Chapter 3: A Fresh Start from Hell

---

As the duel had ended, from the headmaster's room, three people were watching the whole affair happen before them. All had the same sentiment about the entire duel. Shock and fear. Shocked that they had seen something new. Feared the power of the Familiar.

Said people were left speechless after the duel. Never had they seen, heard, nor known of such magic that Kurumi had possessed.

'J-Just what were those that appeared on the ground… H-How are there more of her…?' Longueville was internally shattered. Her mission, with no doubt, would fail if she crossed swords with Kurumi.

Earlier while Longueville was roaming through the halls of the students' dorms she heard Louise's voice echoing through the hall. At first it was nothing but gibberish as it was not that audible.

But Longueville's curiosity made her want to know more and decided to eavesdrop on them. Making her way to her room until she was just outside her door. She leaned closer to the door and clearly heard the conversation. 'Just what is going on in here?'

"But do you swear that you'll never abandon that loyalty you have to me, protect me from any danger, and not turn on me?" Louise asks someone, Longueville could theorize that she's speaking with her familiar.

Wanting to know more, she peeked through the slit of the nearly closed door.

"Yes, you have my word Louise-sama." There she saw Kurumi bowing before Louise as if she was just a mere lowly servant.

'That loyalty… Can I possibly make her help me…?' Longueville asks herself. Making Kurumi an enemy is definitely a bad idea, since when was it a good idea, so if she makes her ally up with her maybe her role is not jeopardized and her mission would be completed without any delays.

As she was plotting her next move, Colbert was in a similar state to her. But it's a different story for Colbert. It wasn't about plots or loyalty, no. For Colbert, what he values most is the safety and growth of the academy.

'Spirits… Spacequakes… Just who and what are you…?' Colbert thought, sweating bullets as he tried to take in what he saw.

Afterall, since last night he did nothing but research about every concept Kurumi told him. Spirits, spacequakes, their powers and magic. Restlessly flipping through pages, grabbing another book or scripture.

'After all that… I found nothing about her…' Colbert felt defeated. But in his mind, the cogs kept turning, trying to come up with any idea on why he never saw any information about spirits and spacequakes.

'If she really is speaking of the truth, she possibly is the first spirit to ever appear on Halkeginia… Had she appeared somewhere else other than Halkeginia…?' He thought to himself. Only if he knew about her atrocities back in Tengu City.

'If she really is the first ever spirit Halkeginia had ever seen, we need to make sure she doesn't fall into the hands of those scheming behind the scenes.' Colbert was not the man of war he used to be.

The horrors that he saw that day would forever be engraved in his mind. And because of the horrors he witnessed, Kurumi might do damage by possibly a hundredfold if not tenfold.

Kurumi can be both a blessing and a curse, depending on what road they will take. But for now, it seems as if their fates are now tied up to a person who just got summoned a day ago. The very same person who had almost killed them as well.

And because of this new crossroad lady fate had given them, they have to decide what to do with the new Familiar that is right in front of them. Shall they try and exterminate her, or shall they make her fall in love- shall they make her their ally and someone part of the society they live in.

The decision of the Grandmaster of the academy shall be the final decision on what to do with Tokisaki Kurumi. Speaking of the Grandmaster, he never once flinched about the demonstration of power within the duel. Yes he was quite shocked when he saw Kurumi's powers, but while the other two were already trapped within their thoughts, he had made up his mind already.

"I believe that we should look after the young Familiar." Osmond broke the silence between the three of them, acting like an elder should and not being perverted for once.

Getting their minds off the gutters, Colbert and Longueville had varying reactions for Osmond's decision.

"It would be best if she remains under Louise. It would be disastrous if she would fall into someone else's hands." Osmond added, "We are not sure if the current magi of this land could even stop her from going rogue. Any objections?"

Longueville's response was interrupted by Colbert's before she could even speak out.

"No, Osmond-sama. Plus it would be beneficial for us as she holds foreign knowledge that she could possibly enlighten us with." Colbert agrees, seeing the benefits from this decision.

But to Longueville, Kurumi was more of a wildcard. Either a threat to her mission or a possible associate for her upcoming plans, but she needs to hide her real identity from everyone in the academy.

So even though she is internally reluctant with the proposition, she soon agrees as well to Osmond's decision.

"No objections from me, Osmond-sama." She simply said. Now on the clear, Osmond turned to Colbert.

"Colbert-san, notify all the teachers. We are to observe her Familiar, she is now as important as the Staff of Destruction." Colbert obliged to Osmond's words and excused himself from the room and went to do what he had been told to.

For Longueville she was to resume her duties, but hearing that Kurumi was now on the security level as the Staff of Destruction, it may be impossible for her to establish a friendly relationship with the Familiar without raising suspicions.

