Act 1: The Sun by My Side
TLNOTE: it’s Hinata last name can be read as The Sun by My Side
Cherry blossom petals dance in the sky, illuminated by the soft morning sun.
“I’m off!”
As I exit my house, an energetic greeting echoes from the neighboring home.
“…!”
I catch my breath at the adorable voice.
Just as I turn my gaze towards the house next door, a small figure bursts out of the entrance.
Dressed in a crisp uniform, the girl’s name is Hinata Soehi.
She turns as if noticing my gaze.
Her shoulder-length brown hair traces a graceful arc.
“Ah! Good morning, nii-san!”
A smile blooms on her face, so bright it’s almost audible.
In response, I manage an awkward smile.
“G-good morning, Hinata. Um, it’s been almost two weeks since you started high school. Are you getting used to it?”
“Yes! I’m completely used to high school now. It’s just…”
Though she’s adorably carefree, she’s not just an ordinary high school student.
“Starting today, I’ll be officially assigned to the [White Scales of Circulation: Prim Libra], so I’m a little nervous…”
She hunches her shoulders slightly and lowers the corners of her eyebrows.
“Your dream came true, so be confident… You’ll be fine, Hinata.”
“—Yes.”
Hinata smiles shyly, looking a bit embarrassed.
Then, she looks up at me teasingly.
“Are you getting used to university, nii-san?”
“…Yeah, more or less.”
“What’s with that hesitation…?”
Her teasing gaze turns into a slightly exasperated look.
But it quickly transforms back into a bright smile.
“Well, I’m sure you’ll be fine, nii-san. Your part-time job starts today, right? Do your best!”
With that, she heads off to school with a light step.
I watch her back as she disappears into the distance.
And then—
“Ahhhhh, my oshi is so precious today too…!!”
I manage to cry out while trying to keep my voice down.
“Her ever-changing expressions this morning were too cute. She must be anxious and nervous in her new environment too, yet she’s still so kind to a mere acquaintance living next door. Is she an angel? No, she really is an angel!”
I take a deep breath to calm myself down.
“Oh no… This is bad…”
What’s bad is that uniform.
Hinata in her high school uniform is exactly like the “Hinata Soehi” I’ve seen in manga.
She is, undeniably, my “oshi.”
Being made aware of this fact makes me nervous every time I face her.
Yet she treats me the same as when we were kids, which is killing my heart.
It feels like being hit by a two-ton truck every time.
It’s been about fifteen years since I was reincarnated as “Ibuki Ibusuki.”
Even after all this time, I’m still moved by a girl the same age as “me” in my previous life when I died.
“…What should I do?”
“Sorry. Did I keep you waiting, Ibuki?”
A voice calls out from behind me as I look up at the sky.
I turn around to see a beautiful woman coming out of my house.
A slender silhouette contrasting with her feminine figure.
Her long black hair, reminiscent of wet crow feathers, brings to mind the image of a Japanese beauty.
“No, I should be thanking you. You’re a big help every morning.”
“Mm, I do it because I want to.”
The woman who approached me with the grace of a lily—Kushina Kushibiki—is my childhood friend.
She comes to my house every morning to take care of me, who lives alone.
“Besides, you were talking with Hinata.”
“Yeah, with Hinata…”
Kushina’s face clouds over.
Probably because she knows that Hinata will be entering the battlefield from today.
And not just that—
“Let’s go. We’ll be late for first period.”
Kushina heads towards the bus stop, in the opposite direction from where Hinata went.
I cut off my thoughts and walk beside her, then suddenly remember something.
“Oh, did you know, Kushina? Next Sunday marks exactly 100 years since the first confirmation of the Talent Lux?”
“I know.”
“Huh?”
“More like, who doesn’t know…”
Her sidelong glance, tinged with exasperation, pricks at me.
“There were plenty of special programs like ‘The Path of Talent Lux Society’ airing until yesterday. You wouldn’t know since you avoid TV and electronic devices, Ibuki.”
“Ah, so that’s what you were watching yesterday. Did they say anything new?”
“Not at all. I vaguely remember them doing almost the same thing ten years ago.”
—It was around 1920, shortly after the end of World War I.
People with abilities that were unimaginable in natural science up to that point began to appear.
No one knows who was the first.
As if blessed by God, people simultaneously acquired this power.
Someone called this supernatural ability 《Talent Lux》.
