The wounds received in the fight with Nasim and the heavy workload of " over-awakening " began to take its toll. In her body, the strength was squeezed out to the last drop. Her body and mind are severely depleted. “… Looks like I'll have to skip the last fight…” - Nene thought with a bitter smile. Now she is not in a position to support her comrades. Fortunately, Vermilion has the advantage and they just need to defeat the last representative from Kledland, Or Ghaul. Everything will be good. After all, Or-Goul's forces were not originally combat forces. With the help of his powers, he was good at manipulating people and various things, nothing more. In addition, although the Puppet King was a blazer, prior to this war, he preferred to act in secret behind the scenes. I don’t think he has a lot of combat experience behind him. Stella has grown, he is no longer a serious enemy for her. Nene still remembered with what determination Stella had returned from Edelberg. ".. I'm counting on you, Stella-chan ..." Unable to resist fatigue and exhaustion any longer, Nene closed her eyes and her consciousness sank into darkness. Chapter 21: Forbidden Desire Shortly before the end of the battle between Princess Yaksha and Habub, a serious battle broke out between the Puppet King Or-Ghoul and the Black Knight Iris Ascarid. Iris stubbornly pursued Or-Goul from the beginning of the fight and finally achieved her goal. However, she did not succeed in bringing her business to the end, Or-Goul fled from her high into the sky and further pursuit was
impossible. However, while Or-Goul was pondering where he could heal his wounds, he met Stella Vermilion high in the sky. - Incinerate everything in your path! " Fire Salamander "! With great rage, Stella lowered her gigantic sword of fire at the Puppet King Or Ghaul, who threatened her beloved empire and turned the kingdom of Kledland into his puppets. - Ghaaaaa !! - uttered a plaintive cry of Or-Goul, when a huge fiery sword, tearing the sky, fell on him. However, with his numerous threads in the air, he managed to evade Stella's attack. Instead of hitting him, the fiery sword fell on the city and cut Lucerne in two. A huge slanting furrow of fire on the ground blazed brightly in the night. Large destruction from just one technique. However, Stella did not hesitate and immediately went into motion. She immediately realized that her attack did not hit the nimble enemy. With her last words, she made it clear that she would not forgive him or let him escape. Therefore, her reaction was immediate; flapping her fiery wings more strongly, she continued in pursuit of Or-Goul, who tried to escape from her by jumping from one thread to another. Jump and flight, the difference in speed is obvious. Stella quickly overtook Or Ghaul. - " Grand Guignol " !! Her opponent won't give up so easily. Iris broke his arms, so in order to move them, Or-Goul fastened the broken bones with threads and somehow restored their working capacity. Many sharpened threads flew towards Stella - Haa! However, Stella was not affected at all by Or-Goul's technique, capable of turning a target into pieces of meat. Holding her sword in front of her, she
stopped and cut each of the hundreds of super-sharp filaments approaching her from the front. - Haaaaaaaaaaaa !!!! - Ghh !? Finally, after breaking through, Stella managed to reach Or Ghaul. She dealt a powerful blow to his shoulder, knocking Or-Goul down to the ground. With his back firmly on the ground, Or-Goul spat out a blood clot from internal injuries. However, he escaped mortal wounds. His whole body was wrapped in threads, which, in the manner of armor, weakened Stella's attack and softened the fall to the ground. Rising to his feet, Or-Goul stared at the soaring fire knight in the sky, his face perfectly read with irritation and impatience. - Oh, your strength .. you are like a completely different person. What happened to you in such a short period of time ...! - In confusion, said OrGoul, surprised at the growth of Stella's powers. A week ago, Stella, standing in front of him, did not seem so strong. She was absolutely powerless in the face of the gravitational pull of his fate and that of Nasim. This attraction was called a unique causal force, which was possessed by every Desperate One who escaped the boundaries of his fate. Only with a powerful will can you overcome your inner limits. But if you overcome them, you become independent of your destiny. Your power becomes so enormous that even without fighting, you are able to stop the enemy's heart. It is this power that Stella has acquired over the past week . Earlier, her heart was freezing, and her legs stopped walking when she sensed the gravitational pull of the fate of Nasim and Or-Goul. But now everything had changed, such pressure no longer terrified her heart. Going to the top, she left all fears and hesitation there.
