As the raindrops fell off his sword, hitting the muddy ground, Taylee leapt forward.
It was a speed that was hard to follow with one's eyes. As the mud splashed in the air, it was as if the world had come to a stop.
For Taylee, who had his senses heightened by his Swordmaster's Skills, the world seemed to have completely slowed down.
In reality, the world hadn't slowed down. Taylee's senses had simply sharpened to such an extent that it seemed that way. The only people who knew of that fact were those who had faced Taylee before.
Hwaaaaaak!
Clang!
Ed Rothstaylor jumped back as he spread magic engineering items across the ground.
As soon as Taylee saw those items slowly fall to the ground, he quickly swung his sword, cutting them all.
With his greatsword, he accurately aimed at those small items, cutting them down. Not just once, but two or three times more, all at a ridiculous speed.
It was so fast that, by the time Ed Rothstaylor—who had leapt backwards—had landed and regained his posture, all of the magic engineering items had been cut down.
He had already become accustomed to fighting against a fighting style that utilized spreading magic engineering equipment across the battlefield thanks to his fight against Elvira on the first floor.
Thus, he didn't give his opponent any chance to place his magic engineering items around the battlefield. For Ed, Taylee was an extremely difficult opponent to face, as he already had experience dealing with such a fighting style.
"Where is Ayla?!"
In the pouring rain, Taylee shouted that question.
Ed swung his sleeves for a bit, shaking off the mud. He then smiled slyly.
"I'm not sure I can say."
Right before Taylee arrived, he had put her to sleep, placed her in the wooden shelter, and blocked the entrance.
It seemed that the timing worked out, as Taylee hadn't seen anything.
If he had witnessed Ayla being restrained through Celestial Magic, he would have become even more heated.
As he glanced at the wooden shelter that was shut tight, Ed gripped his dagger.
"You'll have to find her yourself."
"…You really have gone too far in your study of Celestial Magic."
Taylee picked up the greatsword again as he looked at Ed with intense eyes.
"I also know that Ayla has quite the resonance with that special magic power, but… There's no need for you to use such an extreme method to study it!"
"The more extreme the method, the greater the research."
"…You've clearly been negatively influenced by Professor Glast."
Grinding his teeth, Taylee ran towards Ed again.
Taylee was running out of time, as there was a time limit to strengthening his body.
"I should have cut you down back in the underground waterways."
Taylee showed an even greater level of strength the more dire the situation. However, that didn't mean he would always be able to accomplish what he needed to.
What he needed was an immediate resolution to the present problem.
If Ed didn't plan to ever reveal Ayla's location, he would just have to subdue the kidnapper, Ed Rothstaylor.
That way, even if Taylee fell unconscious, Ayla's safety would still be guaranteed.
That was the conclusion he came to. The most important thing at that moment was to defeat the blond aristocrat in front of him.
He also had the power to do so. Regardless of the fact that Ed Rothstaylor was a top student among the third years, ultimately, Taylee McLaure was the protagonist.
Even if their destination was the same, their paths differed. The world favored Taylee McLaure, and there was no spotlight shining down on a supporting character.
Ed Rothstaylor took another magic engineering item out of his pocket, tossing it to the ground.
At the same time, a fairly large amount of smoke began to rise throughout the camp.
Kwaaaaaang!
"Keuk!"
A means of temporarily obscuring one's view. It was a 'Smokescreen Generator'.
However, the effect was greatly diminished due to the rainy weather. Taylee swung his sword, completely removing the smoke… It didn't take much time.
Fwoosh!
However, it was still long enough for Ed Rothstaylor to grab the bow that he had stored in a corner of the camp.
A couple of arrows quickly flew through the smoke, but…
"Hup—! Haa—!"
Taylee took a deep breath as he then let out a cry that was full of magic power. All of the simplistic, handcrafted arrows were deflected.
The arrows weren't powerful enough to be worth raising his sword. Rather, Ed had exposed his position. He was running towards the cabin.
Taylee kicked off from the ground as he quickly closed the distance between him and Ed. Taylee landed on the other side of the campfire as he tried to grab Ed by the neck.
However, his hand couldn't reach Ed.
Scwick.
The moment his hand reached Ed's face, Taylee's feet sank into the mud.
"Keuk!"
The moment he lost his center of gravity, Ed lifted his foot and kicked Taylee's thigh.
Taylee was in pain as he fell down into the mud.
They were in Ed's camp.
From where the puddles of mud formed in the rain to where his tools were, Ed had it all memorized in his head.
Ed then kicked Taylee's greatsword, sending it away.
Clang!
The moment Ed aimed straight at Taylee's shoulder with his tightly gripped dagger…
A sword attack made from magic power sent Ed's dagger flying away.
The magic power Swordmaster's Skill that followed was aimed straight at Ed's body.
Clang!
Although Ed managed to somehow cast a basic defensive spell, his strength was not even half of his usual self.
Claaaaaang! Thud!
Even though Taylee's attack was cast in a rush, Ed Rothstaylor's magic power wasn't enough to completely block the impact.
Sent flying by Taylee's sword, Ed rolled on the muddy ground before ending up at the side of the cabin.
Ed was completely drenched from the pouring rain, and since he was sent rolling through the mud, he looked terrible.
Even so, he casually got up, wiping the mud off his face.
Taylee also stood up, clutching his sore right thigh.
"Huff, Huff…"
His body was already past its limit. At any moment, he was going to lose consciousness.
That clear sense of fear ran through Taylee's body.
However, there was something he didn't understand.
He's not using… magic power…?
That blond aristocrat who was standing under the rain had been keeping his magic power usage to a minimum the entire time.
Taylee's attack was only cast in a rush, so it didn't have a tremendous amount of power. However, Ed couldn't even stop it after casting defensive magic… For a magician who had risen to being the top student among the third years, he was much too weak.
The same went for his bow. Ed Rothstaylor wasn't someone who would have to use such crude arrows. He was a magician who had raised his magic power resonance quite a bit, to the point that he could use magic power arrows instead.
And… He wasn't even using Elementalism. One of his main sources of strength, elemental spirits, hadn't appeared even once.
Seeing the way he was strangely conserving his magic power, Taylee frowned.
He's… Saving his strength…
Was it really possible for him to defeat Taylee without using magic power?
Ed was much too cautious a person to show such arrogance. Something was strange.
A magician who didn't use magic power. That was beyond just a handicap. It was as if one were to fight without their hands or feet.
Taylee gritted his teeth as he glared at Ed.
"I don't know what you're thinking, but… I can't afford to consider your situation!"
The power of his Swordmaster's Skill once again enveloped Taylee's body.
That should have been a frightening sight to see for Ed Rothstaylor, who was struggling to even cast the most basic of defensive magics.
But Ed Rothstaylor… only muttered to himself in a relaxed manner.
"Empty Swordsmanship…"
The swordsmanship that Taylee had learned and had just used.
