Chapter 6: The Den of Malice

In the office of the imperial consulate located in the free city of Milano.

“It seems… they’ve safely made it through the first round…”

Receiving a report from the secretary, Alicia VII let out a sigh of relief at her desk.

And, as expected, she heard about the interference from a third party—the Last Crusaders, the Thirteenth Holy Execution Squad.

(It doesn’t seem like the work of Bishop Cardinal Fais, who advocates for cooperation and reconciliation with the empire, or His Holiness Pope Funeral… Most likely, it’s the hardliners—Cardinal Archibald or Cardinal Gramud pulling the strings behind them…)

Glancing out the window, Alicia sank into deep thought.

(Is this, as I suspected, a threat against me? A warning that if I value the children’s lives, I should cancel the summit and return home? Or perhaps…)

There had been no statement from the mastermind yet.

At this moment, it was impossible to discern who was targeting what.

However, there was no doubt that something was swirling in the shadows, centered around the Magic Festival and the summit.

(There’s no point in dwelling on it now. Glenn… I believe he’ll protect the children no matter what… I must pour my heart and soul into securing peace… even if it costs me my life!)

Steeling herself, Alicia turned back to the mountain of documents piled on her desk.

These were the myriad issues that could not be avoided in fostering cooperation and reconciliation between the Alzano Empire and the Rezalia Kingdom, along with their proposed solutions.

Territorial disputes, trade route issues, settling past grievances, military force ratios—their solutions, compromises, and their codification…

Alicia reread them with such intensity that she practically memorized them, scrutinizing for any gaps and tirelessly considering better terms.

(Unless both sides can reach a certain level of agreement on these issues, peace will not be achieved. And failure is not an option. This is the grand stage of my lifetime. I must stay sharp…)

However, the strain of recent days had clearly taken its toll.

Even Alicia’s face now bore the unmistakable marks of fatigue.

Removing her glasses and placing them on the desk, Alicia gently rubbed her eyes.

(The times have changed… It’s no longer an era where we couldn’t even talk simply because “the empire follows the new faith.” Miraculously, the head of the papal court has changed, creating a situation where dialogue is possible.)

(I cannot let this opportunity slip away. In any case, everything hinges on the day after tomorrow… the summit. Yes, everything—)

As Alicia quietly steeled her resolve for the coming moment…

“Excuse me, Your Majesty.”

After a knock, a man entered the office with reverence.

It was Duke Azel le Ignite.

He was one of the empire’s attendees for the upcoming summit.

“Is something the matter, Lord Ignite?”

“Forgive my presumption, but regarding the issue of Rible’s territorial dispute, I have devised a strategy that I believe may be more effective than the proposals drafted by the Round Table. I humbly submit it here.”

Alicia accepted the documents offered by Lord Ignite.

She quickly scanned through their contents.

“…I see. Indeed, providing subsidies might be more practical than ceding territory here.”

“Yes, upon further investigation of the region, I believe this approach would better align with the sentiments of the locals and facilitate negotiations.”

“Thank you. I’ll revise the matter with this in mind immediately.”

“…Your Majesty, you are the pillar of our empire. Please do not overexert yourself.”

“Yes, I understand completely.”

Smiling warmly, Alicia saw Lord Ignite off.

Yet, inwardly, she remained vigilant, probing for Lord Ignite’s true intentions.

(Lord Ignite… He was supposed to be the leading figure among the war hawks in the upper echelons of the imperial government… Yet now, he’s remarkably cooperative with reconciliation efforts. It’s truly unsettling. Why would he go so far, even at the cost of dissent within his own faction…?)

Alicia sensed that Lord Ignite harbored some unfathomable ambition.

And the possibility that something irreparable might eventually occur.

But for now, Lord Ignite showed no signs of revealing his hand.

On the surface, he remained a hero who had made immense contributions to the empire, with many supporters.

(…What exactly are you thinking?)

But no answers came.

With the current lack of time, personnel, and resources, Alicia had little means to discern Lord Ignite’s true motives. The situation allowed no such leeway.

(Tch… If only I… If only I were a more capable ruler, like my ancestors… I’m ashamed of my inadequacy…)

Closing her eyes, Alicia seemed to offer a silent confession to the queens of old.

 

Meanwhile—

(Hmph, for now, I’ll cooperate. It’s too early for the empire and the kingdom to clash… At the very least, I need to buy time for now.)

Lord Ignite strode briskly down the corridor, lost in thought.

(That’s right… I must take control of the empire. That little girl could never do it. Only I can protect the empire’s future from the great malice and vortex of despair…)

For that, he needed time. Above all, time.

(That’s why, just this once, I’ll cooperate with that girl. This summit… I’ll ensure its success, securing the time I need to act. Then… my victory will be unshakable.)

At that moment—

“Well, good evening! My beloved lord!”

Suddenly…

A girl was walking alongside Lord Ignite.

It felt as though she had been walking with him all along, yet also as if she had appeared out of nowhere.

Just looking at her made it hard to distinguish dream from reality… such was the aura of the girl.

“…Ilia.”

Yet, to Ilia’s bizarre entrance, Lord Ignite showed no particular surprise, responding sternly.

“Yup♪ It’s Ilia-chan! Your loyal dog, Ilia-chan!”

The girl, acting somewhat clownish, was Ilia Illusion, formerly of the Imperial Court Mage Corps’ Special Missions Annex, Executive Officer Number 18,《The Moon》.

“…Have you got it?”

Ignoring Ilia’s theatrics, Lord Ignite asked curtly.

“Oh, perfectly! Cardinal Archibald’s conspiracy is completely under my watch! With my magic, it’s a piece of cake!”

With a crisp salute, Ilia struck a cute pose.

Yet, despite her adorable demeanor, her eyes swirled with a dark, abyssal mix of colors, making her true intentions utterly unreadable.

“As expected! On the day after tomorrow, at the summit, Cardinal Archibald, the leader of the hardliners, plans to—gasp—assassinate Bishop Cardinal Fais and His Holiness Pope Funeral! Eek, how scary, right?”

“…Hmph.”

Despite receiving such a shocking report, Lord Ignite showed not a trace of agitation or confusion.

“As I thought. Killing the bishop, cardinal and pope—the reconciliation advocates of the papal court, and pinning the blame on our empire, that’s their plan, isn’t it?”

“Yup, exactly! They’ve gone to great lengths to fabricate circumstantial evidence to make it look like our fault. Quite a pickle, huh?”

“…A pretext for war, then.”

At this summit, not only the Alzano Empire and the Rezalia Kingdom but also many nations of the northern continent would attend as witnesses, observing the movements of the two great powers.

On such a grand stage, under the eyes of the entire world, the assassination of the papal court’s two key figures—both advocates for peace—would surely tilt international opinion heavily against the empire.

Yes, harsh as it is, the world values “how things appear” over “the truth.”

Thus, a war of retribution and righteous indignation waged by the Rezalia Kingdom against the Alzano Empire would not only be tacitly approved but might even see other nations lending their strength to the kingdom, declaring, “The empire, which disrupts the world, must be erased from the map.”

At such a time, it was certain that Cardinal Archibald would rise to become the next pope, with preparations already in place to ensure his immediate election.

If that happened, the momentum toward war would be unstoppable.

Yes, if the summit proceeded as Cardinal Archibald planned… the war between the empire and the kingdom—the Second Divine Reverence War—would become an inevitable reality.

“…But I won’t let that happen.”

For the sake of Lord Ignite’s goals and ambitions… now was not the time.

Indeed, he planned to eventually cut down the incompetent royal houses of the kingdom and the monks of the papal court, annexing all of the kingdom into the empire… but not now.

Thus—

“…Ilia. You understand, don’t you?”

Lord Ignite issued a ruthless command.

“…Leave it to me, my lord.”

Ilia responded with a faint, icy, yet gleeful smile.

And—in the next instant…

Ilia’s figure vanished, as if she had been a dream or an illusion—

“No way… It’s a lie…! There’s no way your ability could be seen through…!”

—Somewhere in Milano.

Atop the roof of a cathedral’s bell tower.

Hearing Chase’s report, Luna’s voice trembled with unconcealed agitation.

“And by that man… Glenn Radars…!?”

“Yes, it’s the truth.”

“That’s a lie!!!”

Luna rejected Chase’s mechanical statement like a petulant child.

“Sure, there are ‘chosen people’ out there! But that guy… Glenn Radars is just a human! Not a hero, nothing special—just a weak human! There’s no way a mere human could surpass us… It can’t be! It mustn’t be!”

“…Luna.”

“If a weak human can so easily surpass us like this… then what was the point of everything I…! Urghhh!”

Tormented by a conflict incomprehensible to outsiders, Luna clutched her head in anguish.

Chase could only watch her silently.

…After a while…

“…I’ll take action.”

With eyes harboring a dark, resolute determination, Luna raised her face.

“I don’t care about appearances anymore… I’ll take them down myself, directly. Even if it looks unnatural, I don’t care. I’ll defeat Glenn Radars myself. I—”

“Luna… that’s enough. You don’t need to worry about me. There’s no need for you to keep following Cardinal Archibald’s orders—”

“Chase, shut up! Just shut up!”

Luna silenced Chase’s attempt to speak with sharp rejection and anger.

“…Come on, let’s go… Tonight, we’ll end it all.”

With that…

Luna—

 

Countless schemes interweaving, innumerable malice creeping closer.

They swirled in chaos, intertwining, now forming a single grand design—

 

That night, after their fierce battle against the Harasa representative team…

At the hotel where the Alzano Empire representative team was staying—

“Alright, first off, you lot—great job breaking through the first round!”

““““Cheers!””””

In the luxurious lounge within the hotel…

With juices and snacks bought from nearby stalls laid out on the table, Glenn and the others were holding a small celebration.

“Yahoo! We won, we won! First round cleared!”

