Chivalry of a Failed Knight Volume 11

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Along the national borders of Vermillion and Kledelland.

There was a place dyed in a bright yellow on the whole surface of a small hill
on the Vermillion side.

It was an extensive sunflower plantation that sustained the exportation of cut
flowers and one of the main industries of Vermillion.

– Oh myyy, this year they bloomed beautifully toooo.

– Yeah, and the inside of the beehives are full of the finest honey.

– Having them grow properly in this cold summer had me anxious, but I’m
relieved they’re in time for the festival.

The women in the village that managed the sunflower field showed relief
while picking up the sunflowers that had grown up splendidly.

The cut flowers picked up here were all given for free to Kledelland.

They were used to decorate the location of the friendly party of the people of
both nations that went hand in hand with the war between Vermillion and
Kledelland, and it was called――the festival. The honey would become
delicacy sweets at stalls to delight the tongues of men and women and the cut
flowers would please the eyes of the people watching the adorned parade and

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the floats.

*TN: Floats = allegorical floats.

– I only hope for the people of Kledelland to have a good time.

The village girl who picked up the flowers murmured and wiped the sweat
that flowed on her forehead and looked towards Kledelland side.

At that moment.

– Hmm?

The girl caught something strange in her field of vision.

– Hey, Okaa-san. There were joint exercises today too?

– Exercises? I haven’t heard anything about it, but why do you ask all of a
sudden?

The girl pointed from the top of the small hill to the plains of Kledelland that
spread in the distance and answered to her mother who had a puzzled look.

– Because, look over there. ――why are there so many tanks coming from
Kledelland?

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◆◇◆◇◆

Ikki and company walked straight ahead the main street of Lucelle for
approximately ten minutes and then a wide-opened space spread out before
their eyes.

A park where bright green grass filled their eyes under the perfectly clear
summer.

A solemn round-shaped architecture made of stone towered at the center of it.

That was the National Stadium of Lucelle, and the venue for this war.

Ikki and the others, the representatives of Vermillion, were going to fight
against the representative team of Kledelland that Johan led at this place next
week.

Aside from that, the stalls that were built all around the park to be the firsts
were crowded with hasty people.

Ikki and the others slipped into the lively group of people and visited several
stands to have a meal.

– Waaa, look, look, Ikki! This one has so much waffle, strawberries and
cream!

– It’s amazing. It looks like a cake.

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In front of the glad-looking, high-spirited eyes of Stella.

Fresh cream whirled on top of the waffles lined up at the storefront, even
fruits received the very same treatment. Ice cream and chocolate sauce were
also served thickly, they gave off a different presence from the simple waffles
sold at Japanese stands.

Rather than looking like a cake, it was completely a cake.

The people whose specialties weren’t incredibly sweet food would obviously
have their bellies full just by looking at them.

Stella, who loved sweets, rapidly finished the payment and ordered
with「Mister! This one please」, then stuffed her cheeks on the spot and raised
a voice of joy.

– Aaah! Muu…〜〜〜〜, the strawberries have a delicious sweetness and
bitterness――――!

– Hahaha! The Dragon Princess of Vermillion truly knows how to eat it.
Seeing so makes this old man happy. Here, have a chocolate waffle free of
charge.

– Really!? Thank you, mister!

Lunaize spilled a sigh while watching the exchange between the shopkeeper
of the stall and Stella.

– She ate three Frankfurt and four croquet-monsieur before coming here and
she’s still eating…? Ikki, get married quickly and take that person back to
Japan. At this rate, we will have no choice but to start a revised draft budget
for the food expenses of this person.

Ikki, the person concerned, smiled bitterly to the sarcasm as he didn’t get if
Lunaize was joking or being serious, and the onlooker Johan laughed,
looking happy.

– Ahaha. Stella-chan has been a glutton since always, no?

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– Everything has a limit. Good grief, I wonder if there’s a black hole in her
stomach or something.

– But don’t worry. She looks like she’s having fun. Ikki-kun can also think
something that he likes. It is my treat.

– Ah! That’s not necessary.

– I made you come here by saying something unreasonable, this selfish
request of mine. If I don’t do at least something like this, then my honor as a
Prince won’t stand.

Johan said and shrugged his shoulders frankly.

He probably listened attentively to the candid advice of Lunaize and was
putting it into practice.

As for Ikki, he was saved now that he became less formal, making it easier
for him to talk.

– In that case, then I’ll order as much as I like…

Ikki looked towards the stalls while appreciating the consideration of Johan.
――And,

– Huuh? Isn’t Johan the one over there?

The voice of a woman in a group reached them.

When Ikki turned his eyes towards the direction of the voice wondering who
the person was, there was a group of four people of both sexes over there.

– Whaaat are you doing here during working hours? Are you cutting classes?

– You sure? Both Mira and Luke are wrong.

– Yeah. Johan doesn’t do that.

– But look again. He’s with a woman. Who on earth is…. Ah! That someone,

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I think it’s Luna-san!

– Oh, it is her! Then that means the red-haired girl standing there is Stella-
chan!?

And Stella, who noticed the presence of the four people speaking in a
familiar tone of voice,

– Luke-san and Mira-san! Reid-san and Enaris-san are also here! It’s been a
long time!

Yeah, she returned a smile.

It appeared that the four of them were closes acquaintances with Stella and
the others.

– Wait, what? Why are you two here? We’re still one week ahead of the war,
aren’t we?

Johan returned a question to one of the four people, to the short-haired
woman.

– I summoned them. You see… we had to talk with you guys. About the
criminal we were warned by《League》that may be hiding near here. Once the
fight starts, the coming and going of people of both countries will increase a
lot. I think that a prior consultation to take a coordination of security is
necessary.

– The objective of that guy is concealed, or rather he has no objective, but
one thing is certain and that is that the other party is a leader of《Rebellion》
which causes anxiety to the world. There’s no such thing as being too
cautious, is it?

