Philosopher From Another World

Neo Tokyo, with a population of 46 million people, 60% of which are students, is one of six Institution Centers in the world. Institution Centers, as their name suggests, are cities whose population consist mainly of students between the ages of six and twenty-five. They are dedicated to education, which forms the basis of the cities’ socioeconomics. Additionally, Institution Centers also partake in research projects, often with an emphasis on student participation. As such, they are always armed with the latest technologies, the latest knowledge, and the latest advancements. But like all Institution Centers, the main goal of Neo Tokyo is to cultivate the talents of Philosophers.

What are Philosophers? Well, to understand what they are, it should first be noted that the humans of today have evolved beyond what was once thought impossible. This evolution came about as a result of the constant advancements in scientific progress and development at a very accelerated rate, which in turn affected the human race on a genetic level. As a result, more than 80% of humans now possess powers beyond imagination. Philosophers, then, is a term used to refer to these superpowered individuals. Why? Philosopher, meaning a lover of knowledge, was thought to be the perfect term to call the current powered-up human race since their powers developed due to this very love of knowledge, which propelled them down this evolutionary path.

Furthermore, Philosophers are separated into three classes based on what their power entails: Psions—Philosophers whose powers affect the natural world, such as those dealing with the physical, chemical, or geological world; Metas, Philosophers whose powers affect the biological world, which can range from genetic-related abilities to zoological and botanical powers; and Logicians—Philosophers whose abilities affect the logical world, which is done through the manipulation of mathematical properties and data.

“Philosophers are also separated into ranks….”

“Why are we going over something that we already learned in middle school?” complained Masaki.

“You know we always do this every year,” replied Chiharu. “It’s only the second week of the first term.”

“I thought going to college would mean I get to escape this boring lecture, but I was wrong,” whined Masaki.

“Quiet over there!” called the teacher from the front of the class.

Class ended and Chiharu packed up his stuff to go get lunch. He exited the university building and made his way through the academy’s courtyard, crossing the high school division’s grounds, and finally through the academy gates. Today, Neo Tokyo was the same as always: sunny with some clouds passing through every now and then, the usual small breeze that cooled down passersby’s necks from the warm sun rays, hypercars silently buzzing through the streets in manageable traffic, and city administered bots working the day away without breaking a sweat.

Chiharu entered the usual restaurant he frequented for lunch and dinner. He passed by a table and was bewildered to see a lump of silk melting on the table. A loud grumbling came from the strange mass and Chiharu took a cautious step back.

“Hello, how may I help you?” came the waitress, appearing right in front of Chiharu.

Chiharu shifted his attention away from the lump. “Ah, yes, can I please order a katsu-sando meal to go. Oh, and can you please substitute the tonkatsu sauce for mayonnaise?”

“Of course,” confirmed the waitress. “Would you like tea or soda with your order?”

“Yuzu ramune, please.”

“Will do. If you would please take a seat, I will get your order ready.”

Chiharu nodded in reply. Suddenly, the same grumbling sound from the mass beside him repeated, except louder this time. Chiharu knew that he shouldn’t ask, but he did it anyway. “Um, excuse me, but what’s with the grumbling lump of silk over here?”

The waitress smiled a more milder smile and explained, “She came in a few hours ago, dirty and hungry. However, she didn’t have any money on her person. Feeling sorry for her, I talked with the manager and he allowed her to sit in the shop until she was ready to leave.”

“Ah, I see.” Chiharu walked over to the lump of silk and said, “Excuse me, are you hungry?” At first, the lump of silk stayed very still. And then, before a full five seconds could pass, the lump of silk slowly moved up and down as if it was nodding its head. “Could I get another katsu-sando meal for here?” Chiharu asked the waitress.

