In the movie, Kokutou Mikiya ultimately took Souta Keita to Aozaki Touko's place for refuge.
Seeing this scene, the audience couldn't hold back their outrage.
"Why?! Why keep this scumbag alive? He should've been killed on the spot!"
"Kokutou Mikiya couldn't bring himself to do it, but at the very least, he should've reported him to the authorities and had him thrown in jail."
"But if the authorities were involved, Asagami Fujino's situation might be exposed too, leading to her arrest. So in the end, he had no choice but to endure it for now."
"Endure it?! Someone like him should be thrown to the magical beasts as food!"
In the Edward Tavern, the crowd erupted into heated debate.
Most people disapproved of Kokutou Mikiya's decision, feeling that such leniency toward a villain like Souta Keita was far too merciful.
Even though the Empire hadn't fully implemented compulsory education, the general moral compass of the populace was still sharp. When faced with a despicable thug who had tormented a young girl, they were unanimous in their disgust, spitting in contempt.
Because of this, their doubts about Asagami Fujino's actions completely vanished. In fact, they were now eagerly hoping she would slaughter every last one of those wretches.
Meanwhile, in the Imperial Capital, Wycliffe, the knight commander, was already gripping the hilt of his sword. If Rhine hadn't quickly stepped in to stop him, he might have already smashed the television screen with a single strike!
"If I ever see this kind of filth in the Empire, I'll cut off his manhood and feed it to the pigs!"
At the knight commander's ruthless declaration, the other knights shuddered in silence, not daring to say a word.
Seated nearby, Vice-commander Liya nodded in firm agreement. She, too, possessed a strong sense of justice, much like the commander.
<+>
The movie then transitioned into a flashback sequence.
It depicted a young Asagami Fujino playing with a toy knife. However, by accident, a real knife had been mixed in, and she ended up cutting her hand.
Yet, instead of feeling any pain, she kept slicing into her palm, unfazed.
When her mother discovered this, she immediately stopped Fujino and comforted her while bandaging the wound.
Throughout the process, her mother kept reassuring her, telling her not to be afraid of pain. But the little girl simply stared back in confusion—because she had no idea what "pain" was.
This scene definitively confirmed that Asagami Fujino lacked any sense of pain.
<+>
Watching the movie unfold, the students of the Imperial Magic Academy burst into discussion, shocked by the revelation that Asagami Fujino couldn't feel pain.
"What would it even be like to have no sense of pain?"
"I recall reading a theory by a Grand Mage—pain is the body's self-defense mechanism. If someone lost their ability to feel pain, they wouldn't become stronger; instead, they'd fail to notice small injuries and illnesses, which would accumulate and eventually kill them."
"Fujino surviving this long without pain is honestly a miracle."
"A person who can't feel pain wouldn't be able to experience the sensation of being alive. That might explain why her personality is so abnormal."
"But when Fujino first appeared, she clearly showed signs of pain. What's up with that?"
"Souta Keita mentioned that his friend struck Fujino with a metal rod, and that was the first time she reacted with intense pain. Maybe that event somehow reawakened her pain receptors? Of course, we still don't know why she lost her sense of pain in the first place. Maybe it's connected to some special power?"
That was about as far as the audience could theorize, as the true cause of Fujino's condition remained unknown.
At the pinnacle of the Alchemy Tower, the Arch Mages were also engaged in a discussion.
"What do you think could cause a person to lose their sense of pain?"
At Headmaster Hohenheim's question, the other Arch Mages fell into deep contemplation.
Arch Mage Rosa took the initiative to speak at that moment:
"According to research, sensory perception is not actually controlled by the soul but by a delicate system within the body. These sensory organs are spread throughout the entire body and transmit sensations to the brain, allowing people to experience pain, touch, and other senses. So, if part of these sensory organs were severed, a person might lose their ability to perceive pain."
"Are you saying that Asagami Fujino either lacked these sensory organs from birth or had them removed later, which is why she feels no pain?"
"That would be the logical conclusion, but this story isn't exactly grounded in normal science. Many things in it can't be explained with common sense."
"..."
Upon hearing Arch Mage Rosa's near-spoiler remarks, the gathered Arch Mages immediately caught on to what she was implying.
The hot-tempered Fire Elemental Arch Mage shouted, "Shut up! No spoilers!"
"I didn't mean to…" Rosa looked frustrated. She hadn't expected these old folks to take a mere movie so seriously, refusing to tolerate even the smallest spoilers.
In truth, it wasn't just the Fire Elemental Arch Mage—every other Arch Mage in the academy despised spoilers as well. They had spent most of their lives buried in research within their mage towers, bored out of their minds. Now that they had finally found some entertainment, they wouldn't allow anyone to ruin it.
<+>
The movie's flashback sequence soon ended, and the scene shifted to Aozaki Touko's office.
Kokutou Mikiya had brought Souta Keita there to seek shelter and was now discussing with Aozaki Touko how to handle the issue of Asagami Fujino.
But before he could even speak, both Aozaki Touko and Ryougi Shiki harshly criticized him for being too soft-hearted.
"Yeah, I figured I was going to be looked down on like this sooner or later."
Faced with their disdain, Kokutou Mikiya could only respond helplessly. Meanwhile, Aozaki Touko and Ryougi Shiki had clearly already exchanged information beforehand and were now prepared to take action.
The three of them discussed the possibility that Asagami Fujino suffered from congenital insensitivity to pain and concluded that she was likely seeking revenge against those who had tormented her in an attempt to reclaim her lost pain.
In this situation, ordinary means of dealing with her were unlikely to work. Ryougi Shiki ultimately decided that the only way to stop the killings was to kill Asagami Fujino.
Kokutou Mikiya strongly objected, arguing that they still didn't fully understand the true reason behind her murders. He insisted on investigating further and asked them to wait until he returned with more information before taking action.
However, the very next day, another murder occurred.
And this time, the victim was a completely innocent bystander—at least, from Aozaki Touko and Ryougi Shiki's perspective.
"I can't wait any longer. Touko, do you know where she is?"
"I've narrowed it down to two or three possible hideouts. She should be in one of them. To avoid complications, we should take care of this before Kokutou gets back."
Hearing this, Ryougi Shiki's eyes sharpened. She nodded decisively and, with her usual fluid movements, left the office.
Alone in the room, Aozaki Touko turned her gaze toward the window.
"Kokutou couldn't make it in time, huh? Now the question is: will the storm arrive first, or will it be created? If Shiki goes alone, she might actually lose, Ryougi."
The Magus murmured to herself, with no audience to hear.
At the same time, the once bright and blue sky was slowly covered by a layer of leaden gray clouds.
A storm was coming.
<+>
As the audience saw the scene unfold, realizing that the final showdown was imminent, they tensed up. Their eyes were glued to the screen, afraid to miss a single moment.
<+>
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https://www.patreon.com/collection/162522?view=condensed[4]
[1] https://www.patreon.com/collection/162522?view=condensed
[2] https://www.patreon.com/posts/131161767?collection=162522
[3] https://www.patreon.com/posts/131161767?collection=162522
[4] https://www.patreon.com/collection/162522?view=condensed