Part 113: Mariage Sorcière

BGM: Sukashiyuri

"...There was a large collection of books, the former possessions of a very rich man, that were being sold at auction, and it was thought that some of them might've been extremely valuable to the study of archeology and folklore, as well as in an occult sense, so this friend wanted to witness their worth confidentially."
"...That was '87. Half a year after the crime on Rokkenjima."



This was apparently a high-class restaurant. A middle-aged man was sitting across from Ange in a secluded and quiet seat. Amakusa could be seen by the entrance. He was probably keeping a lookout for pursuers from the Sumadera family.

The scholarly man across from Ange spoke politely, but with enthusiasm. He didn't lay a finger on the food in front of him, so you could tell how excited he was as he spoke fervently. He was a professor at a certain college, and particularly well-known as an authority on Western folklore. However, among his life works, that was only a convenient exterior. His true life work was... the study of occultism, Western magic, alchemy, and everything else to do with the occult, as well as demonology. In short, he was the person in the best position to understand the details of Kinzo's research...

"First, what I learned by appraising those books was that Ms. Ushiromiya Eva had absolutely no education in the study of folklore...and that the original owner of the books, Ushiromiya Kinzo, was certainly one of the top five authorities on demonology in Japan."

April, 1987. A major city antique shop obtained a large quantity of ancient documents that were thought to have a high historical value. They were entrusted with them by Ushiromiya Eva, who wanted them to be sold at auction.

At the time, it was thought that Eva would succeed the Ushiromiya family and have all the wealth to herself, as the only survivor. However, at that point, not even half a year had passed since the accident, and the others had not been missing long enough to be presumed dead, even under extraordinary circumstances. Because of that, Eva had supposedly been in a very tight spot financially, unable even to collect on her family's life insurance. It seems she tried to sell everything of value, and even the books kept in the place where she'd escaped harm in, Kuwadorian, were used for this purpose. These old books, which would eventually be called 'the Ushiromiya Library', were later gathered from antique shops by authorities in the field so that they could be appraised, and those authorities were astounded.



"This is because... contained within 'the Ushiromiya Library' were many extremely vital documents that had never been found, though their existence had been known of for more than a millenium."

The many dreams of the occult, such as those represented by alchemy, always stirred an intense fascination in dilettantes. It is whispered that many 'magic books' of great historical value, currently unknown to the public, might be in the secret possession of extremely wealthy lovers of the occult. Items such as Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks, which are particularly popular among dilettantes, are said to be prime examples of this. It is said that approximately 5,000 pages of these notebooks currently exist, and that over 10,000 have been lost, but some researchers believe that a large part of this lost portion may be monopolized by certain enthusiasts and members of the extremely rich. It is said that because of this, even now, dilettantes who can't help but seek these spare no expense to search around for quietly hoarded away and unannounced notebooks... There is probably no doubting that Ushiromiya Kinzo was himself one of those dilettantes.

No one knows what Kinzo went through to obtain those, but there can be no mistake that he used his vast wealth freely, buying them off of other rich people with the same hobby as him. Those books, which were so valuable that enthusiasts could never satisfy their desire to hoard them away, were discovered in large numbers at the end of the 20th century, and their release to the public had given the entire world a massive shock...

"Because of this case, the name Rokkenjima became known across the world. The world was also shocked to learn that, in all likelihood, a large number of even more valuable undiscovered books were lost during the accident on Rokkenjima. Because of this, the names of Rokkenjima and the Ushiromiya Library will remain in our memories for all time."



Because of that incident, the name of Rokkenjima had taken on a vital meaning in the world of the occult. There certainly had been a lot of reporting about the accident on Rokkenjima itself, but not on an international level. However, this one part had spread across the world, taking the image of Rokkenjima as a small island in the Izu archipelago... and painting it over as a demonic island where riddles, suspicion, mystery and the occult met. In other words, until Kinzo's library was leaked to the public by Eva, Rokkenjima had been merely a nameless island that no one could remember, and certainly not the island of a witch.

However, when knowledge of the Ushiromiya Library spread all over the planet, Rokkenjima's image immediately took on an occult twist.

"What happened next was the discovery of that message bottle. That's what turned that island into a witch's island. A nameless island in the Izu archipelago began to transition into an island of the occult, the island of the mysterious witch, Beatrice. You might say that, lacking either the Ushiromiya Library or the message bottle, the Rokkenjima Witch Legend would never have been established."
"...The message bottle."