Johan nodded to Lunaize’s complement,

– Besides, the samurai who defeated《Crimson Princess》while having magic
powers equal to an F-Rank’s magic powers has come from the distant Japan.
We would like to seek knowledge even a minute, a second faster if possible.

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He took a stab at arousing Ikki’s interest who was left alone from a while
ago.

– Ikki-kun. I’ll introduce them to you. They are the representative knights of
Kledelland just like me.

(I figured so…)

He had guessed so from their looks and the reactions of Stella and the others,
but,

– Ikki? Eh? He’s that kid, the aforementioned strong foreign player that is
participating as a guest this time!?

It looked like they had never seen Ikki until now.

To the four surprised, short-haired people,

– My name is Kurogane Ikki and I’m a student-knight who has come from
Japan. In this opportunity I have the privilege of participating in this war as a
representative of Vermillion. It is my pleasure to meet you.

Ikki bowed his head.

The four people responded with,

– Ara ara, we are being politely again somehow. I am Mira. Nice to meet
you〜.

– I’m Reid. This is my wife Enaris. We saw your match. When I saw it, it
was the first time my heart throbbed so much in a match. It was incredible.

– Yeah. It was amazing.

Each one of them returned a self-introduction.

However, one of them. The small man with ruffled hair cheekily observed
Ikki as if he was appraising him,

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– But… the feeling I got when looking at him is that I don’t find him to be
that strong, you know? Like I can bring him down with one punch.

His manner of speaking was incredibly rude.

Stella put a provocative smile on the corners of her mouth,

– Judging Ikki by his looks will give you a painful experience, Luke-san. I’m
telling you this because I had such a painful experience, I guarantee it.

Somehow she returned that with proud.

The small man called Luke laughed at such objection of Stella,

– Can I have《Crimson Princess》’s autograph? You’re not funny. ――I’m
Luke. I’ve heard about you. We were told you’re going to defeat us to marry
Stella-chan. But damn, although we are in 21st century, I just laughed because
that talk gave the feeling of coming from a tribe or something… but it’s a
shame. We’re carrying the pride of our country on our backs. You appear to
use the sword very proficiently, but given you’re just a student, you won’t
defeat us. You should have thought of another way to persuade <King Sirius>
that uncle from now on.

Yup, he provoked Ikki.

Apparently he was the most hot-blooded of the four people.

The transmitted coercion was real, it seemed that the soft, downy hair he had
got burned just by facing him.

An act that made certain the real strength of Luke; that he wasn’t speaking for
nothing.

If he were an average knight, then he would be cowering with fright with this
level of coercion, absolutely.

And so, Luke himself also went with that coercion with the intention of
crushing him here arrogantly, cutting into war through personal matters. This
is what guys would call a bangai senjutsu*.

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*TN: A term used in board games where instead of getting
victory by playing the game itself, the opponent is defeated in a

psychological warfare before or during a match. It literally
means off-board tactics.

However,

– No. I can’t do that.

《Worst One》Kurogane Ikki wasn’t an average knight.

And with a tone of voice like it would certainly kill, he

– I swore. To her and her family. No matter the trial, I will certainly
accomplish it. That’s why I won’t lose. The things you guys are carrying on
your backs are heavy, but I can’t give up the things being carried on my back.

Resolution and determination met in this fight.

They coldly answered back they weren’t inferior to each other.

– ――――Heh.

Luke had eyes wide opened like he was impressed by Ikki,

– Fufu. Boring bangai senjutsu is futile, Luke. This man looks like a
temperate boy, but he has a strong self as if his body were made of steel.
When it comes to stubbornness, it can be compared to our father. He’s not an
opponent you’ll be able to shake with words.

– … I do see so. So much different from Prince-sama, a man with the same
gentle nature.

– Ahaha! That’s right. Johan is easily manipulated by the words of others.

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– Uugh…

– I’m pleased with you, Ikki. Though I won’t say that we’ll have a good
match. I’ll crush you with all my strength!

– I’ll be looking forward to it.

Thus, the two exchanged greetings one more time and the people that was
listening attentively to the unusual occurrence where the representatives of
both countries met abruptly before the match while encircling them got all
excited.

『Oh my! Way to go, you Japanese lad! You have a lot of courage!』

『Both Kledelland and Vermillion, go for it! We’re cheering for you!』

『Oh yeah! Prince Johan! The representatives of both countries are finally
gathered! It seems there are some things you have to do, but for the time
being, why don’t we celebrate today’s day!? We have food and drinks here as
well!』

『Hey, I like that! Everyone, let’s eat till we explode!』

– … eh? That is…

Johan tried to decline since he had an important reunion after this, but,

Lunaize was in charge of it.

Johan said something before her,

– Thank you. I thank you in representation of Vermillion.

– Lunaize-san…

– It’s fine. The war is next week. It’s not like we’ll discuss and argue every
minute and second consulting about security, so we better not treat with
disdain their precious kindness, alright?

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– If Lunaize-san says so…. Understood.

– As expected of Lunaize-san! She is so reasonable〜!

In this way, trivial party preparations began in the square where the stalls
were set.

People went to the stalls and gathered food as they pleased, played music and
enjoyed today’s meeting.

Well, a noisy excuse could be done if he wanted to, but if they didn’t have
sympathy towards Stella and company, then they wouldn’t have started
talking about holding a party.

(This is great…)

Ikki smiled due to the warm spectacle.

– What is that happy-looking face you have, Ikki?

– Ah, no… I had heard about this from Lunaize-san, but now that I look at it
again, it’s amazing. That the people of the countries who have been fighting
for hundreds of years can get along like this.

Territorial disputes. Historical disputes.

Those weren’t the only problems that Vermillion and Kledelland had.

Although Ikki wasn’t particularly interested in politics, he knew from the
news he heard every day that Japan also had similar problems and was
working hard to deal with them.