The waitress brought out his orders and Chiharu placed the other meal right in front of the lump of silk. The aroma from the meal stirred the lump of silk and it immediately jumped up, revealing a girl underneath. She looked about fourteen or fifteen years old, the same age as either a third-year middle schooler or a first-year high schooler. With glistening raven-black hair that flowed straightly down her back and equally sparkling slightly upturned grey-blue eyes and snow-kissed skin, she was the ideal picture of a classical beauty. Her lips were on the thin side and her cheeks were round and a little on the high side, features that for sure has gotten her many compliments of cuteness.

But what was more amazing than her beauty or her clothing—a large black silk kimono with a floral pattern of red spider-lilies—was her appetite. She absorbed the food like a vacuum, taking only little breaks between bites to breathe or chug down ramune. Once she was done, she held up the tray to Chiharu and kindly requested, “Seconds, please!” She let out a small burp and giggled bashfully.

“I’m not doing this out of charity, you know?” Chiharu flatly replied back.

“Seconds, please!” she repeated. Her voice was clear with a glassy texture, as if she had spent years cultivating it for some kind of purpose. It was the same kind of voice one would associate with a member of the convent who had dedicated their life to perfecting chants and prayers. And the excitedness that seemed to empower each and every word clearly conveyed her carefree and hyper nature.

“Alright,” reluctantly sighed Chiharu. He did as she said and ordered another one of the same meal. Compared to the girl, Chiharu was just a decent-looking boy. 18 years old and a first-year college student, Atago Chiharu had a decently luxurious head of yellow-orange hair and striking amber eyes that were constantly held in-between a frown and a relaxed expression. Because of this, he had many times been confused for a dangerous person. His college uniform consisted of a maroon three-piece suit with a single-striped tie.

“Haaaaaaaah!” sighed the girl satisfyingly with a matching expression on her face. “That was delicious.” She patted her full belly with a ditzy giggle. “Thank you very much, good sir!” she sincerely said with a bow. Her word choice of ‘good sir’ sounded weird to Chiharu.

“Ah, don’t worry about it,” he told her.

“Kanon,” said the girl happily. “My name is Kaga no Kanon.”

“No*?” questioned Chiharu with a tilt of his head. (Referring to the Japanese particle 'no' often used back then in names.)

“By the way, what is your name, good sir?” asked Kanon respectfully.

“Chiharu. Atago Chiharu,” he replied.

“Ah, Sir Atago**!” repeated Kanon with a beaming smile. “You have shown me good faith, Sir Atago. Though I do not possess anything that could act as compensation, I still wish to show my gratitude. I hope you accept my prayer as compensation.” (Kanon's use of 'Sir' is equivalent to using '-dono' in Japanese > 'Atago-dono'.)

“Prayer?” wondered Chiharu. ‘Do those still exist? Haven’t pseudoscientific practices like prayers and the like been outlawed?’ Chiharu was not wrong in his thinking. However, prayers and the like still exist, though their importance have long been diluted to the point that they act as mere mirrors into the past with no sociocultural significance at all. In this world dominated by science, these practices are only given a chance to still exist as ‘cultural heritage’ in name only and with no actual meaning on any sociological level.

‘Still, I guess it can’t hurt,’ thought Chiharu.

Kanon closed her eyes and put her palms together in prayer. “Om mani padme hum. May the great Bodhisattva of Compassion, Goddess who hears all and sees all, right-hand of the Awakened One and symbolizing the great Enlightened King’s compassionate heart, listen to my prayer. I, Kaga no Kanon, may my prayer reach your compassionate ears, extend my prayer to Atago Chiharu. May your compassion extend to his heart and lead him down the blessed path.”

As Chiharu watched Kanon pray, he saw her body suddenly glow a brilliant white and was a little taken aback. When she was done and the glow dissipated, he suddenly felt a subtle change wash over him. ‘What just happened?’ he wondered with a frown.

Kanon got up and stretched her body. “Well then, I have to get going. Once again, thank you for the treat, Sir Atago!”

