Winter 2024

The beginning of Light Magic and the Hero, an otome RPG, unfolds fairly normally: the heroine, Alicia Ehnleit, meets her three love interests one after another and then inevitably comes face-to-face with the villainess. Yumiella Dolkness may be of noble descent, but her dark hair and rare dark-type magic—both associated with the Demon Lord—spark fear in anyone who sees her. When she is five years old, Yumiella regains memories of her previous life in modern Japan, also realizing that her fate is to become the hidden boss that appears after Alicia and her suitors defeat the Demon Lord.

Yumiella refuses to live as the game dictates and, as she prefers the game's fantasy elements over its romance, she decides to cultivate her magical skills and level up in secret. However, everything falls apart on the day of the Royal Academy's entrance ceremony. Yumiella's powers are measured at level 99—something thought impossible even for the royal knights, let alone a 15-year-old girl. With the royal family requesting her help, and everyone else insisting that she prove her strength, Yumiella realizes that her dream of a quiet life is no longer an option.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

At True Cross Academy, Rin Okumura unknowingly comes across the first signs that something is amiss; ordinary people have been gaining the ability to perceive the invisible creatures that roam the human realm, Assiah. While Rin sees this as an opportunity to make a new friend, his twin brother, Yukio, is more burdened than ever. Swamped with his education, exorcist duties, and teaching position, Yukio has remained silent about his awakened powers, unable to understand their scale or significance.

While Rin and his friends prepare for the annual Exorcist Certification Exam, the True Cross Order has uncovered the first artificial gate to the demonic realm of Gehenna. Witnessing its size and the advanced technology that made it possible, the exorcists realize they are now dealing with the Illuminati, an extremely wealthy and powerful organization. Moreover, the inscrutable Illuminati have planted three spies in the True Cross Order—and one may be hiding among the aspiring exorcists sworn to protect mankind from the demonic threat.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

After an eventful winter break, Kyoutarou Ichikawa and Anna Yamada reunite with a stronger bond. They continue to grow in their own ways, with Yamada taking on more challenging photoshoots and Ichikawa maturing both physically and emotionally as he tackles his affections for Yamada. However, spending time together outside of school allows for their relationship to deepen, and it becomes increasingly difficult to deny their budding romantic feelings.

Grappling with these unexpected and new emotions, Ichikawa and Yamada realize that, with the passage of time, their relationship is bound to change—and they must ultimately decide whether they wish to remain close friends or finally become a couple.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]