Rokka no Yuusha - Volume 5 - Chapter 6

Chapter 6 
To Believe in Love 

“The seventh is sure to drive Fremy to suicide,” Tgurneu said in the darkness. 
It was the thirteenth day since the Evil God’s awakening. Some time had passed since Adlet and his comrades had driven off Nashetania and escaped the Phantasmal Barrier. 
Listening to Tgurneu speak was a lizard-fiend with three wings. 
“Are you uneasy about the success of my plan? Well, I’m sure you are, since you know all my plans. To you, this one must seem incredibly flawed.” 
The three-winged fiend said nothing. 
“But this is how I see it: There is no such thing as a perfect gambit. Pursuing such an ideal is pointless. It could be, if it were possible to predict everything your enemy did and move them here and there as you wished. But then that person wouldn’t be an enemy anymore. What makes them your foe is because they don’t do what you want. A meticulously formed plan can easily fall apart due to the unpredictable actions of an enemy, small coincidences, or the stupid failures of your allies.” 
“Thàt’s true, but…” 
“So then, is it possible to come up with a strategy that will never fail, no matter what your enemy does? No, it’s not. Each tear mended gives rise to the possibility of a new one. With each possible eventuality you prepare for, you risk a new brand of failure. All you do is go around in circles forever. It’s a real bind. So what do you do then?” 
The three-winged fiend didn’t reply. It didn’t seem Tgurneu was expecting a reply, either. 
“In short, when you come up with a plan, you’re making a bet. No matter how many stratagems you come up with, and no matter how many unexpected situations you prepare for, there will always come a point when you leave your fate up to heaven. 
“So I must wager. What should I bet on?” 
“…” 
“I’ve bet it all on what I believe in: the one certain thing in a world where nothing else is worth one’s trust. It’s the one thing I believe will never betray me, no matter what else may. I’ve staked everything on this, and I believe this is the best strategy.” 
The three-winged fiend knew where Tgurneu put its faith. 
It recalled the past, and all the plans it had seen as the commander’s body. 
Tgurneu had created Fremy, a child born from a human and a fiend, and then it had raised her into a powerful warrior—and betrayed her. It had been necessary to make Fremy into a real Brave of the Six Flowers to make the Black Barrenbloom complete, Tgurneu said. It had explained the situation in detail to the three-winged fiend, who didn’t know much about hieroglyphs and hieroforms. 
The Black Barrenbloom was an incredibly powerful hieroform, as well as particularly complex in its mechanisms. A number of conditions had to be fulfilled for something to be viable as the vessel for it. 
First of all, the Black Barrenbloom’s vessel had to be a fiend’s body. Tgurneu had done dozens of tests in an attempt to make the Black Barrenbloom out of a human, and it had failed every time. You could turn a human’s body into the Barrenbloom, but it would die under the strain of the transformation. They had only ever succeeded with fiend bodies. What was the reason for this? If Tgurneu knew, it wouldn’t have had to go to all that trouble. 
Furthermore, it wasn’t enough just for the Black Barrenbloom to be a fiend. It was only complete when the Crest of the Six Flowers was endowed on that body. As for why—the Black Barrenbloom did not function all on its own. Only by altering the essence of the Crest of the Six Flowers imbued on its body could the Barrenbloom gain the ability to absorb the power of the crests. 
One who possessed the body of a fiend and also held the Crest of the Six Flowers: Fremy was the only creature with those qualities. 
The Crest of the Six Flowers would only manifest on those who had sworn deep in their hearts to defeat the Evil God. A fiend, who had sworn loyalty to the Evil God by its very nature, would not get a crest no matter how it struggled. For that reason, Tgurneu had needed Fremy, a creature with the body of a fiend and the heart of a human. 
These were all things the commander had told the three-winged fiend. 
But Tgurneu had also said this: They couldn’t win with the Black Barrenbloom alone. 
It was possible the Braves of the Six Flowers wouldn’t trust the daughter of a fiend. And Fremy, in her despair, might fight with no sense of self-preservation and get herself killed. So Tgurneu had explained that they absolutely needed someone to protect her. 
After telling Mora that she wanted the whole group to gather on that spot, Fremy stood there in silence. What was in her heart was not the gladness of victory, but unease. 
She was still the Black Barrenbloom, and she was continuing to absorb the power of the crests even now. It was an unquestionable fact that the mind-controlling fiend had tried to kill her, but that was not enough to decide whether she should live or die. 
“Tgurneu came up with a second trap. Fremy’s death will cause all the Braves to die ,” Adlet had insisted. 
“All o’ this is Adlet’s plot. He’s makin’ it seem as if they’re tryin’ to kill ya ,” Hans had concluded. 
Which of their statements was true, and which was false? Was one of them the seventh, or was it someone else? 
Fremy’s fate had not yet been decided. 
“…Why’re you still alive?” The first one to come out of the labyrinth was Chamo. When she saw Fremy, the slave-fiends behind her readied for a fight, and Fremy raised her gun, too. “Chamo was so relieved when you said you were gonna kill yourself. You’re not gonna betray the Braves, are you?” 
“The situation has changed.” 
All the slave-fiends were packed tight in the hallway. Fremy prepared for their full-on, simultaneous attack, manifesting small bombs in her left hand. 
“Some fiends were trying to kill me—I don’t know why, though.” 
“…Fiends? What’s this about? Chamo doesn’t get it.” 
“I thought I told you to stop fighting.” Mora’s mountain echo resounded around Chamo and Fremy. 
Then another voice sounded from a different branch of the five-way intersection. “I agree with Mora,” said Dozzu. “Before we fight, I’d like it if you could please debrief me on the situation. We have no idea what is going on here.” 
The fiend and Goldof came walking out of the passage. 
When Chamo saw Dozzu, she became even more aggressively riled up. “…Hey, dumb mutt. Where’d the princess go? Actually, what did you make her do?” 
“I haven’t the slightest clue what she intends to do, or what she may have done.” 
“That’s a lie. You were plotting something, weren’t you?” 
Goldof also seemed surprised that Fremy was still alive, but he didn’t immediately try to kill her like Chamo—most likely because he didn’t understand what was going on. “I carried out…our bags. I assume…we need them.” Goldof had brought everything they’d left in the room with the Saint of the Single Flower. 
How considerate of him , thought Fremy. 
“You’re…the Black Barrenbloom…Fremy,” said Goldof. “Or did you find something…that disproves that?” 
“No, unfortunately not. In fact, I can say that the situation has gotten even worse,” Fremy replied. 
Goldof’s expression turned grim. Chamo was glaring daggers and both Dozzu and Fremy. 
“Fremy!” 
Another voice called her name, which brought her both comfort and slight unease. Adlet, panting, came running from a different path of the five-way intersection. When he saw Fremy, he breathed a great sigh of relief. “…So you’re okay.” 
Fremy couldn’t meet his eyes. He was wounded all over because of her. “I’m sorry.” 
“What for? You’re alive. What’re you apologizing for?” Adlet smiled as if nothing could bother him at all, but she couldn’t bring herself to look at his face. She had never understood his feelings. She’d believed he hated her, and that misunderstanding had hurt him. 
“Oh, and we’ve got one more to kill, huh? Chamo just keeps getting more and more targets,” Chamo grumbled. 
“Adlet…,” said Goldof, “I still…believe…you’re the seventh. And that we should…restrain you.” 
“We can’t say that for sure, Goldof,” said Fremy. 
“…I don’t…trust you enough…to agree with you.” 
Fremy and Adlet moved closer together, and Goldof and Chamo squared off against them. 