"It was once famous as a way of sending an SOS from a deserted island, but because of the influence of a certain prominent foreign detective novel, it has also become known as a method of confessing the truth after one's own death, like a time-delayed will. The case of the Rokkenjima message bottle was certainly one of the latter."
"...This is the thing everyone says a fisherman on a nearby island picked up?"
"Correct. We learned that a young fisherman on Shikinejima picked up a wine bottle with a letter in it. This young fisherman kept it just out of curiosity. Then, because Rokkenjima had fallen under the world's attention due to the Ushiromiya Library, he announced his discovery."
"Is there any chance that it was a fabrication made by the fisherman?"
"Of course, we weren't able to deny that possibility. The scraps of paper in the wine bottle were signed by a certain member of the Ushiromiya family. A girl named Ushiromiya Maria. However, after looking at the writing left on her former belongings, it was confirmed that this message was written in a different person's handwriting."
"...A different person's handwriting...?"
"Correct. At the very least, I believe there can be no doubt that it was written by a person more skilled at writing and of a greater age than her. There's a very high likelihood that someone faked her name when they wrote it. Therefore, at that point in time, the contents of those scraps of paper were thought to have a very low credibility."

However.



"It seems that, due to evidence from the surrounding area and the fact that the bottle had been sealed, the police had decided that its likelihood of being a fabrication was low and that it had been abandoned no earlier than a few days before the accident. And the handwriting for both matched. This caused the credibility of the scraps of paper discovered by the fisherman to rise. It seems magazines and the like have reported on the contents of that message bottle repeatedly, but would you like an explanation?"
"...No. I know about it, more or less."

Many scraps of paper had been stuffed into both of the wine bottles. It was an extensive notebook written by someone calling themselves Ushiromiya Maria, but who wasn't Maria, and which told of the events starting the day before the accident and up until the day of the accident in a diary-like way.



"This bizarre, diary-style notebook described how the Ushiromiya family members, nailed down on the island by the typhoon, were caught up in a ceremony for the resurrection of a witch... and killed one by one in inexplicable ways. And, in the end, the Golden Witch Beatrice revived, and everything was flung into the Golden Land. It was written almost as though it was a complete account of the events on those days."
"Also, it depicted the current situation on the island at the time in great detail, and the former servants who used to work for the Ushiromiya family gave testimony that it had definitely been written by a human who knew the inside details of the island."
"...So, because of a combination of the occult boom from that strange fantasy novel and the Ushiromiya Library, and well as the fact that the truth remained shrouded in darkness, the legend of the Rokkenjima witch was born...?"
"Correct. More than 10 years have already passed since that case, and it is still the focus of interest for occult enthusiasts across the world."
"No, to the contrary, you could say that it has become increasingly deified as time passes. There are still many enthusiasts who try to secretly land on Rokkenjima, even though it's prohibited. Could there be another message bottle that has still not been discovered? And on that day, what really happened on that island? There is still much to be discussed."

As though he had finally remembered that he'd been going on and on for some time, the man took a gulp of water. His potage was getting cold, but it seemed that the man's hunger had already been blown away.

"...I'm pretty sure I heard that the fisherman's scraps of paper and the police's scraps of paper had completely different contents."
"Correct. Due to that, interest in the Rokkenjima mystery increased even further. Inside both bottles were diary-style notebooks on which was written an account from the day before the accident until the day of the accident. However, while both of their contents described the same two-day period, they were completely different. It was as though one was the truth and one was a lie. Or perhaps both were lies. In any event, the beginnings and endings alone matched each other. In the beginning, the 18 people including the relatives are sealed up on the island by the typhoon. And in the ending, everyone dies, the Golden Witch is revived, and everything is flung into the Golden Land."

The contents of both message bottles wrote about the events of the day before the accident and the day of the accident. But the details were completely different. Both diaries outline a serial murder following the epitaph of the witch, but the order of the sacrifices, the ways they died, and even 'the tale of the two days' were different. However, in both, everyone died in the end and the witch revived, making for the same general plot.

"Because the only survivor, Ms. Ushiromiya Eva, has remained silent about what actually happened on that island, the events of that entire two-day period are shrouded in darkness. These two diaries presented a full two theories to wipe away that darkness. Those two days could be explained with either of those two diaries. However, we don't know which is correct, or even if there's anything correct contained within them."