But what changed the girl who was previously intimidated by the gravitational pull of the Desperate ? The answer is simple - it was Stella's usual height. Then, fighting at the top against a powerful enemy, which even Or-Goul was not suitable for, she overcame herself. Even her device, the materialization of the soul, evolved and took on a new form. Therefore, fighting against Or-Goul, Stella immediately noticed that despair, fears, hesitation, all the feelings that she had previously experienced at the sight of him had disappeared. Only a fiery desire remained. … I want to be proud of my own strength, which my parents and other close people have grown in me. I want them all to be proud of me, as I am proud of them. Her desire turned into courage, and courage gave her new strength. She went beyond her potential and conquered her destiny with her own hands. That is why the gravitational attraction of these people could no longer affect her. - I have nothing to tell you. There is no reason to explain such things to a person who is alien to all this. Such conversations are completely meaningless. But, “But I have a counter question that I would like to ask you,” said Stella, looking at Or-Goul with eyes flaming with anger and hatred. - What have you done to Lune-ane? - What are you talking about? - A clash between two armies in Caldia. Then Luna-ane intervened in the carnage and announced that the war would now turn into a battle between
representatives of both sides .. But I still can't believe that such a bastard like you meekly obeyed and accepted Luna-ane's offer. Then Nene noted that in order to communicate with the devil, "the devil's currency" is needed. Lunaise's face looked very pitiful, but she refused to name the price she paid for a successful negotiation. - I ask again. What did you do to Luna-ane ...? - Stella asked again, piercing Or-Goul with angry eyes. “Oh, that's what you mean,” Or-Goul opened his mouth without fear at all. “Rest assured, I didn’t do anything to her. He decided to completely open the veil of truth. “When dusk fell on the courtyard, and the battle between the forces of Vermilion and Kledland was in full swing, Lunaise was able to escape to me in Lucerne with the help of the" Heavenly Gate " previously left by my nee-san. “According to the League's rules, Vermilion wants to continue the fight in the form of a war between the elected representatives of both sides. This type of fight is best if you do not want to fight against all the forces of the League at the same time. If you are a rational person, you will immediately accept my proposal. " To tell you the truth, her proposal didn't interest me too much. I didn't think her idea was too good .. But her next proposal was absolutely awesome. She informed me that if I agree to fight by League rules, then in the event of the defeat of Vermilion and the further absorption of her empire by the Kledland, she will personally be responsible for the execution of all war criminals. - Really ... !! - Yea Yea! I was also very surprised! She stated that if she lost, she would kill Stella-chan and her parents with her own hands! An incredibly smart girl, huh? Such negotiations pleased me and I gladly accepted her offer! To tell the truth, I can't even wait any longer! The trembling of the heart, transmitted along the thread, when a person kills his loved ones .. Oh, this is so " delicious "! But Lunaise wants to do something similar on her own, without my being forced! I wonder what her feelings will be? Maybe she
will tremble with self-loathing for having done such a stupid thing? Or will she start crying and asking for forgiveness before your death? Oh, there are so many options! I look forward to her reaction! - ... Or-Goul talked about the deal between him and her sister so simply that Stella was speechless. Kill your beloved family with your own hands; and not under the compulsion of the enemy, but of their own free will. Lunaise offered real hell, which he simply could not refuse. It was this "devil's currency" that helped her successfully negotiate with the devil. Surely this boy was very happy to make a similar deal with Lunaise. At least his cold smile on his face spoke of it. But moving on to the other side of the deal, is Lunaise herself satisfied that her negotiations were successful? Of course not. Stella knew that Lunaise was smart, noble and at the same time a very kind person. Even though she could not offer a better price for a successful negotiation, there was no doubt a second Lunize did not stop tormenting and blaming herself. A real nightmare that makes it impossible to fall asleep. But she, suppressing fear and bitterness in herself, put the burden on her shoulders .. It was her own lonely battle. "This piece of shit made a member of my family take a tough choice .. Bastard!" “… It's a shame that the situation has now taken a nasty turn and I can't have fun with Stella-chan trying so hard. Unfortunately, it is impossible to play dolls together with Stella-chan and nee-san. Well, in a situation like this, I should probably consider escaping.
“Don't even think about it,” Stella said, gripping the Levatein's grip tighter . Lunaise has fought alone for too long, now it's my time to join the battle. Thanks to nee-san, I have gained the strength that will help me to fight this devil. - You will not escape alive from this country. I will make you go to where everyone fell asleep forever. With my own hand, I will turn your remains to ashes and scatter them over the sea. We need to stop this demon now. It is impossible for anyone else in the world to suffer at his hand! - Ascarid-san! I need your help! With a voice full of determination, Stella screamed at her war ally. - Oh ...! Got it ...! Immediately on Stella's command, Askrid took up her halberd and attacked. - You two! Are you that cowardly !? - shouted the pale Or-Goul. ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ “Although I am worried about the state of Princess Yaksha, the war is not over yet! Let's leave Princess Yaksha in the care of the medical team and get back to the next battle! Well, Vermilion, who is fighting for survival in this war, has a great chance of winning! Vermilion has a big advantage as Cledland has the last single representative! Namely, the well-known bastard: the King of Puppets OrGoul! The Crimson Princess Stella Vermilion arrived in the part of the city where a bitter struggle between the Black Knight and the Puppet King was taking place, who had defeated the New King Johann Christoph von Kolbrand a little earlier !! All this time, the cameras were transmitting an image of the place where the battle between Nene and Nasim took place. But now, the cameras have
switched to one of the residential areas of Lucerne, which was located near the Royal Palace, which was blown up by the Tatars ' Star Hammer . - Haaaaaaaa !! - Hh! - Come on, come on, come on !!!! The Crimson Princess! Black Knight! They do not stop their pursuit and inflict a powerful series of blows at the Puppet King !! A truly incredible duet of knights! The Puppet King can only defend himself! He can't do anything! Look how pathetic he looks! Ah, the Puppet King is again trying to jump on the string and escape high into the sky .. ! - You won't run away !!!! - Gargh! - But Stella-chan immediately throws it down! All attempts of the Puppet King to escape high into the sky are useless, because Stella-chan has the ability to fly! All escape routes are blocked! Oh, the Black Knight swung his huge battle halberd menacingly and tried to behead the Puppet King! God, only at the last moment did he manage to dodge the attack! But ... Stellachan is ready to attack! Stella's wings flew wide. A huge splash of heat and all its feathers, turning into a fiery rain, attacked Or-Goul, crawling on the ground. There is no chance that he will be able to somehow avoid her attack. - Direct hit !! The entire body of the Puppet King is blackened! God look at his leg, it looks like the bombing of Stella-chan was successful! His leg is twisted in the wrong position! He clearly can't escape them anymore! It can be said that the joint attack of the Black Knight and the Crimson Princess was practically a success! The Puppet King is very close to defeat! Don't forget that the war format is Battle Royale! The joint attacks of both Vermilion representatives are not at all a sign of cowardice! Perhaps if the fools of Cledland had followed the same tactics, their affairs would have been much better!
