036. Mana Sumita
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Through Nanyun Yuyue’s “戒律,” a figure could be seen rushing toward this place at tremendous speed.
“Now that she’s here, Misumi Hatsune can finally be safe.”
“Still, it’s surprising that she knew Hatsune was nearby.”
Thinking this, Nanyun Yuyue left the room under the authority of “戒律” and headed in another direction.
………………
“Yes, Hatsuka is somewhere around here. She shouldn’t be far.”
Juneda Mana was hurrying toward the area.
“Kaguya-hime, I have you to thank for helping me pinpoint the exact location of her phone.”
“I was merely carrying out my orders.”
“Remember—do not mention this to anyone.”
Kaguya-hime’s cool voice came through, and then the call with Juneda Mana ended.
Mana ran all the way there. When she saw the location Kaguya-hime had sent her, her heart tightened.
“Hatsuka!”
She immediately charged into the inn, paying no attention to the proprietress still sprawled there asleep, and raced upstairs.
A flash of golden light crossed her pupils. With a series of crashes, she smashed through several doors in succession.
Then, behind one of them, she found Misumi Hatsune.
“Hatsuka, are you all right?”
Mana’s voice was anxious.
She rushed to Misumi Hatsune and examined her from head to toe.
Top… normal.
Skirt… normal.
Canvas shoes… normal.
Mana finally breathed a sigh of relief.
“Hatsuka, wake up.”
She shook Misumi Hatsune gently.
Misumi Hatsune’s lips parted slightly, but she gave no other response.
“What happened?”
Mana touched her forehead and found it burning hot.
“Oh no, she has a fever!”
She hurried to the bathroom, dampened an inn towel with warm water, and placed it over Misumi Hatsune’s head.
“What on earth… happened to you?”
Mana still had no idea what had occurred.
Sumimi had not been assigned anything special that day, so the two of them had simply finished training when the scheduled time was up.
They parted outside the training room.
At first, Mana had planned to go home. She had just bought two doughnuts from a restaurant when, all of a sudden, she received a call from someone named Kaguya-hime.
“Kaguya-hime?”
Mana’s heart jolted.
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As an affiliated member of the Eight Sheqi Families who had once studied in the preparatory class at Japanese Cassell College, she had naturally heard of Kaguya-hime.
“Why would Kaguya-hime contact me directly?”
Mana ran to a secluded corner and answered at once.
Kaguya-hime’s voice sounded in her ear.
“Hatsuka has lost control.”
……
Guided by Kaguya-hime’s location data, Mana hurried over and finally found Misumi Hatsune in the hotel.
Fortunately, Misumi Hatsune appeared to be unharmed.
“Kaguya-hime said Hatsuka almost lost control.”
Mana looked at Misumi Hatsune lying on the bed.
Her gaze fell on the tea table. There happened to be an unopened bottle of mineral water there.
Click.
Mana twisted open the cap, poured a little water into it, and drank it in one gulp.
Then she supported Misumi Hatsune’s neck, poured another capful of water, and gently spread the droplets across Hatsune’s forehead.
After finishing, Mana sat down beside the bed and gazed out the window.
Her golden eyes blazed to life for an instant, and an unknown song began to echo through the room.
[Word Spirit: Siren]
This was an extraordinarily rare special Word Spirit, named after the sirens of legend.
Throughout history, every mixed-blood who possessed this Word Spirit had displayed an extraordinary talent for singing.
Juneda Mana, who had won the National Singing Competition five times in a row, was precisely such a bearer.
“Come, lost child adrift upon the sea,”
“You whose heart bleeds in a distant land.”
……
A gentle song arose.
Mana’s voice was soft, as though it possessed some inexplicable magic capable of filling the listener with warmth.
Upon hearing her singing, one could not help but associate it with the sensation of sunlight spilling down on a clear morning.
That was the foundation of her strength—the reason she had claimed first place in the National Singing Competition again and again.
To win a competition of that caliber even once was an extraordinary achievement, let alone five consecutive victories.
Her song continued.
“Come with me into this endless ocean,”
“Nowhere else is there such magic to soothe you.”
……
Amid the lingering melody, Misumi Hatsune’s body shifted slightly. She no longer seemed as tense as before.
Mana stroked her forehead.
Under the song of the Siren, the fever gradually began to subside.
About a minute later—
“Haa—”
“Huff—”
Misumi Hatsune suddenly awoke.
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While unconscious, she had felt as though a black sun were forming inside her body, ready to burst free at any moment.
But just as her consciousness sank into chaos, a cool sensation had flowed through her, soothing her body and bringing that violent force to a halt.
She did not know how much time had passed when she seemed to hear someone calling her name. She felt as though she were drifting in a vast ocean.
And then she awoke.
Misumi Hatsune raised her head and saw Juneda Mana sitting beside the bed.
Mana was leaning slightly forward. Her long, dark-brown hair fell over her shoulders, and her delicate face was turned toward Hatsune.
“Mana?”
Misumi Hatsune tried to sit up.
But the aftereffects of awakening the “Black Sun” had left her weak. The moment she managed to prop herself up, she collapsed back down.
“Oh!”
Mana hurriedly caught her by the back and gently slowed her fall.
“Thank you, Mana,” Misumi Hatsune said, looking up at her.
“It’s nothing. You fainted from exhaustion. Rest for a while first.”
Remembering Kaguya-hime’s instructions, Mana sighed inwardly.
“I’ve called a taxi. You’re coming home with me in a little while.”
“Oh, right.”
She looked at Misumi Hatsune.
“Would you like something to eat first? I happened to buy two doughnuts.”
“All right…”
………………
………………
“Finally home.”
Nanyun Yuyue dispelled the domain of “戒律,” pushed open the door, and collapsed directly onto the sofa in the entryway.
“What a troublesome spring this is.”
Nanyun Yuyue was honestly somewhat surprised.
“I never expected Juneda Mana to be the one who came in the end.”
He had long been rather curious about Miss Mana, who had won the National Singing Competition five times in a row.
To have achieved such accomplishments at her age, she was certain to make an extraordinary mark on the entertainment industry in the future.
Besides… the odds that someone with talent of that caliber was an ordinary human were far too low. In the end, things had turned out exactly as expected.
Nanyun Yuyue let out a sigh.
“In a few more days, it will be the Tsukinomori Music Festival…”
Fortunately, his Word Spirit had finally ignited today.
That gave Nanyun Yuyue somewhat more confidence as he faced the major event surrounding Tsukinomori this month.
“Hopefully nothing troublesome happens at this year’s festival…”
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