“Goodness. I mean, the Maid of the Sacred Sword always targets the evil demon king, doesn’t she?” She sits down lightly in the chair in front of Claude. “The demon king’s wife can hardly let the Maid steal a march on her.” Softly, she traces the curve of her husband’s cheek with her index finger. Tossing the spoon into the empty glass, Claude rises to his feet. “It sounds as if Father is back, although he’s badly weakened. I’d like to ask him where he’s been and what he’s seen, then plan accordingly…but it looks as if we won’t have time.” Another shock hits. Screams and yells begin to go up. A moment later, there’s a noise like breaking glass. They’ve heard that sound before. The holy king’s barrier has shattered. Now Claude’s curse will progress again. If he fights, it will advance even faster. Aileen looks up. Claude smiles at her; the earring dangles from his ear. “All right. Shall we go, my dear Aileen?” “Yes, Master Claude.” He’s extended his hand to her deferentially. Smiling, she places her own hand in it. It’s the hand of the evil, world-destroying demon king. However, ever since Aileen recalled her previous life—those ridiculous “memories of the game”—it’s a hand she’s never hesitated to take. As if to blot out the refreshing sunlight, a palace has appeared in the sky, and its shape is still fresh in everyone’s memory. It’s the floating palace of the Holy Queendom of Hausel—the seat of the majestic queen who looked down on the world, subjecting it to a rain of holy swords like the proverbial hammer of justice. It was last seen moving on its way to destroy Ellmeyer. Why has it reappeared? The resulting chaos is only natural. As far as Ashmael is concerned, it’s a greater threat than the fiend dragon. “Master Baal, what is the situation?!” Aileen shouts in the harem. It’s deserted; he may already have issued orders to evacuate. Baal responds from the roof of the Sun Palace, glaring at the distant floating palace. “No different from what it was earlier. Or rather, since we are the ones being targeted, it’s worse. However, that’s true for Ellmeyer as well.” “What do you—?” A forked flash, bright as lightning during the daytime, erupts from the floating palace. Baal’s eyes gleam. The blinding attack is repelled by both the barrier he’s deployed and the red one in the distance, and after a little delay, they hear the sound of an explosion catch up. Claude narrows his eyes. “So they’re attacking Ellmeyer as well?” “Right. Since they’re spreading out the force of their attacks, even our barrier can still repel them. However, that may not hold true if they throw everything they’ve got at it. And we’re not sure how long the barrier over Ellmeyer—the one cast by your extremely impudent snotty-nosed whelp—will last.” “Father, I’ll help!” Estella calls; she’s run up to stand beside Aileen. Charles, who’s appeared behind her, mutters, “What’s the point of giving them the battle of attrition they want, dummy?” “Du—?!” “They’ll run out of magic soon. That’s the type that attacks with stored-up magic. As a matter of fact, the power must already be lower after that first strike, and they won’t fire again for a while. The fact that even sacred power can’t cancel it out is a pain, but it was inevitable. Those attacks are built around a core of divine stones.” “Oh—is it an Elefas gun?” Claude drops a fist into his palm, as if it all makes sense to him now. Thinking of the hardships of the mage who was once pressed into service as a power source, Aileen interjects, “Be kind to him and refrain from giving it an odd name, Master Claude. If I recall, Denis fixed it, so let us call it the Ele-Doni gun.” “Wouldn’t the Donifas gun be easier to remember?” “Either will do.” Charles gives them a cold glare before continuing, “The floating palace can repair itself, but normally, it would take several centuries. Evare is using his magic to forcibly accelerate the repairs and move it at the same time. The attacks should pause here for a while.” “How do you know how the floating palace works?” “My teacher is the one in charge of maintaining it. He’s told me a few things about it.” “…Since it sounds like he’s come up in the world substantially, I think we should call it the Elefas gun to serve as a warning,” Claude murmurs. Charles glares up at the floating palace. “If Evare supplements it with his own magic, it should take about ten minutes to accumulate enough energy for another attack. We’ll have to bring it down before then. The problem is where—” “Don’t worry about that. It seems to be heading toward the desert at the border. That’s where Father was shot down earlier. It should be fine to sink it over there,” Claude says. Baal frowns. “You’re dropping more troublesome things on us? Why don’t you consider dropping them on your own territory sometimes?” “What a good friend I have…” “Saying it like you mean it won’t help you. Listen, if you persist in taking that attitude, we’ll stop being your friend one of these days!” Although Baal yells, he doesn’t refuse. If they don’t bring the palace down, Ashmael will be in just as much danger as Ellmeyer. Charles has been listening to the exchange as if it bores him. Magic crackles beneath his feet and lifts him into the air. “If that’s finally settled, then I’ll be going ahead.” “Do you intend to go alone?” Estella scowls. Even to her, Charles is brusque. “Yes, I am. Is there a problem? I’ll make Evare regret making an enemy of me.” Giving a smile that doesn’t go past his lips, Charles flies off at tremendous speed. Impressed, Aileen puts a hand to her cheek. “He does take after you there, Master Claude.” “No, I think it’s you.” “It’s both of you, obviously. We imagine he really could bring down the floating palace by himself, but…we can’t just leave him to it.” “No, we can’t.” Prompted by Baal, Claude rises lightly into the air. Aileen hastily shouts at him, “Master Claude! I’m going, too!” “No.” “But just a moment ago, you said we’d go together!! That there was no point in trying to stop me!” “I can choose not to take you with me, though,” Claude retorts cheerfully. Aileen’s smile cracks. Baal joins Claude. “We’ll go, too. If we’re going to intercept those attacks, being closer is better. We can leave Ares in charge of the evacuation. We’ll also be able to keep you from turning into a baby dragon.” “…You are a good friend, aren’t you?” “What, you didn’t know that already? That’s how it is, Roxane, so…er, quit giving us that terrifying look.” Roxane, with Sahra attending her, is radiating an intimidating silence from the ground. She sighs. “…If you promise to come back safely, I shall see you off with a smile.” “Of course. Please look after Estella. As for you, Estella… If it comes down to it, we want you to protect this kingdom.” Estella looks startled. Then timidly, she nods. Baal smiles, then redirects his kingly gaze. “And you, Sahra. We’re counting on you.” “Y-yes! I’ll do my best!” “May fortune favor you, my holy king.” Roxane is smiling. Baal waves to her, then turns away. As Claude starts to follow him, Aileen shouts at him accusingly. “Master Claude! Do you seriously intend to leave me behind?!” “Staying home once in a while will make for a nice change of pace, won’t it? You’ll finally know how I feel.” Claude’s smile hasn’t faltered even slightly. Smiling in spite of herself, Aileen issues a low declaration. “—If you leave me behind, I promise you’ll regret it.” “Charles really does take after you.” With that parting shot, Claude winks out of sight with Baal. Aileen immediately turns to Estella. “You can teleport from here to the floating palace, can’t you?” “What? —Well, yes. But Father and Master Claude both said to stay here…” “No, that’s no good. We have to go after them quickly. Our opponents have the sacred sword.” Turning in the direction of the voice, Aileen sees Luciel, who looks as if even walking is hard, and Serena, who’s supporting him. Behind them is Machina, as expressionless as ever. “Father. How on earth did you get here?” “That doesn’t matter. We’ve been in the floating palace. We ran into Grace there.” Luciel is trying to keep his agitation under control, and she can tell something unpleasant has happened. “…You don’t mean the girl named Lucia, do you?” she asks quietly. “That’s right. She had the sacred sword. Evare, an acquaintance from back when I was a god, was there, too…and he may have captured that Lilia girl.” “Lady Lilia?! Why? She’s in Ellmeyer—or no, of course she wouldn’t