Thanks for helping with the ghost hunt. That was fun. So, it’s a shame.”

“Kanon!”

“Relax, Luka. Don’t worry. I won’t do anything… yet.”

Kanon said that and smiled brightly.

Meanwhile, butterflies continued to envelop the surroundings.

Faced with this scene, Miyume could do nothing but feel confused.

(What… what is going on here?)

Her sister and Luka were acting differently than usual. And Toa had been attacked.

The environment around her was finally shedding its false veil, revealing its true form.

Seeing the people who were supposed to be kind fighting among themselves, Miyume felt a strange sense of unease.

But more than that—

(What is this? Why… why am I suddenly so hungry…?)

The most abnormal thing was her own body.

In such a situation, an overwhelming hunger struck Miyume.

As if it had been designed to happen at this very moment, an insatiable starvation consumed her.

Even though she knew now was not the time for such thoughts, Miyume’s mind was entirely preoccupied with the urge to eat.

“Ugh, uuu…”

“Miyume-chan?”

“Miyume…! Damn, it’s too late. Toa-san, step back. Ruruika!”

Luka pulled the bewildered Toa away and slammed her tail against the hallway walls and floor.

In response, the walls and floor rippled, enclosing Miyume within.

As Toa, still wide-eyed, struggled to grasp the sudden shift in Luka’s behavior, Kanon let out a lighthearted chuckle.

“Ahaha, that’s pointless. Something like that won’t stop Miyume-chan.”

A crack formed in the surrounding walls.

And the moment it was noticed, the enclosure Ruruika had formed crumbled in an instant.

“—”

A shadow shot out from within.

It was not human.

Its streamlined head and irregularly shaped scales covered reptilian-like skin.

With a tail that struck the ground like a whip and limbs equipped with razor-sharp claws, it resembled a small dragon.

Although it retained a vaguely human silhouette due to its bipedal stance, there was no trace of intelligence in its form.

“Miyume-chan…?”

Unable to believe what she was seeing, Toa muttered the name in shock.

In response, the creature turned its gaze toward Toa.

From its mouth, viscous saliva dripped, revealing sharp fangs.

It was observing its prey.

“Miyume, stop!”

Realizing the danger in its eyes, Luka activated Ruruika once more.

Ruruika swam around the creature, striking the floor with its tail to destabilize its footing.

The moment the creature staggered, Ruruika launched a direct strike at its body.

“—”

Yet, with an unnatural movement of its neck, the creature perceived the attack and caught it with both arms.

As Ruruika attempted to retreat into the floor, the creature seized its dorsal fin and opened its jaws wide, biting down.

“Ruruika!”

Seeing Ruruika struggle violently, Luka hurriedly dismissed it.

The sudden disappearance of its prey left the creature’s snapping jaws clamping onto empty air with a loud click.

“Eh, ah, is that really Miyume-chan…?”

“That’s right—technically, it’s The Mystic Eye. Originally, it was a holy relic possessed by a dungeon master, along with the Petrifying Mystic Eye.”

Kanon answered cheerfully, showing no sign of distress.

“Kanon, Miyume is in a starvation state! Hurry, feed her a Dataroid—!”

But the moment Luka’s attention shifted to Kanon, Miyume lunged at her, jaws wide open.

The immense physical ability she now possessed made the distance between them meaningless.

As Miyume rushed toward her, time seemed to slow down for Luka, and she braced herself for death.

But then, butterflies fluttered between them.

“Divided Death Must Die.”

The butterflies formed a wall, shielding Toa and Luka.

They wove together into countless strands, binding Miyume tightly.

“No, Luka. You always have to be on guard around Miyume-chan in that state. Unlike usual, she’ll even eat people now.”

“…Kanon, thank you.”

“We’re friends, after all. Of course, I’d help.”

Kanon flashed a peace sign and walked toward the restrained Miyume.

“Well, even if I was only gone from the academy for a day, she got hungry fast. You skipped today’s check-up, didn’t you?”

“…I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. Everyone makes mistakes. Well, except geniuses like me.”

Kanon affectionately stroked Miyume’s head.

Miyume, whose mouth was now sealed by the butterfly restraints, thrashed violently, but the bindings held firm.

“Both of you, step back. I’m going to prepare her meal now.”

At Kanon’s words, Luka quickly pulled Toa back.

After confirming they had moved away, Kanon also distanced herself from Miyume.

Then, she pointed at Miyume.