If it isn't denied, even a mixture of truth and fiction can be the truth. Through the media, these scraps of paper had of course been shown to Eva as well, but in the end, she never broke her silence...

"Who sent the message bottles... and why?"
"Earlier, in their special issue for the crime's 10th anniversary, a certain magazine took that topic up for discussion in a grand manner, didn't they? That theory seems to be the one garnering the most support lately. But it is rather dull. What happened on that island, on that day? Considering this question is the true charm of the Witch Hunt."
"The Witch Hunt...?"
"Yes, the Rokkenjima Witch Hunt is the name of a group of enthusiasts who try to explain the truth of that crime from an occult perspective. Discussion of the mysteries that surround Rokkenjima, from the Ushiromiya Library to the mysterious two-day period to the Legend of the Golden Witch, is flourishing even today among enthusiasts."
"For the 10 year anniversary, an international convention was held in New York. I also participated as a representative of Japan! I was able to intermingle with zealous overseas Witch Hunters in many ways. Witches are a very popular category overseas. The age span of the participants stretched from elementary schoolers at the bottom, all the way to famous cultural figures at the top! Even in Japan, in recent years, there was finally-"



Even though I didn't ask anything more, he kept continuing on excitedly all by himself. As I swirled the thin film on my potage with my spoon, I shrugged my shoulders and sighed.

Looks like researching about the message bottle really was a waste of time. No, if there's one thing I've found, it's that the notebook supposedly written by Maria onee-chan was actually written by a different person faking her name. And, that person wrote up an occult legend on their own, put it into the bottle as though it was the truth, and threw it into the sea.

...I have a question.



With a message bottle, there'd be no guarantee that it'd ever pass into anyone's hands. If their luck had been bad, it could've sunk in the ocean, never to be seen by anyone. And even if someone had picked it up, they might've not cared about it and thrown it away. Why would they entrust their confession of the truth to the sea with such an uncertain method? And why would they write up multiple, differing tales?

If there'd been one message bottle, claiming that its story was the truth might be reckless, but not impossible. However, because there were two, that made both of them doubtful. If someone was plotting to make out those two days to be the work of a witch, then they really did go one step too far. And because there were two, it suggests that an undiscovered third one, or possibly even more might exist. In other words, the two differing contents makes both of them harder and harder to swallow. But despite that, the contents of both matched in that they told of a witch in a tale. So, is that the main point the writer wanted to get across to us...?

It seems to me that the only possible explanation... is that someone who wanted to give rise to an illusion of a witch carried out this crime for their own enjoyment. However, the 17 people other than Aunt Eva lost their lives, and a vast wealth or maybe even 10 tons of gold had moved around secretly in the darkness. It doesn't feel right... for a confession occurring after all that to bring up this illusion of the witch.

Even if we ignore the magazines' theories, it's very doubtful that the message bottle really was a diary. After all, the amount of writing was massive. It's hard to imagine that someone actually caught up in the middle of a serial murder like that would be able to calmly write it down. In that case, it's probably more realistic that this diary was written slowly over a long period of time, up until the day prior to the accident.



The fact that Aunt Eva left this world without saying anything is... infuriating. She definitely said it on her death bed. She definitely said that her reason for not telling me the truth was because it was her best way of harassing me. Yeah, by now, it's painfully obvious. Of all the things Aunt Eva did to harass me, this was probably the last and the greatest.

...But thinking of it this way, it's pretty doubtful that Aunt Eva is the true culprit. Of course, that's not because the handwriting on the message bottle was different from Aunt Eva's, or anything like that. It's because in both tales that were discovered, Aunt Eva was included among the victims. If the writer of that diary was the culprit... Maybe Aunt Eva was also one of the targets to be killed. Maybe Aunt Eva survived because something went wrong.

...Because I hated Aunt Eva, I came to believe that she had to be the culprit. But the existence of the message bottle... makes me suspect that the mastermind is a far more profound and unknown person than her...



As he continued to speak fervently, I suggested that I wanted to bring this discussion to a close. He seemed to be aware that he'd gotten excited and talked too much, so he quickly accepted this.

