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Published at 16th of February 2020 09:05:41 AM
Chapter 3
Chapter 3      Lu Zhixin’s intention
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Moroha woke up from a dreamless sleep as if drifting in deep darkness.

He slowly opened his eyelids, the same darkness was there.

There was a small window, and what he saw through it was a landscape that looked like it was painted completely black.

(Is it… night already…?)

His vague consciousness gradually became clear.

The feeling of a hard mat and slight tremors on his back.

What he heard was an engine sound.

He recognized the sensorial information one by one and understood he was in a car now.

He slowly got up from the back seat he was lying down.

– Oh. Haimursama, you woke up early.

Then he heard the arrogant-like voice of Zhixin.

With it, his consciousness woke up completely.

He remembered.

Right after he was taken to the main office, he suddenly received Saturn from this guy, making him faint.

There was no way for Moroha, who had his prana blocked by the bracelet, to put resistance.

(Dammit…)

He guessed the situation now completely awake.

Zhixin was in the passenger seat and Takanashi Kyouko in the driver’s seat, only these three people were in the car.

His garments were the same as when he fought the human-type metaphysical. The sleeves weren’t there anymore and had burn holes everywhere.

He felt around his pocket, his mobile telephone was still there.

He checked the calendar to verify the date hadn’t changed yet.

The time was「18:46」. Because it was October, he realized this was the time when the sun was setting.

He was out of mobile phone signal, both phone calls and emails weren’t usable.

GPS function wasn’t working either.

He looked forward, he could see that they were going at full speed on the public road in the mountains, it looked like signal didn’t get through at all when being this deep in the mountains.

Where on earth was he now?

Road information with place names written on them flowed every here and then, but this was an unknown place.

– It will take a little more until we arrive. You can keep resting at ease, you know?

– … Arrive? Where?

His eyes met with Zhixin’s eyes through the rearview mirror.

– The mansion of “the witch of the prison”.

Zhixin answered like it was nothing.

A name he hadn’t heard before. Above all, it had a sinister sound.

– To speak frankly, it is a prison.

Kyouko took over the explanation.

She separated her left hand from the steering wheel, took out a key, showed it to him and turned it like a toy.

It was a marvelous key, similar to a seven-colored shining crystal.

– Moreover, it’s a special prison, one can never enter or leave without using this key.

She uttered disquieting words, like she was truly enjoying it.

– … What happened to the interrogation?

– There’s no need for that, we discussed that we will throw you in the mansion.

– … What about the 『I don’t feel like anything bad』?

Moroha complained, but Kyouko gave the key to Zhixin without caring about him.

– You had the intention of locking me up in that witch’s mansion… from the beginning, huh?

Moroha glared at them with a severe gaze.

Zhixin replied.

– You see, this method is faster than doing an interrogation that will take who knows how much time to end, don’t you agree?

– … Are you just putting a lid on what stinks?

His simplicity also had a limit.

–  Do you really think that you’ll get rid of the source of the metaphysical problem with such a sloppy way of doing things?

– Is Haimursama trying to say that he is not the『source』? What a meticulous acting.

As Zhixin acted surprised with a tone of voice that one didn’t know whether he was joking or being serious,

– Well, in all honesty, I am not really doing this to exterminate the metaphysicals.

– … What?

These were unbecoming words for a person standing in the White Knight Organization.

However, Zhixin said shamelessly.

– My goal is to become an immortal mountain wizard.

– Excuse me?

Moroha fixedly stared at Zhixin as if looking at an eccentric.

– I am not doing anything that dubious. In fact, my fatherly master is an immortal mountain wizard.

– ──Although you might say so, your “immortal mountain wizard” is kind of different from the ones that appear in fiction.

Kyouko interrupted while driving.

– Experienced people who also have a huge amount of mana and prana don’t age too much, do they?

– That’s what I’ve heard.

Moroha knew this because he saw it in the dreams of his past lives.

For example, Flaga, who should have been 30 years old when he brought the Empire to extinction, and his younger sister Sarasha had a young-looking outward appearance, they didn’t seem to be over 20 years old.