As if he was reciting a checklist, there was no sense of fear as he quietly whispered to himself.
It should have been the first time Ed Rothstaylor witnessed and experienced such a skill, but as if he had already experienced it dozens or hundreds of times… He calmly watched on.
Seeing Ed's relaxed expression, Taylee felt even more nervous.
He didn't know why, but Ed Rothstaylor was using very little of his magic power.
In that case, Taylee—whose strength had risen to the extremes thanks to his Swordmaster's Skill—should be in a much more advantageous position.
However, Ed showed no signs of panic or fear.
Rather, as if there was more he needed to check… He urged Taylee on.
"Come on, is that all you've got?"
It was as if he was an examiner testing Taylee.
His actions… If it were under normal circumstances, he would think Ed was just bluffing or acting like that out of fear.
But his opponent was none other than Ed Rothstaylor.
There was a high possibility that he had a hidden trick up his sleeve, or that he was plotting something. Taylee was confused for a moment, but the only thing he could do was to subdue Ed before he lost consciousness and collapsed.
With that being the case, he needed to act quickly.
He needed to use his entire strength to defeat him. Whether he was hiding his true power or if he was in a position where he couldn't use it…
None of that mattered.
Magic power started to rise again from Taylee's body. It was impossible to know when he would run out.
He was at his limit. Completely finished. That same thought was repeated over and over again as Taylee was sent flying onto the cold floor. And yet, he continued to get up, over and over again, until one would get sick of him.
His greatsword was far away. However, a true swordsman didn't need a sword.
It was great to have one, but one didn't need a sword to cut. Just as Luden McLaure had said, Taylee McLaure was the same.
Clang! Scrrrrrrrrrrr!
The sound of scraping iron. It wasn't the sound magic power should make.
The full extent of Taylee's magic power and its strength was at a level far beyond normal.
Swordmaster's Skill – Space Slicing.
If you were cut by it, you would definitely die. Before one's body was cut, their existence itself perished.
It was the strongest and most extreme of the Swordmaster's Skills, but the recoil it had on one's body couldn't be easily ignored.
Teslin McLaure, a disciple of the Great Sage Sylvania, completely lost sensation in his right arm due to the recoil of using that Swordmaster's Skill while in bad condition.
Depending on what was cut, the burden on one's body differed. It wasn't a skill that could be casually used.
However, Taylee McLaure was one of the most powerful descendants of the McLaure family.
Overcoming the recoil of that Swordmaster's Skill out of pure will, he swung at Ed Rothstaylor.
Hwaaaaaaak!
The only aftermath of his magic power was the falling rain.
His magic power had exploded in a straight line, leaving behind dark red traces.
It was an attack that could not be stopped. The moment he felt reassured by that fact—
Paak!
Being reassured by that fact… also meant he had cut Ed in two.
The moment he saw Ed's body completely cut into two, Taylee felt a sense of reassurance and anxiety at the same time.
He felt a sense of relief that he had finally defeated Ed, but also the guilt of having committed murder. However, he was sure that 'there was no one that would try to take advantage of Ayla ever again.'
Overwhelmed with such emotions, right as he was losing consciousness…
Hwaaak.
Ed's body started to disappear as if it were a hallucination.
"...?!"
He didn't notice because of the rain, the smokescreen that blocked his field of view, and his mental state that was past its limit…
The device that uses the Magic Engineering Item 'Apparition Disk' rolled down onto the ground.
Ed had already perfectly mastered the structure of that magic engineering item during the first year's class assignment exam.
With his magic engineering skills having been raised to such a high level, it was no longer difficult for him to imitate the structure of such a device.
When he had temporarily used a smokescreen to block Taylee's field of view, it wasn't for him to grab his bow to shoot arrows.
It was because, after realizing that Taylee was conscious of magic engineering items—cutting them all at the start of the fight—Ed came to the conclusion that he couldn't be caught setting up more of them.
So, he had used a smokescreen to completely hide the fact that he was setting up an Apparition Disk.
While fighting Elvira, Taylee had already learned his lesson to not leave magic engineering items unattended.
The moment he saw Taylee deal with the first batch of items, Ed had come up with his next steps, all within his head.
Not only that, but to naturally trick him into thinking that he had used a smokescreen to shoot arrows… His reaction time could only leave one speechless.
Ed Rothstaylor was a master at improvisation.
Taylee knew that, but he had never fully imagined that it would be to such a degree.
Even his defensive spell to stop Taylee's Empty Sword was just a bluff to protect the apparition. That was because it was the only way to fully trick Taylee into thinking the apparition was real.
Then, where was his real body?
Clang!
Before he could finish gathering his thoughts, he noticed the door to the wooden storage next to him was completely open, as if it had been broken into. That was because Ed was in a rush, trying to hide, and he had to brute force the door open.
Ed stumbled out, completely covered in mud. Taylee's magic power attack that landed on him before wasn't all that powerful, but it looked as if that was enough to wear him out.
However, the same was true for Taylee, whose body was already way past his limit.
Taylee lost his center of gravity as Ed grabbed the back of his neck, throwing him down on the muddy ground.
Splash!
"Keuuuuk!"
Rainwater seeped into the corners of Taylee's mouth as he screamed in pain. Ed Rothstaylor had his foot placed on Taylee' stomach.
"Huff, huff… To even use… Space Slicing… You've learned quite a lot…"
Ed, the final mastermind behind this stage, uttered those words with satisfaction.
Whether his emotions came from a sense of relief or the joy of victory… For Taylee, there was no way to know.
"Keuaaaak… Huff… Huff…"
Was he finally at his limit? He couldn't shake off Ed, who had his foot on his stomach.
He clenched his fist, fighting in the mud, but he could no longer even lift his forearms.
"Yeah, you should at least do that much…"
Ed Rothstaylor also looked exhausted. At that moment, Taylee was convinced.
It wasn't that Ed Rothstaylor wasn't using his magic power, it was that he couldn't.
A magician who couldn't use magic power? How ridiculous.
Still, there were skills that Ed Rothstaylor had that Taylee didn't. The ability to quickly think and judge a situation, as well as experience.
The calm and collected nature he had that could allow him to defeat Taylee… It created a gap between them. Despite not being able to use magic power, he was still confident that he could defeat Taylee, who was in bad shape.
"Ed… Rothstaylor…! Why… Why are you doing this?!"
Not even wiping away the raindrops that fell on his face, Taylee clenched his teeth.
"There's no need… To sacrifice Ayla…! There's no need to go this far…!"
"Taylee McLaure. I know your story very well."
Unlike Taylee, who was in flames, Ed Rothstaylor was ice-cold as he spoke.
"But what can I do?"
Taylee had his eyes wide open as he looked at the blond-haired boy, who looked down at him with rain clouds behind him.
"There is no one in this world without a story. I even have one of my own."
Seeing Ed Rothstaylor's expressionless face, Taylee McLaure's eyes trembled.
What Ed Rothstaylor carried on his shoulders, Taylee McLaure had no idea.
