"Eh? Yoshino? Evangeline-san? Why are you two here so late?"
With a gentle smile, Konoe Konoka looked at the Little Girl who was smiling cutely at her and asked in surprise.
However, without much thought, she stepped aside and let Yoshino and Evangeline enter, then smiled gently.
"Actually, I came here because I have something I need Konoka's help with, but if I don't explain it to you, the person involved, beforehand, there might be a lot of misunderstandings later."
Yoshino sat at the table and smiled at Konoe Konoka, while her peripheral vision caught a glimpse of a white shadow flashing past the window.
"Something? What is it, Yoshino? If I can help, I'll do my best to help you."
Cupping her small face with both hands, Konoe Konoka said gently.
Regarding Yoshino's request, she thought no girl in the class would refuse her.
After all, Yoshino is so cute, so adorable, that she would be forgiven even if she did something wrong.
"Hehe~ Actually, this matter concerns Negi and you, Konoka."
Taking a sip of tea, Yoshino began to tell Konoe Konoka her plan.
"...Is this really okay?"
After hearing Yoshino's plan, Konoe Konoka said with some hesitation.
"Can this plan really make me and Setsuna reconcile?"
"Yes, of course. Only by letting that stubborn person see her beloved Young Lady in danger will she rush out in a hurry," Yoshinon explained, comparing Sakurazaki Setsuna and Konoe Eishun, noticing the similarities between them.
"Although she's strong in swordsmanship, she's not good with women, has naive ideas, and is too serious. These characteristics have become her weaknesses. This is somewhat similar to your father. If I hadn't known beforehand that she had no relation to your father, I would have thought she was your father's illegitimate daughter."
"Not good with women? What does that mean? Setsuna should be a girl, right?"
Konoe Konoka asked, somewhat confused.
"These should be things only boys have, so why is she not good with women?"
"Hehe~ Don't let her usual serious demeanor fool you. She might be dreaming of you wearing a naked bleep~ apron and cooking for her. Think about it, you are her beloved Young Lady, after all. If you can take her to the home economics club for some alone time and recreate the exact scene from her dream, she might do what she did to you in her dream."
"What she did to me in her dream? What was that?" Konoe Konoka asked curiously, "What would Setsuna do to me in her dream?"
"Do what? Of course it's… Ugh!!!!"
Just as Yoshinon was about to elaborate further, Yoshino covered her mouth to prevent her from continuing to spout nonsense (truths).
They were here for a secret, and now was not the time for her to be saying such things!
"Actually, Setsuna-san cares about you very much, but for some reasons, she keeps her distance from you. As long as we can create a situation where you are taken away and in danger this time, she will definitely appear to help."
"Now we need you to sleep for a bit. When you wake up, you'll see Sakurazaki Setsuna rushing to save you."
After Yoshino finished speaking, a wave of sleepiness washed over Konoe Konoka's brain. She knew this was Yoshino's plan, so she didn't offer any resistance. After swaying twice, she fell backward onto the soft carpet.
"If I'm not mistaken, she should be protecting Konoka at all times. Now that she sees Konoka unconscious, she probably can't help but come out," Yoshino said lightly, looking out the window.
Indeed, a sharp flash of sword light appeared, attacking Yoshino's head.
But this fierce blow was easily parried by Evangeline, who was nearby, by simply pinching the blade with two fingers, effortlessly deflecting the opponent's attack.
No matter how hard the person holding the sword tried, they couldn't advance an inch. Then, seeing that her surprise attack was ineffective, the sword-wielder immediately withdrew her sword and retreated.
Just as the opponent was about to carry Konoe Konoka away, a wall of ice suddenly appeared in front of the path, separating her from Konoe Konoka.
At the same time, numerous ice spikes appeared on the ice wall and flew towards her, making her abandon the idea of cutting through the ice wall and quickly retreat a few steps.
In just that instant, Yoshino had already embraced Konoe Konoka's body and entered the shadow beneath her feet, reappearing outside the school.
Evangeline, on the other hand, stood in front of Sakurazaki Setsuna, preventing her from approaching Yoshino.
"Sakurazaki Setsuna, student number fifteen, where are you rushing off to?"
"Yoshino, why are you helping others abduct the Young Lady? You and Eishun-sama are comrades! Why are you helping others do such a thing!" Sakurazaki Setsuna questioned Yoshino, but her eyes widened when she saw Yoshino's lifeless pupils. "Could it be... you've actually taken control of her!"
