Ayla Triss, who was running across the hallway on the fourth floor of the Elte Store, was already out of breath.
Escaping from the basement and running up to the fourth floor, Ayla had her eyes wide open.
When she first heard Ed's proposal, she didn't think the scale would be so big.
The employees who were lying here and there throughout the Elte Store, and Ed's acquaintances guarding each floor.
Ziggs was on the second floor, fixing his posture and looking like he usually did. But in the third floor's VIP waiting room, Yennekar was there with a scary energy around her. For some reason, she was too afraid to speak to her.
When she reached the fourth floor, crossing through the mess that was made of the hallway, she suddenly had the thought that something was wrong.
"Oh, you came earlier than I thought. Still, it would be better for you to keep up your pace. The weather is rather gloomy, so it seems it'll start raining soon."
Then, when she reached the end of the hallway on the fourth floor as planned, the fourth-year top student in the magic department, Trayciana Bloomriver, was waiting for Ayla.
"H-Hello, Trayciana."
"We've met a few times at education conferences before, right? It's nice to see you."
"Y-Yes… I heard that Ed was asking for help from a bunch of people, but I had no idea that you would be here, Trayciana."
Ayla knew that Ed Rothstaylor knew various people that were skilled in different fields.
However, Ayla had no idea that Trayciana, who was famous within Sylvania Academy, would also show up.
"You can keep heading on up to the roof. Once you go out through the emergency exit, you should head straight towards Ed's camp. Don't worry, we'll take care of the rest."
"When you say take care of the rest… What do you mean?"
Ayla asked her nervously, but she only shrugged her shoulders once.
"I'm just going to do what I was asked to do. Send you to Ed's camp and stop Taylee."
Ayla recalled the faces of the people she had seen as she went up to the fourth floor.
Taylee McLaure had grown much stronger over the last few years, and at an insane rate. He didn't dishonor his family's name as a descendant of a swordsman. He grew up at such a fast rate, it was hard to see him as the same person every day. Even his childhood friend, Ayla—who knew him well—was surprised by the speed at which he grew.
Still, to be able to break through all of those opponents…
"You don't look all that great, Ayla."
Suddenly, Trayciana said something that was right on the dot.
"Whatever you are worrying about, it won't happen. Everything that's happening here is all for his sake."
"How… can you be so sure, Trayciana…?"
Ayla looked at her with a puzzled expression on her face.
Ed and Trayciana weren't even that close. It was common for talented magicians to have an upperclassman/underclassman relationship, but it was strange to see her able to understand Ed so deeply.
In fact, it was strange that she had shown up in the middle of night just because Ed had asked her to. Whether or not she had a personal debt to pay back, a troublesome request like that shouldn't have been easy to accept—no matter how close the two of them were.
"Stop having useless thoughts, Ayla. Go to Ed's camp now."
Trayciana didn't bother trying to explain the reason why.
She only told Ayla to start moving in a light-hearted tone.
* * *
Grabbing onto his sword, he swung it in the air to clean it of blood.
Taylee's sword, which gleamed in the moonlight, was sharp and ready to slice through anything—just like his re-established will.
Clevius has already been nearly consumed by the madness of blood. Is he an enemy that I can't defeat at my current level?
Taylee felt it.
If he made even the smallest mistake, he would die.
"I don't have the confidence to not cross the line now, Taylee."
There was a sense of intimidation in Clevius's voice, and his reason was slowly disappearing.
The reason Clevius Nortondale always avoided fighting was to avoid killing people.
His swordsmanship, which swung his sword in complete madness, could very easily take away people's lives.
"For me, a battle is… Where two people's lives are at risk as you walk across a single thread of rope. And today is no different."
"I have no intention of backing down either, Clevius."
"I guess you wouldn't."
Clevius grabbed his sword tightly as his red eyes turned towards Taylee.
"Ugh, keuk… hnng… keuk"
Clevius, who was hunched over like a doll with a broken string, started to make strange noises. The blood magic power began to wrap around his body once more.
To him, every battle was life-or-death. One couldn't imagine just how heavy that had to be.
Facing an enemy who was risking their own life, you would have to risk yours, too. If you faced an enemy who was willing to die without stealing yourself first, you would quickly be defeated.
Taylee clenched his teeth.
The fight couldn't be dragged out any longer. The longer the fight was, the stronger Clevius became as he absorbed more blood.
He had to end things with one attack. Which of the two would be cut down… It needed to end everything.
And like that, the two of them sprinted off the floor.
Clevius disappeared.
It felt as if he had lost sight of Clevius because he had jumped forward too fast.
He had to predict Clevius' next move by looking at the air currents and his movements right before he disappeared.
Closer to foresight than prediction. Concentrate on his five senses. Feel each sensation that runs across his skin.
Clang!!
Taylee miraculously blocked Clevius' sword attack, which came swinging from the right. The sound of two swords hitting each other echoed throughout the front yard of the Elte Store.
Whooooosh!
The magic power energy that was emitted from the collision shot out around them. The debris and belongings of the employees that were scattered across the ground flew away in the air.
The sound of a growling beast and heavy breathing… It came from Clevius' mouth.
Seeing the blood-crazed Blade Demon in front of him… Taylee gripped his sword even tighter.
"If you don't know the circumstances… Don't interfere…!"
Clang!
After deflecting his sword, Taylee clenched his teeth once more as he ran forward. He swung his sword toward Clevius, but it didn't reach.
"Interfere?"
Clevius's voice, which was getting louder, was right at Taylee's ear. He was already right behind him.
With goosebumps all over his body, Taylee quickly turned his sword to block Clevius' attack, but he couldn't stop the tip of the sword from piercing his collarbone.
"Keuheuk!"
It wasn't a deep wound. He somehow managed to stop it.
However, blood continued to flow from the wound, which was a few centimeters deep.
"It's obvious what's going on. The reason you are doing all of this is because of Ayla, isn't it, Taylee?"
Clevius had been somewhat close to Taylee for quite some time now. So, to some extent he knew a lot about him.
"If not for her, why else would you do all of this…?"
"Even though… you know that…"
"So what?"
No matter what, it didn't change the fact that Taylee swung his sword at Elvira.
"Just like Ayla is something you treasure, I have something myself."
The sound of grinding teeth. As Clevius pushed the sword deeper in, Taylee screamed out.
Clang.
After somehow managing to push Clevius' sword back, Taylee repositioned himself.
To settle things with a final attack, he began to draw magic power through his entire body.
Even if that was how Clevius felt, Taylee had no intention of backing down.
He gripped the hilt of his sword tightly.
"Grrrrrr..."
Clevius had completely lost all sense of reason.
Controlled by his blood and sword, he was truly the Blade Demon that only focused on cutting down the opponent in front of him.
Taylee didn't hesitate.
If his opponent was risking his life, he would have to do the same. And from the start, since Ayla was captured, he didn't have the option to run away.
Clevius, who had completely lost his sanity, was now out of control.
He had become a monster that would cut everything he saw, fighting until his stamina depleted.
Whooosh!
It seemed that he had finally adapted to Clevius's ridiculous speed to some extent.
In a very brief moment, Taylee engraved Clevius' posture into his eyes.
He could instantaneously predict the direction and power of his attack.
However, he didn't know if he would be able to attack him in return. He would just have to try.
