Itadaki no Hecate

A Wet, Hot, and Burning Day

"Is there a way for humans and Crimson Denizens to coexist together?"

When I asked Lamies that question, we were interrupted by the Chanter of Elegies, Margery Daw, a Flame Haze, a protector of the balance between the two worlds who also possessed a deep hatred for Denizens. It turns out that Satou and Tanaka were involved with her, and aren't exactly approving of me and Hecate.

After a vicious battle between the two, we came to a truce with the help of Lamies. Margery's still staying in this city, probably watching our every move from afar. Either way, we'll definitely meet her again.

In the meantime, after at least two battles one after another, it's only natural to take a break...

"Keep showing her your world, Yuji Sakai, and keep looking into hers, and one day you will find the answer," Lamies had said. That's just what I intend to do.

"So, Hecate, think you could teach me how to fight?" Yuji asked the Priestess as they walked to school together. "Lamies said it was only the beginning, so I want to be able to help as best as I could."

Hecate turned her gaze to him, assessing him for a moment, and answered. "You already have an impressive battle sense," she told him. Then, she paused as she gave the idea more thought. "We can start with channeling your Power of Existence."

"Is it anything like me giving you that just before midnight?" Yuji asked her.

"We can do both," Hecate told him. "It's a good place to start before learning to use Unrestricted Methods."

"Like Aster?"

Hecate nodded in reply.

Unbeknownst to them, two girls witnessed the two of them together. One of them had short brown hair and the other's was long and black with little pigtails.

"They're together again," Yukari said. Her tone was one of worry, although she was not sure if it was for Kazumi's sake or for her own.

"You think they have feelings for each other?" Kazumi asked her friend.

Before replying, Yukari glanced at her friend's troubled expression. She just couldn't bear to say what she really thought. "Of course not!" she said as optimistically as possible. "Didn't he tell you that himself?"

"Y-Yeah, he did..." Kazumi said, forcing a little smile.

"Don't worry about it," Yukari continued to encourage her. "She probably just doesn't have any other friends to talk to."

Kazumi, although still unsure, nodded in response.

Episode 9: A Wet, Hot and Burning Day

"Man it's really scorching. How can it be so hot early in the morning?" Yuji groaned as he trudged along with the girl with the appearance of Konoe Fumina. They were in their summer uniforms now, but it was not much help against the severe heat that cooked them.

The Denizen girl seemed wholly unaffected by the temperature, and walked with him the same way she usually did. She looked at the boy curiously. "Hot?" she said, as if she did not understand his plight.

"Yeah, can't you feel this heat roasting you alive?" Yuji asked. Hecate shook her head.

"I guess being a Crimson Lord helps huh?" Yuji muttered. They continued to walk together in the companionable silence they were used to.

As the school neared, the Mystes spoke again. "Honestly, though, I'm getting kind of worried about your fitting in here," he said. Hecate just glanced at him, but they both had the same thought.