– The old man, the Chinese Division Head, investigated perpetual youth and longevity thoroughly with a special training method. He has lived for hundreds of years.

– … He’s an immortal mountain wizard?

He was surprised to hear about an authentic magic association very recently.

Moreover, it probably wasn’t that strange that even “immortal mountain wizard” was brought up.

Moroha turned around to Zhixin through the rearview mirror,

– That means that you want to live longer?

– I said it, didn’t I? I am a coward. I fear death more than anything else. Such terrible feeling, having it once in my previous life is enough.

Zhixin turned his neck to the left and right like he was bored.

These words that remained with him carried the truth of the man who sounded shady no matter what he said.

(… “Having it once in my previous life is enough”… huh…)

He hadn’t heard too much about having memories when one had died in one’s previous life.

Needless to say that Moroha, whose memories were extremely scattered, had no people around him.


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Though he heard a theory that said that his memories were so terrible he was unconsciously blocking them.

In the middle of that, Zhixin, who said he had such terrible memories, may be special among the Saviors.

– You came to understand?

Zhixin continued speaking with a triumphant expression.

He once again returned to a tone of voice one didn’t know whether he was joking or being serious.

– I am exterminating metaphysicals and looking for their identity, but not in a sense of justice. These are solely the instructions of Xuhu. This is common in third-rate plays, yes? A whimsical master faces his apprentice and thrusts an unreasonable demand at him, calling it a “trial”. That is exactly what it is. The one who will be made to be the protagonist will not bear it.

He pretended to fervently play on his sympathies with exaggerated gestures.

– But I cannot disobey Xuhu. I will be excommunicated and my path to become an immortal mountain wizard will come to an end.

He was enthusiastic about perpetual youth and longevity training.

The extermination of metaphysical and so on came in second place.

That was why he wasn’t serious about it and didn’t care about being sloppy.

At any rate, there was no doubt that even now he was convinced of something like this「If Moroha is imprisoned and the metaphysicals don’t appear anymore, it will be a nice finding indeed」.

What a nuisance to other people!

His position was a Six Heads Representative, but he was an outrageous guy on par with Edward, Vasilisa or Charles.

– I will tell you this from the bottom of my heart, Haimursama. May I recommend you to call that human-type metaphysical and escape before you are imprisoned in the mansion of “the witch of the prison”?

– … I would have done so long ago if I could.

– I see that Haimursama is also an obstinate person. If that thin patience wears off and you show your true character, even an endless whack-mole game will finally see the end, and the day when I can devote myself to training will be near.

– Metaphysicals are now moles or something? You’re taking it too lightly.

Disconcerted, Moroha shut his eyes.

Supposing Zhixin were to seriously suspect of Moroha, even Moroha would earnestly fight for his innocence.

If he had gone through a proper and serious interrogation, they would have jabbed at each other for several tens of hours.

(This guy is hopeless)

But he was being so ridiculous that he couldn’t bring himself to talk to this man anymore.

– ──grief. You really are all the same.

Moroha was very sorry for them and put his tightly grasped fists on the seat.

Amazement and anger whirled in his chest, he couldn’t restrain these unbearable feelings. When Moroha kept silent, the conversation completely died.

Kyouko just kept driving in silence.

The car was travelling deeper in the mountains.

There were no cars following behind them anymore, and this was nearly the same for the oncoming cars.

There were no street lights, the outside of the car was completely covered in an uncomfortable darkness.

They cut off the darkness with the lights.

They stuck to the public road, zigzagging among the mountains as if winding.

In an era when most of the country was untouched, pre-modern people feared sanctuaries, or rather, “evil areas”, which were straight roads to parts where they never tried to trespass.

And──

– We’ve arrived.

Kyouko slowly parked the car on the shoulder of the road.

When Moroha got out the car, a piercing-like cold wind blew fiercely.

The air deep in the mountains on an October night was bleak.

Without being able to endure it with Naikatsutsuu, he grimaced and withstood it somehow with willpower.

In front of him, a steep mountain’s surface stood towering over the surroundings like a wall and a stone stairway extended on it as if it were sewn to it.

An irregular and crooked stairway forcibly made by collecting uneven stones.