be, not under the circumstances.” Aileen can just picture Lilia rampaging around to her heart’s content, giddy over the arrival of the sequel. Just thinking about it is exhausting. “Am I to assume that she saved you and slipped out through Charles’s barrier with you, Master Luciel?” Aileen gives him a half-hearted glare. Serena snorts. “Good guess. For some reason, the two of us were still awake, even though nobody else was. Then we used this good-for-nothing god and that woman’s power and got through the red barrier…with my help anyway.” “…Yes. Yes, of course. It is Lady Lilia, after all. She would be awake, and she would slip out.” Lilia is the heroine of Game 1, while Serena is Game 2’s heroine. If Luciel joined them and they all reinforced one another, it would have been possible for them to get through Charles’s barrier. The game’s rules are tenacious. “As an aside, didn’t you consider relying on Auguste?” If the game’s rules still apply, there’s a good possibility he’s awake as well, but Serena grimaces openly. “You know he’d be useless. Even if he was awake, he’d just get himself killed.” “You always try to keep Auguste out of danger by talking like that, don’t you, Serena?” “Did you say something, Sahra?” “I’m not loaning you Ares anymore, all right?” The heroines of Games 2 and 3 apparently have some sort of feud going, but now isn’t the time for it. “So you rescued Master Luciel, and then you and Lady Lilia charged the enemy camp?” “No. She said Hausel’s floating palace had to be around somewhere, and when we went to investigate, it was the enemy camp.” “In other words, you charged the enemy camp.” No doubt she used her game knowledge to guess where it would be. Just talking about it makes Aileen feel weary. Luciel frowns, looking concerned. “Lilia acted as a decoy to let the two of us escape. Evare said he’d make her the next queen, so… If he’s fiddled with her memories, she may be under his control.” “What?!” Sahra turns pale. “Th-that’s awful. Lilia… No…!” “Sahra, calm down.” “But, Roxane! Lilia doesn’t have the sacred sword anymore!” Serena seems to have a few thoughts on that as well; a shadow falls over her expression. Luciel continues, “It may be best to consider Grace an enemy, too. She stabbed me with the sacred sword.” “Lady Grace stabbed you, Master Luciel? With her own sacred sword?” Aileen frowns. Luciel nods, hanging his head. “Technically, it was probably Lucia’s, but… She did stab me. She didn’t seem to recognize me.” Folding her arms over her chest, Aileen gives a long sigh. “…I see. It looks as if I really will have to go myself. Estella, will you take me?” “But won’t Emperor Claude be angry?” Estella gives her a worried frown. “Gracious.” The corners of Aileen’s lips curve up. “Master Claude isn’t petty enough to hold a grudge over a little thing like this.” “You’re the reason the imperial castle gets those extremely localized blizzards all the time, aren’t you? It’s a total nuisance.” “That’s a different matter! This is something else entirely!” Refusing to even entertain Serena’s complaint, she gets a better grip on the holy sword. Against the sacred sword, the demon king and the god of demons don’t stand a chance. That is one of the cardinal rules of this world. “It is my duty to handle the things that he can’t.” Luciel, who’s standing without help from Serena now, nods. “I’ll take you, then. She’s restored enough of my power that I can teleport, and if it comes to that, I can turn into the divine dragon and fight Evare.” “Thank you, Father, please do. And then—” Machina steps forward soundlessly. Aileen blinks. “Do you wish to come as well?” The girl nods. Her eyes are as hollow as ever, but they’re focused. Estella is gazing at her steadily, and Aileen speaks to her again. “What will you do, Estella?” “I…um…” “I won’t insist, but you did come here in pursuit of Charles, didn’t you?” Unusually, Estella seems to be having trouble reaching a decision. She speaks rather evasively. “If I go, I think it will sour his mood, so…” Aileen and Roxane exchange looks. Estella continues, gazing at the ground, “Besides, I tend to force…various things onto him for my own convenience. My ideal of who I’d like him to be, for example… Even if I am his fiancée, I don’t think that’s a good thing.” “That’s fine if you’re engaged. It’s an equal exchange.” While she’s puzzling over what to do about this, Serena nonchalantly speaks up. “I married in exchange for success. If he doesn’t like it, your fiancé can simply refuse. You should at least say it.” “Actually, I’m having Ares do his best at being a general, too! There are several things about it that seem to be hard for him, but he’s so dashing that I don’t want him to quit!” Sahra looks happy. Serena pulls a face. “Women like you are the nastiest type to deal with.” “Huh?! Why?!” “I tried to make Master Claude emperor as well, but now that you mention it, I suppose I never asked whether that was what he wanted to be,” Aileen says, going with the flow in a vague sort of way. Estella looks shocked. “I-is that true? And that’s how the demon king became emperor…?!” “I thought Master Claude would be a good ruler, of course, but I also felt as if he needed to take the throne. If he was going to win happiness both as the demon king and a human, it was a necessary means toward the end.” And so she didn’t hesitate, and she has no regrets. Shrugging, Serena looks in the direction of Ellmeyer. “I know of a woman who went along with a man whose mind and stance were already made up, too, though.” “Oh, Isaac! Yes, the way he’s devoted to his work is rather dashing, isn’t it?!” “In what way? That guy’s definitely no good, and he won’t make her happy!” Serena yells. “Wha—? Huh…?” “And actually, who is this girl anyway?!” Sahra beckons Serena over and murmurs something in her ear. She’s probably explaining Estella’s origins. “I would like Master Baal to stay holy king as well.” “Mother…,” Estella calls to Lady Roxane in a thin voice. Apparently, she does allow herself to be a little weak in front of her. “I don’t know what it is that Master Charles wants. However, I once failed to notice the hand Master Baal extended to me. With help from Lady Aileen, I made it in time, but… I don’t want you to have those regrets.” Softly stroking Estella’s cheek, Roxane continues, “If you’d like to go, then go. In the first place, you did not come here to help us. Isn’t that right?” Estella came to take Charles back home. Her eyes are still a little hesitant, but after a slight pause, she nods. “All right. In that case, Lady Aileen and Master Luciel, I’ll take you to the floating palace. And, er—you as well, Lady Machina.” Abruptly, Machina pivots to face Estella. Everyone flinches. They watch as Machina pats Estella lightly on the head, then pivots away again. “Um…?” Estella is bewildered, but just then, a flash of searing light dyes their surroundings pure white. Its source is the floating palace. There’s no time to hesitate. “Hurry, Estella.” “I know. Over here, all of you.” “Wait, I’ve got a message from that woman.” As Estella’s sacred power builds, Serena announces brusquely, “She says, ‘Go easy on me.’” Aileen tucks her chin, smiling. “You must be joking. I’m going to flatten her.” Particles of light surround her. As her vision thins, she sees Serena shrug and Sahra give a tense smile. They melt away, and the next thing she sees is the floating palace—from much higher up in the sky. “I seem to end up in this situation far too frequently!!” Aileen screams as she falls. Estella is flustered. “I-I’m sorry! The palace has something like a magnetic field around it, and it destabilized my teleportation!” “N-now, now, Aileen. I’ll get us all down there safely, so— Claude?!” As Luciel screams, Aileen’s eyes flick in that direction, and she tightens her grip on the holy sword. Her body registers what she’s seen before her mind does. She doesn’t hesitate. She doesn’t even think, Why? A girl is attempting to run a holy sword into Claude’s chest, and Aileen cuts in from the side, slashing at her. Pulling her blade away from Claude, the girl turns gracefully in midair. Then with a smile, she alights on the rubble of the floating palace. “Good day, Lady Aileen.” “Good day, Lady Lilia.” Lilia is holding a shining holy sword. Standing in front of Claude, squarely in her path, Aileen smiles back at her. Barring her way and protecting Claude—those roles should always be hers. “It’s no use, Lady Aileen. I really do