She just sighs as she goes to organize the papers in Osmond's room. But she was not expecting a little white mouse on the corner of her vision, just near her feet. The mouse was looking up her blouse.

Comprehending what was happening, her face grew red, blushing as she realized her situation. Instead of screaming, she tries to stomp on the mouse, luckily for the mouse, it managed to run towards its master.

Said master picked up his Familiar and brought it near his ear to hear what it had to say.

"Oh? She's wearing white today huh?" Osmond utters to himself. But right in front of him is a Longueville with an aura of murder.

Before he could even face her, he was already met with some smacks to the head, asking for forgiveness, scolding and even pleading was heard throughout the building making everyone within the vicinity realize what was happening in Osmond's office.

---

On the other side of things, Louise and Kurumi were walking back to her room. All the while, the trip was mostly silent.

"Ah~ What a good exercise that was~" Kurumi hummed to herself, as if she was relieved from some stress.

Louise on the other hand was trying to comprehend what had happened earlier. From Kurumi's arm being severed from her elbow, to firing herself with a bullet and the arm attached itself because of it.

"Those clones… Even your angel…" Louise utters under her breath, and Kurumi notices this, just didn't hear clearly what she had said.

"Hm? What is it Louise-sama?"

"I told you to go easy on him, not scare him to death!" Louise reprimanded her, not expecting the show and spectacle she had seen earlier. "I know he deserves it but it was too much Kurumi!"

"Huh, when has a conversation like this happened before?" Kurumi asks herself, reminiscing about a time back when she had first met Shido.

All the while both master and Familiar were still in a heated conversation about the events that had transpired, a boy from another world sneezed while he was in his house living room with his redhead-not blood related-little sister.

"Are you alright Onii-chan?" Asked the girl.

"I'm alright Kotori, someone is probably talking about me."

"Concern. Are you alright Shido?" One of the newly entered twins asks.

"I'm fine, really."

"Are you sure you're not sick, Shido?" The other twin asks, with Shido replying the same thing.

"Well don't forget to go to bed Onii-chan, you still have school tomorrow." Kotori reminded him, as if she was the elder one between them.

Shido just gave an awkward smile as a response. 'How could one sneeze turn into this set of events…?' He thought to himself. Afterall being surrounded by ten spirits, well technically eight since the other two spirits have their own homes, had spiced up his life in all aspects of it.

In daily life, check, in his private life, check, in his romantic life, check, in his arousal, not necessarily check but still some of them try to seduce him for his carnal desires to be unleashed. Moving away from that aspect of life, all in all, his life had changed after meeting all of the spirits he's with right now. Even the spirit who is branded as a sadistic and psychotic person, killing ten thousand people by her own will and not by summoning a spacequake.

'It's not like I regret all of this though…' He thought while now smiling, remembering some fond memories from some parts of his past until this point in his life.

"What are you smiling for, Shido?" Kotori asks, now in commander mode.

"Nothing, just reminiscing about what had happened up until now." He replied.

Going back to the current event in Halkeginia, Louise was still scolding Kurumi for her actions, even now that they were in her room.

"For the last time, what in 'Go easy on him' do you not understand?" Louise asks her Familiar as she was currently getting dressed into her nightgown by two other Kurumi clones.

"Louise-sama, I could have done worse than that if I wanted to." Kurumi defends herself, "Or did you want nothing remaining from him except for bloodstained grass~?" she smirks.

"N-No!" Louise, visualizing the imagery in her mind, yelled at Kurumi. The image made her insides churn as it was disgustingly gory.

"I-ugh." Louise was out of words for Kurumi at this point. She's not afraid of her anymore, she's just mad. "Sometimes, I wish you could control yourself from using your angel or any of your powers." She sighs, "It just scares the living hell out of us, witnessing something not recorded nor known." She added.

Once she was done being dressed, both Kurumi clones went back into the shadows and Louise headed for bed. "I'm going to take a long nap after that." She said, yawning.

"Alright Louise-sama." Kurumi said as Louise was now laying on her bed, "Then I shall be off to tend to my nightly duties." She said before disappearing into the shadows.

"Just what kind of Familiar did I get?" Louise asks herself, wondering why things have ended up the way it is now.

'What's going to happen next…?' Louise sighs as she now drifts off to her sleep. At least for once today, she gets her peace and solitude.

But on the other side of things, Kurumi was in her shadow's storage part where all the other Kurumi clones are kept.

"Welcome back, me." Said one of the clones.

"We had fun earlier, didn't we~" Mused another who had partaken the duel with her earlier.

The newly arrived Kurumi did not bother responding, just smiling with their sentiments.

"Any new reports for today?" Kurumi asks the clones, wanting to know what other event had happened today other than the duel and as such.

"Well, from one of my ventures, I had encountered another group of bandits." She sighs, "But it seems like they were a serpertist force against a neighboring kingdom."

