While taking her seat next to me, Kuroyuki turns our chairs so that we could face each other.

    “…How are you going to retrieve that sword…?” She asked.

    “Well, with Nightwalker’s strength, of course.”

    My reply made Kuroyuki tilt her head, where she seems to be dumbfounded.

    “…What about the gravity magic…?”

    “Magic won’t work on me,” I replied.

    “…How is this possible…?!” Kuroyuki was completely surprised to hear that.

    After all, a person with no mana like Kuroyuki could still be affected by magic spells— in fact, they practically had zero resistance against magic.

    Unlike me… which I’m entirely unaffected by it.

    For example, if someone cast explosion magic on any part of my body, nothing would happen.

    If it’s cast near my body instead, it will work.

    “You will know tomorrow,” I told her.

    “………………”

    It seems Kuroyuki’s attention is focused on somewhere else… she dived into deep thoughts afterwards.

    “Also, I have some questions,” I asked.

    Though I break her concentration, but Kuroyuki doesn’t seem to be bothered by it.

    She then raised her brow, shifting her gaze to me.

    “…What is it…?”

    “…About four times larger and twice as higher than Training Room 1.”

    …Two storeys of 16 football fields.

    “The size of the only entrance? It looks small on your map.”

    “…At most, two average people side-by-side could manage to fit through the passage.”

    If it’s a narrow path that’s just enough for one person, and someone fainted at it, the exit might be blocked just like that.

    “Next— you wrote ‘eight stone pillars’ here.”

    “…Yes,” Kuroyuki replied. “…Stone.”

    …So it’s a trap that could not be destroyed.

    “…If one of those eight pillars takes a powerful hit from us— do you think it could still sustain the basement?”

    Collapse…? Wonderful.

    …It seems like a good place for me.

    “Then what are the chances for new traps to appear after I pulled the Black Sword?” I asked.

    “…100 percent.”

    “Just as what I thought as well,” I murmured.

    “…And your reason?”

    “Because this basement was designed carefully to ensure that no one could obtain the Black Sword through technology, magic spells or vitality energy. Almost any methods to obtain that Black Sword was sealed off.” I replied.

    “…Almost,” Kuroyuki remarked.

    “Yes, almost,” I repeated. “Maybe he didn’t predict that a person unaffected by magic with high physical strength exists.”

    “Haha, it’s not my problem by then.”

    “…Irresponsible,” Kuroyuki uttered.

    Such insult.

    “I would need to correct you— it’s ‘complete trust’,” I said.

    “…And who is that are you referring to?”

    “That will be Nightwalker… and you—”

    WHAP!

    “—WHY!!?” I yelled.

    And so, Kuroyuki’s grip landed on my face before I could react.

    Because she’s not erasing her presence, I can’t use ‘Foresight’. I know she’s ready to place her grip on me with ‘Anticipation’, but I just don’t know when she would.

    “…If you want to gain my trust, then you should stop wishing for death.” She reminded me with her threatening cold voice. “…Or if you want, I could grant you death right here, right now.”

    “!”

    If she hadn’t reminded me of it, I didn’t even realize this myself. I was happy when I knew the dungeon would collapse.

    “I WON’T— I WON’T!!!” I yelled twice to make sure she’d stop squeezing my face.

    “…!”

    Hearing that, Kuroyuki released her grip afterwards.

    Just like Persia, she could tell whenever my intentions mean it.

    “…You gave up, just like that…?”

    “…How could I not…!?” I uttered, while trying to endure the pain from her fingers that’s still lingering on my face.

    “…Are you really telling the truth…?” She asked.

    “There’s no need for explanations if you don’t believe me.” I retorted.

    “…You know I could tell.” She said, with a glare. “…You want me to save you. But… what are you plotting…?”

    …I underestimated Kuroyuki Shiroha.

    I thought all she knew was that I was telling the truth— but I didn’t expect her to see through something beyond that.

    …Heh.

    “…!”

    Suddenly, Kuroyuki retreats backwards to her chair— looking terrified.

    “What’s wrong?”

    “…Why… Why are you making such an eerie grin…?” She asked, with a weak voice.

    “…Sorry for scaring you. Some part of me is broken on the inside because of the side-effects of the ‘Twenty Seals’.”

    A part of it is a lie.

    I did say ‘inside’, but it’s not a problem of my neurons nor a side-effect caused by the ‘Twenty Seals’.

    Because somewhere inside Lucifer Nightwalker von Nightmare’s brain— a part of it is indeed, broken.

    Literally— broken.

    Shooting Ruby with a gun six years ago made me realized that. I was the one who inherited that broken part of him.

    Fortunately, Nightwalker didn’t inherit that— because we don’t need another ‘me’ to carry this part.

    …It’s all thanks to Nightwalker’s personality that Lucifer Nightwalker von Nightmare’s breakdown was postponed.

    Until last year.

    Restia and the others did their best for me. But there’s always a limit on how they could do it because they are my family.

    It’s because we are family… there are lots of things that I couldn’t tell them.

    Perhaps… Principal noticed that I’m going to do something stupid. Maybe that’s why he’s telling me to let Nightwalker go— if not, I don’t know what I would do.

    However, even if I were to go now… I’ve already changed my mind.

    I wonder why, but I just can’t go against Kuroyuki Shiroha. I’m sure she’s the only person who could stop ‘me’ from pursuing death.

    If she gives up on me, it’d be all over for me.

    “Kuroyuki…?”

    I waved my hand, trying to catch Kuroyuki’s attention.

    “……………………!”

    She was terrified, and a little more— those tears on her eyes would’ve fallen.

    What did I do to make her so terrified…?

    Or maybe… it’s not me.

    The cause is most likely her trauma.

    But then again… if it’s her trauma, she would’ve attacked me relentlessly like how she did in the morning.

    Either way… she deserves better.

    Since approaching Kuroyuki as the way she is now is most likely, impossible… So I went to the sofa and took a cushion.

    POOF.

    I then throw the cushion onto her face, gently.

    “…N…!?”

    It surprised Kuroyuki, but she regained her senses.

    Naturally, I placed my head on top of her head, stroking it.

    “…Sorry for scaring you,” I said to her once more. “Feeling better now……?”

    SLAP.

    “…Don’t touch my head.”

    She slaps my hand away and looks away— hugging on her cushion while hiding her embarrassed face.

    Even if she’s like this… I could never come to hate her.

    …She said the same thing to me as well, huh.

    After I retreated my hand and went to the exit, I turn back to face Kuroyuki.

    …I can’t believe that I’m going to say this.

    “Kuroyuki… Please don’t give up on me…” I pleaded.

    Obviously, Kuroyuki was surprised with her eyes widened.

    With a sombre smile, I exit the classroom.