Chapter 8: Project: Revive Life

The night deepens.

At the inn where the students of the Alzano Imperial Magic Academy are staying.

In the drawing room, open to guests.

“…”

“…”

In that luxurious space—adorned with sofas, chairs, tables, candelabras, antique paintings, and chandeliers—the students who couldn’t sleep had gathered close together, shrouded in a heavy silence, as if attending a funeral.

“Hey… Cecil. Are the teachers… gonna be okay…?”

Softly, hesitantly.

Kash suddenly lets the words slip.

“Rumia and Re=L-chan… they’ll come back safe, right…?”

“I don’t know… To begin with, we don’t even understand what’s happening right now…”

Cecil, too, murmurs anxiously in response.

They know something serious is going on—that much is clear. They also know that Glenn, along with his mysterious friend Albert, is taking some kind of action to resolve it.

But the specifics? Not a single detail. They’re completely out of the loop.

And that feels unbearably frustrating.

“Hey… Wendy… I… I’m scared… I’ve got a bad feeling…”

Triggered by Kash and Cecil’s murmurs, Lynn begins to voice her own anxieties.

“Glenn-sensei said everything would be back to normal by tomorrow… but… what if… what if Rumia… and Re=L… and even Sensei… what if they… never come back…?”

“Tch, that’s absurd!”

Wendy snaps to her feet, fiercely denying Lynn’s tearful words—words that echoed the fears lurking in everyone’s hearts.

“Sure, that man’s a hopeless degenerate who doesn’t deserve to be called a gentleman! But he’s never once broken a promise to us… well, okay, maybe a few times… but when it really matters, he’s someone we can rely on!”

“Wendy’s right. For now, let’s just wait.”

Teresa nods in agreement with Wendy’s words, but…

“I know he’s usually an idiot, but when it counts, he’s reliable… I get that. But… is there any guarantee things will turn out okay this time…?”

“…That’s…”

No one can answer Kash’s question.

Just as the atmosphere grows even heavier…

“Hmph, you lot are being ridiculously dramatic.”

A cold, irritated voice cuts through the room.

From the corner, Gibul—who had been sitting on a sofa with a magic textbook open, his legs propped on a table—suddenly interrupts the conversation.

“If Sensei says it’s fine and doesn’t tell us anything, then just leave it be. More importantly, the field study expedition is still ongoing. If you’re not going to stay up and study like me, you should go to bed and prepare for tomorrow. Honestly, this is a waste of time.”

“Hey, what’s with that attitude!?”

Unable to let it slide, Kash jumps up, shouting.

“Don’t you care about Sensei and the others!?”

“Care? Hah, don’t be ridiculous. That weird transfer student probably just made some irreparable mistake, right? It’s their own fault for not keeping her in check. I always knew she’d mess up eventually… Frankly, it’s just a nuisance.”

“You… I misjudged you…!”

Kash, shoulders trembling with rage, starts toward the smug Gibul… but then…

“Sistie!?”

At Lynn’s cry, the gazes of all the students in the drawing room snap toward the entrance.

“…”

There stands Sistine.

Fatigue still lingers heavily on her face, but her eyes are sharp and resolute.

It seems she’s woken up and made her way here.

“Sistie, are you okay? You looked so pale, we were really worried!”

Lynn rushes to Sistine’s side.

“Sorry for worrying you. I’m fine. More importantly…”

Sistine casts an exasperated glance at Gibul, who’s still engrossed in his book, and Kash, who’s confronting him.

“You’re not kids anymore, so stop fighting at a time like this. And Gibul, even if you’re worried about Sensei and the others, don’t say things that get on people’s nerves.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Me, worried about them? Don’t be—”

“Oh, sure. By the way, Gibul… do you always read your textbooks upside down when you study? That’s quite a talent.”

“!? …Tch!”

At Sistine’s pointed remark, Gibul clicks his tongue in irritation and flips his textbook right-side up.

Kash, deflated by the exchange, shrugs his shoulders.

“Sistine, what’s going on with Rumia and Re=L? Why was Sensei half-dead? Where did he and his friend go, and what are they doing? You must know something, don’t you?”

Wendy voices the questions everyone’s been thinking.

Sistine, for her part, knows most of the answers. She may not know exactly where Glenn and Albert have gone, but from Albert’s words during the White Magic Ritual [Reviver], she can easily guess what the two who vanished are trying to do.

But…

“I’m sorry… I can’t say.”

Sistine murmurs apologetically.

“…What does that mean?”

“I don’t want to lie to everyone… but I also don’t want to tell the truth and pretend everything that’s happened didn’t matter… so…”

Sistine herself is surprised by her own words.

Despite the terrifying, humiliating ordeal Re=L put her through… somewhere deep in her heart, she still believes in Re=L. Wants to believe in her.

And so.

Reaffirming her honest feelings, Sistine steels her resolve.

Unable to do anything but wait, she must at least protect the place they’ll return to.

With that determination, risking being ostracized by her class, she speaks.

“Don’t worry, everyone. Sensei will definitely handle this. If it’s Sensei, he’ll bring Rumia and Re=L back. He’ll make it so we can look back on this and laugh, saying, ‘Remember that time?’… I believe that…!”

And then.