School was finally done and Chiharu took the chance to rest in his seat for a moment before packing up to go home. His chance for relaxation was quickly cut short when a stream of water suddenly hit him from out of nowhere. “Hey, Haru!” called out Sara, stomping up to him with an angry expression on her face. Once she reached him, she slammed a fist on his desk and said with an aggressive tone that seemed natural for her as if she was accustomed to it, “I called your name twice and you didn’t respond at all!”

Chiharu wiped his unimpressed face with his sleeve. “It’s just you, Saki,” he said flatly.

“My name…is not…Saki!!!” she shouted. She raised a hand and the air in front of Chiharu exploded in a small but potent explosion. Just as quickly as it had happened, the explosion quickly dispelled, as if it was being absorbed by a vacuum, revealing Chiharu exactly the same as he was before the explosion occurred.

“That was dangerous, you know? Even with my ability, don’t think that you can just cause random explosions and expect me to always be okay,” Chiharu scolded her.

“I wouldn’t have to do that if you’d just pay attention to me in the first place,” she replied back with a huff.

Uzuki Sara, that was her name. A first-year high school student, Chiharu’s childhood friend, and one of the most powerful Psions in the world. Her ability, ‘Bond Reactor’, allows her to manipulate the subatomic particles—namely electrons, neutrons, and protons—and their interactions at the subatomic level. As such, she is capable of manipulating chemical and atomic bonds and reactions as well as nuclear reactions, giving her a wide range of powers like: manipulating states of matter, breaking apart chemical compounds to form new ones, stripping electrons to generate electricity, and producing nuclear blasts and radiation. It's not a stretch to say that she possesses almost-complete control over chemistry and much of nuclear physics.

However, despite how powerful she is, Sara did not look intimidating one bit. In fact, she looked just like any other normal high school teen. She had long wavy reddish-brown hair that stopped just past her shoulders, tied in a small braided side-ponytail, and emerald-green eyes that were always glaring as if that was their default look. Her stature was on the short side and her childish frame had always been her bane since she would always get mistaken for a middle-school student. The only saving grace for her was her modestly developed chest, though this also had their fair share of problems, too—usually in the form of guys wanting to get fresh with her.

As for why she is called Saki, well, that was what Chiharu had called her for as long as he could remember. Her name, Sara, consists of a kanji*** that was the same as that for the name Saki. Ever since Chiharu discovered that, he consistently called Sara by that name despite her constant protests. (Sara's name is written as 咲良 in Japanese. Though typically pronounced 'Sakura', it is pronounced as 'Sara' in her case. The first kanji can also be read as 'Saki', which is why Chiharu calls her by that name.)

“Hey, Saki, what do you think about prayers?” asked Chiharu nonchalantly.

“Hah? Prayers? What are you talking about in this day and age? Pseudoscientific practices like those have no place in our modern scientific society,” replied Sara.

“Right?” agreed Chiharu with a laugh. “Anyway, what did you need from me?”

“I just wanted to come ask you if you would like to walk home together,” she said, her voice becoming quieter as she spoke with the last part barely louder than a whisper. Her face was turned away from Chiharu, preventing him from seeing her reddened cheeks.

“What was that?” asked Chiharu.

“Nothing!” she immediately responded with a shout. She then made a dash for the door. “Idiot!” she shouted one last time before leaving.

“What’s her problem?” wondered Chiharu to himself.

After leaving school, Chiharu walked to the supermarket to buy groceries. He returned back to his dorm with the groceries and set them down on the counter when he suddenly remembered something he had forgotten to buy. “Damn, I forgot about the soy sauce,” he cursed. He quickly grabbed his wallet and returned back to the grocery store. While on the way there, he noticed a familiar sight waiting underneath the canopy light of a nearby store.

Kanon was breathing hard with her hand clutching her chest; she looked like she had just completed a 100-meter dash! Her clothes were drenched in sweat and she had perspiration covering her entire face. She spotted Chiharu and quickly looked away.

Chiharu thought it was weird for her to do that and approached her. “Hey, are you alright?” he asked her.

“You need to get away from here,” she told him.

‘Get away?’ wondered Chiharu in confusion. “What’s going on here?” he pressed.

