Interlude I: The Moment the Ephemeral Dream Ends

“Ha…”

At that moment, Rumia was sitting alone on the sofa, letting out a sigh.

This was the room in the main building of the inn, where the academy students were staying, assigned to Rumia, Sistine, and Re=L.

Re=L, who had fled somewhere, was naturally not present—and at the moment, neither was Sistine.

Just a short while ago, Sistine had gone to the tourist district of Saineria Island to buy snacks for their dinner. She would likely return soon.

Truthfully, like most of their classmates, Rumia had wanted to go out to eat in the tourist district with everyone, and she had even been invited by her classmates to join them. But with the possibility that Re=L might return, Rumia couldn’t bring herself to go.

And since Rumia wasn’t going, it automatically meant Sistine wouldn’t go either.

Sistine was simply too kind-hearted to leave Rumia behind and enjoy herself alone.

“…I feel kinda bad for Sistie…”

Sistine probably didn’t mind at all, but Rumia couldn’t help feeling guilty.

“Re=L…”

Her thoughts turned to the girl whose attitude had suddenly changed drastically today.

What could have upset her? Or perhaps all her previous behavior had been an act, and the cold, rejecting figure was Re=L’s true self?

From the start, the worlds that Rumia, Sistine, and Re=L lived in were far too different.

Perhaps it was something Rumia could never understand.

“But still…”

The fun days she had spent with Sistine, Re=L, and the rest of the class.

That beautiful night by the sea, when Re=L had said that being friends with people like them wasn’t something she disliked.

Rumia wanted to believe there was no lie in those days, in those words.

Surely, there had to be a reason. A reason why Re=L could no longer bear this life, why she felt the need to push everyone away.

So, surely, everything would be fine. If they could meet Re=L, talk things out, fix whatever went wrong, and apologize to each other… that would be the end of it.

Those noisy yet joyful days would return—Rumia believed that with all her heart.

“First, I need to face Re=L.”

But she wasn’t worried about that.

The one who had gone to find Re=L was Glenn.

If it was Glenn, he would surely find Re=L and bring her back.

So, the first thing to think about was what to say when she reunited with Re=L.

“Hmm…”

What kind of words would be right? She hesitated.

“I don’t even know why Re=L got angry, so saying ‘I’m sorry’ out of the blue would be weird…”

That wouldn’t be an apology—it would just be smoothing things over, trying to appease her. Rumia didn’t want to do that.

And so, grappling with a surprisingly difficult issue, Rumia was lost in thought alone… when it happened.

BAM!

A deafening noise suddenly rang out from the direction of the balcony at the back of the room, causing Rumia to jump and her shoulders to tremble.

At the same time, she sensed a presence in the room.

“…Huh!?”

Reflexively, Rumia turned toward the source of the sound.

The door at the back, which should have led to the small balcony, had been kicked open from the outside, its wreckage and splinters scattered across the room.

And beside the half-destroyed door, swaying on its hinges—

There stood a girl, pale and eerie, like a ghostly specter.

“…Huh? …Re=L?”

Though her figure and stature were unmistakably Re=L’s, for a fleeting moment, Rumia couldn’t recognize the girl as Re=L.

“………..”

Something was terribly wrong with Re=L. She had always been like a doll, but the Re=L standing there now was on an entirely different level—like a broken marionette with twisted, mangled limbs, exuding an unsettling aura.

“—!?”

When Rumia finally registered Re=L’s form, illuminated by the room’s lamplight, her mind went blank for an instant.

Blood. Re=L’s cheeks and hands were smeared with bright red blood.

Whose blood could it be? Who had gone to find Re=L, to meet her? The thought was too terrifying to entertain.

And in Re=L’s slender arms—she was carrying a greatsword.

Though stained with dripping fresh blood in places, the cross-shaped greatsword, a Cross Claymore, gleamed with an ominous sheen.

Who could have been the victim of that sword? Just thinking about it made Rumia’s body tremble.

“…Re=L. What in the world… have you done?”

Yet, instead of abandoning her thoughts to panic, Rumia suppressed all the ominous premonitions, steadied herself, and asked the question. Her courage was truly commendable.

But—

Her bravery was in vain.

“…Sorry.”

Without responding to Rumia’s words, Re=L raised the greatsword toward her.

Rumia didn’t know why. But she knew she had to escape now.

Acting on instinct, Rumia started to move her foot.

But the opponent she faced was far too formidable.

With a whoosh, like the sound of slicing wind,

Re=L closed the distance to Rumia in an instant.

The gap between them vanished in a single step. Her afterimage lingered for half a moment before dissipating.

…Rumia couldn’t react. There was no way she could.

“Ah…”

Before she knew it, Re=L stood before her, raising the greatsword high.

(Sensei…)

In that fleeting moment, a white blade descended like lightning.

(Help…)

The crescent-shaped slash burned itself fiercely into Rumia’s retina—

And Rumia’s vision faded to black.

Clang!

The sword’s pressure sent a decorative vase in the corner of the room tipping… and it fell to the floor, shattering.