Interlude
A heavy rain lashed down on the deck of the Magimatic Castle Viovix. A Pantherian lance user — Chobi — fell to one knee and spoke between pained gasps.
“Thanatos...I thought...you couldn’t die...”
All around the castle were large, gaping holes from which the storm winds blew into the structure. With the floor having caved in earlier, the whole building was distorted, and cracks ran all across the walls. Lying on the floor was an Elf in black clothes.
“Ugh... Haa... Where is that golden bastard...?” he croaked, his voice agonized.
His abdomen was torn open, and copious amounts of blood gushed from him. It seemed he couldn’t see anymore. His eyes remained open even through the intense rain.
Chobi turned her eyes in the direction of their enemy. Lying on the ground a short distance from them was a Magimatic Sol — Goldinus of the Gold. It creaked and squeaked as it struggled to rise to its feet.
—This damn thing can still move...
“We defeated it... I’ll go deal the finishing blow,” she told Thanatos.
But she was lying.
“Is that...so...?” Thanatos replied with a feeble voice. “Then I’ll let...you handle it...”
“I thought you couldn’t die...”
“This is the...ninth time...”
—I know.
The cloak Thanatos wore allowed him to revive eight times a day. However, each time he did, it inflicted two penalties on him: it removed some of his memories and forced him to level down.
“And you covered me even though this was your ninth death...” Chobi shook her head. “You really are an idiot, Thanatos.”
“Heh... I moved before I...even knew it...”
“And it got you killed. A sad way to go,” Chobi said with a frown.
“...Could be,” Thanatos replied warily.
Chobi held up her spear as she wiped the tears from her eyes.
“That was a lie,” she followed up. “You were cool back there.”
“...I was the absolute coolest...wasn’t I?” Thanatos managed to smirk. She couldn’t hear his wheezing breaths any longer.
Chobi withstood the urge to weep and scream. She didn’t have time to grieve. Goldinus of the Gold finally rose to its feet, creaking all the while. The armor of its cockpit had been torn off, revealing a woman held in place by tentacles — Alicia.
Chobi had stabbed her with her spear before, but the blow was too shallow.
“Ugh...” She glared at the Pantherian. “What a tenacious woman... You’re still alive...?”
“That’s my line!” Chobi shouted as she charged.
But before she could reach her target, a golden glow spread from Goldinus.
—She still has an ace up her sleeve?! Chobi thought to herself as she jumped away cautiously.
The glow grew brighter by the second.
“Guh...” Alicia’s expression contorted in displeasure. “It’s...trying to eat me...?!”
The tentacles holding her body in place were coiling around her tighter with disgusting sloshing sounds. Alicia tugged against them, making them temporarily recede.
—She’s fighting against her armor...? Against those tentacles?
“I might be compelled under the yoke of his orders, but I won’t give you my flesh and blood! This body belongs to Lord Diablo! Stop!”
“Wh-What...?” Chobi muttered.
Goldinus stopped moving, giving her the ideal chance to finish it off.
—It has to be now.
But just as that thought crossed Chobi’s mind, she felt a weight at her legs. She looked down, finding Thanatos’ hands resting on her ankles.
“Why?”
It was only a moment’s hesitation, but it was all it took to decide life from death. Goldinus exploded — no, it burst tentacles from its every joint.
“Kaha?!”
“...What?!”
Chobi felt a chill run through her body. If she’d charged ahead, the spewing tentacles would have been all over her. These were man-eating things, so being hit by them would have surely spelled her death.
“You saved me, Thanat—”
His face was so terribly pallid that Chobi didn’t realize how he could have ever moved, but his features were contorted into a final smile, the rain lashing down onto his face. Goldinus floated up, leaving behind discarded tentacles and Alicia lying on the floor.
“What now?!” Chobi stood on guard.
Goldinus simply became a sphere of light and flew off, diving toward the bottom of the castle. Chobi had been hearing explosions for some time now, powerful enough to shake not just the massive castle, but the ground itself. She imagined this was because Noah and the others were off fighting Emperor Gelmed, but she no longer had the strength to come to their aid.
Alicia, lying on the ground, was vomiting profusely. Bloodied chunks of tentacles were spilling from her mouth.
“Answer me, who are you?!” Chobi shouted at her, keeping her spear up defensively. “Are you an enemy?!”
“Haa, aaah... I’m...” Alicia spoke through pained gasps. “I am...Alicia Cristela, an Imperial Knight...I hate you, Palace Knights...with all...my heart...”
“Nng!”
“But... Before I get back at you... Ngh, aaah...” Alicia gritted her teeth bitterly. “I’d rather tear Emperor Gelmed to bits...!”
Chobi let out a sigh of relief and lowered her spear. Apparently, Emperor Gelmed had applied enslavement magic on her.
“You’re not...going to...kill me...?” Alicia stared at her, still lying limply on the ground.
“Huh? Why would I kill you?!” Chobi looked surprised at that sudden question.
“Isn’t that...Elf fencer, your friend...dead because of me...?” Alicia asked through labored breaths.
“...Well, yes... He is, but...” Chobi replied weakly.
“Wasn’t he your friend?”
“A good friend,” Chobi nodded.
“Enough for you to weep for him, even.”
“Tch...” Chobi wiped her eyes hurriedly.
She couldn’t cry on the field of battle. Alicia lay on her back, looking up at the leaden sky. Chobi couldn’t tell what she was thinking.
“I always thought that...vengeance was people’s way of life,” Alicia muttered softly.
“...Understood,” Chobi tightened her grip around her spear.
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