The price of failure was his life.
Magic power blew out like an explosion, covering the entire area.
Taylee's gray hair started to become whiter. A strong sense of determination emanated from his red eyes.
Swordmaster's Skill.
There were so many skills that were deep and profound, enough that he hadn't even been able to master half of them.
Feeling as if he was floating in the sea, in front of Taylee's eyes he could see the next stage he couldn't reach before.
As two swordsmen exchanged a final attack for the sake of what they so preciously treasured.
A moment where no one could predict where their swords would strike and who would be cut down.
And then, when Taylee used his Swordmaster's Skill, stretching his arm out…
Fwoooooosh!
From a shockwave caused by the collision of their magic power, Taylee saw fluttering orange hair suddenly come into his vision.
There was someone who had jumped between Taylee and Clevius. It was suicidal.
"…What?!"
Taken off guard, Taylee tightened his forearm, stopping the attack.
However, he soon realized it was a mistake. Even if he stopped, Clevius was still completely engulfed in madness, unable to stop his sword. He had completely lost all sense of reason.
Not only the girl who had intervened, but even his own life. If the two of them were caught in his attack, there was no guarantee that they wouldn't both die.
Regardless, the correct choice was to continue with his attack. However, even until the very last moment, he couldn't stop hesitating. He couldn't strike with Elvira suddenly intervening in between them.
The goddess of duels was always on the side of those who did not hesitate.
Taylee closed his eyes, thinking of Clevius' attack, which would soon strike him down…
"Keuk!"
But the only thing that came was Clevius' coughing out as he fell to the ground.
Crash!
" …What…?"
Then, as Taylee slowly opened his eyes, he saw in front of him… Elvira, lying on the marble floor with Clevius, holding onto him tightly.
Clevius was covered in blood. She climbed onto him as she grabbed his collar, holding him down.
"This…"
"This… Isn't a fight you have to risk your life for!"
There was no way that Clevius didn't have the strength to push aside Elvira's weight.
Rather, he should be engulfed by the madness of his Blood Swordsmanship.
Once he completely lost his mind, he should have become a monster that couldn't distinguish between enemy and ally. He had even cut down his own brother before.
Nevertheless, Clevius looked surprised as he had control over his sword.
In Clevius' eyes, as he laid on the floor and looked up at the sky, it looked as if he hardly had any sense of reason left.
It must have been difficult to tell people apart in that state.
Elvira Aniston.
She was a cheeky girl who always bothered Clevius unnecessarily.
There was no way Clevius' strength couldn't withstand the weight of Elvira's petite body.
He should have been pushing her aside and slashing down whatever got in his way to continue his fight against Taylee.
However, that blood-crazed Clevius… was simply laying there, weighed down from Elvira's weight.
Elvira looked down at him as he spat out blood magic power as if in pain. Her orange hair, which came down a little past her shoulders, tickled Clevius' cheek.
The hairpins that were tying down Elvira's frizzy hair had gone missing at some point.
Not caring about her loose hair as it fell down, she stared at Clevius, who was looking up at her with eyes filled with madness and grinding teeth.
"Taylee. Go."
"What… Did you say…?"
"Go inside the store! Don't you want to save Ayla?!"
Taylee looked at the two of them with a confused expression on his face.
At that moment, Clevius was completely drunk on blood. It wouldn't be strange if—should he leave the two of them alone—Clevius was unable to distinguish between ally and foe and cut down Elvira.
Yet Elvira continued to yell at Taylee.
"What is the most important thing to you right now?"
"That…"
"Ayla was taken by Ed Rothstaylor. The rest is up to you."
Saying that, Elvira grabbed Clevius' collar tightly and pushed it against his chest again.
"We can take care of our apologies later, so far now, just go. It's alright to head inside."
Saying that… Elvira no longer looked at Taylee.
Taylee looked at them as he swallowed his dry saliva… He then quickly ran towards the Elte Store.
Whatever the case may be, the most important person to Taylee was Ayla.
* * *
The bleeding was severe.
For Clevius, that amount of bleeding might have not actually been a problem, but Elvira could only frown while looking at it.
In the first place, that was what Blood Swordsmanship was. She knew that it was a type of swordsmanship with no middle ground, but using one's own blood as the driving force was too dangerous.
Back when Lucy was going wild at Ophelis Hall, Elvira had clearly seen Clevius get lost in his madness. His monstrous appearance as he tried to cut down everything in his path caused fear in many people.
"Ugh… Keuk…"
It sounded as if he was losing air in his lungs, looking up at Elvira as he twisted his body grotesquely.
However, was he really not thinking of cutting down Elvira?
Clevius' has a past where he accidentally killed his older brother, which now weighed down on his shoulders.
Yet Elvira, who was already covered in blood… Without caring about it at all, she pulled out a reagent hanging from her waist.
It was a sedative agent. However, she wasn't sure if it would have any effect on the magic power that came from Blood Swordsmanship.
She tried to get him to open his mouth and take it, but Clevius—who was breathing like a monster—did not open his mouth.
"Get it together, stupid Clevius!"
She tried to open his mouth with her bare hands, which were covered in blood, but… That madness was still inside of him and wouldn't let him drop his hostility towards her.
Then, Elvira opened the lid of the reagent as she put it in her mouth. She didn't swallow it, instead keeping it inside her mouth.
Then, without a single bit of hesitation, she kissed Clevius as he struggled beneath her.
"Eughhh…!"
She kept her lips on Clevius as she held him down by his waist. As she held Clevius' face, pouring the reagent into his mouth… Clevius, who was twisting around grotesquely, was starting to calm down.
Was it the effect of the reagent, or was it the shock of the current situation?
The reason was unknown, but… Little by little, the magic power of his Blood Swordsmanship finally started to calm down.
"Puha…"
When she moved her lips away, Elvira looked down at his face with her hands on the marble below them.
"Why are you needlessly meddling…?! I told you to sit still…!"
As she looked down, talking to him with a nearly-crying expression, Clevius started to calm his breathing.
His dark red eyes were also fading away… The feeling of hostility around him also started to slowly fade.
"That's what I should be saying. You shitty…!"
However, Clevius, who regained his sanity… suddenly clenched his teeth and spoke…
"What, what?!"
"You always drag me around, tie me up and bring me to strange gatherings, keeping me hostage, and meddling uselessly in my life… You meddle the most out of anyone else… You… freaking…"
The recoil of the Blood Swordsmanship started to take place in his body. He continued to bleed out tremendously, but he kept speaking as if he didn't care.
"You are the one who always meddles into everything when nobody asks you to. So, why are you—of all people—staring at me like you want to kill me for meddling in your business?!"
Elvira was suddenly at a loss for words. The same went for her breathing.
"Don't meddle!"
The lines Elvira's older sister, Diella, had said as she slapped her across the cheek.
"You're always thinking you're the main character in this world, aren't you?'
Nosy Elvira.
A nickname that always followed her around, weighing on her shoulders.
Although she was determined to live life her own way, that firm determination was actually nothing more than her own defense mechanism.
That was because, if there came a time where she started to doubt herself, she would feel that she couldn't bear it any longer.
Maybe it was the fault of her older sister, who had cut ties with her and left the family.
Maybe she should have been a little more considerate of Diella. Whenever such thoughts started to show up, she needed to clench her teeth and move on somehow.