Unlike a game where the distinction between good and evil was clear… Reality was full of gray areas.
In the end, it was just a confrontation between different beliefs.
"You did good coming this far."
The final stage, prepared by Ed Rothstaylor. After that, there was nowhere else to go.
Now, it was time to finish things.
The moment he raised his dagger and said that…
Taylee clenched his teeth…
Clang!
Magic power surged through Taylee, exploding once more.
Taylee's constant groans kept showing up, no matter the circumstances… for his opponents, it was a disgusting thing to deal with.
As if he had lost his temper, Taylee's eyes were filled with anger. Magic power started to rise all around him, suddenly changing its form into various weapons.
From small daggers, long swords, broadswords, two-handed swords, giant swords… Mana Armament was cast, and different types of swords filled the area.
Seeing Taylee continue to grow stronger as he used the magic power in his blood… It was as if he was no longer human.
Not only had he absorbed Clevius' Blood Swordsmanship, but Ziggs' Mana Armament as well, using them in his own way.
It was as if the world would not allow him to lose.
One could only open their mouth in awe as they witnessed just how much stronger he could become when pushed into a corner.
Paak!
Ed Rothstaylor, who was pushed back by the surge of magic power, was sent flying off to the side as he fell down. After rolling in the mud… he grunted as he stood back up again.
Hwaaaaak!
Bang! Clang!
His Swordmaster's Skill, right before Death Throes deactivated.
A complete last-ditch effort. Taylee McLaure had weapons floating in the air from all directions. It was impossible to predict the direction of his attack.
Taylee held his greatsword as he sat upright in the mud. His vision was completely blurred, as he could no longer see where Ed Rothstaylor was.
"Huff, huff…!"
He lowered his head as he pushed against the floor to fix his posture… But then he felt it.
The Swordmaster's Skill, Death Throes, was about to end. That would really be the end of it all. His final attack needed to put an end to Ed Rothstaylor.
Taylee closed his eyes tightly as he clenched his teeth.
The first swordsman, Luden McLaure, called the flow of that skill Heart Sword.
The Swordmaster's Skill that was engraved on one's heart, able to be taken out at any moment one faced a dire situation… Only accessible to those who had reached the extremes of a sword.
The memories of the many powerful men he met while wandering around Kohelton's Lawless Zone were engraved on his body.
And through his blood, those memories were then piled up and passed down to Taylee.
A descendant of a swordsman. A story only to those who were born of such blood would know.
"I can't see…"
Blurry vision. Unable to see where he should be aiming to cut down Ed Rothstaylor.
Because of the pouring rain, it was impossible to judge by hearing.
Once his skill ran out, he would no longer be able to fight to protect Ayla.
If that was the case… He would just have to cut down the entire area.
There was little to no chance Ed would be struck by a randomly thrown attack.
He probably already finished judging the situation. He should know there was no need to try and block Taylee's attack or fight against him any longer.
All he had to do was take shelter at a distance, waiting for Taylee McLaure to self-destruct.
However, Taylee couldn't sit still and do nothing. If there was even the slightest chance, he would do all he could to take down Ed Rothstaylor.
He gripped his sword tightly and clenched his teeth, sending off his attack.
One that would cut everything around him indiscriminately. At the end of it was Ed Rothstaylor.
Hwaak! Kaak!
Using his Swordmaster's Skills in succession, yet there was no sensation of cutting anything. Only the tools and workbench nearby were cut.
Still, Taylee clenched his teeth as he continued to attack.
Even though he knew that there was no way that Ed Rothstaylor would suffer from the indiscriminate attack, he clenched his teeth tightly as he continued.
Just once, if someone from heaven could help… If a god is watching…
If you've been watching my miserable life all this time…
Please, let this attack reach Ed Rothstaylor.
As he prayed, right before the skill wore off… he sent out his final attack.
Kwaaaak!
Claaaang!
Even his blurred vision was starting to darken.
Did God answer his wish?
When he looked up, the tip of his greatsword was being pushed into Ed's shoulder.
Splat.
Blood splattered as a few drops flew into Taylee's face.
"Keuk… Hnn…"
Although he blocked the sword with his dagger, it wasn't an attack that could be fully prevented with such a small blade.
Taylee's greatsword had been stabbed into Ed Rothstaylor's shoulder firmly. His trembling dagger was only blocking it from going any deeper.
Did God really help Taylee?
However, the world wasn't so convenient.
"Hey, Taylee McLaure."
Ed Rothstaylor's posture suddenly caught his eye… It seemed as if he had been moving closer to Taylee.
If he had just run out of his range and quietly watched Taylee collapse on his own, then wouldn't he have won?
And yet, Ed Rothstaylor had come into range of his greatsword.
"If you are going to swing your sword, you need to know what you are cutting. You stupid bastard."
What was he saying? As he barely remained conscious, barely grabbing hold of his vision… He saw Ed Rothstaylor's back.
He was standing firmly in front of the entrance of a wooden shelter, blocking it.
He didn't know what was inside, but Ed had rushed into range to protect it.
Clang!
"Keu…Keuk…"
Ed Rothstaylor pushed the greatsword away as his upper body fell forward.
Clang!
His dagger rolled to the floor. Blood dripped from his shoulders onto the muddy ground.
"Yeah. You must have suffered a lot, too."
Ed Rothstaylor clenched his teeth as he swung his arms out widely. It was as if he was letting the world know he was there.
As if it was difficult to even stand on his own two legs, Ed barely moved his body as he spoke.
"I already accomplished what I had intended to do. So, I can at least let you land an attack on me… It's the least I can do."
Shouldn't a villain leave the stage cleanly?
Ed didn't have the hobby of losing, but he at least understood Taylee's position.
So, he let him get a clean attack on him.
After all, Taylee wasn't in a condition where he could kill him. In the first place, he was already at his limit, so he couldn't swing his sword properly. It would be difficult for him to leave a deep wound, let alone take his life.
Even the Swordmaster's Skill, Death Throes, had deactivated. Taylee's hand that was holding his sword trembled as if he were about to drop it at any moment.
Still, that didn't mean Ed didn't feel pain. Being cut by a greatsword was a dangerous act, no matter how injured his opponent might be.
However, in order to finish Taylee's journey without any issues, it only made sense for him to take his leave there.
A supporting character had a meaningful life when they knew when to leave.
When their role was over, it was time to move to the back of the stage.
And in doing that… it might just set the stage for him to finish getting his diploma and finding his own life…
Ed Rothstaylor closed his eyes as he muttered quietly.
"Now, let's end it here."
"You follow the path of the protagonist."
"And I go backstage as a supporting character."
Those who were sitting down in the audience… They were all the supporting characters who had already completed their roles. All over were familiar faces.
Only Ed Rothstaylor's seat remained empty. All of the other supporting characters who had arrived first sat down as they chatted with each other.
Originally, Ed Rothstaylor was supposed to be the first to take his seat. However, the story had gone off track, and his arrival was delayed.