Though it wasn’t going so smoothly.

That was why the relationship between Vermillion and Kledelland seemed to
be hard to get and that in itself was very valuable and rare.

However, Stella tilted her head to the side, saying「Is that so?」.

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– I don’t think it’s that strange though.

– You think so?

Stella nodded in a big way together with an of course.

– Because everyone will always be better laughing than fighting, right?

Then she looked towards the people who were making progress with the
preparations for the party and muttered.

– Every time there is a conflict, the selfishness of people who only think of
themselves awakes. The majority of people wishes for peace, however a
bunch of self-centered ones tramples underfoot the feelings of the kind
people. … I can’t allow that. I became a knight to not allow that.

Small nations needed strong knights.

So that they weren’t squashed by the will of large countries.

To protect the people living there from any malice.

The eyes of Stella who was talking about that were staring at somewhere far
away.

Maybe she stared at the scene, at her distant self――

– I see. What Stella wants to protect isn’t just Vermillion.

– That’s right.

Stella nodded and spread her hands wide.

As if she hugged everything that was visible.

And then, in a loud voice ――

– I love Vermillion! I love Kledelland! I love the kind people living there!
That’s why… so that I can protect them. I’ll become stronger than any bad

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guy! Even than those from that nightmare future! Even than the criminal
hiding in this area! I don’t know if he’s《Marionette King》or《Radish
Sprouts》, but I don’t care who that guy is, as long as I’m here, I’m not going

to let him hurt anyone!

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– Sorry. That’s impossible.

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Chapter 8: The country called
Vermillion

– ――――――
A voice, a mock-like voice caressed the nape of her neck from behind.
Stella reflexively turned around.
And she saw him.
A boy with a faint smile on his face as he hung upside down on a thread
suspended midair.
He squinted his heterochromatic eyes, and that figure of the God of death.
And that God of death, in the instant he was still,

– 《Grand Guignol》

*Snap*, He snapped his fingers.
At that moment, Stella certainly felt.

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Something so thin it was almost invisible; a cold intuition that tore her whole
body off.

Stella, who was also a warrior, noticed it.

This sensation was identical to a slash.

The enemy had released a slash.

It wasn’t a sword slash.

But countless slashing attacks. A vision where these slashing attacks that
resembled a mesh of a net would cut her body into tiny pieces spread radially
from the boy hanging in midair before her. Not only herself, but also Lunaize
and the people of Kledelland who were behind her would be swallowed by
them, and their bodies would also turn into――

(――――――!)

Unless she stopped them.

Unless she stopped them, everyone would die.

She thought so, but Stella’s body didn’t move.

It was natural. The thought of Stella right now was almost like a revolving
lantern.

With absolute death appearing right before her very eyes, her ability to
concentrate was far beyond her limit and her consciousness was falling
behind.

Stella’s capabilities weren’t enough to be able to keep up with the ability to
concentrate on the verge of death.

It was a complete surprise attack. She couldn’t react to it. Nobody could
prevent the tragedy.

They weren’t able to prevent it.

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Yes.
Whether she was awake or asleep, she was always prepared to fight, but if
only the ability to concentrate on the verge of death was a part of hers,

But a person was the exception, and that exception was Kurogane Ikki…!

-《Ittou Rasetsu》――――――!!!!

He roared.
Immediately after, in that frozen instant, a shock hit Stella’s body.
It was Ikki.
Ikki, clad in a blue light, thrust Stella away and plunged to the net of
incoming slashing attacks,
– OOOOOOOOOOoooooooOOOOO――――!!!!
The motivation of the loud scream and his whole soul were placed
on《Intetsu》and he swung it.
A slashing attack as if it scooped up vertically from below.
That slashing attack united altogether with the thousands fine slashing attacks
as it gave off innumerable sparks and launched it into the sky.
Due to Ikki’s instantaneous countermeasure, the tall street lights and the
roadside trees of the square were chopped up, and the pigeons flying in the
air became cuts of meat and rained incessantly on them, ――but the people
gathered there resulted completely unharmed.

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This being the case,

– Aha aha aha! I see, I see, this is great, isn’t it? You daringly jumped in very
near my《Grand Guignol》and dealt with it before the threads spread!
However, it’s not like I’m saying you’re superior to that《Wings Abreast》with
that judgment, reaction and pretentiousness. Kurogane-kun.

He measured and gave praise to Ikki’s strength ―― and laughed slightly.

– Well, the cost of that seems to be quite big, isn’t it?

– Haa, ha, ――…!

Fresh blood gushed out from the whole body of Ikki together with the
scoffing-sounding words of Or=Gaule.

Yes, Ikki certainly protected everyone in this place from the surprise attack of
the boy with his instant judgment.

He protected everyone. By himself.

But――that was it. His technique reached everyone but himself.

Ikki crumbled down due to the damage that hewn his whole body and to the
uncommon exhaustion due to《Ittou Rasetsu》.

Seeing that,

– Ah――――

Sparks flicked in Stella’s field of vision,

– AAAAaaaaaaaaaaaa ――!!!!

The frozen time melted away, and manifested the burning 《Laevateinn》.

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She dashed in order to strike the boy who was hanging upside down with a
torrent of fury that overflowed from within her.

However,

– Aha, Stella-chan is so short tempered as usual. Since we are finally
meeting again, will you allow me to introduce myself properly?

The hanging-up-side-down boy wasn’t flustered by Stella’s charge, he just
raised his right hand slowly and bent the five fingers slightly.

――At that moment,
– Lookout, Stella!!!!
– ――――!?
A scream, the voice of Lunaize who was near her, hit her earlobes.
No way, when she turned around,

– 《Circus Maximus》

Johan Kristoff von Collbrand, who mounted a golden warhorse, was pushing
out his own Device knight-spear《Chariot》.

– ――!