Stella was a really strong knight. Her huge fiery sword under the influence of the " Fire Salamander ", easily turning all her enemies to ashes, fell on a seriously wounded enemy. But Or-Goul again jumped to the side and escaped the deadly technique. How can he move with a broken leg, you ask? The answer is simple. He again used his threads stretched all over the city. It was they who dragged him aside and saved his life. However, Stella assumed that Or-Goul was using his threads to dodge. Her previous attack had not sought to crush him, but to lure him into a trap. After dodging, he found himself on a sloping piece of land. Having barely escaped a deadly attack, he fell right into the hands of the Black Knight Iris Ascaris. -…! The blaze of the blade and a huge battle halberd that only carried destruction fell upon him. Her attack easily turned to dust any obstacle in its path. If her strike hits the target, this attack will end the war. But still, Or-Goul was faster. - Wow! Just as Iris's halberd was about to behead him, Or-Ghoul slammed his right foot on the ground. The threads, having received his command, instantly cut a L-shaped hole in the shape of a spider on the cobblestones where he lay. ... And Or-Goul's body fell down. He fell straight into the sewer. Iris assumed that he would try to dodge her blow to the right, left, or sky, but she did not expect Or-Goul to sink into the ground. Her halberd cut only the air and did not touch the falling boy.
However, falling into the sewers was not his goal. Or Ghaul knew that in an enclosed space with no chance of escape, Stella's attack would no doubt reach him. So he released the thread, wound it around the hilt of Iris's war halberd, and pulled his body back to the surface. Earlier, he fastened the broken bones in his leg and was able to move again. Therefore, barely touching the ground with his feet, he cut the threads from the halberd and ran a distance from Iris and Stella. He was in a difficult situation, but still retained his sobriety and the ability to think rationally. Though, - God! Like a cockroach, this cheeky bastard keeps trying to escape! But just look at him! The impudent grin on his face has completely changed to a desperate expression! Attack after attack, his opponents don't even give time to rest! I can already see him approaching his physical and mental limits! I'm sure their battle will soon be over! Everything is correct. As the commentator said, Or Goul was approaching its limits. After all, Stella and Iris are knights who are quite capable of defeating Or-Goul. Or-Goul's abilities are not so good for direct combat, it is difficult for him to fight even with one opponent. And then Stella and Iris teamed up and attacked together. No doubt he will be caught soon. This fact was no longer a secret to anyone. Everything is as it should be, but, Agility. Ohr-Goul does not stop nimbly dodging their attacks. But this is not the main problem. The excitement was caused by the Black Knight Iris Ascaris. - Ascarid-san! Are you okay!? -… Yes, don't worry about me!
But Stella was worried anyway. The reason their joint attack failed was because Iris's halberd attacks had become softer .. softer. For example, if you take that Or Ghaul escape into the sewers. If she had attacked with her previous speed, Iris's halberd would decapitate Or-Goul before he fled from her. Stella was absolutely sure of that. After all, in the past she had fought against Iris and knew what she was capable of. Stella's concern was justified. But what to say, Iris, who answered Stella that she was in perfect order, understood that Or-Goul managed to escape again only because of her negligence. "Why ..." - gritted her teeth under the visor of Ascaris. Isn't her hatred enough? Or is the enemy too strong for her to deal with? …Well no. The difference in strength between Iris and Or Goul is obvious. He manages to escape from her only because of negligence on her part. Even before Stella's arrival, Or-Goul tried to provoke Iris with a puppet show that recreated that terrible event. This provocation made her lose all self-control and rush into battle. Her attack and defense were brutal, but even in such a wild state, Iris managed to fight alone and almost kill OrGoul. But now ... it's different. Iris's movements are clearly much slower than Stella. Something is clearly happening to her. But what, you ask? The reason is in her head .. Iris's thoughts were in complete disarray.
"What is happening to me…" When I grabbed his thin neck in a vise, the face of the dying Or-Goul turned blue from suffocation, and his mouth, opening and closing, did not make a single sound. She squeezed his neck tightly, so not a single word could fly out of his throat. But even from the silent movement of Or-Goul's lips, Iris knew what he was asking of her. "Please .. have mercy .. nee-san ..." He prayed for his life. The request of the devil, who played with other people's lives for his own pleasure. Silly request. People like him have no right to ask for mercy. Yet when she realized what Or-Goul was trying to tell her, her hand loosened its grip. And this action confused her very much. Even now, she was quite capable of capturing and killing Or-Ghaul even without Stella's help. But at the very last moment, when she was about to end Or-Goul's life, her hand .. slowed down. "Why!" Iris couldn't quite comprehend her feelings. Does she feel sorry for this devil? "It can't be!" It just can't be. Why should I let him live? After all, I still remember how Or-Goul used me to kill my parents and other villagers. That scene of hell even now stands before my eyes. Order to kill everyone. Massacre in the church. Screams of pain and horror. All these memories are still burning in my memory. "Iris Gole, everything that happened in your village is completely your fault!"
"Right ... it's my fault ...!" - Iris agreed with the words of Levi Ascarid, the head of the French headquarters of the International League of MagesKnights , who after the incident took her under her wing. As Or-Goul's older sister, it was my duty to notice possible anomalies in my younger brother's personality. If I had been more attentive, perhaps this event did not happen. . . But what happened happened. The past cannot be fixed. Therefore, my main duty is to end the tragedy. What happened that day shouldn't happen anymore. For this I, Iris-Gole, have survived to this day .. ! - HAAAAAAAAAAAAA !!!! -… !? Her scream shook the heavens. Magical light, reminiscent of lilac flame, burst from every crevice of her Orichalcus armor again . Fighting internal contradictions, Iris violently attacked Or-Ghaul. Hearing her loud battle cry, he instantly turned his attention to her. And Stella did not miss this moment. - Haaaaaa !!!! - Ghhh .. ! She quickly descended from the sky and swung the Levatein . Or-Ghoul, distracted by Iris, missed the opportunity to dodge. His armor of threads " Spider Web Nest " took the blow of Stella's sword; dissipating the momentum of her attack, his armor barely withstood the attack. But, - Iris! Now! - Stella shouted, pressing even more furiously at him.