"That sounds interesting~" She coos. 'So there are those who have disdain for the monarchy in this world, huh.' "Something tells me our life here would turn out to be interesting." She whispers to herself.

"Did you make it seem like a wild beast had attacked the group?" She asks the clone before her.

"I did, nothing but blood remained, I also made sure to kill some beasts myself and lay their corpses near the scene." The clone in question answers.

"Ah, to make it seem like they were attacked? Clever~" Kurumi commented.

"Oh right, before I forget, how is Guiche?" Kurumi asks another clone.

"He seems to be alright now." The clone responded, "But it seems like he wouldn't dare lay a finger on us or get in our way."

Hearing such a thing delighted Kurumi. "Well that's one troublesome being off our list."

"And the teachers? Had they started to act?" Kurumi asks.

"Yes, they are treating us as if we're some dangerous weapon to be kept away from others."

"I see, thanks for the report, me."

"Of course, me."

"Anyways, we are still a long way from going home. We have to settle in with this new life of ours." She sighs, "But let's try to enjoy our little 'vacation'." Kurumi says as she ascends from the shadows.

"What are you intending to do now?" Asks one of the clones.

"I'll be doing my nightly chores for Louise-sama." Kurumi said.

But then she was out of the shadows, out in the courtyard. She looks up at the night sky, glancing at the twin moons. 'It's beautiful.' She simply commented, 'But I'd rather be back with Shido-san.'

With that, she proceeds to head to the nearby source of water. Two clones appeared before her, one was holding Louise's used clothes, the other holding a basin and cleaning agents.

"Thank you." She said, to which the clones left her alone as they disappeared back into the shadow.

As she was about to do laundry, Siesta was just passing by the area. "K-Kurumi-san!" Siesta greeted Kurumi.

Kurumi turned around and greeted her, "Good evening, Siesta-san." flashing a smile at her.

"L-Let me help you with that Kurumi-san" Siesta offers her help, still not knowing how she should interact with the Familiar whose powers could possibly rival the best mage of the land.

"Thank you Siesta-san." Kurumi then pats the patch of grass next to her, signaling for Siesta to sit next to her.

At first the two had an awkward atmosphere, mostly from Siesta. But as the night went on, small talks came to be and slowly, Siesta's fear of Kurumi was fading away. From Kurumi's stories, to what she used to be, her friends and such, it made Siesta have a different perspective of the Spirit before her.

As the night progressed on, slowly, the two of them became friends. In Kurumi's mind though, she remembers a specific person from the Neighboring World that she fought alongside.

'I wonder how Hibiki is doing now?' Kurumi thought.

---

Several days had passed by without something eventful happening. Days go like the usual, getting up, attending classes, doing some magic, and etc. Same goes for Louise and Kurumi. Nothing really in particular had happened. After Kurumi's duel with Guiche, things went back to being mundane as they were before.

But from the shadows, plans are being set up as gears are now turning. Something is brewing and a storm is coming.

"So, how is the Familiar we're observing?" Colbert asks one of the teachers who were teaching Louise and her class.

"Well, it seems like she's just a regular student here." They replied, "She even listens to the lessons and has her own notes. Sometimes even participating in the middle of classes." sounding impressed with the performance of the Familiar.

"I see, anything that seems odd about her?"

"Nothing that sets a red flag, no."

"I see, thank you for observing." Colbert thanked the teacher, to which the teacher replied, "No need to thank me, Colbert-san, after all, it's also about her own good."

"Yes, also for her own good…" Colbert said, his voice barely whispers the last few words he said.

And with that, the teacher went their way to their next class, while Colbert was just right in front of Louise's classroom.

"Does she really have a sense of normalcy even though she can be a disaster…?" He utters to himself, thinking of the prospect that something dangerous and life threatening seeks normalcy of living a human life.

He shook his thoughts away, not wanting to be distracted by any of his worries during his class.

'I can look more into this matter later.' He thought to himself as he opened the door.

"Good morning class."

"Good morning Colbert-sensei."His students greeted, Kurumi being among said students.

With the introductions done, Colbert wasted no time and began his class. As his class went on though, he was eyeing Kurumi if his attention was not on the blackboard or the book he uses for their lessons.

As the class progressed on though, he could see that Kurumi had practically learned to live among the students with this class. Writing down notes, sometimes participating in questions, even correcting Colbert at times when he mistook some concepts in the lesson.

'Is she a Familiar or just a regular student here?' He jokingly said to himself.

The surprising part of the whole class is that when students are given an activity and are stuck somewhere, they would ask Kurumi, Colbert double checking if ever.

'It was just days ago when these students feared her…' Colbert made a mental note, 'Seems like she had improved through this short amount of time…'

Other than that, nothing got out of hand like in the first two days when Kurumi had been summoned as Louise's Familiar.

