Translator: imperfectluck Editor: Kurisu

  The faction named Soul World caused Seiji to recall the antagonist faction in the Thunderbolt puppet show from his previous world.

  The Thunderbolt puppet show was a series of puppet shows that all had the word "Thunderbolt" in its name. Puppet shows, as per the name, were performances held by manipulating puppet marionettes.

  The Thunderbolt puppet show series was a miracle amongst all puppet shows back in his previous world! Not only did it successfully have a television drama made about it that spanned over two thousand episodes, there was even a movie.

  The puppet show made use of modern technology and computer CGI to improve itself, which helped improve its effects much better than what could be done with only traditional methods. However, what people paid attention to the most was still its outstanding plot.

  Apart from traditional wuxia, the series also had mystical and science fiction elements, with demons, monsters, vampires from western culture, robots, biologically engineered humans, and other such characters. There were space and time dimensional battles that took place in the past as well as dimensional traveling to other worlds for battles in different dimensions… it was a series that kept up with the times, just like an anime or a manga would!

  Seiji understood all this because a famous scriptwriter for depressing stories who was also known as a "Warrior of Love" had written the script for one of this puppet show's scripts. And, this puppet show had a movie produced and directed by the same Thunderbolt puppet show company.

  At the time that he learned all this, he felt that it was truly eye-opening. If it wasn't for the fact that he found it difficult to accept the drawing style for the puppet show's media, he might even have become a fan.

  Cough, he had gotten sidetracked.

  At any rate, there was a gigantic antagonist faction in the Thunderbolt puppet show series named Soul World as well, which was why he'd thought about it. As for this world, did the name "Soul World" have some particular meaning for the mystical society?

  "It does," Natsuya told him. "The legends about a 'Soul World' refer to a special dimension that exists in the nether world, where countless ghosts and demon spirits that want to return to life in our world will gather along other demons and spirits that want to come to come to our world to spread harm and chaos. They'll constantly crash against the barriers between the nether world and our world. However, the barrier will absorb their power and automatically repair itself, so their actions only harm themselves, and are considered meaningless."

  Seiji rubbed his chin in contemplation.

  "If they're naming themselves after such a location, does that hint at their goal being to have demons and spirits fill our world?"

  "It's possible, but it's also possible that they want to have a mysterious-sounding name." Natsuya shrugged.

  As for what the organization's name really meant, only the organization's members would know. There was no point in being too concerned about it for now. Seiji understood.

  But, the night of one hundred demons was already going on, and on top of that, having learned the meaning behind this faction's name… Seiji was feeling a faintly ominous premonition.

  "I'd like to be able to protect my friends that are just ordinary people. Is there some good method to do this?"

  "How many do you want to protect?" Natsuya looked towards him.

  "About ten or so."

  "They wouldn't happen to all be girls, would they?"

  "No… there are boys as well."

  "How many are boys?"

  "…Two."

  Natsuya didn't respond for a long while to this.

  Seiji felt like it was rather painful being stared at by her.

  "If you want to protect ordinary people, you can set up magic barriers around them," Natsuya told him after staring at him for several seconds. "You can have barrier spells cast around their persons or place barriers where they live."

  "Barriers… the ones I know now are only capable of protecting myself." Seiji sighed. "I wonder if Shika-chan is able to cast barrier spells…"

  Shika knew how to use basic barrier spells, but he was unsure whether she was capable of casting long-lasting maintainable barrier spells that were strong enough to defend against demons and spirits. He would have to ask her later.

  "You can also hire a Spiritual Ability user to cast barrier spells on the people important to you."

  "How much would the price be for that?"

  "I'm not sure myself… It's probably influenced by several factors such as whether the barrier spell is for a person or a location, as well as the strength of the barrier and size of the barrier, so the price will likely fluctuate greatly."

  "Please introduce someone who can cast such barrier spells to me."

  "I think that it's better if you ask Houjou-san rather than me. She's more knowledgeable than I am in this area."

  Seiji nodded.

  "I have to leave now as I still have other things I must do," Natsuya told him. "If anything else happens, contact me."

  "Yeah… I'm grateful to you, Natsuya."

  The two of them left the study.

  Something flashed in Kaede's eyes as she stood up when she saw that Natsuya Yoruhana was preparing to leave.

  "President Yoruhana, may I discuss something with you?"

  "Hmm?" Natsuya looked towards the blonde teacher. "Is there something the matter? Juumonji-sensei."