The difference in lint between Spider's Nest and Levatein was minimal. If Or-Goul's armor were even slightly weaker, Stella's Levatane could easily cut through the threads and kill Or-Goul. Or-Goul cannot escape now. Stella understood that something was happening to Iris, but without her help she could not defeat him. However, she instantly answered Stella's call. Shortening the distance in huge leaps, she swung her battle halberd high and slammed down onto OrGoul. “N-no, no! I don't want to die! Help me! Save me nee-san ... !! Or-Goul's multicolored eyes widened with fear and at that very moment, a scene emerged in Iris's head that she seemed to have hidden far in her heart. ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ Suddenly, a scene floated before Iris's eyes that she should never have seen again. Instead of the night city of Lucerne, where she had been fighting all this time, Iris was presented with .. a burning fireplace. Walls covered with wood panels. Furniture well matched to the interior of the room. Beautiful small glass figurines of animals. No doubt this was her home. The home in which she was born and raised. The home she lost. Usually, the place where Iris lived with her parents was quiet and peaceful. But that day was filled with a lot of bustle. A loud children's cry was the culprit of the fuss. - God, what an energetic cry. It’s hard to believe that it is being published from such a small body. However, don't worry, he's okay.
“Oh… thank God. The midwife handed the crying baby to the father while the mother lay sweaty on the bed. Hearing the midwife's words, the mother nodded with a relieved smile. - Dear, he has your features. - Yes? And the truth! - Otou-san! Iris wants to hold him too! Please show it to me! - I complained loudly, jumping on the spot, trying to make out the baby. Then, after my requests, the father holding the child leaned over to me. - Orleus, look. This is your nee-chan. - Ah .. My first acquaintance with Orleus Gole. The first thing I noticed was his multicolored irises in his right and left eyes. I, like this baby, inherited similar eyes from my parents. - He has the same eyes as mine . . It was at that moment that little Iris felt a strong blood tie. And it seems .. not only her. - AND? What ...? As soon as Orleus met Iris's gaze, he immediately stopped crying. Gently opening his eyelids all the way, Orlais began clenching and unclenching the small fists of his still weak hands. He seemed to want something. Gently stretching out his little arms, he gripped Iris's finger tightly as much as his strength would allow.
- Kya, kya. - He laughed .. ? - Hehe, it looks like you love your nee-chan. - Iris, today you are an older sister. So please keep Orleus safe. On that day, my mother called me an older sister and asked me to protect this baby. Then I did not know how to react to her words. After all, for me our family has simply grown, no more. But, This is the feeling of a small hand holding my finger. Weak grip trying to hold me It was so ... sweet ... "…I AM" -… Yeah, sure! - HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA .. !!!! - What!? In amazement, Stella, continuing to hold Or-Goul, widened her eyes. Iris's formidable war halberd fell right at her. . . A powerful blow lifted a pillar of dust into the air. ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ - AAAAAAAA!?!?
- What, what, whatooo!?!? Instead of finishing off the Puppet King, the Black Knight's battle halberd attacked Stella-chan, who had been holding him all this time! What's happening? The target was too close to miss! Has the Puppet King taken control of her!?!? What happened on the battlefield shocked both the commentator and all viewers. Of course, Stella managed to cope with the surprise attack from Iris. But like all viewers, she was also confused. - Ascarid-san !? Why!?!? - Stella asked in extreme confusion.
Could it be true that the Puppet King used his noble art and used manipulative techniques that deprive people of freedom of action? Keeping this thought in her head, Stella continued to analyze the current situation. - A ... nee-san ...? It seems that apart from Stella, the commentator and all the viewers, OrGoul himself was confused by Iris's behavior. If he took control of Iris, his gaze would not be so confused. Turning her gaze back to Iris, Stella stared at her. Too many dumbfounded eyes stared at one person. - Ah .. Aaaaaa! Ghaaaaaaa !! - Ascarid-san ...? An outstretched arm with a battle halberd froze in the air. Iris's body, clad in Orichalcus armor , trembled violently. A heartbreaking cry flew out of the cracks in the visor.
Hearing this cry, Stella rushed to her. The first thought in her head was to take care of Iris. But, - Please ... sorry ... Immediately after these words, Stella's body stopped. Cold sweat broke through her, as if the dragon's fiery blood had suddenly turned into icy water. Why are you asking for forgiveness? What are you asking for forgiveness for? Did you apologize for falling under Or Goul's control? No not like this. Or Ghaul is puzzled himself. He clearly does not control Iris. Then what does her apology mean? - Forgive me for protecting .. ? Or ... - Stella asked, afraid to answer her question. No, It is Immpossible. Please tell me it's not true. But Iris did not answer her question. Instead of answering, she turned her back on Or-Goul and aimed her war halberd at Stella. - What are you doing, Iris Ascarid !!! Stella screamed, watching Iris's actions with a face full of anger. But even after these furious words from Stella, Iris did not answer. Instead, she turned to Or-Goul, who stood confusedly behind her. “… Run away, Orleus. - Nee-san?