She twisted her body right away, but her positioning was bad, she was struck
by the projected knight-spear.

Stella’s body, which was unable to stand firm, was sent flying in a big way, it
was mowed down.

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Then Johan, who aimed at the collapsed Stella, jumped down from the
horseback, quickly pinned the joints of her arms down and held her there.

– Aha calm down a bit, Stella-chan. It’s alright, your boyfriend isn’t a man
who’d die with this much, is he? … But it’d be disappointing if he does die.

– Kuh! Jo-Johan-nii!? Why…!?

Stella raised a voice of astonishment and protest due to Johan’s actions, but,

– … I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry.

– Jo-Johan-nii…?

She became speechless seeing the facial expression of Johan who held herself
down.

There was no light in his eyes. The parched lips assembled words of apology
she didn’t know for whom they were directed at.

Even though Stella knew this figure of a bit timid, tenderly spirited and
slightly older friend of hers… he became gloomy and dull, he was almost a
mere shadow of his former self, he was completely changed.

And Johan wasn’t the only strange one there.

– Stella…! E-Everyone! Run away from the square right now!

Lunaize, who saw this bad situation in which even Stella was being held
down next to Ikki, shouted at everyone around them to evacuate.

――But,
『Run away? But why?』
『Let’s have a toast for this wonderful encounter!』

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『Let’s sing! Let’s dance! Merrily, merrily, merrily!』

The people of Kledelland――didn’t run away.

Everyone began to dance and sing without escaping.

With unboundedly cheerful smiles pasted on their faces that got wet with
pigeon’s blood.

– Th-this is…

– Aha it’s futile. This is already my toy box.

“Toy box”. With those words, Lunaize realized.

– Ah, the ability to manipulate people at will…! I see, you’re 《Marionette
King》Or=Gaule , the culprit that was in the report from the League!

The boy responded to this with「We have a winner!」, revolved in the air all of
a sudden and landed on the ground.

He revealed his own name as he saluted, bending at the waist with
hypocritical courtesy.

– As you know, I’m Or=Gaule. Thank you very much for responding to my
invitation today, your Highness Lunaize.

– … I see, so the phone call of that day was a trap? … But there’s something
I don’t get. What the hell does a leader of《Rebellion》, the criminal
association that threatens the world, want to do with a small country like
this!?

Or=Gaule stared in puzzlement to the question of Lunaize,

– 《Rebellion》? I’m no longer with those guys. I got tired of them.

– What…!?

– It means that I’m not working for《Rebellion》. I just… came to play with

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Stella-chan.

Or=Gaule, who said so, gazed at Stella.

– Nice to meet you… nah, it’s not needed. Because I’ve already met Stella-
chan once through a marionette.

– At that time…!

The detestable evil she faced before.

Stella felt a strong sense of discomfort as he appeared in front of her,

– You came to play with me!? How dare you to do such a thing so brazenly!?
What did you do to Johan-nii and the people of this country!?

She glared at《Marionette King》 Or=Gaule with eyes burning with anger and
shouted at him.

Towards this, Or=Gaule――whose glad-looking face brightened as if he was
waiting to hear that,

– Aha I had them become my puppets by using a bit of my ability. By doing
so, the puppets move as I wish. Look, I can control other people using
threads, though Stella-chan knows that, doesn’t she? By using that. I got the
prince to give me a hand with the cleaning. … Like killing the king of this
country, killing the strong knights of this country and all sorts of other things
as well.

With that said, he pointed at the ones next to Lunaize.

Stella and Lunaize turned their eyes towards that finger.

Luke and the others, the four representatives with the exception of Johan,
stood stock still expressionless,

The next moment, the four of them crumbled down on the spot as if they
were puppets having their threads cut.

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*Squashed*, they twisted and their limbs went in all directions.

Then, pitch-black blood overflowed from their eyes, ears and noses.
「「〜〜〜〜」」

Stella and Lunaize knew.

When they came across Luke and the others today… they were dead already.
– Aha aha! The prince also resisted while getting frantic, saying「Stop」
「Please stop」at first, but it didn’t matter how much he struggled, he couln’t
escape from my threads once they have entwined around the nerves. And
now he has become completely obedient, he reached a point where he just
mutters to himself. Maybe he broke or something? Aha.

The acts of the devil were told, revealing everything.

Johan continued apologizing for the crimes that he committed but had no
control over.

What happened to Johan’s body? The moment Stella understood all that――

– I’ll kill you!!!!

– !?

Faster than Stella, and with the words she had said just now, Lunaize drew a
dagger for self-defense and ran up to Or=Gaule.

However,

– Luna-nee! Don’t do it!

She was way too reckless. Because Lunaize wasn’t a Blazer.

Stella recovered herself and shouted to the thoughtless action of her older
sister who thought she was calm, but,

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– Ah――!?

She didn’t make it in time.

Lunaize got entangled in his invisible threads before she reached Or=Gaule.

And Or=Gaule stared at the prey caught in the spider web in satisfaction,

– Aha, what a good reaction! Oh, maybe you two loved each other?
-〜〜〜〜!

– This is so good. In that case, then I’ll be your love cupid, alright? … Hmm
but, let’s leave the fun for later, and be obedient now. Because I came to play
with Stella-chan today.

Yes, when Or=Gaule told them so, the body of Lunaize was gently separated
from the ground.

– Guh, hh, hh…!

Lunaize, who floated in the air, groaned in pain and buried her nails into her
neck.

An invisible thread was strangling her neck.

Stella noticed this,

– S-stop! The one you have a grudge against is me, right!? Luna-nee and the
rest have nothing to do with this! Challenge me directly!

And shouted at Or=Gaule.

Or=Gaule looked at Stella with that shout, as if he was surprised.

– Eh? A grudge? Against Stella? Why do you think so?

– Why!? You’re holding a grudge against me because I defeated you at that
time… right!? Didn’t you come to retaliate!?