Sistine bows her head before the entire class.

“So please, everyone, believe in Sensei… I’m begging you…!”

For a moment.

A heavy silence hangs over the group.

…Until, finally.

“…Good grief. Raise your head, Sistine. It’s unbecoming.”

Wendy’s exasperated murmur breaks the quiet.

As Sistine slowly lifts her face, Wendy continues.

“Fine, Sistine. If you’re that insistent… we won’t ask anything for now. We’ll trust Sensei and wait.”

“Yeah… I mean, even if we knew the truth, it’s not like we could do anything about it, right?”

Kash shrugs and adds his agreement.

“Hmph… It’s probably something trivial anyway, like a fight that got out of hand. Honestly, they need to stop causing such a fuss.”

“And even if it’s something huge we can’t even imagine… Sensei’s the kind of guy who’d take on terrorists and save us all. Yeah, I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

Gibul and Cecil chime in with their own remarks.

Looking around, every student gathered here seems to have things they want to say or ask, even after accepting Sistine’s plea.

But the oppressive, funeral-like atmosphere that had hung over the room is gone.

“Everyone… thank you…”

As Sistine lets out a sigh of relief, something shifts.

“…Really… thank you…”

“Sistine?”

Wendy notices it.

“Why… are you crying?”

“…Huh? No… it’s nothing… nothing at all…”

Wiping away the tears that had unknowingly spilled, Sistine murmured.

It’s not nothing.

At this moment, the emotion overwhelming Sistine’s heart is nothing but regret.

The truth is.

She hated being in this position, protected by Glenn, left powerless.

She despised being sidelined, only able to pray and wait for the safe return of the people she cared about.

She wanted to protect her irreplaceable best friend with her own hands.

Even if she couldn’t fight shoulder-to-shoulder with Glenn… she at least wanted to be able to guard his back as he risked his life for Rumia.

She didn’t want to just rely on the people she loved… or merely pray for them… she wanted to be someone who could support them with her own strength.

She thought she’d worked tirelessly for that goal, believed her talent would make it easy to achieve… she’d been genuinely confident.

And yet, this is the reality.

This, most likely, is the unvarnished truth of her current strength—her limit.

She’s powerless.

No matter how much she’s praised as an honor student at the magic academy… no matter how cocky she got from a bit of combat training… in the face of reality, she’s utterly, hopelessly powerless.

It doesn’t matter that she’s just a fifteen-year-old girl or a sheltered young lady.

She’s powerless. Undeniably, painfully—powerless.

That truth is humiliating, infuriating…

“…Sensei… I…”

I want to become stronger.

As her bewildered classmates’ gazes gathered on her, Sistine thought this with all her heart, silently letting her tears fall.

…

……

…Running.

Relentlessly running.

The seemingly endless corridor finally shows its end.

The final door looms ever closer—

“Here we gooo—!”

Glenn kicks open the door to the deepest room of the underground laboratory with force.

“Oi, you’re in there, aren’t you? Time to put an end to this nonsense!”

“—Glenn?”

“S-Sensei!?”

“—What!?”

The gazes of everyone in the room snap to Glenn as he appears.

Re=L, Rumia, and—a blue-haired young man claiming to be Re=L’s ‘brother.’

“Glenn-sensei…”

Rumia gazes at Glenn with teary eyes, whispering his name.

“…Sorry, Rumia. Looks like I’m late again. Don’t tell White Cat, yeah?”

Meeting Rumia’s gaze, Glenn tosses out his usual playful remark.

“…sniff… Sensei… I’m so glad… you’re really… okay…”

Rumia knew Glenn was alive, but seeing him safe and sound overwhelms even her, and she can’t hold back tears of relief.

“…Now then.”

Glenn’s eyes settle on Rumia, chained up at the far end of the room. Her clothes are torn, her state too cruel for a girl her age, utterly exposed.

Compared to the worst scenarios he’d imagined, it’s far better—but still…

“Oi, you bastard… You’ve gone and dressed up my adorable student in quite the kinky, fetishy outfit, huh…?”

Even so, Rumia’s treatment is more than enough to ignite Glenn’s fury.

“What’s with that getup? Some trendy avant-garde art? Even the empire’s most renowned fashion designers would be floored!”

“Ugh… ahh…”

The young man visibly shrinks under Glenn’s ferocious glare.

“In honor of your bold and daring attempt, I’ll personally score it. With my fist! I’ll grade it so generously you’d think I was bribed—max points, breaking all limits! No need to hold back!”

Then, Glenn roars at Re=L.

“Re=L! Don’t just stand there! Rumia’s in this mess, and you don’t care!? …Okay, fine, I get it, it’s hard not to stare, I’ll admit…”

Though he averts his gaze, Glenn sneaks sidelong glances at Rumia’s chained, disheveled form, clenching his fists and grimacing as if wrestling with himself.

“Tch, damn it. I’m starting to awaken to something… Is this some kind of magical mental attack?”

“Oh, come on, Sensei!”

But Rumia, picking up on Glenn’s (probably) intentional act to reassure her with his usual behavior, feels her anxieties begin to melt away.

“Anyway! Your outrageously high-fashion sense has pushed this kind-hearted Glenn-sensei past the breaking point! I’m jealous, and I won’t forgive you! Prepare for an iron-fisted punishment!”