When classes ended, it was now time for their lunches, and as such the students went to the dining hall, while some went off somewhere else.

In the meantime, Colbert decided to retreat back to his studies within the library. Continuing to try and dig into as much scriptures and books he could get a hold of to find something relevant about Spirits.

"Colbert-sensei, it's lunch time, why don't you go and eat?" The librarian asks him, "You've been spending most of your breaks and free time here or working on something."

"Thank you for your concern, but I have to look into this." He replied, "It's simply an avoidable matter."

The librarian couldn't help but sigh at Colbert, deciding to not press further. And with that, Colbert went from shelf to shelf, grabbing any book and scripture he could for his research. It will be another long session of reading texts just to find the answers to Colbert's questions and clarifications on the topic of spirits.

All the while on the other side of things, in the dining hall, Kurumi, unlike the other familiars, is treated like she is a student within the academy. And as so, she is treated as if she's a noble who came from a nameless household.

And of course, through the span of time that she had stayed here, she had gained the attention of some of her classmates. While some were still uneasy when she's with them, such as Guiche, some wanted to know more about Zero's Familiar.

"Aww, Kurumi-san, can you tell me about what you did during that duel~"

"Stop it with my spirit you Zerbst!"

This was basically the whole interaction between the pinkette and the redhead. Although one thing is to be clarified, Zerbst is just heavily interested in Kurumi's abilities in combat and such. Meanwhile, Louise is irritated that her spirit is the main attraction of the school, which in turn she is also in the spotlight because of it.

Due to her nature ever since she started here, ever since she was dubbed "Zero Louise", she was never in the spotlight of interest, but stuck in the spotlight of mockery. The girl who could not properly cast a spell, the girl who always casts explosions, the girl with no talent for the arts of mages.

She was not used to being in the spotlight, let alone being with Kurumi in it. And as so, she never knew the day would come that she was for once looked up to. She felt like she failed the summoning ritual, but in reality, she had struck gold and power.

But with this new familiar, she had never noticed the fine line along all of this. And as such never truly knew what Kurumi is on the inside, but rather takes whatever she has on the outside.

"Ehehe." Kurumi giggles as she is being fought over between her master's "friend" and her master.

"If you want, Zerbst-san, we could do a friendly spar." Kurumi suggests to Kirche, such an idea gave a smile to Zerbst's face

"Really!?" Kirche was excited to the point she couldn't control herself. All the while, everyone in earshot of the conversation gulped, remembering what had happened to Guiche in that ordeal several days before.

Louise just sighs as she knows her familiar would not even listen to her, "Alright then." she said, defeatedly, "This time, please HOLD back your powers, okay? I don't want another Guiche incident." Louise said in a more commanding tone.

"Of course, Louise-sama." Kurumi replied, to which Louise was still suspicious of her dedication to ACTUALLY hold back.

"Can you be the one to oversee our duel, Tabitha?" Kirche asks, glancing at the ever reading girl.

Said girl just took a glance at them, and just nodded, immediately getting back to the page she was reading.

"Great! When shall we have our spar Kurumi-san?"

"Hm, I can't tell for now, I'll tell you soon though."

"Alright then."

As their conversation was at a close, a shadow appeared in between them. And out of the shadow came one of Kurumi's clones.

"What a lovely conversation you all are having, but I have something to tell, me." The clone said to Kurumi.

"Hmm, based on your tone, this seems urgent." Kurumi commented, "Very well."

Then the clone went back into the shadow, urging Kurumi to follow her.

"Well, Louise-sama, Zerbst-san, I shall be taking my leave. I'll be back later~"

Before they could even bid farewell to Kurumi, and Kirche protested, Kurumi descended into her shadows. Looks like they're in for one hell of a ride for the next following days.

---

Life in Kurumi's shadows was nothing eventful, really. Clones either stayed put there until they were summoned to come out, or some would come out by their own accord. Any conversations between the clones were quite rare as usually they would only talk about their plans and what not.

But with little to no tasks to be done in this new world, such as killing the Spirit of Origin, or eating Shido to take his powers, they were basically nothing but servants to Louise and are just there to obey her orders.

That is until they manage to come back to Tengu City soon. But for the time being, as nothing much is happening in the outside world, Halkeginia, same goes for this space. Some of the clones can't help but actually feel bored for once. With nothing else to do other than wait.

Several clones sighed at the prospect that they'll just be here and to never see the light of day as if they were mere prisoners of the shadow. Some can't help but not restrain themselves and exit the shadows for some fresh air for once.

And the minority of the clones would go out like the others, but not for air or freedom from the shadows, no. They would love to have some entertainment. In the form of death and gore of course.

But they wouldn't go after someone who just happens to come across their way, no. They would specifically kill off those who are, in their eyes, scum.

It all happened when a clone was just too holed up in the shadow that she just decided to come up from the shadows and into the light of day for once. I feet achieved by few as less have touched some grass from time to time.

