45 School Rooftop

Mizuki called me over, her gaze filled with vulnerability, the kind that makes me want to shield her from the world. I greeted her with a wave, realizing that we hadn't spoken much since she caught a glimpse of something about me – my power, or perhaps she saw Alpha back then, I can't be sure.

There's an air of uncertainty as we both make our way to the school rooftop, a place for our conversation about something important to us both. She starts, her voice tinged with nervousness, "Haku-san..."

"Yeah?" I reply though I can't deny feeling a bit on edge myself.

"I'm sorry," she blurts out, her apology catching me off guard.

"Wait, what? Why the sudden apology? You haven't done anything wrong," I reassure her.

"Don't say that... Before I lost consciousness, I was looking at you with that gaze. It was horrible."

"Ah... Well, it's okay. I didn't know what you saw then, and even if you did see something, it's not a big deal." I say, trying to put her at ease.

"I feel terrible. I still can't control my eyes, and as a result, I end up looking at you as if you're... a ghost."

She's smart, using the word 'ghost' instead of the more unsettling 'monster'. She's struggling with her feelings about what she saw.

"Nah, don't worry about it. Honestly, it doesn't bother me at all. But now I'm curious, did you see something?"

"Um, well, is it okay for me to talk about it? I mean, it seems like something you've been keeping a secret."

"Oh, so you did see something," I respond, sensing a hint of confirmation.

"I'M REALLY SORRY! I apologize so much!" Mizuki suddenly jumps from her seat, a comically exaggerated expression of distress on her face as she repeatedly bows.

I chuckle at her over-the-top reaction. "Hey, no need to apologize that much. Seriously, it's not a big deal. Plus, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't have intentionally revealed anything you saw, right?"

"Of course not! How could I do that to my friend? But Haku-san, please keep my eyes secret as well," she implores, her tone serious as she clenches her fist.

"Yeah, I understand. Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. But let's not dwell on it too much. We can just go back to talking like we used to. We haven't done much of that lately."

"Y-Yes, you're right... w-we should."

As Mizuki bows her head, I notice a faint wisp of smoke seeming to emerge from her head. What kind of bizarre logic is that?

"Hey, come on, sit back down."

"Yes!"

"..."

"..."

We chat about random things, letting time pass as we regain our ease. Eventually, she starts opening up about why she chose to enroll in a magic high school.

"So, you're trying to understand your eyes, huh? Wait, you didn't even know their origin from the start?"

"Yes, I've always felt uncomfortable about my eyes. Every time I asked my parents, they'd just say 'You're not ready.' But that only fueled my curiosity, so I decided to uncover the truth on my own."

Ah, so that's the backstory.

Just like me, she's from a non-magical family, with no background in magic. Yet she possesses these powerful eyes that can see right through me. She goes on to recount her experience when she saw a frightening gaze within my shadow – Alpha. However, what frightened her, even more, was the latent power residing within me.

I chime in, "I've heard a bit about [Crystal Eyes], which supposedly allow you to see different colors of spirits. It's strange, though. Your eyes don't seem to be limited to just seeing spirit particles."

"W-What does that mean?"

"Ancient magic users refer to it as Crystal Eyes. They associate specific colors with different types of spirits – blue for water, red for fire, and so on. But magicians don't perceive those colors. They might 'feel' water spirits as purple or fire spirits as orange. However, you can see spirit energy with the naked eye, accurately discerning their colors. If I were to guess, your eyes might have a connection to this phenomenon."

"I see... That does make sense. But until recently, I never realized those were spirits. But, it's strange... they seem to flee whenever you get close to them." Mizuki's unease is evident as she casts her gaze downward as if fearing her revelation might be unsettling to me.

"Ah, I'll explain that some other time," I reply, my voice trailing off. I can't tell her the truth just yet. Those spirits might be avoiding me because of my connection to Parasite, the spirit I've become the master of.

Spirits are made of Pushion, or Spirit Particles, distinct from Psion, which are manifestations of intention and thought, yet they share the same foundation. Parasite, the entity I've harnessed, is created from Pushion and Psion.