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The only connection between her and Or=Gaule was one act at the《Seven
Stars Sword Art Festival》.

That was why she asked if it was revenge or something. But,

Or=Gaule denied this with an exaggerated body gesture accompanied by
a「Nope!」

– Rather, at that time, I was kind of deeply in love with the nobleness and
kindness of Stella-chan! She’s such a wonderful woman! With the exception
of Stella-chan, the only other person I’ve felt such feelings for is my Nee-san.
Hating you is unthinkable!

– If so, then why are you doing something like this…!

She just couldn’t understand it.

Or=Gaule talked back without hesitating towards Stella who said so.

– Why, you ask? ――Because it’s funny.

– … huh?

– Stella-chan said it not long ago, didn’t she? That everyone loves peace. It
was better to laugh together than to fight each other. But, I’m not like that. I
just love watching people suffering and getting injured.

– ――――!

– My heart tightens when I look at the lingering affection and regret floating
on the anguished facial expressions of the ones heading to death. When I
imagine the sadness of the bereaved family that was left behind, it turns so
painful as if it was done to me. Especially when they make me kill a beloved

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one with my strength, the wailing of their hearts is transmitted through the
threads, the emotions develop cracks and break, and the shivering is… I can’t
describe it. It’s cruel, sad, painful… but that’s what makes it so fun, I can’t
help it. All the more if it’s my favorite girl! That’s why I don’t have any
resentment towards Stella-chan. Rather, it’s the opposite. Yeah… I’m so
looking forward to it. How much can Stella-chan last without breaking…?
Can you bear it even if I kill your father and mother? And your sister? Can
you remain being high-minded even if I make you torment Ikki-kun to death?
Or will you cry and apologize, and beg for forgiveness while being
obsequious like a dog? Aha… such an unsightly Stella-chan. I’m getting
excited just by imagining it, you know….

Or=Gaule let out a rough sigh and turned his eyes filled with heat.

Stella spat out, putting all the hatred and unpleasant feelings she had into it.

– I see… now I get everything. It’s all extremely clear! You’re beyond help,
so you aren’t going anywhere!

However, Or=Gaule didn’t appear to care, rather, he laughed like he enjoyed
it even more,

– Aha I don’t deny it. I’m certainly broken. However, even if I’m broken, I’m
still a person who was born with only one precious life in this world. With no
moronic stories about spending an insipid life without even having fun with
the people around me. Even I, who can’t enjoy myself without breaking
people, have the right to live happily. And for that reason, I’ll destroy all of
Stella’s important『countries』…!

He said such a sinister thing.

– W-what do you mean by that!?

– Aha aha. I mean exactly what I said. Actually, it started already. The
moment Stella-chan said she was going to protect the people living here! I
started a massive invasion of Vermillion by controlling the army of
Kledelland!

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– W-what… did you say!?

– The people of Vermillion who will suddenly have guns aiming at them by
the neighbors they placed their trust in will certainly be frightened. They’ll be
surprised and will run away, but someday they’ll have to change their
mentality and counterattack. “How could they, even when we believed in
them!”. And if they kill each other, they’ll never recover from that again…!

A scene passed through the mind of Stella in an instant.

The scene in which the people she wanted to protect and she ought to protect
by herself, were killing each other.

That was a despair comparable to the nightmare shown by Tsukikage――

– Don’t toy with meeeeeeeeeee――――!!!!

Flames spouted from Stella’s whole body.

It was《Dragon Spirit》, the Noble Arts that stored the physical strength of the
dragon in her.

With such unmatched physical strength similar to the world of myths, Stella
ripped off Johan who had turned into a puppet of Or=Gaule by sheer strength
and by carrying her joints to the extremes,

– I won’t let you do that! I’ll kill you and stop your foolish plan right here!!

She flew as if she soared towards the enemy who harmed the ones she ought
to protect.

In response to this, Or=Gaule held his right hand up, and attempted to catch
her with a spider web,

But,

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– AAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaa!!!!

Even if the spider web coiled around her, Stella care nothing about it, she tore
it off and moved forward.

Without weakening the momentum of her charge at all, she closed the
distance almost immediately; she got very near to Or=Gaule in the blink of an
eye.

And swung down the blazing 《Laevateinn》 with all her might.

To land a blow on him with the intention to kill him, with absolutely no
mercy.

She didn’t set aim or anything of the sort.

There was no need for that. The strength of the dragon loaded in it was
enough to smash the life of a person even if it grazed them!

Or=Gaule, who saw this,

– Aha what an amazing power. Not even my threads seem able to stop you.
I’m going to die at this raaate. What should I dooo? Oh, that’s right!

He distorted his lips in delight and said.

– I’ll get your significant other to protect me.

At that moment, a shadow squeezed itself between Stella and Or=Gaule.

– Ikki!?

Yes, Or=Gaule manipulated Ikki who fainted with the damage and the
consumption of 《Ittou Rasetsu》and used him as a shield.

The exhausted Ikki, who was struck by the surprise attack of Or=Gaule,
didn’t have the strength to escape from his control.

Ikki was thrown out before the slash of Stella by the cruel will of Or=Gaule.

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Stella tried to stop the attack, but,
(It’s useless, I can’t stop it…!)
The slashing attack travelled as it tore off the Stella’s muscles.
The blow done by the physical strength of the dragon had already reached its
maximum speed.
That speed, and that power. Stella’s own will was unable to stop it now,
– Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!
The blow of the dragon struck the top of the shoulders of the defenseless Ikki.
An instant and severe earthquake shook the entire square, and the matchless
physical strength pulverized the stone pavement under her feet.
The surrounding grass was turned over by the roots.
The strong attack caused even the ground to cave-in.

――――That was what should have happened.

– Eh…?
However, Ikki was standing.
《Laevateinn》, which was thrown violently against the top of his shoulder,
didn’t even leave a cut on his skin.
Because――a jet black armor covered Ikki’s whole body and protected him.
Stella remembered that armor.