Digressing from that line and back to the clone in question, it took a while before she had encountered the perfect time to have her entertainment.

"What a world this is~" She said in bliss as she wandered through the woods, "It's as if I am in a fantasy book~" she mused to herself.

But then she heard some grunts from a nearby bush. The shuffling behind the bush and then followed by a woman's screams, the clone's curiosity got the better of her and went to inspect the commotion.

She smirks in response as she can see where things would be heading to when she intervenes, "Looks like I'll have some fun of my own this time." She said as she giggled to herself, making sure not to announce her presence immediately and alerting the people she's about to face.

While Kurumi was waiting for her chance, on the other side, three men were ganging up with a peasant girl, holding a basket filled with things from the nearby market.

"Don't resist little lady~" Said one of the men, "We're just here to show you paradise~"

"No! Let go of me!" The girl yelled in spite, trying to force her way out of the man's grip, struggling yet to no avail.

"I said don't resist!" The man reprimanded as he threw her to the other men he's with. In his stead, they held the girl by her arms, lifting her off the ground.

"No! Please!" The girl desperately tries to get herself out of the situation, but she struggles in vain, "Someone help me!"

As she said that her shirt got ripped, exposing some of her breast, to which she now cries in anguish, fearing what's coming next.

"SOMEONE HELP ME!" She screamed on, hoping she'd get someone's attention and save her from the fate she's about to face. And someone did spare her from her fate.

All men halted their advance, hearing the rustling of leaves from the bushes, combined with the giggle of a young woman, everyone anticipated on who's to appear.

"Eh? Who's there?" Asked the man who's about to sexually assualt the lady.

"Ara ara~" Muttered Kurumi from the bushes, "What business do we have here~?" she coos as she appears from the bushes. She was currently wearing her astral dress, which in turn made the men look at her body's features.

They were all attracted, all the while the girl was still in shock about what's going to happen.

"How about we show you paradise as well?" Offered the man, to which Kurumi smirks and replies.

"Oh, I see what's going on~" She said, "Sure, but I would like her to be out of this~" gesturing to the girl who's currently held by the other two men.

"Oh sure, missy." The man replied, and Kurumi's internal smirk grew wider, 'Looks like I caught some delectable prey~' she thought to herself.

The girl was released and all of them surrounded Kurumi. The girl looked in utter shock at Kurumi, but Kurumi gestured to the girl to run and look for safety. The girl, internally in conflict with herself, decided to heed Kurumi's decision and she booked it out of there, basket in hand with what remained of what she had bought.

She didn't look back as she ran through the forest, yelling once she's out of their earshot for help. Trying to desperately get help and try to save the girl who had saved her from her fate. But little did she know that the girl that had saved her needed no saving at all. For the girl that had spared her from her fate shall bring these men's demise.

"Before we get into today's course…" Kurumi opens up a new conversation, "How many times have you done this before~?"

"Ohoho, many times, little missy." The man said as the other's crept closer to Kurumi, "but you, you are nothing like we have encountered before!" The man excitedly declared, along with his men who were having pervy looks on their faces as their breathing became panting as if they were in heat.

"I'm honored by such praise~!" Kurumi acts along with how things are going, until she guarantees to herself that they paid no attention to anything else other than her.

And with that, as the men kept creeping forward, they found themselves unable to after a few steps. Gaining attention to their current situation even further, they looked down to see why they hadn't gotten any forward all of a sudden.

There the sight they had brought chills down their spine. Hands from the shadows were holding each of the men's feet, rendering them immobile.

"What the-?" Before the man could even speak out his entire thought about this, he got shot straight at the face with Kurumi's flintlock. The other two were shocked by the sight and Kurumi then proceeded to place two more shots to his chest.

Then the hands had pulled his entire body down into the shadows with them. This terrified the two men as they now looked back at Kurumi who was wearing a sadistic expression of satisfaction.

"P-Please!" begged one of the men, "D-Don't do it!"

But even with his pleas, it had fallen to deaf ears as Kurumi shot him as well, straight into his mouth, practically destroying the entirety of it leaving nothing but a broken skull and some chunks of muscles and flesh on the ground.

Witnessing another of his friend's demise in such a brutal way, he desperately tried to free himself from the clutches of the hands, but to no success. All he managed to do though is make the hands' grip tighter than it already was. Trying to pull his leg or trying to kick himself out of the grip lock was a futile effort. But by the time he focuses back to Kurumi, the body of the second man was already gone. Nothing but blood that stained the dirt was left of the man.

Now screaming from fear and screaming like the girl who he tried to rape before, Kurumi was more than enough satisfied with her deed, bringing karma to those who deserved it in the most brutal way possible. She made sure that this memory would live on even after he had died and as he ventures on in the afterlife. Such thoughts made Kurumi feel happiness and bliss.

