Volume 6 Chapter 19 Graduation Celebration
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Today is March 1st. The day when all high schools in the 13th District hold their graduation ceremonies at the same time.
At our high school, the current students also attend the ceremony.
High school is where sorcerers build their connections—up and down the years, and across classes. Counting not just myself but everyone in my group, plus the dungeon training instructors we all came to rely on, there are many seniors graduating today whom we’ll likely stay in touch with.
The ceremony ends without incident. In the schoolyard, students, parents, and teachers mingle. I go to greet one of those seniors.
”Congratulations on your graduation, senpai—Shooting Club President.”
”Thank you, Tatemiya. Though I’m not the Shooting Club President anymore. I’m the former Shooting Club President.”
”Right, of course.”
They’re slender for a sorcerer—former swimming club, former Shooting Club President. I introduced Aikawa-senpai to them and asked if they’d act as a guarantor. They readily agreed.
”You’re heading to Old Capital University starting in April, right? Good luck over there.”
”You bet. I’m gonna show ’em what a sorcerer from the 13th District can do.”
The former Shooting Club President answers with a laugh. This person graduating at the top of the class, by the way.
”Don’t worry, I’ll look after the kid you introduced. You can count on it.”
”Thank you very much. I appreciate it.”
”I should be thanking you—you brought me a good kid.”
The former President is popular. People are waiting to talk to them, so I keep it brief.
”Then, if you’ll excuse me.”
”See you around.”
As I step back, another student immediately approaches her. I head off to find the swimming club seniors.
I finish making the rounds, and the graduates start trickling home.
”Sorry to keep you waiting~”
Chifumi comes up beside me. She must be done with her own greetings. Everyone except Chifumi is already gathered. For us current students, that’s it for today. The closing ceremony is in a week.
We’re all together now, and the question is where we’re headed…
”Second High’s graduation should be over by now too. Let’s go see my sister,” Risa says.
As Risa says, we’re going to congratulate Momono-san. She’s apparently free until the evening, when she has her graduation party with her classmates.
Our destination is the shopping street. That café.
When we arrive, a sign on the café door says it’s reserved for today. Risa opens it without hesitation.
”Hello~”
Inside is decorated for graduation. Behind the counter, the Master is busy at work, wearing a party hat.
”Sis.”
”Oh, little sis. You made it. And all of you—good work today.”
At the window table, Momono-san sits alone, sipping orange juice through a straw. First, greetings. All of us say the standard words together.
”Congratulations on your graduation!”
”Thanks, everyone~”
Once we’re all seated, Risa and Momono-san start talking.
”So my high school era is officially over. Kinda sad, honestly.”
”Time to start your college era—not a bad trade.”
”I feel like being a high schooler was more special, though. Risa, make sure you go all out on the things you can only do now. Wise words from your big sister.”
”Yeah, yeah. Thank you very much.”
Risa gives me a meaningful look. Right. Let’s get this over with.
”Momono-san, we have a present for you.”
Yurina pulls out a paper bag and sets it on the table.
”Huh? Really? Oh wow, I’m so happy! Can I open it?”
”Of course, go ahead.”
Momono-san eagerly unwraps the package with an excited expression. She pulls out a box slightly larger than a cutting board and lifts the lid.
”A folding knife?”
”A Higonokami.1 We had the Onigahara Workshop turn the drop items from monsters we hunted in the dungeon into this knife. We also gave it a tiny bit of protective sorcery, so think of it as a good-luck charm.”
”Oh wow! Thank you!”
She seems genuinely happy. It’s made from a Mantis Swordsman’s scythe and a rare drop from a Mantis Swordsman—a cord—which we had processed and certified safe for common folk to carry.
She’s going to the Old Capital, a place full of sorcery. Having at least one defensive item like this makes sense. Risa put real heart into making it.
”A charm to keep weird bugs off my sister.”
”You’re so sweet! Risa, I love you! Mwah mwah~♡”
”You’re laying it on thick again…”
And with that, our business was done. Momono-san invited us to stay for her after-party, but we declined—it didn’t feel right to intrude as outsiders.