"That's fucking why… I can't say no… To you…"
However, Clevius' words pierced Elvira's heart like an arrow.
"The way you express yourself… I… can't do anything against it… Fuck… you fucking… Shitty…"
"Clevius, you…"
"You… everything you did was for me. Which is why… I can't… Say jack shit against it… Fuck!"
As Clevius clenched his teeth saying that, Elvira almost stopped breathing.
Diella Aniston.
Unable to overcome her inferiority complex towards Elvira, she said abusive things towards her before leaving the house.
In the first place… Diella never liked Elvira.
The existence of an older sister who lived and studied alchemy with her in House Aniston was a great blessing in Elvira's life.
Elvira just never knew how to express that. Whenever her sister made a mistake, Elvira knew her sister could grow even more. So, she continued to meddle, point things out, and complain to her in hopes that would be true. But in the end, the deep regret for her actions remained in her heart.
She tried to pretend to be strong to protect herself, but in the end, she was just being noisy and behaving selfishly.
Diella Aniston could neither understand Elvira nor read her inner heart.
Both of them were young, so their expressions were immature. They also weren't mature enough to understand their own immaturity.
However, the pathetic man in front of her… It was as if he knew Elvira's psychology from the beginning…
He had always played along with Elvira's meddling and noisy attitude.
"So… fucking do it moderately… Elvira…"
Saying that, Clevius bled from the corners of his mouth.
Elvira looked down at him, still on his waist, as she bit her lower lip.
She leaned down, wrapping her arms around his head, as she cried at the sight of him covered in blood.
"You… Are really stupid… Clevius… you… dummy…"
"..."
The moon was shining.
Only the two of them were in the front yard of the store, where only silence remained.
"…Yeah, I think the same…"
A body with no strength.
Looking at the night sky behind Elvira's shoulder as she held his head, Clevius agreed with her opinion.
And like that, Elvira and Clevius held each other for a while longer.
* * *
"For now, let's escape."
I came to that conclusion.
The various treasures in Lortel's underground vault weren't at a level that could be dealt with at the moment.
If there was more time, something of that level could easily be resolved. We would just have to move it all to another location.
However, Dune's plan would not be so simple. If he put together a plan like that one, that meant the imperial convoy would soon arrive.
"He planned all of this to create the perfect situation to hand you over to the imperial convoy team. Since the one who holds power behind all the Knight Templars is actually Princess Persica, it would be easy for him to do so."
"That must be why he said the Elte Company would completely fall into his hands once break finished."
Lortel spoke with a hardened expression on her face.
"However… It would take some time for the imperial convoy team to reach Acken Island. Did he think I wouldn't be able to fix one of his schemes while he called on them?"
"No, the convoy is already coming… There is a high possibility that they are coming alongside Princess Penia's escorts."
Hearing that, Lortel hardened her expression even more.
It was a pretty feasible prediction. It also matched his prediction that Lortel would lose all her power once the break came to an end.
When the break finished, Princess Penia would return to school. So, the convoy members that joined alongside her escort team would also arrive around that time.
In other words, it was inevitable that Lortel would be captured by the imperial convoy team around the end of the break.
Everything matched perfectly with the timing.
"There is nothing good about facing the imperial convoy right now. While I convince Princess Penia, you need to run away so you don't get caught."
"That's easy, since Acken Island is rather wide."
"If they are determined to search and hunt you down, it won't be that easy for you to run away. And Princess Penia doesn't trust you… so I don't think she will stop them from searching for you. The school is our enemy this time, too, so there is no one else to help you hide."
"You're planning to convince Princess Penia in the meantime?"
"Yeah. Don't worry, I won't betray you."
I grabbed Lortel's arm, bringing her back up towards the camp.
The peculiar air that filled the forest at night tickled my lungs.
In the middle of the night, Lortel had a strange, mysterious energy around her that was different from usual.
Even her foxlike face was hidden in the dark of the night. It seemed as if a more sinister feeling was starting to show itself.
Lortel held onto my sleeve tightly as she made eye contact with me, smiling softly.
"I'm not worried about that. Because you are mine."
Laughing happily, Lortel tiptoed whispering in my ear.
"And I'm yours, too."
As if those words made her feel a strange sense of euphoria, Lortel smiled slyly as she put on her hood.
"Let's meet again once everything is over. Because I will still be the deputy director of the Elte Company. So, please stay by my side and wait for me."
"Alright."
Lortel disappeared, as if blending in with the darkness of the night.
I closed my eyes slowly.
Holding my breath, I sat quietly in the dark, feeling the tension within the camp.
* * *
Princess Penia's carriage crossed Mexes Bridge.
Traversing through the night, the carriage carrying Princess Penia and Lucy Mayreel entered Acken Island.
And Taylee, who broke through the entrance to the Elte Store… was going up the stairs, towards the second floor.
The story continued.
Around the time Taylee reached the second floor of the building, Ziggs Eiffelstein was there, sitting alone in a hallway full of weapons. He quietly breathed in the early morning air.
He slowly raised his head.
Taylee didn't even question who he was seeing.
The one blocking his way… was the guardian of the Northern Grasslands, Ziggs Eiffelstein.
-x-X-x-
"Ziggs."
With a cold voice, Taylee was the first to speak.
Ziggs Eiffelstein, who was sitting in a corner of the hallway on the second floor, was quietly waiting for Taylee.
He was a pretty close friend of Taylee's. From the start of Act 1, during the duel episode, they both came to recognize each other's skills. He was a close friend of his who was happy to see Taylee grow at an insane speed.
He was both a master of dueling and a talented individual. He held the runner-up seat within the second-year magic department.
At the start of their first year, Ziggs was much stronger than Taylee—to the point that he couldn't even land a scratch on him. However, Taylee had grown to be considered one of the strongest in their grades.
Nevertheless, there was still a gap between Taylee and Ziggs.
His Swordmaster's Skills were not yet fully unlocked, and in terms of the amount of experience the two of them had with fighting before coming to Silvenia, Ziggs was overwhelmingly higher.
"Why are you here?"
"It's just as you are thinking."
Ziggs Eiffelstein was definitely working with Ed Rothstaylor.
He could easily tell just by looking at Ziggs, sitting quietly among the various weapons scattered around.
Ziggs Eiffelstein had no intention of letting Taylee go any further.
He was even ready to use force if necessary.
Ziggs Eiffelstein was someone who always acted on the basis of common sense. He had the image of a reliable student, as well.
So, Taylee couldn't believe that someone like him was on the same side as Ed Rothstaylor… Taylee's hand trembled as he grabbed his sword.
"Why?"
Seeing Taylee like that, Ziggs casually responded.
"At this point, does that even matter? I'm a member of the student council, thus I am in a position where I receive and follow the orders of the Student Council president, Tanya Rothstaylor."
Even though he was a member of the student council, Ziggs Eiffelstein wasn't a person who would do something he thought was wrong.
Despite Tanya Rothstaylor having authority as the student council president, she could never fully control Ziggs Eiffelstein.
So, the correct way to look at things was that, to some extent, Ziggs was willfully doing it.
"Is it all that strange for me to cooperate with her older brother, Ed Rothstaylor?"
"Ayla has been kidnapped."
"I know."
Hearing his short response, Taylee looked at him with wide eyes.
