CHAPTER 33 A Hopeless Love Rosalie swings the Dragon Killer at the Great Mother, but the Emperor Dragon moves her upper body slightly and evades each attack. The difference in power is obvious even to me. However, when the Great Mother tries to attack, a barrage of ice shards rain down on her. Seiya is using his magic to knock her off balance. Rosalie uses this opening to swing the Dragon Killer at the enemy once more, and the sounds of something shattering echo in the air. Using her demonic powers, Rosalie swung with all her might and cleanly hit the Great Mother’s head. “She did it!” …But after having a closer look, I realize that I was wrong. The Great Mother blocked the blade with her arm, and a piece of the sword’s blade is spinning in the air. “Wh-what?! That sound was the sound of the sword breaking?” “Not even the Dragon Killer works on her?!” groans Cerceus. But it’s not like it wasn’t effective at all. The Great Mother’s arm is slightly red where she blocked the attack. Nevertheless, the damage was most likely minimal, since she’s using Ultimate Wall. “Heh-heh-heh. It appears you lost your trusty anti-dragon sword. Is that all you had left?” “Tch…!” Rosalie clenches her teeth, but… “Here, Rosalie. Use these.” Seiya’s voice echoes as sword after sword rains from the sky before piercing the ground between Rosalie and the Great Mother. “H-Hero…! Are these…?!” “Spare Dragon Killers. I made seven for you.” S-seven?! As always, he came perfectly prepared! But how did he drop them from the sky? When I look up, I notice a few Automatic Phoenixes circling overhead. Ohhh! The Phoenixes are carrying the swords in their mouths! “Thank you!” exclaims Rosalie as she rushes over and grabs two swords from the line. She then charges at the Great Mother in a dual-wielding stance. The sword in her left hand is easily repelled when she swings, but the sword in her right hand, which she technically lost, closes in on the Emperor Dragon with its demonic power while huskily roaring in the wind. And yet…the Great Mother is even able to react to that. She crosses her arms and blocks the blade, and the shattering sound is once again the Dragon Killer breaking. “Seiya, her sword…!” “It’s okay. She still has a few spares. I can buy her some time with my magic as she goes to get them.” Seiya slows the Great Mother down with Fenrir Shot while Rosalie rushes back and grabs another Dragon Killer. However, nothing about the situation is improving. Rosalie’s swords shatter once again before Ultimate Wall. Rosalie hasn’t suffered any damage, thanks to Seiya’s magic, but she hasn’t really done much damage to her opponent, either. It’s a never-ending deadlock. The Dragon Killers are gradually worn down before breaking. It isn’t long until I hear a high-pitched metallic sound—the sound of the last Dragon Killer breaking. “S-Seiya! She’s really in trouble this time!” While I’m panicking, Seiya is just quietly watching the fight until suddenly saying: “Rosalie. Right there.” Rosalie doesn’t have anything in her hand. Instead, she throws a karate chop at the Great Mother. I hear the sound of flesh being ripped apart, and the Great Mother suddenly collapses to her knees! “What the…?!” I have absolutely no idea what happened, so I stare at Rosalie until I notice something bizarre: She’s holding a Dragon Killer in her right hand! No way! Where did that come from?! Rosalie gets into stance with the Dragon Killer before the Great Mother, then adjusts her lopsided eyepatch with her free hand. “The Hero said he prepared seven Dragon Killers, but only six fell from the sky. There was no way someone so cautious would make such a mistake, and just as I expected, my hand brushed against an invisible sword right next to the sixth one.” “Perfect. You understand my message.” O-ohhh! Seiya’s ability can turn not only people but objects invisible as well, so he turned one of the Dragon Killers invisible! “That isn’t any ordinary Dragon Killer, either. I infused the blade with some of my dark aura and raised its attack power as high as it could go.” “That’s Seiya for you! I’m impressed that Rosalie noticed the invisible sword, too! I never would have found it! Heh!” “Is that really something you should be bragging about, Cerceus?!” I may be scolding the God of Swords, but I can’t help smiling. A Dragon Killer with Seiya’s dark aura combined with Rosalie’s demonic power to cut through the Great Mother… Deep down inside, Cerceus and I are certain of our victory, and yet… “I am impressed. That attack would have been fatal if I hadn’t hardened my body with Ultimate Wall.” The Great Mother stands right back up while rubbing her neck! Despite the mark on her neck, her lips confidently curl. “N-no way! It barely even hurt her!” That was probably Rosalie’s most powerful attack, and yet it hardly even damaged the Great Mother?! “Seiya! We really have to help Rosalie this time!” I turn around and shout, but Seiya appears indifferent. “Relax. My plan to defeat the Great Mother is still coming