We had a cup of coffee, then left before the celebration started.
That was it for the day—everyone went their separate ways. We split up at the station and headed home.
As usual, I walked with Chifumi, chatting as we made our way from the station to our houses.
”It’s already March.”
”Almost a year since we started high school. So far, so good.”
”I know, right? When I started with Minoru, I had no idea how it’d turn out.”
”We ended up with a pretty balanced group—Risa, Yurina, Asari, and now Mitsuki too.”
”The numbers work out too—vanguard, mid-guard, rear-guard. When I first fought with Risa-chan and Yurina-chan, I never imagined we’d end up like this.”
I think back over this past year.
”Both of them have grown so much since the beginning. You can really rely on them in combat now.”
”Yurina-chan’s Severing Sorcery can even split a mantis in half, and Risa-chan can use Hinoki-chan’s power now.”
”If we had a ranking match now, do you think the order would change?”
”Not happening. They’re still not up to me or Mitsuki-chan. Want to test that?”
”No, it’s fine. If the members aren’t interested, no reason to force it.”
”I don’t mind—it just means I get more time with you alone.”
Chifumi’s confidence is firm. Reassuring.
We arrive at the Takino residence.
”My mom and dad are both working late today. Want to come in?”
”Sure. I’ll take you up on that.”
No plans, so I gratefully accept the invitation to hang out at the Takino residence.
We go through the entrance, and Chifumi heads for the living room.
”Wait in my room~”
I step into Chifumi’s room and turn on the heat. Before the room fully warms up, Chifumi comes in with snacks.
For a while, we have a little snack time, talking about things that can only be discussed in private—the group leader and first-chair laying out plans.
”Until the closing ceremony, we’re limiting dungeon dives to nearby ones. Actually, let’s just stick to Risa’s family dungeon. We’re pausing the Sword-Hammer Cave for now.”
”If we go in and clear the boss without a pass, we’d get access to the middle floors. We’re not doing that?”
”We’ll clear it eventually—I want those rights. For now, we’re just pausing. These two weeks, we prioritize studying. Starting Monday, we meet in the library after school.”
”Got it.”
We still need to prep for finals. Balancing dungeon training and studying—that’s the rough part.
Risa and Yurina will have to step up too.
”About Risa…”
”Yes~?”
”Once her mother’s sentencing is finalized, she can go home. Her days of bouncing between everyone’s houses will be over.”
”Understood. Good thing that’s getting resolved~”
Crunching on rice crackers, we casually lay out the group’s activity plan. First, a status update.
”Risa’s mother… was she a victim too?”
”In the broad sense, yeah… but she was also an accomplice. It depends on the family. What Risa-chan and her papa decide—we just wait.”
”Well, after that, she’ll probably come apologize to us.”
I reach for another rice cracker, recalling the events of that day.
On the final day of dungeon training, Risa’s mother holed up in the dungeon for nearly six hours, finally emerging late at night. Afterward, Anri-san escorted her to the Naruse family estate.
Our whole group plus Shoji-kun’s group ended up gathering in the Naruse family estate’s living room. Quite a crowd.
We finally heard the full story.
Anri-san took the lead on the questioning. Seeing a mother questioned by her own daughter was painful to watch.
First, the question: how long had she been controlled?
Shockingly, the Shadow had been living with Risa’s mother ever since she took over as dungeon manager. Each new manager is implanted with a Shadow by their predecessor, and apparently every previous manager was a sorcerer carrying Yukizuki’s will within them.
Normally, the Shadow’s consciousness sleeps, only taking over when needed.
When it took over, the mother described it as watching her body move on its own—like being in a dream.
She also admitted she’d been aware of her personality slowly changing under the Shadow’s influence. At first, she was terrified. But once she submitted, she felt a drug-like sense of relief.
The will of Yukizuki inside her mother had one goal: create a sorcerer capable of wielding Asunaro’s power, then take over that body and become a “god” itself.
To prepare the right vessel, the mother—despite marrying Naruse-papa—used in vitro fertilization with selected sorcerer sperm. Risa was chosen over Anri-san because having an innate sorcery would interfere with wielding a “god’s” power.