– This way, Haimursama.

Zhixin headed first and easily started going up the stairway.

A thin jade-like dark green prana covered his whole body.

Only he could shrewdly endure the coldness with Naikatsutsuu.

Moroha followed him as he clicked his tongue and Kyouko was behind him, at the end of the line.

Since the footing was bad and the moonlight was unreliable by itself, he went up carefully step by step.

Not being able to use Clairvoyance was tough.

Luckily, the stone stairway wasn’t that long, they rapidly ascended the mountain’s surface and finally reached a flat place.

Trees were cleared just there to have a small open space.

The air of the quiet and completely silent mountain became more and more prominent.

He strained his eyes and saw the shadow of a large building-like thing deep in the open area.

Zhixin approached it with light steps and Moroha followed him.

When he got close to it, he could see the whole thing even with just the moonlight.

It was an uncanny Western-style mansion densely covered with ivies.

Anyhow, there was nothing that looked like a doorway.

That in itself produced a bizarre atmosphere.

Windows were lined up on both the first and second floors, but the inside couldn’t be seen at all as if they were painted over.

Furthermore, the mansion itself emitted a weak mana that resembled a black fog.

– This is a building-type golem created in the past by “the witch of the prison”.

– ! A golem!?

It was no wonder that the mansion itself wore mana.

– It does seem that the inside of the mansion is another dimension, maintaining this barrier. It does not work on its own, but it should be comfortable to live in there.

– What about the food?

– I believe a lot of it is stockpiled inside. I have heard that there is also a once-year replenishment, in that case there is no need to worry.

Just like an unscrupulous door-to-door salesman, Zhixin said shallow words like「Comfortable to live in」and「no need to worry」.

– Haimurkun is in a state he can’t use Naikatsutsuu, it will be pretty bad for him if we let him stand outside forever.

Kyouko said something really considerate.

– My apologies. Please pardon me.

Zhixin folded his arms as he gave a fake apology.

Then took out the crystal key from the sleeve of the doufuku.

As he observed how to use it since there was no doorway,

– I will open it now──

Zhixin inserted the key into the empty sky as if there were an invisible keyhole right there.

The tip of the key was turned towards the center of the mansion and the key itself faintly started emitting rainbow-colored lights.

– ──《Liberation》.

Zhixin slowly turned the key as he recited something.

Then a part of the wall of the mansion began to shine fleetingly.

Not-so-dazzling but complex and fantastic lights similar to a kaleidoscope transformed into a magic circle with a size around the same as a double gate.

Virtually, the magic door seemed to perform the function of a doorway.

Moroha felt it resembled Mari’s 〈Transportal〉.


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– You can get in, but you cannot leave.

Zhixin expressly explained such a thing as if warning him.

Moroha pretended to not notice his intention and asked to make fun of him.

– What should I do when I want to leave?

– May I recommend you to use the metaphysicals to destroy the mansion from outside?

Zhixin threw a snide comment, pretending to not notice Moroha’s teasing.

– You’ve got me there.

Moroha shrugged his shoulders.

And──

– Shall we go then?

Kyouko grabbed his shoulder from behind.

– H-hey.

Without time to protest, the body of Moroha revolved in the air.

He was easily tossed with Strength.

His feet, wrapped in a floating sensation, scratched the air.

The shining magic circle rapidly approached him until it was before his eyes.

– Oh crap.

He clicked his tongue and just prepared himself for the worst.

He couldn’t help but kick and struggle.

Moroha, who performed an ukemi and calmly adopted a posture, jumped into the magic circle──

 

 

After Moroha was thrown into the magic circle, Zhixin recited as he inserted the key into the empty sky.

– Kinkoji.

He only called the name of the treasured bracelet put on Moroha’s arm, making it be ejected from the magic circle.

Zhixin, who caught it in the air, smiled in satisfaction.

He was explained that if he used this key and called its name, he could take the thing he liked the most out of the mansion, but actually trying it was interesting.

However, it had served its purpose. He turned the key inserted into the empty sky and closed the magic circle that replaced a doorway.

– Farewell, Haimursama. Please enjoy a life in prison to the fullest.