Ziggs continued to sit, without care. He wasn't moving in the slightest.
Even though he knew that, he continued to sit there, staring back at Taylee. He could tell that Ziggs was set on stopping him.
Taylee took a deep breath as he gripped his sword's hilt.
As he cooled his head, his sense of reason started to return. He had just finished crossing swords against Elvira and Clevius.
He had promised himself that he would no longer hesitate. After all, time wasn't on his side.
Quite a lot of time had passed already since Taylee first entered the Elte Store. However, he still didn't know what exactly was taking place inside.
"You're pretty injured, Taylee."
On the other hand, Ziggs was somewhat confused.
He knew that Taylee would have fought against Elvira on the first floor, but Taylee's condition was much worse than expected.
Taylee was covered in injuries and blood after his duel against Clevius… It looked as if he had just come from a duel with his life on the line.
No matter how serious Elvira was, it was hard to imagine that he would get hurt to such an extent.
Seeing the situation unfold like that, Ziggs started to become hesitant. Judging from Taylee's condition, it seemed unlikely that he would ever make it to Ed Rothstaylor's camp.
He wondered if it would be better to let him pass after fighting him moderately… But then, he suddenly had a change of mind.
Once he made his way up to the third floor behind him, Yennekar Palerover would be waiting. And for some reason, she seemed especially angry.
It didn't seem like she would hold back at all. Rather, it didn't seem that she was even in her right mind.
With those injuries… Who knew what would happen if he met with Yennekar Palerover.
The reason Ed Rothstaylor schemed the entire thing up was to gauge Taylee's abilities at his fullest.
Ziggs wasn't sure why he would be curious about that, but there had to be a good reason, since he was actively working on it.
However, if the purpose was just to test his abilities… There was no real need for Taylee to make it through the entire store. All they needed to do was check Taylee's strength.
Since Yennekar looked rather dangerous for some reason, it might be better that he didn't go there at all.
Thus, Ziggs started to think that it would be better for him to personally take down Taylee.
At least Ziggs Eiffelstein… was ready to drop his weapon if Taylee was in too much danger.
With that in mind, he picked up the spear with one hand. And the moment he stood up from the wooden chair…
Clang!
There was no hesitation in Taylee's attack, because there was nothing good about wasting anymore time.
With instantaneous reflexes, Ziggs blocked Taylee's sword. Taylee's sword, which was blocked by his spear, trembled as he put more force behind it.
Taylee had his eyes wide open as he glared at Ziggs in front of him.
Hwaaak!
Clang!
Ziggs kicked the lower end of his spear as Taylee's sword got caught up in the rotation, starting to slip away.
Ziggs then moved around to try and smash the spear into Taylee's back, but he wasn't there.
"...?"
Ziggs flipped the spear back around, grabbing ahold of it. However, Taylee was nowhere to be seen.
Ziggs glanced around quickly and frowned. In that brief moment, he had lost sight of Taylee.
The direction Ziggs didn't look… was over his head.
Hwaaaaaaak!
Crash!
Claaaaaaang!
It was hard to follow Taylee's sudden change in position, but Ziggs was still able to somehow respond to his attack with his animal-like senses.
He pulled out a longsword from his waist, managing to block Taylee's sword.
However, that speed went beyond Taylee's previous limits… It wasn't something he should have been able to do with his abilities.
Whoooosh.
Ziggs held the spear in one hand as he held the longsword in the other… He looked into the rising dust.
That speed, which transcended a human's cognitive abilities… It wasn't the level of power Taylee had in Ziggs' memory.
Rather, that level of speed… was like he was someone else entirely.
Crunch.
He felt a sense of incongruity seeing Taylee stand up on the cracked floor.
It was as if a dead body had been resurrected… With his body leaning forward, he breathed heavily.
The way he looked… It was just like the Blade Demon of House Nortondale, who used Blood Swordsmanship.
Ziggs frowned as he adjusted his stance. Ziggs was now able to properly judge the situation.
"Ha…"
The primordial swordsman, Luden McLaure, was known as a monster who had mastered the way of the sword.
His skills in swordsmanship were above all else, and Taylee McLaure's ability to learn at such extreme speed… It isn't something that could be considered at a normal human's level.
Blood Swordsmanship was a technique that drew out one's innate physical abilities by using one's own flowing blood as magic power. It was also a skill that couldn't even be imitated by those who were born without the blood of House Nortondale.
And yet, even without that blood magic power, he was still moving nearly identically to Clevius… It gave Ziggs goosebumps.
The more he was driven to the extreme through hardship, the more powerful he became… He was someone who always managed to overcome what was in front of him, reaching the next level.
Living the life of the protagonist, he was a swordsman who could overcome any ordeal.
Clang!
Ziggs threw the longsword he was holding down onto the floor.
Against Taylee McLaure, I can't use a sword. He's just going to quickly defeat me if I do.
Of the various types of weapons that were placed around him, almost half of them were useless. Ziggs swung his spear around once more, fixing his stance… He then waited for Taylee's next attack.
Taylee rose from the dust, determined as he ran straight towards Ziggs.
Clang!
The sound of their spear and sword clashing.
Up close, Taylee stared right back at Ziggs' eyes.
"Tell me."
He spoke as if he was grinding his teeth.
"Where is Ed Rothstaylor?"
* * *
"Quickly drive the carriage towards Mexes Bridge!"
Dune Grex escaped through the back door of the Elte Store as he ran out in the middle of the night towards the commercial district.
The situation inside the Elte Store was already out of Dune's hands. The moment the swordsman Taylee broke in, it was impossible for him to calm him down unless he could secure Ayla. He was being placed in checkmate.
Now that things had changed, he needed to set his priorities.
All of the stolen assets he had stolen over the years were brought over to Lortel's villa back in the camp. That would be enough to paint Lortel as a criminal.
He also forged all the documents to explain the embezzlement.
From Dune's point of view, all he needed to do was show the scene of the crime back in the camp to the imperial convoy. Then, they would arrest Lortel and take her to the imperial court.
The original plan was to have Lortel be arrested back in her office at the Elte Store, unable to do anything. However, with Ed intervening and Taylee breaking in, the situation had become completely skewed.
Nevertheless, the main goal hadn't changed.
No matter where Lortel might be or what the situation back at the store was, all of that could be dealt with later.
The most important thing was to bring Lortel's embezzlement crimes to the public so that he could bring her down.
He had already made contact with the imperial family. Princess Persica had used her authority to have the Imperial Knights join the escort group of Princess Penia, who was returning to school.
Once Lortel's crimes were revealed, the imperial convoy would show up and arrest her. It was so simple, to the point it might feel a bit forged, but still… it would work.
Either way, the evidence was clear. As long as he managed to strip Lortel of her power within the Elte Company, everything else would work out.
So, the most urgent thing was to contact the imperial convoy and explain the situation. He needed them to head straight towards the camp.
Once Lortel's crimes were evident, everything else would fall into place.
"Quickly! Head to Mexes Bridge, now!"
Dune shouted to the employees in the carriage.
The driver quickly got into the driver's seat as he grabbed the reins. Dune poked his head out the window as he shouted to the remaining employees.
"Brison, the one in charge of supplies! Close the warehouse doors! Make sure our inventory doesn't get ruined! Poel, the one in charge of the ledger! Gather all of the books to use as evidence and hold onto them! You must never lose them! And… Chief Secretary Lienna!"
