"Is it high?"
Houma clapped his hands on Will and Rek's shoulders like a big brother would. The three of them were squatting precariously at the edge of a rooftop, and Houma's hands rested lightly on their necks, like a small nudge would send them tumbling down.
"H-High… It's really high…"
Will and Rek were trembling. It was only seven meters down, but the fear had turned their legs to jelly. Whatever pride their noble blood once gave them had utterly vanished.
Houma sighed. It really wasn't satisfying to scare cowards like this.
But some things still had to be said.
"Cloud and mud, you two think you're qualified to even talk about the difference? Who gave you the courage to mock someone who fought tooth and nail for the life they have now?"
"I-I was wrong!"
Will burst into tears, convinced he was seconds away from falling.
"M-Me too!"
Rek stammered, shaking like a leaf.
"Didn't you say you were so noble? Then get down yourselves."
Houma dropped from the rooftop with a flick of his sleeves, leaving them there, stranded.
"Help! Somebody help!!"
Will and Rek clung to each other, crying like children. Sure, Magic Knights could fly on brooms, but they weren't anywhere near that level. All they could do was sit there and pray someone would rescue them.
Back inside the Grimoire Tower, the golden light from Yuno's grimoire had dimmed. The book now rested calmly in his hand.
The crowd was buzzing with envy, awe, admiration, and the faint gleam of malice.
Following that flicker of ill intent, Houma's gaze landed on a man standing within the crowd. He had greasy, unkempt hair, sharp, triangular eyes, drooping brows, and a burn scar like boiling water had been splashed across the right side of his face.
"That look… it's all too familiar."
Houma let out a dry laugh. Ever since arriving in this world, he hadn't run into any real villains. But this guy… looked way too much like Orochimaru!
With the ceremony concluded, the priest was beaming, taking Lily and the others shopping for a celebration. Thanks to Houma, life at the orphanage had greatly improved, and they even had money left over now to buy everyday things.
Yuno, meanwhile, walked home alone.
Unbeknownst to him, the Orochimaru-lookalike trailed silently behind, like a shadow.
Houma grinned, following along like a fisherman waiting for the clams and the snipe to fight.
"Who are you?"
Yuno turned down a quiet alley and asked flatly without looking back.
"So you noticed. But if you're curious, back when I was in the Magic Knights, they used to call me [Chain Magic – Rebuchi]."
The man, Rebuchi, smirked, his eyes narrowing.
"Rebuchi, huh? Didn't you want me to notice you?"
Yuno's voice was cold. There was something deeply unsettling about this man in the wine-red robe. The moment they entered this secluded alley, a thick, murderous aura had poured off him like a flood.
"I don't have much choice. If I let you keep walking, someone might see us. That'd be a problem."
Just as he finished speaking, dozens of crimson chains erupted from the alley walls, catching Yuno completely off guard. Before he could react, they coiled tightly around him.
"I don't think I have anything worth stealing."
Yuno spoke calmly while trying to resist, but found he couldn't summon his magic at all.
"It's useless to resist. My creation spell, [Binding Iron Chain Formation], locks down both movement and magic. But that four-leaf clover grimoire of yours? That thing's worth a fortune. So thanks in advance. It's mine now."
Rebuchi grinned, like a cat toying with its prey. There was cruel delight in his eyes.
"Don't you know only the chosen can use a grimoire?"
Yuno frowned, trying reason over resistance.
"That's where you're still too young. You have no idea how much collectors on the black market would pay for a four-leaf clover grimoire. You were born to soar like a dragon... but too bad for you, you met me while you were still just a cub. Your legend ends here."
His words became a madman's cackle. Rebuchi had nothing left in life, ever since being exiled, he'd lived like a rat. But now, he'd found joy, pure joy, in crushing a legend before it could begin.
From now on, maybe he'd drop by this little town every so often, just to see what kind of miserable life this once-promising boy was living. Probably plowing fields, wishing he'd never run into him.
"A legend chosen by the four-leaf grimoire… and you think you're worthy of watching it fall?"
A voice cut through the air like a blade.
Houma walked leisurely into the alley, his footsteps light, as if taking a morning stroll.
Both Yuno and Rebuchi were caught completely off guard.