The World of Otome Games is Tough For Mobs - Volume 8 - Chapter SS3

Short story 2 

 Marie Route the Sixth 

The sound of cannon shots reverberated in the sky without pause.

Smoke comes out each time guns or cannon are fired. That smoke spread to the surrounding area, making the scenery hazy.

Screaming voices that are mixed with noise and angry yells can be heard from the communicators.

It’s extremely clear to an unpleasant degree that the surroundings are in confusion from what’s going on in front of them.

「How did it turn out like this when the mission is just for investigation?!!」

I, Leon Fou Bartfort cursed inside Arroganz' cockpit. My finger can’t let go of the trigger of my control stick.

The barrel of the gatling gun Arroganz is carrying rotated and spewed bullets.

The bullets shot through a swarm of monsters that numbered more than several thousand.

The bullets always hit no matter where I shoot.

The monsters that got shot by the bullets would burst and vanish into black smoke.

That smoke would spread and worsen the surrounding visibility.

When I checked the rear, four ships including Partner were continuously firing their cannons without pause.

The armed units that sallied out from the ships are facing the swarm of monsters.

『Master, enemy reinforcement confirmed.』

An image is magnified at the corner of the monitor. In it are two ships of the kingdom being led by Partner protecting a single airship.

The airship is flying the flag of the Alzer Republic. It's floating in the air without being able to move anywhere.

The damage to the ship is horrible. In that state, it’s unfeasible for it to be able to escape from the monsters.

Partner is taking in the passengers, but the process is taking time.

「Looks like we picked up something troublesome.」

How did things turn out like this?──Everything can be traced back to several days ago.

◇

Around the time when spring break has just started.

That day, I came to the Royal Capital together with my fiancée Marie Fou Lafan.

「Why do we have to come to the capital again, even though we had just come home, huh?

」

Marie is complaining, but her expression is showing anxiety and nervousness.

We got down on the flying ship harbor in the nearby sky above the Royal Capital. From there we immediately started walking and got into a line to board a small boat.

「It can’t be helped. If we want to get detailed information, then it’s more convenient to be at the capital no matter what. Besides, there is no way we can just ignore the matter of us getting designated as subjugation targets.」

There are two reasons why we returned to the capital.

First──to con irm the veracity of the information that the neighboring Alzer Republic was destroyed.

Inside the letter that was sent to Clarice-senpai who I am sheltering in my family home, there was an account that the Alzer Republic that was to become the stage of that otome game’s sequel was destroyed.

But the letter only mentioned that, and didn’t include any more details.

The one who sent that letter must have been unable to obtain any more detail than that at the time.

We intentionally came to the capital because we judged that there is a high likelihood that there is new information about the matter here.

Unfortunately, information only reaches the countryside after much delay.

「This would be easy if only Luxion was here, though.」

When I muttered the name of Luxion who isn’t here, Marie grabbed my wrist.

Her expression looked even more uneasy than before.

「Is that guy really alright? He is moving around as he pleases after all. He seems suspicious somehow. You know, there are a lot of cases of AI turning traitor in movies and manga, right?」

It seems Marie is uneasy with how Luxion is moving around as he pleases.

Certainly, Luxion is acting too selfish recently.

He is ignoring me even when I gave him orders, and it weighed on my mind how he is secretly taking action outside of my knowledge.

Just what in the world is he doing?

「He can’t go against me, his master.」

「There isn’t any guarantee of that!」

「Don’t worry. If he was planning to betray me, then he would have already done just that a long time ago.」

We wouldn't be alive if Luxion seriously betrayed us.

Marie reluctantly agreed when I told her that.

「T-that’s true. But he is moving around as he pleases too much. You should just order him more strictly.」

「I’ll do that when he returns. ──More importantly, let’s take care of the more pressing issue first.」

The second reason for us returning to the capital is the information that Bartfort House is being considered an enemy by the palace.

Marie is observing the surroundings fearfully.

「We came to the capital without thinking much, bu, are we really going to be, okay? We aren’t going to suddenly get caught, are we?」

For some reason, I’m reminded of my sister from my previous life when looking at how scared Marie is. It made me want to tease her.

I laughed flippantly and lightly joked at Marie.

「I wonder? I beat up His Highness Julius after the duel, so it’s highly possible that they are holding a grudge against me. In the worst case, perhaps I might get executed.」

「How can you laugh about that, huh!?」

Marie hit me repeatedly with her hands. It’s a bit painful.

「That hurts so stop it! Your fists are strong. I can feel it down to the bone.」

Marie has a frail appearance, but her fists are strong.

Luxion said this before, that Marie has highly dense bones and muscles, so she is stronger than she looks.

I mustn’t get tricked by her appearance.

She is a woman who is strong both physically and mentally──that’s Marie.

I stopped walking and turned around. I turned my gaze toward my huge airship Partner.

「Arroganz and others are going to do something if push comes to shove.」

Even Marie’s anxiety softened when I mentioned Arroganz.

「Even though his parent Luxion is that willful, Arroganz is really a good child, isn’t he?」

The AI loaded inside Arroganz is an inferior version of Luxion.

He is inferior ability wise, even so, his desire to learn is high, and he also follows orders obediently, so Marie’s impression of him is that of a 「good child」.

He is also unreliable in many things, but Arroganz' strength can be considered overwhelming in this world.

Just a little while ago, we got cornered into a difficult fight against that Black Knight old man, but it’s unthinkable that there are still too many enemies of that level, or rather, I don’t even want to think about it.

In fact, there is no combat force in Holfort Kingdom that can possibly rival Arroganz and Partner.

The exception might be the royal family’s ship, I guess? But even that is a trump card of the kingdom that won’t be dispatched so easily.

It’s unthinkable that it would be sent out in order to capture us.

We embarked to a dangerous place like the capital also because we have a guarantee that we would be able to return back safely.

「I hope it’s just a bad rumor.」

Bartfort House got designated as enemies of Holfort Kingdom──we entered the capital in order to investigate that rumor.

◇

I visited a mansion in the capital.

The owner of that mansion is the head of Atlee House who served as a minister until just a little while ago, Bernard Fia Atlee.

He lost his position due to the incident that Clarice-senpai caused, and after that, it seems he is living quietly in his mansion.

The man with a small body builds and mild-mannered expression welcomed our visit without any reluctance.

The former minister Bernard guided us into a reception room where we talked.

「Many of the servants in this mansion have resigned. Right now, it’s difficult to even take care of this mansion, but thanks to me having nothing to do, my life here isn’t so bad.」

Minister Bernard said that while smiling, but to other people who heard it, his words would sound like an unwillingness to admit defeat.

In fact, an Atlee House that lost its minister post was ruined, after all.

Marie and I drank the tea that the butler who remained in the mansion brewed while listening to the detailed information from former minister Bernard.

「Looks like there are a lot of troubles brewing.」

「The inside and outside of the palace are also in chaos right now. Thinking back, it was fortunate of me to be dismissed from my post. ──Is what you want to ask about, the movement in the palace?」

When Marie and I nodded, it seemed former minister Bernard guessed what we wanted to ask him.

He told the butler to leave the room before starting to speak in detail.

「His highness the crown prince, and his surroundings, are spreading the rumor that Bartfort House is planning to rebel. The source of the rumor is several hot-blooded youngsters running their mouths impertinently about forming a subjugation army.」

Marie’s shoulders slumped in relief hearing that.

「Thank god. In that case, we won’t get subjugated, right?」

「It doesn’t change the fact that His Highness is holding a grudge against us, though.」

I let out a small sigh and sent a glance toward Marie who is sitting beside me suggesting that the situation is still one where we can’t let our guard down.

「Ugh! W-well, that’s true.」

What we heard just now sounded like a bad joke, but the situation is the worst if the crown prince, His Highness Julius, is spreading bad rumors about us.

「Perhaps it’s just a matter of time until the kingdom’s military moves?」

「So, in the end it’s no good, isn’t it!」

After all, the future ruler of the country hates me and my family.

──As I thought, I overdid it at the exhibition match.

However, former minister Bernard denied that worst case of my imagination.

「About that matter, the Sainte is denying that rumor.」

「The Sainte is?」

What came to mind is the Sainte’s appearance when she asked me for help during our meeting. Her appearance at that time left a deep impression on me.

It still tightened my chest when I recalled it right now.

For some reason, there is always an uneasiness bubbling somewhere in my heart, as though I’m forgetting something important, like I have suffered an unexpected defeat.

「Yes, it seemed the Sainte remonstrated His Highness the crown prince and the people around him. His highness also can’t go against the Sainte, and apparently they are doing their best to erase the rumor.」

Marie looked at my face from the side uneasily, but we can’t talk about the Sainte here.

I changed the topic after knowing that my family is safe for now.

「I’m relieved to hear that. One more thing, is there any new information about the Alzer Republic? I’ve heard that country got destroyed.」

Former minister Bernard shook his head.

「Unfortunately, the information that the palace obtained isn’t much. In the first place, this information came from the kingdom’s merchants who escaped from the Republic. It seems that the palace will dispatch an investigation team soon, but apparently they can’t gather enough manpower, and the movements of the Principality are also concerning.」

「I see. Even so, it’s amazing that Bernard-san knows that much about this.」

Even though he shouldn’t be a minister anymore, how can he obtain this much information?

Former minister Bernard smiled at us.

「It’s only natural to have one or two connections after working as long as I had in the palace. I wonder if I can be of help to my daughter’s savior with this?」

Former minister Bernard was asked to take responsibility for his daughter and resigned from his post, and right now he is waiting for the palace’s verdict, but I can sense composure from his attitude.

Or perhaps, he has completely resigned himself in regard to everything?

「You have been a really big help.」

「That’s great. And, what are you planning to do now?」

「My family is also worried about the situation. So, we are going home right away after this to tell them about the news.」

When I told former minister Bernard that I want to reassure my family quickly, he made a meek expression that differed from his composure until now.

「About that, can I ask you to wait for a bit? I will send a letter to your family to explain this. There is someone who I want you to meet no matter what.」

「Someone?」

◇

I rode a carriage just as former minister Bernard told me and headed to a very large mansion.

The someone that he mentioned is a teacher in the academy and also my tea ceremony master, that person.

Marie isn’t close with Master, so she refused to come with me.

It seemed that she wasn't good at dealing with Master because of his role as a manners instructor.

The mansion has an atmosphere that makes me feel its age, but it’s being cared for very well.

As I stared at the mansion thinking of how tasteful it was, former minister Bernard got down from the carriage and called out to a gardener.

That gardener is a man past middle age with a straight and firm back.

「You haven’t changed at all.」

Mister Bernard seemed familiar with the gardener. No──he is acting like he is talking with someone of higher status.

I hurriedly got down from the carriage and ran toward the gardener.

「Master!」

「Mister Leon, so you are back in the capital.」

「W-why is master doing gardening work!?」

「I’m entrusted with the maintenance of this old mansion. Sometimes it feels good to do gardening work by myself, because with that I can enjoy tea in a garden that I have tended with my own hands.」

Master smiled brightly. Even though he isn’t putting on airs, he looks like he is overflowing with elegance.

「I’ll also help!」

There is no way I can let Master do the gardening work by himself. But when I offered my help, Master refused me gently.

「I can’t possibly make Mister Leon help me with this. Besides, I want to ask for your help with a different matter.」

「A different matter?」

Master looked toward Mister Bernard. Both of them nodded to each other and spoke of the reason why they called me here.

「You are aware of the matter of the Alzer Republic, yes? The palace can’t even confirm the fact that the country is destroyed.」

The kingdom is busy with the war against the Principality, so it can’t even dispatch an investigation team for this matter.

From the way Master said it, it seemed that he wanted to personally request me to investigate.

「The kingdom still has combat forces remaining, doesn't it?」

「There are many people who desire to participate in the invasion into the Principality’s territory, though. The military also doesn’t want to join the investigation team because they won’t be able to participate in a battle with a guaranteed win.」

「The military is?」

So, the military officers are reluctant to get dispatched as an investigation team because they wanted to obtain achievements in war? Then, former minister Bernard explained to me about the circumstances surrounding that.

「Before the invasion of the Principality, the military was gathering combat forces from everywhere. Because of that, the forces assigned to the borders are thinned down, so the military doesn’t want to assign combat forces to other places unnecessarily.」

Holfort Kingdom has a lot of enemies around it, so when war breaks out, there will be other countries that start moving to take advantage of the opening.

The kingdom military that was stationed at the borders and the feudal lord nobles wanted to gather as much combat force as possible.

It seemed that they had no leeway to dispatch an investigation team in the middle of such a situation.

「If Mister Leon led an investigation team under the kingdom’s order, the people who harbored needless misunderstandings about you would also fall silent. This task won’t bring any disadvantage for your family.」

Master gave me an offer that I should lead the investigation team.

「So, it’s to show that my relationship with the kingdom is going well?」

There is a bad rumor about me circulating, but if I lead an investigation team because the palace ordered me to, the surroundings will also think 「So it’s just a rumor huh」.

Personally, I wanted to go home right away, but earning points from here also isn’t a bad idea.

