The Witch and Her Companion: I'm Just a Normal High School Student, but I Became the Familiar of the Highest-Ranked Witch. Also, It Seems I'm the Only Guy in the Witch Organization I Joined - Chapter 35: Ashtray and Black Wings

Chapter 35: Ashtray and Kurobane

[Baba Sakurako]

──Three days ago.

The day after my meeting with Viviane-san, I was summoned to the office.

Inside the office, Yaguma-san and Viviane-san were present, and a large whiteboard had been set up.

“Viviane Heart’s Fun Magical Lessons”

Seeing these words written smack in the middle of the whiteboard, I quickly grasped the reason I had been called here today.

“──Now then, let’s begin. There are several types of magic.”

“…Types, you say?”

“Indeed. While perceptions may vary slightly among witches, broadly speaking, there are three types. Witches typically categorize them by color.”

Viviane-san swiftly wrote on the whiteboard. The board itself was quite large, but because Viviane-san was small, the writing was clustered near the bottom.

“Red magic—primarily affects the body and is the most orthodox type. Enhancing physical abilities and such, simple yet often overwhelmingly powerful.”

I recalled the recent magical beast disaster. Hikari-chan had fought the beasts barehanded, so she was probably capable of using red magic.

“Next is blue magic. It allows one to manipulate elements such as fire, water, ice, lightning, earth, and wind.

It’s difficult to handle, and only certain attributes are well-suited for combat. That’s why, against magical beasts, it is somewhat inferior to red magic. However, against humans, its destructive power is unparalleled.”

The ability to control fire and water sounded far stronger than raw physical strength. But then again, when Viviane-san was burned by a magical beast yesterday, she took no damage at all. Perhaps this was what she meant by “not well-suited for combat.”

“The last one is white magic—it affects time and space. Compared to red and blue, it’s extremely rare. The most well-known examples are teleportation magic and gravity magic.”

Teleportation magic… That thing Hikari-chan and the others had sworn never to experience again. Magenta-san must have been quite unique to use such a rare magic.

“Now, just as an aside, most witches can only use one type of magic, but some can wield multiple or even combine them. Such magic is exceptionally categorized as black magic. Witches who use black magic are called ‘black witches.'”

So, a witch like Hikari-chan, who uses superhuman strength, wouldn’t be able to wield fire or water magic—and vice versa.

“And so, which category does your magic fall under?”

Viviane-san, capping the marker, turned to ask me. But honestly, I had no idea. Hikari-chan had said I released some kind of black haze, but what even was that?

“Uh, I’ve only used magic once, and I have no clue what kind it was.”

“Oh? That is news to me.”

“I told you already, dumbass.”

Yaguma-san muttered from his desk, where he was smoking a cigarette. Viviane-san made a feigned look of innocence.

“Well, well, no need to fuss over details. Just try using it now.”

“But I don’t even know how to use magic. Last time, it just kind of… happened on its own.”

Since that time, I hadn’t been able to use magic at all. Unlike Hikari-chan and the others, I couldn’t just jump out of a building window or conjure fire and water from my hands.

“Hmm. Then what was the situation when your magic activated?”

“Um, I was being attacked by a magical beast and instinctively protected a child.”

At the time, I was acting purely on instinct, so my memory was hazy. But… I think I saw something like a life-flashing-before-my-eyes moment.

“Hmm, I see… Cancellation!”

“…Huh?”

Viviane-san suddenly chanted a strange word, and before I knew it, two swords appeared in her hands.

They were about 30 centimeters in blade length, double-edged daggers. The jet-black blades were adorned here and there with red gemstones and metallic decorations.

Viviane-san spun the daggers nimbly in her hands, like a street performer, then suddenly raised one high—

“Soiyah!”

“GYAAAAAAHH!?”

I barely dodged by rolling away at the last second. Glancing back, the sofa I had been sitting on was cleanly sliced in half.

“…What the hell was that!?”

“No, no, that’s my line!?”

Viviane-san twirled the daggers in her hands with a deeply puzzled look. What the hell is going on? I’m going to die.

“You dodged, so now the sofa’s in pieces. Next time, don’t move—wait, GAHHH!? Hot, hot, hot!?”

Viviane-san was about to raise her dagger again when suddenly, a cigarette was pressed against her temple, and she collapsed onto the floor.

Aside from me and Viviane-san, the only other person in the office was Yaguma-san. Naturally, he was the one who did it.

I sat there, stunned.

“You alright, Baba Sakurako? Nice dodge.”

“Y-Yeah, I’m okay. But, um, is Viviane-san okay?”

I took Yaguma-san’s hand and got up. Meanwhile, Viviane-san lay on the floor, flailing at the edge of the office.

“Viviane, what the hell was that?”

“…That’s my line, idiot! Using your master’s temple as an ashtray—what a delinquent familiar! That’s totally ‘maji-manji’ levels of messed up!?”

Muttering complaints, Viviane-san stood up, picked up her daggers, and returned. I instinctively braced myself, thinking she might attack again.

“I only slashed at Sakurako because you said her magic activates when she’s attacked!”

“I only burned you because you wrecked the sofa.”

“That’s not punishment—that’s straight-up burning me with a cigarette!?”

So… If I hadn’t dodged, she would’ve actually cut me. Is this witch a psychopath? No, Yaguma-san is pretty messed up, too.

“Enough, Viviane. First, show her your magic properly. Do it slowly.”

“How dare you order me around, you little fawn? Well, I suppose I’ll do it anyway.”

Thanks to Yaguma-san, I wouldn’t be getting sliced today. But still, despite having just been burned, Viviane-san looked perfectly fine. Looking closer, there wasn’t even a mark on her temple.

“Alright, behold my magic and burn it into your memory.”

I gulped and focused on her. What kind of magic was she going to show?

“As a genius, I can use multiple kinds of magic, but I’ll show you the easiest to understand…”

Viviane-san smirked, and suddenly, large wings sprouted from her back.

They were angelic, yet not white—they were pitch black, like a raven’s.

“──Wow, you can grow wings?”

“No. I can also grow wings.”

The black wings suddenly bulged, twisted, and transformed into writhing, grotesque tentacles.

“This is called ‘body manipulation.’ I can freely alter my body’s form and properties. Quite useful, wouldn’t you say? This power is called ‘Kurobane’—’Black Wings.'”

“…Kurobane.”

The moment I muttered those words, I felt an unknown power surge from deep within me.

Suddenly, as if I had always known how to use it, my magic’s true nature became clear. I slowly closed my eyes.

“…Oh my!”

“……”

When I reopened them, black wings had burst through my clothes, sprouting from my back.

They were identical to Viviane-san’s.

“…I-I did it. Wait, so I really am a witch?”