Vol.3 Ch.4: Yuko's Will, Kanna's Will ③

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The east district of Starlight Academy was generally considered home to three different groups of people: the high school students, the middle school students, and the small group of adult teachers & staff that assisted with helping manage things. Naturally, each of these groups had their own general area with which to call home. The high school had its own dormitory, as did the middle school. But the area for the adults was a little different. Towards the district’s south-east corner was a small area with a variety of small buildings. Considering there were significantly less adults in comparison to the students, it’s not as if the adults needed an entire dormitory building all to themselves. Instead, their residences consisted of a pair of long two-story buildings, each with a fair number of apartments.

But those buildings were not why Kanna Kawagoe set foot into this area. Ignoring the adult’s apartment buildings, Kanna made her way towards the small, notably shiny, office-like building in the center of the area. This structure was commonly referred to as the administration building. It was a building Kanna was familiar with, because it’s where she, as student council president, would go regularly to coordinate district-wide events and such with the adults. It also served as a building for meetings between the adults in general, and naturally served as an office for the one adult who held significant sway over the going-ons of the east district: the district’s manager Mitsuo Tokushige.

“Well, well… To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit, little Kanna?” spoke the smarmy voice of the suave silver-haired adult who stood facing his office’s window.

“I do believe you already know, Mitsuo Tokushige…!” Kanna spoke sternly as she closed the door behind her, taking a step forward into the district manager’s office.

“Really, now?” he replied, turning to face her with a smile. “I’ve only just returned today after so many dreadfully boring days of meetings in Central, you know. I still have to catch up on what’s been happening.”

Of course, Kanna was already aware of this. With the big inter-district kendo tournament coming up, Tokushige had to attend meetings in Central with the west district’s manager to arrange the logistics of the competition. It had been a number of days since Tokushige was last here, and there’d never been an opportunity to brief him on the anemia situation.

“Even so…” Kanna clenched her fist.

More than anyone else in the east district, Kanna understood this man. She knew that he was scheming something, and she’d always made a point to be wary of him. He was, after all, one of the few people who knew about her identity as a knight from another world, and about the connection between Starlight Academy and her home world Alviquan.

This is why she was certain. If a vampire somehow ended up in this district, there’s no way he wouldn’t know about it.

“So tell me, what brings you here? Is it the kendo tournament? I do believe I’ve already e-mailed you the procedural plans that ole’ Chishiro and I settled on, correct?” Tokushige grinned.

“This is not about the tournament, no.” Kanna shook her head. “Question, district manager: Were you ever made aware of the students who began suffering from a sudden anemia late last week?”

“I do believe I heard something like that shortly before I had to take my leave.” Tokushige thoughtfully rubbed his chin in an exaggerated manner. “Did the poor kid recover well enough?”

“Yes. However, there were more incidents for a few days following the first.” Kanna spoke carefully, gauging his reaction to the information.

“Oh my, how terrible. There isn’t some kind of strange sickness going around, is there?” Tokushige feigned worry, but Kanna saw right through his façade.

“You know, do you not?” Kanna glared his way.

“Hmm…” Tokushige grinned.

“I caught a glimpse, you know.” Kanna approached his desk.

“Oh?”

“On Sunday night, after poor Azuma had been bitten, I saw a cloaked figure fleeing the scene.” Kanna slammed her fist on the desk. “At that moment I was certain: A vampire is the cause behind the sudden anemia.”

“Heh…” Tokushige grinned.

“What, pray tell, is so amusing?” Kanna’s eyes narrowed.

“Sorry little Kanna. You’re right, it was my call.” Tokushige raised his hands in surrender, with a relaxed expression.

“Bastard…!” Kanna clenched her teeth. “What is this?! Why is a vampire in this world?!”

“Now, now. Let’s stay calm here, little Kanna.” Tokushige tried in vain to ease Kanna’s anger. “To be completely honest, it was all just a mighty fine coincidence.”

“How could this possibly be coincidental?!” Kanna shouted. “This makes no sense! Did you learn a method to open the gate on your own?! Even if you did, what foolish whim would lead you to unleash a vampire upon this world?!”

“Whoa there, cool it with the accusations.” Tokushige waved off Kanna’s burning fury as if it were nothing. “I meant what I said, little Kanna. It really is a coincidence. You know better than anyone that I’m just a normal human. I couldn’t open the gate even if I wanted to, not even with the help of your little crystals.”

“Kh…” Kanna grunted in frustration.

In the end, she knew he was right. As things stood, Kanna should currently be the only one in the entire school with the ability to open the gate to the world of Alviquan. This is why the idea of a vampire appearing here was such a farfetched idea that even Kanna didn’t seriously consider it until the evidence was right in front of her.

Then… how? Why? I fail to understand what kind of coincidence could possibly lead to this situation…

Kanna was at a loss.