The situation was right about ready to ignite when finally, Mora and Rolonia arrived. Mora was leaning on Rolonia’s shoulder as the younger Saint dragged her along. It seemed Mora was still somewhat paralyzed. 
“You’re going to explain why you attacked me, Adlet.” Mora didn’t immediately move to strike him, but she was still fairly hostile toward him. “I understand that Fremy is important to you, and I can accept that you were trying to protect her. But you went too far.” 
Fremy sighed. “We’ve completely lost all trust, haven’t we?” 
“…I was prepared for this,” said Adlet. 
Finally, they heard the sound of swords clashing from behind Mora and Rolonia. Panting, Nashetania leaped in among the group. She was wounded here and there, apparently having been locked in combat with Hans the whole time. “Help me, Goldof. Hans is attacking me.” 
Not long after Nashetania’s entrance, Hans appeared, pointing his swords at Adlet, Nashetania, and Fremy. 
“Wait, Hans,” said Mora. “Before you start fighting, explain what’s happening here.” 
“Hrmeow , we can talk after Fremy’s dead.” 
Chamo was ready to send her slave-fiends into action in response, while Adlet, Fremy, and Nashetania each raised their weapons. Rolonia dithered, confused. 
Then Mora, Dozzu, and Goldof cut in to keep the fight in check. “…I thought I said we would talk,” Mora rebuked them. “Or can you not even have a discussion without first being restrained?” 
Hans seemed to realize that if they chose to fight then, they would have been at a disadvantage. Chamo stopped her slave-fiends, too, apparently disappointed. 
“That’s fine, Hans. Let’s resolve this with words, not swords.” Adlet smiled. 
Hans replied with another smile. “…Meow. That ain’t a bad idea, either.” 
Sighing, Mora said to the group, “Now then, who will begin?” 
Adlet spoke first. He told the others about everything that had happened to him: how Hans had decided he was the seventh and Goldof had agreed with him; how he had acted to protect Fremy; and how Mora had stopped him. This was Fremy’s first time hearing all this, too. 
Then Adlet explained his deductions as well: Tgurneu had prepared a second trap, the condition for its activation was Fremy’s death, and the seventh was trying to make sure Fremy died to ensnare them all. 
“The proof is that something was manipulating both my and Rolonia’s minds,” said Adlet. “Until just a little while ago, all I could think about was killing Fremy. Now…I’m okay.” 
“And I killed that fiend over there. Based on what’s been said, it’s safe to assume that was the one with mind-controlling abilities.” Fremy took over from Adlet and pointed to the beetle-fiend buried among the rubble of the half-collapsed labyrinth. 
“Is it true, Rolonia, that you were being manipulated?” Dozzu asked. 
“I-I’m certain I was. Suddenly, I felt like I just had to kill Fremy, and at the time, I didn’t feel any doubts about it at all. But then suddenly, I was wondering what I was doing… I can’t prove it, but it’s true,” Rolonia insisted. 
“…Now that you mention it…” Chamo tilted her head. “Chamo just remembered. A little while ago, there was this sudden urge, like killing Fremy was more important than looking for the princess. Like it wasn’t time to be following the catboy’s orders. Chamo didn’t think much of it at the time, but maybe that was mind control,” she ventured. 
That seemed to be enough for Mora, Goldof, and Dozzu to acknowledge the mental manipulation as truth. “The enemy intended to kill Fremy…,” Mora murmured. “’Tis sudden. And difficult to believe.” 
“Anyway, what about the princess?” asked Chamo. 
Smiling, Nashetania replied. “I do apologize for doing these things to arouse such suspicion. But I couldn’t just sit there meekly in these circumstances. I had to find evidence that could help us judge whether Fremy should live or die—and I was the only one who could.” 
“…What do you mean?” 
“I pretended that I’d betrayed the Six Braves to make contact with an enemy fiend,” Nashetania explained. 
After she had run away from Chamo and the others, she’d found the enemy. Mora had told them there were no fiends in the labyrinth, but nevertheless, Nashetania had figured that an enemy would show up and get up to something. Sure enough, she had found one, and she had contacted it with an offer of cooperation. Nashetania told the group about how she had encountered a white lizard-fiend and what abilities it had. 
Fremy realized the fiend Nashetania described had once been a part of the family that had pretended to love her. She had been completely unaware of its shape-shifting and camouflage abilities, though. Both six months ago and a few hours earlier, Fremy had missed her chances to kill it, and she regretted her own softness. 
The white lizard-fiend had meant to kill Fremy and requested that Nashetania murder her. What’s more, it had been giving the mind-controlling fiend orders. Nashetania also explained that it had ordered her to distract Dozzu and Goldof, since they were uncertain elements. “I found out what the enemy’s goal was, and that was why I saved Fremy.” 
I can’t trust what Nashetania says and does so easily , Fremy felt. 
“…So, Princess. Do ya think what that fiend said was true?” Hans replied. “Yer the enemy. It wouldn’t leak information to ya so easy. It seems to me the fiend lied to you—and that was another one of Adlet’s ploys.” 
“There’s no way. They were speaking in code.” Nashetania continued, telling them that Dozzu’s faction had learned to partially decrypt messages from Tgurneu’s faction and that the enemy was definitely not yet aware that their code had been cracked. “Yes…and there was one more thing. They said something curious in those coded conversations.” 
“What’s that?” 
“It was the word transfer. They said that after killing Fremy, they would carry out the ‘transfer,’ and only the seventh knew how.” 
Transfer. They all reacted to the new term. Nashetania relayed the conversation to the group. 
“We don’t know what this transfer thing is about, based off what you’ve said. Don’t you have any other clues?” Adlet said. 
“Please don’t ask the impossible. It wasn’t possible to gather any more information in that situation.” 
Fremy considered. They didn’t know if what Nashetania was saying was true, and neither did they know if the information she had acquired was real or not. But if it was real, they could make some conjectures. “…The enemy may have been planning to transfer the power of the Black Barrenbloom to something or someone else after I died and continue to absorb the power of the crests. Or something along those lines.” 
“Hold on. Could that happen? Auntie, could it?” Chamo said. 
Incredulous, Mora mulled it over a bit. “I wish I could say for certain that it’s impossible, but this situation is already beyond my understanding. The knowledge Tgurneu possessed regarding hieroglyphs and hieroforms far surpasses that of All Heavens Temple.” 
“Dozzu, Nashetania,” said Fremy, “tell us what you think.” 
Dozzu seemed to have some trouble responding. “It would be extremely difficult—however, I couldn’t say for certain that it’s impossible. But since some of the hieroglyphs of the Black Barrenbloom are concealed from us, I can’t say anything.” 
“I’ve been saying all this time that the seventh is trying to get Fremy killed,” said Adlet. “And there’s no longer any doubt that the fiends were trying to kill her, too. We can’t trust what Nashetania said just like that, but if she’s right, then we can’t let them carry out this transfer. Guys, have your say. Do you still think we should kill Fremy?” 
“So who are you saying the seventh is, Adlet?” Mora asked him. Adlet’s eyes turned toward one person, as if to say that he didn’t even need to reply. 
“…Of course, Adlet. If yer assertion’s right, then I’m the meowst suspicious here.” 
Chamo’s eyes went wide, and she looked back and forth between Adlet and Hans. She would never have predicted Hans to be under suspicion, Fremy could tell. For whatever reason, Chamo trusted Hans quite a lot. Or perhaps she had a personal affection for him. 
“What are you talking about, Adlet?” asked Chamo. 
“Be quiet, Chamo. Listen, Hans. Your actions have been understandable. It was natural for you to suspect me and try to kill Fremy, given the situation. And there’s the chance that you were just mistaken about the glowing words, too. But you were too impatient and too stubborn, as if you’d made up your mind from the start to do something. That’s why I’m forced to suspect you as the seventh. Do you have anything to say?” 