Secretary Lienna was startled as she responded quickly.
"Y-Yes…!"
"Get it together! We need to minimize damage to the store, so lock down all the doors that lead to the outside facilities!"
"Y-Yes…!"
"Everyone, steel yourselves! We have already gone too far to back down now!"
With his head outside the window of the departing carriage, Dune shouted out, determined.
"If Lortel Kehelland takes control again, we are all dead! We have to finish everything by the end of the night! Got it?! Not just me, but all of our lives are at stake tonight!"
All the employees swallowed dry saliva as they nodded their heads. Dune slammed the window shut as he anxiously bit his nails.
Hwaaak!
The entrance of Silvenia Academy, which was connected to Mexes Bridge, was located inside the commercial district. By horse-drawn carriage, one could arrive there shortly.
After telling everyone else back at the store what to do, Dune traveled all the way to the entrance before he quickly got off the carriage.
It was nearly dawn. The sky was cloudy, as if it were going to rain a bit, though it didn't seem like it would rain for all that long.
Either way, soon the sun would rise. Before that happened, he needed to fix the situation.
The building near the entrance had a neat brick floor with rows of trees decorating it. The street was usually full of students, but since it was late at night, it simply looked dreary.
Dune jumped down as he looked at a carriage of magnificent size near the entrance connected to Mexes Bridge. It looked as if they were currently going through the formalities to enter Acken Island.
They're here…! Princess Penia's carriage…!
Silvenia Academy normally restricted soldiers from entering.
Even children of noble families couldn't bring their private soldiers with them to the school. That was because, if they allowed it, the entire school would be filled with them.
The only exceptions to that were Princess Penia and Saint Clarice. In the end, they couldn't put restrictions on the princess of the country and one of the holy saints.
However, even those two did their best to minimize the number of escorts they had in consideration of the school's rules. At most, the largest number of soldiers was when the Princess brought along her escort team when she returned to school.
However, the size of her escort team this time was something rarely ever seen at Silvenia.
Even if they were the escorts of the princess, the number of them was much too large. That was because they also consisted of the convoy team sent by Princess Persica to capture Lortel.
Dune smiled as he quickly ran towards the convoy.
"Stop! The third princess of the Kroel Empire, Penia Elias Kroel, is currently riding this carriage!"
One of the escorts guarding the carriage shouted out at Dune.
"My name is Dune Grex of the Elte Store! I have something to tell the imperial guards who are escorting this carriage!"
"What? A merchant? What would a merchant have to say to an Imperial Guard…"
"He's on our side."
Holding back the strict-looking guard, another soldier appeared with a different color of armor.
"I heard about the situation beforehand. My name is Tune, a knight directly under Princess Persica within the Rose Palace."
A woman not wearing a helmet spoke with her red hair hanging down. It was the imperial convoy that Dune had been waiting for.
The escort guard who was trying to stop Dune widened his eyes when he saw Tune with her helmet removed. It seemed that he didn't know she was among the group of guards, as if she had been hiding her identity the entire time.
Within the Imperial Knights Templar, Tune was the fourth highest in rank after the knight commander, the vice commander, and the senior training officer.
"I was contacted in advance. Princess Persica has ordered us to go to Acken Island and find a merchant named Dune Grex."
"That would be me."
"I see. However, I didn't realize that you would be meeting us at the entrance at such a late hour."
"The situation is urgent. Currently, the Elte Store is in turmoil. We must arrest Lortel Kehelland immediately."
Dune spoke to Tune in a dire tone.
"If you head to the camp in the North Forest, there is evidence of her embezzlement. If you don't arrest Lortel Kehelland right now, she'll run away. The store tried to keep her contained, but she managed to escape due to an unforeseen incident!"
Whatever the case, handing Lortel over to the convoy team was his top priority.
Dune tried to convey the fact of just how dire this situation was as quickly as possible.
"By the sound of it… This is definitely urgent. But in order to catch her, we must first look at the situation."
"Then you should first head straight to the camp! Things have already become quite complicated. Ed Rothstaylor, of House Rothstaylor, was the one who helped her escape. He's also… likely working alongside her! If we don't quickly do something…"
The moment Dune shouted that out.
Creak.
Dune's goal wasn't Princess Penia, but rather the imperial convoy team that had accompanied her.
Princess Penia, who was returning to school, had nothing to do with this incident.
However… things started to turn in a completely different direction from Dune's expectations.
"Who are you?"
The name that came out of Dune's mouth… it had entered the ears of the third Princess of the Kroel Empire, Penia Elias Kroel.
The door of the carriage, which he thought was tightly closed, had opened as one of the empire's princesses stepped out…
The employees of the school who were taking care of the procedures and the nearby knights all knelt at once, bowing their heads.
The authority of Princess Penia, who slowly descended from her majestic carriage… It was so great that all nearby commoners couldn't dare raise their heads.
"We are currently on Acken Island. So, I am now just a regular student at Silvenia."
Princess Penia spoke in a calm voice.
"So, there is no need to show such etiquette towards me."
In Silvenia, the land of study, the rules of etiquette towards people of status were simplified.
Nevertheless, the knights and employees did not raise their heads. Even though they weren't forced to, it would still be a discourteous act. After all, they were mere servants under her.
Princess Penia exhaled softly as she looked straight at Dune. The summer night's air blew by as her pale skin shone under the moonlight.
Dune quickly bowed his head and knelt.
"It's an honor to meet you, Princess Penia."
"I heard a familiar name. Did you say Lortel Kehelland and… Ed Rothstaylor?"
He didn't expect Princess Penia to get involved. He thought that the third princess of the empire wouldn't bother interfering in a lowly conversation between a merchant and her guards.
"Lortel Kehelland…"
Hearing that name, Princess Penia's eyes darkened noticeably.
At that moment, Dune realized that this current situation was an opportunity, rather than a crisis.
He didn't know why, but Princess Penia and Lortel Kehelland had a terrible relationship.
The differences between those two were so severe that it could be seen as emotional hatred rather than a logical one.
In addition, Princess Penia had clearly seen Lortel side with Selah back at the Rothstaylor Mansion.
Then that meant Penia would be in support of arresting Lortel. She wouldn't be someone trying to stop him.
That was a chance. He had that intuition.
Dune quickly took notice of it as he started to talk skillfully.
"Lortel Kehelland and Ed Rothstaylor are working together."
Lortel Kehelland must have been thinking of taking advantage of Ed Rothstaylor, then planned to throw him away.
Princess Penia had that thought as she frowned.
"Ed Rothstaylor helped Lortel Kehelland, who had been imprisoned, escape… and then he proceeded to scheme a situation where the Elte Company would be thrown into chaos. Which is why I currently ask for the assistance of your escorts! Please… lend us your help, Princess Penia!"
After saying that, Dune lowered his head.
Princess Penia quietly looked down as she fell into deep thought. She already felt that something was strange just from looking at the size of her escort team.
And then, the moment she arrived at the school, the Elte Store had come to her, asking for help.
It felt as if a strange power structure had been formed around Lortel Kehelland. She needed to be careful with her decision… but her emotional conflict with Lortel continued to interfere with her rational judgment.
Most of all, it was hard to believe that Ed Rothstaylor was working with Lortel Kehelland.