"Thank you very much for today. I believe I've heard something truly valuable."
"...No, no. It was truly fun to be able to welcome a young lady as a new friend of the Witch Hunt. I have many precious materials that I couldn't show you because of this change to a different venue from the usual. I would be glad to show you them at the next chance we get."
"Thank you, Professor. Could I ask one more thing?"
"Yes, what is it?"
"Professor, why are you interested in witches...no, in occultism and demonology?"
"Well, that is somewhat embarrassing. A daydream I had in my childhood, that if I could use a mysterious power, I could take on even the biggest of bullies, went on to become my life's work. After all, the primitive desire of admiring unknown power is as universal today as it ever was in the past."
"Professor, if you could do it, would you want to become a witch? Do you still dream of being able to use magic at will?"
"But of course. Even though, at this age, I understand logically that such a thing couldn't exist, I cannot forget my child-like dreams, such as flying in the sky and turning scrap iron into gold. Hahaha, if you would, please keep this a secret from my students."
"...If I told you that I was a real witch, would you believe it?"
"Hahhahhahha. My pet theory from my few experiences with women is that they are all witches."

Ange snorted at the old professor, who must've been an earnest scholar with barely any experience with women.



"I have indeed."
"In that case, do you know that handwriting well?"
"Of course. I am not a specialist in that area, but at least when it comes to the handwriting of the message bottle, I am proud to be the most knowledgeable in Japan."



BGM: Melody (instrumental)

"...And this is? I have never seen it before."

He prided himself on his thorough knowledge of all literature related to Rokkenjima, and he looked bewildered at this binding that he hadn't seen before...

Ignoring him, Ange silently flipped through the pages, opened to one of them, and showed him. On that page was a handwritten paragraph beginning with 'To my beloved witch apprentice'. And at the end, there was a signature in katakana that said... Beatrice.

"Th-This is...?"

The instant he glanced at it, his face went pale. She knew the answer before asking, but Ange asked it aloud anyway.

"Does the handwriting in the paragraph on this page match the handwriting in the message bottle...?"
"W-Well, umm...I-I must take this home and investigate more... P-Pardon me for asking, but what in the world is this book?! Where did you get it?!"

The man stretched out his hand, but Ange pulled it back. As though telling him not to touch it with his filthy hands.

"Thank you. Just that reaction is all I need. Thank you very much for today. Here's the reward I promised."

As she stood up, clutching Maria's diary, Ange carelessly tossed a wad of 10 thousand yen notes wrapped with a strip of paper onto the table. As Ange turned her back to him and made to leave, the man raised his voice as though clinging to her. But Ange didn't stop walking.



"...Both you and I are in the Witch Hunt, but it looks like we aren't pursuing it at the same level. You're entertaining yourself with the outside of the cat box. And what I want to know about is the inside of the cat box. And this book is the key to opening it. It's too good for you. Well then. <Goodbye, gentlemen>. <Have a nice day>."
"P-Please wait, Sumadera-san...!!!"

Part 114: Mariage Sorcière II

"...Only at the very end. I was right. The one who wrote the message bottles was Beatrice herself."
"<Cool>. So, you've concluded that the witch actually exists?"
"Who knows. Mind if I sleep? I'll bet that talkative professor gets lost in his own little world in lectures and makes a lot of kids fall asleep."
"Please, go ahead, take a rest."
"...Still, that went really well. That guy believed I was a Sumadera until the very end."

The Sumadera family had set up a web beforehand around any people Ange might try to contact. They had offered a reward to anyone who could take Ushiromiya Ange into custody if she appeared. Ange had foreseen that and had snatched it away. She had called herself Sumadera, and after cleverly tricking the man by saying her own subordinates would set up an ambush, so he didn't need to worry about it, she had taken him outside. So, when the Sumadera family pursuers reached the professor's house, there was no longer anyone there...



BGM: Over

"...What a bad child, Ange-chan. I wonder if that craftiness is from Nee-san's blood. To think she'd casually take on the name Sumadera after saying she'd hate to go by it so often..."
"...Hohohohohoh. The professor should be returning soon. When he does, we must serve him some tea..."
"...Y-Yes. Understood."
"...I wonder if she thinks she's leading me around by the nose. What a naughty child. *giggle*giggle*, hohhohhohohohohohoho!!"

With a demonic look on her face, Kasumi violently stamped her heel.



No, I taught you before, right? And you used it before. Did you forget...? You were also a witch apprentice, Ange, with your name entered into Mariage Sorcière, weren't you...?