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean it I swear!" The man begged, but Kurumi only got closer and closer to him. "I won't do it again I promise!" Kurumi kept walking towards the man, her rifle now at hand as well.

Unknown to her, the girl returned to see if she was out of trouble. Behind the bushes where Kurumi once was, she saw the current events, the last man who was held by hands coming from the shadows, and Kurumi wielding two weapons.

She didn't bother to intervene, but she wondered to herself 'I-Is she doing that..? W-Where are the other two…?' But upon closer inspection of the scene she concluded what may have happened to the other two men.

On the ground she saw chunks of flesh and blood decorating the dirt. If she had no restraint, she could have spilled the contents of her guts right then and there. But she has not, and she decided to see where things would go even though it was such a bone chilling event.

"H-have mercy! Please-" And again she silenced the man with a first shot to his chest. The girl held her mouth in shock, as her eyes widened at the scene and the disbelief she had made her gasp at the sight.

But it was not the end there, Kurumi then decided to pulverize the man's body with several more shots to the body, to the point half of the torso had separated from the rest of the man's body, spilling blood and flesh all over the floor.

Once she calmed herself, the body got sucked into the shadows, disappearing from the face of the earth.

The girl was in utter horror of what she had witnessed. Never had she seen such a horrific scene play before her. Such a brutal and inhumane way to kill.

"Ah, thank you for the time~" Kurumi mused, gaining the attention of the girl once more. But before she could even see Kurumi, Kurumi was gone from her former position.

"Boo." Kurumi said from behind the girl's ear.

"AHH" The girl stumbles onto the ground, trying to crawl away from Kurumi. "I-I saw n-nothing!"

"Indeed, you saw nothing." Kurumi said, her tone going lower as if she was about to enter into a yandere rage. "And you shall never tell anyone of this event happening." She said before going back into the shadows.

All that was left on that day was a terrified girl who was traumatized by the memory this day had given her and the bloodstained dirt, decorated with some residue of flesh. The girl exited the forest, speechless and horrified. She looked like she just went through an office worker's death march. Feeling exhausted, she just went back to her home, only remembering Kurumi's face and her command.

Of course, it only took a day for people to come across the place where bloodshed had happened, and rumors came up afterwards. Some said some beast had roamed the area and that some poor souls encountered it, while others thought a demon was summoned upon this world and made its move. Either way, they were lucky enough to not see the horrors that had happened a day prior.

---

After some time, the rumor had managed to get its way into the academy. And as such, students made their own rumors and spreaded it throughout the school.

"I think it was a blood sacrifice."

"Do you think they summoned a demon?"

"Some poor hunters they were."

"Yeah, a failed hunt they did."

There were always two sides as long as there was no clarification to what had transpired. Their own tale, but really, it was the misadventures of one of Kurumi's clones.

"Do you really think those rumors are true, Louise-sama?" Siesta asks Louise as she was cleaning her room.

"What rumors, Siesta-san?" Walking in, Kurumi overheard the conversation, couldn't help but be curious with this new rumor.

"Rumors that involve a nearby forest." Louise answers as she was just there, sitting by her table, tea in hand.

"Yeah, some people found a gory scene in a specific part of the forest." Siesta grimly added.

'Hm? Where have I heard this before?' Kurumi rhetorically asks herself. Of course she knew what had happened.

"That is all I have to say for today, me."

"So, you took those three men into the shadows, correct?"

"Mhm." The clone nods.

"Good, looks like their lives would be proven useful for us."

Remembering that specific conversation with the clone who went out, she's not surprised about the incident within the forest.

Louise, taking a glance at Kurumi, notices that she was not showing any concern by what was painted on her face.

"It seems like you know something about this. Right, Kurumi?" Louise asks as she averts her eyes to Kurumi.

Kurumi knows she couldn't dodge the situation, and decides to concede and tell them the truth.

"Ah, I thought I was keeping up a good act." Kurumi sighs as she raises her hand.

Confirming that it was Kurumi was the one responsible for the incident, it was almost enough to make Louise spit her tea out and Siesta dropping the broomstick she's using.

"So it really was you!?" Both girls yelled at the spirit.

"Shh. Let's try not to be heard by anyone else, shall we?" Kurumi said to both girls as she locked the door.

Knowing it's Kurumi that they're dealing with, they somewhat feel at ease and unease at the same time.

"I'll tell you what happened." Kurumi said as she sat down by the bedside.

She told everything from the clone wandering off, to the girl that was about to be assaulted, to the point where the clone had killed the men.

"I-I see…" Siesta utters to herself. 'Yes she did the right thing, but…' she thought as her sweat drops.

Louise just sighs, "You can't handle things in a more humane way, can't you?" accepting the fact that her Familiar is a loyal murderer, she really couldn't be anymore so shocked with the news after the incidents that had occured on her first days in Tristain.