“You know, little Kanna… When I was there for that first big meeting between old man Hoshikage and your head priest, I was amazed. It was like a whole new world had appeared before me. Though… I guess it really did, huh?” Tokushige glanced upward in reminiscence.

“What of it…?” Kanna didn’t understand why Tokushige was bringing up such a thing at a time like this.

“I will admit, I was curious.” Tokushige smiled. “Ever since I first learned that your world had real vampires, a part of me couldn’t help but want to meet one. Of course, I knew better than to say such a thing in front of that grumpy ole’ priest.”

“You fool…!” Kanna shouted once more. “Such details of our struggles were only shared to give an understanding of our world! Vampires are a dangerous menace to all who live in Alviquan… They are no mere subject for your meager curiosity!”

“Hey, hey, I’m just saying.” Tokushige shrugged. “You have to understand, for us in this world who’ve lived with centuries of fanciful tales of vampires like the dreaded Count Dracula and whatnot, the idea that such a creature could truly exist is an exciting prospect. Much like that feeling of glee a young boy feels when his present under the Christmas tree turns out to be that one toy they were convinced they’d never get to own.”

“… Your ridiculous metaphor aside, it seems as though our tales of struggle came across as no more than mere entertainment for you…” Kanna grimaced.

“This whole situation is wonderful entertainment, little Kanna.” Tokushige grandly lifted his arms. “So when this coincidence came upon me, and I realized a naughty little vampire had snuck into my district. All I decided to do was see what kind of lovely story could unfold from this situation.”

“Our reality is no mere story!” Kanna once again slammed her fist to his desk. “How could you do this to your own students?!”

“Do what, exactly?” Tokushige tilted his head. “I’ve already told you, I didn’t do a thing. I just wanted to see how this would unfold.”

“You…!” Kanna glared sharply at the man.

“Honestly, it could’ve gone either way.” Tokushige explained. “I was fully prepared to return from my meetings just to receive a report from you about how you found and slayed a vampire that mysteriously made its way into the district… But I guess you weren’t quite prepared, huh?”

“Of course not! How could one have prepared for this?!” Kanna was annoyed at Tokushige’s implication of her inadequacies.

“Now, now. It’s not as though a boring story like ‘my district’s handy knight slaying a big bad villain’ would be particularly entertaining. It’s a possible scenario, of course, but not exactly what I’d hope for. As I said, it could’ve gone either way.” Tokushige grinned at Kanna knowingly.

“Either way…? What could you… Ah!” Kanna suddenly realized what Tokushige was quietly implying.

“There you go, using that big brain of yours, little Kanna.” Tokushige chuckled.

“This is about… Yuko Maeda.” Kanna realized the true intentions behind Tokushige’s inaction.

“Isn’t she the most fascinating piece on the board right now, little Kanna?” Tokushige smirked. “After all, not even you can make heads or tails of what this ‘Guardian’ of hers is supposed to be, right? Why not let her meet a vampire?”

“You… you bastard.” Kanna’s fist trembled. “You would stoop so low? Put your entire district of students at risk, just to provoke the Guardian of Yuko Maeda?!”

“Don’t make it sound so sinister, little Kanna.” Tokushige laughed dryly. “Think about it like this: Even if this vampire started causing trouble, I was confident either you or little Yuko would deal with it somehow or another. I don’t have to do a thing. But of course, I’d be quite interested to see the spectacle play out. Heh heh heh.”

Kanna finally grasped the situation. Regardless of whatever this ‘coincidence’ was that allowed a vampire to appear in this world, Tokushige simply let it happen. Just for the sake of providing another possible stage for Yuko Maeda and the mysterious Guardian within her to take action. Kanna had already understood that Tokushige was interested in Yuko, but never expected him to go to lengths such as this.

“I have had enough of this.” Kanna declared, turning her back. “I shall find and eliminate this vampire immediately, ending your foolhardy amusement on the spot.”

“Well, good luck. I have no objections. You’re our precious knight after all.” Tokushige waved with fake encouragement.

“Kh…” Kanna scoffed. “Before I go, will you really not tell me how the creature ended up in this world? What exactly is this accursed ‘coincidence’ you speak of? I do believe I have a right to know.”

“Hmm… Well, I feel like you’ll know soon enough.” Tokushige grinned. “Why ruin the surprise?”

“… I’ve had enough of your foolish games.”

Annoyed, Kanna stomped out of Tokushige’s office, all but slamming the door behind her.

I shall forget about that old fool and his schemes for now… Tonight, I shall strike. I will not let this vampire continue to linger…!

Kanna had made her decision. She’d stop at nothing to rid the east district of the vampire. This was Kanna’s will. To achieve this, she’d already set her plans to act that night…

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