“Aah, she disappeared… She really disappeared? She’s really gone? It’s not like she turned invisible to catch us off guard or anything, right?”

“Don’t lump me in with you, Ryuuko.”

After Sorciera disappeared, Ryuuko wiped the sweat from her forehead and sank into her chair.

Having witnessed the Scholar’s death, Ryuuko was the only one who had been genuinely terrified of Sorciera.

That’s why, even against a fake, she had gone all out with stealth, full-force status ailments, and total elimination. Still, Ryuuko herself just called it a graceful assassination technique.

“Whew, well then, shall we resume the meeting? President Daiya, please continue… President Daiya?”

Looking over, Daiya was staring blankly at the spot where Sorciera had vanished.

She had a dazed expression, as if feverish.

And then—

“—She was so very royal.”

“Huh?”

“That person, she was just so royal! Does anyone know her contact information!? I must become her friend—”

“President Daiya, we’re in front of everyone here.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll invite you to hang out too, Ryuuko.”

“Please don’t… No, I’m not just being polite. I’m genuinely refusing.”

In Ryuuko’s mind, Sorciera had become a walking death.

There’s no way an ordinary schoolgirl could understand the inner workings of someone who evoked the stillness of a quiet night.

If one did understand her… they might end up a broken shell of a person.

However, the other S-Ranks were different.

No one else present was afraid of Sorciera.

“U-Um… You guys aren’t scared? I thought she was pretty terrifying…”

“Really? To me, she just seems like a perfect playmate.”

Rokuhara, who had once fought Sorciera in earnest, probably understood her more than anyone else.

Their “conversation” had been conducted not with words, but through mutual killing intent and fatal techniques.

It had formed a unique relationship between Sorciera and Rokuhara.

“I-I think she’s scary!”

“Right?! I’m so glad there’s someone sane here…!”

Ryuuko and the tearful Eina held hands and nodded in agreement.

Seeing that, Mizuhi raised her hand and spoke hesitantly.

“Well, I think Sorciera’s a good person. At the very least, she’s helped me many times. I’m sure deep down, she’s a kind-hearted girl.”

“Kind… wait, Sorciera is kind?”

Faced with Mizuhi’s gentle smile, Ryuuko couldn’t bring herself to speak.

The Sorciera who had shown hallucinations to the Scholar and slowly murdered her from the inside out—she couldn’t say it.

It felt a lot like keeping the truth about Santa Claus a secret from a child.

“I’d like to thank her properly someday. I wonder if she’d come if I invited her to Fectom General Academy?”

(Wouldn’t that just end in disaster…?)

Ryuuko turned pale as her imagination ran wild with worst-case scenarios.

Rokuhara, the only S-Rank present who knew Sorciera’s true identity, didn’t reply.

Maybe he just wasn’t interested.

“—I’ve finished eating…”

“Ah, Tatari-chan, I’ve got some snacks. And if you want something to drink, I’ll make you some soup.”

With that, Ryuuko pulled a thermos, soup set, and snacks out from her Expansion Zone.

That complete switch in demeanor from someone who had just been trembling in fear made everyone think the same thing.

—What’s with this girl?

No matter how scared she got, or how difficult things became, she remained the same.

Never succumbing to madness, always just an average girl.

Ryuuko remained, steadfastly, an ordinary girl.

“…As I thought, Ryuuko is S-Rank too.”

“Eh, hahaha. Oh, no, that’s really not true~! Ah, would you like some soup too, President Daiya?”

“I’ve had enough of that already.”

Part of the student council’s warehouse was filled with surplus stock of Ryuuko’s self-produced goods.

Daiya had been consuming Ryuuko’s soup for about six months now, and she was honestly sick of it.

The annoyingly smug smile of Ryuuko on the packaging didn’t help either.

Still, she tolerated Ryuuko’s antics only to eventually appoint her as Student Council President.

“Ryuuko Watarai, you truly are worthy of being student council president. Why not take this opportunity to stand at the top of this academy?”

“No way. I really can’t do stuff like that… Ah, Eina-chan, want some too?”

“I want some~”

“Don’t eat that. Late-night snacks are bad for you. I’ll eat it in the morning, so hand over the whole bag.”

Trying to monitor Eina’s health as best he could, Rokuhara took part of the soup and tossed it into his Expansion Zone.

Seeing this, Eina let out a sad little “Ah…” but he paid it no mind.

Rokuhara looked over at Ryuuko and spoke.

“Not that it’s my place to say, but… maybe it’s time you seriously thought about becoming the student council president?”

“Hah? I’m telling you, I seriously don’t want to.”

While making more soup, Ryuuko answered with a half-angry tone.

The luxurious conference room was gradually being filled with the smell of soup.

“There’s no way I could be student council president. Don’t underestimate someone who came dead last in the popularity poll… Ugh, saying it out loud just made me sad.”

“Th-That’s just because the Chroma students are… a little twisted. They love you too much, maybe?”

“It’s fine, President Daiya… Trying to console me only makes it hurt more. Besides, even if I became president, no one would respect me, and I can’t even use Sanctuary properly…”

Ryuuko was an ordinary schoolgirl.