  "Yes, it's about the Juumonji Group…" Kaede walked closer to her and began whispering. "Last night, someone in our group was attacked by a demon, and was seriously injured… We're all quite worried because we don't know if something similar will happen again tonight…"

  "You should discuss this problem of yours with Seiji as he'll know how to deal with it," Natsuya told her. "I have something urgent to take care of, so I don't have the time right now. Please forgive me."

  "Ah… I'm sorry for bothering you."

  "Please don't say that, I should be the one apologizing for being unable to help out… Goodbye."

  The student council president left.

  Seiji returned to his apartment after seeing her out.

  "Harano-kun… I'm sorry." Kaede lowered her head in apology.

  "Eh? Why are you apologizing?" Seiji was confused.

  The blonde teacher had an expression of guilt, but she didn't explain anything.

  After a momentary silence.

  "I don't feel like you have anything to apologize for, so I don't really know what's going on." Seiji looked towards Kaede. "But, if you don't want to explain, then I won't pry."

  "Thank you…" Kaede looked at him. "Harano-kun… you're so gentle."

  Why was it that her favorability rating of him was suddenly shooting up?

  Seiji was mystified by this, but immediately put it behind him.

  "As for how to defend against sudden demon attacks, I know the method now. Wait for me for a moment, as I need to discuss some things with some people."

  After telling this to Kaede, he went to go knock on his adopted sister's door.

  He met with Shika and explained the situation to her.

  "I'm able to cast and maintain demon-repelling barriers, but I'm unable to be too far away from my own barriers or they'd collapse… I can't make a barrier to the extent Brother wants. I apologize." Shika lowered her head.

  "No need to apologize, I'm not blaming you." Seiji smiled wryly. 'Why is everyone apologizing to me all of a sudden?'

  He reached out and patted his adopted younger sister on the head.

  "It's fine if you can't do it. There's other methods available. No need for you to feel bad."

  After coaxing Shika, he went back to his study and made a call with his cell phone.

  "Good afternoon, junior. What business do you have with me?"

  "Good afternoon, Senpai. I've come to give you some more work again."

  "Heh heh, do you want to deal with someone again?" He heard the sound of Mai chuckling.

  "No, the opposite. I want to protect some people…"

  Seiji explained the situation.

  "Establishing magical barriers… I have an acquaintance that's skilled at this," Mai told him after listening to what he needed. "Her prices are quite high, but her barriers are highly reliable. You get what you pay for."

  "What's her specific price range?"

  "It's better if you ask her directly. Her name is Shizuka Saran. Let me contact her first. Wait for a few minutes."

  They ended their conversation there.

  Shizuka… this name caused Seiji to recall Doraemon as that was the name of the female lead in that story about a blue chubby robotic cat. She was the goddess of his childhood.

  As for Shizuka's last name in the Doraemon story, Seiji figured that few people would remember it. However, her last name was Minamoto, the same Minamoto as Minamoto no Raiko.

  Seiji patiently waited.

  A few minutes later, an unfamiliar phone number called his cell phone.

  "Good afternoon."

  "Good afternoon… am I speaking to Seigo Harano-san?" a soft-sounding female voice spoke on the phone.

  "That's me."

  "I'm Shizuka Saran… Houjou-san told me that you would like to request my services for magical barriers… is that the case?"

  "Yes, what's your asking price for such a service, Saran-san?"

  "Houjou-san told me that you intend to protect ordinary people… in such a scenario, I recommend that you use the reactive-type barrier…"

  Barriers' activation methods included reactive types that only activated on an attack, barrier types that could be activated at any time, or combination types that were an overlap of the two.

  To use analogies, the first type was like a landmine that would automatically activate when a demon attacked. The second type was more like a hand grenade and could be activated at any time when necessary. The third type was a combination of the two, being both reactive and possible to be activated.

  For ordinary people, the reactive type was the most recommended. The barrier could be maintained for seventy-two hours. The lowest-strength reactive-type barrier would cost 150,000 sakuras for the seventy-two hours.

  If the reactive barrier was activated within its maintainable timeframe, it would transform into a normal strength barrier. After seventy-two hours, it would still work, but the barrier's strength would gradually decrease more and more, and holes would even appear in it. In order to maintain the barrier's strength, it would require the additional injection of Mana into it as a form of recharging. Recharging the barrier would cost 100,000 sakuras for each time.

  The longer the barrier could be maintained without recharging, or the stronger the barrier's strength, the higher the price would be. The same went for the price to recharge.

  As for fixed-location barriers, the price to cast a barrier over a 25 square meter area was roughly three times the price to cast a barrier on a person.

  After learning all of this, Seiji told Shizuka that he would consider things.