While the Kyun-Kyun Matching Project, based on illusions and human talents, and Kyun-Kyun Palace continue to thrive…
It should’ve been the time to focus on preparing for external training.
“Yunia the Witch of Phoenix! I’ve come to challenge you again today!”
[I don’t particularly like the title “witch,” but I accept your challenge. I’ll give it my all.]
“Huh? Today your illusion feels a bit too real—Kyaaaahhh!!”
Undergraduates sincerely preparing for the Great Martial Tournament challenge the gymnasium of the Old School Building, striving to improve their skills.
“There she goes again. Senior, are you going to participate in the Great Martial Tournament?”
“I’m thinking about it. I heard that just making it to the top 32 gets you a resort voucher from Silverstar.”
“Oh my, and who are you planning to go with?”
“Well… I haven’t decided yet….”
Some undergraduates, who don’t expect to perform well in the tournament, are already treating the festival-like event as a chance to deepen their relationships with their romantic partners.
“Hey. Aren’t you the girl guaranteed a future through ‘Palace’?”
“Huh? Ah, no, that’s not…”
“Why don’t we go somewhere—wait, what the hell is this?”
“She’s mine. Don’t touch her.”
“Ha…! You ignored her before, and now that she might become an S-rank mage, you’re clinging to her? Do you even know how many girls this bastard’s fooled around with? You too—ugh, you got hit!”
“S-Senior….”
Others are already developing romantic relationships through Kyun-Kyun Palace, casually flirting, or experiencing those typical events you’d find in a youthful romance academy setting.
So how should one describe this situation?
“Ahh, the Old School Building is full of Kyun-Kyun energy.”
[Please don’t phrase it like that, nyah.]
I stand atop the rooftop of the Old School Building, unfolding a barrier and scanning the grounds with Fenrir.
As Fenrir.
Phoenix—meaning the original self—is currently busy giving massages to Instructor Esta and Instructor Kadisha.
I—this self—am technically a clone, but more like a terminal, so I’m not exactly a duplicate either.
The mana pass with the original is connected through the air, so if I were to enter a complete vacuum or encounter mana dense with 99% angelic power, the connection might sever.
But such a scenario is practically nonexistent, so right now it’s as if Phoenix’s soul is watching over the Old School Building from the rooftop.
And with that gaze, I observe diligently.
The Kyung-Kyung energy filling the Old School Building.
“Though it may not match the Kyun-Kyun energy generated by adult reproduction acts, maybe because it stems from fresh college love, it definitely feels dense.”
[Thanks to the magic-enhanced underwear, students don’t recklessly jump each other, so they’re able to form healthy, emotionally intelligent relationships, nyah.]
Fenrir takes a deep breath and raises her head.
[To me, this atmosphere, bursting with male and female hormones, dopamine and serotonin from budding romance, feels like the whole world is overflowing with mint chocolate, nyah. Fufufu.]
“Sure, if you say so.”
[I’m not wrong, nyah. The more human relationships deepen and grow closer, the farther we move from the Apocalypse—and with that, the presence of angelic power fades. Angelic power is like the smell of chestnut blossoms among delicious food, nyah.]
“What?”
[I tried to put it in terms you, as a guy, could understand. If I were to compare it for a girl—]
“Okay, stop right there.”
I clamp Fenrir’s mouth shut and adjust her line of sight to take in the entire Old School Building.
“So, Fenrir. From your perspective, does it look like the Kyun-Kyun energy is full? Enough faith gathered?”
[Faith is one thing, but I think the angel’s self-destruction and the resulting damage to their image had a good impact, nyah.]
Fenrir points down below.
[It was good that over the past few months, the students here used their Kyung-Kyung dreams to drain the angelic power out of their bodies. It was also good that through Instructor Kadisha, the truth behind angelic power was revealed, reducing faith in the Church of the Goddess. And even better, by exposing the true nature of angels, we’ve seeded distrust in them among the students of the Old School Building, nyah!]
“So it’s been good all around. Alright then, what’s next is—who appears next….”
I reach forward and conjure an illusion of a cake with mana. The illusionary cake is round with a missing slice, all grayed out except for one slice that glows in mint-chocolate green.
“They won’t appear in a fixed order, will they?”
[There’s an order?]
“Yeah.”
[Surely not based on weakness or anything, right?]