As Glenn cracks his knuckles and advances, the blue-haired youth pales and stumbles back step by step.

“Impossible… Why are you here…? Where are Burks and Eleanor!? Don’t tell me they were defeated!?”

“…Eleanor?”

At the sudden mention of that name, Glenn frowns suspiciously and braces himself.

(Eleanor Charlet, the rogue mage Albert warned me about… I was on guard, expecting her to make a move eventually… but she never showed up on the way here. From this guy’s tone, it sounds like she was with Burks…?)

Confirming that no one resembling Eleanor is in the room, Glenn questions himself.

(Where the hell did this Eleanor woman disappear to? What’s she planning?)

But for now, it doesn’t matter. Eleanor’s whereabouts are concerning, but he has a job to do.

First, he’ll beat the snot out of this so-called ‘brother’ of Re=L’s.

With that thought, he takes a step forward—when suddenly.

“Glenn… Don’t come any closer to Nii-san.”

Re=L, wielding her pre-forged greatsword, steps in front of Glenn, blocking his path.

“Re=L!? Hah, as expected of my little sister!”

Seeing Re=L confront Glenn, the ‘brother’ quickly regains his composure.

“The adjustments to that prototype still need a bit more time! Hold him off until then!”

“…Got it.”

The ‘brother’ hurries to the ritual magic circle at the back, resuming his work.

“…Oi, Re=L. Are you seriously doing this? You’re taking this prank a bit too far, don’t you think?”

Glenn glares at Re=L, clicking his tongue.

He wants to chase after the ‘brother,’ but with Re=L locking him down at this close range, one wrong move could be fatal.

“Say what you want. I fight for Nii-san. That’s my reason for existing.”

Re=L gazes at Glenn with hollow eyes, lowering her stance and readying her sword.

“You idiot! Brother this, brother that—how can you fall for this crap so easily!?”

Frustrated by Re=L’s single-minded, blind devotion, Glenn shouts.

“That guy’s not your brother!”

“Huh?”

For a split second, Re=L freezes, and Glenn presses on with harsh words.

“Your brother died two years ago, didn’t he!? Are you just gonna ignore that reality!?”

“…But he’s alive. His appearance…”

“So what, if he looks the same, he’s the real deal!? Are you even sure he’s the same brother you remember!? You couldn’t even recall him clearly!”

“—! That’s…”

Stung by the jab, Re=L falters for a moment.

“I’ll say it again! The dead don’t come back! Face reality, you moron!”

“Shut up, shut up, shut up! How would you know!? Why are you so sure he’s dead!?”

“Because I, of all people, can say it! It’s a long story, but—”

“Be quiet! Nii-san is all I have! If you get in his way—I’ll cut you down!”

This is hopeless, Glenn thinks.

Right now, Re=L probably won’t listen to anything he says.

Glenn holds a certain truth about Re=L that could break through this situation… but it hinges on her being willing to listen and consider his words.

So—

He’ll have to knock her out first, make her calm down, and then talk.

(…But can I do it? Against her?)

Re=L’s close-combat skills far surpass his own. Her trump card, the Original Magic [Fool’s World], renders most of his advantages moot. His superior magical prowess is useless at this range—focusing on a spell would leave him open, and she’d cut him down in an instant.

(The matchup’s the worst… This is gonna be rough. Can I really take down that Re=L Rayford, the [Chariot], without killing her?)

Glenn grits his teeth. He’s no fool or hypocrite to prioritize Re=L over Rumia at this point.

(…I’m not giving up… My spirit’s not broken… But—)

His opponent is Re=L. Knowing her superhuman combat prowess better than anyone as her former comrade, Glenn can’t help but consider the ‘what ifs.’

—All I can do is pray you don’t hesitate when the time comes—

Albert’s cold words suddenly resurface in his mind.

Glenn couldn’t help but feel the cold touch of the pistol hidden at his back, steeling himself with grim resolve for the “what if” moment that might come—when it happened.

“Sensei!”

Rumia shouted.

“I believe in you! No matter what happens… I believe in you, Sensei! So… please, don’t lose! I’m begging you!”

“…!”

Rumia didn’t ask to be saved, nor did she ask him to rescue Re=L.

She just said she believed in me.

She just said not to lose.

“…Hah.”

That alone was enough—for Glenn’s resolve to brace for tragedy to melt away.

“Man, a cute girl’s cheers are more magical than any spell…”

He gave a wry smile, half-amused at his own fickleness.

He’d made up his mind.

To hell with Albert’s words.

He respected the guy, sure, but this was one thing he couldn’t obey.

He’d bring Re=L back, save Rumia, beat that “brother” to a pulp, strip him bare, tie him up, and toss him into some shady gay bar. Then, just like that moonlit night, he’d watch Rumia, Sistine, and Re=L laughing and giggling together over cheap brandy. No other ending would do.

“Come on, Re=L! Bring it! I’m gonna catch you—and you’re getting a spanking as punishment!”

“Glenn—!”

Re=L raised her greatsword, charging at Glenn like an arrow loosed from a bow—

And Glenn met her head-on, fists ready in a boxer’s stance—

—The curtain rose on their battle, and the fight began.