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– This armor… no way…!

– 《Orichalcos》――!?

The moment when Or=Gaule said that name in astonishment, a white shadow
similar to a swift wind ran up to Or=Gaule from the surrounding crowd of
people,

――And swung downward a jet black halberd, which had the same color as
the armor.

– Kuh…

Or=Gaule made his body fly to the back to escape from the surprise attack,
but it was an instant late.

The huge blade of the halberd snatched the right arm of Or=Gaule from the
elbow.

A spray of blood drew an arc.

And his right arm fell.

With that, the prohibitions that restricted the movement of the fainted Ikki
and Lunaize were lifted and they crumbled to the ground.

And then,

– … You surprised me. I never thought you were in this country already.

Or=Gaule, who lost his right arm, said putting familiarity into his words as he
faced the woman of red and blue eyes like the ones he had and who stood as
if protecting Ikki and the others.

– It’s been a while. ――Iris-neesan.

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◆◇◆◇◆

– This armor, and that axe… wait, are you the《Black Knight》 of that
time…!?

The gray-haired woman who suddenly forced her way through.

Stella asked her because of that equipment, but,

– ……

The woman didn’t talk too much to Stella, she only returned a nod so as to
not deviate her gaze from《Marionette King》Or=Gaule.

On the other hand, Or=Gaule, who lost his right arm because of her,

– Although I thought that nuisances from《Union》and《League》would come,
and I intended to be on guard using the eyes of the people, I couldn’t notice
you at all. Like I thought, Nee-san is amazing.

Yes, he praised that woman――the concealed figure of《Black Knight》Iris
Ascaride.

However, Ascaride responded to this praise without moving an eyebrow,

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– … I’m not. It’s not a hard to fool to that extent the bad eyes of a Blazer
who relies on magic powers.

She replied with an indifferent, unkind and machine-like tone of voice and
wiped away the blood adhered on her axe.

Or=Gaule shrugged one of his shoulders in response to such unfriendly reply,

– You’re right. I’m an amateur when it comes to that* area after all. Though
not to the level where I’ll be assassinated while sleeping. ――But still, Nee-
san appeared in front of me like this.

*TN: “That” is the furigana reading for “martial arts”.

He raised his lips with a sneer as if he was looking down on her.

– You had planned to search for my whereabouts and do a surprise attack
while being mostly hidden, but you abandoned that chance and came to
rescue Stella-chan and the others. … Nee-san is kind as ever, isn’t she?

–…

Ascaride just confronted Or=Gaule in silence.

She didn’t return the words.

No, she couldn’t return them.

What Or=Gaule had pointed out completely hit the mark.

Ascaride knew the dreadfulness of Or=Gaule more than anyone else.

It also meant she was at a disadvantage if she were to compete with him
outright.

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That was why she was hidden in the city and was searching for where
Or=Gaule was hiding.

To bring down the enemy before her with certainty.

This current situation was a matter of unpleasant necessity for Ascaride.

Or=Gaule saw through this,

– So, what will my kind Nee-san do in this situation? Will you be able to
defeat me while having those three as a burden? It’s not like you forgot…
what happened to you when you fought me seriously, right?

He made a serious effort for an instant.

His own soul. He laid it bare as it was.

As soon as that happened, a black mist magic filled with strong ill will and
malice gushed out from the small body of Or=Gaule and covered the entire
square.

– The toys broke once after all. Although you have to deal with quite the
mess, but isn’t that great? Nee-san is gentle after all.

The azure sky darkened in a flash, the light was lost and the atmosphere
became heavy like lead.

It was thick enough like blood with a viscosity that stuck to the skin,

– Ah――――

Stella became speechless with such an overwhelming presence.

The magic powers of the Blazers were in proportion to the size of the fate
they carried on their backs.

Is that the reason we have the strength of fate as a blade?

《Crimson Princess》Stella Vermillion was able to understand that.

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That the enemy before her. That he,

――He was his own fate in the form of a person.

An existence outside of logic that Tsukikage spoke of before.
A《Desperado》.
At that moment, she was convinced that this man was exactly that and
therefore, that he had magic powers that surpassed everyone else.
She couldn’t win.
If she were to fight him now, she would certainly be killed here.
Since this was unprecedented, Stella lost even the freedom of breathing due
to the strong feeling of death.
However, in such a torrent of black magic that painted over the world,
– ――――
《Desperado》Ascaride stood dignified and with a certain action, she returned
an answer to Or=Gaule’s provocation, saying「What am I going to do in this
situation?」. Then she took a single knife out of her breast pocket――
– ――!
A knife that looked like a『Key』when glancing at it and one that shed a faint
white light.
The facial expression of Or=Gaule stiffened the moment he saw it.
– I don’t like that!

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Or=Gaule waved his intact left arm and released a slash with the thread
towards Ascaride and the others.

However, his movement was too slow.

Ascaride chanted a spell faster than the slash of the thread moving to cut her
neck,

– 《Open Gate》Flareberg.

And vigorously thrust the knife she had in her hand into the ground.

Then, a white flash of light came out from the knife stuck into the ground,
swallowing Ascaride, Ikki and the others.

The very next moment,

The figures of the four people ended up disappearing as if they hadn’t been
there from the beginning.

Just countless white feathers dancing in the air remained there.
There wasn’t a trace of them.
Or=Gaule smacked his lips, looking disappointed with the scene.
– … Tsk. That《Winged Prime Minister》guy took the fun away from me, huh.
He knew the ability of the knight who caused this phenomenon.
And so, he understood.
That the four of them weren’t in Kledelland anymore.
– … “Flareberg” is the name of the capital of Vermillion. Geez. Even though

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I finally invited them to get a view of how Vermillion and Kledelland come
to nothing with Stella-chan here, it was all ruined in the end.