From the Shadow’s perspective, Anri-san, with her Inherent sorcery, was the dud. Risa, with none, was the prize.
One might think they would simply bring Risa into the fold from the start. But these were sorcerers with a twisted pride—they couldn’t accept that someone without Inherent sorcery could be a true sorcerer.
They needed only Risa’s body and function. Her consciousness was not an ally, but a resource to be used.
That meant Risa’s soul and will became obstacles when the Shadow transferred. So the Shadow steered Risa into attending National High School.
The plan was to break her spirit by failing her in her first semester—getting her beaten down by a Strong-Male, expelled—building up psychological damage, weakening her soul. That way, when the Shadow transferred, it could easily crush her soul and take over the body of an empty Risa. By the second semester, when she was expelled, they’d put her in a hospital in District 5 until the time came.
That was why I needed to act as quickly as possible. The reason she’d been so insistent about meeting during Winter break was that she wanted to know the status of Risa’s soul strengthening.
The Shadow I exorcised during Winter break was a collection of wills belonging to a faction that sought to destroy the sealed Asunaro. It was a Shadow that had kept the original intent held at the time the seal was first constructed. Originally, it had been a single entity with the Shadow that caused this incident—but centuries ago, two wills clashed: one claiming that the sealed power should be taken for itself, and the other focused on destroying it. The latter was split off and banished by the former.
The banished will was left to decay in a ruined shrine. Then, by chance, the current administrator discovered it—and once freed, that will seized what it saw as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and took action. The result was the Winter break incident.
”Playing the victim to ride out the winter incident — that’s a pretty petty way to handle it, huh?~”
”The entire 5th District incident was orchestrated by the Shadow that vanished in winter. Her mother wasn’t the perpetrator — she was an accomplice who only shared information. With the actual perpetrator already eliminated, she can make whatever excuses she wants. Though honestly, the bigger issue is that we never suspected That person at all.”
”When I heard she got taken down by Anri-san, it was so satisfying~”
”Same. She had this minor-character energy — you just couldn’t take her seriously as someone important.”
Chifumi and I laughed together.
”To think that was the mother’s strategy all along~. The impact of her unhinged behavior from that warped value system was so overwhelming that even when she did something slightly off, we just wrote it off as “that’s just how she is”~”
”I forgot she was Risa’s mother. Not realizing it was all an act is a failure on my part.”
We’d all been fooled. On top of that, the backing she had was completely unexpected.
”It wasn’t just acting — the Yukizuki family was complicit in the cover-up. I’d say we got genuinely duped.”
”Yeah~”
There were four sorcery families involved in the incident. Shoji, Ogura, Yukizuki, Naruse.
In terms of sorcerer rank, Shoji sat at the top. Ogura and Yukizuki were a tier below Shoji. Naruse was a plain-folk family.
The Yukizuki clan, which had produced administrators for generations, naturally knew about the inherited will. They knew the Shadow inside the mother had information about the winter incident. Yet they disclosed nothing to the other three families.
Shoji had distrusted Yukizuki for quite some time, which was likely why they planted someone from the Ogura family as the current administrator. Unfortunately, Ogura hadn’t been able to stop Yukizuki’s schemes.
”She was also playing Yukizuki and Naruse against each other. Coming up with the special issuance conditions for a Warifu — that took some creativity.”
”Issuing a Warifu under the Naruse name. The reason was “to enable rapid rescue if a sorcerer encountered danger during exploration,” right~?”
”Apparently, it’s an old procedure once used by powerful families to add prestige — they’d attach elite bodyguards to their underqualified heirs and send them into dungeons. A special Warifu that can partially track the holder’s status. She dredged up some moldy old rule and forced through a special Warifu issuance. She’s sharp when it comes to that kind of cunning.”
”That was the Shadow feeding her ideas~”
The special Warifu she issued was smuggled inside equipment sent by Naruse-papa.
Once she confirmed that Risa had used the Warifu during a dungeon dive, she waited for the right moment and used the Warifu herself to shift World lines. What happened after that is as described earlier.
