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Original Draft（第6页）

Hitomihadafewhobbiesbathedays，andwheneverherfriendshadspecialoccasions，Hitomimadejewelleryforthem.

Kagamicouldthinkoferwaytoexpresshergratitudethantomakesomejewelleryaspresents.ShewaothankArashiforinvitioKageyama，andevenmoresoforAkishi，whosekindnesshelpedhersustairessofanewlife.

KagamiwaomakeanecklaceforArashi，possiblywithobsidian，sincesheheardthatArashiworeblackallthetime;Arashimustreallylikeblack.

AsforAkishi，sinceshealreadyhadabraceletandaring，matgthemmightbedifficult.Kagamithoughtofmakingacapewithagoldenbrooch，possiblysetwithsapphire，whichmightlookhAkishi’shat.

Kagamikeptthesethoughtsinhermind，andassoonasshecouldtakeontasks，shewouldstartsavingtowardbuyingthegemstonesandothermaterialsrequiredfortheproject.

Daysbecameweeks，whichthenbecamemonths.Kagamitrainedherselfdailytobestronger，steadierandswifter.Shealsoenlistedtheassistanceofafewclassmatestohelpheroverethefearoffaganoppo’ssword.

Theinstructorforswordsmanshipleasedtoseemeasurableprogress，andgaveverydetailedadvice.“Youruniquewayofterattackhasverypromisingpotentialtobesuperblyeffective.Whatyouoworkonistoremovethehesitationfromyourslashes.Weusedulledsabresforareason.Welearnswordsnotbecausewewanttobeperformersagonastage.”

Kagamithaheinstructorandponderedhiswordswhilewatgclassmatespractice.ShevaguelyrememberedsimilarwordswhenshewasstillHitomi，studyinginNorthernIreland.

“TheFirstlessonofjoiningtheNorthernIrelandPoliceDepartment，istouselethalforceslethally.Thegunisalethalforce.Youdonottakeoutthegunifyouwanttodeter，ortowarn，ortoimmobilizesomeonebyaimingforthethighortheshoulder.Thegunisalethalon.YouONLYtakeoutthegunifyouhavenochoicebuttoshootsomeonedead.Andwhenyouhavetoshootsomeonedead，youaimatthehead，orthechest.Thisisthefirstandforemostlessonofthepolicedepartment.”

Thesabre，Kagamithought，wasindeeddesigobealethalon，anditspurposewastocuttheenemyinhalfortostabtheenemydead.（“NowonderArashirefusedtotakeherpersonalswordoutofthesheath.Thatswordhasthesolepurposeofkilling，andArashirespectsthatpurpose.Sheandthesworduandeachother.”

）

Withnewclarityinhermind，Kagamienteredplativetrance.

“AkishiOnee!”

Kagamiexclaimedjoyfullyatsupper，“Ihadmyfirsttrance!Iwillbeabletotakeonindividuallessons，andpletetaskstoearnmoney.”

“That’swonderfulnews，Kagami-.Iguessyou’twaittogetbetterclothesforyourself.”

“Oh，morethanthat，Onee!ButdoIobeawareofanyspecialetiquettewhenIgototown?Taboos?Socialventions?”

“ThetownsnearKageyamaareverylaidback.Don’tworry.Buyingthingsisapleasantexperience.JustbewareofpeoplefromHimeyama.Theyalwayswearwhiteswingingsleevekimonos.Beextremelypolitewiththem，andjustsilentlystayonthesideuntiltheypass.”

“Whyisthat，please?”

“Alltheotheracademiesgettheirstudentsfromallover，onlyHimeyamahastheirownexclusivecrystalcave.Asaresult，Himeyamadoesnotacceptoutsidestudents，andhasahierarchybasedonlioHimeyama，weareallworthlessoners.ButHimeyamaisextremelypowerfulintheirpoliticalinfluence，andtheirstudentsaresimilarlysuperiorinability.HimeyamaandKageyamaaretheonlyacademiesthatteachthesword，magidpotions，insteadoftrades，sotheyhaveaparticulardisdaintowardus，thinkingKageyamaisoutofplace，teagnoblesubjectstooners.”