“Hmph! With us around, it was a piece of cake!”

“…Says the lot who were trembling in the bathroom right before the match started.”

Colette and Francine reveled in their victory, while Ginny shot them down with her usual sharp tongue…

“Haa… Everyone’s getting too relaxed. It’s just the first round, you know.”

“A little break is necessary. You did well too.”

“…Well, if Eve-sensei says so.”

Eve gently reprimanded a grumpy Gibul.

“Sistie! For a moment, I thought we were done for… but you’re safe! And you were so cool! As expected, Sistie, you’re completely different from that loudmouth Levin… I really admire you…”

“…Ellen… you… could stand to show a bit more consideration for your cousin…”

“Talk to me after you beat Sistie even once☆”

“Hahaha…”

Ellen clung to Sistine, while Levin’s cheek twitched.

“Man, that miraculous comeback! Sistine, you’re seriously amazing!”

“Kuh… If I’d been there, I could’ve done at least that much…!”

“Come on, Wendy, that’s a bit of a stretch, isn’t it?”

“Haha, hahaha… Anyway, I’m just glad everyone’s safe…”

Kash, Wendy, Cecil, Lynn, Teresa, and the rest of the support crew were also making a cheerful ruckus.

“Hehe, good work, Jaill, Heinkel.”

“Hmph.”

“…Thanks.”

Rize spoke to the taciturn Jaill and Heinkel.

Everyone was enjoying a moment of respite as warriors, each in their own way.

“Phew, that was seriously tough! If Sistine-senpai hadn’t been the main wizard, who knows what would’ve happened…!”

Next to Glenn, Maria was bouncing with excitement.

“Still, that wyvern… no matter how you look at it, its movements were weird, right? It kept targeting Sistine-senpai… What was up with that?”

“…Who knows?”

As Glenn awkwardly dodged the question…

“Um… Sensei, you have a visitor.”

Rumia approached, bringing someone to Glenn.

 

That person was—

“Ehh!? Y-You’re…!?”

“Bishop Cardinal Fais Cardis!? …For real!?”

Maria and Glenn’s eyes widened in shock, their bodies stiffening.

“You must be Glenn Radars, the head coach of the empire’s representative team? …Please forgive my sudden visit this late at night.”

Fais bowed respectfully, causing a gritty unease to stir in Glenn’s heart.

—The scene shifted.

Glenn and Fais faced each other on the balcony outside the lounge.

A heavy silence hung between them, carried away by the cold night breeze.

(Those damned bastards… This guy might actually be the one pulling their strings.)

Indeed, the Last Crusaders, the Thirteenth Holy Execution Squad, was a nonexistent unit.

Its chain of command was shrouded in mystery. Anyone could be the mastermind.

Inside, Eve, while engaging in casual conversation with the students, kept a wary eye on the balcony through the glass door, tense and alert.

She was ready to cast a spell instantly if anything happened.

(But why…? Why did this guy show up now, of all times…?)

As Glenn kept his right hand relaxed, ready to draw his gun at any moment…

“…As expected, you’re on guard.”

Fais sighed, speaking with an apologetic tone.

“It’s only natural. I’m terribly sorry for the trouble our people have caused you.”

“—!?”

As Fais bowed his head, both Glenn and Eve, watching from afar, widened their eyes in shock.

They both knew. There was no need for probing games.

“…I see. So at least on the surface, what happened this afternoon wasn’t your intention, huh?”

Glenn cut straight to the core.

“Yes, you may not believe me, but… I genuinely want this summit to succeed for the sake of peace between our nations. I’m serious about that.”

Glenn peered into Fais’ eyes.

At the very least, they didn’t seem to be the eyes of a liar.

“Let’s talk openly. The Last Crusaders are an independent execution unit under my command as Bishop Cardinal, authorized by His Holiness the Pope. Though they’re listed under the Temple Knights, they’re an entirely different entity. However, since recently, we’ve completely lost contact with them…”

“—!?”

Was he really revealing that?

Glenn could only be stunned by Fais’s unexpected seriousness and resolve.

“…Who’s the mastermind? Who’s holding the reins of the Last Crusaders right now?”

Convinced that Fais was likely innocent, Glenn pressed further.

“Most likely, Cardinal Archibald, the leader of the papal court’s hardliners… His aim is to sabotage the summit. There’s no evidence pointing to him as the culprit, though. He’s a man who leaves no openings.”

“…Figures.”

This much Glenn could easily deduce from the situation. No issue there.

The hardliners clearly wanted war with the empire.

(But that’s not all. This Fais guy… he’s still hiding something…)

It was the intuition of Glenn, a former mage.

A common tactic among magicians—misdirection. A big, flashy truth could distract from a smaller, critical one. This revelation felt like it served that purpose.

“I’ll take full responsibility for this. Tomorrow’s match will have heightened security to ensure such a thing doesn’t happen again. So please, hold off on escalating matters. At least until the summit is over. Afterward, I’ll accept any judgment.”

“Don’t worry about that. Our queen feels the same way. We’ve got our own reasons, and we’re not about to withdraw from the match now. But how about we puzzle out a mystery together?”

Glenn pushed further.

“A mystery?”

“…The goal of the anti-peace faction, Archibald.”

At Glenn’s words, Fais’ eyes widened ever so slightly.

“Archibald somehow took control of the Last Crusaders and interfered with the empire’s team in the match… Fine, I get that. It could serve as a warning to the empire, which is approaching peace at the summit. But as a reason, it’s weak.”

“……”

“The approach is way too roundabout. If they were serious about warning the Empire to ‘back off from peace, or else…’, there’d be plenty of more effective ways to do it. Like taking hostages or something… right?”

“……”

“Hey, Cardinal Bishop Fais. You don’t know Archibald’s true intentions, but… do you have any guesses?”

At that moment.

“…No, honestly, I can’t even begin to imagine what he’s thinking. Why, at this stage, would he do something so reckless that could end up strangling himself if he missteps…?”

Fais showed a cautious, pensive demeanor, answering with a sigh.

(Probably a lie. This guy knows something. Maybe not everything, but he’s got some kind of hunch… that’s the vibe.)

There was no proof, but a mage’s intuition told Glenn as much.

…And then, it happened.

Clunk! A sudden noise from behind—

“Who’s there!?”

Glenn, already on edge, swiftly spun around, drawing his gun and aiming the barrel at the source of the sound.

“Eeeek!? I’m so sorry!”

Immediately, a teary-eyed girl raised both hands with a shrill, panicked cry—Maria.

She had apparently slipped out of the lounge at some point and made her way from the courtyard to this spot.

“It’s just you!?”

Glenn hurriedly holstered his pistol.

“Geez, you idiot! Don’t scare me like that!”

“That’s my line! I was just curious about what Sensei was talking about with Fais-sama, that’s all!”

“Alright, alright, my bad…”

“So? What were you talking about?”

Maria was already grinning. What a resilient girl.

“…Nothing special. Just some stuff about tomorrow.”

“Indeed. I’m somewhat involved in the operations of the Magic Festival… and there were urgent matters I needed to discuss with Glenn-sensei,” Fais added, offering Maria a gentle smile.

“But rest assured, all you athletes have nothing to worry about.”

“I see… Being a Cardinal Bishop and helping run the Magic Festival? That’s tough, Fais-sama! Do your best!”

“Of course, Maria-san,” Fais replied warmly.

Maria tilted her head curiously at his response.

“…Huh? Fais-sama, how do you know my name?”

“Haha, didn’t I mention I’m involved in the Magic Festival’s operations?” Fais said with a gentle smile.

“Naturally, I’ve memorized the faces and names of all the participating athletes.”

“Wow, as expected of a Cardinal Bishop…”

“Especially someone like you, who’s made such remarkable contributions.”

“Eh?”

Maria froze, flustered and stammering.

“…B-but… I’ve just been dragging everyone else down…”

But Fais approached her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“Not at all. True, Sistine-san’s performance stood out among the Empire’s team. But you contributed greatly to the team as well. Without you, the Empire wouldn’t have won.”

“Fais-sama…”

Then, Fais lifted his hand from Maria’s shoulder and turned on his heel.

“It’s getting late. Well then, Glenn-sensei, Maria-san, please do your best in tomorrow’s match. May blessings guide your path and future—Fua Ran.”

With that, he made the sign of the cross twice, reciting a holy verse.

As Fais began to leave—

“W-Wait, please! Fais-sama!”

For some reason, Maria called out to him with a determined look.

Fais paused, turning back.

“…Yes?”

“Uh!? W-Wait!? Um… uh… well…”

“Oi, Maria, don’t call him back if you’ve got nothing to say. He’s a busy guy, y’know,” Glenn said, exasperated.

Despite Glenn’s words, Maria fidgeted nervously for a moment before taking a deep breath.

With resolve, she asked Fais:

“Um, Cardinal Bishop Fais-sama… I’m sorry for being rude, but… I have a question…”

“What is it?”

“It’s… really a trivial thing, and I’m sorry if I got it wrong, but… have we met somewhere before?”

“……”

Fais fell silent.

“…Oi, Maria. Hitting on a Cardinal Bishop? That’s bold,” Glenn said, dumbfounded.

But Maria ignored him, stepping closer to Fais as if pleading.

“…It’s more than that… it’s just… I really feel like… it’s just a feeling, but… maybe, Fais-sama, you’re my—”

Before Maria could finish—

“I’ve dedicated my life to God, so I have no family.”

Fais cut her off firmly.

“…!?”

“Moreover, I’m a sinful man. I’m not qualified to have a family. I don’t know what answer you were hoping for, but… I’m sorry, this is all I can say.”

As Fais spoke, gently admonishing her—

Clang—

A sharp ringing filled the air—and the world changed.

“What… the!?”

Glenn instinctively pressed his hands to his ears.

A song. A song was echoing—

From somewhere unknown, a song—resounded.

