"Indeed. If Negi-kun travels as an envoy, there is a high probability the Kansai side will attempt to interfere or obstruct him. That could put the rest of the class in harm's way. I would consider that a very pressing emergency… wouldn't you?"
"..."
He had a point. If things went sideways, the girls in our class could get caught in the crossfire.
I was about to agree when I heard a muffled snicker from Eva.
"Heh… heh heh. I see, I see. So that's how you're playing it. Effective, I'll give you that. You haven't spent all those years just growing that beard, have you, old man?"
"Eva?" I turned to her.
"Axel, have you forgotten? …No, perhaps it's because of who you are that you didn't even notice."
"Forgotten what?"
I was thinking about protecting the students from Onmyouji. Wait. Protecting them? From whom? The Kansai Association. But...
"Ah. You've realized it," Eva smirked.
"The Obligation of Secrecy."
In the world of Super Robot Wars, Telekinesis was common knowledge—it was a military asset. But here, magic and Onmyoudo were part of the "hidden world." There were laws about keeping it that way.
"Correct," Eva said. "The magical world is bound by a duty of non-disclosure to the public. While some rogues ignore it, our potential 'obstructors' in the Kansai Association are a prestigious organization. They won't risk a public scandal. They'll keep their interference quiet and surgical."
"Which means the Headmaster's real goal is…"
"To get you to do the boy's heavy lifting under the radar," Eva finished for me.
I shot Konoemon a glare sharp enough to draw blood. I didn't hide my killing intent, but the old man just let it wash over him like a gentle breeze.
"Ho ho ho. That's a very frightening look to give a poor old man with one foot in the grave."
"You're using me."
"One could look at it that way… but as a Director, I must consider the big picture. I've asked you to follow Negi-kun, but there are many mages within the Association who aren't happy about a 'freelancer' lurking around. Fortunately, my endorsement and the support of Takamichi-kun—one of our top combatants—has kept them quiet for now."
"Hmph. The 'Justice Junkies' are making noise again, I take it?" Eva added with a sadistic grin.
"Justice Junkies?" Negi asked.
"Heh. Ask the old man about it later. I'm sure he has plenty of stories that would be… educational for a brat like you."
"Must you dump everything on me?" Konoemon sighed.
"You're the boss of Mahora. It's your job."
I watched the two of them bicker for a moment before speaking up.
"I get the gist of it. Fine. I'm not opposed to helping out."
Konoemon let out a sigh of relief, but I held up a hand.
"However, this is work outside the original scope of our contract. I'm not a charity. I expect proper compensation."
"And what, specifically, do you want?"
This was my chance. I was in a world of magic; my goal was to collect power and knowledge.
"I want magical artifacts. Specifically, I've heard rumors of items in the magical world that grant agelessness—or even immortality. I'd like a few of those."
"Now wait just a minute, Axel!" Eva interjected. "That's asking for the impossible. As I told you before, those are incredibly rare, even in the magical world. They aren't something you can just hand out as a bonus."
"...I see. In that case, I'll settle for high-level spellbooks and functional artifacts."
I suppose asking for a ring of immortality for a simple bodyguard gig was a bit of a stretch.
"Very well. But," Konoemon added, "your final reward will be determined by your performance during this mission. Agreed?"
That seemed fair enough. "Yeah. No complaints here."
"I'm going to Kyoto to be a tourist," Eva reminded us sharply. "Don't you dare drag me into your mess."
I couldn't blame her. After fifteen years of being trapped, she just wanted a vacation. But Konoemon couldn't just let a world-class threat roam free without some leverage.
"I tell you what," the Headmaster said. "If things get so dire that Negi-kun and Axel-kun can't handle it, and you step in to lend a hand… I will formally authorize the temporary weakening of your seal."
"Tch. Fine. But only if it's a total disaster! Don't you dare rely on me for anything less!"
Eva grumbled, but she accepted the compromise.
With that settled, Konoemon pulled a sealed envelope from his robes.
"Negi-kun. Your job is to carry this personal letter to the head of the Kansai Magic Association. As I said, there may be those who wish to stop you. But as Axel-kun noted, they are bound by secrecy; they won't involve civilians. Still, it will be a dangerous role. Will you accept?"
"Yes, sir!" Negi nodded vigorously.
"Ho ho ho. You've grown a fine pair of eyes. It seems the mock battle with Eva has already borne fruit."
"...I learned a lot from that fight," Negi admitted.
"Then it was worth the trouble of arranging it. …By the way, Negi-kun. Since we're going to Kyoto, I assume Konoka still knows nothing of the magical world? It's her father's policy—he wants to keep her away from that side of things for as long as possible."
Konoemon's face was grave, but I already knew the truth about Konoka's lineage. I stayed quiet and watched.
"Yes, she knows nothing. Everything is fine," Negi replied.
For a split second, Konoemon looked almost… disappointed? Or maybe I was just reading too much into it.
"Very well. The school trip will proceed as planned. You are all dismissed. Good work."
[Status Screen - Unchanged]
LV: 38
SP: 462
Total Kills: 376
New Objective: Deliver the letter to the Kansai Magic Association.
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