BGM: Apathy

I closed Maria's diary and flopped down on a very high-class-looking bed. I'd slept deeply for a long time in the car, so it took longer than usual for drowsiness to set in, and I read the diary as I waited.

This was a super expensive hotel in the city. Since it was often used by the rich and the famous, they were very big on confidentiality. That made it very convenient for Ange to escape her pursuers. The idea that renegades should spend their nights hiding in cheap hotels is a commoner's way of thinking. To Ange, who possessed all the wealth of the Ushiromiya family, renegade life was comfortable indeed.

Of course, even though he was a guard, Amakusa was a man and therefore in a separate room. Ange used the bedroom of the suite, and Amakusa lay on the sofa in the living room. According to Amakusa, the sofas here were more pleasant than his own beds had been recently. Poor guy. When I looked at the clock, I saw that it was almost 2:00 in the middle of the night. I'm still not getting sleepy. I sighed deeply.

At that time, even though there was no wind, I had the feeling that Maria onee-chan's diary fluttered. Then, Onee-chan appeared. Her form was no longer the normal one I'd known. She was wearing the dress that Beatrice had given her after acknowledging her as a witch.



"If I were a witch too, I'd be able to use magic, wouldn't I?"
"...Yeah. You can use it. I taught you, didn't I? Taught you how to use it. And you were able to use it in the past, weren't you?"
"...I remember. I've started wanting to use it."
"Are you starting to feel lonely...?"
"...Not really. It's not like having a different pillow every night is that tough."
"...The first step to magic can be loneliness or boredom, even small reasons like that."
"Even if it's just trying to kill time until you can fall asleep?"
"Yeah. I'm glad you remembered about magic one more time."



BGM: Parallel

At one point, with Maria onee-chan's introduction, I touched a corner of it... and opened the door a tiny bit. So, I should still remember that sensation.

"...Right now, your magical power has declined significantly, Ange. If you don't devote yourself to the basics, it'll be hard, okay?"
"Sure. Checking all directions. Securing a quiet space."
"What about Amakusa-san?"
"...He's sleeping."

After opening the door to the living room a crack, I could see the blanket caterpillar on the sofa roll over in its sleep.

"...With your magical strength as weak as it is now, the anti-magic power is affecting you too much. Not just the sight of people, but voices, sounds, and even the presence of people will get in the way of your magic. Sever those completely. Like how ancient magicians shut themselves up in ateliers to preserve their isolation."
"I remember. The very existence of Humans blocks magic. Therefore, the very act of showing magic to people is the sign of a high-level witch..."

Obtain a quiet space for yourself alone. That should be enough to prepare a space to use magic.

"...Next is the vessel. Right now, it's important for your bike to at least have training wheels... no, a chain."
"...These would... obviously... not be possible, right...

Ange rubbed her own head.



They felt a little childish for Ange, but she never took them off, not even for a single day.

"...Yeah. It really will be impossible for you now, Ange. If you'd practiced every single day since then, you might've gained the ability to summon with that by now."
"...If I were to start training now, how long would it take?"
"...It's said that a year of magical training for a child is worth ten years for an old person. You need a lot of determination."
"You mean like Ushiromiya Kinzo? So, just like the piano and the violin, getting a special education from a young age is huge when it comes to magic."
"As you are now, your power has weakened since the time you were first able to use magic, Ange. Don't overdo it, and devote yourself to the basics."

After stubbornly rubbing those things on my head one more time, I gave up. Then I started fishing through the knapsack. Looking for anything that might make a good vessel.

"...Shouldn't this be a perfect vessel?"
"It's been a long time... Yes. With this, I think even you should be able to perform a summons as you are now. And they have no master now. It should be possible for you to become their new master, Ange."

Among the things that looked like good vessels, I took the one I thought might possess the strongest magical power...and set it on the side table near the bed with a clatter.



It was one of the 'Seven Stakes of Purgatory', which the witch used to offer sacrifices. When the police had been searching the family's possessions, they had collected a large amount of junk. After the investigation had finished, these had been politely returned to the Ushiromiya family. Finding something that I'd seen in the pictures of Maria's diary, I took it home with me.

"...Originally, there were Seven Stakes of Purgatory. How pitiful. Now, she's the only one left."

Onee-chan smiled, looking lonely...