「I don’t mind. I’ll send a letter back home.」

Master grabbed my hand with both hands and displayed his gratitude.

「Thank you. I too can feel relieved if Mister Leon is taking care of this matter.」

I’m also happy that I can be useful for Master.

Master explained the current situation to me with a sorrowful expression.

「To be honest, the present situation isn’t good.」

「Eh?」

「If you are forced to make a decision, what will you do at that time Mister Leon? No, what’s important is what do you want to do?」

My fickle mood vanished when Master spoke of making a decision.

When I looked at how serious Master is, even I realized that this isn’t an atmosphere where I can joke around.

「Is the situation that dangerous?」

「Can you understand the seriousness if I say that the situation is like a powder keg? We don’t know when the fire will be lit.」

Just for a moment I wondered if it would be better for Marie to be here so I can feel comforted, but there is also a part of me that thinks that it’s better instead that she isn’t here.

Now then, what should I do?

I thought for a bit before the conclusion came out right away.

Sadly, I currently don’t have any choice.

When I turned my gaze toward the former minister Bernard, he was smiling but his eyes were radiating seriousness.

Master said that he will respect my decision.

「──I see. Although, for me there are almost no options at all that remain open.」

◇

──And so, I ended up leading an investigation team toward the Alzer Republic.

Other than Partner, I’m only bringing two flying ships of the kingdom that were prepared for me.

It seemed that even this number was gathered after much effort.

Because the purpose of the team is for investigation, at first nobody was concerned with gathering a combat force.

We just need to run if it gets dangerous──when we were thinking that, we found an airship fleeing from the Alzer Republic and rushed to help. That was what started this.

Monsters were swarming the airship, so I boarded Arroganz and launched to help.

「Why is there no end to them!?」

I opened the container on Arroganz' back and dozens of missiles were fired from there.

They exploded and destroyed many monsters in the surrounding area.

The monsters that got swallowed by the explosions vanished, but the next monsters advanced forward as though to plug the opened holes.

I can only stay here and face the monsters until the rescue is finished.

In the middle of such a situation, a happy notification came from Arroganz.

『Rescue finished. Beginning the withdrawal of Partner.』

「Okay! Let’s run away immediately.」

『Firing missiles.』

Multiple missiles are fired from Partner. They headed toward the swarm of monsters and caused explosions.

The scale of the explosions is bigger than Arroganz' missiles. A lot of monsters are scorched into black smoke.

「We’re running away before enemy reinforcement arrives. Ain’t no way I’m going to accompany them forever.」

I spat out that parting line and we ran away.

In the end, we are unable to obtain detailed information from the Alzer Republic.

◇

「I don’t want to fight anymore!」

Arroganz landed on Partner’s deck and I got down from it. There I realized how sweaty I am.

My sweats are dripping on the deck.

Maintenance robots gathered around Arroganz and began to service it.

When the armor panels at various spots are opened, the heat locked inside becomes steam that bursts out.

If it wasn’t for Arroganz, I would have gotten swallowed by the swarm of monsters in the press, and died.

I felt scared for a moment when I imagined that.

I walked with unsteady steps and grabbed the handrail. When I look back, I can see the swarm of monsters are heading this way.

But it looks like it’s impossible for them to catch up to us, who are running away wholeheartedly.

I let out a deep sigh in relief, then I crumbled down on the spot and sat down.

「It’s finally over.」

Marie came out from inside the ship toward me, who was completely exhausted.

「Leon! It’s awful!」

「Is it enemies?」

I grabbed onto the handrail and stood up. Marie shook her head several times to me energetically.

「That’s not it. Anyway, just come with me!」

Marie grabbed my hand and dragged me inside the ship.

◇

When we arrived at the sickbay, there was a blonde girl lying down on the bed.

She is muttering something with a blank gaze.

I immediately turned my eyes to Marie and asked her the situation.

「Can she be treated?」

Marie looked down and shook her head.

「Impossible. It’s too late already.」

「She is still alive! She is also still breathing and muttering something like that!」

「Normally she would have died a long time ago already!」

The girl is muttering something.

She doesn’t look dead at all, but Marie grabbed the girl’s right hand.

The crest on the back of her right hand is shining faintly.

But the crest is getting thinner and thinner.

「This is the cause. This is just my guess, but I think this is the sacred tree’s crest. This thing might be what is barely keeping her alive.」

「The sacred tree’s crest? Is it something from the sequel?」

I mentioned the sequel because I recalled the story about the crest that Marie told me.

The stage of that otome game’s sequel was the Alzer Republic.

I was also told that the crest of the sacred tree is an important factor in the story.

Marie pulled me closer to the girl and then she stepped back to leave the rest to me.

「Anyway, listen to her story. If it’s this person, then she should know about the situation in detail. I──have to go back to healing the other people.」

In other words, Marie can’t save this person.

There are also still a lot of other injured people. It seems that Marie is prioritizing them.

I could see Marie making a regretful face when leaving the room.

I approached the girl and grabbed her hand, then I brought my face closer and spoke to her.

「Can you talk? What happened in the Republic?」

I carefully spoke louder than usual, but not so loud that it would startle the girl.

When the girl opened her eyes, she looked at me with lightless eyes.

「I-I’m──Louise Sara Rault. The daughter of Rault House that is serving as the chairman representative of the six great no──bles.」

The girl──Louise-san is trying to convey something to me even while looking pained sometimes.

Speaking of Rault House, according to Marie it should contain the great noble who would become the “last boss”.

Is Louise-san related to that person?

「N-not long ago──a very large airship appeared in the sky. It was a mysterious lying ship that was never seen before. Right after that, the sacred tree became strange.」

「Mysterious airship?」

For an instant, Luxion’s ship body flashed in my mind.

From the perspective of this world’s humans, that ship would look like a lump of metal to them.

「It was very large──and the army of the Republic was helpless before it. There was nothing we could do before that overpowering enemy.」

The Alzer Republic is a powerful country that boasted to be unbeatable when it came to defensive battles.

Such a country was destroyed so easily. I wished this was just a joke.

「Your country was unbeatable in defensive battle, wasn’t it?」

「We were powerless before that airship. The airship fired lights. Our allies who got pierced by those lights sunk one after another. Otou-sama and others tried to do something using the sacred tree’s power──cough」

Louise-san coughed painfully. She coughed out blood.

Looking closer, the radiance of the crest on her right hand is getting weaker.

「Looks like I don’t have long.」

Louise-san looked at her right hand while muttering sadly.

I urged her to continue. A part of me wanted her not to force herself, but right now I wanted to get as much information as possible.

「──What happened with the sacred tree’s power?」

Louise-san seemed to guess my feelings. She resumed speaking despite being in pain.

Louise-san is also desperate in order to talk about the situation of her motherland.

「They failed in fusing with the sacred tree. My parents──died at that time. I was told to spread the news about this──if only that girl didn’t show up」

Louise-san’s expression turned grave. Tears of mortification spilled out from her eyes.

「If only the survivor of Lespinasse House didn’t get in the way──that detestable girl.」

「Lespinasse House got in the way?」

「If only that girl didn’t get in the way, things wouldn’t turn out like this.」

The survivor of Lespinasse House, a destroyed large noble house──in the sequel the survivor of that house should be a girl who is the main character.

Why did the main character get in the way? Besides, Rault House was the antagonist house, wasn’t it?

Rather, shouldn’t they be on the side perpetrating the destruction of the country?

While I’m confused because questions without answers are coming up one after another in my mind, Louise-san wiped her tears of frustration and continued her story.

「The priestess calmed down the rampaging sacred tree. But the sacred tree turned into a sinister form and absorbed her. Even now, she is suffering in our homeland. Please, I don’t know who are you but, I beg you──please save Noelle」

By priestess, did she mean the main character of that otome game’s sequel?

Certainly, Marie said that the female of Lespinasse House can become the priestess.

In that case, there is a discrepancy with what she said just now.

「The priestess is a member of Lespinasse House, right? Didn’t she betray your country?」

Her explanation is inconsistent.

Louise-san too isn’t in a state that is fit to give explanation. The accuracy of her information is doubtful.

It seemed that Louise-san couldn't hear my voice anymore. She is mumbling in regret.

「Noelle──I should have properly spoken more with you」

Louise-san’s consciousness is getting hazy. She became unable to even answer my question.

But, at the end she muttered.

「Leon, I’m sorry. Onee-chan, couldn’t protect anything.」

「Eh?」

Why did my name come out there?

No, she must mean someone else with the same name as me.

But it strangely bothered me.

Then, Louise-san looked at me and reached out with her hand.

When I grabbed her trembling hand, Louise-san smiled.

「So, you came to pick me up huh, Leon.」

「No, umm」

「I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. I’m sorry that Onee-chan, is really a useless Onee-chan. Even though I wanted to protect──I couldn’t protect anything. Everyone did their best to stop the sacred tree, but we didn’t make it in time. I’m sorry, Leon.」

◇

Marie, who was treating the injured, found a terribly scared girl around the same age as her among them.

That girl had bright pink hair. She was holding her head while crying.

Marie approached and called to her.

「It’s fine now. I’ll treat your injury too immediately.」

「──Someone like me should just die.」

「What are you saying when you managed to survive until this far!」

Marie got angered by the girl’s words, but the person herself was continuing to talk to herself.

「I should have died in that place. No, that’s wrong. I should have never been born.

Everyone died. Because of my fault everyone──both Emile and Serge died to protect me.

Because I did something unnecessary, a lot of people died. I pushed off everything to big sis, I──everything is my fault!」

The trembling girl yelled with a loud voice that everything was her responsibility.

Then one of the injured who heard it stood up.

「Are you a survivor of Lespinasse House?」

The man was seriously injured. He was standing by using a sword like a substitute for a cane.

His gaze, which was filled with naked hatred, was pointed toward the pink haired girl Marie was treating.

「Wait a second, this is a medical room! Put down your weapon!」

Marie stood between the two to intermediate.

 (Lespinasse House? Could it be, this girl is the main character of the sequel? She mentioned Emile and Serge, come to think of it, they are the names of the sequel’s capture targets. Could it be, she failed and entered a bad end?) Marie never thought that Alzer Republic would meet a bad end.

The injured knights and soldiers inside the medical room forced themselves to stand up one after another.

Even some women wearing maid uniforms forced their injured bodies to stand up and grabbed nearby weapons.

The atmosphere inside the room was starting to turn dangerous. The other injured people were only watching in confusion.

The people who stood up were apparently related to Rault House.

「This is for Albergue-sama.」

The man who stood up first was a man in his forties.

He had a well-built body, and from his appearance he seemed to be a knight of high standing.

That strong looking man with a splendid beard on his face was pointing his sword at the girl.

「I told you to stop!」

Marie spread open her hands to protect the girl, but the knights wouldn’t back off.

「Move aside! That woman destroyed our homeland! She is the one who killed Albergue-sama and his wife! And even the princess too!」

「T-this is our ship! I’ll drive off you guys if you don’t listen to me!」

「I’ll jump off this ship right away after killing her. That’s why, move aside!」

The other injured people tried to stop the armed knights and soldiers, but they wouldn’t listen.

「What’s with the commotion?」

Marie saw Leon finally coming there and felt relieved. She dragged the girl to the entrance.

She hid behind Leon’s back while explaining the situation.

「The people of Rault House are angry. They insisted on killing this girl, and won’t listen to me. It looks like this girl is a survivor of Lespinasse House. Because of that, the people of Rault House are angry at her.」

When Leon learned that the injured people who were standing up were from Rault House, he immediately told them to move to another room.

「I need to tell you guys about your princess.」

Hearing that, the knight with the highest rank in this place lowered down his weapon and walked toward Leon.

The way he was dragging his feet to walk forward was painful to watch, but that knight approached Leon with his eyes open wide.

「──Leon-sama?」

Marie was bewildered by the knight’s reaction, but Leon himself only scratched his head with a complicated expression.

◇

The people of Rault House are surrounding the bed of Louise-san who is almost completely unconscious. All of them are crying.

「Princess, please open your eyes!」

「Why is our princess being-」

「If even the princess died, then Rault House will-」

Louise-san’s right hand is shining with a faint green light.

It seems the sacred tree’s crest is anchoring its owner to this world, but even that light is gradually weakening.

At this rate, it will be just a matter of time until she dies.

The knight of Rault House──a man in his forties who introduced himself as Oliver, crumbled on the floor with tears streaming from his eyes.

「I couldn’t protect my master, and now even the princess」

The injured maids are holding Louise-san’s hands while continuing to call out to her.

I hesitated for a moment seeing them like that, but I couldn't put the cart before the horse and asked Oliver-san.

「I want to know what happened. Can you tell me what happened at the Alzer Republic?」

「──Very well. I’ll tell you everything.」

Oliver-san started talking with his shoulders still slumped down. What he told me is mostly the same as what Louise-san said.

A large flying ship suddenly appeared and destroyed the Republic.

After that it seemed the sacred tree ran wild.

It seemed that the ship that was taken down by the monsters was an evacuation ship that Rault House prepared.

No wonder a lot of the passengers are people from Rault House.

It seemed the ship retrieved refugees at the harbor and departed, but after that they were chased by monsters and ran around all over the place.