“Yaaaaah—!”

Re=L struck first, diving into close quarters with a whirlwind of motion.

Her white blade slashed down like lightning from the heavens.

The strike was brutally straightforward, ferocious—a single flash of violet lightning.

“Tch—!”

Glenn, half-turned, twisted his body left in a split-second dodge.

The blade’s gust grazed his right side with a sharp whoosh.

Cutting through that gust with his shoulder, Glenn kicked off the ground with his right foot, lunging forward.

“Ooooh—!”

He threw a left jab, followed by a flashing right straight—a polished, lightning-fast one-two combo.

But his fists sliced through empty air.

Because—Re=L was already above him. The moment her slash missed, she’d flipped forward into a leap.

“What—!?”

There was no time to gape at her inhuman reaction speed and movement.

“Haaaaaa—!”

Mid-flip, in an inverted stance, Re=L snapped her legs downward with spring-like force.

“Kuh—!”

Her heel, like a heavy iron hammer, aimed for the back of Glenn’s head.

A kick that could snap his neck—Glenn hurriedly dove forward, rolling to evade.

The next instant, Re=L twisted her body to land.

As she landed, her left hand slammed the floor, instantly forging another greatsword.

“Aaaaaaaaa—!”

Without pause, she spun like a cyclone, hurling both greatswords at Glenn.

The two blades roared, spinning fiercely, chasing Glenn’s retreating back.

And, as if pursuing them, Re=L kicked off the floor with a bam!, closing in on Glenn.

Her speed was godlike, her lapis-blue eyes drawing a single line through the darkness.

“Tch—!”

Trusting his instincts, Glenn spun around, leaping lightly.

He dodged a low-flying greatsword skimming the ground—

Then, quickly kicking off again, he veered right.

Another greatsword, slicing through the air to cleave him in two, was evaded—

“Yaaaaaa—!”

In that moment, Re=L pounced on Glenn, giving him no time to breathe.

A third greatsword—already reforged—was in her hands.

Its thick, rugged blade glinted—and in a flash, a storm of sword strikes raged before Glenn’s eyes.

A deadly tempest that would turn him to mincemeat if it touched him—

“Kuh—!?”

Glenn leaped back, rolled left, twisted right, desperately dodging.

But no matter where or how many times he dodged, Re=L’s greatsword came slashing back ferociously, clinging to him.

(Damn, close combat’s a losing game—!)

Re=L’s relentless, storm-like movements were erratic, unorthodox, utterly chaotic.

They spat in the face of proper swordsmanship, the epitome of heresy.

Yet, they were terrifyingly fast, direct, and overwhelmingly strong.

Re=L’s brutal swordplay had felled countless mages. Glenn could only keep up because he knew her techniques—nothing more.

If this were their first encounter, her opening strike or the next would’ve killed him without question.

It wasn’t wise. Facing Re=L head-on like this was the height of folly.

But.

Even so.

Glenn wouldn’t back down.

For Rumia’s sake—and above all, for those words flashing through his mind.

—Please… at least… save that girl…

“I’ll keep my promise… Sion… Illushia…”

Fearless of the deadly blade-winds grazing his body, Glenn stepped forward, fists clenched.

He muttered those words—

“Fuhahaha! What’s wrong, war dog?!”

Burks’s mocking laughter echoed through the hall.

“Go! Go! Go—!”

Fully unleashing his bioelectric ability gained from drugs, Burks’s charged body released countless bolts of lightning.

The thick, serpentine bolts struck wildly in all directions, grazing Albert’s back as he darted in circles around Burks.

Stray lightning shattered every glass cylinder in its path, pulverizing them to dust.

“Tch! Too many damn obstacles to aim properly—!”

Amid the vortex of his own raging lightning, Burks’s laughter rang out.

“Useless trash, utterly worthless to the end! Fine! As I declared, I’ll clean house while exterminating this stray dog!”

“…!”

A faint grind—the sound of Albert clenching his teeth, went unnoticed.

“What do you take lives for? I’m a villain myself… but you’re less than that.”

“Hah! Say something, war dog?! Dogs look best scampering pathetically! Die—!”

“《Swiftly race・dance and soar in the heavens》!”

As Burks prepared to unleash his bioelectric ability again, Albert preemptively activated Black Magic [Plasma Field].

Burks’s lightning clashed head-on with the thunderstorm summoned by Albert’s spell, the impact roaring as violet sparks danced, flashing wildly across their vision.

“Tch, clever… you’re damn good with lightning… Fine, then!”

Now Burks activated his pyrokinetic ability, rivaling a B-class military assault spell.

Albert countered—

“《The ice wolf sprints》.”

He activated C-class military magic, Black Magic [Ice Blizzard].

A swirling ice storm met the pouring inferno head-on.

But Burks’s ability and Albert’s C-class spell were fundamentally unequal in power. Albert’s [Ice Blizzard] was overwhelmed, pushed back, and swallowed by the searing flames of Burks’s pyrokinetic ability—

“Guoh—!?”

The ice storm instantly vaporized, creating a massive cloud of steam that blanketed Burks’s vision in white—

A silver streak sliced through the thick, swirling steam, flying toward Burks.

That silver light precisely slashed Burks’s throat.