Hans sighed, scratching his head, and said, “My opinion ain’t changed. Yer doin’ what Tgurneu wants. I don’t know if it’s controllin’ ya with that power Dozzu talked about or if yer doin’ it of yer own free will. But yer tryin’ to protect Fremy and kill us all. Ya lied about the message, and ya took Mora hostage to stop Fremy killin’ herself. The enemy controllin’ Rolonia and Chamo and feedin’ the princess fake informeowtion was all part of yer plan to keep ’er alive.” 
Fremy surveyed the other members of the group as they listened to Hans. Mora, who’d been unconscious, and Goldof and Dozzu, who’d been unaware of the whole situation, appeared unable reach an answer. But Chamo was clearly on Hans’s side. On the other hand, Rolonia and Nashetania had accepted Adlet’s claim. Fremy herself still couldn’t reach a decision. Which story was true? 
“You’ve got to explain one thing, Adlet,” said Hans. “You didn’t see no words. I’m not the only one who confirmed that. Mora did, too. That was a lie ya came up with on the spot. 
“So suppose yer not the seventh. There’s still one thing you’ve done that’s clearly outta place. You’ve been using this glowin’ message you’ve never seen as proof to insist there’s a second trap. Why’d ya lie about it? How could ya realize there was a second trap when you ain’t seen nothin’? If yer goin’ to insist, you’ve got to explain.” 
Fremy stared at Adlet. He had clearly lost his composure. She could tell he had nothing to say in reply to Hans’s assertion. 
It was the thirteenth day since the Evil God’s awakening, and in the darkness, two fiends were having a discussion. 
“If you could just cóntrol the Braves with your power, Cómmander Tgurneu, then this wouldn’t have been such a strüggle,” said the three-winged fiend. It knew something that Tgurneu kept an absolute secret from all other fiends. The only ones who knew about this secret ability were the three-winged fiend and specialist number two. Number fourteen might have gotten an inkling of it, but it couldn’t talk about it. 
Tgurneu had the ability to put humans under its command and control them. 
Once, it had used this power to control the Saint of the Single Flower, who had sealed herself away, to take possession of her. Then it had stolen the seventh crest, absorbed the power of the Spirit of Fate, and arranged for the humans under its command to create the Black Barrenbloom. 
“Come now,” said Tgurneu, “that’s not a very nice thing to say. My ability is strong, but it’s not as if I’m all-powerful.” 
This skill had many flaws. The target had to fulfill certain conditions, or Tgurneu couldn’t control them. What’s more, it took nearly a month to gain complete control. The technique had worked on the Saint of the Single Flower, since she had met those conditions, but it would be useless against the Braves. If Tgurneu only started once the Evil God awoke, the battle would be over before the effects of the ability manifested. 
After stealing the seventh crest from the Saint of the Single Flower, Tgurneu had given it to a fitting individual whom it had made sure to control beforehand, then slipped the target in among the rest as a fake Brave. It had been a risky plan, but it had been the only option available. Tgurneu had required someone both vulnerable to its ability and capable of protecting Fremy. It had chosen, reared, and entrusted the entirety of its plot to the one worthy of its trust. 
Fremy was surprised to see who stepped in to counter Hans’s argument. 
“Are you certain that Adlet didn’t see anything?” Nashetania said, pulling a gem out of her armor. It was a large ruby, but it had been chipped off in a number of places. “I found this inside the stomach of the white lizard-fiend I just killed. It’s broken, and it doesn’t work anymore. But it seems clear it’s a light gem.” 
Hans seemed a little startled to see Nashetania suddenly bring out a gem, but his calm demeanor didn’t falter one iota. 
“…Show it to me,” Mora said, taking the gem in her hand to examine it. After some consideration, she said quietly, “There are hieroglyphs carved on the inside. It’s broken, so I can’t see what, but…it’s clear that it possesses some other function besides simply glowing.” 
As Adlet looked at the gem, he seemed to be deliberating. 
“I wonder why that white lizard-fiend swallowed this gem? Perhaps this is what projected the glowing message Adlet was talking about,” said Nashetania. 
Even Fremy, who was now uncertain as to whether Adlet was the seventh or not, had not believed the glowing message really existed. Given how he was acting when Hans had cross-examined him, it had seemed clear he was making it up. “It couldn’t be, Adlet… That wasn’t a lie?” asked Fremy. 
Adlet answered, “Ouch. I told you it was true. Even you thought I was lying?” 
Adlet knew the story about the glowing message was completely false, and that Hans hadn’t seen anything, either. But he had also known the light gem would be found in the stomach of the white lizard-fiend. 
Adlet desperately continued his act, as if he had never in his wildest dreams imagined Nashetania would bring this gem to them. 
Is my core…safe? Number thirty wondered as it observed its own body lying on the floor of the labyrinth, sliced up by Nashetania. As long as its core was intact, it could generate a new body and revive. 
By the time it was revived again, would the humans be gone? Would the world belong to the Evil God? As its consciousness faded, number thirty prayed for Tgurneu’s victory. 
Once it was revived, would it be praised as a Brave-killing hero, or would it be branded a great war criminal and the reason for their loss? Well, it wouldn’t know until it woke up. 
Right before its consciousness went dim, number thirty reflected on the battle thus far. 
The fiend had been using its excellent hearing to listen in on the Braves as they deciphered the hieroglyphs and discussed the Black Barrenbloom. It hadn’t known anything about the Saint of the Single Flower or Tgurneu’s weapon before then. Of course, it hadn’t known that the Barrenbloom was Fremy, either. 
Number thirty was shocked. The young fiend it had been raising was in fact the ultimate weapon for the annihilation of the Braves. What an incredible mission to be given from Commander Tgurneu to a minor fiend such as myself , it thought. 
Still, many unknowns remained to number thirty. How come Tgurneu hadn’t ordered them to protect Fremy? Most importantly, what should they do now? 
Hans and Chamo were both insisting that they had to kill Fremy. Number thirty listened silently. 
Perhaps it should have number fourteen direct urges to kill toward the Braves in such a way that their focus shifted away from Fremy. But Tgurneu’s plot could be to implicate Fremy as the Black Barrenbloom in order to have her killed. If so, such an order would be a foolish action on number thirty’s part; it would ruin its master’s plan. Don’t do anything that hasn’t been ordered to you was the rule that all fiends under Tgurneu’s command followed. Tgurneu loathed uncertain elements slipping into its plans. Until orders came, number thirty would lay in wait and observe. That was the correct choice, as Tgurneu’s subordinate. 
But then number thirty wondered why there was this pain in its chest. It was a young fiend, less than two hundred years old, and it had not experienced the past battles with the Braves of the Six Flowers. It knew the howling and despair of the Evil God’s defeat only through imagination and hearsay. But it believed this pain had to be something similar. 
Number thirty had also heard the conversation in which Adlet had claimed he’d seen a glowing message and Hans had revealed that was a lie. It had heard what Adlet had done in the storehouse for fiend corpses, too. Based on this information, it sensed Adlet was lying. 
The boy’s actions were inexplicable. Why would he be protecting Fremy in this situation? Though number thirty had questions, there was no way it could understand what Adlet was thinking. 
That was when number thirty’s thoughts turned to Fremy. 
Just a little while earlier, she had seen the white lizard-fiend and let it get away. Her former family member inferred that Fremy still had some feelings toward it. In that moment, the girl had seemed deserving of pity to number thirty. 