Still, now that he finally arrived at his place… there was no reason to complain.
"Ed Rothstaylor! You… This is your end…!"
Kwaak!
Paaaaaak!
Stab!
A final attack with a hand that was running out of strength. He clenched his teeth.
From his left shoulder to the right side of his waist, Ed's blood spurted out.
It wasn't a deep wound, but just looking at the bleeding, it seemed as if it could be life threatening.
The pouring rain and dripping blood.
Slowly, Ed Rothstaylor's legs relaxed.
Thud.
At night, as the rain poured down, Ed took a few steps backwards… Then he leaned back against the entrance to the wooden shelter, clutching his bloody wound.
Slowly… his body slid down the door.
"Keuk… Keuuuk. Yeah…"
Ed closed his eyes and spoke again.
"Good work…"
And like that, the final boss of Act 5… Ed Rothstaylor was defeated.
A drop of rain ran down his chin as it fell onto his school uniform, which was drenched in blood.
As he fell, leaning against the entrance of the wooden shelter, he quietly closed his eyes and lowered his face…
Despite rolling in the mud, he neatly finished the job.
* * *
Schwaaaa!
And like that, the stage came to an end.
The swordsman Taylee McLaure had overcome every ordeal and, in the end, rescued Ayla.
No one expected it to end with a happy ending, like the last line in a fairy tale.
That was because things never went completely as planned. However, he only hoped that the overall direction was the same.
It was impossible for Taylee to know what Ed was planning.
Seeing Ed lying against the entrance of the wooden shelter, as if he were asleep… he wondered what kind of weight he was carrying.
However, more important than that was the safety of Ayla.
Taylee clenched his teeth, barely staying conscious.
He wanted to find out where Ayla was while he was still barely conscious.
"Uh… Kehuk… Keuk…"
Anyway, all of the ordeals were done. He thought it would be impossible to defeat them, but Taylee had managed to come all the way to where Ed Rothstaylor was waiting, defeating them all.
It was a tough road, but in the end, he arrived. That was the life of the protagonist.
Once everything was done, they would have time to talk. Why would Ed Rothstaylor go to such lengths to do that? He might be able to find out his true goals later on.
However, the most important thing was to find Ayla.
"Somehow… I need… To find… Ayla…"
The moment he stopped to rest, relying on the sword to hold up his two legs…
Boom.
The world turned upside down.
For a moment, Taylee couldn't even figure out what had happened.
He felt nauseous from the rapid change in vision. His head hit the floor as he lost his breath. Only then did he realize he had been thrown back into the mud.
It was strange. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't breathe.
After finally catching his breath underneath the rain, he realized that someone had kneed him in the stomach.
"Oh my gosh! Medic! Call the medic, quickly!"
"I-I'll go to the school to ask for one!"
Only then did he finally see it. A magnificent convoy that seemed to have just arrived.
The escorts entered the forest, parking their carriages at the entrance of the North Forest… And between them all, there was even the third princess of the Kroel Empire, Penia.
As her voice reverberated through the rain, Taylee's eyes turned to the one holding him down.
In the mud, a girl had her knee placed by Taylee's chin as she held him by his collar.
He couldn't clearly see her face because of the shadow of her witch hat. However, he could clearly see her eyes, which glared at him in the darkness.
It went beyond goosebumps. A feeling of fear that made his entire body stiffen just by making eye contact.
She was just a petite girl that shouldn't have been intimidating…
But Taylee couldn't breathe.
Schwaaaa!
Thud.
Lucy Mayreel hated rainy days. That was because she didn't have many good memories of them.
As she placed her knee on Taylee's stomach, her eyes were wide open, glaring at him.
"You…"
The following words were drowned out by the sound of rain, unable to be heard.
-x-X-x-
A red butterfly hairpin shone softly under the moonlight that passed through the stained glass window.
It was not a magic item, but Saint Clarice's hairpin made her look more esteemed and noble.
Her white hair fell across her shoulders as she sat in the seats prepared for members of the church.
Both her hair and her elegant Saint's robes were pure white, symbolizing innocence and purity.
"Ahhh… Saint Clarice. I-I had heard you had returned to school, but I was unaware you would be coming to the school's cathedral… I-I apologize… If I was informed in advance…"
It was early in the morning, before the sun had even risen.
The diligent choir attendant who opened the chapel doors at an early hour nearly had a heart attack.
For believers of the Telos Religious Group, the noble saint was someone you would live your entire life in gratitude after seeing her face just once… And yet, there she was, sitting alone in the chapel.
"Oh. I'm sorry for coming here without telling you in advance."
Unlike when she acted as Kylie Eckner, the immature daughter of a noble, when she was the saint, she was both honorable and esteemed.
The gap between the two was so drastic, it was hard to believe they were truly the same person.
"Y-You didn't attend the prayers of the Cledric Monastery this summer?"
"The Holy Father was understanding and allowed me to prioritize my school life first."
"I see… Then, excuse me. I apologize for disturbing your prayers."
"There's no need to apologize. I'm the one who came in without telling you in advance."
In fact, Clarice was also flustered.
She was planning to temporarily release the camouflage magic that was imprinted on her necklace to pray comfortably while no one else was around.
She didn't think that someone else would come in… So, she responded according to the situation.
"Suddenly coming in to pray at this hour, is there something weighing on your heart? Or… Did something happen…?"
The student on duty asked her, before he suddenly screamed out, biting his tongue.
"Ahhhh… I apologize. I asked an off-topic question. P-Please forget what I said… I-I was just so surprised, I ended up saying something stupid…"
"There's no need for you to be so troubled. It's just… the start of a new semester. That's all."
Clarice calmed the student down as she then clasped her hands together, gently closing her eyes.
"It's just a strange feeling… Not attending the Cledric Monastery as a representative of the Telos Religious Group, but instead coming back to Silvenia Academy, which is far from the Holy Father Building."
"I-I see…"
"So, I just wanted to pray to Telos. To ask him to let me pass this semester without any major problems."
After saying that, Clarice quietly lowered her head.
She quickly became the spitting image of the Saint, who received the utmost respect from the Telos Religious Group. The student on duty quickly took a step back, holding their breath.
The saint sat alone in the chapel, praying to Telos. As it felt as if time had stopped, the student on duty decided not to bother her.
The sound of the student leaving the chapel echoed, but Clarice, who was quietly in prayer, didn't hear it.
The words spoken during prayer were always different.
Depending on whether it was day or night, at the Holy Emperor Building or at a regular church, alongside a group of believers or a group mixed with non-believers, during moments of joy or silence… It was always a different phrase that needed to be spoken. But from a young age, Clarice had memorized them all.
However, the words spoken in her private prayers were always as she saw fit. Despite being a saint representing the Telos Religious Group, wasn't it fine for her to at least be comfortable when praying privately?
There were many incidents and painful experiences that she had gone through as she attended Silvenia Academy, but Clarice was still as excited as ever for the return of her school life.
