Fiesta for the Observers

by Gakuto Mikumo

  The glasses girl headed toward a rock wall where a small coast guard patrol boat awaited. When she got there, the sailors dutifully attended to her, guiding her onto the boat.

  Yaze’s shoulders slumped in exasperation as he watched the girl go.

  “A cold fish as always… Well, that is part of her charm, I suppose,” he muttered as he shifted his gaze toward Itogami Island once more.

  The silver mist enveloping the man-made island silently covered the moonlight-bathed sea.

  5

  Yukina was still trapped in the birdcage.

  “What do you mean, this world is cursed?” she asked the fire-eyed witch.

  The woman, listening with comfort to the sounds of Itogami Island’s collapse, looked at Yukina with delight as she smiled.

  “Do you not find it…strange, Sword Shaman?”

  Aya Tokoyogi’s monochrome robe fluttered as she turned to the tiny prison she’d constructed.

  “I ask you, do you believe the world to be correct as it is? This world, where vampires and beast men strut about, and humans employ magic without a second…thought?”

  The question made Yukina slightly uneasy. She thought it strange that a witch like Aya Tokoyogi would embrace doubts about her very existence.

  “…There are many mysteries that remain concerning the rules that govern the world, but the fact that magic and demons exist is undeniable. In the first place, this Demon Sanctuary exists to research those mysteries, does it not?”

  “You are a fine pupil, Sword Shaman.”

  There was a faint hint of sarcasm in Aya Tokoyogi’s tone.

  “Do you not question why magic and demons exist, then? A single vampire is granted the power to destroy a giant city—can you really call such an unbalanced state how the world should truly be?”

  “That’s…”

  Yukina’s words caught on her tongue. It was a doubt natural for anyone familiar with the menace of a primogenitor to hold. Why were they, and they alone, granted such titanic might—?

  The fire-eyed witch shifted her gaze outside the window. From the side, her face brimmed with great intellect, not at all the image Yukina had of an inhumane sorcerous criminal.

  “I have always believed that magic and demons are not things that should exist except in human imagination. I believe that the only proper world is one where they do not exist.”

  Yukina glared at the witch. “And yet supernatural powers do exist. Even if that is some kind of mistake…”

  The corners of Aya’s lips rose into a smile. “Indeed. Therefore, as I have stated, this world is cursed.”

  “Perhaps you are correct. However, this is the world humanity has lived in for thousands of years.”

  Upon hearing Yukina’s words, the fire-eyed witch inclined her head, demeanor serious.

  “For thousands of…years. Is that truly so?”

  “What do you mean by that?”

  “Are you familiar with the so-called five-minute hypothesis?”

  Yukina shook her head. Those were strange words, ones she had never heard in her life.

  Casually, without a hint of mockery, the woman went on to explain: “The hypothesis states that the world, as it now exists, came into being a mere five minutes ago and never existed previously; that someone created human memory, history, records of the past, buildings—everything—but five short minutes ago.”

  Yukina mixed in a sigh as she retorted, “…Then it’s only a hypothesis…a thought experiment that can be neither proven nor disproven.”

  She could not scientifically refute the hypothesis. However, at the same time, there was no way to prove it was the truth, either. She did not think it bore any meaning beyond a philosophical exercise.

  However, Aya gave her an amused smile, as if she’d expected that rebuttal.

  “Certainly, it is a hypothesis. However, there is a way to prove it. Surely the fact that I am recreating the world as I desire establishes beyond a doubt that it is possible?”

  Yukina’s cheeks went pale.

  “You don’t mean…you’re using the Black Bible to…?!”

  “I am,” the fire-eyed witch declared without hesitation. “My rewriting of the world according to my desires is an experiment for that very purpose.”

  The young woman’s shoulders shook as a chill shot up her spine.

  Erasing all supernatural power was not the objective of Aya Tokoyogi, the Witch of the Notaria.

  Her objective was to rewrite the very world into the shape she believed to be correct.

  “Why subject Itogami Island to such a dangerous experiment…?!”