We appeared at that time and now we are here.

After hearing his story, I asked him about what Louise-san said.

「I have one question though. Louise-san called me Leon when she saw me. And it’s true that my name is Leon. Do you have any idea about it?」

The people of Rault House who gathered here made a shocked face when they heard my name.

Olvier-san lifted his head and looked up at me, then he talked about Leon of Rault House.

「It’s the name of our deceased young master. It was something that had happened more than ten years ago. He was five years old at that time. His atmosphere is similar with yours.

」

「A young master of Rault House is similar to me?」

「If he is still alive, surely he would be a splendid youth like you. I myself was also surprised when I first saw you.」

It seemed that Leon of Rault House died when Oliver-san was still young.

It’s strange being told that a five years old boy is similar to me after they saw me.

「So, because of that ,she mistook me as her little brother, huh.」

「What did the princess say?」

「──She said sorry that she couldn’t protect anything. It seemed that they tried to stop the sacred tree, but failed.」

Oliver-san and the people of Rault House here shed tears when they heard what Louise-san said.

「──So it was impossible even for Albergue-sama. ──If only that girl of Lespinasse House didn’t get in the way」

「Is this daughter of Lespinasse House that girl just now?」

It seems they are really holding a grudge, but please don’t cause a bloodbath inside Partner.

「Aa~, then who is Noelle?」

When I asked about the name that Louise-san mentioned in order to divert their focus, Oliver-san made a complicated expression and averted his gaze from me.

「She is that girl’s twin. Her elder sister’s name is Noelle. She lent her help to stop the sacred tree’s rampage but, it ended in failure.」

「Twin?」

「When Albergue-sama and others risked their life to stop the sacred tree’s rampage, they got in the way and destroyed Alzer!」

So, one of the twins of Lespinasse House was cooperative, while the other one got in the way. This is complicated.

I sighed and surveyed the room. The people of Rault House are looking sad because their master and family died in vain.

It looks like they are really looking up to their master and his family. It would be pointless even if I told them to not hold any grudge, if it’s like this.

I exited the room.

Waiting outside is Marie who has finished the treatment of the injured for the moment.

She is wearing an apron and gloves, but all of them are soaked with blood.

「How is it?」

「I heard their story but I still don’t know what is going on in the Alzer Republic right now.

I learned that the sacred tree is still rampaging even now though.」

「I see. ──What are we going to do now?」

「Our job will be finished if we go back and report this.」

There isn’t any need to force ourselves to go into the Alzer Republic.

Or rather, the force that we have at hand isn’t reassuring.

Certainly, Arroganz and Partner are strong, but it will be a bit dangerous to face an army of more than ten thousand monsters with just them.

It’s not impossible but, there is no need for us to go that far.

When I looked inside the room, I saw the unconscious Louise-san.

「I want to just go back and finish this job though.」

While I’m talking with Marie about our plan going forward, a maintenance robot for the ship’s interior approached while floating up and down.

When it found us, it started moving its body and hands to desperately explain something to us.

「What?」

The maintenance robot is pointing at the direction of the passage that is leading to the hangar.

◇

In the hangar where Arroganz is being serviced.

When I came here with Marie, there is Arroganz with its armor stripped off. He is in the middle of maintenance.

Its internal parts are exposed and its basic frame is laid bare.

It was Arroganz who called us here.

『Luxion found. He is nearby.』

「That guy is here!? Where? Call him here right away!」

If Luxion is here then we would be able to obtain detailed information too.

I wanted to call him right away, but Arroganz said that it’s impossible and pressed us to make a choice.

『He is in an area with a lot of magic particles. Can’t contact. But perhaps he is there.』

「Then let’s head there right away. With Luxion, then perhaps we will be able to heal Louise-san too.」

『But difficult. Luxion is at the sky above Alzer Republic.』

「Ha?」

『The place where a great swarm of monsters are living. To meet Luxion, we need to break through the monster swarm. What to do, master?』

What to do, he asked. Should we force our way through a swarm of monsters to meet Luxion, or should we return to Holfort Kingdom just like this?

If we go back, then there won’t be any danger, but Louise-san will die.

If we force our way, there is a possibility of Louise-san getting saved, and the situation will also become clear.

But, the most concerning thing here is Luxion.

It couldn’t be helped that Marie’s suspicion toward Luxion is deepening.

「Wait. The talk about a mysterious ship appearing in the sky, could it be Luxion? That guy, he destroyed the Alzer Republic!?」

Why is Luxion in the Alzer Republic?

To learn that, we have to meet with Luxion no matter what.

「Arroganz, can we, do it?」

Arroganz answered my question.

『──Recommending a switch to heavy armament assault mode.』

「Permitted.」

When I gave my permission, the maintenance robots inside the hangar gathered.

They took out the new armor and weapons of Arroganz from the containers and then they began the switching work.

Marie grabbed my clothes seeing the heavy atmosphere.

「Wait! What are you planning!? There is no need to be reckless. We can just call for Luxion later!」

「I’m going to question him right away.」

A large backpack is attached to Arroganz.

It’s a large booster that is also packed with weapons to the brim.

Orbs of AI are attached to various places on Arroganz.

It seems that he is planning to entrust all the other functions except frame control to other AIs.

Thick armor plates are prepared and large weapons that aren’t usually used are put into Arroganz' hands.

His form became something that is worthy of being called fully armed.

The meaning of heavy armament assault mode is just as the name suggests, it’s a mode for charging into enemy territory and firing heavy weapons like there is no tomorrow.

It’s a level up for physical attack.

It’s unclear whether the concept of level up existed in this world though.

◇

Around that time.

At Holfort Kingdom, the Sainte Olivia was in the palace’s office.

It was a room that was prepared for Olivia. Everything inside like the furniture was all extravagant.

Because Julius and others kept bringing extravagant things even if she didn’t say anything, the room was turning really gaudy.

However, no matter how many expensive presents she received, Olivia’s heart wasn’t moved at all.

It was only her hatred toward Julius and others that got fanned up, while her fixation toward Leon who was away from the kingdom was getting stronger.

「I wonder who was it who dispatched Leon away in the investigation team?」

She threw away the report that she had finished reading. Kyle, who was standing by inside the room, immediately retrieved it and tidied it up.

Recently, Olivia was always in a bad mood.

She used all the authority that she had, and planned to invite Leon to the palace.

She intended to place him on her side as her knight. As for his title, she could just appoint him as royal guard or elite guard or whatever.

Anyway, she wanted to put him at her side.

And yet, the person himself was going to the Alzer Republic leading an investigation team.

If it was like this, even Olivia was unable to call Leon here right away.

Kyle fearfully asked the irritated Olivia.

「A-are you really going to appoint that person as the Sainte’s knight? I don’t think that His Highness will approve it though.」

In fact, Julius was desperately protesting when Olivia mentioned that she was going to make Leon into her personal knight.

But, for the current Olivia, a protest at that level wouldn’t hinder her at all.

「It’s not Julius who can decide that, but me. My decision means everything.」

「B-but」

「Kyle, I wonder, whose servant, are you?」

「──Olivia-sama.」

Kyle trembled in fear, then he immediately closed his mouth and returned to work.

Olivia turned her gaze to outside the window.

「Perhaps it’s time.」

She didn’t say any more, and Kyle also didn’t ask.

But, the plan inside Olivia was moving to the next stage.

◇

「This cannot be!」

Julius was throwing around his things in anger inside his room in the palace. He looked at a piece of paper and ruffled his hair roughly.

It was a royal edict that appointed Leon as the Sainte’s knight.

Olivia gave her counsel and the king, Roland, agreed to give the official command.

For Julius who wished to consign Leon to oblivion, this was an unforgivable development.

However, it was Olivia who gave the counsel. Even Julius couldn’t go against her.

Inside the palace, Olivia’s influence was getting stronger than even Julius.

A large part of it was also because Duke Redgrave had lost his standing, and Marquess Frampton who gained power in his place was strongly supporting Olivia.

What Julius couldn’t forgive wasn’t about him losing influence, but that Olivia was getting obsessed with Leon.

Jilk was also inside the room, but he didn’t criticize Julius’s behavior.

「Your highness’s anger is just. But, Olivia-san has accepted him. If we show a careless action here, we will lose Olivia-san’s trust.」

「I already know that!」

Julius also understood that logically, but his heart couldn’t accept it.

「──Jilk, is it possible to assassinate him?」

And then, Julius sought for a way to kill Leon secretly from his foster brother.

He was Julius’s foster sibling because he was a retainer who had been raised together with him since they were children like brothers.

In the future, Jilk would obtain the position as Julius’ close aide.

Because of that, he was also taught about methods that couldn’t be done openly.

「It’s possible, but there would be those who suspect us if he dies at this time. It doesn’t matter even if the rabbles suspect us, but there is a possibility that Olivia-san will suspect us.」

「T-that’s no good. That’s the only thing that can’t be allowed to happen.」

Julius feared getting hated by Olivia.

Olivia was the only meaning of life for Julius right now.

「Why does it have to be him, Olivia? Why won’t you look at me?」

◇

The fully equipped figure of Arroganz can be seen on Partner’s deck.

It got put outside the hanger in order to sally out, but its figure is too different from normal.

A catapult is prepared on the deck. There, a lot of injured people are gathering to see what’s going on.

They are looking this way like onlookers, but I have no time to bother with them.

Marie held down her hair that was messed up by the wind while confirming with me, who is going to enter the cockpit.

「So, you’re really going to do it!」

Talking normally would result in our voices being drowned out in this strong wind, so both of us are speaking loudly.

「Obviously! I’m going to see what’s going on with my own eyes! I’ll also give Luxion a punch in the face!」

Marie looked conflicted and turned her gaze to Arroganz and me.

「Still, why is the armor’s coloring over the top like that huh? There is even a rocket attached on the back.」

「Because it’s cool.」

「Which part!? Somehow it looks like it’s bundled up with too much clothes!」

It looks like a girl can’t understand a boy’s romanticism.

Boys love over the top armor that is packed full with weapons.

The current form of Arroganz is truly the dream of any boy.

Arroganz is shouldering a large rocket booster, added with all the extra armor and weapons, now he looks a size bigger.

Making use of this equipment is extremely simple.

Arroganz will travel at high speed toward the destination, and after he arrives, he will annihilate the enemies with all the firepower he has.

Arroganz will cut across the monsters that we are estimated to encounter on the way.

This is the best way to get closer to the sacred tree.

Unfortunately, the rocket booster will be used up and detached when we arrive at the destination, so it would be hard to return back.

If we are unlucky, we might get isolated in the middle of nothing but enemies, but I estimated that we would manage somehow.

I got into the cockpit, and closed the hatch, then, Arroganz' electronic voice spoke to me.

『Preparation all green.』

Arroganz moved his large body, and started preparing to launch.

Arroganz, who is fixed in place with wire, floated up.

『Ignition』

The rocket booster’s nozzle spouted flame with Arroganz' ignition signal.

The wires got disconnected from the momentum, and the iron plank that was prepared behind blocked the flame.

A thunderous roar that is like an explosion reached until inside the cockpit. My ears and body hurt.

「It’s hard to carry out romance in reality huh.」

『Master, you will bite your tongue if you talk.』

After Arroganz warned me, the view in the monitor looked like it’s streaming backward with great speed.

My body got pressed on the seat, and even just holding the control stick is difficult.

Why am I doing something like this?

This too is all Luxion’s fault.

I’ll really punch him on the face when I find him.

◇

After Arroganz flew away, Marie was watching Leon who was at the front of the rocket’s smoke-trail with worry from the deck.

「That guy, he keeps acting recklessly.」

Why was Leon going this far? Marie couldn’t understand──that was what she wanted to say but, she could somehow understand.

Oliver came to deck with a cane supporting his body. He asked her about Leon who was flying away.

「Just what is Leon-sama, no, Leon-dono, planning to do? Also, that armor, it’s just too different.」

Oliver was astonished by Arroganz' performance. Marie gave him a vague answer.

「I also don’t really know, so how about asking Leon when he comes back?」

「I-is that so? And, what is the reason for Leon-dono going there?」

Marie sighed at Oliver’s persistence, and answered him.

It wasn’t like she was feeling displeased by Oliver. It is because she felt like Leon got troublesome things pushed on him.

「He said that he is going to Alzer and defeat the sacred tree.」

「Just by himself!?」

「That will be enough if it’s him. Let me tell you, he is really strong after all.」

Marie explained while hiding the matter of Luxion, then Oliver looked toward the direction where Arroganz was flying away.

From the direction there was no doubt that Leon was heading toward the Republic. He made a surprised face before tears dripped down from his eyes.

Marie rushed toward him in panic seeing that. She supported Oliver who was about to sit down on the deck.

「Wait, are you okay!? If you’re feeling pain, then go get some rest.」

「That’s not it. That person who has the same name as the young master is heading to stop the sacred tree. It feels like fate.」

「Fate? Sorry but, Leon isn’t related at all with this matter.」

「Perhaps that’s right. But there is a relation to us. The dream of the young master who died young was to become the guardian who protect the sacred tree.」

Marie recalled that otome game’s sequel when she heard the guardian mentioned.