He faced the mansion of “the witch of the prison” whose entrance had disappeared and folded his arms with hypocritical courtesy.

– Case closed.

Kyouko stretched as if feeling relieved of her burden.

Then she turned her hand to Zhixin.

– Chinese Division Deputy-dono. I ask you to return the key I entrusted you with.

She said, being theatrical.

Zhixin also replied being theatrical.

– I understand. It would be serious if there were valuable items to take care of.

He presented the key as he smiled,

– ──Oops, it slipped out of my hands.

Then immediately crushed it with his hands in front of Kyouko.

He completely pulverized it using Strength.

– Well, this is terrible. What an accident.

– Oh no, I of all people. In what way should I apologize?

– It can’t be helped. I will deal with it on my own.

– You have my utmost gratitude.

The two of them stiffly laughed together as they exchanged shameless words.

There was no way that wasn’t strange.

If she had returned the key to the Japanese Division then placed in a regular storage area, there was a possibility that it could be stealthily stolen by those who planned Moroha’s rescue──

That now fell apart.

 

 

 

 

 

 

His body stiffened the moment he went through the magic circle.

Moroha felt a discomfort as if his whole body didn’t listen to what he said and his consciousness became shallow.

He performed an ukemi with great trouble and adopted a posture, but it was all for naught, he crashed onto the hardwood floor.

Without the momentum stopping right away, he bounced on the floor as he made loud noises, hitting all in his path and finally collapsed in a 大 shape.

– That hurt…. Violence has a limit, you know?

Moroha noticed he already could move his body as he cursed.

He checked and touched his whole body, but he didn’t find any abnormalities except for the pain from the fall just now.

He merely heard that the inside of the mansion was another dimension, but he felt drowsy and dizzy just like when he entered Maya’s barrier.

One more thing, the cause was unknown for him, but the bracelet was gone, he was lucky that he could take out both prana and mana now.

Anyhow, he went through the magic circle and now he was in the mansion of “the witch of the prison”.

He looked around while standing up slowly.

The inside was dim, there was nothing resembling electric lights, just chandelier-like toudai――that lighted fire with oil without using candles――hanging from everywhere.

*TN: Toudai are old-fashioned interior light fixture comprising a wooden pole with an oil-filled dish and a wick atop it. The other translation is lighthouse but that wouldn’t fit here.

He looked around the entrance, a hall with a high ceiling construction was there.

There were stairs to the left and right, leading to the balcony-shaped second floor.

There was a door to the back right under the balcony.

Both on the first and second floor, the corridors that extended to the back were bilaterally symmetrical.

A very safe construction for an entrance of a Western-style mansion.

The only unusual thing was that there was no entrance door even if he looked back.

Moroha suddenly felt curious about it and tried to peek outside through a nearby window.

Then he could see the scenery from this side as usual.

He could indistinctly hear even the voices of Zhixin and Kyouko who seemed to be delighted for some reason.

He called them out in a loud voice, but they didn’t hear him.

In other words, light and sound went from inside to outside, as if it were a “one-way-street”.

He felt even more curious and hit the window with all his strength.

He made his right fist be clad in prana and hit it hard, but it didn’t give an inch.

The struck part was simply covered with a faint luster; it didn’t make a striking sound.

The feeling was different from hitting glass. It didn’t seem to be something of this world, the problem wasn’t whether it was hard or not, the thing was that the punch was perfectly prevented despite the inexistence of a sensation like when he swung the fist in the air. He felt a physiological discomfort.

Was this the barrier of “the witch of the prison”?

– Should I try a few more times…?

He raised his right arm overhead to give it a try──

 

– Police officer, there’s a burglar here.

 

He heard the sudden voice of a woman, he was startled.

He quickly turned around.

On the balcony of the second floor, someone appeared all of a sudden from the shade of the passage extending to the left side.

He didn’t think there was someone inside, but when he thought about it, this was a prison after all, so it was no wonder that someone might have been thrown before.

Then, was this person also a Savior? Did she commit any crime? Or was she here for being falsely accused?