  Aya’s response was to explain the matter as if she found it a trifling one. “This is a Demon Sanctuary—a man-made island that would not even exist without magic. In other words, it is a symbol of the mad world. Surely there is no more suitable stage?”

  Her expression seemed to say, Why ask me something so perfectly obvious?

  Yukina glared at her with pent-up rage.

  “And you would kill hundreds of thousands of people for the sake of that?”

  “It is what they deserve for mocking us witches as abominations and using us as they…please!” the fire-eyed witch shouted with sudden vehemence.

  It was the first time Yukina had seen emotion in those red eyes.

  “That is how you see me, is it not, Sword Shaman? Do you even comprehend how they have treated my friend, Natsuki Minamiya…!”

  “Aya Tokoyogi…you…”

  Yukina looked at Aya, her breath ragged from irrepressible hatred, in bewilderment.

  Aya had not killed Natsuki during the fight at the prison barrier. Though she’d stolen Natsuki’s memories, she’d made no sign of pursuing Natsuki when she fled to safety. Even now, with Natsuki captured in the form of the powerless Sana, Aya had left her alone.

  Perhaps Aya Tokoyogi had not wanted to fight Natsuki until the very end. Perhaps, even while held in the prison barrier, she’d been concerned for Natsuki, left behind all alone.

  Perhaps, to Aya, Natsuki truly was a friend.

  Somehow calming her breathing, Aya returned to her original, composed tone of voice and spoke.

  “The Black Bible required the ley line spiritual energy that flows into this Demon Sanctuary and borrows the power of the stars. I remained in obscurity these past ten years to await the proper alignment of the stars. When this night ends, and the Hollow Eve Festival with it, my world shall cease to be.”

  This was unexpectedly useful information to Yukina and her allies. When morning came and the heavenly bodies shifted, the Black Bible would cease to function. However, she didn’t think Kojou, gravely wounded and without his vampiric powers, could last that long. For that matter, she didn’t know if Itogami Island, in the process of collapse, could hold out, either.

  “Of course, this island should sink into the sea before then. Experimental results of at least such a scale are necessary to prove that my hypothesis is indeed correct.”

  “Ugh,” Yukina groaned as she clutched her spear. However, trapped in the birdcage as she was, the Sword Shaman had no way to stop Aya.

  Watching Yukina poise her spear, the fire-eyed witch suddenly altered her tone.

  “That spear…the Schneewaltzer, is said to…nullify magical power and rend through any barrier. But is that the truth?”

  Yukina gave her a thorny look, taking this as a slight against her beloved weapon.

  “…What are you talking about?”

  “Rather than nullify magic, might it not return the world to its proper form?” Aya stated with an air of composure. “I do not believe the might to nullify even a primogenitor’s abilities can be explained in any other fashion.”

  Her fiery eyes gazed upon Yukina with careful scrutiny.

  “If that is so,” Aya continued, “who are you, who can wield it at will? Are you truly a human of this world?”

  “Is wild speculation like that the reason you brought me here?” Yukina replied, though her voice wa
s far calmer than she felt.

  She’d been wondering the whole time why she’d been abducted; she finally had the answer to that riddle. Aya Tokoyogi was interested in her, the wielder of the Schneewaltzer. Now that she thought about it, the witch had shown interest in Yukina’s spear even during their first encounter at the prison barrier.

  “Speculation, you say?” Aya mocked. “Tell me, then, why you alone have escaped the effect of the Black Bible and are still able to employ ritual magic?”

  Yukina was shocked into silence.

  Her doubts grew ever so slightly. Perhaps what the fire-eyed witch had said—about her and about the world—was the truth…?

  Yukina’s voice turned hard.

  “So…you are saying that this world’s current state was created by someone?”

  “I am. Though I would argue that a more proper term would be…‘cursed.’”

  “Then who did such a thing?”

  “I know not.” Aya bluntly shook her head. “Perhaps a being that can create worlds in his own image should be called God, but in this case, it’s surely nothing so enlightened.”

  It was then that she seemed to remember something and smiled pleasantly at Yukina.

  “It is said that vampire primogenitors were born by being cursed by the gods themselves.”