“IsthatpartiallythereasonwhyKageyamadoesn’thaveuniforms?”

“Yes.That’stominimizetherisktoourstudentswhentheyhavetoleavecampus.”

“Howpowerfularethey?StrohanArashiOneesama?”

“Himeyamahasaegroup，theFive.Theyarestillstudents，butduetotheirunusualtalent，theyeasilymeasureuptoanyinstructorfromKageyama.Arashicutthroughmagic，yes，andalloftheFivespecializeinmagic，butArashi’srangeofattackisshorterthantheirs.”

“Iamnowabitworried.CouldyoupleasetellmemoreaboutthemsoIdomybesttoavoidanytact?”

“TheheadoftheFiveisYukari，andshe’sverytall.Duetoherlineageandstatus，everyoneaddressesheras‘yhness’wheingher.Yukarithirstsformorepower，anddesirestosubduetheentireworldunderherfeet.Sheseesothersasdust，orworms，ortools，dependingonherpersonalpreference，andshowsnomercytoanyone.”

“IfyouenterYukari，herkimonohasatrimwiththecolourofamethyst，youaretooyoungtodoanything.Justbowdownandwaitforhertopass.”

“TheisMidori;sheistallaswell.Midorilovestoplaywithaperson’smind.Withafewwords，sheinstillsfear，sfauxhope，oroverwhelmssomeohlustfulthoughts，orplungesooabsolutedespair.Shehasemeraldtrimonherkimono;avoidversationwithheratallcosts.”

“ThenthereisKasumi.Sheexcelsinanalyzingpeopleandsituations.Giveheroneword，andshewilldeducetheentirebook.Herhobbyisjuringupschemesandplans，andsherarelyattacks，despitebeinghighlyskilledinbat.Lightrubytrimtellsyouit’sher.”

“Yayoiisverydangeroustous.Shehasperidottrim.Yayoi’smagicissilentandinvisible，andherspecialityisturningpeopleintopuppets.OnecouldwalkbyYayoi，havehermagicimplanted，andnotnotiything.Thenyearsdowntheroad，whenYayoithinksthetimeisright，someonesuddenlylosessciousnessandbeesYayoi’sservantanddoesherbidding，allbecauseofhermagicspellthatwascastwayback.Afterwards，onewakesupandhasnomemoryofwhatwasdone，andhastofacealltherepercussions，asthere’snoevidehatYayoiistheculprit.”

“Theyou，andshortestinstature，isRyō.She’smyage.Ryōhasthemostprestigiouslineage，andduetoherbeingtheshortestandyou，demandsbeingaddressedas‘herhighness’，justlikeYukari.RyōisonlyaboutastallasArashi.Sheistheleastpleasant.Yukari’sopposendupbeingaheapofbloodymessbecauseoftheimmensepowerofYukari’smagic，butshedoesn’tmakeanyunnecessarymoves，probablythinkingthatnobodydeservesextraattentionfromheranyway.Ryō’sopposendupasabloodymessbecauseRyōlikestheresultandenjoystheprocess.Shewillextractasmuchdelightoutofabattleaspossiblebeforeheropposfinallydie.Asviolentandbloodthirstyassheis，Ryōsomehowhasacuteappearance，andhasrosequartztrimlikealittlegirlwould.Don’teversay‘littlegirl’infrontofher，okay?”

“Iamafraid，Onee.Howdoesaandace?IfeelKageyamacouldbewipedouttomorrowm...”

“Theyarescary.ButYukariheadstheFive，andthatkeepstherestofthematbay.Soundsdepressing，Iknow.ThedeemedunworthinessofusinYukari’sopinionkeepsussafefortheday...”

“Yes，Onee.Onlythestrongdeclare‘enoughfighting，everyone，disarm.’Theweakcries‘stop’andnobodylistens.”

“Thatiswhyweallstrivetobestrong，Kagami.SothatonedaywestanduptoHimeyama，declare‘Kageyamawilltinueherpeacefulexistence.Himeyama，stopantagonizingus’，andHimeyamawillfinallylisten...”