It was like a dream, one she wondered whether she would ever be able to return to and live again. She was able to experience a variety of different things, and for the first time in her life, there was someone she wanted to get closer to.
However, her school wasn't always going to be joyful and enjoyable. The same was true for the experiences she had gathered.
Saint Clarice was the only person who had witnessed the resurrection of the Holy Blue Dragon Velbrok with Ed.
In regard to Velbrok, Ed was the only person that would fully believe in her without any sense of doubt. He was the one who was able to quickly understand what was happening.
She was well aware of just how much Ed meant to her… Thus, she prayed that everything would work out well for him.
However, there wouldn't only be good times. There were going to be difficult times as well.
Even if there were many trials ahead of him, she prayed that he would be able to find the strength and courage to overcome them all…
Clarice whispered quietly.
"O God, who looks down on us from the sky and cares for us with his kindness."
"I ask that you please give him a strong will and the courage to overcome the many trials that lie ahead of him."
"Give him the sense of reason to calmly deal with any unexpected situations that come his way."
* * *
The rain fell.
As soon as she saw Ed lying there, bleeding, Princess Penia threw aside her umbrella and ran out into the rain.
The startled servants chased after her with their umbrellas, but Penia didn't care as she held up Ed's injured body, which was covered in blood.
Blood was oozing from his wound. The blood was already starting to pool on the ground from the pouring rain.
The startled servants ran towards her in panic, but Penia didn't pay any mind to them. Her expensive dress was drenched in mud and his blood.
She tried to stop the bleeding by tearing a piece of her clothes, but the bleeding was too severe. Princess Penia shouted at the soldiers, ordering them to bring a medic immediately. She furiously yelled out at them, ordering them to notify the school as well.
* * *
"Give him the character to keep a cool head, even when an unbearable anger rises."
* * *
Magic power surged from the hand that grabbed Taylee by the collar.
Looking towards Taylee, who could no longer move, Lucy felt an indescribable anger.
Rain continued to fall.
She remembered the day her teacher, Glockt, left her.
She had overcome much of the weight left on her that day, and the longing that was left in her heart had been replaced with a new relationship. There were no empty spaces left in her heart.
That void was filled long ago. So, she promised to not lose her temper and go wild, nor would she commit any acts out of anger.
However, that did not mean the anger rising inside her would just disappear.
Those cold eyes glared at Taylee, making him shiver.
Behind Lucy were a handful of ice spears that were floating in the air.
Ice Spear was intermediate magic, one that the top students in the magic department who were proficient in the spell would often use.
However, the scale and magnitude of her magic power was on a completely different level.
Even just casting one of those spears should have been quite exhausting for a student to accomplish. However, Lucy had cast dozens of them, enough to fill the entire area.
As Taylee looked up at Lucy… he couldn't even see the sky behind her.
She didn't even have to chant her spell, either. There was no sign of her even gathering her magic power.
Magic of that size could only be cast as a reflexive movement, done out of anger. It was clear just how drastic the gap between Lucy Mayreel and Taylee McLaure was.
Even if he had been in perfect condition, Taylee still couldn't stand up against Lucy.
There was not even a single sign of mercy on Lucy's angry face.
It was a cold anger rather than hot. There were no tears, no cursing, and no evil.
The chill that filled the atmosphere around them… It gradually turned into a great fear.
* * *
"Give him the wisdom to always look at the situation rationally first, no matter how urgent the situation may be."
* * *
Secretary Lienna ran across the corridor of the destroyed store as she closed her eyes tightly, clenching her teeth.
Dune was nowhere near the store. The employees who witnessed the complete destruction of the store were missing their leader… Thus, they were thrown into complete chaos.
There was no order to be found. The only thing to do was to run away. The Elte Store was already past the point of return.
She couldn't tell exactly what was going on, but she had a feeling. It was impossible for Dune to completely win against Lortel Kehelland.
They thought they had completely imprisoned that foxlike girl, but she still had an escape route left.
Secretary Lienna suddenly remembered the face of Yennekar, who she saw in the VIP waiting room.
The girl who was guarding the room had filled the entire space with manifested spirits. That girl was the definition of fear for Lienna.
In the first place, Secretary Lienna was timid by nature. As her teeth chattered and she ran down the hallway, she felt as if she had reached her limit.
However, the wall on the side of the hallway suddenly exploded, sending debris flying all over.
Secretary Lienna held herself tightly as she was sent flying across the floor. The one that broke the wall… was the one that she had just escaped from.
Rain started to fall inside the destroyed store.
"There you are."
Yennekar Palerover, who walked out of the broken wall, looked at Secretary Lienna as she spoke.
* * *
"Even if he is in trouble, let him come up with a solution to overcome it."
* * *
Assistant Professor Cleoh led Lortel Kehelland to the deputy headmaster's office in Trix Hall.
It didn't seem like a good idea to let Lortel and Rachel meet at that moment.
The relationship between the Elte Company and the school had already gone awry. At that point, it seemed as if it would only get worse.
Not only that, but Lortel, who pretended as if it wasn't a major crisis… still wanted to meet with Deputy Headmaster Rachel to negotiate a deal.
At Lortel's stubborn request, they contacted Deputy Headmaster Rachel's office.
Unexpectedly, her request to meet was quickly accepted. Assistant Professor Cleoh was completely stunned.
In the end, the untrustworthy Professor Kaleid was left alone in the watch office as Assistant Professor Cleoh and Lortel entered Trix Hall side by side.
They walked down the hallway, opening the door to the deputy headmaster's office. Inside was an elderly woman with dark red hair, sitting at her desk.
Silvenia's vice principal's outfit wasn't lavish, but it wasn't modest, either.
A bluish cloak over her neat attire.
The wrinkles on her hands showed the many years of life that she went through… She definitely was not a young woman.
She was someone who was at odds with Headmaster Obel Forsyth and had consistently built up a negative relationship with the Elte Company.
When Rachel saw Lortel following behind Assistant Professor Cleoh, she had an unexpected expression on her face.
Although the school participated in Dune's plans to take over the Elte Company, they didn't do much aside from closing their eyes to what was going on.
They simply made a promise to have the Elte Company release the monopoly they held over certain items.
As soon as Rachel saw Lortel, she was able to figure out the current situation to some extent.
However, the conversation held between Lortel and Rachel was different than normal. Negotiations between someone who was at the top of the school and the one who was at the top of the Elte Company… They wouldn't come to a conclusion by just appealing to their emotions.
The two looked at each other across the negotiation table.
Even in such a predicament, Lortel continued to smile cunningly.
* * *
"Even if things don't go as planned, give him the wisdom to try something else to get things done."
* * *
The Celestial Magic Power that surrounded Ayla's body disappeared.
After Ed Rothstaylor was wounded, losing control of his magic power… Ayla came back to her senses.
Inside the closed wooden shelter.