Moroha took a long hard look at the woman coming down from the balcony and got doubly surprised. An Onee-san who gave a university student vibe. And with black hair and black eyes, she probably was a Japanese.

The woman had a blank facial expression and felt somewhat hard to figure out, but her features were well-proportioned.

She held an old-fashioned broom and threatened Moroha, having it at the ready like a weapon.

For some reason, she was in underwear.

Her rich limbs that drew lascivious curves despite being a short person were poorly hidden with a white bra, panties and garter belt.

Why did she come out looking like that?

Moroha was dumbfounded for a short while but came to his senses and turned his eyes away.

Honestly, he was troubled, he didn’t know where to look at.

– I’m sorry for suddenly coming, but why don’t you put on clothes?

– Police officer, he’s a peeping tom on top of a burglar.

– I’m neither a burglar nor a peeping tom. I’m really not.

– But you were trying to break the window just now.

– I just wanted to try if I could get out. In any case, if I were a burglar, I would break the window from outside, don’t you think?

– Then you’re a peeping tom.

– I’m striving to not look at you, alright?

– I prefer you to look at me, it gets me excited.

– Aren’t you the criminal here?

He used a polite language because she seemed to be older, but he didn’t hesitate to make a retort outspokenly.

And as he retorted, the woman approached until she was right in front of him.

Who was she?

He wanted to observe her well but he couldn’t look her in the eyes; a dilemma for sure.

He thought “Do I ask her straightforward?” but he thought it would be courteous of him to introduce himself first.

– I’m Haimura Moroha. A first-year student at Akane Academy. You may not believe me, but even though I haven’t done anything, I was brought here by that bastard Zhixin.

– That’s tragic. I feel bad for you.

She lowered the broom she was holding.

– … Surprisingly, you believed me that easily?

– Lu Zhixin is a very detestable man. He does that sort of things without batting an eyelid.

To think he would get sympathy in a place like this.

Moroha ended up smiling wryly.

At the same time, he was more and more bothered about Zhixin who was the Chinese Division Deputy and this woman who seemed to be his acquaintance.

– May I ask who are you?

– My name is Nelly. I’m the manager of the mansion.

The woman replied plainly.

– Oh, you’re a foreigner.

– My real name is Shirou Usako.

Where did Nelly come out from?

– I, I see. Your real name is cute. Isn’t it a waste to not use it?

– It’s more in the『sly』territory rather than in the『cute』one. It embarrasses me so I don’t want to use it.

– Is-is that so? Then I’ll call you Nelly-san.

– Can I call you『Haimoro』?

– …..

– 『Haimura Moroha』becomes『Haimoro』 you see?

– I get that even without an explanation. It just sounds so bad that it left me speechless.

– 『Haimoro』… it’s not pushy, rather, it has a superb cuteness…

– Alright, alright, call me however you want.

– Nelly is happy, moe moe kyun.

– You do like being sly, don’t you!?

Moroha shrunk back because she suddenly clung to his arm.

After all, his sleeves were burned down now, so if the woman in underwear clung to him, her skin would cling directly to his skin.

The warmth of Nelly’s skin touched him directly.

Also, because her breasts were big, a soft seductiveness went beyond the firm bra.

– In other words, is Nelly-san “the witch of the prison”?

Moroha took some distance as he pulled out his arm.

– That is the person who built this mansion. I’m the person who manages the mansion. A different person.

– Okay. So what do you exactly manage?

– The service to those imprisoned in the mansion.

– *Cough*…

– Did you imagine something dirty now?

Moroha coughed powerfully.

– S-stop teasing me, please.

– But I’m not teasing you? If Haimoro wants to do it, we can really do it at any time, you know?

Haimura coughed so much he choked.

– By the way, the way I look right now, this is part of the service.

– You had already taken off your clothes when you branded me as a peeping tom, huh…

– Actually I do like being like this because it’s comfortable.

– You’re too slovenly, I’d say…

– But this is normal for my family in our house. We loiter in our underwear.

– Is there a possibility for a family like that to exist…?

– By the way, my Okasan, eldest Onee-chan and older Onee-chan are beautiful than me.

– ……

– Did you imagine them in your head?