- You can't win .. run. Confused by Iris' earlier behavior, Or-Goul's face brightened with joy. He realized that she wanted to save him. - Got it! Thanks a lot, nee-san! I knew that you were always on my side! Or-Gowl had no idea what was going on in Iris's head, but she had just saved him from death. - Thank you, nee-san! I love you! Instantly jumping on the threads, he fled from Stella high into the sky. Of course Stella shouted: "Wait!" But Iris was still standing in front of her. - Hey, stop fooling around !! I'm really going to get angry now! - ... - What nonsense is happening before our eyes! The battle was just about to end, but something strange happened! Black Knight Iris Ascaris turned her back on the Puppet King and shielded him from Stella-chan! She helped him escape death! According to the rules, this is a direct violation and the Black Knight is disqualified! But, unfortunately, there is no judge nearby who could stop her! What's happening!? What happened to the Black Knight !? This sudden absurd behavior of one of the participants spread throughout the globe. Millions of people fell into confusion from what they just saw. The Vermilion Empire was no exception. And the troops of the League , called to help, of course, too. - ... Shit.
The home of the Black Knight was France, or more precisely, Paris. Here lived her guardian, Levi Askrid, who closely watched the broadcast of the battle in the French branch of the International League of Mages-Knights . ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ - Secretary! A serious problem has occurred! Black Knight! She was like a daughter to you! “… Heh, I saw,” sighed a tall woman with an eye patch over the words of a young employee, who was perplexedly watching the emergency from the monitor. - Then why .. you are so calm! - You, too, would not hurt to pull yourself together. - And .. - the employee choked with indignation. Her bright red hair blazed like fire in anger. Sensing the anger of her subordinate, Levi Ascarid, known by the nickname " Bayonet" , opened her mouth. “When I heard the story of Obeno-dono, who was involved in the secret Blood Cross incident , I wondered…” Levi began her speech, resting her hands on her forehead. The memories of that day immediately surfaced in her head. On that terrible day, Aubin's detachment arrived in the village. Orleus, the main culprit, was still in the church. All this time, he manipulated his sister Iris, the lone survivor, and it was with her help that he wanted to escape from the scene. However, despite his talent, Or-Goul was still a child. Auben's squad, driving him into a dead end, inflicted mortal wounds on Iris. . . It was then that Aubin's detachment encountered a surprise.
Lying down, Iris, resurrected thanks to the " awakening ", again attacked. Its power has increased so much that previous attacks before " awakening " were impossible to compare. At the same time, Aubin's detachment decided to temporarily retreat and give Or-Goul a chance to escape a long enough distance so that his control over Iris was weakened. After reviewing the incident report she received, Levy wondered what influenced Iris's " awakening "? " Awakening " is overcoming one's own limits through a strong ego. In order to achieve such a state, an incredibly strong will and passion are needed. There were no problems with will. But as for desire .. Levy announced to little Iris that her " awakening " was due to the fact that she, not noticing the anomalies in her brother's behavior, could not stop OrGoul and prevent the tragedy. However, there was another possible reason for the " awakening " that could not easily be dismissed. Is it possible that the reason Iris awakened is because .. “… Did she initially want to protect her brother… -…! "It is your fault" "It is you, as an older sister, who are responsible for all the murders of your brother." "You have achieved" awakening "only by realizing your responsibility" On that day, I deliberately hammered these thoughts into Iris, who was so exhausted that she could not even think soberly. - Why .. why did you do it . .?
- You ask why? Hearing this question from the employee, Levy gritted her teeth. - If it turned out to be true, do you think she wanted to live? Can you imagine her feelings if she realized that she killed her parents and friends to protect this devil? AND? Nobody can accept these feelings. Neither she nor other people. All that would await her was a slow self-flagellation alone with herself. - It would be too cruel to her .. Levy didn't want Iris to realize the real truth. She didn't want this girl to continue to suffer. It is for this reason that Levy deliberately pushed Iris to account. She thought that someday this fake aspiration would become a real feeling for which Iris would continue her struggle. But Levi's wish never came true. The false anger that Iris had to use to eliminate Ohr-Goul easily collapsed. Real desire was contrary to false duty. - Shit !! Levi hit the table in anger. - Secretary .. No matter how hard she tried, everything turned out to be useless. Right now, Iris was defending Or Ghaul, which was clear to all viewers. The real truth has spread all over the world. The people who had previously watched Iris' behavior in perplexity fell into real righteous anger. A million eyes stared at Iris. Among them, of course, was the angry gaze of the Crimson Princess. - So everything was a lie?
- ... - All your words that you wanted to avenge all the people killed by your brother and prevent new tragedies were a lie .. !? You lied to me from the start ...? - ... But Iris remained speechless. After a short apology, she ignored all of Stella's questions and continued aiming her halberd at her. However, silence Iris Stella regarded as agreement. - Okay, I understood everything .. Well, I won't ask you to stop again. Stella's ringing voice calmed down. Her burning anger in her eyes was also extinguished. Can you say that Stella's rage is gone? Not. The reason was quite different. Stella recognized Iris as her enemy right now. Shooting an angry stare is useless, it's time to show your feelings with a sword. - Right now .. I will destroy you! - said Stella, lifting her " Levatane " into the sky . Iris's reaction was instant; lowering the center of gravity, she stood in a protective stance. This served as the signal for Stella's attack. Grasping the hilt of her sword tighter, Stella charged towards her enemy at full speed. Rather, she wanted to do it, but .. - Stop, Stella!
