Hajime had long talked with Fumio about the Kaede matter.
Should he or shouldn't he tell his best friend the truth? After weeks of thinking about it, Goto's stepson decided to keep his situation a secret.
"Secrecy is the key to everything, [New Dawn], right, Fumio-sensei? If so, it would be crazy if I went around flaunting what I know about the [Black Corps], right?"
"Yes, it would be."
Fumio had no idea how to manage the situation. While Kaede could be a minor obstacle in the grand scheme of things, no, she was less than that. But his mother, Veronica, was a real threat waiting to fall on their heads. It didn't matter how much Yukihime had guaranteed that the [Scarlett Queen] always kept her word; the [mage] felt they needed to find a way to eliminate her from the game. A variant like her was too dangerous.
"But I feel there's going to be a 'but', isn't there?" (Fumio)
"Yes, Kaede is my friend... I'll try to keep my distance from her when things get more serious, but for now, I have no intention of burning any bridges." (Hajime)
"I didn't ask you to do that. And I never would." (Fumio)
"But you disapprove, don't you?" (Hajime)
Fumio didn't answer; there was no need. Every time they talked about it, the man always tried to convince Hajime to stay away from Kaede, for their safety. And to keep the boy away from Veronica. Unfortunately, the silver-haired teenager was adamant about the issue.
Not that he could blame him; for the holder of the [Grimoire], this whole situation was difficult. The pressure he had to endure was enormous and increased day by day. Kaede, his best friend, was one of the few people who could momentarily make him forget that he was playing with fire.
"Maybe, but I accept your decision."
"I'm glad to hear that, Fumio-sensei."
When Hajime left the base, Fumio let out a huge thoughtful sigh.
He was perfectly fine with the idea that the teenager kept the secret about what he knew about the [Black Corps], even if it meant blatantly lying to one of the people he cared about most.
But the thought of him remaining so close to the big threat named Veronica White made his stomach churn.
"(I promised that you would reach the end of the chessboard... but you're really making things difficult for me, Kamijo-san.)"
The 33-year-old [mage] didn't want to tell Goto's stepson the truth about the woman. It would be a shock that could destabilize him.
"(It's been almost 7 years that woman has been close to him, and yet she's never done anything against him... or rather, that's what we know... but now that she met Yukihime-sama, will she still remain passive towards him? Could she manipulate him using information about his father... damn, we're really helpless to do anything against that woman...)"
Veronica was a threat, perhaps even worse than the [Black Corps]. If she became their enemy, only Yukihime would have a chance in a direct confrontation against her. The problem was that it wouldn't be a direct confrontation if they got into a battle.
The [Scarlett Queen] wasn't stupid; she would likely lure the little loli to a crowded area, perhaps in the middle of some city on the island, so as to force her to restrain herself, taking advantage of the latter's good heart.
Using this advantage, for Veronica, who was an expert in close combat, it wouldn't be a problem to kill Yukihime, who was a [mage] specialized in long-distance combat.
And without her, even with all the fighters of [New Dawn] in tow, the leaders wouldn't be able to take down the [Scarlett Queen] without suffering heavy losses, both among their ranks and among civilians.
The [Omega Ranks] were monsters, and Veronica was living proof of this.
For now, the only thing Fumio could do was hope that that monstrosity dressed as a woman remained just an observer in their revolution against the [Black Corps], and that she wouldn't do anything to Hajime.
"(... we couldn't do anything even if we didn't have to deal with the [Black Corps]... I can only imagine how frustrating it is for Yukihime-sama to have to trust the [Scarlett Queen].)"
******Hajime rushed out of school. He had already informed his little sister and mother that he wouldn't be coming home today.
The boy had decided to spend some time at his friend Kaede's house. Spending time with her was really therapeutic for the teenager, especially considering he had spent the last few weeks training tirelessly.
The wound that Goto's stepson carried, after she and his other "friends" had lied about him, was still present in his heart. However, Hajime couldn't remain indifferent to all the attempts the orange-haired girl was making to reconcile with him.
"(She should arrive shortly.)"
They had initially decided to meet at the entrance of his old school. But both, after a moment of reflection, had agreed that it would be a bad idea.
Kaede knew that her best friend would suffer there; there were really too many memories. Meanwhile, Goto's stepson was certain that he would likely smash the heads of his old "friends" if he saw them.
Maybe they had been forced to lie about him too, but only one person had come to him wanting to apologize without expecting his forgiveness.
"Hajime, sorry for the delay. Have you been here long?"
"No, just for a bit. Shall we go?"
"Yes, of course!"
As they walked towards Kaede's house, the silver-haired teenager couldn't help but think about all the times he had walked this path. Aside from Kaori and his mother, the girl next to him was the cause of many of his good memories and happy moments in his life.
However, the happiness of the [Grimoire] holder was greatly dampened by the memory of what Goto had forced his friend to do.
"(No! I mustn't think about him! Today I need to relax; I'll have the chance for revenge very soon...)"
"Are you listening to me?" (Kaede)
"What?" (Hajime)
"Ehhhh!? I've been talking to you for a while! Didn't you hear anything?!"