Her old memory vividly revived in her mind. She even recalled the game setting that she had forgotten.

「Guardian? That’s the number one big shot in the Republic, isn’t it?」

The sacred tree’s Guardian. Originally that was the role that would be obtained by the male capture target who got chosen by the main character of that otome game’s sequel.

「Albergue-sama, madam, and princess──young master is going.」

Oliver spoke of his master and his family while sobbing.

Leon wasn’t their young master.

But it seemed that to Oliver and others, their young master’s image had overlapped with Leon.

「──Everyone is expecting too much from that guy.」

Marie felt like Leon’s responsibilities were getting heavier each day and spoke with a displeased tone.

And then, she was getting doubtful toward this world that wasn’t progressing like in the scenario of that otome game.

(Just what in the world is going on? In the first place, I never thought that a bad end would happen. If only that girl called Lelia can speak in detail about what’s going on.) ◇

When Arroganz arrived at the center of the Republic, there was a strange sight unfolding.

「Disgusting-!」

A gigantic and sinister looking plant that is dyed white is moving meanderingly.

Insect type monsters are flying around in its surroundings. They are like black beads whirling around what was once the sacred tree to protect it.

The monster with sinister form that can no longer be called the sacred tree has many red large eyes all over its body.

Those eyes noticed Arroganz' approach.

「You are too late in noticing!」

『Purging booster.』

The booster on Arroganz' back is detached and flies toward the monster like a missile.

When the monsters tried to protect the tree monster from the missile by tackling it, it caused a great explosion and a lot of the monsters vanished as black smoke.

「So, it won’t let itself get defeated easily huh. Arroganz, you can do it right?」

『Yes, master.』

The weapons attached to Arroganz started moving.

The insect monsters are approaching, but the interceptor gatling cannons that are attached on various parts of Arroganz shot them and they vanished.

「Don’t think you guys can approach so easily. The current Arroganz is invincible!」

When Arroganz charged toward the tree monster, the insect monsters on his way got blown away.

Like that Arroganz clung on the tree monster, but it was far bigger than I imagined.

「It really looks like a mountain.」

I landed on the monster’s branch, but I’m shocked with how large it is.

Even its branch has enough space for Arroganz to stand on.

Arroganz is categorized as huge among all types of armor, but when I looked at the surrounding scenery, it made me feel like I have been turned into a midget.

「Now then, what are we going to do now?」

『Firing missiles.』

After Arroganz announced, a part of the armor was blown away and missiles showed themselves.

They have drills attached to their tips. The missiles scattered to the surrounding area and stabbed the tree monster, then their drill tips rotated and invaded inside.

After a while the missiles exploded from the inside and caused cracks in the surroundings.

Red liquid spurted out from the cracked places. It looked like monster blood.

「Is this thing really a monster?」

『Investigation required.』

「You’re really serious huh. You don’t need to answer seriously like that every time.」

Arroganz' strangely serious side is really similar to Luxion’s.

Arroganz raised the large rifles his hands were holding and started shooting at the fragile looking spots of the tree monster.

Laser weapons severed the monster’s branches, and live bullet weapons caused explosions when they hit, and spread out the damage.

The tree monster is so gigantic that it’s unable to deal with the small Arroganz.

「So, it’s only at this level when we manage to get this close to it. There is nothing to worry about if it’s like this.」

『Insect type monsters are approaching.』

The insect type monsters are converging to defeat Arroganz.

Our gatling guns fired. The insect monsters aren’t allowed to get closer.

However, at this rate our ammo will immediately run out.

「The analysis?」

『Twenty percent remaining.』

「Then let’s run around to buy time.」

『In the middle of analyzing. Arroganz can’t provide support.』

Arroganz can’t control the armor because he is in the middle of searching for the enemy’s weak point.

If Luxion is here, I’ll be able to leave everything to him. It’s too bad.

But I’m not worried.

「No problem. I’m good at running around.」

『Master is good at running away. Master is amazing. Arroganz committed it to memory.』

「──You don’t need to praise me for that, you also don’t need to remember it.」

I'd lose my stride if he praised me so sincerely like that.

I wished that he would say something like 「Your specialty is running away? Don’t you have any other special skill?」 when I made that kind of joke.

If it’s Luxion, then he would definitely say that.

I operated the control stick and pedals to move Arroganz.

I passed through between the branches to run from the enemies. The insect monsters chased after us seeing that.

I flew around weaving between the branches. I only shot down the monsters that were approaching near.

The gatling cannons and missiles that were controlled by the AIs matched Arroganz'

movement to kill the enemies.

Arroganz, who is defeating enemies one after another just by running around, is peerless.

But sadly, the enemy numbers are too many.

There is no sign of the enemies running out of reinforcements.

The gatling cannons are spouting out bullets without pause. The bullets were shining from the heat and drew a line in the direction where they were fired.

Each of those lines pierced through multiple monsters and they turned into black smoke.

I would find a spot where there is no enemy and fly there, and sometimes I would break through an enemy swarm and run around. After a while of doing that, happy news came from Arroganz.

『Enemy core found. It’s judged that the enemy will stop functioning, or perhaps be weakened, if that core is destroyed!』

「Great job!」

『Displaying the shortest route. It’s predicted that touching the enemy and attacking its inside is a valid method.』

There is no guarantee that the enemy will definitely be stopped by destroying this core, but in the first place it’s within my expectation.

Besides, Luxion too will surely show up if this monster can’t be defeated with that.

「Purge the unusable weapons and unnecessary armors.」

『Roger. Purging parts.』

After Arroganz announced the purging, the weapons and armor parts that are judged as unnecessary got detached one after another.

If seen from the side, perhaps it will look like we are getting disassembled midair?

The armor frame is gradually getting lighter.

Arroganz ended up in a form with fewer armor than usual, and in addition, it’s carrying a small backpack on its back.

It doesn’t carry the usual container.

When the backpack engine that was less reliable than usual spouted fire, the lightened Arroganz accelerated and approached the enemy core.

We ignored most of the approaching enemies and we kept pushing forward by crashing through them.

The armor frame would shake each time we crashed into a monster, but I gritted my teeth and looked forward.

『Enemy core in sight.』

「Hit it with all of our bullets!」

Arroganz obeyed my order and readied the rifle with both hands.

The rifle fired a laser until the barrel became a slag from the heat. Arroganz also fired out all the remaining live bullets.

The last missile pack that was loaded in the backpack is also fired. Now we have no more missiles.

When both weapons were not usable anymore, Arroganz threw away the weapons.

And then when the monster’s surface got gouged, an object that looked like a koala finally showed itself.

Arroganz landed near the reddish black core that is beating like a heart. Then, white tentacles appeared from the surroundings and wriggled around us in order to protect the core.

「This thing, it even has regeneration ability huh.」

When Arroganz stepped forward in order to defeat the monster right away, the tentacles stopped moving for some reason.

The tentacles are convulsing. They looked like they couldn't move even though they wanted to.

When I’m about to take a distance because of the suspicious movement, I heard a voice.

『Wait. Please. There is no more time.』

「Who!?」

I heard a female voice inside the cockpit. I looked left and right to search for the girl’s figure.

I can’t see anyone nearby. However, I certainly felt like there was someone beside me.

I’m surprised, but strangely I’m not scared.

And then from my left side, a girl’s arm reached out and pointed forward.

『Defeat it quickly. If not, this child will really become unstoppable.』

I obeyed the girl’s pained voice and grabbed the control stick while stepping on the pedal.

「Arroganz!」

『Preparing shield pile driver.』

Arroganz broke into a dash toward the monster’s core and pointed the tips of his shields on both hands forward.

Six stakes are loaded inside them.

I said toward the monster.

「Drop dead!」

The shields are loaded with pile drivers.

The sharp stakes are fired with a loud sound. They pierced deeply into the monster’s core.

But it doesn’t end with that.

『Impact!』

Arroganz yelled with his electronic voice. The six stakes that were fired simultaneously radiated shockwaves inside the monster’s core.

The monster’s core shook violently. Then it can’t endure anymore, and cracks form with fluid spurting out from them.

I saw the fluid turned into crystal when it got exposed to air and muttered.

「How’s that?」

Will the enemy move again or not? As I’m trying to judge the situation, there is a gentle voice of a girl from my left side.

When I turned there, I could see a half transparent green silhouette of a girl.

『Thank you. With this, this child too can sleep peacefully.』

「Just who are you?」

Could it be a ghost? As I thought that warily, the girl looked as though she was smiling.

『I’m Noelle. Also, if by some chance you meet my little sister, I want you to tell her something for me. My little sister’s name is Lelia. Lelia Zel Lespinasse. My twin little sister 』

◇

Evening.

Partner finally arrived at the sky above the Republic. It’s located right above the defeated monster that was the sacred tree in the past.

Arroganz is standing on the deck. It looked slimmer than usual with its armor plating and weapons removed. Vapor is drifting around it from the internal heat.

The maintenance robots are blowing something that looks like white smoke in order to cool the frame.

A lot of people are crying on the deck seeing their completely changed homeland.

Marie is holding the handrail, and looking at the scenery below. The scenery spontaneously gave her a chill down her spine.

「How horrible.」

A burnt field is spread out with the sacred tree at the center.

The buildings were blown away into rubble. There is no sign of people moving below.

It’s doubtful that there are even any survivors there.

Oliver, who is near Marie, is patting down his chest seeing the monster that was formerly the sacred tree lying down unmoving.

「Albergue-sama, everything is over. But, Alzer is already…」

The scenery that they saw on the way here showed how the whole continent got turned into a burnt field.

The outrageous sight caused Marie to reconfirm that they are living in an absurd world.

A girl appeared from inside the ship to the deck that was wrapped in such an atmosphere.

「The princess, she-!」

Seeing the crying maid, Oliver hurriedly returned inside the ship.

Marie supported Oliver who was walking unsteadily and she also accompanied him heading inside the ship.

(The bad end really isn’t funny at all. Something like this is just too much.)

◇

Inside Partner.

When I arrived at Louise-san’s room, her eyes were opened.

The crest of the sacred tree is vanishing from her right hand.

The power that is tethering Louise-san to this world has already left.

That girl is looking at me.

She is making a very calm expression. Is it the effect of the painkiller──or perhaps, is she unable to even feel pain?

I told her the course of events while carefully choosing the information that I conveyed to her.

「The sacred tree has stopped moving. It doesn’t look like it will start moving anymore.」

「I see. Thank you very much. Can you tell me your name for the last time? I wish to remember the name of the hero who saved our country. I can’t see anymore, so please let me hear your name at the very least.」

While I’m hesitating for a moment seeing how weak she is, Oliver-san who is being supported by Marie entered the room.

Oliver-san rushed to Louise-san’s side, and crumbled on his knees beside the bed.

「Princess!」

「Oliver, I’m sorry, but I leave the rest to you. It looks like this is it for me.」

Seeing Louise-san’s smile, the people of Rault House who gathered around her are sobbing.

Because the people around are also watching, I decided to tell her my name.

「My name is Leon.」

Louise-san looked surprised and tried to lift her upper body, so I approached her and held her hand.

「Leon? No way, really? U-umm」

I can’t say anything more to Louise-san who is in shock.

She can just think that her little brother came to help.

Louise-san’s hand caressed my face.

「Aa, Leon. So, you kept your promise. Onee-chan, can meet you in the end.」

It seemed her consciousness was getting hazy. She is thinking of me as her little brother.

When I kept holding her hand without denying it, Louise-san’s hand on my face moved away.

Louise-san was shedding tears happily before she drew her last breath just like that.

◇

I entered a single room in order to keep a promise.

A pink haired girl is inside.

「You are Lelia of Lespinasse House, right?」

Lelia who is sitting with her back to the wall is hanging her head down without saying anything.

Marie, who also came together with me to visit Lelia, let out a small sigh and spoke to her.

「There is a message from your big sister.」

「Eh?」

Lelia raised her head. Her face looked terribly haggard.

There are dark circles under her eyes. There is no vitality that can be felt from her.

The incident this time must have really affected her.

「When I touched the sacred tree, I heard the voice of someone who called herself Noelle.

She was the priestess, wasn’t she? She was worried about you.」

「──Lies」

Lelia’s eyes moistened and tears spilled out.

I told her Noelle’s words.

「She wanted me to tell her stupid little sister. It felt like she got a lot of complaints for you, but she wants you to live. Also──she said that she won’t be able to help you out anymore, so take care of the rest by yourself somehow.」

The anger of the people from Rault House is genuine.

From the story that I heard from them, there is no doubt that Lelia was involved with the incident.

The huge flying ship appeared in the sky and turned Alzer into a sea of flame.

After that an abnormality occurred with the sacred tree and it released a ton of monsters.

Unexpectedly it was Rault House that tried to stop the sacred tree.

But it seemed that Lelia and her friends got in the way.

Louise-san and others said that if only they didn’t get in the way, the situation would become manageable with just a bit more.

Marie demanded for Lelia to tell everything.

「Can you tell us everything? We were dispatched from the kingdom to investigate what’s going on here. We aren’t trying to back any side here.」

Marie tried to emphasize that we are a neutral party, but instead large teardrops spilled out from Lelia’s eyes.

