Chapter 17
The Unreturnable Rainbow and Nia
The special room prepared by Ichika.
It was hard to believe this place existed inside a hospital.
Nia Sunway’s body lay quietly on the bed at the center of the room.
The walls, floor, and even the ceiling were covered with countless magic circles and talismans.
Geometric spell formations glowed faintly, overlapping like layers of another world.
At the entrance of the hallway, a sign hung:
NO ENTRY — AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY
Ichika gently placed a small glass bottle on the desk.
“I’m opening it, Rainbow.”
The seal on the bottle was released.
A faint light shimmered inside.
A Harumiya spellcaster stepped forward.
“Commencing the ritual.”
A low chant filled the room.
The magic circles responded, glowing softly as mist-like light gathered around Nia’s body.
…But nothing happened.
The air remained tense.
Time itself seemed to freeze.
Ichika raised one hand, stopping the spellcaster.
“…What are you doing, Rainbow?”
A voice came from inside the bottle.
“I can’t enter. That’s not my body.”
It sounded troubled.
“…That’s inconvenient.”
Ichika said, wearing a face that clearly wasn’t troubled at all.
After School
This time, Rainbow (with Nia inside) and Takachika arrived.
Seeing the bottle still sealed, Takachika tilted his head.
“Brother… did it fail?”
“Yeah. Completely.”
Ichika answered casually.
“Looks like Nia Sunway’s body rejected him. That’s what our spellcasters concluded.”
“I see…”
Rainbow (Nia) steadied himself and asked,
“…Can I return?”
At that moment—
The remaining magic in the room reacted.
A brilliant light flooded the chamber.
Nia Sunway’s fingers twitched.
The bottle’s lid creaked, pulled by an unseen force.
And Rainbow’s body staggered forward, drawn toward Nia.
“—!”
Ichika immediately slammed his hand down on the bottle.
“Spellcasters!”
“Yes!”
The waiting spellcasters began chanting at once.
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
The light faded.
The pressure vanished.
Rainbow’s body stopped moving.
But—
“…gh…”
Rainbow (Nia) collapsed.
“Rainbow!”
Takachika rushed forward, catching his head before it hit the floor.
Ichika frowned.
“This is bad. We’re changing rooms.”
As they moved through the hospital hallway, a girl walked past them.
She was from their class.
The girl from their group.
Inside the bottle—
Thump.
Rainbow banged desperately against the glass.
But she didn’t notice.
She walked past them, unaware.
—A life he could no longer return to.
Ichika’s Private Office
A sealed room isolated from the outside world.
Rainbow (Nia) lay resting on the sofa.
The bottle sat nearby.
Ichika crossed his arms.
“I’ll give you the conclusion first.”
Everyone focused on him.
“You can’t return right now.”
“If you force the exchange, one of you will break.”
Takachika asked,
“Why?”
Ichika lightly tapped the bottle.
“Rainbow is still a child.”
Rainbow inside the bottle inhaled sharply.
“The stage of the soul is different.”
“It’s easy for an adult soul to enter a child’s body. The vessel is flexible. Still unfinished.”
“But—”
His gaze shifted to Nia Sunway’s body.
“Nia Sunway is a fully grown adult.”
“A completed vessel will not accept an immature soul.”
“Rejection occurs.”
“That phenomenon earlier was proof.”
Takachika sighed quietly.
“…A difference in soul age.”
“Exactly.”
Ichika answered instantly.
“You are an adult soul inside a child’s body.”
“And Rainbow is an adult soul inside a child’s body.”
“Extremely unstable.”
Rainbow (Nia) whispered,
“…Then what do we do?”
Ichika smiled slightly.
“You grow.”
“You wait until Rainbow becomes an adult.”
“Until his soul matures enough to match Nia’s body.”
He looked down at the bottle.
“Survive until then.”
“That’s the only answer.”
Silence.
From inside the bottle, Rainbow chuckled softly.
“…So it’s like training, huh?”
“Pretty much.”
Ichika said calmly.
“Eat Saeki’s food.”
“Raise your rank.”
“Grow your soul.”
“Until then—”
“You stay like this.”
It was the voice of a king.