Once used as a nap spot for Lucy Mayreel, it was a simple shelter made of wood with thick fur across the floor.
Since the entrance was completely blocked off, it was pitch-dark.
Ayla opened her eyes, shaking her head as she looked up. She could barely hear the sounds outside, as the sound of the falling rain was so loud, but it seemed like there was some type of commotion.
It was pitch-dark, making her unable to find the exit. Still, Ayla dragged her body along the walls of the shelter.
The noise of people yelling outside. After walking across the wall and listening to them yell, she finally found the door, pushing it open.
It was a struggle to push on the handle in the dark, and the door wasn't moving easily. Still, it seemed to be opening up slightly, so Ayla continued to push against it.
* * *
"And…"
"..."
Then, Clarice paused in her prayer for a moment.
She wanted to ask for God's help to overcome every possible crisis he could face, but there were so many ordeals in the world, it was impossible to think of them all.
An ordeal was an ordeal because they were unpredictable. Clarice was well aware of that fact, so as she opened her eyes, she spoke quietly, with her hands clasped tightly together.
"Please give him the courage to deal with any ordeal too great to overcome… I ask of you, God."
* * *
"Keuheuk…!"
Taylee overcame his fear.
There were those that would never give up, no matter what ordeal stood in their way. Even when there was no hope of overcoming them.
Captains of a sinking ship.
Soldiers who continued to protect the capital, even though they knew defeat was inevitable.
Workers who repaired a dam without running away, even after seeing the flood.
Fathers who hid their children behind their backs, even in front of a murderer with a weapon.
They all had something in common. It was neither some incredible philosophical mindset nor courage that would leave others in admiration.
It was that they all had something they needed to protect.
That one simple fact was enough to make someone overcome their unbearable fear. It was what let them fight to the bitter end.
Taylee grabbed Lucy's tiny hand with his own blood-covered one.
Even though she was only half the size and weight of him, he couldn't push her back despite using all of the strength in his body.
Nevertheless, Taylee clenched his teeth as he fought back through sheer willpower.
* * *
"Lortel Kehelland's villa is over there… The convoy is ready to enter…!"
"Like the information we received, search the underground area! If we don't move quickly, who knows what kind of trick she will use…!"
Meanwhile, Princess Penia, who was pressing down on Ed's wounds, was suspicious of what she was hearing.
Tune, a senior trainer dispatched with her escort team under Persica's orders. While that was all happening, she was thinking of raiding Lortel's villa with her convoy team.
There was a limit to the number of people on the convoy.
As they entered Silvenia, they left behind personnel to take care of procedure as well as people to watch the carriage. Since the forest itself was rather difficult to traverse, it wasn't possible for the entire force to move at once.
It was a situation where it wouldn't be good to disperse the number of people even further.
"What do you think you are saying? Can't you see that people are bleeding out?"
Not just Ed, but Taylee was also seriously injured.
Taylee was covered in blood and serious injuries, and the amount of blood coming from Ed wasn't normal either. The smell of blood that filled the area was overwhelming.
No one knew what would happen if they just left Ed alone.
"This is an imperial order. Get out of the way right now."
"Princess Penia."
"Right now, people's lives are at grave risk. Don't you understand what I'm saying?"
Princess Penia, who stood up from her spot, looked straight at Tune.
The knight had her red hair falling past her shoulders, as her helmet was off. Although she was dignified and reliable, her loyalty wasn't towards Princess Penia.
She was one of Persica's closest aides among the knights.
Although she was dispatched under the title of Princess Penia's escort, her true purpose was to fulfill Princess Persica's orders.
However, disobeying an imperial order would result in extreme punishment.
The knight, who was trapped between the orders of Princess Persica and Princess Penia… Closed her eyes as she spoke.
"Princess Penia."
"Senior Training Officer Tune. Don't make me remember that name."
"If we don't move, the criminal will…"
Tune didn't finish. That was because her face was pushed to the side. Her eyes grew wide.
The Princess of Benevolence, Penia Elias Kroel.
Her disposition led her to embrace and acknowledge even the humblest of people and gave her that nickname. When she was in the Rose Palace, she judged people solely by their abilities and characters.
From the cleaning staff who cleaned the floors, to the assistant chefs, to the newly hired maids…
How could there be such a person within the imperial family?
Rumors and opinions of her among the servants were of that same thought.
That same girl had just slapped the cheek of someone below her, in a place where so many people were watching.
It was an unbelievable sight to witness.
Not only Tune, but the other soldiers who were watching the situation as well all swallowed their breath.
Since she was slapping the cheek of a knight who had trained for years, there was no way it would have any real force behind it.
Rather, the girl's pristine hand was redder than Tune's cheek.
However, the eyes that glared at Tune under the falling rain were still determined.
Schwaaa!
Raindrops fell across her face. Princess Penia then opened her mouth.
"Please… don't overstep."
"..."
"A person… a person has collapsed from a sword wound."
Princess Penia also knew Ed's history well. Someone who was always on the verge of death, over and over again.
The hardest truth for her to bear was that Princess Penia herself was Ed's biggest burden and obstacle.
"There are people who are struggling to survive… So, is that something you should be saying right now?"
The words Penia spoke hurt Penia herself.
She was the first to expel him, and she was the one who stood in opposition at every important turning point.
Criticism and reproach, suspicion and contempt, hardships and pain. If we looked for the source of them all, most were pointing right back at Princess Penia.
The darkness of the Rothstaylor family. Suffering to survive on his own in the wild. A school life where he was ridiculed by everyone, everywhere he went.
A man who clenched his teeth, refusing to give up, even though everything in his life was painful. And the person who was always on the other side of that man was none other than Princess Penia.
However, there was one fact that no one could deny.
Ed Rothstaylor never once resented Princess Penia.
Although there may have been times when he was frustrated or indifferent, he was never pessimistic about his life, and he never blamed others for his circumstances.
Tune suddenly looked at Princess Penia again as she swallowed her breath.
Rain wasn't the only thing running down her face.
She sniffed, trying to maintain her firm expression. However, if you looked closely, you could see a young and weak girl starting to come out.
"If we leave him alone like this… He will die… How could I live my life like that…?"
Because of her blood and authority, there was a fact that was easily forgotten.
Even if she was born of the most noble lineage, was able to wear dazzling dresses in the magnificent Rose Palace, and attended various splendid dinner parties…
Even though she was a part of the imperial family, who could ride a carriage that was the size of a commoner's house, or could wield an army of hundreds with a single gesture…
Behind that princess, there was only a regular young girl who was still growing up.
That truth pierced through Tune's head like a spear.
She realized that she had completely disrespected and gone against the prestige of the imperial family that she had been serving as a member of the Imperial Knight Templars for many years.
The members of the imperial family were also human. That obvious fact that she had forgotten had completely caught her off guard.
"…We will gather members of the convoy to head towards the school."
Slowly, with a trembling voice, Tune spoke.
"Training Officer Tune! If we don't do it now…!"