It seemed they intended to take over Risa’s body in that space atop the mountain, but since I reached the summit faster than they expected, they changed their approach. They apparently believed that if Risa could just become a “god,” everything would work out.
”The results of Risa’s education ended up wrecking their plans. I’ve gotta hand it to myself — bravo.”
”Hey! As expected of you~!”
I ate a few rice crackers and had some tea, and just when I thought we’d settled into a comfortable pause, Chifumi approached me with a round of applause.
”What’s up?”
”It’s not just Risa-chan — I want you to educate me too~”
She slipped her hand under her uniform skirt and smoothly slid down a small piece of fabric.
A quick flash.
Kneeling in front of me as I sat in the floor chair, Chifumi lifted her skirt just high enough that the hair at her crotch was almost visible—but not quite. The quick lick of her lips radiated a clear intent: she wasn’t letting me go.
”What time are the aunties getting home?”
”We’ve still got plenty of time~”
”Then get me in the mood.”
”Leave it to me~♡♡”
Chifumi took off her uniform jacket, then—still in her shirt—skillfully slipped her bra off and smiled. The small points pushing up against her white shirt were shamelessly lewd…
Chifumi wrapped herself around me and rubbed her hand against my crotch through my pants. She was starting with teasing, it seemed.
* * *
It was supposed to be just a quick tea break and a talk about future plans, but I ended up staying for nearly two hours.
I left the Takino residence before the aunties got back.
We lingered at the front entrance for a long while, sharing a drawn-out goodbye kiss before parting. The continuation would have to wait for the next sleepover.
”Take care~”
”See you tomorrow.”
The secret meeting between the Group Leader and the Lead Witch was hereby wrapped up.
Third semester had about two weeks left. The final reckoning of this year was right around the corner.
—
Summary:
The graduation ceremonies conclude, and Minoru’s group visits Momono-san at a café to give her a protective Higonokami knife forged from dungeon monster drops. Later that evening, Minoru and Chifumi discuss group plans and Risa’s family situation at the Takino residence. The conversation triggers a flashback revealing the full extent of the Shadow’s conspiracy against Risa, including her mother’s complicity and the plan to break her spirit.
—
Trivia:
- The former Shooting Club President is graduating at the top of her class and heading to Old Capital University.
Risa’s group gift is a Higonokami knife made from Mantis Swordsman drops and imbued with protective sorcery.
The Shadow has been living inside Risa’s mother since she became dungeon manager.
Risa was chosen as the Shadow’s vessel specifically because she lacks Inherent sorcery.
The Shadow planned to have Risa expelled and institutionalized to weaken her soul for possession.
Minoru’s group consists of vanguard, mid-guard, and rear-guard positions for balanced combat.
The Sword-Hammer Cave dungeon is being paused to prioritize studying for finals.
Risa’s mother used in vitro fertilization with selected sorcerer sperm to create the ideal vessel.
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• M – A first-year student at District 13 High School and the childhood friend of Anonymous Student 0006, described as an atavistic strong-female who looks plain but possesses significant power.
• T – A first-year student at District 13 High School who has recruited K and N from East Middle into his group.
• A – A student from South Middle School described as an idol who has been recruited into R’s high school squad.
• S – A first-year student at District 13 High School who has taken B from North Middle into his squad.
• Tatemiya – Minoru Tatemiya is a pragmatic, observant sorcerer and leader of a powerful group of women and witches, including Kotoha. As head of the prestigious Tatemiya lineage, he specializes in electrical defensive sorcery. He manages group activities and fosters bonds at the Tatemiya household, which serves as a central hub for his allies. His calm, methodical approach guides his team in searching for powers.
• R – A first-year student at District 13 High School who has successfully built a squad and added multiple girls, including M and A, into his group.
• Aikawa-senpai – A senior introduced by Minoru to the former Shooting Club President, serving as a connection.
• Aikawa – Shiho Aikawa is Risa’s older sister and a high-achieving senior student. Known for her academic focus and deep sincerity despite stressful conditions, she is a magic-engine enthusiast linked to the sorcery research society. Her identity as a serious scholar is balanced by a stylish outward appearance, highlighted by her occasional attendance at fashionable venues.