Did Lortel deceive him with that sly tongue of hers?
However, Ed Rothstaylor wasn't a person who would be easily deceived like that. That wasn't possible.
"Princess Penia!"
Confused in her thoughts for a moment, Dune quickly said something else.
Now was his chance. Whatever the circumstances, if he could bring Princess Penia to his side, even if only temporarily, things would be much easier.
"Right now, we need to arrest Ed Rothstaylor and Lortel Kehelland!"
Princess Penia was presently a relatively neutral figure.
Dune, who screamed out, trying to trick Princess Penia to join his side…
…Was unaware that he had just made the worst possible mistake.
"Who do you want to arrest?"
Weren't the only people permitted to be in imperial escort carriage members of the imperial family?
However, from the carriage that Princess Penia exited from, another girl stepped out.
Stepping out through the open carriage door, a petite girl jumped down the stairs… She fixed her witch hat, which was the size of her upper body, and brushed off her fluttering skirt.
Dune Grex doubted what he was seeing.
Unlike Princess Penia, who was relatively neutral…
That small girl was undisputedly a close ally of Ed Rothstaylor. To the point that she had little to no interest in anyone else.
Her existence was like a joker card. A horrific variable that could flip the entire board upside down at her will. Completely out of anyone's control, she was like a natural disaster.
Arrest Ed Rothstaylor and Lortel Kehelland.
Dune had clearly said that.
For the girl wearing the witch hat, she couldn't care less about the second name.
Her only concern was the first name that was said.
The stars in the night sky shone brightly around the carriage near the entrance of the school.
Under the starry night, Lucy Mayreel crouched down as she spoke in a dazed voice in front of Dune, who had his head bowed down.
"Explain the situation to me one more time."
He broke into a cold sweat, which dripped from the tip of his nose to the floor.
"But you're going to have to choose your words carefully."
* * *
Ed brought over a hammer and saw as he fixed the basement door.
The broken lock was past the point of saving, so he brought another lock he had originally used for the outdoor shed. He installed it as he brought over a few more planks, nailing them in.
He then pushed the bookcase over to cover the entrance to the basement. He also moved around the arrangement of the furniture to completely hide the entrance.
Ed took the key from Bell as he locked the door.
"What should I do? Should I go back to Ophelis Hall?"
"That would be best. There is nothing good about staying here."
He then sat down by the campfire, taking in the warmth.
The Elte Store would be in complete turmoil and the princess's carriage should have been entering from Mexes Bridge right about then.
At both locations, both of their goals were none other than Ed Rothstaylor. He was the key behind the entire situation.
Ed took a quick breath in as he exhaled heavily.
And as he sat by the campfire… he quietly waited for a change in the situation.
* * *
Bell bowed her head as she said farewell, leaving the camp.
On the way out, she turned around for a moment and looked at Ed, who was—as usual—sitting quietly by the campfire with his head lowered.
Buried in the darkness of the night, Ed Rothstaylor quietly stared at the campfire.
The school was full of people who were chasing after him.
-x-X-x-
Complicated feelings.
That would be the best way to describe Yennekar Palerover, who sat in the VIP waiting room in the Elte Store.
[L-Lady Yennekar. I-I'm… sure everything will be fine.]
Back in the VIP waiting room, the ceiling was high, and the interior was gorgeous.
Since Silvenia Academy was filled with various people of noble status, the Elte Company—which was doing business there—had to prepare one such grand room, just in case.
The VIP waiting room was expensive and high-class, unlike the general atmosphere of the store, which was full of the scent of a commoner.
Yennekar, who was a commoner herself, wasn't used to such an atmosphere. However, she didn't care all that much, as she wasn't going to be staying for that long.
She quietly sat on the sofa embroidered with golden thread as she took a sip of the tea an employee had brought her.
Since the space was so grand, she tried to act like a proper lady. But for Yennekar, who was in charge of the farm back home, a place like that didn't suit her at all.
She placed the teacup on the dish as she looked up blankly at the large window.
Outside the window, which was as tall as the ceiling, a bright full moon was floating up in the sky.
Sitting alone on the sofa, staring blankly at the moon, Yennekar let out another heavy sigh.
All sorts of spirits were gathered around her. Some were manifested, some were not… Regardless, it was easy for them to talk with Yennekar, as she had a high spiritual resonance.
[I'm worried that firefox-like girl is going to do something again… But she's still someone who can distinguish between public and private life, right? In such a dire situation, there's no way she would be thinking of flirting with Young Master Ed, right? Her life is at stake.]
[Th-That's right…! Her life as a merchant might come to an end tonight, so how could she think of doing something useless like that?!]
The wind spirit Charis—in the form of a small sparrow—and Lennon—in the form of a bluish snake—were trying to cheer Yennekar up.
Despite several spirits trying to make her feel at ease, Yennekar only sat there drinking her tea, not saying a word.
In reality, even though the spirits were trying to cheer up Yennekar, they were all aware that someone as sly and tricky as Lortel Kehelland shouldn't be neglected in a situation like that.
Looking at the situation, Ed had taken the initiative to save Lortel, who was captured. The two of them escaped together, hand-in-hand, under the moonlight—all while Yennekar was stuck sitting alone in the VIP waiting room, waiting to act as a roadblock.
Unhappy with the situation, Yennekar muttered quietly with the teacup to her lips and her cheeks puffed up.
What she was most upset about was that she had agreed to help.
The two goals were to confirm Taylee McLaure's growth and help Lortel escape.
The fact that Yennekar's help was needed to complete those goals… She knew that fact herself.
It would have been fine if she complained or fought against the idea some more, but seeing Ed with such a serious expression, lost in his thoughts, trying to overcome another ordeal… before she knew it, the situation ended up like that.
In the first place, it was impossible for Yennekar Palerover to use advanced techniques like emotional conflict or push-and-pull.
Upon seeing someone else look concerned, she would also feel depressed… and when she saw someone else look happy, she would also feel good. She was a pure girl down to her bones.
And when that person happened to be Ed Rothstaylor, all she could do was nod her head to anything he said.
Takan, who was lying on his stomach in a fluid state, snorted and sighed as he watched her.
When in the world would Yennekar Palerover take the initiative against Ed Rothstaylor?
Feeling frustrated… he let out a sigh.
"It's good…"
Meanwhile, she drank the delicious tea.
Yennekar put the teacup back down as she grumbled, looking up at the moon.
Bang!
At that moment, someone came in through the door.
The moment Taylee broke into the store, the entire place fell into turmoil. The employees who were taking care of the VIP room had all run out to see the situation.
Yennekar thought she would be alone until Taylee arrived.
However, the one who sprinted through the door was… Secretary Lienna.
The former secretary to Lortel Kehelland, who was now an executive member under Dune Grex.
She always seemed to lack confidence, as she spoke in a quiet and trembling voice, always fidgeting around.
Yennekar Palerover had seen her come to the camp before, and several other times behind Lortel holding papers.
"Ah…?!"
Dune's order to check the status of facilities on the upper floors and to take the necessary actions to prevent additional damage to the other buildings.
After receiving that, Secretary Lienna ran in through the back door of the store, quickly running up and checking the facilities… She eventually ran into Yennekar, who was sitting alone in the VIP waiting room.
It was a fairly large room, but it was filled to the brim with spirits.