“Toa-chan, after seeing that, do you still want to be involved with her?”

“…Huh?”

“She’s still incomplete, so she’s not human. Just watch.”

Divided Death Must Die spread out into a lattice in front of them.

It appeared to have formed a safe zone.

Beyond the safety barrier, Miyume, now free from her restraints, shuddered.

Suddenly, a student appeared before her.

Dressed in the uniform of Zilnius Academy, the student attacked Miyume.

However, a human fist was no match for her scales and failed to cause any damage.

“—”

Letting out a beastly growl, Miyume clamped her jaws onto the student’s head.

Then, with unnatural strength, she twisted their arm in a horrifying direction and began consuming them.

Her every action was indistinguishable from that of a wild animal.

“Ah…! She’s eating a person…!”

“It’s fine. That’s a Dataroid—food that looks human. It has no will of its own. It’s just shaped like a person.”

Kanon explained while watching Toa’s reaction with amusement.

Meanwhile, Miyume continued devouring the Dataroid, finishing it in moments.

Yet her hunger remained unsatisfied. She turned her gaze toward the three of them and lunged.

Her outstretched arm was stopped by the lattice of Divided Death Must Die, unable to reach them.

Seeing this, Toa fell onto her backside in shock.

“Hmm. At this stage, ordinary Dataroids won’t satisfy her anymore. That’s a good sign.”

“Kanon, hurry up and bring the next Dataroid!”

“No need to rush. I’ve prepared something special for Miyume-chan in this state—an exquisite Dataroid.”

With that, Kanon snapped her fingers.

A new figure appeared behind Miyume, still biting at the lattice.

It was a small girl with cute twin-tails.

Luka immediately recognized her.

“Konie…!?”

“Correct.”

Kanon smiled brightly.

“You… you turned a person into a Dataroid!?”

“Yes, I did.”

Hearing the nonchalant reply, Luka grabbed Kanon desperately.

“Stop! Get Konie out of there right now! She’ll be eaten!”

“Haha, what are you saying, Luka?”

Kanon tilted her head.

“She’s food. Of course, she’ll be eaten.”

“…No. No, this can’t be…”

Luka muttered incoherently, then clung to the barrier, shouting.

“Miyume! No! That’s the real Konie! Please, recognize her!”

“It’s useless. In her state, she won’t notice. And right now, to Miyume-chan, Konie must look like the most exquisite prey.”

“Kanon… have you truly lost your mind…?”

“Huh? What are you talking about, Luka? Did I do something wrong?”

With an innocent tilt of her head, Kanon’s words pierced Luka’s heart.

(We were already doomed.)

The Ruruika that was created is restrained by Divided Death Must Die.

When Luka looks at Kanon, she sees Kanon staring back at her with amusement.

The eyes she once thought were pure were nothing but empty voids.

“Stop! Miyume!”
“It’s fine. That child can only eat two people.”

Luka stopped trying to understand Kanon’s words.

The only thought driving her was that she had to put an end to this fight.

(If I use converging bombardment, maybe—)

She turns to look at Toa.

However, as if her thoughts had been anticipated, Divided Death Must Die flutters around Toa.

The butterflies silently warn that the slightest movement would mean death, making Luka realize their helplessness.

Everything was too late.

“Miyume, stop! Run, Konie!”

The desperate cry does not reach her.

Miyume lets out a beastly growl and faces forward.

With the finest prey before her, she drools, opens her maw wide, and charges.

Sharp claws slash down toward Konie.

“—How foolish.”

An arm slicing through the air comes to a sudden halt.

Before they knew it, the girl was there.

“This is utterly foolish.”

Her voice carries disappointment and exasperation.

For the first time, Kanon’s smile vanishes, and her face twists.

“…Sorciera.”
“We meet again, Doctor.”

Sorciera turns her cold gaze on Kanon, then grabs Miyume’s arm and hurls her away.

She erects a barrier around Konie, shielding her while facing Miyume.

“Would you mind not interfering?”

At Kanon’s words, Sorciera smirks faintly.

“Heh, I owe you a debt. I should repay it.”

A magic circle unfolds before the smiling Sorciera.

Luka immediately notices—

It’s a new magic formula, unlike anything she has ever seen.

(What is that…!?)

From the magic circle, a jade-colored scythe materializes.

Sorciera takes it in hand, gracefully raising it into a poised stance.

“Well then, Miyume—shall we dance?”

Sorciera’s jade eyes lock onto Miyume.