along smoothly.” “What?! The invisible Dragon Killer wasn’t your ace in the hole?!” “I merely did that to buy more time.” Seiya slightly moves back some more from Rosalie and the Great Mother, then continues to watch over the battle. Even though he was backing Rosalie up earlier with magic, he crosses his arms as if the thought hasn’t even occurred to him. Rosalie, without Seiya’s support, is slowly being pushed back. Unable to take it anymore, I grab Seiya’s shoulders and shake him. “Rosalie can’t take any more of this! It’s about time you go help her!” “Yes, it is about time.” The instant those words leave Seiya’s mouth, Rosalie powerlessly drops to her knees and coughs up blood! “R-Rosalie?!” The Great Mother got her…or so I thought, but Cerceus appears bewildered and asks: “Did the Great Mother actually attack her?” “I didn’t see what she did, but it’s clear she hit Rosalie with something!” But even the Great Mother appears to be puzzled as she looks down at Rosalie. “What is wrong with this woman? She suddenly began coughing up blood. Perhaps an old wound reopened during our battle?” The Emperor Dragon curiously tilts her head to the side, then smirks. “Oh, well! I suppose I shall put you out of your misery!” But right as she is about to unleash Holy Breath from her hand… “Gwah!” she groans before immediately covering her mouth. “Th-this is…! Gfff!” The Great Mother vomits violet blood as well before dropping to the ground just like Rosalie! “You’ve gotta be kidding me! Now they’re both down!” “Wh-what’s going on?!” Cerceus and I are utterly clueless. All I know is that the Great Mother is trembling while glaring at Seiya. “Don’t tell me…this is…your doing…!” “Seiya?! Did you do this?!” I shout. But when I look back at him, I shudder. His distant eyes are as cold as ice as he watches over the battle. “No attacks work against Ultimate Wall. It is an impregnable defense that even has a resistance to dark-type weapons. Therefore, I have to dispose of her with a completely different kind of attack.” “L-like what?!” “The move is already in effect. Infect Lover—a dark spell that infects the enemy through contact with a disease-causing agent.” I can’t process the words coming out of Seiya’s mouth. In fact, it sounds as if the Great Mother understands what’s going on better than I do. “You sacrificed…this woman…to…!” H-he infected Rosalie?! There’s no way! Seiya would never do such a thing! When would he even have a chance to— I suddenly have a flashback to when Rosalie and Seiya kissed! “Wait! Was that kiss…?!” “Yes. Infect Lover only activates when the caster’s lips make contact with the target,” calmly explains Seiya as if he doesn’t even feel guilty. “Of course, being a powerful dark spell, stringent conditions are necessary to cast it. The target must physically attack the enemy sixty-six times in a row to infect them. Therefore, I allowed Rosalie to continue attacking with the Dragon Killer even if she wasn’t doing any damage. All I needed was her to make contact.” As I stand in a daze at a loss for words, the Great Mother moans in pain: “I—I cannot believe…my Ultimate Wall was defeated…by such a…!” Her body goes into convulsions as blood foams from her mouth. The magic-derived disease appears to be rapidly eating away her body. Rosalie is no different. She continues to vomit blood on the ground as her body trembles and twitches. B-but this isn’t a real disease! It’s probably more closely related to a curse! So… “Seiya! Stop the spell! Hurry!” “No. Not until the Great Mother is dead.” “Rosalie’s going to die if you wait any longer! Just finish the Great Mother with your own two hands! Hurry!” “Hmm…” Seiya, still in a battle stance with his sword, approaches the Great Mother. She glares at him with a fierce scowl, covered in blood. “And you call yourself a Hero…! Your actions are even more vile than a demon’s…!” “Interesting. It appears Ultimate Wall is no longer active. I could kill her now.” I can’t help but rush over to Rosalie’s side. I hear a dull sound, similar to a slash, in the background. Seiya must have delivered the final blow. While holding Rosalie in my arms, I yell: “Seiya!!” “…I already lifted the spell.” “Rosalie, hold on! I’m going to heal you!” I immediately use my healing magic on her, but she violently coughs and vomits more blood, staining my dress crimson. N-no! I won’t be able to heal her in time! Her body is weakening too quickly! But nevertheless, I desperately try to heal her. Before I even realize it, Seiya is standing next to me as well. “You are wasting your time. It was a dark spell powerful enough to kill even the Great Mother. Needless to say, Rosalie has no chance of survival.” “Seiya… Were you planning on killing Rosalie from the very start?” “I decided that it was time to give up on her after her repeatedly failed assassination attempts.” “…?!” “But, well, I think it is a little unfortunate as well. I wanted to use Rosalie during the battle against the Dragon Lord, but she went out on a high note, at