—La, …LaLaLa, Lala…Ah, LaLaLa, Laha…♪

A song in an incomprehensible, alien language.

Yet—its meaning was clear. Glenn could understand what the song was conveying.

—ALa, …EleEleLaLaLa, Lala…AhAa, LaLaLa, LaLa…♪

Sleep, sleep, peacefully, in tranquility.

Sleep, sleep, peacefully, in the cradle’s sway.

The song whispered gently to Glenn.

Even covering his ears or trying to ignore it, the song transcended physical barriers and distance, seeping directly into his soul—

—LaLa, …AaLaLa, LaLuLu…Ah, LaLaLa, Aaha…LaLaLah…♪

Triggered by the song, an overwhelming, almost violent wave of drowsiness assaulted Glenn.

—He couldn’t resist. He couldn’t fight the unnatural sleepiness at all.

Terrifyingly, he felt no fear about it. No urgency.

As if cradled in his mother’s arms, gently rocked… the drowsiness brought a sense of relief, sapping any will to resist—

Thus—darkness fell. Darkness fell. His consciousness faded to black.

Like standing at the edge of a cliff, lightly nudged from behind.

As if falling helplessly into the abyss of tranquility—

Glenn’s consciousness—

Fell—

—La, …ALaLaLa, Lala… ‘Idiot! You, who’s supposed to be my master, don’t let some other divinity steal your heart so easily! You cheater!’

“—Hah!?”

Suddenly, a scolding voice, like a slap to his soul, jolted his sinking consciousness awake.

He must have collapsed at some point.

Bolting upright, Glenn scanned his surroundings.

(Nameless!? I just heard her voice…!)

But the mysterious ghostly girl was nowhere to be seen.

—LaLuLa, …A,LaLaLa, Lala…Ah, LaLaLa, Laha…♪

The unnatural drowsiness was gone, but the strange song, resonating directly in his soul, still echoed from somewhere unknown.

As Glenn stood, feeling as if he’d been bewitched—

“Are you okay, Glenn-sensei!?”

“Sensei, pull yourself together!”

Fais and Maria’s faces appeared before him.

They peered worriedly at Glenn, whose consciousness was still hazy.

“…W-What the heck… is this song…?”

As Glenn stammered in confusion—

“Sensei!”

“Glenn, you’re awake!?”

Rumia and Eve rushed over, their faces pale with urgency.

“It’s bad! Everyone…!”

“What…?”

Guided by Rumia and Eve, Glenn returned to the venue of the first-round victory celebration…

“What the hell… is this…?”

Glenn groaned in shock.

Sistine, Ellen, Rize, Jaill, Gibul, Colette, Francine, Ginny, Levin, Heinkel, Kash, Wendy, Teresa, Cecil, and even Lynn.

Every student gathered there had fallen into an unnatural, inexplicable sleep, like puppets with their strings cut.

“Oi! White Cat! Wake up! Come on, wake up!”

No matter how much he shook them or slapped their cheeks, there was no sign of them stirring.

“It’s no use. Once they’re in that state, they won’t wake up.”

Amid everyone’s bewilderment, only Fais spoke calmly.

—La, …LaLaLa, Lala…Ah, ALaLaLa, Laha..LuLaLa….♪

And that song continued to resonate.

“…Hey, Fais-san. What’s going on here? What’s this weird song flowing directly into my head?”

“This is Angelic Oracle Magic [Lullaby]… her technique… Luna Flare’s.”

“—!? So this is Angelic Language!?”

Glenn caught his breath.

Angelic Language, like Dragonic Language, was a magical language humans couldn’t wield.

(…Four years ago, Luna died in battle alongside Chase… one’s a vampire, and the other’s humming an Angelic Language humans can’t use… haha, I’m starting to see the bigger picture…)

“Angelic Language is the sound produced by the ‘Primordial Soul,’ the first existence born in this universe—the sound closest to the Origin Melody. It’s fundamentally more powerful than any magic we or you use.

The Angelic Oracle Magic sung through it is terrifyingly long-range and immensely powerful. It can deliver the song to a pinpoint target or dominate a wide area indiscriminately… and once you’re caught by the song, there’s no escape unless the caster is dealt with.”

Indeed, the song still echoing felt less like someone singing and more like an echo lingering in his heart… as if it were automatically replaying within his soul.

Sistine and the others, asleep, were likely hearing it in their dreams.

“The longer you’re under this [Lullaby], the deeper you sleep. If we don’t stop the caster soon, they might not wake up for a week… or worse.”

“Damn… so time’s of the essence, huh…”

Fais turned to Glenn and the others.

“Still… as expected of the great magical nation, the Alzano Empire. To think so many of you could resist her [Lullaby]…”

“Haha, well… this level of mental defense is basic stuff… hahaha!”

Glenn completely pretended he hadn’t nearly succumbed.

But one thing nagged at him.

(Eve resisting makes sense, obviously. Rumia too, that’s fair—her mental defense is insane. Fais, being a Cardinal Bishop, must have trained rigorously. But…)

Glenn glanced at Maria.

(Why did she resist it?)

It was puzzling, but there was no time to dwell on it now.

“Yare yare… your wild card’s playing a pretty bold move, huh,” Glenn said, shrugging as he turned to the group.

“…Luna told me to ‘withdraw.’ In other words, she plans to keep the Empire’s team asleep… until tomorrow’s match starts.”

“Most likely,” Fais said regretfully.

“The match requires the Main Wizard’s participation as an absolute condition… If Sistine-san doesn’t wake up by the start, the Empire’s team will automatically forfeit and be eliminated. And Angelic Oracle Magic can’t be deciphered through magical analysis.”

“Makes Archibald’s goal even murkier. This feels less like pressure on the summit and more like sabotaging the Empire’s team outright.”

“Either way, we can’t let this stand. What’s the plan?” Eve asked coolly.

Glenn clapped his fist into his palm with a smack.

“Obviously! We’re gonna beat the crap outta them! Put an end to this ridiculous nonsense!”

“Hmph, your single-celled brain usually annoys me, but this time, I agree. Let’s make them regret this, shall we?” Eve said, smirking confidently as she tossed her hair.

“Sensei! I’ll help too!” Rumia declared, her eyes burning with determination as she looked up at Glenn.

“Yeah, I’m counting on you, Eve, Rumia. Honestly, those Last Crusaders are too much for me alone. I need your strength.”

“Um…! T-Then, I’ll—!” Maria began, stepping forward with resolve, but—

“No, Maria-san. You stay here,” Fais said, shaking his head.

“B-But… Rumia-san and Sensei are fighting…!”

“Courage and recklessness are different. You’re talented, but you’re not at that level yet.”

Gently rebuking the reluctant Maria, Fais turned to Glenn.

“And… I’ll stay here as well.”

“Fais-san?”

“The truth is… Luna Flare’s Angelic Oracle Magic includes not only [Lullaby] but also [Dirge], a dangerous song that can directly kill those who hear it.”

“What…!?”

“Its power can sometimes dominate an entire battlefield single-handedly… It’s a literal killing technique that requires substantial mental defenses to resist. The sleeping students would struggle to withstand it.

I don’t believe Luna would resort to such an extreme measure, but just in case, I’ll stay here, erect a protective barrier, and shield your students from the song.”

“…What’s it gonna be, Glenn?” Eve asked, her tone composed.

Glenn fell silent.

In essence, this was about whether to place absolute trust in Fais.

If everything Fais said was true, leaving him here would be ideal—Glenn would be begging him to stay.

But.

If Fais’s offer was a trap, if it harbored any malice…

It could strangle them in the end.

As Glenn stared, trying to discern Fais’s true intentions—

“Um…! Sensei!” Maria interjected urgently.

“I… I think we can trust Fais-sama!”

“……”

“I… I just have a feeling! That Fais-sama is truly kind and righteous… I mean, I have no proof, but… still, I…”

Glenn gave a faint smile.

“It’s fine. I think so too. If this was Fais-san’s trap, he wouldn’t need to share all this info. Showing up in front of us at all would be weird.”

“Sensei…!”

“Alright, Fais-san. I trust you. Please… take care of my students.”

“Yes, I swear on my life. …Thank you, Glenn-sensei.”

And so.

Glenn and the others worked with Fais to set up a protective barrier within the hotel.

Entrusting the barrier’s maintenance and aftermath to Fais and Maria, they rushed out into the night city.

To settle the score with the source of this chaos—the formidable Last Crusaders—

“Sensei… Rumia-san… Eve-sensei…! Please, may fortune be with you…”

Maria saw the three off with a prayerful gaze.

As she recited a holy verse for their safety, making the sign of the cross—

“…For now, let us simply pray.”

Fais quietly stood by Maria’s side, as if to gently encourage her.

Running, running, running.

Glenn, Rumia, and Eve dashed through the deserted night streets of Milano.

Following the faint traces of the [Lullaby], they ran with singular focus.

“Man, Angelic Oracle Magic… what a ridiculous range! Are they insane!?”

While running, Glenn scanned his surroundings.

Though it was night, it was still a bit early to call it midnight.

Even so, for a bustling metropolis in the midst of a festival to be so eerily silent—

People, people, people… collapsed on the roadside, all sleeping as if dead.

“Keeping out the riffraff, huh? Looks like they anticipated we’d show up.”

“Yes, let’s hurry.”

And so, Glenn and the others continued racing through the city…

…until, eventually.

A massive structure loomed before them.

“…The Celica-Elliot Grand Arena…!”

No mistake. The source of the cursed song still reverberating in their minds… was here.

“I see… so this is the battlefield they’ve chosen. Indeed, this place allows us to go all out without holding back.”

“The enemy’s serious, then.”

With that,

Using gravity manipulation magic, Glenn and the others scaled the arena’s walls with swift kicks.

 

Tap! They landed on the edge of the spectator seats.

From there, they looked down at the central competition field.

