The world can be damned for all he cares? He seems so inhuman for saying that, I can’t even begin to come up with a reply. I doubt I can hold a solid conversation with this creature called Clark.
I’m dumbfounded, and it’s in that moment that Regulus sighs, his hand still firmly clasped around Clark’s neck.
“…Clark, you’re missing a few dozen screws. I hate to break it to you, but even I’m not missing that many yet. I’ve been in the Demon Lord’s service all this time, but…it’s high time for me to defect from Analia. After killing you,” Regulus says, his eyes having been opened to Clark’s insanity.
I watch as a magic circle forms in his free hand. He probably plans to slam that fist into Clark and kill him.
Clark’s brows snap together the second he catches on.
“The Four Grand Magi are a gathering of good-for-nothings. Thank you for making that clear,” Clark says as something that looks like a fairy flies out from underneath his robe and latches on to Regulus’s shoulder.
I’ve seen that thing before…! I’m positive it’s the glowing ball that charged Julius in Elle Village. I bet it’s one of Clark’s homunculi!
“Regulus! You’re in danger!” I yell at the exact same time the fairy-shaped homunculus bursts into a blinding light. I instinctively slam my eyes shut against the intense glow as it burns up its fleeting life in a suicidal attack.
Then comes the roar of an explosion.
The ringing stops. I hood my eyes against the blast and look to where Regulus is on his knees and missing an arm.
“REGULUS!” Sereniel’s heartbreaking shriek cracks the air.
“Aaah. Please quit with all the violence. I’m not cut out for the front lines. Now that makes the third homunculus I lost today,” Clark complains, standing there with a wicked glint in his eyes shadowed behind shattered glasses and a superficial smile on his split lips.
The explosion seared his skin, and half his face is swollen red. And still he smiles. There’s something dreadful and creepy about him…
“Lylish…?”
Out of nowhere comes a crystal-clear voice that could belong to the angels themselves and belongs here just as much as an angel would.
I look toward the thicket. A girl with hair blacker than night stumbles forward.
Aela… Why is she here? I thought I helped her escape from Elle Village already! Can we really be so unlucky to run into each other again in this forest close to the village?
I’m baffled by this sudden third party coming on to the scene, and it doesn’t help that it’s Aela of all people, but my gaze swivels over to Clark anyway.
Is this just as unexpected for him? The confidence has slipped from his face as he stares at Aela.
Clark has lost his nerve?
This is my chance. A chance to blow him up with an explosion. The area of effect might include Sereniel, Regulus, and even Aela, but they’re strong, and I’m more afraid of falling victim to Clark’s pacing.
I use my one good hand to form the spell symbols and build a prison of flame around Clark. But then I start seeing double. And nausea roils in my gut.
Ugh. This is that. Anemia. I lost too much blood.
I lurch forward a step and sway on my feet. CRUD! I’m gonna pass out. Everything is spinning, but I have to at least land one hit on Clark!
Agh! I can’t…control it… The flames are…
Out of the corner of my eye, I see the fire I was summoning vanish into a puff of smoke.
Why? Why…now of all times?! My body is tilting forward and gravity is pulling me down, when someone gently catches me. Cold air rushes in and fills the forest.
I use what little strength I have to lift my head and see as ice encases Clark’s feet. His overconfident, smug smile freezes on his blue face. White quietly creeps up his body, sucking the color from his skin.
It’s mist.
Hope fills me with the sudden chill licking at my skin, and I lift my eyes to the person holding me up.
“J-Julius…!”
“Elle, I’m sorry I’m late,” Julius says, supporting me in his arms as he tears into Clark with his glacial blue gaze.
It’s Julius! Did he break Sereniel’s magic and then come straight here for me?
“Julius…don’t…get in my way,” Clark demands in a weakening voice, drawing my attention back to him. An uncanny smile is plastered on his sickly white face as his lower half turns to ice.
“You saw the Demon Lord’s magic circle, didn’t you? Someone of your caliber should be aware of its magnitude, then. All you have to do is obediently offer up Elle’s heart to glimpse the Demon Lord’s breathtaking power. As one who loves magic, you must understand how I feel, no? We are magic investigators. Don’t you want to uncover the unknown?” Clark asks in a trembling voice. Probably a physiological tremor due to the cold. Ice has already frozen his lower half, just past his waist.
“Don’t treat me like we share the same sentiment,” Julius coldly shoots back.
Clark’s expression freezes. But the right corner of his lip barely lifts in an eerie smile. “Haha. Too bad. It really is too bad…,” he breathes out just as the ice creeps over his face and his entire body is frozen solid.
Julius lightly pokes ice-sculpture Clark, and he and the block of ice encasing him shatter.
“D-Did Clark die?”
I have to ask because this is my first time in this life—and in my last life, too—ever witnessing the moment someone has died, as I’ve never been on the battlefield before.