Magic society still relies on theories and conjecture about these forces. The origins of magic, as well as the source of these energies, remain unproven. Yet, Alpha claims it all from the world tree, Yggdrasil.

Alpha's words reaffirm my belief in the impending Ragnarok and propel me to create an army after this selection event. Why the urgency? Because I don't want to risk delay after the nine school competition.

"After waking up, a fragment of a vision appears before my eyes. I brushed it off as a mere hallucination, yet that vision... it unfolded into reality."

As she regained consciousness, Erika and I stood before her.

The image she had glimpsed illustrated Erika's return to her hospital room, accompanied by Miyuki, Shizuku, Honoka, Leo, and Tatsuya.

"Moreover, there's this peculiar sensation of seeing through someone else's eyes – a beautiful girl is giving a flower to this person in a parking lot. Strangely, I've always assumed that these visions were from Haku-san's perspective, considering I only saw Erika-chan and Haku-san without my glasses back then."

My mind races at this revelation.

Those eyes of hers are astoundingly potent.

Seems like my whole act, nah... will inevitably uncover every facet of my identity. Do I divulge the truth? Can I entrust her with my secret? I find myself mulling over Alpha's remarks about her in the past. Yet, I swiftly shake off that idea.

"Ah, it's bittersweet. Were it not for these glasses my parents gave me, life might not have been easy."

Mizuki wears a helpless smile, her fingers lightly grazing the frames of her glasses.

My curiosity piqued, and I wonder about the construction of these glasses. They must possess a considerable potency to suppress her eye's capabilities.

"But it's also a relief for me that I can finally discuss my problems with someone. Phew..." She lets out an audible sigh of relief before playing her index fingers together, a gesture betraying a hint of bashfulness.

"H-Haku-san..." Her voice quivers slightly as she prepares to share something heavy.

"...C-Can you help me unravel the mystery behind these eyes?"

She smiles at me, her cheeks flushed with a shade akin to the afternoon sun.

Her blush betrays her nerves, yet it's evident she's mustered tremendous courage.

Her smile makes it incredibly difficult to refuse her because I genuinely want to protect her. As a man, it doesn't feel right to turn down a good girl when she's seeking help, but I also have a genuine desire to protect her on my own terms.

(A/N: I wish I could capture Mizuki's smile from his perspective, but damn, I can't draw a shit.)

My grin prompts her to flutter into a brief panic – a quintessential Mizuki response. It's amusing.

"E-Eh? It's alright, you can say no! I understand it's quite the imposition," she babbles, her words flowing like a stream of consciousness.

"Hm? I was about to say yes, but you're already assuming I'll refuse?"

"N-No! I didn't mean it like that!"

"I'm joking, but your reaction was priceless."

"A-Ah... I-I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize. But..."

Crimson creeps across her cheeks, and she hides behind her hands. It's as though her embarrassment could rival even her cutest, shyest moments.

"...Hey. Just like you mentioned, it was actually pretty great 'cause I feel that I can share my secret as well."

It's genuine. I mean every word of it.

"Eh? Is that really okay...?"

"Yeah, you've revealed everything about your problems, it wouldn't be fair if I didn't reciprocate. After all, you've already caught a glimpse of it."

"A-Ah... I see, um... thank you for trusting me."

"Yeah, me too. Hm... this might sound weird, but please take care of me from now on."

"Wha-"

Her face blazes like a beacon, misinterpreting my words.

Was it the wrong thing to say? Yet, isn't this what we're doing – looking out for each other?

Nevertheless, her reaction is quite adorable.

"..."

I could sense her internal struggle. Despite my intentions, she's grappling with an unexpected surge of emotion.

Mizuki's bashfulness is endearing, but more than that, her genuine nature shines through.

She stood firm against Morisaki to shield Miyuki, before. So, I can place my faith in her.

It confirms what I suspected – she's far from ordinary. She might lean toward a nature freak, but she's nowhere near as peculiar as my circumstances. She's seen Alpha and my unusual abilities, yet she maintains her kind disposition. She's a friend who won't forsake me, even if I were a monster.

I trust her.

The relief I feel, having shared this burden with someone, is palpable.