least. I should just be thankful I finished the battle unscathed.” I can’t even remember the last time I was this furious at Seiya, but before I explode, Rosalie places her trembling hand on my chest. “R-Rosalie?” “It’s…okay… I’m truly happy…because I was finally able to help the Hero. B-besides…” Rosalie places a hand on her bloodstained lips—the lips that Seiya kissed—with a content gaze. “Hee-hee… This was my first…and last…” I can see the light in her eye grow dim. I probably would have been able to save her if I used Order, but that’s no longer possible now that the spirit world is gone. I have no way of healing a fatal wound like this. Tears roll down my cheeks. I’m frustrated at how powerless I am, and I’m incredibly upset with Seiya. “Rosalie, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” “Why are you crying… Goddess…?” “Because…!” Although struggling to breathe, she looks up at me with her crystal-clear eye and expresses her gratitude in a hoarse voice. “Thank you… The Hero may underestimate you, but…” Rosalie gently smiles. “You are still a goddess. Nothing can change that.” Her head then limply tilts to the side in my arms. “D-did she really die?” I don’t reply to Cerceus as I slowly place Rosalie’s lifeless body on the ground and grab Seiya’s lapels. “What is wrong with you?! I can’t believe you would do something so cruel!” “Don’t make me repeat myself. This Worn-Out Rosalie is a fake. Once we save this warped world, it’ll be like nothing here ever happened. In other words, Rosalie will return to normal as well.” “Who are you calling a fake?! The Rosalie of this world doesn’t deserve to be called that!” “B-besides, Seiya, isn’t losing her going to make things inconvenient for us?” “Don’t worry. We should be able to sneak into Bahamutros with Rista’s gate.” “So, that’s why… That’s why we went there and immediately came back! So that no matter when Rosalie died, it wouldn’t inconvenience you!” The tears continue to endlessly slide down my cheeks. “Rosalie did everything she could to please you! She trained so hard! She loved you, Seiya! And yet…! You…! You…!” “I’m going to save every warped world safely and in peak physical condition before I defeat the Divine Hero and Mersais. If it takes sacrificing an illusion, so be it. What part of my strategy is wrong?” “That doesn’t mean you had to do something like this! The darkness is going to swallow you if you keep this up!” I shout, followed by a brief moment of silence until Seiya eventually lets out a “hmph.” “‘The darkness is going to swallow me’? Did you forget what happened in Hulwahna? The Death Keeper said if you truly believe the warped world is real, then it will become the true world. Therefore, I am treating every single detail of this world as an illusion. Are you sure you aren’t the one being swallowed by the illusion?” “I don’t believe this world is real, and I don’t plan on it, either! But that still doesn’t mean you should make light of the people who live here!” I’m furious, but Seiya is staring at me with a stern gaze as well. “Talking to you is a waste of my time. I thought you learned something during the battle against Grandleon. How many times do you plan to make the same mistake?” My heart skips a beat. M-mistake…? Am I the one who’s wrong? Is Seiya right again? But…but…! “Th-this is going to become the real Gaeabrande if we don’t save it, though. You considered what would happen if you died in Ixphoria and left instructions based on that, right? Well, why not consider that something might happen and—” “Everything I did, including leaving those instructions, was to save the world if something happened to me. However, I have never once thought, ‘What if I didn’t save the world?’ I plan everything I do with the belief that I will succeed no matter what. Are you saying you don’t?” “I—I…” “Besides, if I did what you wanted me to do, I wouldn’t even be able to kill Mash, despite it being mandatory that we kill him if we want to save this warped world.” “The results may be the same, but the way we go about it is important, too! Even if we have to kill him, we can still save the world with love! We can save Mash…and you…!” “That doesn’t make any sense.” “Even if she was an illusion, you hurt Rosalie’s spirit!” I honestly don’t know what I’m saying anymore, either. I’m just so frustrated and sad after Rosalie’s death that I’m letting my emotions do the talking. “Even if there are countless worlds, maybe there is only one true soul—one divine soul. Maybe Rosalie’s soul in this world is the same one as her soul in the original Gaeabrande…” Seiya suddenly stares at me with a serious expression. “Show me evidence to back up that claim.” “I mean…I don’t have any evidence, but…!” “Cerceus, did Ishtar ever mention anything about that in the spirit world?” “Huh? No, never to me personally, at least.” “Which means Rista is talking out of her ass.” He glares at me with a distant gaze, so I argue:
Chapter 199
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