“Mgh—guh!?”

Blood sprayed for a mere moment; the wound, reaching his carotid artery, closed rapidly thanks to Burks’s regeneration ability gained from drugs.

Burks glared at the wall behind him with irritation.

There, lodged, was the silver light that dared to wound him.

A knife. A plain knife, unenchanted with any magical effect.

“You… what’s this supposed to be, some kind of joke?”

Burks hurled the question at the black-clad man standing amid the sea of flames and swirling steam.

“…”

The black-clad man—Albert—said nothing, only gazing at Burks with sharp, silent intensity.

Indeed, as Burks noted, since the fight began, Albert hadn’t used a single direct offensive spell against him.

He created openings with various tactics, then relentlessly threw knives, precisely targeting Burks’s carotid artery or major limb arteries… and nothing else.

Knives littered the ground around Burks.

Normally, a single [Air Screen] would have blocked such attacks, but Albert used [Dispel Force] to cancel it—fixated on his knife-throwing. Despite Burks’s regeneration healing the wounds instantly, Albert didn’t let up.

Burks couldn’t help but click his tongue at Albert’s harassment-like assault.

“You seriously think these toys can do anything to me? Not that your standard three-element assault spells would work either…”

Among Burks’s drug-granted abilities were heat resistance, cold resistance, and electric resistance. When activated, they completely nullified corresponding three-element spells.

For Albert, who relied on fire, ice, and lightning assault spells, this should’ve been an overwhelmingly disadvantageous situation…

“I don’t need assault spells to finish you. …This is enough.”

Albert spoke in a cold tone, drawing another knife.

His condescending words had been grating on Burks’s nerves from the start.

But at the same time, Burks smirked inwardly with contempt.

(Hmph, fool. Did you think I wouldn’t see through your little scheme?)

Burks noted the arrangement and positions of the scattered knives.

At first glance, they seemed randomly strewn, but Burks had long noticed the magical significance hidden in their pattern.

(Runic cipher symbol conversion—and in the legendary Tsar notation, no less. Clever man. Pretending to throw meaningless knives while secretly building a magical barrier to trap me. A lesser mage would’ve fallen for it.)

Indeed, it was understandable why a young upstart like Albert would get cocky. With such skill at his age, arrogance was inevitable.

(Hmph, frog in a well… how dare you underestimate me! I am Burks Blaumohn! Did you think such petty tricks could ensnare me?)

So Burks deliberately pretended not to notice Albert’s scheme.

Knowing Albert’s goal made it easy to counter, and above all, Burks wanted to see the look of shock on this insufferable man’s face when his plan failed.

“…”

Oblivious to Burks’s thoughts, Albert drew another knife from his coat.

(Yes, do it! Keep going! Dance like a fool! And at the very end, I’ll show you ultimate despair and the fundamental gap in our skill as mages!)

Reveling in the pleasure of certain victory, Burks activated his abilities further.

Albert continued his knife-throwing calmly, dodging Burks’s ability attacks—

(Aaaah—! Damn it! Re=L’s too strong—!)

Screaming internally, Glenn leaped to dodge a close-range greatsword strike.

(Damn, compared to before, her movements are sharper, stronger—way beyond!)

A horizontal slash came instantly, with a whoosh.

Glenn ducked reflexively, narrowly avoiding a severed head and torso.

(The gap—am I rusty, or—)

The greatsword arced upward in an unexpected reverse-wind strike. Twisting his body to dodge, Glenn quickly hopped back—one step, then another—to create distance from Re=L.

“Yaaaaaa—!”

But Re=L closed in.

Again and again, Re=L closed in.

Wreathed in fierce winds, her greatsword raised, she charged at Glenn with relentless fury.

Each of Re=L’s slashes, thrown with near-suicidal abandon, was lethal, giving no room to breathe.

The sight of her approaching sent a shiver of mortal tension up Glenn’s spine—

“Tch—!”

To meet her head-on—no way. He began calculating escape routes, his mind racing at full speed—

Honestly, Glenn hadn’t been fighting Re=L properly from the start.

He was just running. In close combat, Glenn was outmatched in strength, skill, and speed. Facing her directly would mean instant death.

But as a former court mage who had survived countless battles against stronger foes, Glenn—just as Albert had acknowledged—was a master of combat. To survive the magical underworld with his level of skill, he had to be.

Glenn wasn’t strong—he was clever.

He couldn’t win, but he could avoid losing.

(But—this won’t last—!)

Re=L’s heavy slash came down; Glenn twisted left, dodging by a hair’s breadth.

The missed greatsword shattered the floor, and Re=L used the recoil—

“Hmph—!”

She redirected the blade toward Glenn—who had dodged left—tracing a sharp V-shaped arc.

“—Whoa, close!?”

Glenn crouched low instinctively.

With a whoosh, the air above his head was carved away as Re=L’s sword slashed upward, a blazing flash—

“—Aaaaaaa—!”

In a flash, the sword spun above Re=L’s head. Without losing momentum, she twirled in place, channeling centrifugal force into the blade and unleashing another slash at Glenn.

“Tch—!?”

This strike was unavoidable, its timing perfect.

With no choice, Glenn parried it with a mana-enchanted fist—

“—Dwoooah!?”