Moroha coughed powerfully again.

– Do you want a photo of all of us gathered?

He coughed so much his lungs hurt.

– Well, we wear clothes when we take pictures though.

– So you do think normally.

It hadn’t been 5 minutes since they met but he was already drenched in sweat.

Akane Academy had many people with strong personalities. Moroha had seen a lot of odd and eccentric people until now, but this was the first time a person got him tired so much.

Despite all that, it wasn’t like he would get to hate her, rather, making her feel he wasn’t against her charm was ill-natured.

– Let’s speak seriously. I welcome the new resident.

Nelly put her broom aside, picked up the hem of an imaginary skirt with one hand and bowed cutely.

– You have to worry about nothing, I will service you everything, from meals to cleaning and washing.

– I feel ashamed being this much indebted to you.

– It is my purpose in life, don’t take it seriously.

Because he was told something like that, he felt shy about rejecting her.

– … Well, I don’t plan to be in this place for too long, but I’ll be under your care.

Moroha bowed his head slightly.

– Haimoro has found the way out?

– I haven’t. But is there really no way to leave? Giving up without trying annoys me so much.

– You’re a tough boy, moe moe kyun.

– Kuh, stop clinging onto me.

He avoided Nelly who tried to cling to his arm again.

She immediately was like this even though she said “let’s talk seriously”.

He couldn’t be too careful of her.

– If you change your mind and you want me to do ecchi service, feel free to say it.

– I don’t feel like doing so, ever…

Moroha refused, being exasperated.

However,

– There is nothing entertaining to do inside the mansion. And I’m very lonely.

Nelly, who had a vague facial expression until now, smiled for the first time.

A devilish, almost startling and charming smile.

– I’m looking forward to Haimoro saying those same words in a year.

Moroha shuddered at those words as he stared at the chuckling face of Nelly.

Even though he wasn’t scared when he was severely threatened by Zhixin and Kyouko who said「It’s a mansion you can never leave」.

She must be hungry for entertainment and the warmth of people──

The prediction of Nelly, which must be erotic, felt like it weighed on his shoulders as a frightening reality.

When he lost his voice for a moment, Nelly went back to her hard-to-read face and began to walk quickly.

– To start with, we have to decide on Haimoro’s room. Then I will give you clothes.

Moroha followed her back.

– While we are at it, if Nelly-san puts on clothes, I won’t be troubled about where to look at.

– You are a shy boy, moe moe kyun.

– Do I have to tell you every single time to not cling onto me?

Moroha retorted, but this time he couldn’t avoid her.

It wasn’t good hearing those words moments ago when she said「I’m very lonely」.

He didn’t know how long Nelly had been living here, but he sympathized with her.

They walked with their arms linked, though he reluctantly accepted.

They went to the corridor beside the stairs.

– There are many empty rooms on the first floor. You can use the ones you like the most as much as you want.

– No, borrowing a single room is enough.

Indulging himself was too much, on the contrary, his mind wouldn’t feel at ease.

– What about the second floor?

– There are almost no rooms above. But my recommendation is the room at the end by going up the stairs on the left.

– Why that one?

– It is my room. I will do a rich service from morning to night.

– What’s at the end of the stairs on the right?

– You coldly ignored me…. I have the feeling that Haimoro’s way to deal with me is very good.

Humans were growing creatures.

– Speaking seriously. I don’t recommend the one at the end of the right.

– Why is that?

He asked and Nelly answered plainly.

Still having the same vague face.

But in a tone that didn’t sound like a joke at all.

 

– Because you will come across a demon.

 

She said deadly serious.

Was that a metaphor or the truth?

In this strange mansion, he felt like there were no limits.

– Understood. I’ll make sure to have nothing to do with it.

Moroha replied that much and set foot into the corridor from the entrance.

He didn’t get it from outside the mansion──at all, but it was an unbelievably──long corridor.

On top of that, it was dark. Nothing but an isolated toudai was there.

He couldn’t see through the back of it at all.

An eerie atmosphere as if the darkness was waiting to swallow him deeply with its big mouth open.

Moroha had to wander in such place until his room was decided.

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