The gas lamps scattered throughout the arena and the sacred flames on the altars illuminated the field with a decent glow—

Beyond the veil of dim shadows cast by the lights… there they were.

Luna and Chase.

Standing side by side in the center of the field, as if clinging to each other.

Chase stood with his arms crossed, eyes closed.

And—Luna was singing.

Her eyes gently shut, her left hand pressed against her chest, her right hand extended far outward, singing with serene sincerity.

Her delicate lips wove a song of spiritual words.

As if reaching out to an invisible audience—

 

—La, …ALaLaLa, Lala…Ah, LaLaLa, Laha…♪

 

Luna’s figure, despite pouring forth a forbidden cursed song imbued with terrifying power within its beautiful melody, seemed impossibly divine and inviolable.

—But suddenly, Luna stopped singing. Though the [Lullaby] continued to echo within their souls… she ceased the act itself.

Luna and Chase had noticed Glenn and the others’ arrival.

Glenn’s group nodded to each other and descended the stairs toward the front row of the spectator seats.

Soon, the stairs ended.

The severance barrier separating the spectator seats from the competition field had been cut.

They vaulted over the railing, dropping from the seats onto the field.

And—without hesitation, they walked toward Luna and Chase.

Slowly… so slowly.

Luna and Chase’s figures gradually grew larger.

At a distance of about fifteen meters, where even their subtle expressions and postures were discernible, Glenn and the others stopped.

“…You came.”

Luna’s opening words were delivered in a tone devoid of readable emotion.

“It’s a bit late to say, but… we never intended to fatally harm you.”

“……”

“Even with that wyvern incident… it may not have looked like it, but we had no intention of killing or injuring that silver-haired girl. We just wanted to corner her, wear her out, or make her surrender… that would’ve been enough to defeat you.”

“…Yeah, I get it.”

Glenn responded boldly yet calmly.

“…The [Dirge], right? You’ve got a lethal Angelic Oracle spell up your sleeve, don’t you?”

“!”

Luna froze, as if struck by a bullseye.

“Nah… with the kind of power you two have, if you really wanted to kill or harm us, you’d have plenty of ways to do it.”

Glenn shrugged playfully as he spoke to Luna.

“Not that I’m letting my guard down or forgiving you guys one bit… but I get the sense you’re not such bad people. Feels like you’ve got some unavoidable circumstances driving you.”

 

At that, Luna’s face twisted with visible anguish, and she glared sharply at Glenn.

“Even so… you won’t back down, will you?”

“It’s the same deal. Just as you can’t back down or compromise for whatever reason… I can’t either. I’m standing here carrying my own burdens. I can’t just toss them aside now. It’s not about whose baggage is heavier or more important. It’s just about the responsibility we’ve taken on. Annoying as hell, isn’t it?”

“…I see. So it’s come to this…”

Clink…

Luna drew her sword.

An ornate swept hilt and crossguard, a slender, straight blade.

A holy sword that gleamed with a vivid pale blue light, reflecting the faint arena lights.

And in the next instant.

Suddenly, light—poured down from the heavens.

An aurora bloomed from Luna’s back.

“Then—I’ll defeat you!”

Whoosh! Three pairs of six radiant white wings unfurled from Luna’s back, scattering countless shimmering feathers around her.

In that moment, an overwhelming presence surged from Luna, an immense divine power—

The storm-like gusts from her flapping wings struck Glenn and the others head-on.

Boundless, boundless, boundless—

—It far surpassed the realm permitted to humans.

Unlike the counterfeit 《Temperance》 Charlotte that Glenn had once faced, this was different.

Truly, a genuine angel—

“…《War Angel》!?”

Even Eve couldn’t suppress a tremble as she shouted at Luna’s extraordinary and overwhelming form.

“I’d heard the legends, but—no way… no way!”

“Yeah, I had a hunch it might be something like this…”

《War Angel》Ysiel—according to the Old Testament myths of the St. Elizares scriptures, was the mightiest angel who fought against the six demon kings, including 《Black Sword Demon King》 Meives and 《Funeral Princess》 Alishar, in the final war between humans, angels, and demons known as The Seven Days of Flame.

The Church of St. Elizares was said to possess a near-heretical ritual that could resurrect a deceased human soul, transforming it into the mighty conceptual entity known as the《War Angel》.

This was [Angel Reincarnation]—the deepest, darkest secret of the St. Elizares Church’s papal authority.

The success rate of the reincarnation was vanishingly low, and as a named, unique angel, only one《War Angel》could be revived per era.

But if the reincarnation succeeded—it would herald the descent of an unparalleled warrior, a one-man army.

“Didn’t one of the Six Heroes from the Great Magic War two hundred years ago bear that name!? An angel of myth—《War Angel》Ysiel Crois!”

“Luna Flare—she’s this era’s《War Angel》!”

“…No way! Something out of a fairy tale… really…!?”

Even Glenn, Eve, and Rumia couldn’t hide their agitation, sweat beading on their foreheads.

“You seem to know, which makes this quick. Yes, exactly. This is my power—a strength that transcends humanity, the ultimate power.”

Luna declared, as if the outcome was already decided.

“I am the《War Angel》, and Chase is a true ancestor vampire—both of us are monsters far beyond human limits.”

Indeed, Chase now radiated an overwhelming dark magical aura from his entire body.

Its despairing pressure and shadowy presence were the polar opposite of Luna’s light, yet equal in magnitude—

“I’ll warn you one last time. Stand down! Mere humans like you don’t stand a chance, not even the slimmest!”

“Ha! Shut up, idiot!”

Glenn brushed off their pressure and declared boldly.

“Why do you human-quitters always get cocky with borrowed power!? Hmph! Quitting humanity—seen it a million times!”

Then, glancing at Rumia by his side, Glenn shouted.

“Rumia! I’m counting on you!”

“Got it! Activating《Ars Magna》! Take my power!”

A dazzling golden light poured from Rumia’s outstretched hands… filling the space.

It showered down on Glenn and Eve, seeping into them.

Thump! In that instant, their bodies pulsed with life.

Their magic surged explosively, an overwhelming sense of omnipotence overtaking them—

Rumia’s ability,《Ars Magna》, remotely bestowed—the supernatural power she awakened during the battle against《Iron Cavalry General》Accelo Iero, a force to defy the irrational.

“Wh—What is that power!? How can humans have something like—!?”

Luna, and even Chase, trembled in shock at the surging presence of Glenn and Eve.

“Ha! Don’t underestimate humans, you morons!”

“Who’s the one getting cocky with borrowed power here…?”

Eve sighed as Glenn arrogantly flipped them off.

“We’re fine with it! We’re on the side of justice, after all!”

“What a double standard… but, well…”

Eve clenched her fist tightly, locking eyes with Chase.

“This is incredible power. With this…”

Chase, radiating dark magic, silently met her gaze.

“Yeah, we’re mages. ‘If thou desirest, fuel the furnace with another’s wishes’… Let’s do this like proper mages. Anyone who gets in our way gets crushed!”

Glenn and Luna’s gazes clashed, sparks flying.

“Chase, please… I can’t afford to lose.”

“…If that’s your wish.”

Luna raised her holy sword, while Chase gracefully drew longswords in both hands.

In this empty grand arena, the midnight stage was set.

“Ha! The underground magic festival’s grand opening! Shame there’s no audience…”

“Quit yapping! Here they come!”

The moment Eve issued her warning,

“Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa—!”

Luna flapped her wings—gaining explosive propulsion and charging at Glenn.

“Ooooooooooooooo—!”

Glenn met her, fist raised—

“Fuh—!”

Chase slid into Eve’s range like a shadow fading into mist—

“Too slow—! 《Blazing Lion》—!”

Eve countered with a blast of searing flames.

 

—Ah, the pity is that no one was there to witness this battle.

The ultimate nighttime showdown began here and now—

 

—Sprinting.

Eve dashed along the field’s walls.

Cutting through the air with her shoulders, she sprinted lightly while chanting a spell.

“《Roar, Blazing Lion》—!”

Black Magic [Blaze Burst]. A superheated fireball arced through the air.

It locked onto Chase, who was charging with afterimage-like speed.

Flames erupted, the roar shaking the air.

A blazing pillar of fire shot skyward, as if to scorch the heavens—

But it split cleanly in two.

“—!?”

“Too weak.”

Chase emerged, having sliced through the flames.

Incredibly, his twin swords had sharply cleaved Eve’s fire.

Unfazed by the writhing superheated flames, Chase closed in on Eve—

Disliking the shrinking distance, Eve leaped.

She landed on the edge of the spectator seats, then leaped again.

“—《O wrath that fills the heavens》!”

She chanted another spell.

Suddenly, countless fireballs rained down from the sky like a fierce squall.

Black Magic [Meteor Flame]. A powerful wide-area suppression military offensive spell.

No one could possibly dodge this many attacks.

He’d have to defend. He’d have to stop.

But—

“Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa—!”

Chase brandished his twin swords freely in all directions. Infinite sword flashes, like lightning in an instant, precisely struck down every fireball raining upon him.

His charge didn’t falter—brushing aside the storm of fireballs like swatting flies, he closed in on Eve. Straight, straight, straight—

“《O crimson flame emperor・Raise the banner of calamity・Ravage in scarlet》—!”

Eve cast Black Magic [Inferno Flare].

A B-class military offensive spell, the pride of the imperial army.

Instantly, a massive torrent of blazing calamity fire roared behind Eve like a waterfall.

Heat waves, searing air, and a crimson glow threatened to burn the skin.

It surged like a tsunami, engulfing Chase from both sides.

Among flame-based offensive spells, this was among the most powerful.

Yet even that—

“Shh—!”

Chase shattered and scattered it with a single swing of his sword.

The phenomenon that broke Eve’s spell wasn’t magic or some mystic force.

—Raw strength. Brutally simple, unrefined, yet flawless and without openings, it was pure power.