“Watch out!” immediately shouted Kanon. She reached out and pulled Chiharu towards her. Chiharu was taken by surprise by her sudden manhandling, but he was even more surprised when he realized what she had done: pulling him away from a strange blast that scorched the ground he previously stood on.

“What the hell?” cursed Chiharu.

Kanon clasped her hands together and chanted: “Om Vajrapani Hum. May the great Bodhisattva of Power, Guardian who vanquishes evil and protects the righteous, weapon and shield of the Awakened One and symbolizing the great Enlightened King’s righteous power, listen to my prayer. Cut through my foes with your vajra blade and subdue their ignorant souls!”

A giant blade made of mysterious blue lightning came down from the sky and slammed into the ground like the swift downstroke of a sharp katana. The ground underneath cracked as if it was hit by an earthquake and the damage stretched far and wide within a five-mile radius. Dust from the clash quickly dissipated and the clear shapes of three people lying facedown on the ground became apparent.

“Ah, my spell is way weaker here,” sighed Kanon with a frown. “Usually, the ground would collapse and more buildings would be leveled. Well, on the bright side, at least there’s not much damage and no one was hurt!” She ended her commentary with her usual ditzy laugh.

“W-W-What was that?” stuttered Chiharu.

“A spell to subdue my enemies,” replied Kanon. She walked over to the bodies on the ground. “Don’t worry, they’re not dead,” she told him. And with a raised hand in a show of sincerity, she added, “As part of my creed as a member of the Shingori Sect, I have vowed to never kill a living being with intent.”

“Who were they?” asked Chiharu.

“They’ve been chasing me for a while now. They’re enemy Philosophers,” answered Kanon.

“Philosophers? Those guys?” Chiharu couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“Two Mystics and a Sorcerer,” counted Kanon.

‘Mystics? Sorcerer? What is she going on about?’ wondered Chiharu. The sound of sirens in the distance brought him back to his senses and he suddenly remembered what he was doing. “Let’s go,” he told Kanon.

After securing his bottle of soy sauce, Chiharu returned home with Kanon in tow. When they passed by the scene of their battle, which was now filled with law enforcement officers and cordoned off with police tape, Chiharu blended into the crowd and foraged on while ignoring what was taking place. Kanon, who was captivated by the bright lights and excited chatter that now littered the battle sight, had to be forced by Chiharu to act the same way to avoid suspicion.

Back in the dormitory, Chiharu cooked a simple gyudon meal for both himself and Kanon. As they ate, Chiharu took the chance to question his guest. “You said that those guys were chasing you. Do you now why?”

“Judging from their clothes, they must be members of Roma’s Unified Church,” she revealed. “The Unified Church is one of the three powers, along with the Western Temple Society and the East Enlightened Order. It looks like they chased after me when I came through that mysterious portal. It must be because I’m the heir to the Kaga Clan.”

“Unified Church? Temple Society? Enlightened Order? Kaga Clan?” repeated Chiharu, his mind now a jumbled a mess.

“The Kaga Clan is one of the leaders of the Enlightened Order,” elucidated Kanon.

“So, these guys want to kill you because you’re this clan’s heir?”

“Likely so,” confirmed Kanon.

“Say, where are you from in the first place? I’ve never heard of any of this before.”

“Edo,” answered Kanon matter-of-factly. “Actually, to tell you the truth, I’m not from this world. Last night, I came to this world from my own through a portal. It was on the same day that I was first chased by those guys. It seems that they’ve followed me here.”

“Not from this world? What world are you from, then?” questioned Chiharu.

“My world is called Gaia. Although, in more informal settings, we use the name ‘Earth’,” answered Kanon.

“Just like here,” remarked Chiharu. “However, our world’s official name is Nexus.”

“On Gaia, I come from a city called Edo in the country of Nihonkoku,” continued Kanon.

“The city of Neo Tokyo is located in the nation of Shinnippon,” compared Chiharu. “You said that Philosophers exist in your world, too, right?”