The clash between the Crimson Knight and the Black Knight was stopped by a loud shout that ripped through the darkness of the night. They both knew that voice. - Ikki ...! Their gaze simultaneously stared at the young guy. It really was the Mediocre Knight Ikki Kurogane. Calmly approaching Stella, he immediately aimed his blade at the Black Knight Iris Ascaris. - I have to do it myself. I knew this would happen, but I didn’t react. ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ This event took place when the day of the decisive battle was postponed. Ikki, after the nightly state funeral, was going to return to the prepared room to rest before tomorrow's war with Kledland. - What? Suddenly, for himself, Ikki saw a figure, which at the end of the semi-dark corridor, leaned back against his door. Ikki caught sight of the silhouette too, with slightly cropped hair and sharp eyes. Even at this distance, the guy realized who it was. He had little contact with this man, but without a doubt it was a killer from a secret criminal organization - the Hulking Assassin of Yui Tatara. - Tatara-san? Something happened? Why are you here in a place like this? Hearing Ikki's question, the girl moved away from the door and walked towards him. - I waited for you. And for quite a long time. So you are today .. although no, tomorrow has already come .. decided to usefully spend the time until the sun dropped below the horizon again? What a playful boy.
- We didn't do anything. I just met with Stella and told her that tomorrow I will give it my best. - Oh really? So you are one of those guys who like to paint their lips with female lipstick? - Oh! Ikki screamed, quickly wiping his mouth. However, the efforts were in vain, his cuffs did not turn scarlet. - He-he-he. I was joking. Although, as I thought, the two of you were really doing something good. Hearing such insolent words addressed to him, Ikki's face turned red. - H-stop laughing at me! We didn't do anything strange! We just kissed and that's it! There weren't any perversions that you thought, Tatara-san! - Take it easy. Whatever you do, it is absolutely not interesting to me. “If you don't care, then why are you saying things like that…” Ikki sighed wearily, relaxing his shoulders. Then, without hiding his irritation with the interlocutor, he asked a question. “… What do you want, Tatara-san? Have you been waiting here all this time just to tease me? Do you have so much free time? He could not believe that all this time she was just standing here to laugh at him. “Oh yeah ... exactly ... Haaa !! It was pretty sudden. When between the distance between them has decreased to about one meter, Tatara sharply urged his device-chainsaw " Dzidzuri Mukade " and put it to his neck Ikki. Now the blade of her chainsaw did not move, but the power of this weapon was enough to cut off the head of her opponent. The Tatars device, breaking
through the darkness of the night, stopped about five centimeters from Ikki's carotid artery. However, she stopped her attack against her will. - …Fast. The Tatara's eyes were surprised to find that the blade, which was darker than the night, was pressed against her neck. This dark blade " Intetsu " was the materialization of the soul of Ikki Kurogane. His blade was pressed hard against the Tatara's neck. The slightest careless movement and her head will fall from her shoulders. “Even though I was the first to act, your blade touched the body faster than mine. It seems that the situation is now headed in the wrong direction. Relax, I was just testing you. - I really hope for it. I would also like you to put your chainsaw away and finally tell you what you need. - Hehe, okay, okay, - Tatara grinned, putting away her chainsaw, with which Ikki did not take his eyes off. “I wanted to make sure you're in shape. I hope you are ready to fight right now. - Now .. ? The war will begin only when the sun rises and falls below the horizon again. That is, Ikki has even more time for half a day. What battle Tatara mentioned. - Yes now. I'm going to kill one person. And you are obliged to help me in this, - Tatara answered his question. This answer to the question made Ikki even more surprised. With aggression in his voice, he asked the girl a new question.
- And who are you going to kill ...? - The Black Knight Iris Ascaris. - What…!? From the lips of the Tatars sounded the name of an ally dear to him, with whom he had fought earlier in the war.
Ikki was so surprised that he even forgot about breathing for a while .. however, such a "surprise" did not make him lose his head. “… I hope this is a misunderstanding. I am not going to agree to such things. And if you don't tell me in more detail right now why you need her death, I won't let you go from this place. Don't get into a fever, you better start asking questions. Indeed, without good reason Tatara would not have asked him to help in such a dirty business. Tatara liked the guy's reaction very much. After praising him with the words “It's so great that I chose you,” she looked at Ikki with a serious look. - The reason is very simple. This girl is a risk factor in our group. - Risk factor .. ? “She is Or-Goul's real blood sister. It's very unhealthy, I tell you, to fight as a team with this girl. Ikki did not agree with the words of Tatara. - I do not think so. She is his blood relative, so more than anyone she wants to stop Or-Goul. Surely her desire to end everything is even stronger than Stella's. ”Ikki shook his head. But the Tatara had a counter-argument in response to his words.
“… Then on Edelberg, when she talked about how Or-Goul was destroying her hometown, there was no hatred for her brother in her words. Instead of this feeling, she blurred us about some responsibility for which she was obliged to take revenge. - But that's nothing . . You can't be so sure. There is no denying the option that Tatara is simply winding himself up. However, Tatara quickly interrupted him, not even giving him a chance to speak. - My fears are not unfounded. - Um. “Her murder intent is too impulsive. Anger is feigned and does not come from the heart. She is confused and hesitant when she says that she wants to kill her younger brother .. I understand that it is difficult for untrained people to notice all this, but ... She told us that her brother used her as a tool for murder. And that now her main duty is to prevent new tragedies. It was for this purpose alone that she lived to this moment. Her words, words, words .. there was absolutely no real " anger " towards Or-Goul in them. -…! “He killed her parents, close friends. So kill him back too. This person has done a lot of terrible things to you, you don't have to forgive him. Take revenge, kill him ... This is a normal normal reaction. But this girl continues to search for " common sense " in killing her brother from " strangers ". What for? She seems to be deceiving her consciousness with other people's " arguments ".