Talent Lux was given to almost all women—and to almost no men.
The impact that Talent Lux had on society at the time was immeasurable.
These powers, far surpassing science, eventually transformed society into one dominated by women.
—Now, a hundred years later.
Words like gender equality have disappeared from the world.
“Hey, stop spacing out. The bus is here.”
“Mm.”
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT LOCALIZERMEERKAT.PAGES.DEV
Without waiting for the men-only car, I board the public bus with Kushina.
In a world where men are considered incompetent and worthless, men-only cars exist to prevent friction between men and women.
However, this time I’m using the general car because I’m accompanied by Kushina, a woman.
Although it’s called “general,” it’s actually used almost exclusively by women.
Just standing here draws stares from around us, making us stand out in a bad way.
We get off the bus as if escaping and head to the university.
Troublesome incidents and conflicts are everyday occurrences at the university, but I’ll omit those details this time.
After all, the university isn’t the main stage for Kushina and me.
After school.
“Ah, this is relaxing.”
We visited a small, unassuming café.
Kushina, sitting across from me, takes a sip of her tea and lets out a sigh.
“Good work. Thanks for today too.”
“It’s nothing. I’m just standing next to you.”
“Oh really?”
“…What?”
“Nothing much~”
“It’s not like that.”
Thanks to Kushina acting as a buffer in various ways, I’m able to attend university without major issues.
Though she absolutely refuses to admit it.
“Anyway… Is this really the place?”
Shrugging at my stubborn childhood friend, I lower my voice to ask about something that’s been bothering me.
Although there are no other customers in this place, ‘Café Manhattan,’ besides us, just to be safe.
“Yes. It is.”
“Weren’t we supposed to come to the hideout of the evil organization of—the Covenant of Salvation [Nega Messiah] today?”
“That’s right.”
“But this is the café we always come to, isn’t it?”
“Indeed.”
The beautiful woman across from me nods absently as she quietly sips her tea.
But her eyes held a mischievous light. She’s definitely enjoying my reaction.
“You already have a vague idea, don’t you?”
…Well, I guess I do have some suspicions, but this place has been familiar to us since we were kids.
I have a lot of questions like, “Why here?” or “Since when?” and so on.
“Well, it’s about time—”
“I’m delighted to interrupt your conversation, but you two still have plenty of time~”
“Hm…?”
Just as Kushina places her cup back on the saucer.
An incomprehensible line is delivered in a drawn-out, cheerful voice from behind the counter.
When I turn around, I see the familiar shop owner wearing an unfamiliar grinning face.
Yuika Bakuro, the owner of ‘Café Manhattan’.
It’s the first time I’ve seen her smile, with her distinctive two-tone hair, white on one side and black on the other.
Come to think of it, this is also the first time I’ve heard her voice.
What did she just say…? Something about “delighted to interrupt”…
Seeing that I couldn’t gather my thoughts, Kushina looked towards the shop owner, and after confirming her nod, she spoke.
“You see, Yuika-san can only tell lies.”
“Only lies? …Could it be [Umbra Compensation]?”
Kushina slightly raises her chin. —An affirmation.
Where there is light Lux, there is shadow Umbra.
The shadow of 《Talent Lux》 manifested in people as [Umbra Compensation].
[Umbra Compensation] is the price that occurs when using 《Talent Lux》.
Strictly speaking, it’s different, but this is generally fine.
For example, if there’s a “Talent Lux” called “Flame Manipulation,” the “Umbra Compensation” might require an action like “drinking one liter of water.”
Moreover, Umbra Compensation varies greatly from person to person.
Even for the same “Flame Manipulation” Talent Lux, one person’s Umbra Compensation might be “drinking one liter of water,” while another’s could be “soaking in a cold bath for one minute.”
In modern times, “Talent Lux” and “Umbra Compensation” are treated as personal information, and generally not shared with others.
The fact that they’re casually sharing this information means…
“As you’ve guessed, Yuika is also a member of [Nega Messiah: The Covenant of World Salvation].”
“No way~ Let’s take our time since we have some, okay?”
“If you can only tell lies, does that mean… we should hurry because we don’t have time?”
“You’re slow to catch on~”
“Thank you…?”
Seeing my slightly perplexed expression, Yuika chuckled.
Many people are forced into unwanted inconveniences due to their Talent Lux. She must have had her own unspoken struggles.
Yet her smile was carefree, showing no trace of past hardships.
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