"You're still carrying that thing around? I believe I told you to withdraw."
Loki stared at Frey's glove, visibly irritated.
"...But," Frey hid the glove behind her back, her gaze darting away.
"You can't win against anyone. Withdraw before you get hurt."
"...But."
"Enough!"
Loki suddenly stepped forward, his hand snapping out to grab Frey's scarf.
The next instant, several voices rang out at once.
"Leave Frey alone!"
"The Night Party doesn't start until evening. Looking for a fight now?"
"Woof!"
Hinaichigo, Raishin, and Rabbi all moved forward simultaneously.
Then, Rabbi, cowed by a single glare from Loki, tucked its tail and scurried back behind its master.
Hinaichigo, puffed her cheeks, planted herself firmly in front of Frey.
Loki's eyes swept over her dismissively before slowly settling on Raishin, sending an involuntary shiver down the latter's spine.
While not quite matching the aura of the ladies present, the pressure he emitted was still top-tier among the students.
"Who are you?" Loki's voice was cold enough to freeze hell.
"Raishin Akabane, a puppeteer from Japan."
"You may have made your entrance, but my apologies—get out of my way."
"I refuse."
"I'll kill you."
"I still refuse."
Their gazes clashed violently, throwing off invisible sparks.
Then, a biting cold swept through.
It was spring, yet the temperature in the dining hall plummeted drastically.
The young girl's waist-length silver hair stirred slightly as a bone-chilling cold radiated from her.
Irori stared impassively at the newly arrived Loki. "Please do not cause a disturbance here."
She skillfully contained the frigid air, preventing it from spreading behind her, the icy wind perfectly enveloping only the boys in front.
Loki's brow furrowed tightly as his eyes swept over the young ladies behind Irori.
"Nursery Rhyme and Tyrant Rex."
His gaze lingered on Frey for a second before shifting back to Raishin.
"I heard you intend to participate in the Night Party."
"What if I am?"
Hearing his reply, Loki turned away as if having lost all interest, his automaton standing down. "I advise you to give up on the Night Party. And stop meddling in matters between my sister and me."
"I refuse," Raishin retorted with a snort.
Loki slowly walked with his automaton towards the dining hall entrance, and Frey quietly let out a sigh of relief.
Robin, watching Raishin who was shivering slightly from the cold, tilted his head. "Not bad, kid."
"Seems like a tough customer," Raishin muttered, his eyes grave as he watched Loki's retreating back.
"Well~ He's Loki, 'Sacred Blaze,' one of the Thirteen, known among the students as the 'Sword Emperor'."
"'Sword Emperor'... The automaton you were with in the woods tonight was quite pretty." Alice's faint voice inserted itself into their conversation.
[Six Singing Chocolates] had noticed his rendezvous were becoming more frequent.
She kept her eyes downcast, focused on cutting the food on her plate.
These seemingly offhand words, almost spoken to herself, made Loki's steps halt abruptly.
He stood at the doorway, his fists slowly clenching. "I am a man who is both humble and tolerant," his icy voice rang out. "However, there are still three types of people I cannot forgive."
He slowly turned his head. "Those who command me, those who defy me, and—"
"No! Rabbi, bad dog!"
Before he could finish, a strange surge of magical energy erupted.
The previously docile wolfhound now had its maw wide open, aimed directly at the indifferent Alice.
Frey threw her arms around Rabbi's head, dragging it away with all her might.
Magical energy, visible even to non-magicians, emanated from her body, though it didn't seem to be a conscious act on her part.
This sudden surge was coming from... her heart.
Alice watched Frey calmly.
Why are there so many people with heart problems in this school?
An invisible ripple shot from the wolfhound's snout into the dining hall.
The air distorted, pulsing.
An invisible blade of sonic energy sliced clean through the unoccupied tables and chairs nearby.
Rabbi's usually round, gentle eyes now resembled those of a ferocious beast. Baring its fangs and dripping saliva, it lunged suddenly at Hinaichigo, who had been standing in front of Frey.
Hinaichigo stared blankly at the massive jaws now terrifyingly close, frozen in place.
The next instant, Suigintou's hand clamped tightly around Rabbi's muzzle, and she flung the large dog aside.
Simultaneously, white thorns coiled around Rabbi's body, spiraling and entangling, until a thorny, white cocoon materialized on the spot.
Rabbi struggled, convulsed, but the thorns held it fast, immobile.
A few seconds later, the movements within the cocoon gradually subsided.
As the thorns dissipated, Rabbi lay on the floor, slowly lifting its head with a dazed expression.
Its big, round eyes blinked, and it tilted its head, having reverted to its usual, dopey self.
Then, as if remembering something, it politely bowed its head towards Alice.
"Mr. Loki." Alice's light voice snapped everyone present back to awareness. She slowly raised her head, her gaze icy and dangerous. "Are you aware of the nature of the devices within your hearts?"
Loki had lost his previous haughtiness. He just stood frowning, his eyes fixed on Frey.
The lanky but muscular boy stood silently at the dining hall entrance. After a long moment, he turned and walked out without a word.
"I'm so sorry!"
Frey clasped her hands to her chest, looking at Rabbi lying on the floor, utterly flustered.
She tentatively shifted her weight, and when no one stopped her, she rushed over to Hinaichigo and Rabbi.
"I'm sorry."
Tears welled in the girl's eyes as she hugged the dog lying on the floor, apologizing to Hinaichigo.
Hinaichigo shook her head quietly. After a glance at Rabbi on the ground, her gaze shifted to Suigintou standing before her.
Then, she broke into a wide, sunny smile. "Thank you, Suigintou."
"Just didn't want Alice to be upset, that's all," Suigintou said with a slight wave of her hand, turning back to her seat.
Incredible reaction speed. No wonder she managed to hold her own against Magnus in a fight.
Recalling the skirmish he hadn't even been able to intervene in, Raishin leaned closer to Robin's ear.
"Birdman."
"Huh?"
"What's wrong with that girl Frey's heart?"
Robin froze. He didn't know.
The Robin fluttered its wings as its master wracked his brains, not wanting to lose face in front of the newcomer.
"It's been mechanized."
Fortunately, a voice as melodious as a zither's melody saved Robin.
"Ms. Shouko!"
"Shouko!"
The purple-haired beauty was sitting in a corner of the dining hall, holding her ever-present pipe, wreathed in smoke. Komurasaki sat beside her, swinging her legs animatedly.
Shouko's eyepatch had transformed into a lens, aimed directly at Frey.
"I'd estimate it's assembled with a Magic Circuit that forcibly draws out the host's magical energy."
Frey sat on the floor, her lips pressed tightly together.
Her off-white long hair spilled onto the floor. A breeze stirred, lifting the strands, only for them to fall back limply.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.