• Chifumi – Minoru’s partner and childhood friend, this kimono-clad sorcerer acts as the energetic, supportive lead of his household. A confident “Strong-Female” combatant with shoulder-length hair, she uses casual, slangy speech and wields powerful ice and water magic to protect the team. She manages admin, handles frontline combat with AOE attacks, and shares a warm, trusting bond with Minoru.
• Risa – A tall, slender, twin-tailed Naruse guild lady and Yukizuki sorcerer, she is Momono and Anri’s sister and Minoru’s partner. Though proud and sardonic, she possesses an unnatural constitution allowing her to host powerful entities. Currently possessed by a Shadow entity and controlled by Oboroka sorcery, she remains defiant against her mother’s schemes, relying on Minoru while trapped in her uniform.
• Momono-san – Risa’s older sister is a petite, chubby high school senior planning to attend Old Capital University. Refined yet mischievous, she is a supportive tutor and companion who uses pastries as leverage to orchestrate family dynamics. Cheerful and affectionate, she maintains a friendly bond with Aikawa and treats Risa’s partner with welcoming curiosity rather than hostility.
• Momono – Momono-san, Risa’s older sister and a daughter of the Naruse family, is a petite, chubby high school senior with gentle, drooping eyes preparing for university exams in the Old Capital. Intelligent yet chaotic, she speaks in an influencer dialect. This mischievous tutor teases Risa, orchestrates family dynamics with pastries, welcomes Risa’s partner, and bonds with Aikawa via magic engines.
• B – A student originally from North Middle School who was added to S’s group.
• Ui – Minoru’s proactive, carefree childhood friend is Yui’s twin sister and an original Shisei group member. A social private school student with a right-side white-dyed lock of hair, she brings a bright, hyper-enthusiastic, and bubbly energy to the chat room, frequently using star emoticons and cutesy slang. This ‘upper’ landmine-type girl provocatively and aggressively interacts with Minoru.
• K – A student from East Middle who followed N to National High School out of care, successfully remaining pure through N’s protection until a misunderstanding involving Anonymous Student 0008 led to her capitulation.
• N – A student from East Middle with an eccentric personality who entered National High School due to complex family circumstances and used herself as leverage to negotiate a protective agreement for K.
• Yurina – A stoic, black-haired Plain-folk samurai and sorcerer in Minoru’s party. Trained by Anri in katana and Severing Sorcery, she acts as a perceptive vanguard who protects Chifumi and fights alongside Mitsuki. While she respects Minoru and handles group duties like gift-giving, she feels unsettled by his escalating violence, yet she maintains her loyalty and trusts his judgment despite her reserved nature.
• Yuri – A cheerful and energetic first-year student at Higashi High who is a classmate of Shibuya and an acquaintance of Kibe Yurina from their middle school days. A girl known for being aggressive toward Hayato and displaying overt favoritism.
• Onigahara – Onigahara-san is a stern, disciplined mentor from the influential Onigahara sorcerer family and an aunt to a party member. Dedicated to preserving her lineage’s legacy, she manages logistics and drives the family microbus for the group’s dungeon training. After arriving to pick someone up, she remains involved upon learning of the situation, maintaining hierarchical bonds with dojo students.
• Mantis Swordsman – A mantis-type Unique Variant and lower-ranked species of the Head-Hunting Mantis, standing over 3 meters tall and wielding two giant scythes.
• Minoru – Minoru Tatemiya, a lean, black-haired student and reincarnated mob protagonist, serves as the analytical, pragmatic narrator who secretly rules the 5th District as a Demon Lord. A skilled tactician using shockwave and spatial magic alongside command of snow flies, he ruthlessly protects his group. He manages his estate while mentoring allies like Mai, Mitsuki, and Risa while hosting Hinoki.
• Mitsuki – A tall, muscular, dark-skinned OniMai clan transfer student, she is a wealthy, haughty, yet shy assassin and Sumo candidate. As Koki’s sister and Minoru’s clingy friend, this observant explorer wields a chained Kanabo in combat. A powerful sorcerer and healer on par with Chifumi, she supports her team with restorative magic, Oni-fication, and status cleansing while keeping a sharp eye on others’ mana.