Pity. It was fundamentally not something fiends ever felt. But some did come to gain individual will and emotion. Number thirty had heard that such incidents had been mysteriously on the rise for the past few years. It seemed the white lizard-fiend had become another one of these: the result of a misdirected evolution. 
“What do we do, numbér thirty? I’m rélying on your orders.” 
There was no way number thirty could tell this to number fourteen beside it. Those under Tgurneu’s command that were found to have developed their own will were doomed to immediate death. 
The drive that had awoken within number thirty was pity for an unfortunate creature. It recalled all the many things it had said and done to Fremy. It had discovered the tragedy of a creature who existed only to be used by Tgurneu. She had served Tgurneu with the greatest loyalty. She, of all fiends, had withstood the greatest hardships for the commander’s sake. Number fourteen couldn’t allow her to have entirely no recompense for all that. 
It wanted Fremy to live, and it wanted to tell her everything and apologize. And it wanted to invite her to return to the fiends. 
The whereabouts of number six, who had loved her, were unfortunately unknown. But there had to be some among the countless fiends out there who would join with her. If they searched around the Howling Vilelands, she could probably see her beloved dog again, too. She had a home to return to. 
If Fremy returned there to contribute to the overthrow of the Braves of the Six Flowers, then even Tgurneu couldn’t reject her. Tgurneu had to accept her this time. Perhaps it had been of such a mind for a long time and had only suppressed those feelings. 
Would protecting Fremy mean going against Tgurneu’s will? Well, number thirty hadn’t received orders not to do so. It could take that as permission to make independent judgments, and thus it made up its mind to act of its own accord and decide on its own. If that choice ran counter to Tgurneu’s will, then that just meant number thirty would be executed. 
There was a seventh among the Braves. Number thirty didn’t know who it was, and it was forbidden to come into contact with that person, too. All it knew was that the seventh would be acting in accordance with Tgurneu’s wishes. 
The seventh was clearly not Fremy, since after such a brutal betrayal, she would never obey Tgurneu again. 
Adlet Mayer. He’s the seventh, isn’t he? thought number thirty. Because there was no way a real Brave would lie to his allies at a critical time like this. 
As Adlet looked at the light gem in Mora’s hand, he reflected on recent events. 
Hans had determined he was the seventh, and after that, with Mora’s help, he had just barely escaped with his life. Adlet had never felt more despair. Even stopping Chamo and paralyzing Fremy again changed nothing about the situation. 
Would the others trust his word? More importantly, would Fremy believe he wasn’t the seventh? Adlet was certain they wouldn’t. He was never going to earn Fremy’s trust with words, and he hadn’t been able to talk her out of killing herself. But he also hadn’t known what he could do to stop her. 
Is it all over? Adlet wondered. But just a few scant moments after that thought had crossed his mind, he’d seen a light of hope. 
As he ran, he’d sensed some kind of presence. He’d stopped, just for an instant, and had seen words emerge from the stone flooring. 
Give me instructions. You have two allies in this labyrinth. 
The message had disappeared in an instant, and Adlet had pretended not to see it as he passed by. Still running, he’d thought about what that message meant. 
There were still fiends who had evaded Mora’s detection within the labyrinth. They were requesting instructions from him. Did they attempt contact because they know one of us is the seventh? Or was it a mistake that I saw that, so they panicked and erased the message? 
No , Adlet thought. He’d recalled what Dozzu had said: The fiends of Tgurneu’s faction don’t know who the seventh is. They had mistaken Adlet for the seventh. 
It would have been simple to tell Mora about the message on the ground and kill the fiend that put it there. But Adlet didn’t—because he had believed this could be the trump card that would help him keep Fremy safe and get out of this situation. 
“Mora, is this the path I should be headed down?” Adlet had asked. 
“Wait just a moment. I’m making sure right now… Yes, that’s correct.” 
From her answer, Adlet had inferred that Mora hadn’t seen the message a moment ago. She hadn’t been looking around his vicinity. Besides, if she’d seen it, she would have reacted somehow. Maybe he could use these fiends. 
He’d felt no hesitation. He would do anything to win. That was his personal conviction. 
Number thirty was sure that Adlet had seen the words on its back but pretended not to notice while he continued on. In that moment, the fiend became certain that Adlet was the seventh. 
Deceived by Mora, Adlet had been cornered in a dead end of the labyrinth. With no other options available, Adlet had surprised her, knocked her out, and taken her hostage. It had been the only way. If he threatened Mora’s life, then Fremy would be forced to stop trying to kill herself, even if just for a little while. 
But Adlet had known he couldn’t keep her safe forever like that. His last hope had been to trick the fiends that believed he was the seventh. 
There was the possibility that the message he’d seen moments before had been the enemy’s trap. But he couldn’t find another option. He’d knocked out Mora not to take her hostage, but to disable her power of clairvoyance. It would have gotten in his way. 
“…You’re here,” Adlet had said. He hadn’t waited long. No sooner was the floor swaying than it had taken the shape of a white lizard-fiend. Adlet had recalled seeing it before. 
“I’ll give the orders, so you be quiet and listen.” Adlet had deliberately chosen an arrogant tone, figuring it was best if he wanted to play a convincing traitor. 
“Wait. Are you reálly the sevénth?” the white lizard-fiend had said. 
That had told Adlet what was going on in its head. It had never known which was the seventh. It had just guessed that Adlet was the one and so had attempted contact. It could have been an act on the fiend’s part, but Adlet had ignored that possibility. He had been so desperate, he’d simply thought, What will be, will be. 
“…You can’t be thinking I have any proof that I’m the seventh. What would I do if the Braves were to discover it?” Adlet had retorted. “Even if there was some password to prove who I am, do you think I would tell it to a fiend of your station?” 
The white lizard-fiend had fallen silent, much to Adlet’s relief. If there really had been a password or proof, his lie would have been exposed. 
Mora had been unconscious then, so the others were lost without a guide around the labyrinth. The chances that Adlet would have been discovered speaking with the fiend were low. But even so, if anyone had caught him like that, he wouldn’t have been able to talk his way out of it. It had sent his anxiety through the roof. 
“If you are the séventh, then answer me this: Does Cómmander Tgurneu wish for Fremy to die or survive?” 
It doesn’t even know that? Adlet had wondered in confusion. He had figured that if Tgurneu actually wanted Fremy dead, then he would discover that and protect Fremy. It had been possible this fiend was pretending not to know, but it would have been odd for a subordinate of this level to attempt to deceive him. 
Internally, Adlet had gloated. Tgurneu’s doctrine of secrecy must have come to bite it in the ass. Since it never told its mooks what was actually going on, individual fiends couldn’t make their own judgments. I can work with this. He was certain. “Tgurneu wants Fremy alive, but this situation is unexpected. You’re all going to have to work for me, too.” 
“Undérstood,” number thirty had replied immediately. 
But how would Adlet use the fiend? That was the question. Adlet’s brain had whirled more fervently than it ever had before. “Tell me your abilities,” he’d ordered first. The fiend then told him about its camouflage and hearing abilities. 
That could come in really handy , Adlet had decided. “Go find me a light stone from somewhere in the labyrinth. But not just any light stone—it can’t be a topaz…a yellow one. And it can’t be one that just glows. It must have some other unique power in it. That’s all. Can you find one?” 
“…When I was guarding the tèmple, I heard of light gems pösitioned near the ventilation ducts of the temple that emit light whënever someone draws near so as to alert us when an ínvader approaches.” 
Adlet had been ready to dance at the luck that had fallen into his lap. He hadn’t known for sure if he could use that to fool Mora and the others completely, but he could sway them to believe that the glowing message might not have been a lie. 