When the person next to her was about to say something, Tune raised her hand to stop them.
Seeing Princess Penia run towards Ed, pressing on his wound, Tune hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"For now, we will follow the orders of Princess Penia."
"I-If we do that, then…!"
"We can also catch Lortel Kehelland. However, we must prioritize dealing with the situation in front of us."
Having said that, Tune gathered the soldiers.
Gathering medical personnel would be difficult. However, the problem was Lucy Mayreel, who was holding onto Taylee's neck.
She was a girl with tremendous power that could end anything.
Because of that single hand holding onto him, treating Taylee was impossible.
And the only person who could stop her was currently unconscious and bleeding.
And like that… her magic power covered the sky.
* * *
"That is what I ask of you, God."
"Amen."
After finishing her prayer, Clarice raised her head.
Behind the stained glass, the darkness of the night had gradually gone away. Now, the atmosphere of an early morning was starting to rise.
The dark red clouds had also subsided quite a bit, a breeze blowing by outside the window.
It was still too dark to be morning, but a little too bright to be night… A time that was in between the two.
Clarice shook her head, enjoying the morning air. She stretched her body as she slowly stood up. Leaving the chapel, she accidentally stubbed her foot against the chairs.
As she let out a groan, she nodded her head around. She then grabbed her necklace as she walked away.
Her toe hurt so much that she wanted to burst into tears. Even so, she somehow endured it as she left the building, looking like she always did—a holy and noble saint.
She took a short, deep breath.
The midnight air that entered her lungs was refreshing.
Though, at that point, it felt like it could be called the morning air.
-x-X-x-
A large amount of gold and silver treasures were hidden in the underground wine cellar.
Dune, who was trying to find it to use as justification for Lortel's dismissal.
The imperial convoy, who were running around to help him.
Taylee McLaure, who rushed to save Ayla.
And me, who took his attack. Who somehow managed to briefly regain consciousness, but eventually lost it again.
Those were the things I barely remembered.
I didn't think that Taylee, who was in such poor shape and struggling to even breathe, would be able to deliver such a powerful blow.
Conceit truly was a sin.
For Taylee to land such an attack, despite being pushed to the extremes… I shouldn't have taken it so lightly.
That was because Taylee McLaure's willpower was much stronger than I thought.
However, there was no point in regretting the past. At that moment, I needed to somehow gather my thoughts and fix my wounds.
Thinking that, I opened my eyes.
It was a clichéd expression, but what I saw was an unfamiliar ceiling.
And like always, Lucy was there, sitting on top of my stomach.
"…Is this déjà vu?"
"...?"
"No, that's not it. Last time, when I regained consciousness, it was just like this."
"When you collapsed from overworking yourself last year?"
"Yeah. At that time, you unraveled my twisted magic power."
"It's similar this time as well…"
Whenever I looked at Lucy's constantly dazed expression, I always felt as if I slowed down, too. Because of that, I was able to compose myself.
"Long time no see, Lucy."
"…Yeah. It's like coming back after a riot."
I tried to move my body, but I was stopped by the pain that rose up from my chest.
Taylee had cut me across my abdominal region. Strangely enough, even though Lucy was right on top of me, I didn't feel any pain.
At first, I thought it was because she was so light that you couldn't tell her apart from a feather. However, even after taking that into consideration, I really did feel nothing from her weight.
"If I apply pressure on you unnecessarily, it will hurt. So, I used some weight-lightening magic."
"Oh, I see. But if you didn't sit on my stomach in the first place, you wouldn't even have to use weight-lightening magic…?"
"That's no good. Then it would be uncomfortable for me."
"Is there a reason you have to sit on top of me like this to unravel my twisted magic power?"
"It's easier to see your face."
Her answer left me speechless.
She often spoke bluntly, but to be honest, that was seriously straightforward.
After she said that, it was as if she realized she had just thrown a fastball my way. She quickly gathered magic power into the tip of her finger, as if trying to quickly move on.
"Then, can I ask you some obvious questions now that I've woken up?"
"Yeah. You can do that."
"Where is this place, how are you taking care of me, what happened after I collapsed, what happened with the imperial family, what happened to Taylee, did Ayla return safely, and what happened with the Elte Store?"
"Okay, I'll answer what I know."
Lucy's characteristically blank eyes and sullen tone were still the same. However, it seemed that the number of words she spoke had increased more than usual, which was quite surprising.
It was probably because I had become quite close with Lucy at that point.
Compared to when she came to my camp to take a nap, we'd gotten to know each other quite a bit. At that point, we knew each other quite well.
Additionally, there was no one as reliable as Lucy when it came to a crisis… She was quite the reliable person for me to count on.
"This is Trix Hall's infirmary. And I gave Taylee a real good beating."
"..."
"..."
"…Is that everything…?"
"Actually, nothing has really been finished yet. It has only been about an hour."
Since I was unconscious, I figured that quite a long time must have passed before I woke up.
However, first aid and Lucy's magic treatment were enough for me to regain consciousness. Though, it still didn't seem like my physical condition had significantly improved yet.
"But it stopped raining. And the morning sun is slowly rising."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. The night is over."
I let out a deep sigh, covering my eyes with my forearm, which I struggled to raise.
So, that was what happened.
Only after taking a brief break did my mind start to move again.
"…This isn't a situation where I can just lie still. I need to check that everything is being taken care of. First, I need to head back to camp, and…"
Just as I was about to finish my sentence, Lucy took off her witch hat and shoved it against my face.
For a moment, I couldn't see anything. I could only feel the hat touching my skin.
"You can't!"
"..."
"Rest."
That short but firm expression of emotions was so uncharacteristic of Lucy.
In fact, it was rare for her to speak so firmly. Just as rare as it was for her to express her feelings.
She was a kid with a surprisingly carefree attitude… Just watching the world pass by, but not bothering to do anything about it.
"I can rest later. What I need to check on now… It's too important… I need to make sure of it with my own eyes. I'll be able to figure out the most important parts if I can just head to camp."
"Remember the promise we made at the start of break, before we went to House Rothstaylor?"
Hearing Lucy's sudden question, I pondered for a moment and nodded my head.
"I kept my promise. As you asked, I dealt with the eyeballs back at Rothstaylor Mansion. And I even went to the imperial court, promising your safety."
"…Thanks."
"You don't need to say that. I just want the reward I was promised."
Lucy's expression, as she quietly removed the hat, was still the same. However, I had begun to be able to recognize even Lucy's tiniest emotions, even on that expressionless face of hers.
Listening to her tone of voice and seeing the way her eyes lowered slightly, I could roughly read her feelings.
"I hate being lonely now. I need a reason to live for."
I'd heard that before. What I had promised her.
When I thought of the girl named Lucy Mayreel, the word 'alone' came to mind.
She had a temperament that didn't work well with others. Because she didn't try to understand others, she didn't want to be understood, either.
Nor did she try to put anyone within arm's reach.