"Hehe~ You found out, Sakurazaki Setsuna. Yes, I did control her mind. There's nothing I can do, the 'Saintess of Salvation' of the Magical World is quite an excellent chess piece, isn't she? It's because she's too kind; she never suspected what I was doing to her these past few months. I finally managed to control her recently."
Reaching out to caress Yoshino's cheek, Evangeline spoke to Sakurazaki Setsuna with a proud expression on her face.
"Are you trying to use Yoshino's power to break the curse on you, Evangeline? Then why are you targeting the Young Lady!"
Sakurazaki Setsuna looked at Evangeline in front of her, whose depths she couldn't fathom, and felt an unprecedented sense of pressure.
Didn't they say her powers had been sealed? Why did she feel so dangerous now?
"Hehe~ Your Young Lady possesses astonishing magical power, and I'm quite interested in her blood. Perhaps her fresh blood can help me recover my strength faster."
Evangeline watched Sakurazaki Setsuna's expression, her mischievous delight growing.
She hadn't expected Sakurazaki Setsuna's reaction to be just as described before, which made her even more amused. She adopted the demeanor of a villain from her past, exuding a strong aura of malevolence as she spoke to Sakurazaki Setsuna.
"Damn it! Let go of the Young Lady! Dark Gospel!"
Sakurazaki Setsuna shouted loudly, raising the Yuunagi in her hand, her pure white wings fluttering behind her, and flew towards Yoshino.
Although her current speed only appeared as a blur to human eyes, it was still too slow for Yoshino.
Just as she was about to swing her sword and launch an attack, a double-bladed greatsword blocked her strike.
Looking closely, Sakurazaki Setsuna found a third Yoshino appearing before her.
However, this Yoshino's pupils were crimson. She was clad in purple armor and a dress like a princess's gown, with the seams, lining, and skirt portions made of an ethereal, miraculously glowing membrane, and a purple crystal headdress adorned her head.
"The Nodachi 'Yuunagi,' its original owner was Konoe Eishun. It seems this sword must have been given to you by him. So that's it, you're a Kamina Style swordsman. However, I started learning Kamina Style from Konoe Eishun a few years before you. Do you have the ability to defeat me, your senior? Kamina Style Secret Art, Zankuu Sen!"
Raising her massive double-bladed sword, Yoshino unleashed a powerful slash.
Sakurazaki Setsuna raised Yuunagi, attempting to block the attack, but she was no match.
"Boom--" Sakurazaki Setsuna was heavily struck down to the ground, creating a large crater. After the scattered rubble and dust cleared, Negi and Kagurazaka Asuna saw Setsuna, battered and kneeling, propped up by Yuunagi, glaring furiously at Evangeline in mid-air.
"You're back faster than I expected. I thought you'd be like the police and only show up when everything was resolved. It seems those lecherous weasels notified you quite quickly."
The Yoshino equipped with the greatsword descended to the ground, gripping the giant sword in her hand, looking at the wary Negi and Kagurazaka Asuna.
"I didn't want to fight you two right now. Could you please just stand aside obediently and pretend you didn't see anything? Otherwise, Yoshino might get angry."
"You're... the one who appeared in the bathhouse last time and controlled Yoshino! What are you planning to make Yoshino do this time?" Kagurazaka Asuna questioned Yoshino loudly.
"Kagurazaka-san. Yoshino is currently being controlled by Dark Gospel. She's not acting on her own will. We must rescue the Young Lady and Yoshino." Standing with Yuunagi, Sakurazaki Setsuna explained to Kagurazaka Asuna. That last blow seemed to have injured her internal organs; she was buying time to recover from her injuries.
"Hehehe~ You're really simple, Sakurazaki Setsuna. But these are Kitty's orders, and I can't disobey them. Now, let's see if you can stop us from taking Konoe Konoka. Try to bring her back in front of me, who once saved the world, and Kitty, who has killed millions." Carrying the greatsword, Yoshino said somewhat disdainfully.
"I'm telling you, you're done for! Don't expect anyone to help you. I've used a special Magic Formula in this entire area, which ordinary people won't detect, you know. As for Ryuudou and the others, don't even think about it, hehe~"
Yoshino smiled sweetly, but her words indeed sent shivers down the spines of everyone present.
"Yoshino seems like a villain now. It feels so strange."
Evangeline watched Yoshino's performance from the air, saying with a hint of embarrassment.
"A clone created by fusing the personalities of 'Evil' and Yoshinon, it's understandable for her personality to be a bit strange," said the Yoshino holding Konoe Konoka.
"Bang!" Suddenly, a huge sound came from afar.
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