need to slay the demon king.” “Mm, yes. That’s what I thought you’d say.” “Well, I mean, I am the Maid of the Sacred Sword.” This woman is the enemy. She always has been, and she always will be. Charles glances at Claude and Baal, who’ve teleported after him. “Coming along is fine, but stay out of my way.” “If you brush me off coldly like that, I may accidentally shout the name of the girl you like.” “Die right this minute!” Charles snaps back instantly, flushing bright red. Baal puts a hand next to his lips, screening them as if he’s telling secrets, but his voice definitely isn’t quiet. “Did you see that? The boy could just have teleported, but he flew away like he was showing off.” “It was probably because that looks more impressive.” “I see. So he’s at the age when he’s more concerned about appearance than anything else… We understand, mm-hmm, yes.” “That wasn’t— You know that wasn’t it! The floating castle is made of divine stones and tends to warp magic in weird ways. Teleporting here is dangerous!” “As you flew away, she was gazing at you… Although, I won’t say who ‘she’ was.” “She didn’t gaze—she just glanced over briefly! Listen, boy, don’t get carried away. We won’t say who, but our precious daughter doesn’t care for you at all!” Baal shouts. “What is wrong with you people?! If you only came along to bully me, then leave!” Charles bellows. Then he bites his lip. “Besides, I don’t need you to tell me that. I wouldn’t get carried away… It’s better if I’m not around.” “So this is puberty…!” Claude sounds deeply impressed. Baal gives him an ostentatious warning. “If we were you, we wouldn’t talk like that. We’ve been through something similar, and we know you’ll want to die later. It’s history you’ll never live down. The suffering and regret will surge over you like waves… It hurts…” “In your case, it’s pretty recent dark history. That time when you were cold to Consort Roxane.” “Shut up, don’t remind us! And anyway, there were reasons for that! Several of them!” “Enough. Say whatever you want. It won’t change what I’m here to do.” Up ahead, the floating palace seems to flash. Claude recognizes this group. “All-white soldiers, hmm?” They’ve come to intercept them en masse, and Charles snorts, stopping in midair. Layer upon layer of magic circles appear in front of him. He’s drawn a sword before they notice, and he swings it horizontally. “You’re in the way.” That solitary slash makes the summoned soldiers explode one after another in a chain reaction. The blasts spread out like a belt of fireworks, and the soldiers collapse into dust. “So you use spells. Is that your teacher’s influence?” “I just don’t like the inefficient, brute-force way you two use your power, that’s all.” With a contemptuous snort, Charles drops onto the front courtyard of the floating palace. He’s a thoroughly impudent son, Claude thinks. Shrugging, he and Baal follow him. A demolished gate, broken pillars, and a building damaged beyond recognition. The only word for this scene is ruin. This place looked awful before, but now it’s on the verge of total collapse. Not only that, but since the fissure down the middle has been forcibly stuck back together with magic, the ground is uneven. He can hear a strained creaking noise from somewhere. “All right, if we’re going to stop the Elefas cannon… Should we destroy the engine first? I’m pretty sure it was over there.” “We think it would be faster if you ripped the island in two again. We’ll cover for you, so give it your best.” “When it really counts, you’re always like that, aren’t you?” “Nah, c’mon, don’t do that.” The voice comes from above them, on what remains of the palace balcony. From that perch, which threatens to crumble at any minute, Evare is looking down at them. He puts one hand to his chest and gives an exaggerated bow, like a theater usher. “Welcome. Glad you could make it. Well, this is the crowd I figured I’d get. The holy king and the demon king. You’d be enough of a headache on your own, and now you’ve brought along a prince who’s real close to Luciel in his prime.” “Evare, you’ve found the Maid of the Sacred Sword. That means you have no more business with this era.” Charles steps forward; his voice is clear and carrying. “I won’t run or hide. I’ll keep my promise, so you keep yours. Surrender the floating palace and leave this age alone.” “Comin’ from a boy prince, that ain’t real convincin’. What do the demon king and the holy king say?” “I’ve spoken with them already. We’ve reached an agreement.” “Huh?” Evare gives them a dim-witted look. “I also explained about the corrupt dragon, and what’s going to happen to me after this. On that understanding, if you surrender the floating palace and go home, they’ve promised not to pursue you any further.” “…Nah, nah, nah, nah! Even if you explained, there’s no way they’d let you. That guy’s obviously gonna stop his son!” “Neither my father nor the demon king would risk their countries or the future for a stupid thing like that.” Charles is dignified. Behind him, Baal sighs, and Claude shrugs. Neither of them denies it. Evare looks appalled. “Is this for real…? Family should be hell-bent on shuttin’ this down.” “I haven’t told my wife. She probably wouldn’t allow it,” Claude admits. Baal crosses his arms. “The same goes for us. There are some things it’s best not to know. Especially for our daughter.” “Oh, I see. So you’re doin’ your duty as leaders of your nations, huh?” Evare sounds disgusted. Then he gives Charles a pitying look. “Well, that’s a shock. The holy king, the demon king, and the demon king’s son. I wasn’t sure I could call any of you human, but I take it back. You’re human, all right. Leavin’ your son to die for the sake of a formless thing like a country is somethin’ only humans would think up.” “…It’s not really like that,” Claude murmurs, but nobody hears him. Instead, with perfect composure, Charles says to Evare, “Withdraw. Do it, or I’ll get rid of both you and the floating palace.” “Here’s the thing: I can’t. See, I’m well aware I’m bein’ reckless.” Setting his hands on the railing of the ruined balcony, Evare gives a wry smile, but the eyes that gleam behind his spectacles aren’t smiling at all. “I’m bettin’ my future on this, too. I can’t back down.” “Fine. I’ll kill you and drop the floating palace out of the sky.” Charles speaks calmly, as if he’s simply stating a fact. Evare takes his hands off the railing. “Oooh, scary. But listen.” Gazing steadily at each of their faces, he smiles. “Did you people forget there’s no way you can beat the Maid of the Sacred Sword?” As he spreads his arms wide, a figure darts out from behind him. Claude frowns. Lilia Reinoise! He doesn’t know why, but Lilia Reinoise is attacking them with a holy sword. Baal shouts, “Hey, isn’t that the former Maid of the Sacred Sword?! Did you plan this?!” “No, Evare’s controlling her!” Charles tells them. Evare laughs scornfully. “C’mon, don’t say it like that. What’ll people think? I made her come ’round, that’s all.” “She no longer has the sacred sword, though.” “What’re you sayin’, Demon King? Even if she’s a former one, that’s the Maid of the Sacred Sword, and she’s armed real well.” As if to back up Evare’s warning, Lilia’s holy sword gouges up a spray of dirt. A regular holy sword wouldn’t have this much power. “I think the match might be over before you even get out there, Lucia.” While their attention was elsewhere, a girl who looks just like Grace has come to stand at Evare’s side. Claude and the others flee into the sky, pursued by the holy sword. Repelling it with a barrier that has both sacred power and magic worked into it, Charles yells, “We’ll fight her later; take the palace down first. There’s no time!” “Gracious, demon king’s son, you mustn’t get distracted.” Lilia’s holy sword stretches like a whip, tangles around Charles’s ankle, and dashes the startled boy to the ground. “Charles!” “You too, Demon King.” No sooner has he heard her voice than the holy sword attacks him from above. Turning, Claude parries her attack with a holy sword he’s quietly brought with him. A blast wind rages right in his face, but Charles is behind him. He can’t retreat any farther. She’s strong. She can’t have been training, and yet… So this is the Maid of the Sacred Sword. The thought that his wife faced something like this makes a shudder run through him. “You know, I think this may be the first time we’ve fought, Demon King.” Their magic clashes right in front