".....ops!"
Kaede puffed her cheeks adorably at hearing his response. Hajime squirmed slightly at her expression; she looked really cute when she did that.
"Sorry, I was thinking about something... what were you saying?"
"I said that I made a plan for what we can do today at home... we need to catch up on a lot of time, after all; and besides, you're always better at studying than me."
"I'm fine with that; I'll leave the command to you."
They arrived at their destination after several minutes. As always, in recent years, it was Veronica who opened the door, flashing a radiant smile at Goto's stepson.
"Please, come in."
The silver-haired teenager didn't have problems admitting that when he met his best friend's mother, he was so captivated by her that he developed a slight crush.
He thought he had gotten over it, but apparently, the time he spent away from her presence had weakened the natural defenses he had developed over the years against the charm of the [Scarlett Queen] more than he could have ever imagined.
"It's nice to see you back in this house, Hajime."
"S-sì, it's nice to be here too."
Veronica wore a very conservative dress, but she was still beautiful and attractive in Hajime's eyes. More than once, the boy had wondered if Kaede would inherit her mother's supreme looks as an adult.
"Mom, we're going to my room."
"Okay."
Goto's stepson was undergoing various changes since awakening his [Grimoire]. One of the last ones was his perspicacity and analytical ability, which had developed enormously, especially after having a crisis with his last power.
Thanks to it, he noticed the tone change of the [Scarlett Queen] when she spoke to her daughter. It was strange, as if she were forcing herself to be polite.
The silver-haired teenager didn't pay attention to it even though he had noticed. Being Kaede's best friend for years, he knew that Veronica had been incredibly tough on her since she was born. If he hadn't been there, she would probably have responded to her in a rougher way.
The boy really didn't want to comment on this; who was he to judge how a mother educated her daughter? Besides, apart from some harsh reprimands and disappointed looks, Veronica had never touched her child with a finger.
Furthermore, he was the first to admit that sometimes Kaede needed a push and that being soft with her could be counterproductive.
However, as his youthful crush faded, Hajime couldn't help but notice the way she walked.
"(She... moves as if she were an expert fighter, or maybe it's just my impression?)"
"H-Hajime?" (Kaede)
"Yeah, what's up?"
"........ why don't you stop staring at my mother's butt?"
"E-eh? No, wait! I wasn't staring at her....!"
"Ah, yes! Then why were you giving it an intense stare while she was leaving?!"
To inexperienced eyes, Goto's stepson's actions could truly be interpreted that way.
And, given his decision not to talk to his best friend about what he was doing, the boy decided to remain silent and take Kaede's scolding as he blushed from embarrassment.
"(Fantastic! What a fool I am today! Now Kaede thinks I have a crush on her mother again! Damn, what if she heard us!? I don't want her to think I'm some kind of pervert!)"
Several hours passed; the two teenagers enjoyed a happy time together studying various subjects. Hajime already felt more relaxed. Spending time with his little sister and mother reminded him too much of what he used to do and what he still had to do. Fortunately, this didn't happen with his best friend.
And then he heard a knock; it was of course Kaede's mother.
"Come in." (Kaede)
"I brought you something to eat, guys." (Veronica)
"Thank you." (Kaede)
"We gladly accept." (Hajime)
As the holder of the [Grimoire] got up to grab the tray full of snacks, he accidentally touched one of the hands of the [Scarlett Queen]. A few years ago, Goto's stepson would have blushed; Kaede would have complained that Hajime had a crush on her mother, while Veronica would have chuckled lightly before calling him "cute" or "adorable."
This time, however, it was not so. Not because of the regained defenses against the charm he had developed against the woman.
But because of the unsettling sensation he felt when the contact occurred. The [Grimoire] inside him reacted strangely. Sending him a strange sensation down his spine that made him shudder slightly; a small shock appeared on the hand with which the boy had touched the [Scarlett Queen].
"Please." (Veronica)
The woman seemed unaware of the shock. While she smiled as if she hadn't seen anything, the silver-haired boy did the same, or at least tried.
"Are you okay, Hajime? I saw you shudder slightly." (Kaede)
"S-sì, maybe it was a chill."
"Okay."
"(What was that sensation? Did the [Grimoire] want to tell me something? Was it a warning? But why? Kaede's mom has always been kind and helpful to me! It can't be that there is something more than what she shows.... right?)"
The teenager couldn't stop thinking about that moment, not even after returning home. A small seed of doubt had taken root in his mind.
While Veronica, after leaving the room, couldn't help but show her slightly surprised expression.
"(That was [magic]...... so he's also a [mage], interesting, very interesting.)"
The smile she had at that moment would have sent a shiver of fear even to Goto.
Until now, the 40-year-old had disguised herself as a sheep to blend in among the masses. And later, to keep an eye on Hajime, she might soon have to shed her disguise and present herself as the hungry wolf that she had always been.
"(Hajime, if you really are a [mage], it's my duty as your kind to teach you how to use your powers in the 'right' way... eheheh, I wonder if vampi-chan knows.)"