Though Chase’s swords, having sliced through Eve’s superheated flames, glowed red and began to melt—

He discarded them and willed something.

The shadow at his feet stretched three-dimensionally toward his hands—and transformed.

Wielding two newly formed steel swords from the shadow, Chase sharply closed in on Eve—

(What a guy!)

Eve kept running, her mind racing.

She rapidly recalled knowledge about vampires.

When facing a vampire, the abilities one had to beware of included immortality, regeneration, creating thralls through bloodsucking, shadow manipulation, poison, transformation, mystic eyes, vast dark magic, and elemental control—all terrifying powers far beyond human limits.

But among these, one ability was deemed the most dangerous.

And that was—physical prowess.

Eve realized its true meaning here for the first time.

“Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa—!”

“—!?”

The moment she understood, Chase was already at her side, sword raised, perfectly within striking range.

(—So fast!? Damn—)

No time for regret.

Chase’s twin swords mercilessly swung down and swept horizontally.

Eve’s body was carved into four pieces.

Boom!

The shockwave of the sword’s pressure ripped through the seats, splitting the spectator stands in two.

A gruesome, horrific sight. But—

“—!?”

Chase’s eyes widened slightly.

The dismembered Eve’s form distorted like a mirage, turning to flames and scattering as embers, vanishing like an illusion.

In that instant—a sharp whistle of cutting air. A flash of crimson light, three streaks.

Thud, thud, thud.

Three flame swords pierced Chase’s back.

“[Fire Illusion], huh? You didn’t think I’d fall for that so easily, did you?”

Looking up, Eve had taken a position higher in the spectator stands, gazing down at Chase.

“Impressive… So this is the magic of the Empire.”

Without seeming particularly bothered, Chase lifted his crimson eyes to meet Eve’s.

“Frighteningly precise and powerful… and versatile to boot. You can’t achieve this with brute-force magic that just slams raw power together. I see now why the Kingdom could never bring down the Empire.”

“Thanks for the flattery.”

Though she spoke boldly, Eve couldn’t suppress the shock and unease roiling within her.

(What the hell… is that guy!?)

The cross-shaped dagger Eve had just driven into Chase’s back was imbued with purifying flames meant to obliterate the unholy, amplified by Rumia’s ability and enchanted with every ounce of power she could muster.

This was the Ignite family’s secret technique, [Cross Holy Flame]. For an ordinary vampire, a single strike would be enough to annihilate them ten times over and still have purifying power to spare.

Yet, that dagger, which should have reduced an undead to ashes on contact, was casually grabbed by Chase as he reached behind himself… and pulled it out. Then discarded it.

(Tch—it didn’t even faze him… This is bad.)

The [Cross Holy Flame] had been prepared specifically because Chase was a vampire… and it was one of Eve’s trump cards. If it was completely ineffective, Eve’s expression soured.

“I am, after all, a true ancestor, even if I’m at the bottom of their ranks. I’m not like ordinary vampires. Sunlight’s merely a discomfort, not fatal. If you want to defeat me, you’ll need something like a ‘stake.’”

“…A stake?”

“Point is, a mere magician like you can’t beat me.”

Chase, looking up at Eve, calmly readied his sword with an air of composure.

“It’s a pity, though. Your exceptional combat skills… If I were human, you might’ve won.”

“Shut up! Be quiet, you damn vampire!”

Eve activated a pre-chanted spell with a delayed trigger, conjuring a massive flame in her raised palm.

She hurled it mercilessly at Chase.

A corner of the spectator stands erupted in a massive explosion, a storm of flames raging and swallowing Chase without hesitation.

But—

Zzzt—black mist emerged from the inferno, slithering away.

Soon, the mist gathered in one spot, taking form.

What appeared was Chase, completely unscathed.

“No matter how many times you try, it’s futile. You have no chance of winning. Will you keep fighting anyway?”

“Sorry to say, but I’m stubborn enough to make even our esteemed director roll their eyes. Can’t help it.”

Eve spat the words with clear disdain.

“I see… Then shall I face you with my full strength?”

At that moment, a thick, inky shadow spread beneath Chase’s feet, creeping outward like a swamp.

From that shadowy mire, something began to emerge, one after another.

Wolves, birds, snakes… a horde of shadowy beasts, taking the forms of every conceivable animal.

The materialized black magical beasts appeared endlessly, surrounding Eve.

“…”

Eve coolly surveyed the shadowy creatures, mentally searching for her next spell.

“Allow me to humbly demonstrate what a vampire’s battle entails… Here I come!”

With that,

Chase flashed his twin swords and charged at Eve.

At the same time, the shadowy beasts surged toward Eve with terrifying speed and power, far surpassing the limits of mere animals, attacking in unison.

“《O Crimson Flame Emperor, raise the banner of apocalyptic fire, ravage all in scarlet》—!”

Eve’s magic roared with explosive flames, engulfing the shadowy beasts—

 

“Ooooohhh—!”

Glenn’s expertly executed surprise attack, a full barrage.

Six bullets were unleashed through rapid fanning.

Fired with the magical gunpowder known as [Ash Powder], those bullets carried devastating force, capable of blasting massive holes through stone walls.

But—

Luna, charging straight at Glenn, didn’t dodge.

The six bullets struck her forehead, left chest, abdomen, right hand, and both legs—but every single one was deflected.

“Wha—!?”

“Haaaaaa—!”

As Glenn froze in shock, Luna closed the dozen-meter gap in an instant with a flap of her wings, swinging her sword down at him.

That sword, brimming with immense magical power, gleamed with blinding light—

“Kuh—!?”

Glenn caught it with both fists raised overhead.

His fists, enchanted with [Weapon Enchant] and bolstered by Rumia’s ability, were fortified, but—

“Guoooooh—!?”

The sheer difference in physical strength overwhelmed Glenn.

The ground beneath his feet cracked and sank with a crunching sound.

It was a sword pressure unlike anything he’d ever experienced.

(If I take this head-on, I’ll be crushed!)

In a split-second decision, Glenn twisted his body, deflecting the sword.

Luna’s blade grazed Glenn’s right side, striking the ground.

“Daaaaaa—!”

Seizing the moment as Luna overextended, Glenn drove his right knee fiercely into her abdomen—

Thud! It was like kicking a boulder; Luna didn’t budge.

Her toughness was such that it might’ve damaged his knee instead.

“What—!?”

“—Hmph!”

In that instant, Luna spun.

Her holy sword flashed, slashing horizontally, diagonally, and reverse-diagonally with godlike speed, assaulting Glenn.

“Tchiiii—!”

Glenn barely managed to dodge, weaving through the attacks, keeping his distance, and parrying with his fists.

Zzzt!

The soles of Glenn’s boots scraped the ground as he leaped back.

“…Heh.”

Luna, still in her follow-through stance, smirked provocatively at Glenn.

“Let me make one thing clear… I deliberately took every single one of your attacks just now.”

“…Figured as much.”

Glenn gritted his teeth. Most likely, the ultra-dense magical aura enveloping Luna’s body made her extraordinarily resilient.

“Attacks of that level… I can see them all, and I could dodge them if I wanted. Normally, I wouldn’t let a single one hit me. But I chose to take them… Do you understand what that means?”

“It’s about the difference in our league, huh?”

“Exactly.”

Luna lowered her sword tip, facing Glenn directly.

“Do you get it now? You’re human, I’m an angel. We’re on different levels. You’ve got some weird ability boosting you, but you never had a chance from the start.”

“…”

“You didn’t have the power to stop me… That’s all there is to it. But that’s not something to be ashamed of. The world’s full of things you can’t do anything about. So stand down.”

With that, Luna turned her back on Glenn, as if the fight was over.

“Like I keep saying, I don’t want to kill you guys—”

Gunshot, gunshot, gunshot, gunshot, gunshot, gunshot—!

With practiced speed, Glenn ejected the empty cylinder, swapped in a pre-loaded one, and fired all rounds mercilessly at Luna’s back.

“Owww—!?”

Caught off guard by the sudden shots from behind, Luna stumbled and rolled from the impact.

“What the hell!? Unbelievable! Even if I’m the enemy, you’d do that to a girl!? Are you stupid!?”

Blue veins bulging, Luna stood up, teary-eyed and furious.

“Just so you know, I’m fine, but that actually hurts quite a bit!”

“Shut up. You’re the one who turned your back on the enemy in the middle of a fight.”

“Gaaaah—! I really can’t stand you…!”

Luna stomped the ground in frustration.

“That’s it! I’m definitely going to beat you senseless with my own hands! Get ready!”

As Glenn swapped cylinders while keeping a wary eye on Luna, he asked,

“By the way… you’ve been gunning for me from the start, haven’t you? Why? We’ve never met before. What’s got you so pissed off about me?”

“…!”

Luna glared at Glenn with a biting, irritated intensity.

Then, with a tone of disgust, she said,

“Humans—they’re weak.”

“…?”

Puzzled by her abrupt words, Glenn frowned as Luna continued flatly.

“Of course, there are strong humans. The rare few called heroes. But… most humans are weak. No matter how hard they try, there are walls they can never overcome… I was like that too…”

“You…”

“No matter how much you want to protect someone, if you don’t have power… as long as you’re human, there are just too many situations in this world you can’t do anything about… You get that, don’t you?”

“…”

“I wanted to protect everything… That’s how it started. But eventually, it became about protecting just what was within my reach… That’s how it went. Bit by bit, you compromise… you give up… until finally, it’s just about protecting the people most important to you. But even that, I couldn’t—”

Then, Luna glared at Glenn.

“That’s why I stopped being human… I couldn’t bear being a weak human anymore!”

“…”

“Now I’m just a weapon of war! Everyone treated me like a monster! But I lost so much, and I don’t regret it! In fact, I was happy! Proud! To think that someone as worthless as me had the potential to be reborn as《The War Angel》—I was thrilled!”