In response to Louise's comment, Kurumi just giggled and said, "If you wish Louise-sama, I'll tell them to try not to be bloody when handling these types of affairs."

Louise just sighs, 'There's just no way of getting through her…' "Sometimes your actions are questionable." She voices her thoughts.

"But it is to my benefit if I want to use my power, Louise-sama." Kurumi giggles.

Kurumi's words struck both Siesta and Louise's minds, for the first time they have heard something that may involve how her powers may work.

"Kurumi, what do you mean it's for your benefit?" Louise asks,

"Hm? Do you want to know more about your terrifying Familiar, Louise-sama?"

"And if I said yes, would you tell me?"

Noticing how determined Louise is in knowing more about the nature of her powers, she was simply amused with Louise. "Of course Louise-sama."

"Back to the question, why do you say you benefit from it?" Louise asks.

"Yeah, you talk as if it seems vital to you." Siesta added.

Kurumi smirks before answering, "Do you remember that I use time for my powers, Louise-sama?"

"Yeah, yeah." Louise nods.

"Well, the more I use my power, the more of my time is being spent."

"W-Wait, does that mean you're shortening your own life!?" After hearing what she had heard, Louise couldn't believe that her own Familiar such price her powers needed.

Kurumi nods in response, not bothered about her condition.

"T-Then how long do you have left…?" Siesta asks, in her mind, it's a sensitive question, but witnessing the powers Kurumi holds, she only hoped she hadn't used that much.

"On the contrary to what you two believe, I still have a lot of time." Tapping her right eye bag, she is clearly pertaining to the clock on her eye.

"Huh?" Both girls looked at the clock, it's one o'clock exactly.

"If it hits twelve, I am arguably dead, but there is a way to restore my time."

"Restoring time…?" Siesta mutters.

"How exactly?" Louise asks, "How could you restore your own time…?"

"Simple." Kurumi utters, "I steal other people's time."

"Steal…"

"Other people's time…?"

"Exactly." Kurumi confirms, "How do I do so, you may ask. Well, by murdering them and by sucking them into the shadows of course." Kurumi smiles innocently as if it wasn't a major concern.

Now knowing the context of her powers, it now comes to question how long she has lived for now after sucking other people's time. And the first one to ask was Siesta.

"H-How many have you killed…Kurumi-san?" Siesta asks, her usual tone was dropped to that of a dreaded one.

"How many?" Kurumi places a finger on her cheek. "Hmmm."

'I-It couldn't be that many right…?'

'J-Just how many did she kill…?'

These were the thoughts of Siesta and Louise, respectively, during Kurumi's long pause. The air was tense as Kurumi was trying to decide what she would answer.

'Should I answer truthfully, or make something up?' Thinking about it, would it even change anything if she told the truth or made something up

And finally, the answer came. "Maybe ten thousand or so back in my world." She said, undisturbed with the context. She speaks as if it was just a mere game.

What once was in their minds, the kill count Kurumi might have, has been blown away by the fact she admitted to killing ten thousand people back in her previous world alone. Granted there were much worse incidents that involved the millions of deaths, but by singlehandedly murdering ten thousand people without getting caught is something of concern to a state.

And since no such tragedy that involved millions of lives in Halkeginia had happened yet, it was a frightening and bone chilling fact for both Halkeginians to hear such death count. The impact was too great for the girls. Jaws dropped and eyes widened, a tea cup fell, the sound of shattering ceramic rang out through the room.

"T-Ten thousand…?" Siesta asks, "M-Maybe you're mistaken Kurumi-san…!" she tries to avoid the fact that Kurumi may have possibly killed that many.

"I am not mistaken, Siesta-san." Kurumi replied in kind.

"B-But-!"

"I am not mistaken."

Louise's eyes were hidden, she stood up and confronted her spirit about the matter.

"How…" Louise simply utters.

"Hm?" Kurumi tilts her head, "'How…' what, Louise-sama?"

"How could you!?" Louise yelled at her. Even though she wasn't the one involved, she couldn't help but feel angry about this. "How could you easily take those people's lives so lightly!?"

Kurumi sighs, "Louise-sama, did I say I killed the people who're trying their best to live?"

"What are you saying now!?"

"I am saying that I did not kill the innocent Louise-sama."

"Huh?" Both girls caught on once more.

"Like what my clone did, I only target human garbage as the source of my time." Kurumi corrects their thoughts about it.

"Wait…" Louise mutters, "Are you saying, you've only gone for those who committed crime?"

Kurumi nodded, her mood not once changing during this conversation.

"B-But still-!" Louise tried to counter Kurumi once more but couldn't bear to do so as she stopped herself.

Noticing this detail, Kurumi spoke up, "You know it yourself, Louise-sama. Scum should be exterminated from this world."