  “What of it…?”

  “If that is so, who or what is the fourth of the primogenitors, a being that ought not exist in this world…? By whose will does such a being exist? Perhaps understanding that might shed light upon the secrets of this w—”

  Aya’s soliloquy broke off. She looked outside in clear surprise.

  Yukina, too, realized why Aya was in shock.

  “…This magical energy?!”

  The very air inside the school shuddered from a surge of incredibly dense magical power—air governed by Aya’s world.

  “Insanity,” spat Aya as she teleported to the schoolyard, with the birdcage holding Yukina in tow.

  A silver mist had the campus completely surrounded.

  Dense mist obstructed their view; they could see nothing beyond it whatsoever. No, that wasn’t it—the city itself had turned to mist.

  With her Spirit Sight, Yukina’s eyes made out the contours of a monster lurking in the center of the fog.

  It was a ghostlike shelled beast without physical form. The mist was a vampire’s Beast Vassal—a Beast Vassal of mist, wrapping itself around the entire island.

  The Demon Sanctuary only contained a single being served by Beast Vassals of such a scale.

  Obstructed by invisible walls, the particulate cloud had not yet entered the school grounds. The wards Aya had deployed were blocking its entry.

  However, a crack suddenly ran down the thick wall. The barrier and the very space it occupied were being ripped apart as someone invaded Aya Tokoyogi’s world.

  “C’mon over, Beast Vassal Number Three, Al-Meissa Mercury!”

  It was the dimension eater, the being that consumed space itself. Employing the quicksilver-colored two-headed dragon and himself wearing a bloodstained parka, the World’s Mightiest Vampire breached the walls around the school—

  Kojou Akatsuki, the Fourth Primogenitor.

  6

  The giant silver dragon with two heads bit apart the birdcages holding Yukina and Sana.

  Yukina desperately fended off the remainder of the attack with her spear. She was grateful that the barrage had shattered her cage, but it was undoubtedly excessive.

  “Sen…pai…!”

  Yukina’s mutter had more of a hint of reproach than relief. That Beast Vassal, able to erase space belonging to any dimension, was one of the worst in the Fourth Primogenitor’s repertoire. It wasn’t the sort of thing you let loose willy-nilly.

  Unsurprisingly, even Kojou recalled the danger it posed to them and quickly dematerialized the Beast Vassal. The dragon gradually vanished as it made a roar of displeasure, as if saying it had not yet had its fill.

  Aya Tokoyogi’s fiery eyes narrowed and glared hatefully at Kojou.

  “How dare you consume my wards and invade the core of my world? So this is how it feels to have one’s own bedroom trodden…upon.”

  Kojou turned to face her gaze head-on and smiled fearlessly, his white fangs bared.

  “Just so you know, this is our school. From our point of view, Aya Tokoyogi, you’re the trespasser.”

  “…Nn!”

  Kojou’s words had shaken Aya slightly. It had been ten years since she and Natsuki had last exchanged words at this very school, but perhaps it hadn’t really sunk in until that moment. As Yukina shielded Sana, who was down on her knees, she raised her head when she heard Sayaka call out her name:

  “Yukina! Are you all right? She didn’t do anything strange to you?”

  Sayaka had entered the schoolyard while lending her shoulder to the injured Yuuma.

  Yuuma looked defenseless with only a paper-thin patient’s gown covering her; Sayaka’s clothing was disheveled, like someone’s after an amorous encounter. Yukina could largely piece together what had happened from their external appearance alone. And for no reason, merely imagining such inappropriate behavior brought pangs to Yukina’s chest.

  She felt genuinely grateful for Sayaka and Yuuma coming to rescue her, no matter what they might be dressed like. She was very glad that Kojou was alive. Even so, she wondered why the annoyance and sadness in her just wouldn’t go away.

  Utterly refusing to recognize that a watcher like her could experience the emotion known as jealousy, Yukina focused on just the facts, stating casually, “Sayaka…your shirt’s buttoned wrong…”

  “Eh?!”