Unable to fully absorb the force, Glenn’s body was dragged, tumbling across the floor.

Seizing the opening, Re=L charged again—

This time, it was checkmate.

But.

“—Shi!”

Using the tumble’s momentum, Glenn sprang up, drawing his gun from an awkward stance.

The muzzle spun sharply, the hammer cocked.

—A gunshot.

A streak of fire roared toward Re=L with a deafening thunderclap.

“—!”

But the moment Glenn drew, Re=L had already leaped aside, out of the line of fire.

The lead bullet ricocheted off the floor where she’d stood a split-second before.

They locked eyes, each waiting for an opening, entering a tense standoff—

(Well, even if I shot to kill, I wouldn’t hit her. And with no intent to kill… yeah, no chance.)

Right now, Glenn’s gun was only good for intimidation and keeping her at bay.

If Glenn kept engaging Re=L in close combat, eventually, she’d land a fatal blow.

By mixing in gunfire to check her, he was barely keeping the fight even…

(…Uh, how many shots do I have left? Let’s see…)

Glenn was sweating.

A gun’s fatal flaw was running out of ammo. His was a percussion revolver, where powder and bullets were loaded directly into the cylinder’s chambers and rammed in with a loading lever—a painfully slow and tedious process.

In short, this seemingly even battle would collapse the moment his gun ran dry.

Desperate, Glenn wanted to shift to a magical duel, but Re=L wouldn’t allow it. If he tried to back off or rashly chant a spell, she’d cut him down.

(…Wait, am I screwed?)

Why’s every fight I’m in so damn close… Just once, I’d love to win with the cool, effortless style Albert always pulls off.

(Well, I’ve laid the groundwork for victory, at least. Now it’s just a matter of whether she’ll take the bait…)

Of course, Re=L is no ordinary mage—she’s a battle-hardened veteran. Even the cleverest tricks might not fool her keen instincts; she’s a monster who can cut through deception with sheer intuition.

But, when it comes to the current Re=L, there’s a specific approach that might just work.

It’s a tactic that feels a bit cruel to use on Re=L, but if I don’t, I’ll end up sliced in half, my corpse left in pieces. That way, I won’t be able to save Re=L, let alone Rumia.

At first glance, Re=L wielded her sword with ruthless precision—but there were fleeting moments of hesitation in her movements. Persuasion might be impossible, but if Glenn could create an opening, he might be able to reach her with words.

Glenn steeled his heart. After all, Re=L’s betrayal stemmed from the fact that Glenn had kept a certain truth vague and unresolved with her for far too long.

Of course, there was a reason for that—it was, in a way, unavoidable.

Back when Glenn was with the Imperial Court Mage Corps, he couldn’t bring himself to believe that Re=L could handle that truth. He feared that revealing it carelessly might shatter her fragile, childlike heart.

So, he stayed silent. He had no choice but to keep it ambiguous. He played the role of the brother she wanted, acting as her proxy. He let her fight as a mage to protect that surrogate brother, just as she wished. Back then, Glenn had no idea how to truly save Re=L.

And before he could find a way, he was thrust into one bloody battle after another against vile sorcerers, his heart worn down with each gruesome fight…

(…And in the end… I abandoned Re=L and ran away… I lost myself to the harsh reality of magic and my own limitations… Hah, what a pathetic excuse for a man I am…)

But now wasn’t the time for self-pity.

He had to settle this.

It would undoubtedly be painful… but he had to settle it now.

(…The old Re=L wouldn’t have been able to handle it… But the Re=L now—having spent her days with Rumia, Sistie, and the rest of the class—maybe, just maybe…)

Even if it didn’t work, this time, Glenn would save Re=L. He would protect her. No more running away and leaving her behind. He was done with such irresponsible, deplorable actions.

Whatever price he had to pay to make that happen, he’d pay it willingly.

So… first, he needed to create that opening.

“…Hey, Re=L.”

Glenn casually aimed his gun at Re=L as she slowly closed the distance.

Pointing the muzzle and showing his finger on the trigger meant that, no matter the distance, Re=L would never be hit. Her animal-like intuition, reflexes, and dynamic vision would let her dodge with ease.

But that was fine. He deliberately aimed the gun to briefly halt her advance and draw her attention. As expected, Re=L stopped, wary of his move. The opening was set.

“Man, you’re fighting so desperately… You must really love your big brother, huh?”

Glenn spoke in a mocking tone, deliberately prodding at Re=L’s nerves.

“Be quiet. Nii-san is my everything. I’ve decided to live for him.”

As expected, the straightforward Re=L took the bait and responded.

“Hahaha! Making your little sister say stuff like that? Man, your brother must be one hell of a guy!”

Suppressing the ache in his heart, Glenn continued with a detached tone.

“…What are you trying to say?”

“Oh, nothing. But if he’s such an amazing guy, I’d love to get to know him. So how about it, Re=L-san? Tell me a bit about your dear brother.”

“…?”

Unable to grasp Glenn’s intentions, Re=L tilted her head slightly.

Enduring the growing guilt and pain in his heart, Glenn pressed on.

“Like, for starters… how about your brother’s name?”

“…Huh?”

“His name, Re=L. Tell me the name of this brother you love so much.”