And then, Luna glared at Glenn as if he were her sworn enemy.

“So why—how can you stay human!? You’re just as weak as I was! How can a weak human like you keep saving people!? How can you keep fighting for others!?”

Luna roared at the stunned Glenn.

“I saw it! Your military records! Your achievements! What’s with that!? How could a weak human like you save so many people!? I couldn’t do it…! Why!? That’s not fair! It’s not fair!”

“…You…”

“I won’t acknowledge you! I won’t forgive you for standing in my way! I have people I have to protect! That’s why I gave up being human! I can’t lose! I absolutely can’t lose to you…!”

At that moment,

Glenn let out an exasperated sigh.

“Hah! I thought you had some grand reason… but it’s just a petty grudge, huh?”

“Yeah, it’s a grudge! So what!? Say whatever you want! I just don’t like you! A weakling like you has no right to stand in my way!”

“Tch, what, you thought I was some kind of great guy? Talk about overestimating me… You’re an idiot.”

“Huh!? But you clearly—”

“Sure, if you just look at the paperwork, my record probably looks impressive. But do you have any idea how much I’ve lost along the way? You really think you’re the only one who couldn’t protect what mattered?”

“—!?”

“I don’t know jack about your past or your deal. But if you think I’m some special existence to you… it’s only because I kept aiming for it, even after losing so much.”

 

—I love your dream, Glenn-kun…

 

Feeling a nostalgic smile from someone deep in his heart, Glenn said,

“In the end, you’re the smart human who could give up in the face of reality… and I’m the idiot who couldn’t. That’s the only difference.”

“You didn’t give up…!?”

Grinding her teeth, Luna glared at Glenn with venomous resentment.

“What… Are you saying I was wrong…!?”

“Huh? Nobody said that. Probably, because you gave up being human, a ton of people were saved, right? If so, that’s fine. Be proud of it.”

“Even so…! I—I still can’t stand you…!”

“Couldn’t care less. I can’t afford to lose here, for the sake of my students’ future… It might be a small reason, but it’s everything to me right now.”

With that, Glenn quietly readied himself.

“I don’t know what baggage you’re carrying, but for the people I need to protect, I’m gonna beat the crap outta you.”

At Glenn’s stance, Luna gnashed her teeth in frustration.

“Fine… I’ll break you…! I’ll defeat you and prove that my choice back then was right—!”

With that shout—

 

—Ya, …ALaLaLa, Lala…Ah, YaLaLa, Laha…♪

 

Luna began to hum a song again.

The melody was different from before. It wasn’t a song that crept into people’s hearts.

Rather, it was a song dedicated to herself.

With the song, the magical aura of light enveloping Luna grew steadily stronger—

“What—no way, that’s—!?”

—He’d heard of it.

《The War Angel》was said to wield their sword while singing praises to the divine.

[Angelic Oracle: Hymn]. A powerful self-enhancement spell that gradually boosts the singer’s abilities as long as they keep singing.

The enhancement ends instantly if the song stops… but as long as the song continues, there’s no limit to how much it can amplify. That’s why, in myth,《The War Angel》is considered the mightiest of angels.

“This is bad! She’s already strong as hell! If she gets any stronger, I’m done for! I’ve gotta stop that song or knock her out fast!”

Luna glanced at Glenn with disdain, her eyes saying,

(—So? Feeling hopeless yet? If you’re gonna surrender, now’s your chance.)

“…You bastard!”

And then—

Luna raised her sword while singing, flapping her wings. Perhaps due to the early effects of [Hymn], she charged at Glenn with even fiercer propulsion than before.

“Tchiiii—! Rumia, sorry, I’m counting on you!”

“Y-Yes!”

Rumia sent further assistance to Glenn through《Ars Magna》.

Feeling the amplified power, Glenn charged forward.

“Uoooooh—!”

Glenn’s unleashed fist

“—!”

And Luna’s descending sword

—clashed head-on, shaking the air with a blinding flash and a thunderous impact.

A cataclysmic shockwave tore through the grand arena.

 

“Haa—!”

Burn. Burn. Burn. Sparks scattered, and scorching winds howled.

A horde of shadowy beasts surged from all directions like a tsunami.

Eve’s flames incinerated them one after another.

Swirling firestorms, towering pillars of flame, roaring explosions, and waves of fire racing across the ground.

Every form of blistering heat raged around Eve, keeping Chase’s shadowy beasts at bay.

“Hmph—!”

In the midst of it, Chase darted through the gaps between flames, closing in on Eve.

Leaping twice, thrice, vaulting over waves of heat, he attacked from above.

His twin swords swung mercilessly at Eve.

Clang!

Eve blocked the swords by crossing her [Cross Holy Flame] daggers.

One side wielded long swords with superior reach; the other, short daggers.

Close combat seemed overwhelmingly disadvantageous for Eve—or so it appeared.

“《Obey the name of the Flame Emperor》”

“—!?”

As Eve chanted, the flames within [Cross Holy Flame] began to move as if alive.

Racing along Chase’s swords at blinding speed, they spread to his arms, engulfing his body—

“Hmph, close combat with an Ignite? The height of folly.”

“—Kuh!?”

Chase, who had endured flames unscathed until now, suddenly leaped back in a panic.

“Shh!”

Seizing the moment, Eve threw her [Cross Holy Flame] with a full-body snap.

A whistling slice cut through the air. Crimson silver light tore through the darkness.

“—Tch—!”

Chase leaped again, and the [Cross Holy Flame] embedded itself in the ground. The flames within the dagger spread across the ground at terrifying speed, trying to catch Chase.

Chase leaped back further.

Dark magical power rises from his body, extinguishing the flames that had been ignited on it.

Seizing that opening, Eve moves to a higher vantage point, advantageous for her battle with Chase, looking down at him.

“…Just as I thought. Something felt off.”

Eve crosses her arms, a fearless smirk on her face.

“Compared to an ordinary vampire, you’re quite sturdy… but ‘vampires are weak to fire.’ That doesn’t change for you, does it? You can endure it, but it’s not like you come out unscathed, right?”

“…”

“I’ve seen through your trick. You’ve been using the vampire’s [Elemental Manipulation] ability to barely hold back the flames that touch you. That’s the secret behind your supposed invincibility to fire. How’s that?”

“…”

Chase remains silent. But that silence is an unspoken affirmation.

“A vampire capable of such deft and delicate control is unheard of. Indeed, an average mage, no matter how many fire spells they unleash, wouldn’t be able to land a solid hit on you. But too bad for you… do you even know who you’re facing right now?”

Eve conjures a flame at her fingertip, pointing it at Chase below as she declares.

“Lord Scarlet—Ignite, who has devoted everything to mastering heat and flame! When it comes to controlling fire, there’s no one in this world who can match me!”

“…I see. So you’re the worst possible matchup for me… my natural enemy, huh?”

Chase gives a wry smile, glancing down at his scorched arm.

The wounds that should have regenerated instantly for a vampire remain unhealed.

Eve’s [Flame Manipulation] has surpassed Chase’s [Elemental Manipulation].

“But I’m a True Ancestor—even your attacks won’t bring me down so easily.”

“I already know that.”

“And can you hear it?”

As Chase prompts her—

A song reaches Eve’s ears.

“…This song—is it the Angelic Oracle [Hymn]…?”

Eve glances toward the center of the battlefield.

Luna is overwhelming Glenn, attacking from all directions at incredible speed.

“As long as that song continues, Luna’s power grows stronger, rising without limit.”

“…What’s that? Isn’t that just cheating?”

“You get it, don’t you? The longer this drags on, the more the advantage shifts to us. In other words, I have no need to rush. All I have to do is stall until the power gap becomes decisive.”

“…Tch.”

Eve clicks her tongue. Indeed, the situation is dire.

True, Eve can keep Chase in check.

But without a way to defeat him in a single blow, a prolonged battle is inevitable.

The longer the fight goes, the worse her position becomes—

—Yet.

“I wonder, will the passage of time truly favor you?”

Eve elegantly brushes back her hair.

Beautiful sparks scatter from her locks, illuminating her profile.

“Well, whatever. Let’s just do this our way, shall we? Here I come!”

Eve chants a spell, raising her right hand.

Roaring flames swirl, gathering in her right hand.

Thanks to Rumia’s《Ars Magna》, Eve is in top form today.

(Facing opponents like these was always going to be tough—I knew that from the start. That’s why the key to this battle lies with that girl.)

While keeping her guard up against Chase, Eve steals a glance at Rumia, who watches Glenn’s fight from the rear—

 

—Time shifts slightly backward.

“Haa!? You’re going to use the《Silver Key》!?”

On the way to the grand arena, Glenn lets out a dumbfounded shout at Rumia’s proposal.

“Yes. With that power, I’m sure I can be of help to you, Sensei.”

“W-Well, yeah, that’s true… but that power…”

…It’s far too dangerous.

It’s a power humans were never meant to wield.

But to Glenn’s hesitation, Rumia responds firmly.

“It’s okay. I won’t belittle myself anymore. To help you, Sensei, and Eve-san… to help everyone… I’ll use that power with my own hope and will. Not out of duty or some shallow self-sacrifice. I won’t make that mistake again.”

“…”

Faced with Rumia’s unusually resolute will, Glenn is at a loss for words.

“…So? Can you actually use this《Silver Key》thing?”

Eve asks Rumia coolly.

“I heard from Glenn, but isn’t that power pretty unstable? Haven’t you been unable to access it since the battle on the《Ship of Flames》?”

“…Honestly, I still can’t use it well. I can feel the《Silver Key》inside me, but… I can’t quite grasp it.”

“…”

“But I’ll definitely draw out the《Silver Key》again! I’ll make it work! Please, Sensei! Allow me to use the《Silver Key》… please!”

“…Your precious student is saying all that, you know?”

Eve glances at Glenn with a scowl, her tone laced with sarcasm.

