Translator: Ren
Interlude 1
"…'Hibari'? Is it a bird?"
After finishing combat training, Ritsuka, the "White Sorcerer," swept her wet silver bangs out of her face as she wiped off her sweat with the sports towel she was handed. She then asked, repeating the name.
"No, no. Remember, Ritsuka’s sword—didn’t that guy break it during the 'Feather Hunt'?"
Pushing her black-rimmed glasses up with her finger, the girl with black hair responded brightly.
"Yoshino Kitsune"—a member of the same "Organization" as Ritsuka, and a girl of the same age. She’s also a "Blessed One," just like Ritsuka, and they’ve always gotten along well. She could be called her only true friend.
While returning the towel to Yoshino, Ritsuka recalled the battle they had fought before.
"Yeah. That guy broke it. But I got the 'Fallen Feather' back."
"We technically won, though. But still, it's kind of unsettling without a weapon, right?"
"Not really... I have 'Falling snowflakes.' The sword was just heavy and got in the way."
"Falling snowflakes" is the name of Ritsuka’s "Blessing."
A "Blessing" is always given a name by the Saintess herself when bestowed by the "Holy Maiden of the Wet Feather."
For those with "Blessings," the name of their ability holds meaning far beyond just a name. Naturally, neither enemies nor allies easily reveal their abilities, but Ritsuka and Yoshino had shared their names with each other.
"Don’t rely too much on your Blessing," Yoshino scolded lightly, wagging a finger at Ritsuka. "The Blessing is just one option in battle! You remember that, right? Sure, your 'Falling snowflakes' is super strong, but still, as a rear support, I want you to always come back safe."
Thus, carrying a weapon is a must—Yoshino raised her finger, giving Ritsuka a gentle reminder.
There are various types of Blessings. Some seem designed solely for combat, while others are completely useless in a fight. Yoshino’s Blessing falls into the latter category, which is why she mainly serves as a communications officer, supporting Ritsuka from the rear.
"When you put it that way, I can’t exactly refuse..." Ritsuka replied.
"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, back to the topic. The new sword—its name is 'Hibari.' Here, look."
Yoshino showed Ritsuka a long attaché case she had brought to the training grounds. Ritsuka had been curious about what was inside, and it looked like it contained a sword.
"Go ahead and open it. I heard only you can open this case."
"Really? It’s like a birthday present."
"Well, it's just that only the owner can open it, but anyone else can open it, you know..."
"But... no one else should open it."
"Yeah, right, right! So go ahead and open that birthday present from the important people!!"
In battle, Ritsuka displayed a cool and composed demeanor that belied her age, but once off the battlefield, she acted much more like a typical girl—young, innocent, and a bit scatterbrained.
(What would the people from the Shishima Organization think if they saw the 'White Sorcerer' acting like this?)
"Yoshino, Yoshino. How do I open this gift box...?"
"It’s not a gift box, you know... Just unlatch these two clasps here, and then place your finger here to authenticate with your fingerprint to unlock it..."
Yoshino guided Ritsuka step by step. After a bit of fumbling, the attaché case hissed as air slowly leaked out, and it opened automatically.
"Wow... So this is 'Hibari.'"
"Pretty... I thought it was a piece of art."
'Hibari' was stored with the scabbard and blade separated. Both Ritsuka and Yoshino couldn’t help but express their awe at its beauty.
The blade—a jet-black, gleaming edge with pure white waves running through it, almost like crashing waves. The stark contrast between the black and white stood out, amplifying the light from the nearby lamp, making it shine even brighter.
Yoshino wasn’t wrong to call it a work of art. While 'Hibari' was a practical weapon, it was beautiful enough that Ritsuka would want to display it in her room if she were allowed to.
Ritsuka first traced her fingers lightly over the sharkskin of the hilt, then took the sword in her hand.
"...! It’s so light. Like a feather."
"Really? The case alone felt super heavy when I carried it."
The moment Ritsuka, the owner, gripped the hilt, 'Hibari’s' blade seemed to shine even brighter—it almost felt like it was reacting to her touch. What caught Ritsuka’s attention more than the gleaming blade, however, was how unusually light 'Hibari' was. The swords she had previously been issued were lighter than usual, but they were still made of metal and felt heavy to her.
But 'Hibari' was different. It felt weightless. If someone told her it was made of cotton, she’d believe it.
"But it’s so light. The scabbard’s even heavier."
"Hmm, is that so...? Well, it’s supposed to be a sword forged by my grandpa, and maybe he did some special work on it so it feels lighter once you hold it."
"Grandpa?"
"Oh, yeah. This sword was forged by my grandpa for you, Ritsuka, with the blessing of the higher-ups in the Organization. My grandpa’s a swordsmith, you know."
"I... I didn’t know that... I’m sorry for breaking the last sword..."
"No, no. I don’t think my grandpa was involved with the standard issue swords. And it wasn’t your fault the sword broke—it was that 'Feather Hunter’s' doing, so you’re not to blame. But anyway, how do you like 'Hibari'?"
When Yoshino asked for her thoughts, Ritsuka sheathed Hibari back into its scabbard. Having studied swordsmanship, Ritsuka’s movements were smooth and beautiful, without a single wasted motion. Yoshino silently thought to herself that Hibari suited Ritsuka perfectly.
"...It feels strange."
"Strange? What do you mean by that?"
"Well... it’s just... strange."
"Ah, this is going to be one of those never-ending loops, isn’t it?"
Ritsuka wasn’t particularly good at studying, and she especially struggled with Japanese. Living mostly by intuition and sensitivity, to Yoshino, the most mysterious thing was Ritsuka herself.
Nevertheless, with some effort, Ritsuka managed to squeeze out her thoughts.
"It’s like... it sticks to me, you know? Like this... exactly!"
"Oh, I get it. It’s like when you meet someone for the first time but it feels like you’ve known them forever, like you were destined to be partners in this life and allies in the next.''
"Yes, exactly!"
"Really now?"
Yoshino exaggerated her expression, but it seemed to resonate with Ritsuka. Indeed, the moment she took hold of Hibari, Ritsuka felt a surge of energy within her, almost as if something was awakening inside her. It was a feeling of exhilaration from wielding a weapon, but to Ritsuka, it also felt like fate.
"...Is it really okay for me to have this?"
"Not 'really okay,' it’s your sword, Ritsuka. But... there's one thing..."
"One thing? You're giving it to me for free?"
"No, not that kind of 'free.' You see, my grandpa told me something weird. Honestly, my grandpa’s kind of eccentric, so I just brushed it off at the time—"
"?"
Yoshino’s gaze darted around, confirming that only she and Ritsuka were nearby.
The Organization was a group that had designated the Holy Maiden of Wet Feathers as their natural ally and devotedly worshipped her. Their singular goal was to reunite with the Saint, and they would never allow anyone to claim her power as their own. It was obvious that such an organization would be fundamentally incompatible with the Shishima Institute, which had entirely opposite aims.
Because of this, Yoshino hesitated slightly, lowering her voice to a whisper.
"...Hibari was forged to slay the Saint."
It was the final sword forged by a master blacksmith, who had dedicated his life to crafting this single blade—Hibari.
Now, forever, it would shine by the side of the White Sorcerer.
To sever the enemy, and cut them down...
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