Nina's Journey (Ninas resa)

Everything was shrouded in total black.

I have to take her hand.

And in order to take her hand...

Just for that purpose...

I will...

Oh, Hijiri...

Good morning. Breakfast?

Don't you "Breakfast?" me!

Come on... Are you still mad?

Administer and Third Selection

Don't you have something to say to me?

Like, "I guess you've gotten a little bigger"?

No!

Why?

Being bigger is a good thing.

That's not the issue here!

Look at that.

You were such a sweet little girl when you drew that.

I love my big brother

Why do you have a drawing from that long ago?!

That's just embarrassing...

It's too late.

I've already set your drawing as the background on my phone!

W-Wait! Time out!

Wait!

My name is Arata Kasuga,

and this is my cousin and childhood friend, Hijiri Kasuga.

There are some annoyances here and there,

but honestly, I don't dislike this uneventful sort of life.

The weather's great again today.

I'm glad it's sunny out. Aren't you, Arata-san?

Huh?

Is the sun...

I guess I'm just imagining things.

Awaken now, Arata Kasuga.

If you do not, I will have to kill you.

"All six armies refused to march, leaving the emperor with no choice.

The fair maiden of slender eyebrows died before the horses." This means...

Awaken now, Arata Kasuga.

Arata-san.

This is where you've been?

What's the matter?

You look as if you're deep in thought.

Hey, Hijiri...

Has the sun always been black?

Huh?

What are you talking about?

The sun has always been black.

It was black when you were born, and before you were born, too.

Are you being serious?

I am.

That's the sort of world you lived in,

and the sort of world you wished for.

The world I wished for?

Yes.

A world where I'm there, and you're there,

and where having fun every day is our way of life.

So,

it doesn't matter if the sun is black, does it?

Here...

If you stay with me forever,

your own Hijiri will do whatever you want.

Now, Arata-san...

Don't forget me.

What's wrong?

Are you...

really Hijiri?

Wh-What are you saying?

I'm Hijiri. I am.

I'm your cousin and childhood friend.

When is my birthday?

June 18th.

What's my favorite food?

Fried chicken.

Where do I hide my dirty magazines?

Under your bed.

You still don't believe me?

You know I would never lie to you, Arata-san.

Then...

What color is the sun?

Huh?

I-It's black, of course—

That's a lie.

Then why did you draw the sun red when you were little?

Hijiri wouldn't lie to me.

Who are you?

Where's the real Hijiri?

Oh, man, you got me.

I see. I see.

I didn't see that coming at all.

I never thought you'd figure it out from that child's drawing.

Hey, hey.

That was quite the vicious greeting, mage.

So you've finally revealed your true colors, cracker!

You're the girl from this morning with the outrageous boobs!

My name's Lilith Asami.

Wh-Why do you look like you're dressed to kill?!

It should be obvious that this is a mage combat uniform.

Mage?!

You have a vague idea of what's happening, don't you?

Wh-What is this place?

This is the world you lived in before.

It happened about three days ago.

A large-scale gravitational fluctuation of unknown origin was detected in this area.

We call it a breakdown phenomenon.

Swallowed up by the gravitational quake, this whole town...

You remember now?

That's right...

A black sun...

Its black light swallowed

all the people up...

Arata-san, take this.

Please.

Save Arata-san.

Grant his wish.

H-Hey, who are you talking to?

What's going on?

Try to wake up on time in the mornings after I'm gone.

Make sure you eat three meals a day.

And keep the place clean, too.

And...

And...

Don't

forget me.

Hijiri!

Hijiri!

What's going on?

There's nothing here.

Where is everyone?!

This is worse than a bad joke!

Hey. If you can really grant my wish,

then give me my normal life back right now!

I created this...

That's right.

I was told to grant your wish,

so I created this world exactly as you wished.

I was surprised, as well.

I was dispatched here by the school to investigate

this breakdown phenomenon, and I found...

There was a city here, where there was supposed to be nothing.

A simple feat for the likes of me.

A dangerous grimoire...

If you had failed,

the breakdown phenomenon would have only spread further.

And you created another world...

That's not something a normal grimoire could do!

Make your choice, Arata Kasuga.

You can have that grimoire dispel this fabricated world right now,

and I promise that you will be able to live out your days peacefully.

However, we will dispose of the grimoire,

and erase all your memories of Hijiri Kasuga and the others.

And your other option: if you won't hand over the grimoire,

I will have to kill you here.

After all, it was you who wished for this world to be created,

not anyone else.

So if I want to live, I have to forget everything?

And Hijiri...

Hijiri?

Hey! What happened to Hijiri?

Where is she?

She's alive.

This form of mine is a shadow projection of her.

A rift in space-time....

Somewhere in this world...

At any rate, she is, without a doubt, alive.

Hijiri's alive...

I see...

I've decided.

I won't hand over the grimoire.

What? You're...

But I won't die, either.

I'm going to pick the third option.

So this is it...

Royal Biblia Academy...

This magic school sure is in the middle of nowhere.

I can't believe you were allowed to get away with that.

This has never happened before.

What's the problem?

Good to know you, Lilith Asami.

You're going to become a mage?!

Are you serious?!

I am.

Mages have grimoires, right?

Which means I can become one, too, right?

I've never heard of that happening!

B-But it's true you were able to create a world like this...

Then I'll become one,

no matter how small that possibility is.

Anyway... So you're a teacher here, huh?

How old are you?

The same age as you.