“Yes, they do,” she confirmed.

“Are they also people who possess supernatural abilities?” pressed Chiharu slowly.

“They are,” she replied.

“What percentage of your world’s population are Philosophers?”

“Hmm…. I think anywhere from 70-85% of our entire population are Philosophers.”

“The numbers are similar here, too,” said Chiharu in a low voice.

“By the way, I’m a Philosopher, too! A Mystic, to be exact,” revealed Kanon with a chuckle.

“Mystic? What’s that?” asked Chiharu.

“In my world, Philosophers are divided into three different classes based on what their powers are. Mystics are Philosophers whose powers are derived from the gods and other divine beings. The other two classes are Sorcerers and Occultists. Sorcerers directly manipulate the magical energy that permeates the world, while Occultists gain power through dark magic and making deals with devils and spirits.”

“Wait, magic?” asked Chiharu.

“That’s right! Magic is the life-energy of Gaia and humans have evolved to be able to harness that energy. It is this very energy that connects us to the divine, the infernal, and the world itself. It forms the basis of our abilities.”

“But… magic…that’s impossible, isn’t it? It’s not scientific at all!” reasoned Chiharu.

“Oh? Then how would you explain the way I took down those Unified Church members?” asked Kanon smugly with a raised eyebrow.

“That’s….” Chiharu couldn’t argue back. “But in this world, magic doesn’t exist. This world runs solely on scientific knowledge. The Philosophers here are divided based on what part of the world their powers influence. Psions manipulate the physical world, Metas control the biological world, and Logicians dominate the logical world.”

“Ooh! Those sound cool!” squealed Kanon excitedly. “Say, Sir Atago, what kind of Philosopher are you?”

“I’m a Psion,” revealed Chiharu with a humble smile. “Though, I’m only a Gamma-Level.”

“What’s your power?” asked Kanon.

“Power Vacuum,” simply answered Chiharu. “I can basically absorb most kinds of energy and power into my body. However, when I do, I have to expend it or my health will take a downturn.” As he said that, he suddenly remembered the afternoon absorption of Sara’s mini-explosion. He suddenly got up; Kanon was taken by surprise by his sudden movement and scooted back. “Want some tea?” Chiharu asked her.

“Um, okay."

Chiharu walked back to the kitchen. A few seconds later, he reappeared with a teapot. “Ah, at least the teapots here are the same,” breathed Kanon with a smile at the familiar sight. Chiharu set the teapot on the table. Kanon grabbed the pot and immediately retracted her hand back. “That’s cold!” she exclaimed with a bewildered expression.

“I’ll show you what I can do,” Chiharu told her. He placed his hand on the teapot and channeled all of the stored up energy inside of him. The teapot gradually heated up and steam escaped from the spout. Once he was sure that the flow of energy was completed and all of the excess energy was now gone from his body, he let go of the teapot.

“Oh! You’re a walking iori (hearth)!” declared Kanon confidently with her arms crossed over her chest.

“That’s not it!” quickly protested Chiharu. “This is just the excess energy I absorbed from this afternoon.”

“Absorbed? What happened this afternoon?” asked Kanon.

“Uh, I’d rather not say,” responded Chiharu, his face turned away with an awkward smile.

“So, you can absorb energy…,” said Kanon ponderingly. “Mm, I made up my mind!” she immediately declared.

“What are you talking about—?” asked Chiharu.

“I will live here with you!” she announced cheerfully.

“Why?!” angrily demanded Chiharu.

“Well, you have the power to absorb all kinds of energy, right? Then that means that you’ll be able to protect me! You’re my personal human shield!” explained Kanon unashamedly with a confident attitude as if the idea was the only logical option.

“You’ve got to be kidding me?!” protested Chiharu.

“Are you saying that you’re okay with a maiden like me to be out on the street alone in a strange and foreign world? Are you that opposed to being my knight in shining armor?” asked Kanon with big, sad eyes.