“Find one of those, break it, and keep it with you. Then find a way to reveal to the Braves or Dozzu’s faction that you were hiding it.” 
“…How?” 

“You can’t think of a way? Just swallow the broken gem and get yourself killed by one of us. You either have to spit it up the instant you die, or be killed in such a way that it gets tossed out of your stomach.” Adlet had issued orders ruthlessly and decisively, since it seemed like the appropriate attitude for Tgurneu’s subordinate to have. 
“You can’t mean to say that álone will keep Fremy safe?” 
“Of course not. I still have other tricks up my sleeve.” Adlet had deliberated a little more. Time was running out; the others were coming. He had to do something, and fast. “…Use Dozzu and Nashetania. Approach them with an offer of cooperation and leak information to them.” 
“What information?” 
Adlet had pondered over this. What lie could deceive Dozzu and Nashetania, as well as Mora, Fremy, and the others? “…Make them think that even if the Black Barrenbloom is killed, the potential to absorb the power of the crests will be transferred to something else. Also, that the seventh is attempting to carry that out. The information you reveal to Dozzu and Nashetania doesn’t need to be concrete. Just give them bits and pieces, like the words transfer or power inheritance or something like that. Just make them think that it’d be dangerous to kill Fremy.” 
“…That won’t wörk. Dozzu’s faction would never bélieve what we say.” 
Yes—Adlet had needed more. He’d racked his brain for an idea. 
Before their group had arrived at the temple, Adlet had fallen for an enemy trap and been ambushed. Dozzu had saved him then. And the fiend giving the others instructions for the trap had been this same white lizard-fiend. 
Something had felt off about that to Adlet at the time—Dozzu had made a beeline straight for him. He hadn’t paid it much mind then, but thinking back on it made him realize that was unnatural. Dozzu and Nashetania must have known what the white lizard-fiend would do. 
“Dozzu’s faction has probably deciphered the code you’re all using,” Adlet had said. He’d had no proof, but it had still been worth betting on. “Give orders to another fiend in code. Something like We’ve decided to transfer the Black Barrenbloom, so begin preparations . Make it seem like you’re talking about an absolute secret that you can’t let them know about. 
“I think Dozzu and Nashetania believe Tgurneu’s forces are unaware their code has been deciphered. This will make them believe that they’ve gotten ahold of an important secret that you’re trying to hide.” 
The white lizard-fiend had seemed uneasy. Adlet had been, too, for that matter. The whole plan had been based on guesses. His chances of success had been low, but he’d had no choice but to go for it. 
“Since we don’t know what Dozzu and Nashetania will do, I can’t give you precise orders. You make your own judgments to carry out the mission. I leave that all to you. Don’t worry—even if you fail, I won’t put it on your shoulders.” Was that manner of speaking unlike a subordinate of Tgurneu? Adlet had somewhat regretted that claim. 
“Undérstood. Is thät all?” 
Adlet hadn’t replied at first. The white lizard-fiend was then ready to leave. 
“There’s more.” Adlet had stopped it from going. The following had been the most important of his orders, and the first thing he’d thought of. But he hadn’t had the courage to say it out loud. 
He’d understood that the two instructions he’d just given, on their own, were not enough to keep Fremy safe. But Adlet had also understood that this order would be hellish for him. 
“…For you, and the other fiend—this is your most important mission. If needed, use the other survivors for this, too.” Hesitantly, Adlet had added, “Do everything in your power to kill Fremy.” 
The white lizard-fiend had gone silent. 
“Use everything at your disposal. Wield every ability you have. Don’t hold back in the slightest—not toward Fremy, or toward me when I oppose you. You’re not allowed to worry at all that you might kill her.” 
The white lizard-fiend had seemed afraid. Killing the focal point of Tgurneu’s plan must have been unthinkable. 
“You need to do it. I have to make the Braves believe that you sincerely tried to kill Fremy, but I ruined your plans. If they figure you were just pretending, then they’ll kill her without hesitation—and more importantly, Fremy will kill herself.” Adlet had continued. “Go after her with everything you have. And think about the reason I said that. If you hold back, they’re sure to figure out our plan.” 
“But thén Fremy will die.” 
“I’ll protect her,” Adlet had flatly retorted. “No matter how you come at us, no matter what the Braves do, I’m going to keep Fremy safe. I’ll defend her from your attacks and stop anything that tries to kill her. That’s what I have to do to keep her safe.” 
Behind that declaration, Adlet’s heart had been trembling in fear. Hans and Chamo would likely try to kill both him and Fremy, and Fremy would try to kill herself, too. Then adding an attack from the fiends on top of that… 
Adlet hadn’t come up with a plan for how he would keep her safe. But he would be forced to dive into that hell himself. 
“…Undérstood. I will use the other fiend, specialist number fourteen. It—” 
“You don’t have to tell me its abilities. Actually, don’t tell me, no matter what.” If Adlet had known what kind of attack was coming, he would probably have reacted in an unnatural way. He wouldn’t have been able to cover that up, no matter how careful he was. And if he’d made the others suspect even slightly that he had ordered fiends to fake an attempt on Fremy’s life, then he wouldn’t be able to save her. 
“Number fourteen’s powers are trémendous. If they are used in earnëst, Fremy will certainly die. And prótecting her would still be extremely difficült, even without that.” 
“Did I say you could talk back?” Adlet had silenced the fiend’s dissent as he stifled his own fear. He’d encouraged himself: I’m the strongest man in the world. I’d never fail to protect Fremy. 
“And one more thing. No matter what means of contact you use, avoid Hans at all costs. We have to make it seem like he’s the seventh. That’s the finishing touch on the plan to save Fremy. If you mess up and provide Hans with any information, it could cause the whole plan to fall apart.” 
“…Undérstood.” 
Does this fiend really believe I’m the seventh? Adlet had wondered. Will it really do as I say? 
Adlet’s directions had confused number thirty. 
But this boy was the seventh. He’d received his orders directly from the top. He ranked far above number thirty, so it had to obey. 
At first, number thirty had doubted if Adlet really was the seventh. He was too ignorant about the internal affairs of Tgurneu’s forces and had no proof that he was the seventh, either. But now, number thirty believed there was no way it could be anyone else. 
Adlet did not concern himself with his allies’ lives. Number thirty got no sense at all from his orders and the way he talked that he was trying to protect anyone besides Fremy. He clearly didn’t mind if his other allies died, as long as Fremy was safe. 
Adlet had to be the seventh. Number thirty would trust in him, and in the strength of the one Tgurneu had chosen. 
The fiend considered the situation. If they wanted to do their very best to kill Fremy, then how should it order number fourteen? Controlling Hans or Nashetania would hinder the plan. So then, the one to control should be Adlet in front of it. If they were going to make an earnest attempt on Fremy’s life, they should control him first. He might kill Fremy. That was extremely likely, in fact. But number thirty prayed that outcome would be avoided. 
If they went for one more puppet, then perhaps it should be Chamo. But if they controlled both Adlet and Chamo, number thirty doubted Adlet could protect Fremy, no matter how he struggled. So then, Rolonia? Goldof? Number thirty would have to judge based on how things went. 
“…And one last thing,” said Adlet. “Attack me now. This isn’t that important, but just in case.” 
“Undérstood.” 
“I’ll fight back, but don’t worry. I won’t be serious.” 
The spine sprouted from the end of number thirty’s tail, and it attacked Adlet. 
“Have you seen this gem before, Adlet?” asked Nashetania. 
Adlet looked at the broken gem from the white lizard’s stomach and said, “I don’t know… If I’d seen it, I’d remember. There was nothing like that in the body storehouse when I searched it.” 
