“The group’s coming right at us.” Regina climbed the ladder from the driver’s seat and peeked her head out the battle vehicle’s roof.
The wind full of sand whipped back her pigtails.
“I’m counting on you, Miss Regina. I’m no good with fighting flying enemies,” Sakuya said, pulling Regina up with one hand, her other gripping Raikirimaru.
“You can count on me.”
Regina licked her lips and locked her legs on a fixture brace on the roof. This was a standard system set up on Thunderbolt units to support long-range Holy Swordsmen.
“Holy Sword, Activate—Drag Slayer!”
A large cannon manifested on Regina’s shoulder. This was her Holy Sword, the Drag Howl’s anti-large-enemy annihilation form.
“Get smooooked!”
Boooom!
She unleashed a flare of fire that shot down a pterosaur-formed Void.
“Impressive. You shot down such a large Void with one shot…”
“Heh-heh, are you surprised, Sakuya? My Holy Sword powered up recently!” Regina said, puffing up proudly.
All the live combat experience she gained over the last few months greatly increased the Drag Howl’s power. So much so that in its top firepower mode, the Drag Blast could possibly deal damage even to a colossal Void, although she would need time to charge the attack.
“They’re coming from below, too.”
“…Below?”
Regina turned around.
Brrrr…!
With the sound of a rumble, a cloud of sediment burst in the air.
“Wh-what?!”
■■■■■■■■■■■■…!
A gigantic snake appeared out of thin air and let out a deafening shriek.
“…Is that some kind of worm-type?!”
It was a type of large Void that’d only been sighted in Stampedes, and what’s more, it wasn’t registered in the database. It stood in their way, blocking their forward path with a body as long as a high-rise building.
“Regina, what do we do?!” Riselia called out in confusion from the driver’s seat.
“Lady Selia, don’t step on the brakes. Just keep going right toward it!”
“Eeeh?!”
“The moment you stop, it’ll just swallow us!”
“A-all right!”
The Thunderbolt sped up further.
“Sakuya, can you handle it?”
“I’ll make sashimi out of it. I’ll be counting on your covering fire…!”
Sakuya vigorously hopped off the battle vehicle’s roof, Raikirimaru in hand.
✦ ✦ ✦
“…!”
Leonis dropped the Deus Machina’s top half to the floor in surprise. It landed with a dull thud.
Lying face up, the Deus Machina’s glass-like eyes met his.
“…”
“…”
“…Deus Machina, Schwertleite Terminate.” Leonis gingerly spoke the Dark Lord’s name.
“Affirmative,” she replied.
The horn-like devices attached to her head flickered with a mana glow.
“Did you repair yourself?”
“Affirmative. Thought functionality has been restored,” the girl replied, coldly and expressionlessly.
Looking down at the remains of the Deus Machina at his feet, Leonis regained his cool.
…Hmm. I suppose the Artificial Elemental’s control over it has been lifted.
Or perhaps it was already lifted by the time the Undead King attacked…
…Either way, she’s harmless in this condition.
Leonis kneeled down, picked up the Deus Machina’s wreckage, placed it on a seat, and then asked, “Schwertleite, do you recognize me?”
“…Negative. There is no recollection of you,” she shook her head.
…So her memory’s gone.
He got that impression from their exchange thus far. Even if she didn’t recognize Leonis as a fellow Dark Lord due to his current form, they did have an intense battle in the ruins. Surely she would have remembered that.
“Who are you?”
“I am Schwertleite Terminate. Guardian of…■■…Star…lamity—” The Deus Machina suddenly fell quiet.
“What’s wrong?”
“Damage detected to…self-awareness region… Attempting to repair… Failed.”
“Hmm. So self-destructing really did damage your memories…” Leonis nodded. “Next question, then. What were you guarding in those ruins?”
“…Unknown. Relevant memory area damaged.”
“So you don’t remember anything…” Leonis sighed in disappointment.
It didn’t seem like there was any point in asking her about the Voids or this world.
…No, wait. In a way, this is a fortuitous turn of events. Leonis reconsidered.
If her memories were gone, that meant he had a golden chance to use this powerful weapon for his ends.
Leonis held up his index finger to the Deus Machina’s face.
“Hear me, Deus Machina. I am, in fact, your master.”
“…” Her eyes widened for a moment.
One of the horns on her head flickered.
“Incorrect. You are not my master,” she retorted with an artificial voice.
Leonis grumbled loudly. Things didn’t go that easily, it seemed.
“So your master would be the Goddess of Rebellion, then?”
“Affirmative. My only master is Roselia Ishtaris.”
“…Hmm. So that memory is still intact.”
Perhaps it was because her memory of her master was at the very basis of her identity.
What to do, then…? Leonis pondered, bringing a hand to his chin.
Given mankind’s advanced technology, they could possibly repair her damaged memories… Or they could connect the Deus Machina’s thought circuits to the Astral Garden, and dive directly into her memory banks in hopes of finding useful information.
…I’ll need to rely on Elfiné for that.
But then, the vehicle jolted hard, like something had flung it up.
“Whoa!”
The back of Schwertleite’s head bumped against the wall.
“…Minor damage…to memory area…”
“…What?!” Leonis hurriedly picked up her body.
Is she more sensitive to impacts now?!
“Leo, I just heard something, are you all right?!”
“I-I’m fine!”
“It’s going to get a little shaky, so hang on tight!”
“U-understood!”
Leonis shouted back to the driver’s seat, but then—
“Master?” Schwertleite spoke up.
“…What?”
“Is my master over there?” Schwertleite turned her eyes to the partition hatch.
“By master, do you mean Riselia?”
“Affirmative,” Schwertleite’s horn lit up in agreement.
“Why is Riselia your master?” Leonis asked her.
He needed to hear why she had called Riselia her master after claiming just moments ago her sole master was Roselia, and why she had abducted her in the Rognas Kingdom ruins. And to top it all off, it looked like she had attacked the Undead King, despite being severely damaged, to protect Riselia.
“A part of the master’s existence resides in her.”
“…What?” Leonis’s eyes widened in disbelief, and he grabbed Schwertleite’s shoulders. “Deus Machina, what do you mean?!”
She couldn’t be saying Riselia was…the incarnated body for the Goddess of Rebellion’s soul, was she…?
No, that can’t be true. Such a coincidence can’t possibly—
When he first met Riselia, she just happened to be exploring a ruin, and besides, if she was Roselia’s incarnation…
…The Demon Sword Roselia gave me would have reacted to her in some way.
But so far, the sword never showed any reaction toward her.
“You said a part of Roselia resides in her. What did you mean by that?”
“I merely detected the master’s soul. That is all.”
“…”
Leonis grit his teeth silently. It seemed her memories had holes in the most crucial spots…
“Take me to the master’s side.” Schwertleite craned her head toward the driver’s seat.
Leonis paused for thought…
“…Very well.”
And picked up Schwertleite’s top half.
She won’t hurt her, that much is for certain.
And seeing Riselia might jog her memory. Leonis opened the hatch for the driver’s seat and walked through it, the Deus Machina in his arms.