Chiharu took a massive hit with this unfair attack of maidenly vulnerability. “Y-Y-You’re pretty capable of defending yourself,” he argued back. “I mean, you managed to defeat those three guys pretty easily with your magic.”

“But my powers didn’t work as well in this world. What if I try to use my powers again but their effectiveness continues to be reduced? If I get attacked again, I don’t know if I can adequately defend myself.”

Kanon’s logic attack did a number on Chiharu again. “B-B-But, I don’t even know if I can absorb magic or magical energy!” he protested.

“Then shall we try it out?” suggested Kanon happily with a clasp of her hands. She put her hands together in prayer and chanted: “Om Vajrapani Hum. May the great Bodhisattva of Power, Guardian who vanquishes evil and protects the righteous….”

“Oi, oi, oi, I know that spell you’re casting right now. It’s the same one as before!” immediately yelped Chiharu. “Stop this right now!” he barked.

“….Cut through my foe with your vajra blade and subdue his ignorant soul!” finished Kanon.

The same giant blade made of mysterious blue lightning appeared and sliced through the air horizontally with its edge aiming straight for Chiharu. The latter reflexively crossed his arms over his body and activated his power. Whether or not it will work—that was something to worry about later. And then…the energy disappeared. Chiharu felt his body being filled with energy—the same sensation he gets whenever he uses his power.

“See, you can do it after all!” announced Kanon.

Chiharu stood up and walked over to Kanon. In one swift movement, he grabbed Kanon by the collar of her kimono and used his free hand to noogie her head. “Don’t ever try something dangerous like that again!” he told her angrily.

“Okay, okay! I give! I give! I won’t do that again!” pleaded Kanon.

Chiharu finally let her go and sighed. “Alright, I guess you can stay here,” he told her.

“Really? Hooray!” she cheered.

‘I don’t have a good feeling about this at all,’ Chiharu thought to himself with a despondent look.

“Geez, I don’t know what goes on in his mind sometimes,” complained Sara to her friend.

“That friend of yours sound like a very interesting fellow,” giggled Yoshi.

“He’s not interesting at all!” objected Sara.

“Is this what they call—what was it again?—tsundere?” said Yoshi.

“I am not tsundere!” objected Sara. The air around her suddenly ionized and crackled.

“Now, now, I’m sorry,” apologized Yoshi with a giggle. “But you know, if you don’t like him, then why not look somewhere else?”

“Hah?! Just what are you going on about?” asked Sara with a frown.

“Oh, I don’t know?” replied Yoshi mysteriously, circling around Sara. She then grabbed Sara from behind and fondled her chest. “Why not try someone who has a greater chance at understanding you, like a girl?” suggested Yoshi with a mischievous grin.

Sara’s face was flushed red from a mixture of embarrassment and anger at the situation she found herself in. “Yoshi!” she howled. She raised a hand and placed her fingers together to prepare a snap. But before she could unleash her power, Yoshi quickly let go.

“Ah, sorry, I have to go now! I can’t keep the team waiting!” said Yoshi, taking her leave.

‘Geez, that girl,’ grumbled Sara.

“Ah, Saki,” greeted Chiharu with a raised hand.

“Haru!” exclaimed Sara.

“Shouldn’t you be going to your classroom right now? If I remember correctly, high school classes start at 8:30, right?” noted Chiharu.

“I know that!” quickly snapped Sara. She then cleared her throat and said, “Sorry for the attitude. I will take my leave now.”

“Um, sure,” said Chiharu with a small, awkward smile. As she left, Chiharu heard her angrily mumbling something to herself. He continued on to his own classroom in the college building and went in.

“Hey, Chiharu, look at this!” called Masaki. He held up a tablet for Chiharu see an article on kimono. “What do you think?” asked Masaki.

“What do I think? Aren’t those kimono?” said Chiharu matter-of-factly.