of him, crackling. The girl seems to be enjoying herself immensely, and Claude frowns softly. “…Cedric’s going to cry.” He is aware that this is technically his sister-in-law. When Lilia hears that, she laughs. “You’re pretty composed, Demon King. You’re up against the Maid of the Sacred Sword, you know.” “You no longer have the sacred sword.” In fact, the weapon in Lilia’s hands is a holy sword. He’s wary, but since magic will work on it, it isn’t a threat. The sacred sword would’ve erased Claude’s magic instantly. “Unless I get careless, that’s no danger to me.” “You’re certainly coolheaded enough. Unfortunately for you, though, there couldn’t possibly be a game where the Maid of the Sacred Sword loses to the demon king. Especially not if he’s a final boss.” Lilia slams Claude’s blade out of the way. Immediately, the light radiating from her holy sword swells. It’s a pseudo-sacred sword. Realizing that, even Claude’s eyes widen. “Now then, let’s change the future, shall we? Just like Lady Aileen did.” Lilia grins, then lunges at Claude and Charles, who’s back on his feet. She intends to skewer them both. Tsking, Claude kicks Charles out of the way. Even as he does it, the tip of Lilia’s sword closes in on his chest. The barrier Baal casts in front of him is just a stopgap, but it does slow her down for the briefest of moments. In the end, that moment is what separates victory from defeat— It’s probably destiny. “Claude?!” He hears his father scream, but what he sees is his wife flying toward him. The sacred sword is terrible. It exists to destroy the demons and the demon king, and it always bars his way. However, in his wife’s hands, any blade becomes a sacred sword meant to protect him. “Now do you see your error in leaving me behind, Master Claude?” Aileen asks, half in jest. Behind her, Claude seems to be smiling wryly. “Mm, yes. I have always made a point of not interfering in fights between women, and yet…” “So what are we callin’ this? The Maid of the Sacred Sword versus the Maid of the Cursed Sword? What a pain in the ass…” Evare is looking down at them from the crumbling balcony. He has an index finger to his temple, and he seems to consider himself a disinterested spectator. Aileen gives a contemptuous snort. “The Maid of the Sacred Sword? Her?” Lilia cocks her head. Her enigmatic smile is the same as ever, but her violet eyes are just a little unfocused. “I am the Maid of the Sacred Sword. Tell me you’re not underestimating me just because this is a holy sword, Lady Aileen.” “You heard her. She may be the old model, but she can draw power that’s a lot like the sacred sword out of the holy sword. I’d expect no less from her.” “The old model, hmm? I sense no respect for previous installments… Or I suspect that is what Lady Lilia would say, but—” “I don’t have a sacred sword anymore, so there isn’t much that can be done.” The woman’s learned to say some very admirable things indeed. With a snort, Aileen spins the holy sword one-handed, switching to a different grip. “Well, that’s fine. Why tell you when I can just show you? We’re both armed with holy swords, so let’s see which of us is better, once and for all.” “Oh-ho, well, I’ll hang out here and watch—or that’s what I’d like to say, but you’ve brought all sorts of other folks along, and now we’re outnumbered. The prince’s princess, and Luciel— We just met a bit ago, didn’t we? You look like standin’s ’bout all you can manage right now.” “Grace…” Leaning on Estella, Luciel gazes at Lucia, who remains at Evare’s side. Evare frowns. “I keep tellin’ you, this is Lucia. And also…” He shrugs, then narrows his eyes at the final figure. “Machina. I figured you’d self-destructed.” “……” “Cat’s still got your tongue, huh? Don’t tell me you’re mad or somethin’.” “…Poor… Ev…” At the sound of Machina’s faint voice, everyone stares. However, that’s all she says. Then she lowers her eyes and falls silent. “Whoa. That startled me. So you can say stuff besides ‘yes’ and ‘no,’ huh…?” Evare gives a dry laugh, then shakes his head. “There’s no point in talkin’ now, though… You’d have to be the Maid of the Sacred Sword, and you ain’t. Sorry ’bout that.” Averting his eyes, he apologizes lightly. Looking at Machina, Aileen sighs. “I think you have the wrong idea about Maids of the Sacred Sword.” “What, this supposed to be a sermon or somethin’? You think you people have that kinda time?” Evare opens his right hand, revealing a small, conical rock. It shines, sparkling— Is it a divine stone? Abruptly, the stone begins to spin, and the floating palace moves. Slowly, as if taking aim, it changes direction. It’s heading for Imperial Ellmeyer. “No—is that the switch?!” Punching through the barriers Baal and Claude both cast on reflex, the ray of light collides with the peak of the red barrier enveloping Ellmeyer. The barrier thins, as if it’s melting. Cracks begin to run through it, and finally, it explodes. The barrier Charles cast to protect Ellmeyer has broken. “I guess I shouldn’t have split it up like that. If this thing shoots at full power, it’s unstoppable. One more attack, and both Ellmeyer and Ashmael are done for.” The conical divine stone is now blackened and dull, just like a regular rock. Closing his fingers around it, Evare laughs. Baal shouts, “Stop him! Don’t let him fire again!” “Of course not. We’re bringing this palace down.” “Goodness, we can’t have that.” As Claude’s red eyes flash, Lilia lunges at him, holy sword held high. Aileen immediately parries it. “Have no fear. I’ll be your opponent even if you don’t target Master Claude.” “Heh-heh! I’m glad. We can start over from the beginning, too, then!” Apparently, her memories are intact. Evare probably isn’t controlling her completely. It should be possible to restore her sanity. “Master Claude, you focus on Evare and the floating palace!” “Not gonna happen!” Evare unleashes an explosion of magic from the crumbling balcony, forcing Claude’s magic back. At the same time, Lilia’s and Aileen’s holy swords clash, and the flash of light paints their surroundings white. The magic and the holy swords seem to have triggered some sort of reaction in the floating palace; it lists dramatically. Magic shoots up from the fissure down its center, creating a pure-white wall. Claude and the others aren’t that far away, but she can’t see them anymore. Aileen and Lilia are the only ones on the side from which Ellmeyer is visible. That’s perfect. “Come, Lady Aileen, let’s settle this!” Launching herself off the wall of magic, Lilia attacks. This woman—that can’t possibly count as playing fair!! They’re both fighting with holy swords, but she’s up against the Maid of the Sacred Sword. Even if she no longer has the sword itself, Lilia has latent sacred power. Aileen’s no match for her—or she shouldn’t be. “The idea of becoming the enemy’s minion! This isn’t like you.” “Gracious. It may not look like it, but I do have my reasons.” They obviously aren’t anything decent. Blocking an upward slash, she locks guards with Lilia’s blade, taking the opportunity to get a closer look at her opponent’s eyes. They really aren’t quite focused. “…What did he do to you?” “Oh, nothing. It’s just…if I beat you here, I’ll be able to make Cedric emperor.” Aileen frowns, and Lilia’s smile abruptly disappears. Her eyes focus on Aileen’s in earnest. “I want to protect him. Even a little. Even if I’m starting late. If I can make it in time.” “You mean you regret it? Now, this late in the game, you—” “I’m going to make him happy. And so…” Abruptly, the pressure she’s resisting increases. Lilia’s holy sword grows brighter. Forced back by that pseudo-sacred sword, Aileen’s heels scrape across the ground. She grits her teeth, and Lilia leans in until their noses are nearly touching. Her expression is deadly serious. “Lose, Lady Aileen. Just as the Maid of the Cursed Sword should.” Somewhere along the way, Lilia has gotten the higher ground, and she’s pushing down on her. On the verge of falling to her knees, Aileen tucks her chin and smiles back at her. “You know there’s no way I could!” As Aileen gets a better grip on the hilt of her blade, magic erupts from her wedding ring, twining around the holy sword. Lilia’s eyes widen, and Aileen shoves her holy sword aside through sheer brute force. “I have no time to waste on you. Return to your senses!” Lilia has been thrown off-balance, and Aileen promptly strikes with the hilt of her sword. Taking a hard blow to the temple, Lilia