I pulled another book out of the knapsack. This was also old-fashioned, and you could tell that it was an occult book just by looking. But its contents were plain. It was one of Maria onee-chan's elaborate notebooks. This wasn't a diary... This was a grimoire, which she had written as a witch.

The Seven Stakes of Purgatory are Beatrice's furniture. Created by her and employed only for her sake. But since Beatrice is also a witch of Mariage Sorcière, they could be employed by MARIA, a witch of the same alliance. For that reason, the method of summoning the Seven Stakes of Purgatory and how to handle them was written about in great detail in Maria onee-chan's grimoire...

And... As another person with their name registered in that alliance, I was also permitted to employ them.



"Their characteristics are written about well in my grimoire. The Sisters of the Seven Stakes really hate it when you get their names wrong. Remember their names well before summoning them."

A packed page told of the Seven Stakes of Purgatory. It described the Seven Sisters in great detail. Yes. I think I memorized almost this entire page once in the past. The more I read it, the more I start to remember...

By the pictures and characteristics written on the grimoire, I could tell that the stake in my hand was 'Mammon's stake'. In the past, I hadn't had any stakes, so I'd summoned them without any vessel. So, this was the first time I'd clearly seen any of the Seven Stakes, let alone Mammon.

"Mammon. The fifth sister. Controls the deadly sin of greed. An incredible kid."
"Greed also controls aspirations, the desire to improve oneself, and the strength to live. It definitely doesn't mean only bad things. She's rude, but she's a girl who tries really hard."
"...I see. You could say that without desire, there's no reason to live."



...The more the summoner knows about the target that's being summoned, the better... Knowledge is connected to magical power. I began to fill my head with knowledge about Mammon, raising a necessary amount of magical power for a summoning.

"...Grimoires can be a bit interesting. This might be a much better read than some lame novel. It really takes me back."
"For a grimoire, it is demanded not only that you understand the letters, but that you fill up the world of the space between the lines, giving birth to a world from the pictures and creating things in various ways. The power to give birth to something. For someone who has that, such as you, a grimoire should be more interesting than any book. I've always known that you'd be able to understand that."
"...That should be... enough knowledge of Mammon for now. Yes. I've remembered it, more or less. I'll give it a try."
"Take care. In case the worst happens, here is my talisman. The treaty of the alliance won't protect you right now. That Mammon is a bit of a quick trigger. And... she may still bear a grudge. Be careful."
"Yes. I'll wear it."



But that was only when compared to other demons. To Humans, furniture is something to be feared.

I fished through the knapsack again, took out a bracelet charm with a scorpion medal that I'd gotten from Maria onee-chan long ago, and put it on my arm. In the past, I hadn't needed something like this. But I need insurance...

"...It's okay. That has already been fitted with the required amount of magical defense. As long as you wear that, you'll definitely be fine."

Maria onee-chan's magic power, which had been specially put into this charm, had been enough to earn even Beatrice's admiration. While it may have looked like something cheap to a human who couldn't understand magic, its magical worth was incalculable.



BGM: Surrounding

...I focused my mind. I made the magic-repelling toxin that filled my body zero. Imagine an untainted, vast space. Doubts and common sense all resist magic. Make the resistance zero... and erase the burden on the magical power...

...Inside my head was the image of a vast space. It was a nighttime world where I floated in the air and the neon stars over the ground sparkled. A world where the stars that should have covered the sky were wiped away by the light from below that covered the ground. In the world of a vast night sky with no obstructions, I imagined the wind blowing through at will.

At that time, in a room where there shouldn't have been any wind, the free nighttime wind kicked up a cyclone. The long forgotten sensation raced through my entire body. It was the unique feeling of exultation that comes from using magic.

Mammon's stake, which I held out in my hand, gradually began to make me feel a pale light. A twisting cyclone with the stake at the center. The hefty stake floated a bit into the air.



"...Come, arise. Forgive the sin. One of the Seven Stakes of Purgatory, Mammon of Greed. Show yourself to me..."

After I raised my hands bit by bit, lifting them higher than my head, as though it was being attracted upwards, Mammon's stake once again floated up high into the air... and gradually began to shake. That shaking began to grow faster, and it burst.



With a speed faster than the eye could follow, it flew around, violently rebounding off the walls of the room. The terrible sound of it dancing around threatened to make me flinch. However, I must not lose my mental concentration.

