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Chapter 001: Beauty and the Boy
Release Date: August 28th, 2013
Pages:
Volume: 1
Alternate Names: 美女と少年
Bijo to Shōnen
"If I'm together with you, living an eternal life doesn't seem that bad."
It starts with Evangeline A.K. McDowell, talking about immortality and how over times, things become trivial and this was the story of those people.
A boy named Touta Konoe talks with a group of friends about jellyfish and how they're immortal, but that doesn't mean they're invincible, while waiting. Seeing a young woman named Yukihime pass, they watch intently before charging toward her, all wielding wooden swords. Touta tries to make contact, but is instantly met with an invisible barrier protecting her and the other boys are unable to break through it as well. Yukihime then attacks and easily sends each of the boys flying into the pond behind her as the onlookers watch in awe. It's revealed that Yukihime is actually their teacher.
A boy named Touta Konoe talks with a group of friends about jellyfish and how they're immortal, but that doesn't mean they're invincible, while waiting. Seeing a young woman named Yukihime pass, they watch intently before charging toward her, all wielding wooden swords. Touta tries to make contact, but is instantly met with an invisible barrier protecting her and the other boys are unable to break through it as well. Yukihime then attacks and easily sends each of the boys flying into the pond behind her as the onlookers watch in awe. It's revealed that Yukihime is actually their teacher.
Later on in the classroom, Touta and his friends are being punished by holding buckets of water in the back. Yukihime notes while the head of the village said whoever successfully beats her are free to go to the capital, they'll either have to possess great talent or belong to immense wealth. She also says there's nothing wrong with living in a small village like that and by making her the challenge that stands in the way of the capital, they don't stand a chance. They question her barrier and demand if she knows magic, she should be teaching it to them, but instead, she throws them out into the field. It also also revealed Yukihime raised Touta in some regard.
Another teacher later on asks if she was a bit too hard on the kids and asks if she really can use magic. Apparently, the existence of magic was made known to the public for the past decade and apps were made in order for normal people to use it, but not only was the magic low in quantity, but very expensive, He says since this is the era of magic, she should consider teaching the boys as it would better their lives, but she holds to her conviction.
Another teacher later on asks if she was a bit too hard on the kids and asks if she really can use magic. Apparently, the existence of magic was made known to the public for the past decade and apps were made in order for normal people to use it, but not only was the magic low in quantity, but very expensive, He says since this is the era of magic, she should consider teaching the boys as it would better their lives, but she holds to her conviction.
Touta is at a grave-site, paying his respects to his mother and father, now confirmed that they've passed. as well as his grandfather, the gravestone revealing the name, Negi Springfield. His friends join him and one of the boys ask Touta if he still resents Yukihime. Apparently, Touta and his parents were traveling with Yukihime two years previous and his parents die in a car accident. Having no other relatives, Yukihime took him in, despite many being against it. Touta insists he doesn't resent her and instead deeply respects her strength.
They briefly talk about reaching the capital and Touta asks if they heard the rumor about Yukihime coming from the top of the tower. Touta reveals he doesn't have any memories prior to the accident and he can only move forward. He tells his friends he doesn't possess any real skills like they have, but he's glad to have been able to spend the past couple years with his buds. Embarrassed, his friends throw some punches at him and tell him to make his own goal. They then vow to get to the tower in the future.
They briefly talk about reaching the capital and Touta asks if they heard the rumor about Yukihime coming from the top of the tower. Touta reveals he doesn't have any memories prior to the accident and he can only move forward. He tells his friends he doesn't possess any real skills like they have, but he's glad to have been able to spend the past couple years with his buds. Embarrassed, his friends throw some punches at him and tell him to make his own goal. They then vow to get to the tower in the future.
When Yukihime gets home, she is ambushed my Touta who surprises her with a sneak attack, but his efforts prove futile. They resume with their daily schedule and while Touta cooks dinner, they chat about his improved fighting skills and they make small talk. Yukihime's thought flash to a memory of two people on the ground, impaled by numerous spears, holding an unconscious Touta and then going through her time taking him in, his original resentment toward her, and how he's now evolved into a happy care-free boy. They now have an unconditional, but warm relationship. Yukihime invites Touta to the zoo with her the following day, as he wanted to go before. He refuses, telling her that was two years ago and he couldn't miss a day of the training she taught him.