“So Adlet really did see a message, and then the white lizard-fiend found and swallowed the light gem that projected it after Adlet left. That was why I couldn’t find anything, either. If you consider that, it all comes together,” said Mora. 
As Adlet listened, he was thinking, You’ve done well, white lizard-fiend. Thanks to you, I can keep Fremy safe. You did a perfect job. 
His unexpected ally had probably not been acting under orders, but had decided of its own free will to protect Fremy—Adlet had been able to tell that much. She was not a monster, loved by no one. There had actually been a fiend out there thinking of her, and that made Adlet glad—even if he couldn’t tell Fremy about it now. 
“Hans, did you really not see that message? You didn’t carry away the light gem after Adlet left, did you?” Nashetania asked Hans. Fremy and Rolonia were eyeing him with suspicion. 
Hans had to be surprised. Up until this point, he must have believed he wouldn’t have to give any orders to the fiends, and they would just try to kill Fremy themselves. That was why he’d just let them be, never attempting to contact them. 
And now an object that could disprove his assertions had been found in one of those fiend’s stomachs. He had to be wondering if the fiends had betrayed him. He’d probably avoided ever contacting them so as to prevent his identity from being discovered. And that had brought about his defeat. 
There was still a chance that Hans wasn’t the seventh, but Adlet was no longer even considering it. They had to kill him. Or at the very least, they had to rob him of the ability to fight. As for why: He was trying to kill Fremy. Adlet couldn’t condone anyone who would hurt her, even if he were a real Brave. 
“I don’t recall ever seein’ a gem like that. Adlet had a fiend carry it around so he could claim I’m lyin’.” Hans’s calm smile didn’t falter, but his arguments were weakening. “There’s still somethin’ funny here, Adlet. When that fiend was controllin’ Rolonia, how did ya hold on to yer mind for so long? Mew were just pretendin’ to be controlled. You were actin’ since ya thought it’d be unnatural for ya to remain in yer right mind.” 
He’s still going to argue? Adlet didn’t know himself why he’d been able to resist the mind control. Perhaps some people were affected more than others. “You’re wrong. I was fighting. There was a voice yelling in my head to kill Fremy, and I was fighting like hell to resist it. In the end, I couldn’t fight it anymore, and I nearly hurt her,” Adlet shot back. 
Fremy added, “He really was being controlled. He was serious when he attacked me. His eyes told me he’d lost his will. It wasn’t the sort of thing you could fake.” Then she addressed the whole group. “Being in that fight, I could tell—that fiend was not just pretending to try to kill me. I could have died at any point then. It was simple coincidence that led me to decide that I would stay alive. It really was trying to take me out, and I can say that for certain.” 
Hans was at a loss for words for a little while, and then suddenly, he started laughing. “Meow. Meow…meow! Meow-hee-hee-hee-hee-hee!” 
Adlet tensed, thinking Hans might suddenly swing his blade at him. 
“Adlet, mew might actually be the strongest man in the world. That’s darn amazin’. Oh, frankly… I’ve got to say, I underestimated ya.” 
Adlet was sure he had Hans cornered. But the laughter didn’t sound like a bluff or despair. He really was glad. 
“You ordered them to seriously try to snuff Fremy so that you could protect her, right when yer backed all the way to the wall? Yer without a doubt the only idiot in the whole world who could make a decision like that.” 
So he’s figured it out? Adlet had known Hans would see through him, for sure. But at this point, Hans would be powerless to do anything about it. 
“That claim sounds forced, Hans,” said Mora, “and very clearly impossible. From what we’ve all heard here, Fremy could have died at any point, isn’t that right? Adlet wouldn’t have allowed her to die as a part of a plan to protect her.” 
“What could Adlet have been planning to do without my assistance? There was no guarantee that I was even on the Braves’s side to start with,” Nashetania followed up. 
“Hans, you must have realized this,” said Fremy. “When Rolonia’s mind was taken over, Adlet’s situation became desperate. I doubt the fiends would have continued a false attempt to kill me under such circumstances.” 
Already, fewer were believing Hans’s assertions. Most of all, Fremy had come to believe that she couldn’t allow herself to die yet. 
“…I might just end up gettin’ killed, neow,” Hans cackled. “My hunch was neow lie, after all—I’ve got to kill ya, or I’ll be the one to die. But this is just the sort o’ thing that makes a fight interestin’.” Hans was enjoying his predicament. There really was something wrong with the man. 
“Hans,” said Nashetania, “There is no proof you’re the seventh, but given the situation, we’re forced to suspect you and judge that it would be dangerous to accept your suggestions.” 
“Do you trust Adlet, Nashetania?” asked Dozzu. 
“I’ve decided I will. Do you trust my judgment, Dozzu?” Nashetania replied with conviction. 
Dozzu considered for a while and said, “Understood. Then I’ll place my bets on your decision. We’ll trust Adlet. And at the very least, we can’t kill Fremy until we find some new evidence.” 
“Then what should we do? As we speak, the Black Barrenbloom continues to absorb the power of our crests,” said Mora. 
Adlet shouted back, “Isn’t it obvious? The only way to stop the Barrenbloom is to kill Tgurneu. All of us are going to go take that fiend down right now—before our crests get totally knocked out.” 
The group’s response was silence. They were hesitating. Who to believe: Adlet or Hans? And was it even possible to beat Tgurneu? 
“I trust Addy. There’s no way he could be the seventh. I don’t know if Hans really is the seventh…but right now, I can’t trust him,” said Rolonia. 
“Not like Chamo didn’t already know, but you’re all dummies. Auntie, Rolonia, Princess—you’re all hopeless idiots. We can’t trust Adlet! He’s obviously the enemy! And Chamo’s gonna kill anyone who suspects the catboy!” Chamo was about to send her slave-fiends into action when Hans grabbed her shoulder to prevent her. 
“Wait. If we start killin’ one another neow, we’ll all die.” 
“But…!” 
“…There’s another way,” Hans said with a glare at Adlet. That one line was enough to stop Chamo. 
“It looks…to me…as if the princess…and Adlet…are working together…to trap Hans…and try to trick us,” said Goldof, pointing his spear at Fremy. Rolonia raised her whip, while Adlet blocked Goldof’s way with his wounded body. 
“Even though you’ve said you’d fight to protect me, you don’t trust me at all, do you?” Nashetania sighed. 
With the situation ready to explode at any moment, Mora cut between the two groups of the divided Braves. “Goldof, Chamo, stop it. Haven’t you been listening? Look at the facts. The enemy was trying to kill Fremy, and Adlet was working to prevent that. That’s all it is.” 
“…Even if it meant…taking an ally…as hostage?” said Goldof. 
Mora countered him but seemed to struggle to say it. “…I’ve nearly killed an ally, myself. That’s no basis for deciding he’s our enemy.” 
This is bad , thought Adlet. He was only halfway through his fight to protect Fremy. Next, they had to stop the Black Barrenbloom and its creator, and they wouldn’t be able to stand up to Tgurneu with the Braves at one another’s throats. 
“I have further ill tidings,” said Mora. “A number of aerial fiends are approaching this mountain. The forces under Tgurneu’s command are drawing closer.” 
Yet another shot of tension ran through the group. They couldn’t fight it like this. Adlet was injured, and the others weren’t unharmed, either. Most of all, they had no plan at all for defeating Tgurneu. 
“Hans,” said Adlet, “we’ll settle this discussion later. We have to run now.” He grabbed his iron box and dashed off, out of the labyrinth. The others seemed to decide that was their only option, too. They all headed out of the temple carrying their bags. Once they were outside, they found it was already deep into the night. Fortunately, they still couldn’t see any signs of the enemy. 
