Looking down at the academy garden, Nyuu's eyes narrow behind her gla.s.ses.

Originally, she is supposed to be attending this school as an actual second-year student. Up until that day when she had been discarded due to demon possession, she had not doubted even for a second that her future would be smooth and peaceful.

Bu in the end, all of it turned out to be mere fantasy.

Everything that Nyuu had believed in and taken for granted, be it family, friends, or peace, turned out to be a tower built upon a very, very thin sheet of ice. Not knowing what lay beneath the ice, she had been merely frolicking around as an ignorant child.

She gazes at the students in the garden with both envy and pity mixed in her eyes.

Down there is a face that she recognizes.

Nyuu used to be the daughter of a marquis family, and she had been quite well known in the social circle.

Those days had been glittering.

But even that is merely in the past now.

She was erased from her family genealogy, turned into someone who never existed.

How many of those people who had been her close friends actually still remember her?

Oh right, there was that person, wasn't there? Like that.

Probably rather than nostalgia, only disgust would be involved if she comes up in a conversation now. That's what demon possession is.

It was not necessary for her to go to the trouble of coming to the academy in the daytime to meet Shadow.

However, it's just that she has a tiny fragment of hope that she has never been able to completely discard.

In some corner of this peaceful academy, there is still a place for her. She merely wanted to see that foolish dream for a brief moment.

Nyuu laughs.

Even though she might no longer have a place in the world of light, she now has comrades who share her will.

And…… beside her is her beloved and respected lord.

He had started the fight all by himself.

And he would probably continue fighting to the very end, even if he becomes the only person left.

His existence is what props up Shadow Garden.

Humans are weak, every single one, so they all want to rely on an absolute ent.i.ty.

If for the world, G.o.d is that absolute ent.i.ty, then for Shadow Garden, he is that absolute ent.i.ty.

But he's so much better than G.o.d.

When she opens her eyes, he is there. If she reaches out, she can touch him.

"Nn, what's the matter?"

"There was something on you."

She brushes away the lint on his shoulder.

Then she looks at his face in profile.

"Please keep this a secret from Gamma-sama. If she knows that I infiltrated into the academy in the daytime, she'd get really angry at me."

"Sure. But I'm surprised, to think that you can look so different with cosmetics."

"My facial structure is actually quite bland, so it's easy to change its impression. I guess you can sort of say that it was one of the things that I was good at in the past."

"Heeh, so that time at Mitsugos.h.i.+ Co. also?"

"Yes, at that time I was trying to look older than I am."

"I see. Incidentally, how old are you?"

"That's a secret."

Nyuu smiles bewitchingly.

"I came to report about the black-clothed man from yesterday."

"Fumu."

"We interrogated him, but was not able to draw out any information. His mind was already broken by what seems to be very powerful brainwas.h.i.+ng. Based on that and a few other traits, we identified him to be a Children 3rd of the Order of Diabolos."

"Fumu?"

Diabolos Children.

The Order of Diabolos combs through orphans and children of poor families, and kidnaps any one of them that displays even the slightest affinity for magic, then raises them in specialized facilities. Due to the repeated application of severe training menus, brainwas.h.i.+ng programs, and drug administration in those facilities, those who successfully graduate are less than 1% of the number that go in. Children 3rd is considered the failures of the graduates, p.a.w.ns to be used and thrown away. Because their minds are already broken, they can't leak any information, but their fighting prowess greatly overshadows any average knight.

2nd are those whose minds are stable. The very few 1st are those who possess very significant power by world standards.

Of course, there's no need for Nyuu to explain all this information to him, so she leaves it out.

"It is clear that the Order is involved with a series of recent events. We think they are most likely trying to lure us out."

"Fumu."

"However, that is not their only aim. The other day, we confirmed that a Named Children 1st has come to the royal capital. It is Lex the Treacherous Player. We believe they have a more specific goal for which they are gathering their strength, but we lost sight of Lex and are currently investigating."

"Fumu?"

Named Children.

Those among the Diabolos Children who have provided exceptional contribution to the Order are granted a name. Most Named are 1st, but named 2nds are not entirely unheard of either.

Furthermore, there are Named who have climbed into the ranks of the Knights of Rounds. More like, within the organization, being Named is almost considered a requirement to be considered for a position in the Rounds.

And actually.

There is a former Named Children 1st in Shadow Garden.

All the information that we have was provided by her.

Of course, there's no need for Nyuu to explain all this information either, so she leaves it out.

"Please stay on your guard. The Order is plotting something. We will continue investigating, and will report to you as soon as we find anything out."

"Fumu."

The sun dips below the far horizon.

The afterglow stains the clouds madder red.

Fanning the slightly sweaty nape of her neck, Nyuu stands up.

He yawns, then also stands up beside her.

Perhaps in a parallel world, there exists a different version of the two of them who can talk with the other like lovers, enjoying their school life.

Nyuu laughs at her regretful self.

But now, for just a short while.

"Now look here, aren't you supposed to escort a lady?"

"Escort? Like this?"

Nyuu links her arm with his proffered arm.

They begin walking together.

Surely such a future exists somewhere, thinks Nyuu to herself with a laugh.

A male student from far off shouts something.

"It's the p.o.o.p b.a.s.t.a.r.d!!"

Nyuu clicks her tongue.

She has recollection of that male student who had utterly ruined the mood. He is a piece of trash who had insistently approached Nyuu back when she had been in the social circle. She decides to thoroughly thrash him up later.

For some reason, the boy beside her is s.h.i.+fting his eyes.

Nyuu merely hugs his arm even tighter.