slides across the ground. Stomping down on her holy sword, Aileen points her own blade at the girl’s neck. “Regret the fact that you challenged me all you like.” “You’re so mean, Lady Aileen…” Lilia’s eyes open, and she sits up. A single trickle of blood runs down her face. “I said to go easy on me. Didn’t Serena give you the message?” “You know there’s no way I could do that. Not against you.” Lilia inhales in a theatrical way, then breathes out. “Even so, owww. I’m injured. Where’s Sahra?” “Not here. And? What did you gain? You intentionally let Evare put you under his suggestion and became the next queen so you could see Amelia’s memories, didn’t you?” “Huh? Oh my. Who would’ve thought you knew me so well, Lady Aileen…?” Lilia’s blushing bright red, and Aileen brandishes her holy sword at her. Lilia puffs her cheeks out sulkily. “I was only jokiiiing.” “Think of the situation and speak accordingly.” “It isn’t as if I learned anything all that important, though. Amelia’s prediction: Evare, the final boss who’s defeated in Game 5, will awaken again in a thousand years, in a world that’s rotting away. That’s the era of Game 6. Apparently, you couldn’t romance Evare in 5 because he becomes the hero in 6.” However, if what Evare said in the chapel is true, due to the fiend dragon’s absence, he’d never awakened that first time. He probably woke abruptly in Game 6. “In 6, to slay the corrupt dragon that’s destroyed the world, he meets up with the heroine—the only living person in that world—and they leave on a journey through time in search of the sacred sword, in order to rewrite the past.” “And that girl awakens as the Maid of the Sacred Sword?” “Right. There were two of them, actually. It was probably a double-heroine game. Maybe the one the player chose became the heroine, and the other one became the villainess? There may have been a route where they both became Maids of the Sacred Sword, too.” The sacred swords weren’t there to serve as their souls, though. The two candidates Amelia had provided were nothing more than vessels of flesh, and only Machina was actually around. As a result, Evare suspected Lucia, the other one, might be the Maid of the Sacred Sword and came to the past in search of her. Honestly! That’s far too complicated. Since it wasn’t possible to match the elements of the game—the fiend dragon’s existence, Estella’s position—to the world’s present state, the events of Game 5 haven’t begun. However, according to Amelia’s prediction, that doesn’t hold true for Game 6, a thousand years in the future. At some point in time, the corrupt dragon must have appeared and rotted the world. However, reality was still warped, and the game began with pieces missing—apparently. “Then the final boss of Game 6 is the corrupt dragon the hero Evare is trying to slay?” “That’s right… I doubt I need to explain who that corrupt dragon is.” Dusting herself off, Lilia gets to her feet and looks up at the sky. “What are you going to do, Lady Aileen?” Aileen sighs. If that’s Charles, then no wonder Master Claude left that curse alone… Honestly, Master Claude. He neglected to tell me. Should she turn a blind eye to the fact that they kept her in the dark and consider it a secret only a father and son could share, or is that the last thing she should do? Aileen hasn’t become a mother yet, and she doesn’t know. It’s a tricky question. “…I’d prefer not to be a mother who meddles excessively in her children’s lives.” Aileen looks at the wall of magic that’s trying to join the floating palace together. Perhaps because the impacts have died down, its momentum seems to have slowed a bit. “I do think giving a bit of a push in certain directions is forgivable, though.” “Heh-heh. That’s the spirit. I’ll cheer you on, Lady Aileen.” “There isn’t much point in you cheering me on. I don’t even have a sacred sword.” “And you don’t need one, do you? You’re my protagonist.” So she fancies herself the player again, does she? Aileen feels tired to her bones, but just as she’s about to retort, the ground begins to pitch again. Then the floating palace fires a blast at Ellmeyer. She crosses her arms to shield her eyes, but through the gaps between them, she sees the blast collide with the multilayered barriers Claude and Baal have cast. Lilia is watching it, too. “That’s no good,” she murmurs. “They won’t last long.” “Wait—Lady Lilia?!” Holy sword gleaming, Lilia leaps off the floating palace. Then impossibly, she lands on the ray of light, which Aileen assumes is composed of nothing more substantial than sacred power and magic. “What?! You can stand on that?! Is that even okay?!” “Heroine bonuses are terrific, aren’t they?! I’ll buy you time. Give it your best, Lady Aileen!” While Aileen stands there aghast, Lilia rapidly recedes in the direction of Ellmeyer. Since she is riding a ray of light, naturally, she moves extremely fast. Aileen hears something along the lines of “Eeeeee, this is fun!” but decides to pretend it was her imagination. “It isn’t as if she’s surfing. The idea of being able to do a thing like that without the sacred sword… I swear, there’s something wrong with that woman.” Partway through, she shakes her head. That isn’t what matters now. Lilia is headed toward Ellmeyer, which has lost Charles’s barrier. If a single shot from the floating palace’s cannon so much as skims the capital, it will probably vaporize the whole place. That is why she’s gone there. She really isn’t the player anymore. An impressed sigh escapes her, and that alone is enough to let her switch gears. Aileen turns back, leveling the holy sword. You can do it, can’t you, Aileen? Even if this isn’t the sacred sword. The sacred sword is— With a smile on her lips, she swings the holy sword at the wall of magic that bisects the palace. The magic wall that separates her from Claude splits cleanly down the middle. It may be just a holy sword, but it’s only natural that it could do this much. The ground lurches, and then the magic that’s holding the floating palace together shoots up like a wall, hiding Aileen and Lilia from view. Lady Aileen, Lady Lilia…! Charles is probably worried, too; Estella hears him shout a short distance away. “Father! Are you sure it’s okay to leave Mother like that?!” “No, it’s not, but she’s never once listened to me. You’re very similar.” Claude is calm. That’s a relief, but for some reason, he glances at her. Scowling openly, Charles yells at her, “Why did you come here, woman?! I told you not to follow me!” Inside Estella, something snaps. She steps in front of Charles. “Never mind that! The important thing is the floating palace! Father, I’ll stop the next attack, so don’t concern yourself with the rear.” “Huh?! There’s no way you can stop that!” “You’re all talk, Master Charles, so stay out of it!” She glares straight at him. Charles’s lips flap soundlessly, and then he screams, “Oh, for the love of— Once this thing is down, go back to the future like you’re supposed to!” That’s all he ever says to her. Accepting the fight he’s picked, Estella screams back, “Wait until you’ve downed the palace to say such things!” “Ha-ha! A young lovers’ spat. This is kinda heartwarmin’.” “Estella!” By the time Baal shouts, Evare’s hands have already closed around her neck. No—! Turn back. Fight… But it’s the first time anyone has ever tried to kill her, and her reaction is slow. “Sorry. I’m a coward. I’m takin’ you as insurance.” His red eye flashes—and then Estella is in Baal’s arms. Baal looks surprised as well. He gazes back at her. “F-Father. Thank you for rescuing—” “No, it wasn’t us.” “Don’t make me angry, Evare,” Charles says in a low voice. Startled, she looks back. Evare is where Estella was a moment earlier, his chest impaled by a huge blade of magic. From the sheer intensity of the magical energy rising off it, no one besides Charles could be responsible. H-he saved…me…? In that brief moment, he moved faster than anyone else. Estella gulps. On the ground, run through by that sword, Evare gives a sly grin. Apparently, the wound isn’t a fatal one. “Ha-ha! Insta-kill, huh? Talk about merciless. I guess I’ve incurred your wrath, huh. That’s real touchin’. It’s not like doin’ this is gonna change how you end.” “I’m not here to change my fate.” The way Charles puts that seems significant, and Estella frowns. “You’re a real fine prince. Hard to believe you were s’posed to become the brutal emperor who destroyed Ellmeyer ’cause he was the reincarnation of the