Glenn stares down at Rumia, who gazes up at him earnestly, for a long moment… then finally speaks.

“Rumia. We need to break the [Lullaby] as soon as possible. Even if we defeat those guys and stop the [Lullaby], it’s meaningless if the White Cats don’t wake up before tomorrow’s match starts. …You understand, right?”

“Yes.”

“We don’t have time for you to practice pulling out the《Silver Key》. It’s do-or-die. Got it?”

“Yes.”

“In other words—we’re entrusting our lives to you. To you, who’s saying something so uncertain and vague. …You get that too, right?”

“…Yes.”

“With that in mind—can you still ask us to believe in you? Can you swear you’ll control the《Silver Key》? Can you declare you’ll carry us? Well?”

To Glenn’s stern words—

“Yes! I’ll absolutely control the《Silver Key》! Please, Sensei, believe in me! I—I want to be of help to you too!”

“…”

Hearing Rumia’s unwavering words, filled with resolute will—

Glenn falls silent for a moment—

“Alright, got it! I’ll believe in you too!”

—Then, with a grin, he responds.

 

“Haaaaaa—!”

Chase’s lightning-fast advance, his meteoric assault slash—

“—Hmph!”

—Eve dodges with a sideways leap, cartwheels with a hand on the ground, and flips backward—

“—《Burst》!”

She unleashes an explosion of flames above Chase’s head.

The searing red haze, the raging blast pressure and the heatwave—

Flap, flap, flap! Her robe’s hem and hair flutter in the blast as Eve reflects.

(To think that I, Ignite, would have to rely on such an uncertain, half-baked plan—it’s the end of the world! I’m not Glenn, for crying out loud!)

Locking eyes with Chase, who bursts through the blast, splitting it left and right, she chants another spell.

(But—)

It seems she’s been tainted by that idiot Glenn and that academy after all.

(—I don’t get it. Rumia… those eyes of hers. Deep down, I’m convinced—convinced that she can do it, that it’ll work!)

The erupting flames wail to the heavens. A deafening roar pierces the ears.

Time and again, Eve’s flames and Chase’s sword clash head-on—

 

“Uoooooo—!”

“—!”

Clash, clash, clash—

Glenn’s fists and Luna’s sword collide in a frenzied dance.

An infinite exchange unfolds in a fleeting moment.

Each time sword and fist meet, a tremendous shockwave rattles the air.

But—

“Guuuu—!?”

It’s clear—Glenn is being overwhelmed—

With each blow, his stance falters, and he’s forced back—

Luna’s [Hymn] continues.

Despite the ferocity of the battle, it shows no sign of faltering.

Thus, Luna’s power grows, and grows, and grows without limit—

The divine power radiating from her is now like a tsunami, threatening to sweep Glenn away and swallow him whole.

(I’ve won! Absolutely, I’ve won! There’s no way I can lose!)

With absolute certainty, Luna swings her sword.

Glenn leaps to dodge.

—She sees it.

A spinning back kick sends the evading Glenn flying.

He bounces violently across the ground, tumbling.

Luna pursues, flapping her wings, gliding after Glenn with a strike.

Her speed—beyond divine, it’s demonic.

(How’s that!? This is my power! No matter how many tricks you pull, a weak human like you can’t possibly match this strength! The undeniable, despair-inducing gap in power!)

Glenn barely recovers his stance.

He rolls to dodge Luna’s descending sword.

—Luna instantly reverses for a follow-up. Her sword flashes—high, mid, low.

Glenn dodges, parries, deflects. The air screeches.

Once again, Glenn is sent flying, tumbling—

(Feel the despair!? Don’t you hate it, wondering why you’re trying so hard!? Don’t you want to give up!? And yet—and yet—!?)

Using the momentum of his roll, Glenn swiftly rises.

His body is battered beyond recognition.

Yet he still raises his fists. His eyes—they’re far from dead.

(Why!? How can you keep fighting like that—!?)

Transforming her soul’s howl into song, Luna charges at Glenn—

(Why won’t you break!? Just give up already! Normal people would give up, right!? So why!? Losing to an unbeatable opponent isn’t shameful—it’s just natural! So why—!?)

She pours her raging emotions into her sword, slamming it into Glenn, over and over—

But—even so, Glenn keeps fighting.

In a situation where victory seems impossible, he still fights—

(Why on earth—!?)

As Glenn’s fist and Luna’s sword clash, locking eyes at point-blank range.

Suddenly, Glenn speaks.

“Because I’m not alone.”

(—!?)

As if seeing through Luna’s heart, Glenn says with a fearless grin.

“Sure, if it was just me, I’d have given up ages ago in a hopeless situation like this. But… I’m not alone.”

(What!? Not alone—!?)

Suddenly, a certain person’s words flash through Luna’s mind—

 

—Luna Flare. You failed to protect everyone because you were weak.

—To gain great power, the power to achieve something, a price must be paid.

—If you want to protect—resolve to become a solitary monster.

—Otherwise, you’ll never attain true strength.

—Do you have the resolve to abandon your humanity for that power?

 

(—Screw that, I’ll never accept that—!)

Luna’s horizontal slash sends Glenn, who blocked with crossed arms, flying.

He’s pushed back dozens of meters, still in a defensive stance.

Luna closes the distance in a single step, unleashing her sword—

(If something could be achieved so conveniently—! If that were true, everyone wouldn’t have left me behind—!)

She swings down with all her might, her sword brimming with unparalleled divine power. The overflowing energy whites out the world, making the blade itself nearly impossible to see.

(Look with your eyes! This is the power of an angel! A power you humans could never match, no matter how hard you try—an absolute, overwhelming power! Bow before my might—!)

But—

“Uooooooo—!?”

Glenn roars as if his soul is ablaze—and catches the sword with both fists crossed above his head.

—A shockwave.

The tremendous sword pressure pummels Glenn.

The force makes his entire body creak.

Several bones crack and shatter, and severe damage pierces his organs.

(—How’s that!? See!? This is my power! The power I gained by overcoming death! A mere human like you could never—)

At that moment, Luna freezes.

Through the crossed sword and arms, Glenn’s eyes stare straight at her—

Indeed, his arms are broken.

But—

(This guy—he’s not broken at all—!? Why!?)

His eyes say he’ll find a way.

They say if he can just endure this, he’ll win.

No matter the odds, he’ll never give up—eyes of unyielding conviction.

(The eyes… I lost long ago…)

How can he have such eyes in such a hopeless situation?

For a fleeting moment, Luna falters, overwhelmed and hesitant… and then.

Gwah!

Glenn rears his head back—

“Daraaaaaa—!?”

—And delivers a ferocious headbutt to Luna.

“—Kuh!?”

The force sends Luna reeling, blown backward.

For a moment, her song nearly stops, but she hurriedly refocuses, resuming the chant.

(T-this—!?)

“Heh! The fight’s just getting started!”

To Luna, Glenn flashes a fearless smirk and charges forward with ferocious momentum—

 

—Glenn’s battle.

“Sensei…”

Rumia watches intently.

Her heart aches seeing Glenn battered and bruised. She feels guilt. Every moment, she’s gripped by anxiety, fearing a fatal injury might strike him.

But more than that—Rumia feels happiness.

(Sensei believes in me… he’s fighting like that because he believes in me…)

The person she loves trusts her so deeply—

Could there be any greater happiness?

“Thank you… Sensei… I knew it… I really…”

Suppressing her overflowing emotions, Rumia turns inward, facing her own heart—

 

—I wanted to be a “good girl.”

Yes, the many burdens Rumia carried shaped her that way.

She had to be a “good girl.” She had to sacrifice herself to uplift others, to be the “good girl” everyone acknowledged.

But Glenn told her.

You don’t have to be a “good girl” anymore.

It’s okay to be a little selfish.

(Those words… they saved me… they truly saved me…)

Let’s go back together.

Let’s figure it out together.

Glenn extended his hand to her—

(I’ve been thinking all this time… about how to be happy… about the path I should live…)

Living for someone else.

I was taught by everyone that it’s a wonderful thing.

So, I decided… I’ll live for someone else.

(…I still don’t know the exact path… I don’t know, but…)

Rumia gazes anew at Glenn, who fights with his entire being for the sake of his students. She keeps watching the back of her mentor, who continues to battle for others.

Oh, what a noble figure.

The person I’ve come to love is so covered in mud, just a small, ordinary human.

Yet, he’s more noble and dazzling than anyone else—

I want to become his strength.

Every time Rumia sees Glenn’s back, that earnest wish, that longing, gathers within her.

(Living for someone else… I still can’t see the concrete path…)

It might be a lifelong quest to find that answer.

But.

Even so, there’s something undeniably clear right now.

It’s the unadulterated truth of her heart.

(But for now—just for Sensei, I want to live!)

As if peering into the depths of her heart, as if scooping out its core—she wishes fiercely.

(Right now—for Sensei, who fights for everyone, to protect the path he walks—I want to live! That’s what it means for me to live for myself!)

That was the moment she wished so strongly.

Honestly, she had a premonition.

There was no basis for it… but from the start, she had a strange certainty.

Nameless had once said it.

That “key” is a power older than magic.

The “primal power” from a time when magic purely fulfilled human wishes. Not something controlled by reason and logic like magic, but a “magic” wielded by wishes and instinct.

So—deep in her heart, she was certain.

Right now, I can do it.

I can grasp it.

Thus—Rumia had seized it in the deepest part of her heart.

“—!”

From Rumia’s hand, pressed against her chest, a dazzling silver light begins to overflow.

It overflows, overflows.

It dyes everything white, white, painting Rumia’s world in white—

 

—In that instant, Rumia glimpses her inner world.

It’s a scene she’s seen somewhere before.

In an empty, sky-like world.

Before her stands a girl, bound and suspended by countless chains wrapped tightly around her body.

She is—another Rumia.