“Yes, they are,” confirmed Masaki, disappointed with his friend’s lack of interest. “You don’t see these anymore today. In fact, the last time kimono or any variations thereof were recorded to have existed were more than five decades ago! Now, you just see them in museum exhibits about the past.”

“You know, I would think it’s weird for someone to know this much about a topic like this. But taking into consideration how you want to be a fashion engineer in the future, it makes sense for you to be into this kind of stuff,” said Chiharu.

“Did you know that a version of the kimono called a yukata were normally worn during the summer and for festivals?” asked Masaki.

“Oh, now that you said that, I think I remember some old festival photos of relatives wearing those before,” remembered Chiharu.

“Ah, sometimes I wonder if having a society based on scientific advancement is actually good?” dramatically lamented Masaki. “The fashion industry is barely holding on as it is, trying to catch up to scientific advancements every single day.”

“Right,” uttered Chiharu slowly.

“Anyway, that’s not why I showed you this,” said Masaki, changing the subject. “You see, there’s a rumor going around about a girl dressed in ‘weird clothing like the ones seen at museums’.”

“Weird clothing…? You mean—?”

“Kimono!” announced Masaki, tapping the image on the tablet.

‘I’m pretty sure they’re talking about Kanon,’ concluded Chiharu.

“Oh, if only I can meet her! I would love to ask if she would allow me to research her garment!” said Masaki.

‘Maybe I should keep the fact that that very girl is now living as my roommate a secret,’ determined Chiharu.

Once school was done, Chiharu returned straight home with no detours. He opened the door and found Kanon with her eyes glued to the TV. “I’m back,” he announced.

“Ah, welcome back,” returned Kanon, her eyes still glued intently on the television screen. She was watching an anime called ‘Konon, Magical Girl of Mercy’, a very popular shōjo anime with fans worldwide. “Despite how objectionable this show is about its depiction of the Bodhisattvas, I can’t help but find myself mesmerized by the intriguing storyline and complex yet relatable characters!” said Kanon.

“Objectionable?” asked Chiharu.

“Ah, I didn’t mean that in a blasphemous kind of way!” clarified Kanon. “But their depictions of the Bodhisattvas are wrong! First of all, Kannon is a Bodhisattva of Compassion, rather than mercy. It’s easy to get the two mixed-up, but compassion encompasses benevolence to all while mercy gives the impression that she only helps those in dire need over those who are not.”

“Uh-huh,” uttered Chiharu, though he couldn’t really follow her words at all. He didn’t even know what a Bodhisattva was to begin with! Anything that wasn’t scientific in nature was beyond his knowledge. Now if she were to discuss something like quantum string theory, then perhaps he could offer a more thoughtful response.

“Anyway, Kanon, if you’re going to live here in this world, you should think about getting some new clothes,” Chiharu told her.

“Why? What’s wrong with my clothes?” she asked with a tilt of her head.

“Well, it really stands out. And also, it’s not something that we wear here.”

“No way! How could you call this place home of Japanese culture if you don’t wear kimono?!” cried a shocked Kanon.

“Anyway, tomorrow, we’re going shopping,” Chiharu told her.

“You don’t have school tomorrow, right?” remembered Kanon.

“Yup. By the way, do you go to school?” Chiharu would be lying if he said he wasn’t curious about his roommate’s education status.

“Hm-hm!” snickered Kanon with a smug smile. “I am actually finished with school!” she announced.

“Finished?! How old are you?” asked Chiharu in disbelief.

“Seventeen,” she replied.

“You’re younger than me by a year!” exclaimed Chiharu, shocked by the reveal.

“As the heir to the Kaga clan, I’ve been educated from an early age! It’s expected! Actually, it’s only been a month since I graduated from the magic academy,” she explained.

‘Someone younger than me that finished school before me is now living as my roommate. How unfair is that?’ lamented Chiharu.

The doorbell rang and Chiharu walked over to see who it was. He opened the door and saw Sara standing there with a plastic bag. “Good afternoon, Haru,” she greeted him politely, her face turned away to hide her embarrassment.