Following Mora’s directions, they were right about to sprint down the mountain when Hans whirled around to take a slice at Fremy. 
“I thought this would happen,” said Fremy as she repelled the carefully aimed strike with the grip of her gun. 
Adlet threw a poison needle at Hans, but Hans rolled to avoid it. It was a sloppy ambush, and unlike him. 
“Now is not the time, Hans. We have to run now,” said Dozzu. 
“No. If we go neow, we’ll fall into Adlet’s trap,” Hans replied, facing Fremy with raised swords. 
“Give it up,” said Fremy. “I can’t allow myself to be killed.” 
“Neow. If I can’t convince ya, then I’ve got no choice but to kill ya. Maybe once yer dead, we’ll find out there’s no such thing as a transfer.” 
Mora looked to Adlet for his opinion. 
“…Restrain Hans,” said Adlet. “Don’t kill him now.” 
Just as he said that, Nashetania’s blades and Dozzu’s lightning went for Hans. But the assassin used trees and rocks as his shields, dodging each attack before he turned his back to the group and ran. 
“Hans! Wait!” cried Mora. 
Adlet very much wanted to chase after him, but Tgurneu was the bigger problem right then. They had to run, or they’d be surrounded. 
“Chamo! Goldof! Come with me!” Hans yelled as he ran. 
“…Okay. Chamo trusts catboy.” Chamo ran off after Hans. Adlet wasn’t able to stop her. She wouldn’t believe him anyway, no matter what he said. 
“What will you do, Goldof?” Nashetania asked her retainer. “I’ve decided to trust Adlet, and I’ll fight Tgurneu together with him. Will you go with Hans?” 
“I can’t…trust…Adlet. But I can’t…expose you…to danger…either.” 
“Then fight together with me. It’s all right. As long as you’re with me, we’ll have the strength of a thousand.” Nashetania smiled, running after Adlet. 
It was a relief that Goldof was staying with them, but it hurt to lose Chamo. They would now be forced to challenge Tgurneu without their most powerful fighter. 
Fremy lent Adlet her shoulder as they raced down the slope. “Fremy,” he said. 
“…We don’t have the time to talk,” she replied, curt as ever. 
We’ve gone back to square one again , thought Adlet. He shrugged and said just one thing. 
“Let’s survive this.” 
Fremy still didn’t know what the truth was. Was Hans really the seventh? Adlet could simply have been mistaken about that. 
Was it really best for her to live after all? Maybe she was falling for another of Tgurneu’s schemes. Everything was still uncertain, and the truth was still distant. 
“I will say this. I can’t consider anything without killing Tgurneu and completing my revenge. There is no point in my living if I fail to fulfill that, and that fact will never change.” 
“Yeah,” said Adlet. “I understand that.” 
“And you still want to try to make me happy?” Fremy turned to look at the boy beside her as they ran. 
Adlet was puzzled by her question. “Of course.” 
Seeing his face, Fremy was again certain of his feelings for her. There was no deception or reservation in his expression. He was trying to beat Tgurneu and the Evil God not for his own sake, but for hers. She shook the last remaining doubts from her mind. There was no way he could be the seventh. He could never be acting on Tgurneu’s orders. 
“I hated you,” Fremy said. “When I’m with you, I want to live. That was why. I always wanted to die, but you made me hesitant about it.” 
“Do you still hate me?” Adlet ventured. 
Fremy hesitated a moment before replying. “…I don’t think so, not now. Being with you makes me want to live, but maybe that’s okay.” Her eyes fixed forward, she couldn’t see the look on his face. But she was sure he had to be grinning. 
A fiend lay dying in a corner of the labyrinth. It was specialist number fourteen, its body blown to pieces by Fremy. It had just barely survived her explosive blast. It was close to the end as it listened to the faint sounds of the Braves’s conversation. 
Number fourteen still wondered about one thing. Why hadn’t its power worked on Adlet? Had its effects just been abnormally weak on him, compared with Rolonia and Chamo? 
It couldn’t be , thought number fourteen. Another fiend has already… 
It didn’t have the time to confirm whether its guess was right before it quietly breathed its last. 
It was the dawn of the thirteenth day since the Evil God’s awakening. In their small underground room, Tgurneu and the three-winged fiend were still talking. 
“Hmm. What’s to be done? You’re still uneasy, no matter how I explain it?” said Tgurneu. 
The three-winged fiend nodded. “…I beg your pärdon, but I can’t help but think about it. I hàve no objections as to your choice of who to send in as the sevénth. But…” 
“Betting the whole grand scheme on the belief that the seventh will keep Fremy safe—is that what troubles you?” 
There was no way the three-winged fiend couldn’t be troubled. If Fremy were to die, then the power of the Black Barrenbloom would vanish completely. Tgurneu’s plans could collapse easily, depending on the choices of the Braves of the Six Flowers, or with one single decision from Fremy herself. 
The three-winged fiend had once asked Tgurneu if it had ever tried to lay a backup scheme, just in case Fremy died. And Tgurneu had indeed looked for a method to kill the Braves with the power of the Black Barrenbloom, even in the event of Fremy’s death. It had tried to add in a function that would kill any Braves nearby the moment she died, as well as a function to transfer the power of the Barrenbloom to something else. Tgurneu had said that this hieroform was already so complex and high-level, it had been impossible to add any more functions. 
Tgurneu had added only one extra function that would activate in the Barrenbloom after her death. But it was a very trivial one that would tell Tgurneu how Fremy had died. It said this function had been added purely for its own enjoyment, since it was so obsessed with her death. 
Furthermore, if Fremy died, it would completely negate the point of having a seventh. All Tgurneu’s plans would come to nothing, and it would lose all options but to fight the Braves of the Six Flowers with brute force. 
If the seventh were to die, and the Braves saw that no petal disappeared from their crests, there would no longer be any risk of Fremy being suspected. But at the same time, Fremy’s protector would be gone. The death of the seventh really would put Tgurneu in a tight spot. 
The three-winged fiend was indeed uneasy about entrusting everything to this insider, but that was what Tgurneu believed to be best. And that was not the three-winged fiend’s greatest concern. “I am also üneasy about whether the seventh really can prótect Fremy… But what cóncerns me most is…” The three-winged fiend hesitated. “…is if the seventh really will prótect her.” 
Tgurneu looked at the three-winged fiend with a little disappointment. 
As Tgurneu’s body, it had seen its master choose the seventh—and the chosen wasn’t aware of this or the mission. As far as Tgurneu’s Brave knew, the only reason to come to the Howling Vilelands was to defeat Tgurneu and the Evil God. 
So wouldn’t the seventh abandon Fremy, prioritize defeating the Evil God and saving humanity over protecting her? If so, then wouldn’t that void the point of sending in a seventh? That was the thing that worried the three-winged fiend the most. “Why didn’t you tëll the seventh the mission?” the three-winged fiend asked. “With your power, you would have been able to gain complete cóntrol of the seventh’s mind and givén orders to guard Fremy. Your insider could have worked tógether with our forces to prévent Fremy’s death. Why didn’t you? That way would háve been far more certain to keep her safe.” 
“I just answered that question, didn’t I?” Tgurneu smiled. “Listen. I believe in the power of love.” 
“…Love?” 
The three-winged fiend knew what Tgurneu’s ability was, the one it kept secret from nearly all others. 
It wasn’t at all powerful. It took time to activate, and Tgurneu could only control one human at a time. It couldn’t use this on other fiends, and it would only be effective on a limited number of humans. Some might even can it a trivial ability. 
But Tgurneu believed this power was, without a doubt, the strongest in all of history. 
It could control human minds. 
It could manipulate human love. 