“Hey… why would you wish for something like that?”

The other Rumia speaks sorrowfully.

“Our wish… it wasn’t supposed to be like that, was it…?”

“Hey, rethink it? We existed for ‘that person,’ didn’t we? We have to sacrifice ourselves to serve ‘that person’… that’s what we are… and yet, you’re abandoning ‘that person’?”

“That’s… no good… that kind of selfishness…”

She pleads with Rumia, who remains silent.

“Hey, if you listen to me… I’ll lend you even greater power… so, just like before…”

Though Rumia can’t fully comprehend what this other self is saying—it feels like a critical turning point.

And she understands, not through reason but through her soul, that this is something more important to her existence than anything else.

But Rumia turns her back on this other self and says—

“I’m sorry. I’m going to live—for myself!”

—With strong resolve, she embraces that selfishness—

 

“—!?”

In that fleeting moment, Rumia’s wandering consciousness returns.

Floating above her palm—is a single silver “key.”

“This is—my ‘key’—!?”

It’s small.

So very small.

It’s completely different from the massive, sword-like《Silver Key》she saw before.

Its raw power is also very weak. She knows it can’t compare to that《Silver Key》.

But—it’s enough.

Surely, this is—the greatest power for Rumia to carve her own path.

This is Rumia’s power—

“Sensei—!”

Rumia thrusts her left palm forward.

As if following her lead,《Rumia’s Key》moves, pointing its tip forward in front of her palm.

“—Here I go! I’ll save you now!”

Click.

The key, floating before her palm, rotates half a turn.

 

Clang—A sharp metallic sound echoes through the space.

(Wha—!?)

At that moment, Luna, who had spread her wings to deliver the final blow to the blasted-away Glenn, freezes in shock.

(M-my body—won’t move!?)

The space around Luna, including her, has solidified.

It’s as if the space itself had frozen in an instant—

(What—what did she do!?)

At the edge of her immobile vision, she catches a glimpse of a girl.

 

The girl holds a small key before her palm—

(N-no way, spatial freezing!? That’s impossible! Magic that manipulates time and space is the highest tier in any nation! For a girl like that to—!?)

But—

“Too weak! With this level of spatial control—!”

Luna forcibly spreads her wings with all her magical power.

Unleashing every ounce of the magical power coursing through her, she releases it explosively.

The immense magical power radiating in all directions shatters and breaks the space Rumia had fixed.

CRASH!

With a sound like glass shattering loudly, the spatial freeze is canceled.

“Kuh—!?”

Rumia staggers back from the feedback of her broken spell.

“Too bad for you! I’m an angel! A mere human’s power—!”

Luna declares victoriously with pride—

“…Heh! You stopped your《Hymn》, didn’t you?”

Below her, Glenn, wearing a fearless grin, charges fiercely—

(Damn—it was a trap!?)

Exactly.

In the moment Luna was caught by Rumia’s spatial freeze, her song completely stopped.

Naturally—her mouth couldn’t move.

The angelic language magic《Hymn》continuously enhances the user as long as the song persists.

Conversely—if the song stops, the effect vanishes.

All the accumulated enhancements disappear. She returns to normal.

Moreover, in that instant, Luna had unleashed and expended all her magical power to break Rumia’s spatial freeze. At this very moment, the magical power protecting Luna is completely depleted—

“Kuh!? Ya, …ALaLaLa, Lala…”

Luna hurriedly tries to weave the angelic language magic《Hymn》again—

“…Too slow.”

Glenn, a split second faster, draws a single arcane card.

—It’s the Fool’s Arcane.

Original Magic《Fool’s World》—its might manifests here—

(Why!? My angelic language magic, which activates instantly when I hum, isn’t working!?)

“Ooooooooooohhh—!”

In that moment of Luna’s shock and hesitation, Glenn leaps into her range.

“Kuh—!?”

Grit. Luna grits her teeth and moves to intercept Glenn.

“I can’t lose… I can’t lose, I can’t lose, I can’t lose, I can’t lose! An angel like me can’t lose to a human like you—!”

“Tch, how annoying—!”

“Waaaaaaahhh—!”

Luna swings her sword down with all her might.

“Oooooooohhh—!”

Glenn, with equal resolve, channels his spirit into his fist and strikes.

Luna’s descending sword grazes Glenn’s side—

“Daaaaaaahhh—!?”

Glenn’s fist, as a counter, catches Luna’s cheek, digging into it.

And then—Glenn swings his fist through with full force.

“Kaha—!?”

Like a ball being struck, Luna is sent flying horizontally in the opposite direction.

Her holy sword slips from her grasp.

Luna’s body bounces across the ground, still unable to stop, flying further—

(M-my body… won’t move…!?)

Her brain reels, her consciousness fading to white.

She can’t resist. She can’t breathe. She can’t brace herself. She can’t even move a single finger.

Luna is utterly at the mercy of the overwhelming physical energy dominating her, sent flying and tumbling across the arena’s field—

 

Zzt!

 

The one who catches Luna’s body—is Chase.

“…”

Chase, his body charred and in a pitiful state, holds Luna’s battered form in his arms, staring straight at Glenn.

“Tch—you showed up, vampire!”

Glenn braces himself.

“Really, so slippery… vampires are just too tough. It’s exhausting!”

To Glenn’s right, Eve lands from the sky, flames flickering in her hand.

Sparks glow and scatter from her body, as if telling the tale of the fierce battle so far.

“…Sensei!”

To Glenn’s left, Rumia steps up, holding the silver-gleaming key in her hand.

“…”

Chase silently and warily regards the trio.

“…Ch-Chase… m-my sword…”

Eventually, Luna, her consciousness fading, murmurs as if groaning.

“…Luna.”

“I… can still… fight… I have to… or else… what… what did I… become an angel… for…!?”

Luna tries to break free from Chase’s arms, but she only writhes weakly.

To her, Chase speaks gently, as if admonishing.

“That’s enough. It’s over, Luna.”

“U-uh…”

“You know it, don’t you? We’ve lost. It’s over, Luna…”

“No… no way, we haven’t lost… no… if we lose… you’ll… no…”

“…It’s over.”

At that, Luna, as if giving up, lets her head droop.

Then, with a resentful glare, she fixes her eyes on Glenn.

“Unfair… that’s so unfair, you…! What’s that…!? That red magician, that weird key girl…! In the end, it’s not even your power…! You’re just being carried by everyone…! Acting all high and mighty because you’re supported…! Why… why… why did I lose to someone like you…!?”

To the teary-eyed, whining Luna—

“…What’s wrong with that?”

Glenn says, exasperated.

“…Huh?”

“I mean, what’s wrong with being carried? Is standing alone really that important? It’s cliché, but supporting each other… isn’t that what being human is about?”

“Supporting… each other…?”

Luna repeats, stunned.

“…Each other… ah… ah…”

At that moment.

Luna begins to shed tears, one after another—

“…Ah, aaaaaaaaaaahhh—!”

Soon, Luna’s wail, like a howl, echoes through the arena.

“W-what…?”

“…”

Even Glenn and Eve can only be bewildered by Luna’s sobbing.

“…I’m truly sorry. We’ve caused you trouble.”

Then, ignoring the crying Luna, Chase speaks calmly.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s our issue. It has nothing to do with you.”

Chase looks down at Luna, who clings to him, sobbing.

“And it’s our complete defeat. We’ll withdraw from this matter. I promise we won’t interfere with you anymore. …I know it’s a selfish request, but can you let us go? Though, of course—”

Chase narrows his eyes and says.

“—If you won’t let us go, I’ll resist until my body is reduced to ashes.”

“Glenn. Even injured, he’s a vampire. It’s better if they retreat.”

“Yeah, I get it.”

At Eve’s words, Glenn nods reluctantly.

Facing someone with such resolute eyes is never a good idea.

“Besides… we achieved our goal.”

Perhaps because Luna was rendered unable to fight.

The《Lullaby》that had been looping in his mind had vanished completely.

“…Thank you. The《Lullaby》shouldn’t have taken deep root yet. The athletes should wake up before tomorrow’s matches begin. I wish you glory and good fortune.”

With those final words.

Chase, holding Luna, leaps high into the sky.

With incredible speed, he flies off—and disappears.

 

“Sniff… hic… Chase… Chase…!”

“…I know, I know…”

High above the deep night sky.

Chase, holding Luna in his arms, is soothing her.

Luna, with tears overflowing, continues to pour out her heartfelt emotions.

In her mind, like a revolving lantern, the memories that flash are—

—Johannes, the sword saint who was like a father to her.

—Cyrdin, the fastest of the Temple Knights.

—Gilder, the unmatched strongman and brotherly figure.

—Sheryl, beautiful and kind, like an older sister.

—Chase, her childhood friend, raised like a sibling.

Now a nostalgic memory, the comrades of the Temple Knights.

To Luna, who was once utterly alone, they were like family—precious people she wanted to protect—

“…Everyone… why… why did they all have to die…!?”

“────!”

At Luna’s anguished wail, Chase’s expression twists in pain.

“Everyone… why did they leave me behind and go… why… why…!? No, I know…! It’s because… because I was weak…!”

“…Luna.”

“That’s why I became an angel…! The weak me had to stop being human to protect anyone… that’s why… and yet, why… why is he… why is Glenn… even though we’re the same… why is it so different between him and me…!?”

“……”

“I’m all alone…! There’s no one left…! Because I’m a monster, a weapon, no one will ever acknowledge me anymore…!

But him… he’s surrounded by everyone, looking so happy, so carefree…! It’s cruel… it’s unfair…! This is just too much…!”

“Luna… it’s okay. …It’s okay. I’m here for you… even if I’m just a fake… I’m here…”

Luna sobs uncontrollably.

Chase soothes her, trying to comfort her gently.

Luna’s unheard cries of grief are swallowed by the moon gleaming in the twilight sky—