Both Louise and Siesta were speechless with Kurumi's harsh perspective in reality. They know her powers, and combined with such a perspective along with her sadistic personality, it is all but a terrible combination of traits a person could have.

"I would like to drop the subject now Louise-sama." She said, "I am still human to some degree, by the way."

"Ho-How are we so sure… That you'll not turn against us just for your own gain…?"

"This again Louise-sama?" Kurumi sighs, this question always exhausts her the most. The distrust is just annoying to deal with. "Why would I kill someone who summoned me here? What gain would I get, other than being the enemy of all in this world?"

Kurumi's cunning was still in play. She still holds reason, but in their eyes, that reason may dissolve due to her nation.

"I would rather not involve those who are not involved in my goals in the first place." She continues reasoning on, "So until I find a way back, I'll make sure to not drag you along with the endeavors I'm facing."

'H-Her nature…' Siesta thought, even though her nature is stained with her reputation, there is some light hidden within her.

"I'll say this once again, Louise-sama." Kurumi spoke, finally getting Louise out of her trance. "I am not your enemy. I am merely your Familiar. Besides, my master's will is greater than mine." She kneels before her, but then glares at her.

"But once I've found a way back, I shall return and you shall not be my master for longer." She said, dropping her usual tone. This time, she was serious, a different side of her personality.

"So until then Louise-sama, let us work together." Kurumi said as she stood up.

"Y-You really are hard to understand…" Louise concedes defeat in this conversation, sighing along with her response, "J-Just so you know, I don't have much time for you to consume…!"

Kurumi giggles in response, it's just too cute for her to see Louise frightened. She made her way to Louise, which startled the pinkette.

"Louise-sama, you already know the specifics on who's time I should get right?" Kurumi said as she was an inch away from her face, managing to make her master embarrassed. Brushing her palm on her cheeks, making her even more flustered.

Louise yelps, turning away from Kurumi in response. Kurumi just laughs at Louise's reactions.

"You're so easy to tease, Louise-sama." Kurumi continues to laugh. Siesta couldn't hold it, and giggles at the scene.

"Mou! Kurumi!" Louise decided to pay Kurumi back in kind. Somehow, from a grim scene, it became lively again. Even after a serious topic, they managed to laugh.

"Louise-sama, what I have done is already in the past." Kurumi spoke up once more as Louise was pinching her cheeks. Hearing this, Louise lets it go for a moment to hear her out. "Seeking atonement now from me is impossible. After all, who would forgive such person?"

"Kurumi…"

"I am not a killing machine, Louise-sama. Again, it is just a part of seeking my justice against the very being I despise."

Everyone was left silent after that remark. From her story, it seems like her situation was forced upon her, which she is trying to break free from.

Louise then sits herself upright before asking Kurumi another question.

"What happened before, Kurumi…?"

This question has the answers that Kurumi wishes to keep to herself. Not once she had told anybody else about the painful truth of her history. She hesitates for a moment, not knowing if she should actually tell her who she was, or to leave it here.

"Louise-sama… It's a story I'd rather keep to myself." Kurumi said, her hands forming fists at the mere thought of what had happened before, her grip ever so tightening at the image of the past.

"I see…" Louise said, inspecting Kurumi for any reaction, noticing her trembling fists. "I'm sorry if I asked something that's too personal for you…"

Kurumi shook her head, "No it's fine, Louise-sama. There are just some things that I would not like to recall."

This made them wonder, just what had happened to Kurumi before that made her what she is today.

'Just what happened to her back then?' They thought, to hold such a grudge and take on extreme lengths just to have her justice.

And with that, silence took over the room, until both Kurumi and Siesta tended back to their own matters. Kurumi returns to her shadows with her clones, while Siesta returns to the kitchen to help the other staff set up the dining hall for dinner, and Louise leaves in her room to ponder about trivial matters such as what to do for tomorrow.

But deep down, Louise couldn't help but feel worried about Kurumi's past. Since she is her Familiar she feels like that whatever is bothering Kurumi, it would also bother her in the long run.

---

In a dungeon, lit by several torches stood an entire table worth of people in robes. Their faces hidden by the hood of their robes.

"Is everything falling into place?" A hooded figure asks.

"Yes it has." Another replied.

"So, shall we take our move?"

"Let's wait it out a little longer. If we slip now, everything may fall in disarray."

Everyone in the room nodded to the fourth member's suggestion.

All the while, in another location, on top of a mansion, there stands a woman in robe, her hood covering her facial features except for some of her lime colored hair. She just did her job and went down from the rooftop, dashing to the nearby forest to seek shelter.

"Guards! Find the thief at once!" Yelled the lord of the mansion as now the sounds of boots and armor clanking went throughout the villa.

The lady just smirks as she flees from the scene of the crime.

'Now, I wonder if I can pull it off soon…'

---

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