"Huff—" He exhaled slowly. "We're the same. We both come from the lower districts."
THUD.
…What?
"What do you mean…?"
"I did all of this for you." This time, Roy revealed himself clearly through the thinning smoke. "…My comrade."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"What… do you mean?"
The figure that had been hidden behind smoke now stood fully exposed. His posture was straight, his hair neatly parted down the middle. Tall—yet the murderous aura from before had vanished.
"Hmmm. Like I said before," Roy repeated calmly, "we're the same."
"In what way are we the same?!" Rinne snapped, her voice rising.
"You still don't realize it?" Roy let out a quiet sigh. "Your Talent…"
"What about my Talent?"
"…It has a form, doesn't it?"
THUD.
How… did he know?
But—so what if my Talent has a form? Don't all Talents—
"S-so what if it does?" I shot back. "Don't all Talents have forms?"
"No," Roy replied flatly. "You're completely wrong."
What… does that mean?
Was he saying that a Talent with a physical form was an anomaly?
"Then explain."
"Huff." Roy sighed again. "I don't know what they teach you in the academy now, but…"
He raised his knife and pointed it straight at me.
"While I was studying there, I discovered one truth."
"Talents do not have forms."
W-what…?
Then what is this inside my body?
Who took my vision?
And how did the scythe in my hand come into existence?
CLANG!
The scythe slipped from my grasp and struck the ground.
"Then what is inside me right now?" My voice trembled as I forced the question out.
"You say it's my Talent… but you say Talents have no form…"
"…They are Talents," Roy replied. "What's different is—"
He pulled his knife back.
"How they're obtained."
"Obtained…?"
"That's right," Roy said casually, running his fingers along the blade. "There are two ways someone can acquire a Talent."
"One is directly. And the other… through force."
"What's the difference…?"
Everything was becoming more tangled.
There was so much about this power I didn't understand.
What should I do…?
Who am I even supposed to ask?
"The clearest difference lies in the side effects," Roy said, glancing at my left eye. "Talents obtained through force come with far greater consequences than those gained directly."
…I'd never thought about it that way.
"As compensation for that heavy price," he continued, "forced Talent users possess power and control far beyond the average."
"Like… what?" I asked, fear tightening my chest.
STAB.
Roy drove the knife straight into his own palm.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" The scream tore from my throat.
Blood poured freely from his right hand, the blade piercing straight through.
"Just like you," Roy said calmly as he pulled the knife out, "I have to pay a price to keep using my Talent."
The blood flowed unchecked.
It was too much.
Too much information all at once.
It felt like finishing breakfast and immediately being ordered to do a handstand.
My stomach churned.
I wanted to throw up.
"So?" Roy's voice cut through the noise in my head. "Will you accept it?"
"Why…" I forced myself to speak. "Why should I join you?"
"The reason's simple," Roy said, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "To take over this Kingdom."
THUD.
What is wrong with this guy…?
I couldn't predict a single word coming out of his mouth.
"Like I said before," Roy raised his voice, "we're far stronger than ordinary Talent holders."
"We could crush the Kingdom with ease!"
No—
"Everything else will be wiped out!" '
"No Talent holders except us—the forced ones!"
No—
"We'll make this Kingdom—"
"KNEEL BEFORE ME!"
"NO!" I screamed.
"Hah?" Roy sneered. "What do you mean no, little princess?"
"I won't join you." I forced myself to stand. "I won't follow your twisted dream."
My legs shook violently.
But the scythe—
The scythe felt impossibly solid in my hands.
"I…" I locked my gaze onto Roy. "…WILL DEFEAT YOU HERE."
"AAAAHAHAHAHA! COME AT ME THEN! "YOU ARROGANT LITTLE PRINCESS WHO DOESN'T KNOW HER PLACE!"