Or=Gaule revealed that complaint as he picked up his severed arm.

And then, he forcibly joined together the severed parts that spilled
blood――and he stitched the skin, meat, bone and everything else with his
threads. He restored the function of his right arm in an instant,

– Oh well, that’s good too.

He immediately recovered his cruel smile.

Hostilities had already commenced. It couldn’t be stopped anymore.

Even if only the army of Kledelland was being manipulated, they had no
choice but to face the incoming enemy.

It wasn’t a bad thing to show off that she was going to lose what she ought to
protect by herself and that she couldn’t do anything in this place far away
from the battlefield. It was a futile struggle to try saving the people of both
countries in this war that had already started, and that struggle was also a
form of despair and hopelessness that he so loved――

– I’m so looking forward to that! Aha.

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◆◇◆◇◆

– …!

Stella shut her eyes with the gushing white light.

The torrent of light that burned her eyes eventually settled down, and when
she opened her eyes,

――The view of the hometown Stella knew well was in front of her,

– T-this is… we’re in the Central Park of Flareberg!? W-why!?

She should be in the sunny capital of Kledelland.

Stella and Ascaride, and the fainted Ikki and Lunaize who fell face down,
travelled in an instant to the dimly cloudy Vermillion that was still at noon.

Ascaride said a few words to Stella who was unresponsive due to her high
level of bewilderment.
– 《Divine Gate》

–!
– I borrowed some from 《Winged Prime Minister》Norman Creed――the
deputy head of International Mage-Knights League before I was dispatched

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here. It’s a means to escape when push comes to shove.

– Norman Creed…

Stella was the royalty of a member nation of the International Mage-Knights
League.
She remembered hearing the rumors of《White Beard》’s right hand 《Winged
Prime Minister》and his ability.
Norman Creed’s Device《Divine Gate》.

It was the peak of the group of moving abilities that possessed soaring wings,
he was able to move from Device to Device in an instant even if it was to the
other side of the earth with his 777 small knives.

This ability was unique in the world.

What Ascaride was saying was the truth.

However,

– W-why did you do it!? Johan-nii and the others are still there!

This escape wasn’t completely accepted by Stella who had lots of friends in
Kledelland.

She shouted at Ascaride as she made her eyebrows stern.

– Send me back to Lucelle, quickly! If I don’t save Johan-nii…!

But Ascaride,

– It’s useless.

She returned an unapproachable rejection. And,

– W-why…!

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– You should know even if I don’t say it.

She looked down on the lower half of the body of the persistent Stella with
her eyes of different colors.

And with that gaze, Stella noticed.

She had sank down to the ground.

– 〜〜〜〜〜〜!

Stella noticed that and tried to stand up as her face dyed deep red, but her legs
trembled, she struggled to not take her advice.

– Your fate is big. But… my younger brother is a《Desperado》that
attained《Brute Soul》. He’s a being that is outside of the ring of fate
surrounding this world. … The current you can’t win. It will be like going to
your death. That is the strength you have and the one I grasped at a glance.
Don’t feel ashamed.

– But still…!

But still, that’s not an excuse to run away and abandon my friends.

Stella was about to return so and suddenly realized.

– Wait a minute. You said『younger brother』just now, and that guy also
called you…!

Certainly――he called her “Nee-san”.

When she examined her features, her white hair that had a grace of gray and
her blue and red eyes in great detail, they were like two peas in a pod.

A cold sweat similar to ice water slipped off on Stella’s back muscles with
this realization.

No way――, Stella turned her sword towards Ascaride due to the fear that
went by and shouted.

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– Are you really… a relative of that guy!?

Ascaride just nodded her head calmly,

– Yes. That is my younger brother, and I’m that’s older sister. … However,
we’re not allies.

“We declared that we are in nothing but a hostile relationship”. It is clearly as
Ascaride says, if she were our enemy, there would no reason for her to
appear as she did with such a timing. I unmistakably felt that both sides are
in a hostile relationship from the attitude of Or=Gaule when he was
confronting Ascaride. But,

– I can’t trust you…! How can I trust the words of a person who attacked us
all of a sudden!?

Yes.

There was no guarantee that this woman would be their ally, even if she
wasn’t supporting Or=Gaule.

When taking into account that she attacked them before, she wasn’t a person
she could put her trust on at all.

That was why Stella strengthened her alertness even more. But, to such
Stella,

– It’s not like you have the need to believe in me. But, there should be
something you have to do rather than question me.

Ascaride indicated as if debating her.

Exactly――at that moment.

And all of a sudden, a loud alarm resounded in the dull weather of the
Imperial Capital,

『Reporting urgent news! J-just now, the government of Vermillion has
announced that there has been a declaration of war against Vermillion from

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Kledelland…! Now I am going to read aloud the contents of the
proclamation! 「Informing the lowly descendants of Vermillion who unfairly
pillaged the sacred territory of Kledelland. The false tranquility that
embellished the conspiracy between you and the traitor Clef will be crushed
by my sword. These secret agreements full of lies no longer have any
meaning, and they won’t stop the great cause of Kledelland. The strife of
justice to recover the pride of Kledelland starts here. Johan Kristoff von
Collbrand, New King of Kledelland」This declaration and the corpse of King
Clef were delivered to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs a while ago, and at the
same time, a large-scale violation of Vermillion’s territorial sovereignty by
the army of Kledelland was confirmed! Due to this situation, the government
officially announces a declaration of a state of emergency. The imperial
army, led by General Signard was dispatched to intercept――』

– ――――, what, is…!

The emergency broadcast was broadcast from all the outdoor broadcast
devices in Vermillion.

This demonstrated that Or=Gaule’s evil scenario was certainly in progress,

– Why!? Why is your little brother doing something like this!?

Stella was disturbed by the incredibly sudden and outrageous situation, she
questioned and grasped the collar of Ascaride who said to be a relative of the
man and culprit of everything.