• Asari – A tall, long-haired, bespectacled Kasakura honor student, this analytical, polite strategist serves as Minoru’s devoted partner and Risa’s future host. Close to Mari and Nagase, she uses Silicic Armor to manifest crystal barriers. A perceptive defensive specialist knowledgeable in Aberration mechanics, she uses formal speech to interrogate spiritual mysteries, currently recovering from mana exhaustion.
• Hinoki – This non-binary, ancient spirit shares a consciousness with Minoru and manifests as a 30cm metallic white centipede. Speaking in a blunt, warm Northern dialect, this former field leader maintains a playful, teasing bond with the protagonist. They wield fire and lightning, command insects, and possess the ability to shrink to enter and cleanse other beings, though their true form remains separated.
• Takino – Chifumi’s pushy yet hospitable mother uses this family name as an alternative identity to discreetly manage external relationships when the Tatemiya name cannot be used. A member of Komoda’s group, she utilizes this alias to facilitate requests, coordinate with Muto, and insist on the protagonist eating dinner at her home, balancing her covert operations with an overbearing maternal presence.
• Anri-san – The fourth Naruse sister and Risa’s older sibling, Anri is an apprentice Dungeon Manager and sorcerer who guards a District 5 dungeon. Skilled with spear, staff, mind incense, and insects, she leads interrogations and possesses Inherent sorcery. A commanding figure, she mentors others, maintains ties to the Naruse Estate, and recently escorted her mother home following a family crisis.
• Naruse – Naruse is the paternal surname of sisters Anri, Risa, and Momono, separate from their mother’s magical Shoji line. Led by their influential hotel/dungeon manager mother, this wealthy old-money sorcerer family and merchant guild provides institutional support to local establishments. They reside in an understated, modest private estate featuring an integrated dungeon and a small dojo.
• Anri – The fourth Naruse sister and Risa’s older sibling, Anri is an apprentice Dungeon Manager and sorcerer who guards a District 5 dungeon. Skilled with spear, staff, mind incense, and insects, she leads interrogations and possesses Inherent sorcery. A commanding figure, she mentors others, maintains ties to the Naruse Estate, and recently escorted her mother home following a family crisis.
• Shoji – A serious silver werewolf beastman and top 5th District sorcerer, he wields magic pistols, shock spells, and a spear. After leading his group—including Ryota, Komoda, and Strong-Females—through a dungeon, he returns to aid the narrator. Driven to rescue his relative Risa from a Shadow entity by tracking scents to feed her Hinoki, he also manages complex associations with Kotoha and others.
• Yukizuki – The Yukizuki family is an ancient noble clan, originally a powerful house from the capital before being exiled to the northern lands. Bound to a sacred seal, this lineage carries the identity that controls Anri.
• Shadow – A parasitic entity originating from a jewel as the collective will of past Yukizuki heads, it sought to exploit Hinoki’s power by possessing hosts like Risa and her mother. Responsible for the Oboroka sorcery, this malicious force suppresses its victims’ souls and shows no regard for their well-being. It was ultimately thwarted and expelled from both hosts after failing to create a divine sorcerer.
• Asunaro – An entity serving as a daughter-like protector of Hinoki’s power for over a thousand years. Once a distinct being, she now acts as a medium for that power, currently residing within Risa. With her own consciousness faded, she influences Risa’s ability to understand Hinoki’s speech, bridging the connection between them.
• Naruse-papa – As head of the Naruse family and merchant guild, he is Risa’s father and an influential figure often used as a cover for acquiring rare items. A supportive patriarch to his daughters and husband to his wife, he remains central to managing family affairs and explaining major events. His status and connections make him a convenient focal point for both business dealings and family explanations.
• Ogura – A distant Shoji-branch sorcerer, engineer, and dungeon manager handling local sites, mountain resources, and cleanup after the former administrator’s tenure. Identified by Shoji via scent, they alter their appearance by transforming into a werewolf via beastification sorcery. Manipulated by hypnosis, they are suspected of searching for the shrine.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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