  Sayaka, her cheeks bursting red, hastily put a hand over her cleavage. Sayaka was still like that when Yukina handed Sana over to her and adopted a posture meant to shield them.

  Sayaka had not regained the powers stolen from her by the Black Bible. With Yuuma now too injured to move on her own, only Yukina and Kojou had any means with which to oppose Aya Tokoyogi.

  For her part, the witch called out the name as if it was cursed.

  “Yuuma…is it?”

  It was the name of the “daughter” the fire-eyed witch had prepared as a tool for her escape from the prison barrier. Her role complete, Aya had tossed her aside and had probably forgotten that she’d even existed, but Kojou had saved her.

  And now, they were here to destroy Aya’s plan, a fact that made Aya highly indignant.

  “I see. You drank the blood of the doll based on me. That’s how you regained your demonic power.”

  As the witch shook with rage, Kojou watched her coldly.

  “Yeah. Thanks to that, I’m about to kick your ass. Thanks to your usin’ Yuuma, she’s all a mess…Natsuki’s been turned into a grade schooler…Asagi, Astarte, everyone on the island who wanted to have fun at the festival, they’re all sufferin’ ’cause of you.”

  Without warning, Kojou marched forward, closing the distance between him and Aya Tokoyogi. His body was emitting and being enveloped by lightning and its gale of wind. The Beast Vassals sleeping within the blood of the Fourth Primogenitor were reacting to Kojou’s anger.

  “So you’ve really pissed me off. I don’t care if you’re Yuuma’s mom, and it’s got nothin’ to do with you bein’ a prison barrier inmate. I don’t care about the why! You’ve hurt lots of important friends of mine! From here on, this is my fight!”

  “Nng…!”

  The beautiful face of Aya Tokoyogi twisted in hostility, even as she bore the brunt of Kojou’s rage head-on.

  Even though Kojou had recovered his magical strength, the Black Bible’s power was still intact. Furthermore, this was the very center of the world that Aya had created. Kojou’s power was half-depleted, while Aya’s power was at its zenith. Even against a vampire primogenitor, surely Aya, as she was now, had every chance of victory, and she was well aware of that… But—

  It was Yukina who wedged herself into their standoff.

  “No, senpai. Thi
s is our fight.”

  Kojou looked at Yukina in surprise. Normally, it was Yukina who was counseling Kojou to use restraint, but this time, she was trying to stop Aya of her own free will.

  Yukina glared at the witch with sadness.

  “You said that the people of this world look down upon witches and use your kind like tools. What is your treatment of Yuuma, then?!”

  Perhaps the fire-eyed witch really did want to change the world. If supernatural power vanished from the face of the earth, there would no longer be any reason to fear witches. Perhaps that was indeed her wish.

  But in the process, she was hurting people weaker than herself and walking all over them.

  Yukina couldn’t accept that as just. Someone had to stop her.

  “If people curse you, it’s not because you’re a witch. No one will accept you so long as you use the fact you’re a witch as an excuse to hurt others. Shut off the Black Bible and surrender immediately!”

  Aya gazed intently at her, anguish in her eyes. “To think I am being scolded by a brat of so few years, as if she knows of what she speaks.”

  The witch’s expression, filled with despair and denial, was like the one she’d worn ten years prior, when Natsuki had decided to part ways with her.

  “However, do not forget that you are still in my world!”

  Aya used a fingertip to air-write symbols. From that twinkle, she summoned human silhouettes out of thin air one after another. Kojou knew the faces of a number of them: Bruté Dumblegraff the Georgius; Schtola D; Gigliola Ghirardi; Kiliga Gilika; the red-and-black witch team, the Meyer Sisters…

  “You re-created the sorcerous criminals from memories…?!” Yukina gasped in shock.

  These were no doubt replicas of the fiendish criminals Aya had summoned from her own memories. The Black Bible’s power to rewrite the world according to one’s desires apparently included creating humans themselves. These were dolls that would move according to Aya Tokoyogi’s will.

  However, they were mere soulless shadows of the origins. Even if they had abilities identical to those of the originals, their threat level was still far lower…for there was no reason to hold back against illusions.