「You’re wrong. Everything is my fault. I got a mistaken impression from the start that Rault House is the bad guy and thought that this commotion was also their work. That was why I asked Serge and Emile to get in their way. And yet, that cheat battleship showed up in the sky.」

Marie and I looked at each other hearing her muttering the word cheat.

We are also curious with her perspective of the incident this time, but why did the word cheat come out from her mouth?

The answer immediately came out.

Marie grabbed Lelia’s shoulders.

「You, could it be you are a reincarnator!?」

「Eh? H-how did you…」

It seemed that Lelia’s thinking capability dropped from her fatigue. She doesn’t understand the situation right now.

「We are also reincarnators. More importantly, was it Luxion who you saw in the sky?」

If she knew about that otome game, then surely, she also knew about Luxion──that was what I thought, but Lelia shook her head.

「I don’t know its name. But it wasn’t a normal flying ship. I thought that perhaps it was the type of paid item in the second game. That thing suddenly showed up and attacked. I didn’t understand what was going on anymore and just ran around like headless chicken──and then, in order to protect me Serge and Emile…Clement also sacrificed himself in order to let me escape.」

It seemed that the ship was the paid item of the sequel.

I realized the possibility that there might still be other space ships with equal capability like Luxion existing in this world.

Various troublesome information just kept coming.

It seemed that Lelia was opening up her heart a little toward us. She began to speak haltingly.

「Because I’m an idiot, I caused trouble for my big sis Noelle. I reincarnated as the twin little sister of the main character and got carried away. Because of that I kept troubling my 

big sis and everything ended in failure. I never expected that my actions that I thought were good would all came back to bite me in the ass.」

Lelia is talking about her mistake while tears are dripping down from her eyes.

Marie asked Lelia what she had done while keeping her tone as calm as possible.

「Weren’t you able to set up everything well using game knowledge? You also knew about that otome game, right?」

Lelia wiped her tears with her sleeve and nodded several times.

I can’t believe that she failed despite having the game knowledge.

「At first I thought that I was doing well. No, that’s wrong. That was just my mistaken impression. Because I knew about the future development, I thought that doing this and that would be good and did as I pleased. Because I thought that I know the future, I kept doing stupid things. That’s why everything became hopeless like this. Because I didn’t notice! Why was the last boss risking his life to protect the country huh? Even though he was the enemy! And yet──」

She spoke as though to divert the responsibility to others, but she was surely also feeling confused that the person who she thought of as an enemy was actually in the right.

However, Lelia is recognizing her own mistake.

「──In the end, everything is my fault. I ruined everything like this because I decided things one-sidedly. Even though my life has no worth, and yet, big sis told me to live. This is just strange. ──Even though big sis should be the one to survive」

Lelia was crying while regretting her past actions.

We learned that Alzer was destroyed because of Lelia, but we are unable to blame her.

Marie looked up to me.

「Leon, this is」

「──The worst.」

I saw how we could end up just like Lelia in the future.

◇

Olivia and Marquess Frampton were having a meeting in the palace of Holfort Kingdom.

The two were talking while drinking wine in the luxurious visitor room, but the two of them weren’t even looking at each other’s faces.

Marquess Frampton was standing beside the window as he looked at the scenery outside.

Olivia was leaning down deeply into her sofa as she crossed her legs.

Then she threw her wine glass when she heard what Marquess Frampton said.

The glass crashed near Marquess Frampton and glass fragments scattered, but the man himself didn’t look bothered at all.

Olivia asked him with a forced tone.

「I didn’t hear what you just said. Can you say it one more time?」

Even with Olivia clearly being angry, Marquess Frampton explained to her once more while still turning his back on her.

「We signed a ceasefire agreement with the Principality of Fanoss. From here on out, they will be under our rule.」

「The plan is to destroy the Principality, right? The army is also being assembled for that.

Do you think the military will agree if you tell them to stop after coming this far?」

Olivia was dissatisfied by Marquess Frampton’s decision. She tried to change his mind with a sound argument.

But it seemed that Marquess Frampton had been doing negotiations outside of Olivia’s knowledge.

「The kingdom has also become extremely weary. We should take reparations from the Principality, and let the military rest for a while. Fortunately, her highness Hertrude is within our grasp. We can just educate her so that she can become a splendid queen.」

Marquess Frampton planned to make Hertrude marry with a man who was convenient for his faction, and rule the Principality like that.

Olivia narrowed her eyes as she stared at Marquess Frampton’s back.

「So, you are going against me.」

Marquess Frampton turned around and smirked.

He was talking about the plan going forward, but his tone became condescending as though he was talking to a little girl.

「Right now, I’m the leader of the biggest faction. Don’t think that even the Sainte can just have everything go her way.」

Marquess Frampton, who was already planning to obtain the kingdom, didn't even try to hide his ambition.

He was acting like he’s stronger than Olivia position-wise.

「Be careful not to offend me from now on. You have a wonderful talent as the Sainte, but putting it another way, that’s all there is to it. I can prepare as many replacements as I want to take your place.」

Marquess Frampton, who had put the palace under his thumb, was thinking that discarding Olivia and preparing a puppet Sainte to take her place would also be simple.

It seemed that he planned to prepare a Sainte that would follow every single order from him without regard to the puppet’s capability.

Marquess Frampton gave Olivia a warning.

「You should refrain from acting too willfully from now on. Besides──you will be troubled if I expose all of your wicked deeds until now, correct? If you want to live in the palace as the queen, it will be wiser for you not to go against me.」

Marquess Frampton left the visitor room while laughing loudly.

Olivia’s body trembled after she was left alone──then she began to laugh with a loud voice after a while.

She wasn’t trembling from frustration.

She was simply holding back her laughter of how incompetent Marquess Frampton was.

「What a fool. Did he think that I’ll obey with just a threat? It seems that he is thinking of discarding me, but it’s too bad. ──I have been planning to discard you from the start.」

Olivia had been planning to betray Marquess Frampton from the start when she joined hands with him.

She had also been making preparations for that.

The only difference was whether she would do it sooner or later.

「It’s unfortunate, you would be able to live slightly longer if only you were obedient.」

Olivia stood up and began taking action.

◇

「Let go! Who do you think I am!!」

Marquess Frampton, who was being dragged toward the execution stand, was showing desperate resistance.

But he only resisted in vain and ended up getting fixed onto the chopping block.

It was Marquess Frampton’s retainers who dragged him to his place of execution.

The one who was leading the retainers was Julius.

Julius stood in front of Marquess Frampton and looked down on him with a severe gaze.

He unsheathed the sword hanging on his waist and pointed the tip toward Marquess Frampton.

「Your retainers have informed the palace of all your wrongdoings. I never thought that you were colluding with the Principality behind the scenes even though all of my comrades in arms risked their lives to obtain victory. Furthermore, a ceasefire agreement? You damn traitor」

The sword’s tip poked Marquess Frampton’s hooked nose.

Marquess Frampton grimaced from the pain and yelled toward Julius while forgetting his place.

「What victory you youngster?! How much damage do you think the war is causing? How much will the kingdom benefit even if we continue the war like this? You’re a fool doesn’t even understand that, and simply rejoices in victory! This ceasefire is for the benefit of the kingdom──」

「──Do it.」

Marquess Frampton continued to speak, but Julius coldly ordered his execution.

There was a thudding sound when the beheading blade came down.

Julius sheathed his sword and spread out his arms as he looked up to the sky.

「Olivia, I did as you said. This time you’re going to look at me, aren’t you?」

The one who ordered Julius to execute Marquess Frampton was Olivia.

◇

Leon’s master who was watching the last moment of Marquess Frampton at the execution place shook his head seeing Julius laughing while looking up to the sky.

「This flow cannot be stopped anymore by the looks of it.」

He showed an expression of resignation, but then it changed to a look of determination.

And then he turned his back toward the knights and soldiers who rejoiced in the death of evil and left the execution place.

「Sainte Olivia, I won’t allow you to do as you please.」

◇

At that time Olivia was making her way to the mansion where Hertrude was confined.

A comfortable room was prepared as her prison because she was a royalty.

Olivia narrowed her eyes seeing the room.

「This is a really nice treatment for a criminal. I hope you can tell me how do you feel about it.」

Hertrude behaved courageously toward the hateful gaze that was directed at her.

「What an improper way of acting for the Sainte. Also, I wasn’t the one who asked to be given this room. More importantly, has my treatment been decided already? Marquess Frampton mentioned that I will be able to get out of here soon.」

Olivia opened the door and entered inside. She placed the wine bottle and a glass that she brought on the round table in the room.

And then she smiled kindly.

「I’ll be troubled if you live. I need the Principality to fight till the end, you see. That’s why, will you become a tragic princess for me? If you die, I think that the Principality will continue shedding a lot of blood for this pointless war.」

Hertrude was getting a cold sweat, but she wasn’t agitated. It seemed she had anticipated this.

「So, you plan to fight until the Principality is destroyed.」

「That’s almost right.」

「Eh?」

「I have no intention of ending this as a mere war. I’ll have the Principality vanish literally.

That country and also its people are unnecessary.」

Hertrude was shocked by Olivia’s words and made a disbelieving face.

「Will you go that far? Do you hate the Principality to that degree!? They said that you are a Sainte who is filled with love──」

「──Don’t misunderstand little girl.」

Olivia’s wrath boiled up instantly. It caused Hertrude’s words to get caught up in her throat.

Olivia corrected Hertrude’s misunderstanding.

She felt like expressing her true intentions toward the girl who would die after this.

「I hate everything. Whether it’s this country, your country, or all the nobles and people who are living carefreely there, I loathe them all. I’ll destroy both the Principality and the kingdom. I’ll destroy everything related to Holfort, and then I’ll make a new country here together with Lea. That will become the correct form of this land.」

Olivia’s wrath only dispersed at the moment when she muttered Lea’s name.

Hertrude finally speaks out.

「What are you saying? Even though you are the Sainte」

Hertrude couldn’t hide how shaken she was by Olivia’s objective.

She surely never even imagined in her wildest dream that the Sainte would say that she wanted to destroy her own country.

Olivia made a dark smile and told her that the Principalities role was over.

「Both you and your country have fulfilled your role. Thank you for your hard work until now.」

「Just what made you become like this?」

「There is no need for you to know.」

Olivia said that there was no need to tell her anymore than this and closed her mouth.

Hertrude considered pushing Olivia aside to run away from her prison, but she immediately gave up and shook her head.

It seemed that she didn’t think that she could win against Olivia.

After realizing that, Hertrude poured the poisoned wine into the glass.

Olivia praised Hertrude who accepted her defeat with grace.

「Good girl.」

But Hertrude gulped the poison without replying.

She drank up the whole glass in one gulp. Then she looked down and muttered her little sister’s name.

「Rauda, live.」

Olivia, who knew that Hertrude was referring to Hertrauda, spoke cruelly to Hertrude who was going to do after this.

「You don’t need to worry; your little sister will soon follow after you. Around this time, the leadership of the Principality should be falling into civil war as they push responsibility onto each other.」

Olivia covered her lips with her hand and left the prison.

「I hope you can have a good dream at the end.」

◇

In the prison that Olivia just left behind.

It became hard for Hertrude to stand, and she sat down on her bed.

「What a bad taste. Couldn’t she prepare a kinder poison?」

Her breathing became short and her chest was feeling pain.

Her body collapsed on the bed and her little sister’s face surfaced in her mind.

「I have told Rauda what I should tell her. That’s why, if it’s her then she will surely be fine.

That girl is more dependable than me, so surely with her even the country──」

Hertrude bit her lips and her tears soaked the bed sheet.

「Rauda, I’m sorry. Onee-chan can’t protect you.」

The wellbeing of her little sister who would be left alone weighed on her.

And then, at the end she wished to see her little sister’s face just once more.

Before she departed, they were being monitored so Hertrude could only push Rauda away coldly.

「Please at least allow Rauda to be happy──」

Hertrude was suffering, but her eyes snapped wide open when a powerful impact shook her room.

「Kyah! W-what!?」

When she noticed her room was filled with sand and dust. It blocked her sight.

But she could see light shining in from the outside.

When the wind blew inside and cleared the sand and dust away, there was a gray armor before her gaze.

『──So I didn’t make it in time.』

She heard a young man’s voice muttering in frustration.

The armor held its hand forward.

『I’ll bring you out from here.』

Hertrude somehow lifted up her upper body, but she shook her head.

「It’s no use. I don’t have long to live.」

『My role is to send you back to your country. Isn’t there anyone who you want to meet back home?』

Just who was the one asking this person to do this? Hertrude questioned that, but because she had no composure remaining, she spontaneously answered who she wanted to meet.

「I want to meet──my little sister. I want to meet with Raudaaa」

Tears flooded out.

If it was possible, she at least wanted to meet with Rauda. She conveyed her feelings.

After Hertrude desperately conveyed it with her body that was violated by poison, the young man promised her.

『I’ll definitely bring you to her.』

The large armor took out Hertrude from the room and flew to the sky.