A room filled with spirits as the moonlight shone, and a girl who sat on the sofa, holding onto a teacup.
Turning her head away from the window, she saw Secretary Lienna. Lienna took a step back as she trembled.
"Eeeek…"
Buried in the darkness, the entire space was filled with the shining eyes of the spirits.
Among them, she could see the high-ranking fire spirit Takan, who was slowly changing from its fluid form into its manifested form.
The VIP waiting room was rather large, but it was still too small for Takan's entire body.
It couldn't even fully manifest itself, as it had to crouch on its stomach to avoid breaking through the ceiling.
There was also a horde of spirits ready to attack whoever was in front of them the moment their master gave the command.
The girl who sat quietly between all of that drank her tea quietly.
* * *
Clang!
"If you don't want to tell me where Ed Rothstaylor is, get out of my way!"
Taylee's sword attack was faster than expected. Ziggs clenched his teeth as he continued to get pushed back when he blocked Taylee's greatsword.
The ability to grow even stronger as he fought.
Ziggs had fought Taylee in combat practice when they were first years, so he was already familiar with that.
Ziggs admired Taylee's growth, which exponentially grew the more he was cornered. He applauded him upon seeing the way he never lost his will, despite the many hardships he faced.
If the world were a stage, he would most likely be the protagonist.
He was a man who kept moving forward despite the constant trials and adversity in his path.
Ziggs was also someone who had been through brutal hardships himself. That was why he could appreciate Taylee's mental strength all that much more.
Clang!
However, Taylee has been through more hardships than Ziggs could have imagined. Ones that tore apart his body and ate away at his sanity.
Since Ziggs agreed to help Ed in his plans, empathizing with Taylee at that moment would be a mistake.
If a man decided on their path, they had to proceed down it without doubt.
So, no matter how determined Taylee McLaure was, Ziggs couldn't lend him a hand or look after him.
Ziggs clenched his teeth as he twisted the direction of his spear, aiming toward Taylee's side.
Slice!!
After being struck by Ziggs' spear, Taylee flew into the wall, falling onto the floor as dust filled the area.
Before the dust could fully disappear, Taylee leapt out of it.
Ziggs quickly grabbed the gauntlet that was on the floor.
Clang!!
The sound of the metal colliding filled the hallway. Ziggs twisted the spear he held in one hand as he aimed towards Taylee's side once more. However, there was no way the same move would work twice.
Snap!
By the time he realized it, Ziggs' spear had been split in two.
It was impossible. Taylee's greatsword was busy clashing with Ziggs' gauntlet, as they were in a battle of strength.
However, as the two of them struggled, Taylee somehow managed to slash Ziggs' spear 'at the same time'.
A sword attack that was outside the realm of common sense.
To attack or block? At the crossroads of those two choices, he found an absurd option that allowed for both.
A Swordmaster's Skill…
One of the magic power swordsmanships, Illusion Slash.
To be able to cut two targets at once, or to slash something with impossible timing…
A skill that completely ignored the principles of physics.
There was a famous anecdote about the way the first swordmaster, Luden McLaure, had surpassed the realm of humanity and cut down two monsters simultaneously.
It was impossible to fight against.
At least in a one-on-one match, where it was a battle between each other's skills… it was impossible to even think about dealing with an opponent who completely ignored the laws of physics.
Paaak!
The best thing he could do was keep his distance.
Ziggs took a big leap backwards, picked up the rapier off the floor, and took a defensive stance.
Unsurprisingly, as soon as he took his stance, the next sword attack flew right at Ziggs.
Taylee's sword attack felt beyond reason.
He ground his teeth as he attacked Ziggs.
Picking up the rapier was a mistake. He couldn't fight Taylee McLaure with a sword.
As if to prove that fact, the rapier Ziggs held was cut into two in an instant.
He avoided the attack, but the impact remained. Ziggs clenched his teeth as he rolled across the floor several times due to the impact of the attack.
"K-Keuk…"
During all of it, he grew even more.
The swordsman who always becomes stronger when necessary. By that point, it had become a natural fact.
"Impressive, Taylee."
Ziggs flexed the hand wearing the gauntlet as he raised a mace in the other one.
"The speed you adapt at is unbelievable."
"Please get out of my way, Ziggs. I have nothing more to say to you."
"No, you should stop here."
Ziggs closed his eyes and slowly opened them.
He knew how impressive Taylee was for becoming stronger with each ordeal. However, there was also a limit to it.
The Elte Store's building, which Ziggs was guarding.
Going any further, Taylee would only run into even more overwhelming and tremendous ordeals.
There was a degree to such things. The ones who were behind him are so unbelievably strong, they couldn't even be compared to Ziggs.
If he struggled to climb up any higher, he would only be hurting himself… And he would only end up losing more.
That was why Ziggs was set on stopping Taylee in his tracks.
Taylee's growth was incredible, but he still couldn't fully break through Ziggs. He was stuck against him on the second floor.
It would be better for Taylee if things ended like that.
Whoooooosh!
He started to cast advanced magic. The mana weapons Ziggs only used when he got serious… one by one, they started to float in the air.
Ziggs could use all sorts of weapons, and the same was true for weapons that used magic power.
Hundreds of weapons floated in the air, as if waiting for orders.
"Let's end it here, Taylee. Nothing good will come from trying to climb any further past me."
"That's not for you to judge, Ziggs."
What happened next, happened in an instant.
The world went dark.
Right after Taylee attacked with his sword, Ziggs was completely puzzled, unable to figure out the situation at that moment.
However, he realized what was happening upon seeing Taylee swing his sword.
The one who could cut everything, the Primordial Swordsman, Luden McLaure.
Among the Swordmaster's Skills he had pursued to achieve his goal… that was the one that could be considered the most extreme.
Swordmaster's Skill – Space Slicing.
All of the mana weapons that Ziggs had manifested had been cut.
It wasn't that Ziggs' weapons were cut.
Rather, he had cut space itself, returning all in existence into nothing.
Taylee's red eyes glared at Ziggs. Gripping the handle of his greatsword with two hands, he ran straight towards Ziggs Eiffelstein.
Ziggs opened his eyes as he gathered magic power again. The basic wind magic, Wind Blade, was about the strike Taylee—but even that disappeared into nothingness.
It wasn't because of a simple slash or elemental swordsmanship. He had simply turned the space itself into nothingness, making everything disappear.
It couldn't be blocked.
It couldn't be stopped.
He needed to avoid it. Aside from that, there was no other way to deal with it.
However, Taylee's speed had already surpassed his limits.
His body was a wreck. His muscles screamed out and there was no sign of his bleeding stopping. With the injuries he had across his body, it would be dangerous if Taylee used his Swordmaster's Skills any longer.
He wasn't even certain he would be able to defeat Ziggs with that last attack. Even if he could defeat Ziggs, who knew just how many more people were blocking the road ahead of him!
At that point, if he pushed his body past the limit any further, wouldn't it be suicide?
And yet, Taylee didn't stop.
With his eyes full of determination, he lowered his posture and struck Ziggs.
* * *
"Eeek!"
Ayla, who was walking down a dark path in the North Forest, suddenly looked behind her.
She didn't know why… but an ominous feeling swooped over her back.
"..."
At that point, the only choice she had was to go to Ed Rothstaylor's camp.