demon king and wanted sacrifices. Just bein’ born in a different age changes quite a lot, don’t it?” What is he talking about? Estella doesn’t know. She knows nothing about Charles. That realization makes unease and anxiety steal into her heart. “You’re all fine folks, so how come my future turned out like that?” “…Because the Maid of the Sacred Sword wasn’t there, right?” “Yeah, that’s right. Because the Maid of the Sacred Sword, the one who was gonna end you before you turned into the corrupt dragon, wasn’t there.” Evare touches the magic sword that’s piercing him, and it begins to crumble. As everyone watches him warily, he gives a dauntless smile. “You don’t care if you die. You wanna die protectin’ your family? That’s a nice, convenient, spoiled li’l wish. If your wish is that cheap, then lemme have everythin’, Prince!” “You’re going to hand over the floating palace and disappear from this era first!” “Lucia! This prince is the corrupt dragon that’s gonna rot the world, the one the Maid of the Sacred Sword needs to slay!” Lucia darts out from behind the crumbling magic blade, a smile on her doll-like face. She swings the sacred sword down. The floating palace launches an attack, and both Baal and Claude tsk in irritation. “Kill him! He’s the world’s enemy!” “Master Charles!” Without thinking, Estella tries to reach for him, but Baal grabs her arm, pulling her away. Estella struggles as she is dragged into the air. “Father, please wait, Master Charles is—” “Calm down. Neither you nor we can block an attack from the sacred sword.” He’s right, but that isn’t what she wants to hear. “Master Charles is the—the corrupt dragon who’s going to rot the world? What does that mean?!” Even as she asks the question, her mind keeps racing. Charles is the son of the demon king. The demon king’s true form is said to be a dragon. That means it wouldn’t be impossible for him to transform into one. Estella has actually seen Claude turn into a young dragon as a result of the curse he took over from Charles. In other words, Master Charles is also cursed to become a dragon. It can’t be. It can’t be— “—the one the Maid of the Sacred Sword has to kill?!” “We didn’t want you to know about it.” That brief remark is enough to make the pieces fall into place for Estella. “…You knew about this. Both you and Emperor Claude.” “He told us himself. Then he told us to stay out of his way.” “And you believed a preposterous story like that?!” Even if the demon king’s true form is a dragon, the idea of Charles becoming a dragon that rots the world is ridiculous. It can’t be true. Estella screams the words at him, and Baal gives a little sigh. “…He showed us what’s beneath that eye patch. His skin’s turned to tiny black scales. It doesn’t happen fast, but if something is pressed against those scales, it rots. The skin on the back of his hands is beginning to turn black as well. He says that in the future, we made that eye patch and those gloves to suppress his symptoms.” Estella knows nothing about this. “They’re like Claude’s earring,” her father’s voice says, but it sounds hollow. “Apparently, he developed this illness a month ago, quite abruptly. He said it was like a curse. That’s why, when Evare said he would become the corrupt dragon, he believed him. The discoloration’s already spreading to his arms. No doubt it’s only a matter of time before it covers him entirely. Even we could do nothing about it.” In that case, Charles has no choice but to be slain. By the Maid of the Sacred Sword. Below her, Luciel is screaming something, trying to stop Lucia. Claude and Charles are fighting back, but the floating palace’s attacks are keeping them busy, and they’re forced to stay on the defensive. In any case, the sacred sword is the power of justice that judges both magic and sacred power, so the demon king is no match for it. Estella bites her lip hard. She tries to shake off Baal’s hands, but he won’t release her. “Where are you going?” “To tell Lady Aileen! Perhaps she can do something about it. She said she’s used the sacred sword to restore Emperor Claude’s humanity before.” “Don’t be a fool. Aileen has no sacred sword now.” “Then am I simply supposed to stand here and do nothing?! That’s—” Abruptly, Machina appears right in front of Estella. Before the shock wears off, the girl pulls her arm. “Huh?! What—?” “Hey, wait! Where do you intend to take Estella?!” She doesn’t even have to hear the answer to know: right to the center of the battlefield. Dragging Estella along, Machina flies straight into the thick of a fight exploding with dust and magic and sacred power, where the visibility is so bad, it’s hard to tell what’s going on. “—Machina?!” Charles has noticed them right away, but Lucia’s sacred sword is bearing down on him from the side. Machina’s great sickle knocks it away. “Why are you here?! Estella, all you can do is provide backup!” Why has she come? Biting her lip, Estella grabs Charles’s glove. Startled, he pulls away, and the glove slips far enough for her to catch a glimpse of dark, discolored skin. Charles instantly fixes the glove, hiding his skin. Estella has already seen it, though. “When did that begin?” “…N-now’s not the time for that.” She knows. She knows, but… “Why didn’t you tell me?” Is it anger, frustration, or sorrow? Even she doesn’t know, but something is building at the corners of her eyes. Charles stares, shocked, then starts talking anxiously. “I—I mean, if I’d said, you would have…” “Am I that unreliable? Did you hate me that much?” “No—” “It’s true that I can’t become the holy king, and I’m not the Maid of the Sacred Sword! But—” There might have been something she could have done. Even if it was just one little thing. “You ain’t got time for chitchat!” Arrows of Evare’s magic rain down over them, and she isn’t able to finish her sentence. On reflex, Estella covers her head, and Charles pulls her into his arms. If she’s being honest, she’s noticed that Charles always protects her first. She realized it when she came to the past. She doesn’t know what it means, though. So why won’t he tell me anything?! Why?! Irritated, Estella looks up. She just can’t seem to get used to combat, and the mood tends to overwhelm her, slowing her reactions. “I can fight, too!” Violet eyes shining, she destroys all the magic with her sacred power. Claude kicks the airborne Evare out of the way, then comes down to join them. Baal follows a moment later. “Estella, how reckless can you—?” “Father, be quiet, please! Look up!” From the air, Lucia raises the sacred sword high and smiles. Luciel darts in front of her. “Grace, don’t! Remember me, please!” Without a thought for his heartrending plea, Lucia brings the sword down with both hands. A tremendously heavy attack falls toward them. Luciel manages to block it for a few moments, but he’s pushed back and knocked all the way to the ground in no time. Claude catches him, and Baal resists with sacred power, but that only buys them seconds. She quickly breaks through, as if it’s thin ice. Finally, Charles casts a barrier by filling his right hand with sacred power and his left with magic, then combining them together. That holds, but it promptly begins to crack. “Run now, while there’s—!” Even as Charles screams, another attack arrives, and the second swing of the sacred sword breaks even his barrier. Estella casts a barrier, pouring all the power she has into it. “Estella, you idiot! You know you’re no match for the sacred sword!” She does know that, but she keeps her eyes fixed ahead, digging her fingernails into the earth. As feared, her barrier begins to melt away. Still, she keeps facing forward, and she doesn’t look away. Why can’t I do anything? Why don’t I know anything? Tears of frustration well up, but they evaporate. Her barrier’s being broken down. She’s going to lose. She doesn’t even know what it is she doesn’t want to lose at. What exactly did she want to become, and how? With an audible noise, the barrier vanishes. Steeling herself, she closes her eyes. “Keep your eyes open, Estella!” Startled, she looks up. With a thundering crash, something has punched through the wall of magic and knocked the sacred sword’s attack flying. “A woman may only close her eyes in front of the man she loves.” Estella blinks at the figure who’s standing firm against the wind that tears at her skirts. The woman is holding a holy sword, not the sacred sword. The history books call her the Maid of the Cursed