She knew the pain of loss, so she didn't carelessly reach her hand out. For her to try and have someone by her side, it was the result of a very major decision she made.
Even though things were complicated for her, if you could understand it even slightly, then you couldn't fault her.
That was because human emotions were subjective. You couldn't simply say what was right and what was wrong.
"So, don't get hurt."
Lucy bent over as she buried her face in a pillow that was resting on my shoulder.
The way she held my head with those small hands of hers… It felt as if she was holding onto something she never wanted to lose. So, I had nothing I could tell her.
"In this world, there are always some experiences you don't want to repeat again."
And like that, I stayed still, without saying anything else… I then apologized to her slowly.
"I'm sorry for worrying you."
* * *
I laid down like that for about ten more minutes. When I raised my upper body, I was able to control it again.
In any case, the wound Taylee gave me with his sword didn't seem to have been all that deep. His hands were shaking just holding the sword, so it was a miracle that he could even land an attack.
I bled quite a bit because of the size of his attack, but the bleeding stopped after I was given first aid. There didn't seem to be any other issues.
However, I was told that it would be difficult to remove the scar… Well, I'd just think of it as paying for my crimes.
"By the way, you gave Taylee a good beating…?"
Only then did I start to feel that something was strange about the timeline of things.
"You… He was already in an awful state… Yet you beat him up even more…?"
"I was so angry that I couldn't think straight. I'm still growing. So, I held back and only punched him a few times."
If Lucy had punched him without magic power, then a chestnut falling from a tree would hurt more.
If it was Lucy's magicless punches, honey chestnuts or chestnuts would hurt more.
That was reassuring.
"Keuk…."
I somehow lifted my upper body up, sitting up straight. Lucy was sitting on the other side of the bed with jerky in her mouth.
It seemed that she had gone and brought over jerky from the cabin during everything. That girl really was something.
She swung her feet in the air as she took a bite. It looked as if she had suddenly regained her sense of taste.
"You're not as blindly reckless as you used to be, though. Thinking about it, I realized that you also had your own intentions."
"Intentions?"
"There's no way you would let someone who was in as bad a shape as him land an attack on you."
That was true. Taylee's last attack was pure brute force, destroying everything around him without considering the target.
Just before he lost all of his energy and collapsed, he was desperate to defeat me. Thus, he put all his hope into that reckless attack.
It was obvious that something was strange, since I ran towards an opponent who would have been defeated if I had just run away.
"You were trying to protect that girl in the wooden shelter."
"…Now that you mention it, do you know if she's fine? To be honest, I tricked her a bit, so she ended up in a bad situation. I was worried that she would get hurt, so I ran out. Is she okay?"
After I spoke, Lucy didn't answer me right away.
Lucy, who was muttering with the jerky in her mouth, suddenly moved closer to me. With her eyes wide open, she looked at my expression.
As I stared at her, wondering what the problem was, Lucy flopped back down onto the bed as if she didn't care any longer.
"She's fine. After the convoy arrived, she opened the door of the wooden shelter and came out herself. She looked completely shocked as she ran out, crying and hugging that swordsman."
"..."
"But that swordman's expression was rather bewildered. He must have realized that you ran out to protect her."
…Was that so?
From Taylee's point of view, it might have seemed strange for me to do that.
Running forward to stop Taylee was like risking my own life.
No matter how precious Ayla may have been to my Celestial Magic research, it must have still been strange to see me risk my life to protect her.
That must have been what Taylee was thinking.
"But that girl told a funny story."
Suddenly, after saying that, Lucy got up again. Unlike before, when she got up in my face, she sat with her back to me.
Holding her knees, she put her head on top of them… she then grabbed the overly long sleeves of her school jacket.
"The Holy Blue Dragon Velbrok."
I went silent for a while.
"She was making a fuss, saying some unbelievably strange things. Saying that an ancient dragon from the myths would suddenly be resurrected and destroy Acken island. I would have also doubted what she was saying, thinking it was just nonsense."
"..."
"…If I didn't remember what happened during the Joint Combat Training."
What I didn't take into account…
Because it was skipped, Lucy Mayreel was able to look for a new reason for her life after falling into loneliness. Those blank eyes of hers were able to shine once more.
The effects of the variable known as Ed Rothstaylor had greatly changed the existence of the girl named Lucy Mayreel.
Above all else, Lucy was a girl who had confirmed the existence of the Holy Blue Dragon Velbrok through that time loop.
"Why are you trying to deal with it on your own?"
"..."
"You should have told me, too."
In fact, even though Lucy could join in, that didn't mean it was an opponent we could beat.
It was the final boss of the entire scenario, so tremendous that even Lucy couldn't do anything about it.
The destruction of the holy blue dragon, which descended over the sky of Acken Island. It was a burden that weighed heavily on my shoulders.
"I thought you wouldn't believe it."
"Of course I wouldn't believe it… If things were the same as before."
A variable who had twisted the storyline of
All because of Ed Rothstaylor.
To be able to know what happens in the future. To tell them that I could somehow vaguely see the future.
Even if I told everyone such a ridiculous statement, no one would believe me.
That was because I started from the very bottom.
A point where no one trusted me. People only mocked and criticized me as I was forced to carry all of my problems on my own.
"However, it's no longer the past."
You always notice change belatedly.
It was like climbing a mountain. Before you realized it, the scenery behind you changed. Only then did you realize just how much you'd climbed.
There were some facts that could only be learned after looking around yourself once more. In that sense, change was rather ironic.
I still remembered my first day in the forest.
There was no place for me to sleep, so I laid down in a wooden shelter made of trees I forcefully stuck together.
The occasional sound of bugs in that quiet forest. A landscape with no one else around.
There was no source of light as I sat alone in the dark, waiting for the sun.
I looked at Lucy as she spoke about the pain of loss and loneliness, but…
In fact, I was the one who was closer to loneliness than anyone else.
However, to rediscover myself after I had come to 'take things for granted'…
"I will believe whatever you say, and I will help you."
Perhaps because Lucy had said something unlike her usual self, I felt that something had changed.
At that moment, I seemed to understand why Lucy had to sit with her back facing me. It must have been too embarrassing to say those words while looking at me.
I couldn't even imagine what kind of face Lucy was hiding. Still, I was understanding of her and didn't try to look.
When I looked up, there was only a rough wooden ceiling above me.
* * *
"Let's go to the Elte Store."
Eventually, I crawled out of bed.
Lucy—who looked at me unhappily, with her cheeks inflated—said that she was going to accompany me because she was worried about my safety.
No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't stay there and sit still.
At that moment, I needed to see how things turned out with my own eyes.
Taylee and Ayla. Lortel and Dune. Princess Penia and Princess Persica. And even Deputy Headmaster Rachel.
Between everyone's entangled interests and beliefs, where did I end up standing?
And most importantly…
Whether it was Dune or Lortel who was now sitting as the deputy director of the Elte Company.
I needed to find out what happened.