However, Ayla couldn't help but fear that it was too harsh.
When Ed Rothstaylor first called on Ayla, he was simply asking if he could provoke Taylee into a fight, wanting to properly gauge his skills.
However, Lortel Kehelland had become involved, and she had no idea things would grow to such an extent.
At most, Ayla imagined that they were just going to have Taylee fight in a duel.
But this situation… is so much more different from what I expected…
With things going to such an extent, the best thing to do was to talk to Ed Rothstaylor.
Wasn't the scale of everything way too big? She wanted to ask him if she could go back to Taylee, so he could stop fighting.
However, an ominous feeling continued to seep into Ayla's mind.
Ayla knew that Ed intended to rescue Lortel, and in the process, it just so happened to work for them to kidnap her as well. In doing so, they could gauge Taylee's skills even more accurately by making the situation even more dire.
Ayla also owed Ed a favor. Not only did she owe him her life, but there was also the time when she misunderstood him and acted harshly.
However, even if she needed to pay off her debt, it still didn't seem right. It was way past being cruel.
After wandering through the grass for a while, Ayla finally saw the camp that Ed Rothstaylor was waiting in.
It could also be considered the final destination for Taylee, who was currently fighting. His final stage.
Ed's camp in the North Forest.
Yennekar and Ed's cabins were next to each other. Lortel Kehelland's villa was on the other side.
A campfire in the center with various pieces of survival equipment around it.
Magic engineering supplies and crafting tools were scattered all over the ground. A wooden crafting table, wooden shelters, nets, and hunting tools were all over the place.
It all summarized Ed Rothstaylor's life as he struggled to survive in the wild.
Seeing Ed Rothstaylor sitting in front of the campfire, Ayla realized that an even more sinister energy was starting to grow.
"Ed."
In a quiet voice, Ayla called out Ed's name.
Ed slowly lifted his head as his sharp eyes were revealed through his bangs.
Behind every incident, there was always someone working behind the scenes.
They were the ones you couldn't look into hastily. The ones whose true intentions were impossible to determine.
When you thought you had finally seen the full picture, they continued to dig an even deeper trap… And the moment their true colors were revealed was always the scariest.
"You're here?"
"I have something to ask you."
As Ayla took her chance to ask, Ed Rothstaylor responded first—as if he had been waiting for her to ask that.
"You can't go back yet. Not until the situation ends."
* * *
Collapsed on the floor, he looked up above his head.
When Ziggs finally came back to his senses, figuring out the situation…
"Keuk!"
Ziggs was pinned on the floor, looking up at the ceiling. Taylee was looking straight down at Ziggs from above.
His arms trembled from the recoil of the Swordmaster's Skill, blood dripping from his wounds.
Still, Taylee McLaure stood upright, with strength in his legs.
In a situation that was past the point of extreme, where they were trading final blows with each other… Taylee had slashed the floor, not Ziggs.
All to move Ziggs, who was blocking his way, aside.
Ziggs quickly regained his composure and stood up, but Taylee didn't care as he headed upstairs.
"Taylee! Stop! If you go any further, there won't be anything good for you!"
Loyalty to Ed. Ziggs Eiffelstein, who knew how to keep loyalty, couldn't divulge all of Ed's plans or his intentions.
However, at the very least he didn't want to create a situation where Taylee would get even more hurt. The best choice would have been to defeat Taylee.
Despite being stuck in the middle of them, he did all he could. That was how Ziggs always lived his life.
However, Taylee didn't care.
"What lies ahead… I know what it is! Stop! You need to stop and listen, Taylee!"
Taylee didn't know what lay in wait behind Ziggs.
However, Taylee at least knew what was at the 'end' of the road.
Ayla Triss, who had been kidnapped.
That fact alone… pushed Taylee forward. No matter what Ziggs Eiffelstein shouted, he wouldn't listen.
And like that, the swordsman Taylee McLaure left Ziggs Eiffelstein behind as he headed upstairs.
Looking at Taylee, who had left, Ziggs frowned. It was already out of his hands, yet he continued to yell Taylee's name.
* * *
Eventually, Taylee McLaure reached the third floor of the Elte Store's building.
Searching for Ed Rothstaylor, he crossed the hallway with a body that was covered in injuries.
Breathing heavily, he grabbed ahold of his hazy mind… as he wandered around, looking for Ayla.
The hallway stretched all the way down.
It was full of rooms, used by the store's various departments to manage documents. There were also various waiting rooms used to receive guests, but… it didn't seem like there was anyone there.
Slam!
Eventually, a huge and luxurious door opened across the hallway.
"Eeeeeeeeeek!"
Crash.
Secretary Lienna, who opened the door while running out, fell onto the floor. Although she fell quite violently, she got up as if it never happened, running down the hallway with tears in her eyes.
"I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
Closing her eyes tightly, she bumped into Taylee's shoulder as she ran down the hallway.
Taylee frowned, watching her run away.
Taylee moved towards the direction she ran from with his exhausted body. And there… It was a scene that Taylee could have never even imagined.
When Taylee opened his eyes to look at what Secretary Lienna had seen—
An enormous VIP waiting room. There, a girl with pink hair sat alone. drinking tea on a sofa.
Taylee McLaure knew her well. For Taylee… the girl was an object of insurmountable fear.
Back at Nail Hall, when Glasskan was running rampant. Back at Ophelis Hall, when she stood tall while protecting Ed, who was in an awful condition. And back in Glast's underground laboratory, where she controlled high-ranking spirits.
Yennekar Palerover's usual ditzy, immature, and girly appearance. Taylee McLaure hadn't even seen that once before.
To him, Yennekar Palerover was like a human weapon that could use various high-ranking spirits as if they were a part of her body. She was the embodiment of fear.
As she sat with her back to the moonlight, next to her lay a wand that looked exactly like the one used by Ed Rothstaylor.
There were also various magic engineering supplies that Ed supplied her with.
Shock-Enhanced Wave Ball, Reinforced Claw Fingers, Magic Power Phase Shifter, and even… Dell Heim's Hourglass.
Even if it were a fair duel, one where they would fight on an even playing field, there was still no chance for Taylee to win. She was even using various magic engineering equipment that Ed had crafted for her… The situation had become all that much more dire.
Yennekar Palerover held a teacup as she looked at Taylee McLaure with sullen eyes. The spirit corps that revealed themselves afterwards were at a level that he couldn't ignore.
Before worrying about making it to Ed Rothstaylor…
Could he even defeat his closest partner and colleague, the famous Yennekar Palerover?
Ordeals were always difficult to overcome, but there were some that could never be beaten.
That seemed to be what Ziggs was trying to tell Taylee as he stopped him.
"You came."
In the darkness under the moonlit night, the girl who had been sitting on the sofa slowly stood up.
An ordeal that couldn't be defeated stood up.
"Let's finish this quickly."
It didn't seem like she would be going easy on him. That object of fear didn't show any sign of caring for Taylee.
Magic power began to flow from the elementalist's body.
Taylee struggled to grip his sword, unable to stop his legs from trembling.
Elementalist Yennekar Palerover.
The girl who was guarding the VIP waiting room on the third floor.
An opponent he had to break through to reach Ed Rothstaylor.
However, a feasible way to break through that enormous ordeal… couldn't be seen.
-x-X-x-