“No, nothing like that. You were summoned purely by chance, Fenrir. But there is an order after you.”
According to that order, the next to be summoned is—
“<Jiryun>.”
[What? Her? No way. Don’t summon her, nyah.]
At the mention of Jiryun, Fenrir flinches, instantly going on high alert.
“Why? Wind attribute naturally suppresses Earth, you know.”
[She’s dangerous, nyah. A terrifying being who wants to turn you into a child and devour you, nyah.]
“I mean… I did hear about that.”
I learned as much in the Demon World.
“Still, doesn’t that just mean she truly loves children? And there aren’t any kids at Esdinas Academy.”
Jiryun.
Like Phoenix and Fenrir, her corresponding SS-rank monster is [Hydra].
As the Goddess of Earth, her blessings have already spread across the surface world, greatly aiding reproduction and growth.
“There are those with childlike physiques, but….”
[If Jiryun’s blessings were to spread throughout this world, there would be people who try to lick those children, nyah.]
“Yeah, that’s a bit much. Still, I don’t think Jiryun would cross the line.”
[Can you really guarantee that, nyah?]
“…Well. I’m not entirely sure, but maybe we’ll find out if we try.”
What might have been acceptable in the past can become problematic in recent times.
That’s the nature of Jiryun.
When the Goddess of Earth was still present in the surface world, her personal inclinations might have been overlooked. But even after the angels wreaked havoc, you can’t forcibly overwrite the thoughts and perceptions that humanity has developed.
“…Shall we give it a test.”
Even if Jiryun’s aura is strong, will it cause any problems?
What’s worrying, though—
“Fenrir. Are you sure nothing bad will happen?”
[Why? Is there someone you’re worried about, nyah?]
“More than just one or two.”
Since testing Jiryun’s influence might cause an issue within the Old School Building, I have no choice but to proceed with utmost caution.
“Yeah. I mean, seriously, what’s the worst that could happen?”
* * *
[One day later.]
While making mana bread in the confectionery and baking classroom, I crafted a very special cake.
“What kind of cake is this?”
“Oh, don’t eat that one.”
“…Huh?”
Normally, I would have launched into a long explanation like, “This is such-and-such cake, with this taste and that effect,” but today I said something completely different.
Yunia, caught off guard, backed away from the cake.
“Is it a trap to lure angels? Like a delicious-looking cake that turns out to be, ‘Surprise! A man made this cake!’?”
“Angels don’t really think that deeply. It’s not for them. It’s more like a magic tool—something similar to a spell for use in Kyun-Kyun Palace.”
“So… it’s a spell?”
“Yeah. More precisely, it’s a spell that adjusts perception.”
A spell based on illusion and mental suggestion.
“Miss Yunia. How do I look to you right now?”
“You’re handsome.”
“…Thanks, but I mean—do I look like usual?”
“Yes.”
“If someone eats that… hmm, I’ll look a little different to them.”
“Like Fenrir?”
“No.”
I raised my hand to about the height of my waist.
“They’ll see me as a boy around 10 years old.”
“…”
“What’s wrong?”
“Huh?”
Her reaction was delayed.
And… did I imagine that “churp” sound from Yunia’s lips?
“So Phoenix will look like a 10-year-old boy?”
“It’s not like people can physically alter their bodies. Maybe a dragon could do that with polymorph magic or something.”
Technically, it is possible.
But I don’t want to go that far.
If I did, it’d be obvious that I can use S-rank or higher magic freely—and that’s not something I want to reveal.
“This is a spell that alters perception. It calibrates the target to see me as a 10-year-old boy.”
“Just appearance?”
“It can affect senses too. For example, if I—looking like a 10-year-old—clung to you, Miss Yunia, then…”
“Then your face would end up here, right?”
Yunia pointed toward her abdomen.
“Wait, no. Phoenix, were you even smaller as a kid?”
“I don’t really know that in detail.”
“So… does everyone who eats this see the same thing?”
“Yeah. But to others, it would just look like you’re doting on a grown man.”
“……”
“Anyway, absolutely, absolutely absolutely absolutely do not eat it. Even a finger swipe of the cream is enough to trigger the effect. Got it?”
I packed the cake carefully into a case and put it in the freezer.
“And if someone does eat it?”
“Hmm, well… it’ll just be troublesome.”
“…Heehee.”
Yunia smiled mischievously.
“Is that so?”