◇

「What the hell! Really what the hell!? Suddenly saying that you want to rescue a princess of the enemy country, spare me from something like this!」

Marie is protesting while half crying, but her hands don’t stop healing Hertrude-san who is lying on the bed.

The gentle and warm light of healing magic enveloped her and delayed the poison’s progression.

If possible, I wanted her to be healed, but it’s impossible for both Marie and I to do that.

I turned my gaze to Luxion who was observing the situation from a little distance away.

「Can’t something be done?」

『It’s already too late. Her life is being tethered down using magic right now, but it won’t be strange even if she dies anytime now. Good grief──new mankind is really obstinate.』

Luxion’s words conveyed his feeling of annoyance.

For Luxion, Hertrude-san is a descendant of new mankind and not a subject for protection.

「So, she is really beyond saving?」

When I confirmed just to make sure, Luxion averted his red lens from me and answered.

Is it just my imagination that it looks like he is feeling some guilt?

『The problem is the type of poison. The poison is created from magic and I’m in the middle of investigating it right now.』

It’s impossible even for Luxion to cure the poison because it was created with magic.

I stopped talking with Luxion and asked Marie how much time Hertrude-san had remaining.

It’s to check whether we will make it in time or not regardless of whether she could be saved or not in the end.

「Can she make it to meet her little sister?」

Marie shook her head. Her blonde hair was disheveled.

「I don’t know! More importantly, why did you accept this request huh? We will become wanted men in the worst case.」

「Because it’s a request from Master.」

「Are you stupid!? This is a crime!」

「Then, would it be better to not save her?」

「I also don’t want that! But──just what should we do here.」

Before we returned to the capital’s harbor, an urgent notification came to the Alzer investigation team.

I received a letter from Master and then we hurriedly headed to save Hertrude-san.

I was asked to do two things.

First is rescuing Hertrude-san and bringing her back to the Principality.

──I didn’t make it in time though.

「I was too late for everything. Whether it’s for this princess, and also with Alzer……」

After I muttered that, Marie spoke of her uneasiness with a meek expression.

「Have we committed some kind of mistake? As I thought, wouldn’t it be better if we didn’t do anything? Because we got involved──that’s why」

We got involved with that otome game’s scenario.

But it was partly because we got dragged in.

Was it a mistake to help Olivia-san in the field trip? Would nothing happen if at that time I just watched without doing anything? I also don’t think that’s the right answer.

That’s exactly why I’m troubled. ──Just what was wrong?

Recently I often thought about Lelia who failed in Alzer.

Because I can’t say that we aren’t committing the same mistake.

I can’t find any answer and feel troubled. It’s at that time Luxion told me that we had arrived in the Principality.

『It looks like we made it in time. But it seems there is a civil war breaking out.』

「Ha?」

『A part of the nobility caused a rebellion. It will be troublesome to allow Hertrude to meet with Hertrauda in this situation.』

When Marie and I turned toward Luxion, he told us that currently there is a civil war between the royal family and the nobles in the Principality.

◇

The palace of the Principality of Fanoss was surrounded by the airships of the rebel nobles.

The cannons of the battleships were pointed toward the palace and fired cannon shells one after another.

The nobles called themselves the Revolutionary Army, and there was the figure of Earl Garrett in the flagship.

He was giving orders to the knights and soldiers while acting as though they were on the side of justice.

「Fanoss royal family is responsible for the war! Who was it who pushed the war that had no chance of victory!? It was the royal family that pushed for war even though we were at peace with the kingdom. Make them take responsibility! We have to show justice to them for the sake of our compatriots who died in war too!」

Garrett was lining up words like justice and responsibility, but what was going on inside his heart was something horrible.

 (Someone has to take responsibility. The royal family exists for this kind of time. Those little girls were only useful as decorations, but now let’s have them be useful for me.) Garrett was part of the pro-war faction who pushed for war, but when the situation turned bad, he pushed the blame to Hertrauda, saying that everything was the royal family’s responsibility.

He didn’t feel any guilt at all in regard to that.

(I’ll purge away everyone who is in my way and become the leader of the new Principality. 

Marquess Frampton is arranging things for me in the capital. So, it won’t matter at all for me no matter how much the Principality gets harmed.) The other nobles and knights and the military officers who joined this rebellion were also in the pro-war faction.

At this rate, the kingdom's military would come attacking and they would lose their lives.

Before that happened, they would make Hertrauda take responsibility and presented themselves as obedient vassals to the kingdom. That was the purpose of this rebellion.

「Justice is at our side!」

(Now that Vandel is also gone, I can act as I please. After all, until now I couldn’t move freely because of that guy.) The one who just barely reigned in the pro-war faction from doing as they pleased was Vandel.

But, even Vandel had died in battle.

There was almost nobody in the pro-war faction who would stop Garrett and others.

◇

Inside the palace.

The people protecting Hertrauda were gathered inside a room that was solidly made.

The general in charge of the defense was sweating coldly by the reports that were coming in one after another.

「The magic barriers won’t hold!」

「The damage to the palace keeps increasing!」

「The armor’s number isn’t enough. We won’t last if we got infiltrated like this!」

The general who got stubble on his face swung his fist on the desk. He cursed the nobles who rebelled.

「Those damn traitors! How dare they try to sacrifice her highness so they can escape responsibility by themselves!」

The relatively decent knights and soldiers remained, but they couldn’t deal with the sudden rebellion and were forced into a hard battle.

Hertrauda who was sitting on her chair stood up and gave an order.

「It’s over. Announce my surrender.」

The anxious general persuaded Hertrauda to not surrender.

「Please stop! At this rate your highness will get killed.」

Hertrauda shook her head.

「You have fought well until now. Besides, there is still Onee-sama who is captured in the kingdom. Even without me, the Principality will remain.」

「Your highness」

The surrounding people were shedding tears, and then the palace was rocked fiercely.

Hertrauda almost fell, but the maids caught her and the general yelled.

「Have they broken through!?」

And then, a soldier rushed in to report about what happened outside.

「T-trouble!」

◇

「Open the path you bastards!」

「I’ll shoot anyone who gets in the way!」

I walked in the corridor of the palace while carrying Hertrude-san.

We forcefully infiltrated the palace with Arroganz and made Luxion show the way.

『Please follow this path forward.』

「It’s really convenient with you here huh.」

『Why yes, thank you.』

Marie walked in front of us. She was holding a shotgun in her hands and threatened any knight or solider who approached.

Walking in the castle with the three of us like this made me recall the night when we obtained the magic flute.

The palace is being shaken by bombardment from outside. Sand and dust are falling from the ceiling.

In front of us there, Hertrauda appeared with guards protecting her.

「Onee-sama!」

Hertrauda-san came running. Hertrude-san noticed her and opened her eyes.

Her complexion was bad and her lips were also turning pale.

She looked at Hertrauda-san with lightless eyes and smiled.

──Recently this kind of thing kept happening. I’m sick of it.

Louise-san’s face flashed in my mind. I shook my head to clear my mind.

Hertrude-san held up her hand.

「Rauda, I’m sorry. Onee-chan, couldn’t do anything」

Hertrauda-san strongly gripped the lifted-up hand.

「That’s not true! That’s not true at all. That’s why──don’t leave me alone. I don’t wanna. I don’t want to be alone.」

The big sister Hertrude-san made a troubled smile seeing her sobbing little sister.

「I’m sorry that I’m leaving you alone. But you see, there is something that I want Rauda to do.」

「Onee-sama?」

「Stop the Sainte. She is dangerous. The kingdom is already half controlled by the Sainte.

She is planning to destroy this country and also her own country.」

「Something like that」

「It’s true. That’s why Rauda, put this country in order. And then protect the people. Even for a mere puppet, that’s still the responsibility of the royal family.」

「──Yes」

The knights and the soldiers around us who are regarding us warily opened their eyes wide hearing Hertrude-san’s words.

It seemed they couldn’t comprehend how the Sainte could plan to destroy her own country.

Even Marie and I are the same.

It’s too shocking that I interrupted the two’s conversation.

「What do you mean? Did Olivia-san say that? Really!?」

Then Marie pushed me back.

「Hey, this isn’t the time!」

「S-sorry」

I got in the way of the sisters’ farewell in this life. When I apologized, Hertrude-san spoke of the truth with a pained smile.

「The Sainte Olivia certainly told me. That she is going to destroy everything related to Holfort. The Principality too was descended from the Holfort royal family’s blood if you traced back our lineage. For her we are also her enemy.」

Olivia-san said that she will destroy everything?

Blood left Marie’s complexion.

I recalled Olivia-san when she yelled for help during our meeting.

Really──just how did things turn out like this?

「Rauda, become the queen. And then, fight the kingdom, protect the people.」

「B-but the Principality doesn’t have the strength for that.」

Hertrauda-san understood that it’s impossible to oppose the kingdom with her country’s military strength.

That’s why, Hertrude-san looked at me.

That was Master’s second request.

To join hands with the Principality.

I came to this place as the envoy for that.

「It seems that the nobles of the kingdom also don’t intend to obey the current royal family. They promised to lend us a hand for that. The one who saved me is the knight who defeated Vandel.」

The gazes of everyone who gathered here turned toward me.

Hertrauda-san’s gaze on me turned grim.

「──The rumor that there is a masked knight who defeated Vandel has spread even in the Principality. I never imagined that such person could actually exist.」

Just for an instant I thought to correct her for calling me The Masked Knight, but I didn't want to get in the way of the two’s conversation, so I stayed helplessly quiet.

Besides, I can’t keep calm from being looked at with gazes of shock and hatred by the surrounding.

Hertrude-san continued talking even while being in pain.

「First put this country in order. Rauda, there is no one else but you who can.」

Hertrauda-san pressed her forehead on Hertrude-san.

「It’s impossible for me. Onee-sama should be the one who become queen.」

「Don’t ask for the impossible. I won’t last long. I will watch over you from now on.」

「Onee-sama.」

「I’m glad I can meet you at the end. I always love you forever, my beloved sister──Hertrauda」

Hertrauda-san started crying. Then, Hertrude-san turned her gaze to me.

「Leon-dono, can you listen to my request?」

「──Is it the guys outside?」

I thought that she was going to ask me to defeat the traitors outside, but Hertrauda-san powerlessly shook her head while smiling.

「There is also that, but what’s important is Rauda. Please protect this child in exchange of the Principality’s support.」

「No, I」

When I’m about to say that I can’t hold that much responsibility, Hertrude-san stared at me with eyes that had lost their light.

「I hate you who killed Vandel.」

「──Of course you do.」

I killed The Black Knight who was the hero of the Principality.

It’s only natural for her to resent me for that.

Even so I’m bewildered that she is suddenly speaking out her true feelings like that. Then, Hertrude-san cursed me.

What’s more, it’s an extraordinarily nasty curse.

「That’s why I curse you. Because if a strong and kind knight like you hear my last wish, you will surely make it come true.」

「I’m kind? Also, this talk about curse doesn’t sound peaceful at all.」

「It’s a wish. It’s a hope for me but a curse for you. What I believe in isn’t your country or the nobles. It’s you yourself.」

「You’re overestimating me. Even so──you are a more horrible person than I expected.」

That’s certainly a curse.

「If it’s for my cute little sister, I’ll put one or two curses on other people. ──Please, save my little sister Hertrauda. I’m begging you. Kind──mister knight──」

Hertrude-san ran out of strength.

After I entrusted her to the knights of the Principality, Marie grabbed my arm.

「You’re going to accept? Stop that! You’re really going to break one day. This isn’t like you, isn’t it? Doing something like this isn’t in your character at all.」

Marie, who is worried about me, is looking terribly frightful for some reason.

「Joining hands with the Principality isn’t a bad plan at all.」

「But!」

「There is also my responsibility for neglecting things until now. Besides, I have Luxion with me so I won’t lose.」

I naturally turned my gaze at Luxion.

Luxion replied with an electronic voice that doesn’t let me guess his feelings at all.

『Defeat is impossible as long as I’m here.』

Marie let go of my arm and muttered in frustration. Looks like she still can’t accept this.

「That isn’t it. That isn’t it at all.」

◇

The nobles who were holding the advantage until just now around the palace were running around trying to escape.

Garrett, who was riding the flagship, was frightened seeing the armor that appeared from the palace.

He ordered the flying ship’s crews to run away quickly.

「What are you doing! The opponent is the guy who defeated The Black Knight!」

The flagship reversed direction to escape. From its bridge, they could see the allied flying ships beside them slowly falling toward the ground with flame enveloping it.

The allied armors flying around were being chased around by objects that looked like a cylinder.

When the cylinders hit, they would explode, and the target would fall toward the ground.

The flagship, which was a huge flying ship, was slow in reversing direction.

Garrett was leaking out cold sweat and trembling because they would end up as a mere target like this.

「Bring us away from here quickly! This is an order!」

「We are trying!」

In this chaotic battlefield, a lowly sailor could speak rudely toward an Earl like Garrett.

Both Garrett and the people around him were so panicked that no one could criticize such rudeness.

The cause of that was also because everyone here somehow managed to sense it.

Someone yelled.