Tgurneu’s ability forced his target to love someone, and it could decide freely who that someone was. One under its influence would feel exhilarated when they saw their beloved’s smile, and the sadness of their love would bring them sorrow. They would fear their beloved’s death more than their own, and if anything threatened their beloved, they would face it with all their strength. The more danger their darling was in, the stronger that manipulated love would become. They would become unable to think about anything but the life of the one they cherished, and if that person was on the brink of death, they would probably even lose their mind. 
Tgurneu had used that ability to control the Saint of the Single Flower, forcing her to love and make her open up her barrier. It had asked her about the events of the past, stolen her remaining power and acquired the seventh crest. 
And now, it was using its ability to control the seventh. 
“If I made the seventh love me, as you say, it would indeed be possible to ensure my orders would be obeyed. We would also likely be able to coordinate and entrap the Braves. Perhaps it would have been easy to guarantee Fremy’s protection, too,” Tgurneu spat. “But you know, I don’t believe in such impertinent ploys. I believe far more deeply in the power of love than I believe in the petty cunning someone such as myself could scrape together.” 
“…” 
“The most important thing is how Fremy feels. Hurt as she is and driven by revenge, what will she do? The answer is obvious. She will try to kill me, with no regard for her own life. When she finds out what the Black Barrenbloom really is and when she realizes she was being used, what will she do? The answer is obvious. She will attempt to kill herself. If that happens, it’s all hopeless. I wouldn’t be able to do a thing. Since we’re in the position of trying to kill one another, I could never stop her from killing herself. 
“But if something were to prevent her despair, then my victory would be certain—and why? Because love brings about miracles.” 
There was no doubt at all in Tgurneu’s voice. “Fremy’s heart cannot be moved with lies. If I ordered the seventh to pretend to love Fremy, she would surely think nothing of it. The only thing that can change her heart is one who will love her sincerely—because she hates false love most of all, and wants real love more than anything. The love has to be real, or there’s no point. False love could never cause miracles.” 
“…” 
“Love is wonderful. Only love can cause miracles. I’ve seen its wonders many times with my own eyes. No matter what dire circumstances befall her, I’m certain of my victory. The seventh cares for her, and that love is sure to cause a miracle and save her. 
“I believe in love. There’s nothing else worth believing in. In this world filled with lies, only love, only love is certain.” 
Then Tgurneu listened intently, as if it was waiting for a certain somebody’s arrival. “I believe that boy I chose is sure to safeguard Fremy for me. I believe he will manifest the sort of miracles that only love can—because the boy I chose is the strongest man in the world.” 
The face of the seventh rose in the three-winged fiend’s mind. It had doubted that second-rate warrior was worthy of being a Brave. But that boy who called himself the strongest man in the world had no doubts about that at all. 
Adlet Mayer appeared in its mind. 
“I’m certain Fremy has stolen his heart,” Tgurneu continued. “He’ll be desperately trying to protect her right about now. You don’t need to worry about what Dozzu’s faction might get up to. There is no way the strongest man in the world will let Dozzu’s lot beat him. 
“I wonder if Fremy has opened her heart to him yet? Or perhaps she still can’t trust him. Well, she’ll accept his feelings eventually. Even now, in her heart of hearts, she wishes for someone to love her. That’s what she wants more than anything.” The fig’s mouth was curved in a broad smile. “Hey, don’t you think it’s amazing?” 
“…Whät is?” 
“When she finds out the one who loved her from the bottom of his heart, the only one she thought she could trust, was under my control, how will she react, do you think? After all those betrayals, she still wanted love, so when she finds out the affection she’s found now is nothing more than a part of my plot, what do you think she will do?” Tgurneu went on gleefully. “I’m sure she will kill herself. She’ll show me the most wonderful expression, the likes of which I’ll never see again—and Adlet will be the one to drive her to suicide. She’ll show me the ultimate despair I long for! 
“And that’s not all. I just know Adlet will show me the greatest expressions, too. When he finds out that his own love, his own commitment to wagering his life for her was planted there by me, I wonder what I’ll see?! Oh, I can’t even imagine it! I want to see it so badly, I can’t wait! What are you giving me that dazed look for? Don’t you think they’ll give us a spectacular show?!” 
“…Um.” The three-winged fiend hesitated to speak. 
“…Oh, I see, you don’t have much interest in this sort of thing. I’m sorry.” Tgurneu apparently realized it had gotten too worked up, as it moved its vines in a shrugging motion. It seemed a little disheartened. “Well, we won’t be able to see those expressions now. It’ll be a little later on.” 
Evidently tired of talking, Tgurneu opened the book that lay on the table. As it did some reading to stave off boredom, the three-winged fiend patiently awaited the arrival of the Braves of the Six Flowers. 
“It’s mysterious. Love is truly, truly mysterious,” muttered Tgurneu. 
A small amount of time passed. After some trivial chat about the book, suddenly, Tgurneu said, “Once, the Evil God was defeated because of the Saint of the Single Flower’s love.” 
The three-winged fiend digested Tgurneu’s body in one gulp, submitting its body to its commander. In place of the fig body, the three-winged fiend began to speak. “We lost to the Braves of the Six Flowers twice, because of the power of love supporting them. But our third battle will be different. You third Braves of the Six Flowers: You will be defeated by love.” 
The three-winged fiend could hear the footsteps that heralded the Braves’s arrival in the Howling Vilelands. As its body moved apart from its will, it thought, This is going to be a long battle. It would probably not come to witness the finale of that battle, either. But one thing was certain: 
As long as the two warriors whose lives Tgurneu controlled, Fremy Speeddraw and Adlet Mayer, were alive, the only direction they were headed was into hell. 
“What happened with Chamo and Hans?” Adlet asked. 
Mora shook her head. “They’ve already left the mountain. They’ve gone beyond the range of my powers.” 
“If Hans is the seventh, then I’m worried about Chamo. Shouldn’t we take her back?” suggested Dozzu. 
But Adlet thought it was too late now. “Let’s leave Chamo for now. She’s not gonna die that easy. More importantly, Tgurneu,” said Adlet. He didn’t need Mora’s clairvoyance to see a large army was coming. They had to slip through that army with the fighters they had now and take out Tgurneu. 
He would come up with the plan himself. They had to defeat it now, or the Braves of the Six Flowers were over, and he wouldn’t be able to keep Fremy safe. 
But Adlet hadn’t forgotten to be on guard for other enemies, either. 
Hans could attack them again and kill Fremy. Adlet figured Chamo was bound to do something, too. Dozzu and Nashetania could be plotting anything, and then there was Cargikk. Goldof didn’t trust Adlet. And Mora and Rolonia could change their minds in some fashion or another. 
There were still many threats to Fremy’s life out there. 
Adlet would eliminate every single one. He had made up his mind. He’d probably have to kill Hans. If it was impossible to convince Chamo, he’d have no choice but to kill her, too. He’d kill Dozzu, Nashetania, all of them, if they intended to do harm to Fremy. 
Even if that meant his own death. 
Even if that meant the world would be destroyed. 
As long as Fremy was alive, he didn’t need anything else. 
Under the night stars, Adlet happened to wonder if perhaps such conviction was strange. Which should he value more—the world or Fremy? Which had he felt was more important in the first place? 
Was he really in his right mind? 
These thoughts crossed his mind and quickly disappeared. He was perfectly sane. There was nothing odd here. Fremy was the only important thing, and there was nothing else but her. Besides, he was still capable of wondering if he might be crazy, and if he’d actually lost his mind, he wouldn’t be doubting himself. In other words, he was in his right mind, so there were no issues with his course of action. 
He would kill everyone who hurt Fremy. That was all he had to do.