Ascaride said a few words, without resisting her,

– He should have said it. 『Because it’s funny』. There are no further reasons
for my younger brother’s actions. Murders and wars are no more than
absolutely normal pleasures for my younger brother, just like watching
movies and eating out are for you.

– Is there, a person, 〜〜〜〜〜…!

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Is there a person like that?

Stella herself wasn’t able to say so because it happened right before her eyes.

The dense mist of magic that gushed out from Or=Gaule’s body. And
the『malice』put into it.

The terrorist who attacked the shopping mall. Akaza of the ethics committee.
And《Bad Luck》Shinomiya Amane. Although there were several enemies
who faced them with『malice』so far, 《Marionette King》Or=Gaule was
different from all of them.

There were motives for their own actions, and reasons enough to
have『malice』against them.

Greed for money. Greed for success in life. Hatred. ――Those were
『reasons』 that even Stella could understand.

But Or=Gaule was different.

This man’s『malice』had no reason for almost no human being.

It was certainly pure self-enjoyment.

To hurt others.

As if it were natural like breathing.

The first time she saw him. He――he didn’t even have a reason or a
minimum course of action, just a『malice』that made her feel he had a
scattered and reckless simple-mindedness.

– My younger brother is a child who has an abnormal but incredible strength.
This is neither a thought nor a claim. He just commits crimes for fun to
pursue his own pleasure. That undoubtedly doesn’t mean there’s a reason
why he had an eye on you. He extended his hand because he found an
interesting-looking toy when he didn’t know what to do with all the time he
had. But it’s just that.

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– Guh…

– But, for whatever trivial reason, my younger brother had an eye on you. …
My younger brother should have taken a lot of measures just to make you
suffer and make you sad. This war is one of them. As things are, the innocent
people of Kledelland and Vermillion will kill each other while being
instigated by that guy’s ill will.

She wasn’t going to allow it. Allowing it wasn’t good. In that case,

– The only one who knows the truth and can stop it is you…

Yes. Only me.

This isn’t an aggressive war of Kledelland, but just a situation caused by a
single criminal. The one who knows that and can move now is me. I must tell
my father to avoid the military confrontation between the armies. Both the
side being killed and the side that kills will end injured and will never
recover.

――All for the amusement of a fiend.

(How am I going to allow that…!?)

–!

Stella released Ascaride’s collar and immediately took out her cell phone.

And attempted to call her father, King Sirius.

However, the cell phone only repeated the push sound, there was no ringtone.

– It’s not getting through! But why!?

– Maybe the lines collapsed due to the declaration of war just now.

Oh, there’s that too, Stella felt ashamed by what Ascaride told her.

The friendship between Vermillion and Kledelland was close.

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The people that travelled between Kledelland and Vermillion weren’t few.

Such people were trying to call all at once to confirm the safety of their
families and friends, and because of that, the lines died.

Communicating by phone was impossible.

In that case, she had to go directly to the palace.

Since a state of emergency was declared, Sirius and Astraea should be in the
palace.

Stella realized this and when she was about to run off, she remembered that
Lunaize and Ikki were unconscious on the ground.

They must be taken to the hospital.

However, if she were to prioritize one――

Ascaride said to such confused Stella,

– I’ll take these two to the hospital. So――

As if hurrying her up.

To carry these two on her shoulders. While that was easy for Stella, her speed
would decrease.

It would be insignificant, but that would be still a regrettable small loss.

She should go straight to the royal palace as fast as possible.

While she did so, the battle between the two armies could have already
begun.

That was well known by Stella, but she hesitated with Ascaride’s suggestion.
Because she had been measured whether the《Black Knight》Ascaride was a
human who truly deserved to be trusted.

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But,

– Please. I don’t want to see… people getting injured by the evil intentions of
my younger brother.

Ascaride told her again.

Stella felt a certain desperation in the blue and red eyes that stared fixedly at
her.

She didn’t know anything about Ascaride.

However, her eyes that said that she didn’t want to see people getting hurt by
her younger brother’s evil intentions――Stella thought this was enough to
trust in her.

And so,

– Got it. Please take care of them!

Stella entrusted Ikki and Lunaize to Ascaride and started running alone.

She went towards the Imperial Palace of Vermillion in the distance.

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◆◇◆◇◆

The retreating figure of Stella faded away in the blink of an eye.

And Ascaride, who saw her off,

– … Like I, thought, you’re the one who was in front of the airport. Isn’t that
right, Ascaride-san?

Kurogane Ikki, who fell face down on the ground, started talking to her.
The ability of Ascaride as a Blazer was《Fortitude》.
And her Device《Orichalcos》had the special characteristic of healing
continuously the wounds of the wearer infinitely.
That power healed the body of Ikki that was hewn by《Grand Guignol》, and
he even recovered his stamina.
He raised his upper body and surrendered《Orichalcos》.

And gave his thanks.

– Thank you for saving me from that dangerous situation. If you hadn’t
arrived… all of us… would have probably died.

So,

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– I’m truly, grateful…?
However, Ikki’s words stopped there.
Because he felt doubt with the appearance of Ascaride who looked up.
“Why was she ――staring at the direction Stella went as if she was frozen
solid?”
– Ascaride-san…?
He asked, and at that moment.
-〜…, hy, ah…

Ascaride fell from her knees to the ground all of a sudden.
– A-are you alright!? Are you injured…?
Ikki rushed over to Ascaride as he staggered, surprised.
Then he put a hand on her trembling shoulders,
– ――!
He was horrified by the coldness of her altered sweat.
– … I’m okay. It’s not an injury or anything like that. I’ll calm down in no
time, so don’t, worry…
Ascaride looked back at Ikki who touched her shoulder and returned so.
With a pallid look that was entirely devoid of blood.
Ikki saw that look, and he understood.
Certainly, it wasn’t an injury.

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