Then, the stake, which had been flying around at an incredible speed, finally stopped and faced me... It was in the air, just a few centimeters away from my forehead, and held back by the defensive barrier created by the scorpion charm. It had tried to break the defensive barrier, eating into it with an incredible power, but Maria onee-chan's barrier wouldn't be broken so easily.



The stake muttered hatefully. It was probably safe to say that the scorpion charm saved me. Without that, my attempt at killing time until I got sleepy would've killed my time for all eternity.

When Mammon's stake realized that it was unable to gouge me, it gave up and grew docile, changing its form from that of a stake into a human. In that same old outfit that I'd never be able to walk around outside in. Although you could say it suited her, in a demonic sort of way.



BGM: 599 Million Ruins

"It's been a long time, Mammon. Have you been well?"
"...And here I was convinced that furniture that's already fulfilled its function just gets left to rust away in a closet. So, what kind of side show is this? You aren't gonna say that you're my owner, are you...?"
"...Yes. Ange is your master."
"Lady MARIA, how unsightly of me. Was that barrier just now yours?"
"Yes. I thought that as she is now, Ange might just have gotten finished off by you. I lent her a talisman."
"...If Lady MARIA says Ange-sama is my master, I cannot refuse. Ange-sama, please, your orders. If it's me you need, are you going to perform a new ceremony? With new sacrifices...? Of course, that's only if you're willing to handle me yourself and get your own hands dirty."
"...That role isn't something I'm asking for anymore. All you have to do is talk with me like you used to."
"..."
"..."



Mammon had a slightly complicated smile on her face. She accepted her new master because Maria had told her to, but it looked like she hadn't gotten over her discontent at working for Ange, with her frail magical power. Perhaps she had some other reason for hating Ange, but for now, it seemed that she couldn't disobey, even if she wasn't happy about it.

"...So? What should I do?"
"I don't know. Just do something lively. Like old times."
"Well now. This liveliness you're talking about is probably from when we sisters were all together. It may be difficult by myself. Did you forget?"
"...That's right. The Seven Sisters were really lively when they got together. But with Ange's magical power now, I think summoning just Mammon is the best we can hope for. The stakes for the other six have been lost."
"My apologies, Lady MARIA, but maybe it would be possible to summon the Seven Sisters via my own stake. If I am to be used, I'd hope Ange-sama has at least that much power, right...?"

Mammon grinned. Apparently, she wanted me to summon the other sisters without a vessel. I see. Since she's unable to satisfy herself with being summoned alone, she's asking for the other sisters to be summoned as well. I get it, greed. Yes, she was like this back then, wasn't she...?

...To furniture, the times during which they are used are bliss. No matter how badly they are exploited, being used is furniture's joy. On the contrary, regardless of how nice you are to them, not being given a job is more painful than anything in their eyes.

Mammon spoke in a challenging way, but she wanted me to summon the other sisters somehow and rescue them from the world of nothingness. If that's the case, all she's gotta do is say so. These demon people can never just say what they mean.



"Oh, I'm rehabilitated after just one? Well, I'm just killing time anyway. Okay, Mammon. I've gone this far. I'll call as many as I can."
"Really...?! Not bad, Ange-sama! Okay, quickly, quickly!"

Apparently, even though she'd asked, Mammon hadn't really expected Ange to do this. She hopped around, badgering Ange to summon the other sisters.

...Summoning Mammon alone consumed a considerable amount of physical and magical power. It'll probably be pretty tough to do six more. I'm awed by the magical power of those who can summon sisters like this at will with a snap of their fingers... and who therefore reach the level where they can be called witches.

"Mammon, don't make Ange overdo it. She still isn't at her best..."
"Whaaat?! Ange-sama said she'd summon everyone!"

Actually, I only said I'd call as many as I could. I guess that's greed for you.

"Don't overdo it, Ange. You should rest for today. You're tired enough."
"It's okay. I'm just killing time anyway. Let me get tired enough that I can just fall over asleep."

...This time, there's no vessel. I'll have to strengthen the image from my knowledge of the grimoire...and materialize them with just that. I held my hands out into the air, replaying in my head the sensation from when I'd summoned Mammon... I'm acquainted with all of the Seven Sisters, right? I've gotta remember that time, long ago, when I talked with them...