Sword. However, she is always as beautiful as the Maid of the Sacred Sword. “Lady…Aileen. You saved me…” “It wasn’t me who saved you. It was Machina.” Startled, Estella finally notices that Machina is supporting her. When their eyes meet, the other girl pats her on the head again. “Um…?” What is that about? Is it sympathy or something? she thinks and is immediately ashamed of her own pettiness. However, although Machina’s eyes still look as if they’re made of glass, she says, “Watch.” She means the same thing as Aileen: She wants her to keep her eyes open. Leaving Estella, who’s gone limp, Machina faces forward again. Her eyes are fixed on Lucia. “That isn’t…the Maid of…the Sacred Sword.” That isn’t the Maid of the Sacred Sword. Machina’s voice is quiet, but it carries a long way. It travels far enough for Evare to hear it, even though he’s standing at a distance. “She ain’t the Maid of the Sacred Sword? Quit talkin’ crazy, wouldja?” Evare gives an irritated scowl. Taking Lucia’s hand, he smiles. “She’s obviously holdin’ the damn thing. That’s the genuine article right there.” Machina doesn’t answer; instead, Aileen responds, “No, that isn’t the sacred sword. Not a real one, at least… Or rather, I should say it’s no longer a real one.” “But that’s Grace’s sacred sword, so…” Awkwardly, even Luciel is arguing her point. Claude slips his arms around Aileen’s waist and whispers, “I understand, in a vague way.” “Goodness. I’d expect no less of my Master Claude.” “What’re you makin’ out over there for? Tryin’ to bamboozle me with baseless theories ain’t gonna work.” “Baseless? The holy sword couldn’t possibly send an attack from the sacred sword flying.” Aileen’s answer makes Evare’s eyebrows come down for a moment, but that’s all. “You used the sacred sword for a while yourself. You and the former Maid of the Sacred Sword are even there. It ain’t real strange that you’d be able to fight it a li’l bit. It looks like you took out Lilia Reinoise, too.” “Lady Lilia is just fine. She’s well enough to go surfing for a bit.” “The heck’s that? …Still, if she ain’t defeated, the suggestion got busted. That means she didn’t have enough regrets to do things over, no matter what she said. See, the stronger the desire, the easier it is for a suggestion to stick.” No wonder Lilia said such uncharacteristic things. However, she must have meant at least some of it. What would have changed if she’d been a suitable Maid of the Sacred Sword from the beginning? That was the sort of thing she could think because she’d begun to really live in this world. In other words, even in Lucia, Lady Grace must be… What Grace, with all her strength, regretted. What she wished she could do over again. “That ain’t all Lucia’s got.” Still smiling, Lucia raises the sacred sword. Everyone braces. Evare eyes them as if he’s licking his lips. “All right, who should we go for? Lesse. Let’s take out the one who’s the most trouble first. —You got stabbed with the sacred sword, and you’re still alive, so we’re goin’ with you, Luciel!” Lucia thrusts out her sacred sword. Aileen levels her holy sword, ready to fight back, but Machina darts in first. For just a moment, Evare scowls, but then he smiles. “It ain’t gonna work, Machina! Yeah, you shoulda been a Maid of the Sacred Sword! You didn’t get there, though. You and me know that better than anyone!” “Machina, no! You can’t win against the sacred sword— Mother?!” Charles tries to go to Machina’s aid, but Aileen holds him back. Evare laughs again. “What, you ain’t savin’ her? The holy sword should be able to hold out for a bit, y’know!” “I won’t save her because there’s no need to.” “Huh?” “A-Amelia…! Never mind me, go to Grace!” Machina’s great sickle is shielding Luciel completely, but it’s begun to melt. She’s clearly being overwhelmed. Tsking, Charles tries to fly to her, but this time, Claude grabs him. “What, Father, you too?! If we don’t do something, Machina’s going to— Estella won’t be able to return to the future!” For just a moment, Estella looks at Charles, startled. However, the increasing intensity of the sacred sword’s attack and Evare’s loud laughter promptly reclaim her attention. “What did I tell you?! You’re no match for the Maid of the Sacred Sword!” “All right, Amelia.” At the sound of that name, everyone gasps. Still holding the melting sickle, without flinching from the incoming attack, Machina closes her eyes. “I’ll switch…with you.” A raging torrent of light surges up from beneath Machina’s feet. The great sickle slowly dissolves, changing shape—becoming a shining, sacred sword. Eyes wide, Evare screams, “No! That ain’t possible!” Machina’s hands close around the hilt, and she sweeps the blade in a horizontal arc. Lucia’s attack is split in two, and Machina rushes in the opening. Grimacing slightly, Lucia catches the charge on her sacred sword. White light envelops their surroundings. The fragmented attacks fly off in all directions, punching through the remaining buildings and demolishing them. Rubble rains down, and Claude’s magic shields them. Machina stands in the billowing dust, eyes still closed. In her right hand, she holds the sacred sword. “Wh-why…?” Luciel has fallen on his rump behind Machina, and he’s gazing at her back in disbelief. Picking up his unfinished sentence, Evare shouts, “Why?! Why does Machina have the sacred sword?!” “—Found…you.” Machina speaks in a stilted, awkward voice. Slowly opening her eyes, she gives a bewitching smile. “Found you… I’ve finally found you, my sister. Poor Maid of the Cursed Sword. Heh-heh. You call that the sacred sword?” It’s the voice of the Maid who once saved the world. A proclamation from the queen who led that world. “I am the real Maid of the Sacred Sword.” The genuine Maid of the Sacred Sword opens her violet eyes wide and flashes a sly smile. Evare has probably fired on reflex. Machina evaporates his attack with a single slash, but he still doesn’t seem able to believe it. He groans. “Wh-what…?” “Found you— I’ve found you, I’ve found you, I won’t let you get away again, Sister, this time, I’ll kill you for sure!” Without so much as a glance at Evare, Machina lunges. The sacred sword closes in on Lucia at tremendous speed, and she knocks it away—but Machina’s already circled around behind her. “Too slow.” The attack strikes Lucia’s back, sending her tumbling out of the air. Luciel shouts, “Wait— Amelia, go easy—” But instead of crashing into the ground, Lucia lands neatly. Machina pursues her, and they both gouge scars into the earth, swords clashing, punching through broken buildings and making the sky explode. Left in the dust by their momentum, the group on the ground can only gaze up at the ferocious battle unfolding in the air. “……” “…………” “…They’re redoing their sibling rivalry!” “Is that okay?! It’s not really what I was imagining!” Aileen sums the situation up in a forcibly cheerful way, provoking a pathetic response from Luciel. That seems to snap Evare out of it; he pulls on a tense smile. “Th-that’s right— Yeah, Machina was originally qualified to be the Maid of the Sacred Sword, too. Those qualifications woke up, so she’s got the same sacred sword. They should be equal, but…” “If that’s all you’ve got, don’t you dare call yourself the Maid!” Streaking down behind Evare’s back, Lucia crashes into the ground. Up in the air, Machina laughs triumphantly, brandishing her sacred sword with a patently villainous look on her face. “Come on, don’t die that easily! Not if you’re the real Maid of the Sacred Sword!” “L-let’s stop her, okay, Aileen?!” Luciel shrieks timidly. Aileen shakes her head gravely. “We can’t. That’s quite clearly Lady Amelia in her prime. I really don’t think we could win.” “No…!” The sacred sword’s attack rains down as arrows of light, drowning out Luciel’s scream. There’s a tremendous explosion, and a cloud of dust rises. “More importantly, let us drop the floating palace while we have the opportunity, Master Claude.” “Good point; let’s do that. If we get in between them, we’ll definitely die.” “Even you say to leave them alone, Claude? Why—?!” Evare’s attack comes flying at them from a different direction, but Baal’s barrier deflects it before they can turn around. “Don’t get careless, you fools.” “—Explain. What the hell’s goin’ on?” Evare has turned their way, his palms crackling with magic. “It ain’t impossible for Machina to have a sacred sword. Why now? —No, forget that, why is Lucia losin’?! Her sacred sword was the real