“…I don’t understand why you’re asking this now.”

“Just say it. If you do, I’ll back off from this whole thing. I’ll abandon Rumia and hightail it out of here without looking back. I won’t get in your brother’s way anymore.”

“…”

Re=L stared at Glenn, trying to decipher his motives. But Re=L was never one to overthink or strategize deeply.

“Fine. If it’s that simple and you’ll really do it.”

Taking Glenn’s words at face value, she prepared to say her brother’s name.

“…My brother’s name is…”

Normally, it would be the easiest thing in the world. For anyone—not just Re=L—saying the name of a sibling they had grown up with, supported, and lived alongside since childhood should be effortless.

—Normally.

“My brother’s name is…”

But—Re=L faltered.

“…!”

Silence, confusion… and then, panic.

Re=L’s usually impassive face flickered with a cascade of emotions.

“What’s wrong? Taking your sweet time, huh?”

Seizing the moment, Glenn taunted her further.

“Come on, don’t tell me you forgot the name of your precious brother? Even for a dummy like you, that’s a bit much, isn’t it?”

“That’s not true! My brother’s name is…! His name is…! …! …Ugh… my head… it hurts… why…?”

A faint spark of anger flashed in Re=L’s eyes as she glared at Glenn.

But no matter how hard she tried, her mouth only opened and closed uselessly. Her face twisted in pain as she clutched her head, cold sweat beading on her skin.

“Want me to guess what’s going on with you right now?”

Glenn spoke calmly, his words steady as he addressed the struggling Re=L.

“It feels like you know your brother’s name—it’s second nature. But when you try to say it, to recall it clearly, it just won’t come. It’s like the name dissolves into mist. When you dig deeper, you realize there’s an unnatural blank where it should be. And when you try to fill it, your head starts pounding, and you find yourself crying, ‘Help me, big brother!’ …Nailed it, didn’t I?”

“…!? H-How…!? Why is this…!?”

Re=L’s face betrayed her obvious turmoil.

“Re=L! Don’t listen to him!”

From beyond Re=L, her brother, frantically operating a magical device, shouted desperately.

“B-Brother… your name… what’s your name…?”

Re=L turned, casting a pleading look toward her brother.

In an unthinkable lapse, Re=L, the combat genius, took her eyes off Glenn, her enemy, in the middle of a fight.

“It doesn’t matter right now! I’m me! Your one and only brother! Isn’t that enough!?”

“B-But… I…!”

As Re=L faltered, Glenn smirked with a bold confidence.

If this were truly a one-on-one duel with Re=L, no amount of provocation or emotional shaking would create an opening. As a combatant, Re=L’s focus would remain locked on Glenn, her instincts unyielding.

But with her brother involved, things were different. Glenn had bet on the fact that bringing up this topic would force her brother to intervene, to insert himself into the situation.

And that—only in this specific moment with Re=L—would inevitably cause her attention to shift toward her brother. She couldn’t help it. She had to.

If Glenn had miscalculated, if her brother hadn’t spoken up, there would’ve been no chance for victory.

But now, a third party’s careless action had handed Glenn the opportunity—

“Hmph!”

Without hesitation, Glenn aimed at Re=L’s legs and pulled the trigger.

A leaden streak tore through the air with a thunderous roar.

“—!?”

Incredibly, Re=L dodged the surprise shot, flipping sideways through the air despite being distracted. This was why geniuses were terrifying—her near-prescient combat instincts were a realm Glenn could never hope to reach, no matter how long he trained.

But—this outcome was within Glenn’s calculations.

Her forced evasion had thrown Re=L’s balance wildly off-kilter.

“《───・～～…!”

Covering his mouth with his left hand, Glenn began chanting a spell while swinging the gun in his right hand in a wide arc, as if aiming, and charged toward Re=L.

Magic or gunfire—two options. Retreat, and she’d fall to magic; stay put, and she’d be gunned down.

With her balance compromised, Re=L’s choices were limited.

Thus—the combat genius Re=L instantly chose to advance.

“Glenn—!”

Raising her arms and greatsword like a shield, protecting her vital centerline, Re=L charged forward.

Her critical points were completely guarded against Glenn’s line of fire. No matter where he shot, Re=L wouldn’t stop.

She was prepared to take a bullet, knowing that as long as it didn’t kill her, she could cleave Glenn in two with her counterstrike. Checkmate.

In this exchange, it wasn’t Re=L who was cornered—it was Glenn.

And—this, too, was within Glenn’s calculations.

Re=L realized it.

Glenn, charging toward her, wasn’t holding the gun in his right hand.

(Huh? Where’s the gun—?)

The moment Re=L thought this.

A violent impact struck her temple, her vision shaking and flickering wildly.

“Agh—!?”

Caught off guard by the unexpected blow, Re=L’s legs froze, her body lurching to the side.

(What!? Could it be—)

At the edge of her vision, Re=L saw the pistol skidding across the floor and understood.

Glenn’s earlier motion, swinging the gun as if aiming, wasn’t about taking a shot.

Unbelievably—Glenn had thrown the pistol with that exact same motion.

Not only that, but the pistol had been thrown with a special spin, curving like a boomerang, striking Re=L from an impossible angle with a sideways blow.