“Ah, Saki, what are you doing here?” asked Chiharu.

“My name is not Saki,” Sara corrected him with a glare.

“Ah, of course,” quickly said Chiharu with a nod. “Well, why don’t you come in?” he offered.

Sara walked in and set down the plastic bag on the counter. “I was out buying groceries and saw that they had bentō on sale. I decided to buy you some to apologize for yesterday,” she told him.

“It’s okay, that was my fault, too. I was the one that didn’t pay attention,” said Chiharu.

“Yes, it was your fault,” agreed Sara with a pout. “Anyway, I got you your favorite—.”

“Ooh, something smells good!” exclaimed Kanon, appearing right beside Sara with her eyes locked onto the plastic bag on the counter.

Sara jumped back at the unwelcome surprise. “Who—Who are you?” Sara asked the unknown stranger.

“Kaga no Kanon! Nice to meet you!” introduced Kanon, stretching out her greasy hand. Her mouth was full of food from the bentō that she had opened in a flash.

“That was quick!” commented Sara.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” Chiharu scolded Kanon. “Also, how did your hand get so dirty when you were just using a pair of chopsticks?”

“A mystery!” chuckled Kanon cheekily.

“Haru, who is this girl?” asked Sara through gritted teeth with seething anger.

“Uh, it’s a long story, actually,” Chiharu quickly attempted to explain. “You see, um, well, stuff happened, and, um, now she’s, er, my…roommate.”

“Roommate? This unknown girl is your roommate?” interrogated Sara with a glare that cut sharper than a knife.

“Um…yes?” answered Chiharu.

“Haru, you idiot,” cursed Sara ruefully underneath her breath.

“Sorry?” came Chiharu.

“Nothing,” Sara told him. She walked up to the front door and announced she was leaving. Chiharu had expected her to slam the door behind her, but Sara let the door close softly behind her instead.

“Who was that?” asked Kanon.

“Uzuki Sara, a junior of mine and a childhood friend,” replied Chiharu.

“Childhood friend, huh?… Sir Atago, you really are a dunce, aren’t you,” said Kanon pityingly.

“What’s that supposed to mean?—Ack! You finished that bentō quick!… And there’s nothing left in the bag!”

“Thank you for the meal,” sighed Kanon with a satisfied smile.

Chiharu towered over Kanon and grabbed her by the collar of her kimono. “You ate my dinner. What will you do to make up for this?” he scolded her while giving her a noogie.

“Ah, I give! I give! I’m sorry!” cried Kanon.

He let her go and sighed. “I’ll be back,” he told her as he packed his wallet and stepped out to go buy his dinner.

Meanwhile, in the high school dormitory, Sara had returned back to her room. “You got back just before curfew,” said Yoshi as Sara entered the room. “So, how did it go?” asked her friend with a half-smile.

“Hmph! I don’t care anymore!” asserted Sara. “He can spend his days with his roommate all he wants! That has nothing to do with me!”

“Wait, roommate? That’s the first I’ve heard of this!” exclaimed an excited Yoshi. “Tell me more!” she pressed.

“Yoshi,” snapped Sara with a scowl.

“Oh, don’t be like that,” cooed Yoshi with a smirk. In the blink of an eye, she placed herself right behind Sara and grabbed her chest from behind. “Ah, just leave it to Yoshi, your bestie, to comfort you!” she announced cheerfully with a hint of lasciviousness.

“Yo…shi!” seethed Sara. A small explosion occurred in the space between Sara’s and Yoshi’s face, sending the latter flying backwards into the wall.

“If I hadn’t hardened my body, it could’ve been worse,” said Yoshi, her voice hoarse from the explosion. She wore a wide smile on her face, though, and added, “But it was worth it.”

“Mistress Kaga, where could you be?” On top of a building, wearing strange clothing not of this world, was a young man who was at his wits end with worry. “I need to get you back quickly. The Kaga clan is waiting for your return. The United Church must be stopped. Oh, I pray that I find you.”