deal.” His composure seems to have deserted him. There’s no trace of his smug smile now. “Did you do somethin’, Luciel?!” “M-me? No, nothing…” “You must have known as soon as you stabbed Master Luciel. That sacred sword isn’t the real one,” Aileen tells him. Evare’s eyebrows come down. “What’s that s’posed to mean?” “What you thought was the real thing was a sacred sword made from the soul of Lady Grace, who loves Master Luciel. It’s proof of her love for him.” “Huh? What’s this ‘love’ business…?” “There are set conditions that trigger the sacred sword’s appearance, and separate conditions that make it real. To Lucia, taking in Lady Grace’s sacred sword must have been the trigger condition. However, without love, a sacred sword can never be real.” Lucia doesn’t love anyone, and so her sacred sword can’t perform the way a real one would. “That makes no sense. Then what? You’re sayin’ Machina’s got this ‘love’?!” “I know nothing about Machina’s feelings. Her trigger must have been taking in Lady Amelia’s sacred sword, though. In that case, I know where that condition was met— She gained her sacred sword from Lady Grace’s when it stabbed Luciel.” Evare looks as if he’s tried to smile and missed, but he’s listening to Aileen without interrupting. “Lady Grace’s soul was sealed in Lady Amelia’s body, which lay on the altar, in the form of the sacred sword. However, body and soul can’t be separated so easily. Through the sacred sword, their two souls must have mingled. No doubt it was only slightly, the faintest of traces, and yet…” It’s like an impossible lingering attachment. “When Master Lucius was stabbed with Lady Grace’s sacred sword, the Saint of Salvation recovered him. In the process, Lady Amelia’s soul must have regained its power as well. Through Master Luciel, Machina connected with Lady Amelia’s soul. That amounts to taking in her sacred sword. That’s how she got one, just like Lucia.” Luciel puts a hand to his stomach. “Then…what protected me was what was left of Amelia inside Grace’s sacred sword?” Evare’s voice is trembling. “Are you sayin’ Amelia Dark is really there, in Machina?” “That’s right… Although, it does genuinely feel as if she’s crawled back up from the depths of hell.” An explosion echoes behind them, and the raucous laughter that accompanies it is saturated with malice. She really doesn’t want to turn around. “Still, she is a real Maid of the Sacred Sword.” She didn’t return to reclaim her crazed sister. She came in order to prove she was the one and only Maid of the Sacred Sword. Surely, that was more like her. “You’ve gotta be kiddin’ me.” Evare bursts out laughing, although his eyes are still wide. “I’m not buyin’ that… There’s no way I could! What’s this ‘proof of love’ business?! That’s just—!” He spreads his arms, and a shining conical stone rises over his right palm. “You won’t be able to talk such a big game when Ellmeyer’s destroyed!” As Claude and the rest turn pale, the floating palace’s cannon spits fire. The attack flies straight toward Ellmeyer, and the recoil rocks the floating palace. Aileen doesn’t turn around. “It’s no use.” “Huh?! What’re you talkin’ about? Ellmeyer’s got no barrier now. It’s done for!” Partway through, Evare’s face and voice twist up. Aileen is wearing a wry smile. “There’s one more Maid of the Sacred Sword in this world. And she’ll never lose.” Behind her, a tremendous boom echoes, and the cannon is blown to bits. She doesn’t even have to look to make sure. After all, Prince Cedric is there. Lilia has blocked the attack with her holy sword. “N-no… There’s just…no way that could…” Light flares overhead, then showers down. Everyone looks up at the sky as if they’ve been stung. Turning dead white, Luciel screams, “Amelia… Grace!” “This is the end, foolish sister.” Grabbing Lucia’s head, Machina thrusts a hand into her chest. As she drags the sacred sword out of Lucia, Evare gasps. “Wait. Please wait. If the Maid of the Sacred Sword is gone, I’ll—” For just a moment, Machina glances at Evare. However, her eyes promptly return to Lucia—and Amelia smiles at Grace. “Sympathy makes me ill.” “A…me…” Grace is trying to call her name. Amelia puts her face so close that their noses nearly touch. “You’re much more inconsiderate than that, you know. Both my sister and my brother-in-law.” The sacred sword slips out of Lucia’s body. Instantly, her eyes turn dull, and her body goes limp. Leaving Machina’s hand, the sword changes shape—transforming into Grace. “Grace!” Luciel shouts, catching her. However, although she promptly opens her eyes, she isn’t looking at him. “Amelia.” She calls her sister’s name. Her gaze wanders through space, as if she’s searching for something. Machina has alighted on the ground, and Grace reaches toward the empty air above her head; she seems to be pleading with it. “Wait. Don’t go. I still haven’t…told you…anything… Amelia.” Aileen can’t see anything but the sparkling remnants of what had been the sacred sword. However, Grace is clinging to that spot, as if there really is someone there. “Wait. Don’t disappear without a word. Amelia, I… I’m…” Grace’s words fail her, and her face crumples. Slowly, Luciel embraces her transparent body from behind. Looking up at the same thing Grace is seeing, he smiles. “Thank you, Amelia. It’s all right. Someday, I’ll return your sister to you properly.” Grace turns to look at him, startled; Luciel looks as if he’s about to burst into tears. “This time, I really will grant your wish, and Grace’s. Just wait.” At the very end, Aileen gets the feeling that someone laughed, just a little. Then only Machina is there, holding Lucia’s body. The sacred sword has vanished from her hands. “…No…” “You lose, Evare.” Slipping out of Claude’s arms, Aileen holds the dazed man at swordpoint. Evare shakes his head, backing away. “This has to be a joke. If nothin’ changes here, nothin’s gonna change there.” “Evare, I—” Charles starts forward. Evare screams, “You! You ruined the world!” Machina, whose face is blank again, turns their way as if drawn by the bitter scream. “I’ll be all on my own, for years and years, never talkin’ or laughin’, in a world where everythin’s rotted and dead, an empty world, a world with nothin’ in it, all alone— Why?! Why is it just me?!” Aileen has the feeling that Machina’s lips have moved, and she averts her eyes. She can’t help it. In that moment, Evare takes action. He’s still wearing that drawn, tearstained smile. “If that’s how it’s gonna be, I’d rather take you all to hell with me!” He clenches his right hand again. The floating palace lurches, slowing, and another attack flies toward Ellmeyer. Even Lilia won’t be able to endure shot after shot like that. Tsking, Aileen lunges at Evare, trying to wrest the device from his hand, but Evare crushes it and tosses it aside. Wha—?! Passing Aileen, Evare grabs Charles by the neck and whispers, “C’mon. Let’s destroy the world instead, Prince.” Charles’s eye patch comes flying off. Unbelievable clouds of miasma billow from the ground. Claude flies straight into it. “Master Claude—Charles!” Even as she screams, the ground crumbles beneath her. Or rather, it rots. Trees, rocks, soil, the very earth itself. Thick ooze bubbles to the surface, carrying a fetid stench as everything rots and falls away. At the heart of the sinking mud, there’s a black sphere. Now airborne, Evare laughs. “Plannin’ to take on your son’s destiny with him, Demon King?! Your boy’s gonna be the corrupt dragon, though. There’s no point in holdin’ him in with that barrier.” “Evare! What have you done?!” “Just sped up time a bit.” The black sphere rises into the air. There’s something inside it, and every time that something writhes, miasma seeps out. The miasma gradually spreads, melting the buildings, rotting everything around them with astonishing speed. The pitch-black sphere is a barrier, meant to keep the miasma from escaping. Claude must have cast it. It’s clear at a glance that it won’t last long, though. The thick, sludgy substance inside it is already threatening to spill over. An arm densely covered with scales is trying to break out. Behind Aileen, as if synchronizing with the broken device, the floating palace begins a bombardment. “This is the destiny I just lost! The destiny you people won!” The loser defeated by destiny howls with laughter, and it echoes through the sky over the floating, rotting palace. Getting a firmer grip on her holy sword, Aileen bites her lip.
Chapter 114
60 min read