After losing to Yukihime once again, the boys blame their defeat to the unfair playing field through her use of magic. They encounter the male teacher from before who offers to teach them magic. He begins to teach them while doing so secretly and his reasoning is though Yukihime has a point, he believes they should learn these skills. He approaches Touta privately and gives him a bracelet, a sure way to defeat Yukihime. Though he's not fond of such tactics, Touta's ambition to get to the tower gets the best of him and he gives the bracelet to Yukihime.
Later on, Yukihime is seen looking at the bracelet with endearment. Behind her, two of Touta's gang appear behind her with a transportation technique, armed with wands, and manage to bind her with additional spells. Initially impressed by their newfound skill, she compliments the gang and tries to break free with her own magic, but to her surprise, it's not activating. The boys charge in for the finishing move, but before they can, they're put out of commission by the male teacher. He explains he was really after Yukihime, who has a 600,000,000 yen bounty on her head. Meanwhile, Touta is racing to get to the scene to join his friends, complaining he wasn't compatible with the magic apps.
When he gets there, he sees Yukihime being impaled by spears summoned by the male teacher. This man, now revealed as a bounty hunter, explains waiting in disguise for six months for his chance to kill a vampire was difficult, but he wasn't a fool to expose himself. He summons a sword, ready to kill her, but Touta appears behind him, wielding his own wooden sword, but before he could strike, the bounty hunter blows him back. Touta demands to know the meaning of his betrayal, but the man appears behind him before he has a chance to move and severs Touta's arm from his body. He taunts the young boy for being weak before swinging the sword down to finish him, but Yukihime blocks the blow with her arm, her power enough to move with the restraining spells on her. Though she's definitely worried about the situation that they're in, she turns to Touta and compliments their strategy once again, giving them a passing grade. She also tells him the bracelet was the first present she ever got from him and it made her happy. The bounty hunter mocks the love they share and slices her body to pieces as Touta watches.
Touta looks at Yukihime's mangled remains in horror and cradles her head. Glancing at her arm, still wearing the bracelet, and remembering how much it meant to her, Touta is filled with guilt and screams out, blaming himself for this. The bounty hunter then runs the sword though his chest. As he begins to black out, he hears Yukihime telling him to open his eyes and he looks to see her, though in bad shape, she's still alive. She tells him he was stabbed in the heart and ordinary humans would already be dead, but he's different; she granted him with a temporary immortality two years previous and he had two unfavorable options: die or be reborn as an immortal monster. If he chose to live, he'd have to drink her blood before him. He drinks it and approaches the bounty hunter, who was about to murder his friends. He's caught off guard by Touta's sudden return, but manages to blow off his remaining arm, but it regenerates instantly. Touta then delivers a vicious blow to the bounty hunter, sending him flying, before the young boy collapses.
When he regains consciousness, he finds himself laying in Yukihime's lap, both their limbs intact and his friends safe. She apologizes to him and reveals she is in fact Evangeline A.K. McDowell, cursed as a vampire for 700 years. She tells them it is her fault to involve Touta in this curse and though it was his parent's wish, she did it for her own selfish reasons. Touta asks what the issue is, since immortality is what everyone wants, but she insists that is really is horrible. As a response, he punches her in the gut, complaining for her unusual sweet attitude and tells her that he's glad she's immortal, because knowing she was still alive made him happy and that though he had friends, she was the only one he could call family. He says so long as he's with her, living an eternal life doesn't seem so bad as while he's being ambushed by his relieved friends, she smiles.
Later one, Touta and Yukihime leave the village together, heading to the capital. Touta promises his friends he'll meet them at the top of the tower and the two head off on their journey.
Later one, Touta and Yukihime leave the village together, heading to the capital. Touta promises his friends he'll meet them at the top of the tower and the two head off on their journey.