Which meant she sulked like one, and could be a pain to deal with like one.

Knowing that, Daiya stayed quiet, understanding that she’d just have to wait until sweets brought Ryuuko back around.

No matter how sincerely Daiya tried to convince her, Ryuuko would dodge and deflect with her ordinariness.

That was Ryuuko’s clear way of saying “no.”

Still, Daiya couldn’t stop trying.

Because from the bottom of her heart, she genuinely respected Ryuuko.

“…This academy’s a real pain too, huh.”

Rokuhara, having picked up on the situation, could only offer a look of sympathy to Daiya.

■

Ryuuko-chan’s trying to dodge the student council thing, but she totally becomes the president of Chroma (spoilers)

If we’re going by the original story, by the time of the final battle, you’re already president.

Congrats, Ryuuko-chan!

『My Lord, wouldn’t it have been better to just join the meeting rather than eavesdrop like this?』

『It’s fine ‘cause I’m being mysterious while eavesdropping＾＾』

『There is nothing fine about that.』

As long as it’s mysterious, it’s fine.

Right now, I’m playing the role of a mysterious beauty gazing down at the city, bathed in the night breeze.

I don’t have time to join the meeting.

『I have no idea what you’re talking about.』

You’ll understand… with your soul someday.

Actually, I have a question—what even is Sanctuary?

I don’t remember seeing Ryuuko-chan ever using it in the original story.

『Apologies, My Lord. I don’t know either.』

If that were a real setting, it should’ve shown up in the original.

Is Sanctuary a thing? Like, an object? A phenomenon?

『It’s a phenomenon. It’s a special magical formula applied throughout the entire district. The student council president and general students form a contract through that magical formula, and together they create the phenomenon. It’s similar to our Twin-Star Form. That generates magic power. Sanctuary, on the other hand, seems to create various effects based on mutual trust. Fascinating, isn’t it?』

Starreader’s Staff…!

How reliable you are. I forgot you were actually an intelligent device!

『It’s all written in the pamphlet. Even kids know this stuff.』

Then that makes me and Angel-kun look dumb by comparison!

『I can’t generate a physical form without permission, so I can’t read the pamphlet. I am not dumb.』

Was that a roundabout way of calling me dumb?

『Ignorance is nothing to be ashamed of, My Lord.』

『Even dumb Sorciera has her fans＾＾』

You totally called me dumb just now!?

『I kind of want to see a Sorciera who does dumb stuff with a cool face. Like tripping over steps, or wearing lame T-shirts as casual wear. A good-looking dumb girl isn’t a bad thing.』

That kind of out-of-character stuff belongs in fanfics!

Sorciera isn’t allowed to be ignorant!

Let’s study up on Sanctuary!

『In that case, there’s a good spot nearby. There’s a tower managing the Sanctuary magic formula a short distance from here. It’s open to the public, and has exhibits on the Sanctuaries of past presidents. Want to go?』

Historic Sanctuaries…!

Cool! Let’s go!

『Hahaha, don’t get too excited and trip, My Lord.』

Don’t treat me like a child.

Starreader’s Staff, guide the way.

『Just head straight into this teleportation circle.』

A teleportation circle appeared before me.

This was way beyond just “guiding.”

『Come, let’s go. It may be closed at this hour, but that doesn’t matter to a mysterious beauty＾＾』

I stepped into the teleportation circle.

Alright, to the Sanctuary Wonder Hall we go.

『Wait, that place manages the actual magical formula… it’s important!』

『Is it really okay to sneak in at night?』

『It’ll be fine. No one’s watching anyway.』

Exactly.

I’m a mysterious beauty—trespassing is par for the course.

“This is… the Sanctuary Tower. So that’s how it is.”

I said something vaguely cool-sounding as I stepped inside.

The interior was huge, resembling a museum filled with numerous exhibits.

And in the center stood a massive crystal pillar that reached toward the heavens.

That… looked like something important.

『A wild guess, but you’re right. That’s the computation device for the Sanctuary system, created by the very first Sanctuary user.』

Wow, it’s beautiful…

『You sound like a little girl.』

『A little girl!? So you really are a little girl!?』

I ignored them both and reached for the crystal.

That’s when—

“Hey there, young lady. Out alone this late at night?”

A clear, dignified, and beautiful voice.

Turning around, I saw a crimson-haired beauty standing there.

Who??????

『Mitsuka Nei, a teacher at this academy and a famous actress. Every stage she stars in sells out immediately. Incredibly popular—says so in the pamphlet.』

Thank you, pamphlet!

Still… this situation’s not great, is it?

『Not great at all.』

『Definitely not great.』

Right now, with all the fakes of Sorciera running around, I must be nothing but trouble from their perspective.

No choice. Before she takes action, I’ll switch to Plan B.

『What’s Plan B?』

『Mysteriously dodging the issue with vague statements＾＾』

『Haven’t you been on Plan B this whole time?』

Shut up.

Let’s get started.

『Might as well activate the Mystic Eye.』

『That’s not something you “just activate,” you know!』

With unnecessary geometric patterns in my right eye, I readied my scythe.

Then tilted my head and said—

“Oh my, is that a dance invitation?”