BGM: F Style

"Ange-sama...! Hold on, hold on, good luck...! Hey, Lady MARIA. Ange-sama's definitely gonna summon everyone, right? The Seven Sisters will get to be reunited again, right? Right?!"
"Yeah, definitely. But there's no guarantee that it'll happen tonight."
"Ange-sama can do it...! Please, Ange-sama...! Start with the youngest sister, Asmo...!"
"...Asmodeus. The seventh sister. Got it. I'll call them in order starting from the youngest."

A strand of hot sweat dripped down from my forehead. This really is gonna be one hell of a burden to carry. The pale light in this space... began to slowly form into the outline of a girl...

"...Come, arise. One of the Seven Stakes of Purgatory, Asmodeus the Lustful..."

There was no vessel. However, as I held a strong conviction that she definitely did exist there as a core, her form began to crystallize... Her outline became distinct, and the form of the youngest of the Seven Sisters, Asmodeus, was finally created.



"Asmo...!! I'm so glad!!"
"Mammon nee-san! ...Where in the world is this? Who summoned me?"
"Ange-sama did...! Ange-sama said she'd revive all of us...!"

No, I didn't.

"Ange-sama, thank you! Do Belz next...!! Please...!"
"...Beelzebub. The sixth sister. Beelzebub of Gluttony. Come, arise..."

At this rate, I wonder how many I'll be able to summon. If I can't focus, this is probably it.

The pale light made an outline... and formed into Beelzebub.



"Be-lz!!" "Ange-sama, you're amazing, incredible!!"

Mammon and Asmodeus jumped onto Beelzebub, celebrating their reunion. I'd summoned three people at once. My head was throbbing. Gotta summon the next one, without stopping for a break.

"...Come, arise. One of the Seven Stakes, Belphegor of Sloth..."



"Belpha-neeeeee! I'm huuungry! I mean, I'm so glad to see you again!!"
"To think that the Seven Sisters would be able to meet again... Ange-sama, thank you so much!"
"Keep it up and do Satan-nee next! And Levia-nee and Luci-nee...!!"
"...Yeah, I get it. So please, try not to be so loud. Doing four people at the same time... is pretty... tough..."
"Ange, don't overdo it any more than this. You did a good job summoning even four of them after such a long time."
"...Stop it, Mammon. Right now, Ange-sama is being pressured with the burden of summoning us. Ange-sama, I beg that you do not strain yourself too much..."
"No way! Ange-sama promised! She said we'd all play together again!"

...No, I...

"Right?! Ange-sama?! You said everyone would meet again! You promised that we could meet again right away!"
"...That's right, I promised. I didn't promise anything about when, but I certainly did... promise."
"So keep that promise! If you don't, I'll never forgive you for forgetting it until today, Ange-sama...!"
"...Come, arise. One of the Seven Stakes of Purgatory, Satan of Wrath..."

My mind's getting hazy... But... I'll call. Even though I'd forgotten about those days. Even though I've never thought of that time as anything but sad and lonely. Because the short time I spent with them... was fun, without a doubt.



Satan, who had apparently figured out the situation immediately after being summoned, cried out in a loud voice, telling her sisters off. That loud voice made my consciousness hazy again.

"We are furniture who have been granted rest by Beatrice and whose duty has been finished! Not only are you not honored at being given another chance to be of some use, but you're putting a burden on our new master, you disgrace to all furniture!! Erase yourselves right away!!"
"Yes, it's like Satan-nee says. I'll erase myself. You all erase yourselves too. In this moment, that's the best way for us to be of use to Ange-sama."
"No way. Not until everyone's summoned!"
"Same heeere! I'm huuungry! I mean, I'd hate to leave again so soon after being reunited with you all!"
"Don't be so selfish!! Come on, erase yourself quickly!! Come on, Asmo! Disappear right now!!"
"Waaaah, Satan-nee's bullying me...! It's not fair if you always bully the youngest one!"
"...Yes, they really are lively. It doesn't... bore me..."
"That's enough. You've surpassed your limits for now, Ange."
"...You're... right..."



...This is... it... As my consciousness went hazy, I fell over onto the bed. Have beds always felt this soft...?

It seemed that the sisters were still squabbling together as much as they liked. For a way to kill time until drowsiness comes to get me, this is enough... Feeling something warm and nostalgic in the sisters' liveliness, I sank into a world of deep sleep...

At the entrance to my dream world, I felt Maria onee-chan... and Sakutarou waiting to receive me.





...Welcome back, huh? Then, I should respond like this...