- All this is very difficult! It's so easy not to read the thoughts in someone else's head! “I understand,” Tatara replied. To prevent Ikki from delivering her counterargument, she added. - When it comes to murderous intentions - you know, I'm a professional at this. Her expression and tone were confident. Ikki understood that Tatara was absolutely serious. He was not there when Iris talked about Or-Goul. Therefore, all these words only confused him. “Iris probably guesses that her murder intent is not an" emotion ", but someone else's" thought . " And now she is trying to convince herself that this " thought " is her real " emotion ." I suspect that once upon a time some person, having noticed the danger in her psyche, deliberately introduced this thought into her head . . Iris does not know yet, but on the battlefield all these false feelings will be revealed and she will not be able to kill Or-Goul. You must understand this. - ... - Of course, I could be wrong, but such an ally in the team makes me seriously nervous. A 5 to 4 spread is much better than a 6 to 4. To be safe, we have to kill her tonight. I need your strength, for if we don't hurry it will be too late. That is why Tatara continued to wait for Ikki until late at night. Ikki had no answer to her words. He did not want to believe the Tatara's arguments, but without a doubt her assumption makes sense for existence. The feelings of relatives cannot be measured with the head. How they work is also not known. Therefore, the Tatara's concern is logical. Ikki himself did not know Iris closely enough, therefore, he could not argue that such an alignment of events was impossible. "But…"
-… Besides me, did you communicate with anyone else? - Not. I don't trust Princess Yaksha, so it would be foolish to expect her cooperation. The gorilla is also useless, she is too naive and would not accept any reasonable argument. That is why I turned to you, ”Tatara shook her head. “That's how it is,” Ikki said with relief. - Now I fully understand your fears, but still I will not cooperate with you. “… Aren't you in this country to protect this gorilla? “It is for this reason that I am here. - You do not believe me? - Not really. I understand that Ascarid-san is our risk factor. - Then why do you refuse! Why don't you want to cooperate with me? Sighing, Ikki spoke. - I looked after her ". . looked after her?" “Tatara-san, so you know, long before you joined us, Ascarid-san saved us in Kledland. That was the reason for Ikki's refusal to accept the Tatara's proposal. Deep within himself, he vaguely believed that the Black Knight was an ally. Moreover, maybe it sounds old-fashioned, Ikki did not want to kill people. He looked closely at her and still remembered that scene when Stella flew to the palace, and Iris fell to her knees and trembled all over with horror. For Iris, her brother was a symbol of fear and despair that took everything from her.
Ikki's hands remembered the coldness of her shoulders as he touched her. Yet she didn’t run away. It seemed that from fear she should have stood still. But thanks to her elder sister's sense of duty and the knight's sense of justice, she did not flee and continued to confront Or-Goul. This was enough for Ikki to consider her noble, courageous and trustworthy. Therefore, - Tatara-san, your words that her presence in our team does not bring any advantage are true. There is no denying the chance that she might betray us in the middle of the battlefield. But I still believe her. Looking into his face, Tatara sighed. She realized that she could not convince his iron will. “… Without your help, I will not be able to defeat her… Know Kuroganekun, your judgment can destroy the most precious thing in your life. - Tatara-san, you are kind. - AND? - Thank you for thinking a lot about Stella. - Whatoooooooooo !? Hey, you! What are you imagining there !? I just shared my professional opinion and wanted you to join my strategy! I don't care about that gorilla! I hope you understand, huh !? - shouted Tatara at the words of Ikki. Her whole face flushed deeply. She immediately turned her back on him. But even from her shoulders, you could tell that she was very angry. - Now you know. I leave everything to you! “Tatara-san, thank you very much for everything.
- Hey, you…! Although ... Please! At that moment Tatara wanted to nail him. But she did not voice her threat. After all, at first she thought that he was laughing at her because she had previously ridiculed his relationship with Stella. However, when Tatara turned and looked into his face, she saw that there was not a drop of tomfoolery in Ikki's face. His face was so full of determination that goose bumps ran down her spine. True, this guy understood that the fate of a person dear to him depends on his decision. Further words will be superfluous. ... It was at that moment that Ikki decided. Since he refused to cooperate with Tatar, then ... “Thanks to Tatara-san, I was ready for this. That is why I will take full responsibility and fight against it myself. ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ Yui Tatara, thanks to her intuition and the insight of the assassin, foresaw this situation in advance. She even tried to take measures to prevent this from happening. But my decision prevented her. I wanted to believe in Iris's nobility, but it was all a mistake. Now that she has betrayed us, I need to personally take responsibility for all of this. Therefore, “Stella, please leave Ascarid-san to me. You must catch Or-Goul, ”Ikki said to his ally Stella, directing the Intetsu towards Iris. But Stella disagreed with his words. - Don't be an idiot. Have you forgotten that battle with her after the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival ? She fought calmly against the two of us. We must fight again together ...
- No, now everything is completely different, - Ikki rejected her words. Ikki refused her help not at all because he made a promise to Tatara, just, - Stella, you are the only one with the ability to fly. Only you can catch up with Ohr-Goul, who has fled across the sky. If he eludes us now, someday a similar tragedy will happen again. You and I are knights and our main duty is to protect ordinary people. We must defeat him here and now. Ikki was well aware of his duty as a knight magician. - Darling, please, don't worry about me. Everything will be fine .. Go, Stella. You are not the only one training at the top of Edelberg. Now I have become much stronger. You haven't forgotten my last promise, have you? -…? The duty of the knights-magicians. No doubt Ikki was right when he reminded her of this. But Stella wanted to argue with him anyway. The opponent he wants to fight against is ranked 4th in the A-Rank League . She doesn't want to leave her lover alone with the Black Knight, who is so close to absolute power in this world. However, Stella remained silent. After all, danger awaited not only Ikki. He told her to continue pursuing the Puppet King of Or Ghoul, which is far from a safe pursuit. However, despite all the circumstances, Ikki did not express concern about her. He did not invite her to fight together. This means that he believed in her. So Stella also needs to be believed. … Oh, what a complex and selfish demand. All people on earth are afraid of losing their loved ones. This is much worse than your own death. You cannot just take and immediately accept such a request. "But…"
... I will believe. After all, this request comes from Ikki Kurogane. And he always managed to prove to me that the impossible is possible .. ! "This man is very strong." "Right" "And he won't die!" "Right…!" After finishing her inner monologue, Stella flapped her wings and flew into the sky. She didn't even turn to look at Ikki. She just took it and rushed high up. Now her main goal was to catch the enemy and eliminate. ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ The moment Stella spread her wings, Ascaris tried to take action and shoot her down. But nothing came of it. She couldn’t make her knees jump up. The fact is that when she was distracted from Stella and looked at Ikki, who suddenly arrived at them on the battlefield, she felt something sharp, like a thread, touch her neck under the armor. - ... It was nothing more than the gravitational pull of Ikki Kurogane's fate. By intimidation, he made her feel what would happen to her if she was distracted from him. That is why Iris was forced to set aside measures about Stella, and she flew away safely in pursuit of Or-Goul. Iris and Ikki. Only they stayed in this residential area of Lucerne.