Re=L’s defenses had accounted for linear gunfire but couldn’t anticipate the trajectory of an object thrown with a curving, sidearm toss.

To set up this one move, Glenn had shown Re=L the same shooting motion three times before. The boomerang-like pistol throw was a hidden trump card, unknown even to Albert or Re=L.

And Glenn had fired four shots in total. His gun’s maximum capacity was six. From Re=L’s perspective, the gun should still have bullets, making the act of throwing it utterly unthinkable.

If any one of these preparations had been missing, Re=L’s otherworldly instincts would’ve let her dodge the thrown pistol.

“Guh—ugh!”

The blow to her temple staggered Re=L for only a moment.

A mere moment, but a critical one.

In that moment, Glenn closed the distance, diving into Re=L’s guard—

“Ah—Glenn—!?”

Glenn kicked off the floor, using the momentum to tackle Re=L. As their bodies collided and lifted into the air, he grabbed both of her hands mid-flight.

Then, pinning her down, he straddled her as they crashed to the floor.

“Guh—!? Cough!”

Slammed back-first into the ground, the air rushed from Re=L’s lungs, leaving her momentarily breathless.

But Re=L felt no panic.

Sure, this position was disadvantageous, but in a grapple, her superior strength would win out. With both of Glenn’s hands occupied, he couldn’t cast any offensive spells. There was no need to rush—she judged instantly. But then, realizing the true nature of the spell Glenn had been chanting, she froze in shock.

“《・The scales of reason shall tip to starboard》”

Black Magic [Gravity Control]. A spell that manipulates the gravity acting on oneself or an object touched. Glenn activated it, pouring every ounce of his dwindling mana into it.

The spell Glenn had been chanting wasn’t an offensive one.

By the time Re=L realized her mistake, it was too late.

Glenn’s spell took effect—Re=L’s weight skyrocketed.

Her gravity manipulated, an overwhelming force pressed down on her petite frame, threatening to crush her.

“Phew, that was a risky gamble, but I made it just in time…”

“Kuh… ugh!”

Pinned by her own amplified weight, Re=L struggled to break free with her strength, but—

“It’s no use. It’s not my strength holding you down. It’s pure gravity.”

Glenn spoke calmly to the writhing Re=L beneath him.

“A human body, made of flesh and bone, has limits to the weight it can lift. It’s theoretically impossible to lift something beyond the tensile strength of your bones! Push any harder, and your bones will snap first!”

“…Kuh… ah!? It… hurts…! My arms… they hurt…!”

Re=L’s arms began to creak ominously. Still, she desperately tried to move her heavy body to escape—but now, only her fingertips and toes twitched faintly.

“You’re really something else, Re=L.”

Glenn looked down at her, half in awe.

“I had to set up every piece, bank on a third party’s careless interference, catch you off guard, pull out a hidden trump card, and take a one-in-a-million gamble… and that’s what it took to stop you.”

“《O earth, heed my words—》”

“Sorry, but you’re done.”

Refusing to give up, Re=L began chanting a spell, but Glenn slammed his forehead into hers.

“Agh…”

Even Re=L couldn’t shrug off Glenn’s merciless headbutt. The impact dazed her, cutting off her spell mid-chant.

“How about you calm down for a sec, huh? Let’s talk. Just talk. It’s pretty important for you, you know.”

At that moment—

“What are you doing to Re=L… to my little sister!? Let her go!”

Seeing Re=L’s disadvantage, her ‘brother’ let out a shrill cry.

“Shut up, you fake!”

Glenn shot a furious glare at the ‘brother’, his eyes burning with rage.

“I know what you’re up to. That ritual—it’s Project: Revive Life, isn’t it!?”

“H-How do you know about that!?”

“Project: Revive Life… otherwise known as the Re=L Plan. You claim to be her brother, yet you call her ‘Re=L’? That alone proves you’re a filthy fake! Stop filling her head with nonsense and stay out of this!”

“W-What…!? Just how much do you…!?”

Staggering back in shock, the brother recoiled.

And then.

“…Huh? …Project: Revive Life? …The Re=L Plan?”

Even Re=L, despite her state, couldn’t ignore the glaring inconsistency.

“…W-Why… is my name…?”

Sensing the ominous truth looming, Re=L trembled as she looked up at Glenn.

“Hey, Glenn… what does this… mean?”

“…‘Sion.’”

“Huh?”

Re=L blinked, caught off guard by Glenn’s sudden murmur.

“The brother in your memories is named ‘Sion.’ Two years ago, he tried to help his sister escape the Researchers of Divine Wisdom by seeking asylum with the Imperial Court Mage Corps. In the end, he was branded a traitor and purged by the organization—a once-in-a-generation genius alchemist.”

“…‘Sion’…?”

Sion. …The alchemist said to have completed Project: Revive Life.

Why was that name coming up now, here?

But.

My brother’s name is Sion. My brother’s name is Sion. My brother’s name is Sion.

….

…That’s right. I remember now.

Sion.

…It fits perfectly into the blank in my memories.

How could I have forgotten until this moment?

The instant that word slotted into the void.

Memories that had never existed before flooded Re=L’s mind in a sudden flashback.

The memory that played out in her mind was—