「Hih! The monster came!」

Their allies were being shot down one after another on this battlefield. Before they realized it the flagship had become the last survivor.

What appeared and peered into the bridge was an armor with black and grey coloring.

The armor looked boorish and fiendish. It swung down its battle axe into the bridge.

The armor’s hand reached in from the slashed spot and forcefully widened the opening.

The armor looked down on Garrett and others and gave a demand of surrender.

『Give up already.』

The entrance of the kingdom’s armor that defeated the black knight caused everyone in the bridge to lose any will to resist and they fell down on the floor.

Only Garrett understood that he wouldn’t be saved even if he surrendered here, so furiously protested at the armor.

「Why is the kingdom’s knight here!? So, her highness is connected with the kingdom! This is an alarming situation. That traitorous princess has to explain the situation properly──」

Garrett desperately questioned the princess──Hertrauda’s crime in order to survive, but the armor forcefully stopped him from continuing with a swing of its fist.

The armor’s fist was swung down in front of Garrett and the floor dented greatly.

Surely Garrett would have died if the fist got just a bit closer to him.

Garrett weakly crumpled down on the floor. Seeing that, the kingdom’s armor flew up to the sky.

What appeared after that were the knights of the palace.

They boarded the flagship one after another and captured Garrett and the nobles of the pro-war faction.

◇

Around the time Leon was rampaging in the Principality.

In the palace of Holfort Kingdom, Julius heard about the matter of Hertrude and rejoiced.

「Is it true!? It was definitely Arroganz!?」

Julius grabbed the shoulders of Jilk who brought the report and shook him strongly from how happy he was.

Jilk forcefully removed Julius’s hands and tidied his messed-up hair and outfit while continuing his report.

「It’s true. The people working in the confinement mansion said that they saw Arroganz.

That armor has a unique appearance, so there is almost no mistake.」

Leon rescued Hertrude.

But from the kingdom’s perspective, it was definitely a traitorous action.

Julius rejoiced because Leon himself gave him the justification to attack him.

With this even with Olivia’s back up, few people would defend Leon.

Julius laughed at the carelessness of Leon who wasn’t here.

「What a foolish thing to do. This is a failure that cannot be excused. Bartfort, it’s over for you now.」

Julius started laughing loudly, but Jilk was refraining himself to only smile.

Jilk himself wanted to laugh at Leon, but he was an imprudent person.

He cautioned Julius to not criticize Leon openly.

「Forgive me for disturbing your highness’s happiness, but we shouldn’t criticize him too much.」

「Why?」

Julius turned a sharp gaze toward Jilk.

Jilk shrugged and taught Julius the problems.

「It’s Olivia-san. No matter the reason, she would definitely become sad if we move openly in regard to this.」

「Y-you’re right.」

Julius too turned weak when Olivia’s name was mentioned.

But his wish to kill Leon was also strong.

Jilk gave a suggestion to Julius.

「Let’s use Rutart.」

「Does that guy have any use? An unreliable fellow like that?」

Julius recalled Rutart’s unreliable figure when he met him and became uneasy.

Could that guy really defeat Leon?

He could only imagine how it would end up in failure.

「Let’s make Rutart expose Bartfort House’s wicked deed. With a situation like this, let’s exaggerate the accusation somewhat and make him a complete villain. With that, the people who ask for the subjugation will also increase.」

Jilk suggested to unite the opinion inside the palace to agree with the subjugation, so later they would also be able to participate while pretending to be reluctant.

Julius agreed with Jilk’s suggestion.

「That’s a good idea. And then what about Rutart?」

「Let’s dispatch him as the commander of the advance unit. He will lose anyway, but it will make a beautiful story of a young knight who fought for justice.」

「Rutart is more useful than I imagined huh.」

The two smiled and left the room.

◇

A few days later.

Rutart was appointed as the commander of the subjugation army against Bartfort.

The number of flying ships he led was ten ships.

All of them were old type ships, but from Rutart’s perspective, commanding ten flying ships was a great promotion for him.

Before his departure, his mother Zola and his elder sister Merce came to the harbor dressed their best.

Zola praised Rutart who became a commander.

「This is excellent, Rutart. You have obtained great success. As expected from my son.」

Merce also rejoiced from Rutart’s success because they would also receive the spillover from it.

「All the wealth of that baron house will become ours if you succeed. Rutart, do your job properly.」

Rutart slapped his own chest.

「Leave it to me. With this many ships, that kind of hick countryside will turn into a sea of flame right away. No matter how strong Leon is, he won’t be able to do anything against this number.」

Rutart was scared of battle and never experienced real fighting even once. He was underestimating Leon’s strength.

No matter how much the people around him explained just how great Leon’s achievements were, he only thought that they were rumors that got embellished in the battlefield anyway.

He got into cloud nine by the number of ten flying ships and couldn’t see reality very well.

「His highness Julius has told me. If I succeed, I will be appointed as a court noble with the rank of Earl.」

Court nobles didn’t have territory, but they could live in the Royal Capital. And becoming a court noble with the rank of Earl could be considered as a great success.

Both Zola and Merce also rejoiced hearing that.

「Do your best Rutart!」

「Make this a success no matter what!」

Rutart made a salute that he wasn’t used to making to answer the two’s expectations of him.

「I’ll definitely come back with good news.」

Rutart promised the two that he would succeed and boarded his flying ship.

◇

The fleet was heading toward Bartfort territory.

Inside the bridge of an old flying ship, Rutart was wearing a ceremonial military uniform with excessive decorations.

The military personnel scoffed in ridicule when they saw Rutart’s appearance and behavior, but the person himself didn’t realize that and acted like a big shot.

「Oi, we still aren’t there yet?」

Rutart kept asking when they would arrive every one hour. The crews on the bridge were fed up with it.

「Still not yet. How about taking a rest if you don’t have anything to do?」

The crews didn’t respect Rutart.

The reason was because Rutart was an amateur.

Rutart hadn’t done anything since he graduated from the academy. Originally, he wasn’t someone who could become a commander.

The military personnel who got this person pushed on them due to the order from above had only dissatisfaction.

Rutart refused to rest.

「No way I can rest. It’s a chance that I finally grasped.」

For Rutart, this was the great chance to overturn his situation.

In the past, Rutart got scared and ran away from the battlefield. Because of that he was treated as a coward in noble society.

In contrast Leon and Nicks performed wonderfully in the battlefield and obtained success.

Due to that Rutart got mocked as someone inferior to a mistress’s sons and tasted a horrible humiliation.

For Rutart, this was a justified revenge even though it was nothing more than his unreasonable resentment.

「I’ll kill them and take away everything they──」

Rutart chewed on his thumbnail while mumbling to himself, but he couldn’t finish his sentence.

「Flying ship sighted! Their crests are──Redgrave House and Earl Bartfort House’s crests!

They number thirty ships!」

Rutart rose from his chair.

「Why!?」

Why were Redgrave House and Nicks here?

Rutart who originally intended to destroy his family with the violence of numbers was flustered because the enemy appeared with three times his number.

「They’ve fired!」

The military personnel yelled.

「Deploy the shield quickly!」

「No good. This ship’s output won’t be able to endure that!」

Rutart’s flying ship was bombarded with cannon shells unceasingly. It immediately got enveloped in flames.

「No! I don’t wanna to die in this kind of placeeeeeee!!」

◇

Nicks, who annihilated the subjugation army, was looking down at the sea from a flying ship’s deck.

A fragment of Rutart’s destroyed ship was floating on the sea and swaying due to the waves.

Standing beside Nicks was Gilbert, who was leading the Redgrave House’s fleet.

Gilbert thanked Nicks, who was an Earl.

「Thank you for Nicks-dono’s cooperation.」

Nicks made a conflicted expression due to the thanks that he received.

He wasn’t used to the eldest son of a duke's house treating him politely, but even more than that, his heart’s composure couldn’t keep up with the current situation.

「I have no other choice but to lend a hand after hearing that my parent’s home would be destroyed. I’m amazed that Dorothea and Roseblade House allowed this. It would be safer for them to hand me over to the kingdom.」

When he heard that a subjugation army was dispatched to his parent’s territory, Nicks thought that he would be immediately handed over to the kingdom.

But that didn’t happen.

He was confused by that. In response Gilbert made a meaningful smile and explained the situation to him.

「Roseblade House isn’t a house that cannot read the trends of the time that they will wag their tail to the current royal family.」

「──Are you really planning to talk directly to Leon? My family is just a baron house. Is it really necessary for the eldest son of a duke house to personally head out?」

Gilbert came here in order to invite Leon.

「He has been taking care of my little sister. Besides, I have high hopes for all of you.」

◇

Olivia let out a deep sign at the palace.

She crushed the report she was reading in her fist and threw it away.

「Men’s jealousy is always unsightly no matter the era.」

She spat out that sentence. Kyle, who picked up the report, asked her in fear.

「I heard that Bartfort House will be subjugated, but is it alright for Olivia-sama to not do anything? Err, Leon’s──」

「I had told you to attach the befitting honorific, didn’t I?」

Olivia narrowed her eyes with killing intent at Kyle’s rudeness toward Leon.

Kyle hurriedly corrected himself.

「Is it alright for Olivia-sama to not save Leon-sama!?」

Olivia showed an expression that was tinged with sorrow.

「It’s pointless. Julius and others are going to act on their own anyway. It looks like they have used Rutart as a disposable pawn.」

Arroganz, which Leon piloted, was amazing, but taking Bartfort House’s battle strength into consideration too, Olivia judged that Rutart had no chance of victory.

In fact, the news that they had been defeated would soon arrive.

There was something more unforgivable than that.

Olivia let out a thin smile.

「I wonder if it was Lea’s blood in him that made him sometimes do crazy things? Like how he lent a hand to the Principality’s princess. It’s a detestable act, but it’s great.」

She was rejoicing while also angry.

Kyle was unable to understand that complicated feeling of Olivia.

「U-umm」

「There is no way Leon will lose against just this much. In fact, Rutart will definitely lose.

Even so, Redgrave House also moved huh.」

Even though it was a chaotic situation, Olivia was feeling happy that the obstacles were vanishing one after another.

Redgrave House rebelled.

It seemed that nobles were gathering one after another to lend them a hand.

In order to oppose those nobles, the kingdom planned to intercept them with Julius as the supreme commander.

Olivia felt unbearably happy.

「Now then, I wonder who is going to vanish next.」

(As long as Lea and I are the last one surviving, then the others don’t matter at all.)

◇

Partner returned to the port of my family home.

And now I am facing my father in my family’s mansion.

Father is injured and lying down on bed. He is making a conflicted expression when he hears my story.

Does he want to be angry, to feel shocked, or cry?

His expression kept changing rapidly before it settled in resignation at the end.

He must have a lot of things that he wants to say, but it seems he is prioritizing the important matter for now.

He is really a capable father.

「That’s a really heavy responsibility for a countryside noble.」

「Agreed.」

After I finished telling father what happened at Alzer, the matter of me lending a hand to the Principality, and the information that I obtained at the capital, father made his decision.

「Leon, I can’t make the decision. I have also spoken with Nicks and Gilbert-dono, but I can’t make heads or tails of the situation.」

Big bro and Gilbert-san visited here just a bit before I returned.

It seemed that big bro immediately went back, but it seemed that Gilbert-san checked on Angelica-san first before returning.

More importantly, I was more surprised by the talk that Rutart came attacking here.

If it was that guy then it was certainly possible though.

「It’s troubling if father can’t decide though?」

I pressed father to make a decision, but he put the decision making on hold.

In exchange he made a different decision.

「Become the house head in my place. It’s not even the time to ask the kingdom for permission anymore, so I’m making you the house head by my order.」

「Ha? No, that’s no-good right!?」

「You’re the one who is no good! By what kind of mistake could you end up getting into a fight with the kingdom huh!? Actually, I want to yell at you for acting as you pleased, I even want to sock your face.」

Father showed his injured arm and said 「You are lucky I’m in this state」 before telling me the true reason he is handing the house head position to me.

「I can’t make the decision. Besides, you will be able to manage this situation better than me somehow.」

「Father」

◇

When I exited the room, I ran to Marie who came to bring food for father.

「Is the scolding finished? From the looks of it, you didn’t get punched, did you?」

It seemed that Marie thought I would get scolded by my father because of my actions.

Certainly, it would only be natural for my father to get enraged by what I had done.

「Father is injured so he can’t punch me.」

「Considering what you had done, it won’t be strange even if you get punched.」

I rescued Hertrude-san on my own and lent a hand to the Principality.

Certainly, I was acting too selfishly.

Marie looked worried for me.

「There is really no going back now. What are we going to do now? Are you planning to ask Luxion to manage this situation somehow?」

If I requested Luxion then ultimately everything will be resolved──or even if that’s impossible, he will still manage somehow using brute force.

But a part of me doesn't want to go that far.

「Using that guy’s power to go into a rampage is a bit, you know?」

「You’re saying that now after you have rampaged as you pleased in Arroganz?」

「It will be a massacre if Luxion gets serious. I don’t want to…」

We were talking while walking through the corridor, then the topic moved to the people under the care of my Household.