If you want to help Or-Goul, then you first need to deal with this knight. Just thinking about it, Iris's neck stabbed again. No doubt his intimidation wished her death. If she did try to stop Stella, Ikki's blade would have sunk into her neck. He's serious. Absolutely serious and was about to end her. "As expected .. " After all, his eyes, like Stella's, probably burn with anger. He despises me for helping Or Goul. I myself cannot believe it. And I can't even forgive myself for that. But, "I definitely noticed ..." When I squeezed my brother's neck and his death was closer than ever, I realized that I could not kill him. I don't want him to die. This suddenly realized truth could not disappear from my head. No matter how I persuade myself, no matter how my former allies accuse me of betrayal .. I, Iris-Gole, must do it. Therefore, - Please forgive .. I find it difficult to lift my face when I say these words to them. After all, these excuses, like sharp knives, shred my lungs. It even becomes difficult for me to breathe. After all, I understand that in such a situation I have no right to ask for forgiveness.
However, Ikki still answered her words. - Ascarid-san, you are free to choose your own path. - …AND? Ikki's unexpected words embarrassed Iris. What does he mean? And then Iris noticed that there was no anger or rage in Ikki's eyes. Just a little sadness. - You understood what you were going on. Each mage knight has its own path in life. It characterizes the dignity and personality of a knight. And let your choice smack of betrayal and contempt .. Iris chose it herself, therefore, - So this is exactly what you wanted. -…! “Even now, I cannot imagine all the suffering that befell your fate. But even though you were trembling with fear, you did not stop your struggle. You chose your own path, so I don't want to talk about " what is right " and how " dead people " would react to it . What should he do? What to do with the man who saved his life twice? Ikki thought and found a solution. Then Tatara gave him advice. There are many knights in their world that need to be killed. If some paths are incompatible, there is only one thing left .. “I don't think we need a lot of words.
After all, we are knights. - With my weak strength, I will break your path as a knight. Let the sword judge them. Ikki made it clear that he wouldn't let her near Stella so easily. His gaze was different from other people; staring at her, Ikki saw Iris as his equal enemy. - ~~~~~~! The look that saved Iris. Everyone saw in her only a despicable traitor, but this guy recognized her as an equal rival for himself. The feeling of gratitude filling Iris's heart began to come out through her tears. She wanted to thank Ikki, but .. - ... A ... cn ... I didn't let the words come out of my mouth. Iris deliberately stifled those emotions and just glanced at Ikki. Thank you is such a sweet word. Even if I want to say something like that .. but I'll hold back. This guy standing in front of me . . he so proudly declared himself my " enemy " ... Why can't I do this? I'm sick of being sentimental .. that's enough for me. Spread your chest. Even if my choice is considered unacceptable, and many cannot forgive me for it, but ... I want to be proud of myself.
I want to look proud in front of this amazing guy who acknowledged my choice. "I will not show this unsightly side anymore .. !" A turning point in her life. Right now, Iris Gole was overwhelmed with the determination to give her life for the path she had chosen. A knight blocking her path to her brother. She was ready to crush any obstacle. The ground cracked under her feet, Iris aimed her halberd at Ikki. From every part of her body, bright light poured in different directions. Like a violent hurricane, the trees in the area creaked, and all the windows in nearby houses shattered. None of this was magical power. Iris bared her " sword spirit ". Incredible strength. “It looks very scary. Her intimidation is twice as strong as in our first battle. " This was the only time in my life that I smelled something like this. This was when I first met the Diptera Edelweiss at the Akatsuki Academy.
Now Iris's power was truly frightening. However, this is not surprising. After all, all this time her true desire was in a position where the mind and body contradicted each other. But having learned her real desire, she became a completely different person. Even in the High League of Kings Knights, she did not show herself as real. For the first time, I am actually fighting an opponent who is practically at the top of absolute strength. The result of our battle can be only one - " someone's death ." But even knowing this, I will not run away.
"My body no longer trembles" The heart that screamed at him to run away when he first met Edelweiss was now calmly watching the enemy. I am no longer afraid or sorry. I feel how much I have grown since that day. The resolve on both sides grew stronger. Therefore, there is only one thing left - to check whose chosen path will be stronger. Only one person is allowed to live on. - Under the banner of the International League of Mages-Knights, the 1- year student knight of the Hagun Academy, the King of Swords of the Seven Stars Ikki Kurogane! “He will face a rank 4 knight of the High League of Kings of Knights , Iris Ascaris! - Enough words .. Let the battle begin !!!!
Document Outline Interlude: Rain of Sorrows Chapter 19: The Confrontation Between the Desperate Chapter 20: Memories That Cannot Be Discarded Chapter 21: Forbidden Desire