As usual it was the pair of them. They were always together. All Dia ever did was talk to the sleeping Hitaki. That was how I guided them with magic and skill.
Approaching the two, I called out, “Dia! Excuse me, but could you please switch places with Sith?”
Dia, who had been chatting away with the sleeping Hitaki, glanced over at me. It seemed being called by name finally drew her attention to me.
“Hmph. This is my time now.” She pouted, trying to reject my request.
“I am sorry. It is urgent.”
It was heartwarming to see the ill-fated Dia show an expression befitting her age. But today, I couldn’t back down.
“Well, I suppose I have no choice. But finish quickly. I have business with Sieg later.” Sensing the urgency, Dia obediently closed her eyes. Simultaneously, the tension drained from her body, and the quality of the magic surrounding her shifted.
Soon after, Dia lifted her face, flashing a venomous smile she would never normally show. Noticing the change, I addressed the person I originally intended to speak with.
“Apostle Sith, you are finally here.”
“I was awake inside, so I heard everything. Finally.” She answered in the same voice as Dia, but the tone was distinctly different. The one standing here now wasn’t the pure, harmless girl but the legendary Apostle Sith, whose name had once echoed throughout the world. “But it’s been a while since I saw Ide get so worked up. Declaring a duel against a sworn friend... Do you really think you can win?”
Sith gave a light greeting to the black-haired girl beside her, then stepped back from the throne. By switching places like this, she was freed from the magic and skills I had placed upon her, allowing Diablo Sith to act freely. We had made it work that way.
“I estimate our odds are fifty-fifty. Honestly, it is a win rate that makes me reluctant to engage in battle. But I must prove to the Sovereign Queen Lorde that I am superior to that man by defeating him. Therefore, I absolutely cannot back down.”
“I never said you had to back down.” Sith shook her head casually and began playing with her hair. Her demeanor made it clear she held little interest in my battle.
“With this castle, I can somehow make my attacks land. A thousand years ago, I ended up using it against the Apostle Deiplachra, but it was originally meant to defeat beings like the Founder. At last, I can show you my true form.”
“You’ve been nurturing it all this year. You plan to unleash it all in a duel?”
“Yes. This is the only power I can truly be proud of. Using the castle, I will fight Kanami the Founder head-on.”
“But if you use the castle for a single enemy, the capital’s forces will naturally be depleted. If the Southern Alliance strikes there, they’ll easily seize the Northern Alliance for themselves, you know? After all the effort to build this war up until now, are you sure about that?”
“I don’t care. Even if this ends the war, as long as one Sovereign Queen Lorde remains, we can start over. No matter what the Southern Alliance does now, it won’t affect the bigger picture.”
“Well, that might be true for you, Ide. But will the other nations in the Northern Alliance accept it? Isn’t that a bit unfair to them?”
“The opinions of those nations using Viaysia as a buffer are utterly irrelevant. They lack both the power and the guts to question our actions. Preparations to annex all Northern nations, should the need arise, are already complete.”
“What, already? Really, this border war—no, this entire continent is right in the palm of your hand, isn’t it, Ide?”
“Normally, things would not go this smoothly. But both sides were left with huge holes after the Great Calamity a year ago. Since there were also many legacies from a thousand years ago, including yours, we could settle most of it through diplomacy alone. Honestly, it was incredibly easy.”
“Easy? That sleepless, nonstop daily grind was easy? I didn’t really understand since it’s outside my field, but you’re truly incredible. I finally get it now.”
“Not at all. I am just an ordinary person. But more importantly, Kanami the Founder is the priority right now. From your perspective, Sith, do you think the castle will work on him?”
“Since it’s the magic that sealed Deiplachra, I think you can be confident in it. If it succeeds, it should be able to trap even a sworn friend. Of course, that’s only if it succeeds.”
“Yes, I will make it work. I will not make a mistake. Absolutely not. Not anymore.” I retorted vehemently. With the odds evenly balanced, hesitation would make even winnable battles impossible.
Swearing to make it succeed at all costs, I glared at Sith. Seeing that, her eyes widened slightly in surprise before she gave a small laugh.
“This is rather amusing. You’re getting so serious. It’s like watching a little brother trying to compete with the boyfriend his big sister brought home.”
Hearing this deeply unfair assessment, I was taken aback. I immediately set the record straight. “Little brother? No, that is not right. This is more like rivalry between colleagues. As the Queen’s subject, I refuse to lose, and as chancellor, I cannot afford to lose.”
“Hmm. As chancellor, huh? Quite the career competition. Well, if that’s how it is, then so be it. If that’s what you want, I’ll support you with all my might. That’s what the contract is for, after all.” Sith deflected my words with mature grace, reaffirming the promise made a year prior.
Indeed, the crucial thing was the contract. There was no need for her to understand my thoughts.
“Yes, the contract is for precisely this moment. Sith, please delay the true Sovereign Queen Lorde alongside Hitaki, the false Sovereign Queen.”
“Understood. I promise not to let that meddlesome big sister interfere in your quarrel. But I do have one small request.”
“What is it? Please do not hesitate to speak freely. We are your allies, after all.”
“Before we fight, may I speak with my former allies? Just for a moment.”
I frowned at this unexpected request. “You wish to see them? Ideally, I would prefer to keep irregularities to a minimum.”
“I want to urge them to surrender before we fight. See? I’m a pacifist, after all!”
I narrowed my eyes and glared at Sith. I didn’t believe for a second that the woman before me was a pacifist. Just as I had my own motives, she surely had hers. And if I forced her to stop now, she would undoubtedly act on her own. That was just how Apostles were. In that case, it was better she did something reckless while still within my sight.
“Fine. But if it gets dangerous, I will intervene immediately.”
“Thank you. Well then, I‘d better hurry and get dressed up too. Heh heh, things are about to get busy.”
With that, Sith closed her eyes again. Just like before, the strength drained from her body, and the switch occurred. Dia’s masculine mannerisms returned, replacing Sith’s bewitching gestures. Her eyes snapped open, and she clicked her tongue.
“Tch. That Sith just goes and decides things on her own. Now my schedule’s all messed up. We were supposed to go to that new restaurant in town together tomorrow!”
I felt a little soothed by her adorably angry expression as I gently rebuked her. “I’m sorry. I expect the enemy attack to take a few days, but there’s a possibility they could come tomorrow.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know, I know. Sieg, let’s go get ready. Come on, give me your hand.” Saying this, Dia extended her hand to Aikawa Hitaki, who served as both the stand-in for the Sovereign Queen Lorde seated upon the throne and the stand-in for the Dungeon Diver, Sieg.
“Mmm.” Hitaki reacted faintly, taking the offered hand and rising to her feet.
With unsteady steps like a sleepwalker, she followed behind Dia. Astonished by the talent of the Thief of Water’s Essence who could move so much even while asleep, I called out to the two girls’ backs once more.
“I’m counting on you to protect the Queen, Dia! Once outside the castle, who knows what might happen! Please, protect her!”
“Ah, Sieg is my comrade. I won’t let him come to harm, nor will I let go of his hand.” By invoking what must be protected, the magic and skills binding Diablo Sith were stimulated, yielding a clear response. As if to honor those words, Dia firmly grasped Hitaki’s hand and left the throne room.