Starting from Clarice-senpai and others, the people we saved from the Republic are now also under the care of my house.

The reason is because we couldn’t hand them off to the capital, so our only choice was to bring them here.

「What are we going to do with the people of Alzer? That person called Oliver is managing them right now, but how long are we going to shelter them here?」

「I want to hand them over, but there is a possibility I’m a wanted man right now.」

「You’re definitely a wanted man now! That was why I objected! Men are really stupid, they kept shouldering needless things. My big brother also had a side like that in him.」

「Your big brother did? Didn’t you say that he was quick to snap and underhanded?」

「──Sometimes he acted rashly. It was also a problem how he acted like it was no trouble at all for him. Something like that was troubling for the people around him.」

Marie spoke of her memory about her big brother in the previous life. She looked nostalgic.

Her expression looked happy but lonely.

「That’s why, you too shouldn’t be reckless.」

「Then you don’t need to worry. In the first place I don’t have many options to choose from.」

「What do you mean?」

「──You remember that I spoke with Master before this?」

「You mean when I wasn’t there?」

I told Marie everything about what I learned at that time.

「It seems the Sainte is talking about recruiting me to enter her elite guards.」

「Haa!?」

「The palace was in chaos because she started talking about recruiting me with special treatment. After all His Highness Julius and his friends have a grudge against me. They couldn’t possibly allow a man like me to be at the side of the woman they love.」

「What the hell. Could it be that things are getting strange because of their jealousy? This is the worst.」

It would be great if this is just a joke, but for His Highness Julius and his friends, I’m becoming someone who should be killed.

I don’t know how much authority Olivia-san held, but a large part of her influence came from her status as Sainte──and as the lover of His Highness Julius and others.

Marie is furious.

「She has taken over just as we thought! If it’s like this let’s ask Luxion to do something about the Sainte.」

「I also considered that, but it’s too late already.」

「Why?」

That day, I heard from Master....

「──It seems that the in luential nobles of the kingdom have given up on the palace. They are making preparations to rebel behind the scenes. There will be civil war soon.」

Marie stopped walking. Her complexion turned white.

「No way」

I, who walked several steps ahead of Marie, also stopped walking and looked back with only my upper body.

「It’s true. Master told me. At this stage things can’t be solved with just a talk anymore.」

It seemed that Master was taking action to avoid civil war if possible.

But if even Master has thrown in the towel, what will start after this is a civil war that doesn’t exist in the game scenario.

How long will I have to fight, I wonder?

Even though I had spilled a lot of blood in the war against the Principality, it seems that this country still hasn’t had enough of battle.

「It’s the worst huh. In the end we are also the same like Lelia.」

When we realized it, the situation was heading toward the worst direction compared to that otome game’s scenario.

Perhaps it would be better if we didn’t do anything unnecessary and simply watched things unfolding quietly.

The result of us carelessly interfering invited a situation where there is no turning back.

Marie looked down and asked my plan from here with a dark expression.

「What are you going to do? You’re going to fight again?」

「──Maybe.」

「Why!? That’s just strange!」

Marie raised her head in disbelief at my answer. She began trying to persuade me.

「You will happily go to war just because your teacher told you to? You can just ask Luxion to solve everything! If it’s him then surely he will take care──take care」

Marie, who doesn’t fully trust Luxion, is hesitating to rely on him.

If it’s him then surely, he will solve this matter with tough measures.

It’s scary because he might seriously blow up the capital.

「I’m doing this not because Master told me. I decided it by myself.」

「Why!?」

「Because I was the one who thoughtlessly got involved and neglected things.」

「Tsu!」

Marie also has an idea of what I meant, so she can’t say anything back.

Things wouldn’t become like this if we were more on the ball.

We considered everything with simple thought, as the result the country is almost getting destroyed just like with Lelia’s case.

「Marie, I’ll move on seriously until this matter is resolved. I’ll also borrow Luxion’s strength and end the civil war.」

「By that, you means going against the country, right?」

Considering my standing, I can’t stand at the kingdom’s side.

After all His Highness Julius and others hate me.

After I nodded quietly, Anne who listened to our talk showed herself.

『I heard a nice talk.』

I jerked in surprise. Marie looked around while yelling angrily.

「Come out you eavesdropper!」

『I apologize for eavesdropping. But if you two are going to fight Holfort and his gang, then I too shall lend you my help with my all. After all my objective is to destroy them all.』

My heart is thumping loudly in surprise.

Anne showed up by passing through the wall. Black smoke is wavering around her.

The humanoid black mist is approaching us.

No matter how I looked at her, she only looked like an evil spirit or ghost, in fact she is the resentment of the Sainte.

As I’m trying my best to not let my fear show, Anne informed us of an emergency situation.

『More importantly head to your floating island quickly. Angelica is going to run wild at this rate.』

「Eh?」

『I told you right? That girl is similar to me. It’s not just her personality. In the worst case that girl might be an existence who is as dangerous or even more than Olivia.』

◇

Angelica was living on Leon's floating island.

The mentally unstable Angelica was living in a tower that was made from piled up stones.

There are iron bars attached to her window and a tough door that was locked from outside.

Originally Leon and others also didn’t want to imprison her, but they had no other choice because of Angelica’s strange state.

Gilbert, who was worried about his little sister, came to visit.

Behind Gilbert there was Cordelia who had the role of taking care of Angelica.

「Long time no see. Cordelia will stay with you from now.」

Cordelia bowed her head to the haggard looking Angelica, but she didn’t show any reaction.

Cordelia pressed her hands on her mouth seeing that. She muttered 「How terrible...」

tearfully.

Gilbert sighed seeing Angelica’s state.

「Accept the situation already.」

(His highness’ betrayal must be very painful for her.) Gilbert knew that Angelica loved Julius, however he never expected that it was to this degree.

He had to tell Angelica the truth.

「You won’t even reply? But I’m going to talk about what’s going to happen. Because originally I’d have you work as my liaison with Bartfort House.」

In her current state, Angelica didn’t look like she would be able to fulfill that role.

But Gilbert held an important talk with her in order to not let her do anything rash, either.

「Redgrave House has rebelled against the royal family.」

Angelica lifted up her face.

Her face was haggard, but her eyes looked like they were shining eerily.

「The influential nobles are siding with us. Because the current royal family isn’t worthy for their loyalty.」

The actions of Julius and others until now had been making the nobles dissatisfied.

Besides, the movements inside the palace were also suspicious.

‘If Redgrave House is going to stand up, then I’ll lend a hand’──there were a lot of nobles with that stance.

「Angelica, Redgrave House shall take the throne. The fate of the nation now depends on how we act! Can you understand what that means?」

He meant that they would dethrone the current royal family and sit on the throne themselves.

Not only the king and the queen, even Julius and other royal family members would all get executed.

Angelica stood up with a weak swaying.

「And His Highness? What will happen to His Highness?」

「You are still worried for His Highness Julius even now? It seemed that when he heard of our rebellion, he vigorously proclaimed that he would personally subjugate us. It seems he is thinking that he can still win. Even though the military is also gradually coming to join us… It’s too bad for you, but give up already. His highness Julius… that man knew that you were here and yet he still dispatched an attack force. Do you know what was the command given to them? “Sink, burn, destroy” . For him, your existence only worth that much.」

Gilbert was convinced of his victory because of the sheer force disparity.

And then he talked about how much Julius was making light of Angelica.

It was in order to make her give up, but what he actually did was pour oil on the fire.

Angelica began to smile hearing that story, the air around her was sinister:

「Aha… Ahahaha! Is that so… I am only worth that much for His Highness! ... Huhuhahaha…

this too… this too, is completely the fault of that woman! Who called herself a Sainte and tricked him!!」

Flame manifested around Angelica. It slowly whirled in an inferno Stepping in front of Cordelia to cover her, Gilbert conjured a magic barrier, separating them from a fiery Angelica.

「Angelica, stop!」

Angelica was laughing in despair. The ribbon tying her hair and other ornaments got consumed by the fire. Her beautiful long blonde hair, strangely enough, remained unscathed.

What was burnt was only her outfit. The blazing fire did nothing to her skin, it looked as if the firestorm and the duchess became one.

「”Sink, burn, destroy” huh? Hahah… if there’s something to be burnt, it is that woman!

Those that deceived His Highness, must be reduced to ashes!」

Angelica was lost. Gilbert and Cordelia were stunned witnessing the transformation.

「S-Stop!」

「Angelica-sama, please stop it already!」

The two desperately kept calling in order to stop her, but Angelica slowly raised her left index finger toward the two. Immediately, the inferno, like a living being, swarmed Gilbert and Cordelia. The two were thrown against the tower’s wall, which easily broke apart. They landed on the ground somewhat safely, suffering from only minor burns and a few scratches.

Gilbert looked at the building from outside, what was a burst of fire grew into a violent fire tornado.

Angelica’s laughing voice could be heard from there.

「Burn! Burn! Everything should just burn!」

Angelica’s sorrowful laugh echoed into the distance.

◇

When Marie and others came to the floating island, a whirlwind of fire was dying the cloudy sky red.

A girl’s laughing voice was coming from inside the flame.

To Marie, that voice was… extremely sad.

「How can even Angelica do something like this?」

This was outside the domain of magic that normal sorcerers could handle.

Anne appeared beside the dumbfounded Marie.

She didn’t stand out because everyone’s gaze was attracted to the gloomy flame tornado.

『That girl is descended from the same bloodline as me.』

「Haa!? That’s the first time I’ve heard that!」

『You and Olivia are my direct descendants, but Angelica might be the descendant of my little sister.』

「I never heard that you had a little sister!」

『I didn’t tell you because you didn’t ask. In the first place, my little sister and I were sisters in name only and more like strangers to each other. Perhaps, she became my replacement as the Sainte after I left?』

It seemed that her relationship with sister wasn’t particularly good, although they also held no resentment toward each other.

Marie was curious about Anne’s story, but it wasn’t time for that right now. Right now, the priority was Angelica.

Marie could feel the heat intensifying which each step forward. The fire whirl was burning the surrounding atmosphere.

「Hot! How can we save her like this huh?」

She wanted to save Angelica, but she couldn’t think of any ideas to do so.

Anne offered her cooperation to Marie.

『I can meddle with her mind to make her stop.』

「You can do that?」

『”If” I get close enough. You see, no sane person would charge head first into a firestorm.

』

「It’s no good then!」

Just like what she did with Marie, Anne could pacify the duchess and stop her rampage.

But for that, she needed to break through the fiery wall and touch Angelica.

Marie couldn’t do anything. Her and the others could only watch, but there Leon appeared riding Arroganz.

「You can somehow manage if you get closer to Angelica-san right?」

Leon opened the chest hatch and peered out. Anne nodded to him.

『It’s possible if I can get close, but are you planning to challenge the blaze?』

Leon lightly tapped Arroganz with his fist.

「Don’t look down on Arroganz' heat resistance.」

Arroganz himself replied to the smiling Leon.

It seemed that he was confident.

『Arroganz can endure that flame. Luxion also said that.』

Luxion appeared in this place when his name was called.

His electronic voice was the same as usual. Marie couldn’t feel any motivation from him.

『There won’t be any problem. Even with just master’s flight suit, he will be able to endure that flame for several minutes.』

Leon invited Anne into the cockpit.

「Come on, stand over here.」

Anne hesitatingly entered into Arroganz' cockpit.

Usually Leon was scared toward Anne, but now he wasn’t showing any fear, perhaps because of his uneasiness toward Angelica.

Next Leon turned his gaze to Luxion.

「What about you?」

Are you coming into the cockpit too? Leon invited, but Luxion turned it down.

『I decline. I can give my support even from here.』

「...I see. Marie, stay away.」

「R-right」

Leon entered the cockpit and closed the hatch.

But for some reason Marie was feeling uneasiness in her chest.

(Why is it? I got the feeling that I shouldn’t let him go.) For some reason it felt like her heart was yelling that she couldn’t allow Leon to go.

She clenched her hand, pressed her chest, and swallowed back her words.

In exchange she put out words of encouragement.

「Go save her without fail!」

When Arroganz' hatch closed, Leon’s reply came from the speaker.

『Leave it to me!』

When Arroganz flew into the massive firestorm, Marie felt nothing but a foreboding feeling.

Luxion, who remained beside Marie, expressed his inability to understand Leon’s action.

『I’m baffled. Is there really any worth in going as far as that to save Angelica?』

For Luxion, Angelica’s worth was only that much. Furthermore, even the Holfort Kingdom and this whole predicament were simply trivialities to him.

Marie grasped her own chest and clenched her hand on her clothes.

「Of course, there is. There will be a lot of problems if Angelica dies.」

『──Everything will be resolved instantly if we blow away everything though?』

「Don’t joke around at this kind of situation!」

『My apologies. I wasn’t』

After Luxion fell silent, Marie looked toward the flame that Leon flew into.

She knew that if it was Leon then he would return safely, but for some reason she thought that she had committed a mistake.

(Why is my chest feeling this painful?)

Leon’s action of saving Angelica should be correct; and yet Marie was feeling an indescribable anxiety. She felt like it was a butterfly effect; her chest tightened from the regret and fear for a point of no return.