Chapter 5: The Memory of Flames

The short-term study abroad had reached its fifteenth and final day.

Night had fallen completely, in the student district within the grounds of St. Lily Magic Girls’ Academy.

At an open café situated in one corner of the area.

““““Cheers!”““”

The lively voices of girls raising their cups echoed through the air.

They had reserved all the outdoor tables facing the main street, where the students of Class 2 Moon Group, under Glenn’s charge, gathered to hold a farewell party for Glenn and his companions.

Each table was laden with an array of party foods, from fish and chips to sausages for easy snacking, alongside cakes, cookies, and other sweets. Drinks like juice, wine, and tea sets were piled high, making the impromptu party remarkably lavish for its spontaneity.

“Man… it went by in a flash, didn’t it…?”

Seated at a corner of the guest-of-honor table, Glenn propped his elbow on the table, resting his cheek on his hand, and munched on a shrimp fritter with a wistful expression.

“Hehe, Re=L’s short-term study abroad was a success… I’m so relieved.”

Sitting to Glenn’s left, Rumia smiled brightly, as if it were her own achievement.

In the end, despite all the ups and downs, Francine and Colette had a change of heart and diligently attended Glenn’s classes, ensuring that Re=L’s lessons during her study abroad were properly conducted.

Thanks to Re=L’s hard work, she successfully earned the necessary credits, narrowly escaping the revocation of her enrollment at the Alzano Imperial Magic Academy.

“The other day, I sent Re=L’s extracurricular credit certificate to our academy via express delivery, and Celica got back to me right away through communication magic. Re=L’s expulsion has been canceled.”

“Really!? That’s great!”

“That Celica… she said she laughed her head off at the frustrated, foolish faces of the anti-military faction who got their pride crushed.”

Picturing the scene easily, Sistine gave a deadpan look of exasperation, while Rumia offered a wry smile.

“By the way… where’s Re=L?”

Glenn suddenly glanced around.

Re=L, one of the main guests of this farewell party, was nowhere to be seen.

“Huh…? Now that you mention it… she was sitting right there just a moment ago…”

Rumia, looking puzzled, also began searching for Re=L.

“Re=L? She went for a walk with Elsa earlier.”

Sistine chimed in casually.

“With Elsa?”

“Yeah… well, Re=L got along especially well with Elsa among everyone here. It’s their last night before we leave, so maybe they have a lot to talk about?”

“…Fair point.”

After all, for Re=L, Elsa wasn’t like Sistine and the others, who reached out to her first. Elsa was the first friend Re=L actively chose to connect with on her own.

In a way, Elsa might be an even more special presence than Sistine and the others.

(Sneaking out of the farewell party isn’t exactly ideal… but it’s her last night here. I’ll let her have her freedom.)

As Glenn thought this with a wry smile…

“Sensei~~ ♥”

“Having fun!?”

“Whoa!?”

Francine and Colette threw themselves at Glenn’s back, practically tackling him with hugs.

The two who had organized this farewell party made their tactless entrance.

“Oh, no… to think we have to say goodbye to Renn-sensei already… Oh, how wonderful it would be if Sensei could just stay on as a teacher at this academy…”

“Sensei! Come back someday, okay!? Teach us more stuff, yeah!?”

“Y-Yeah… maybe someday…”

The two ojou-samas clung to Glenn shamelessly, fawning over him.

“Hey, you two!”

“Hmph…”

Sistine and Rumia immediately grew visibly annoyed, leaving Glenn to break out in a cold sweat.

“Still, Renn-sensei’s body… it never went back to normal, huh…”

“Turning into a guy’s body like that… it’s a lingering effect from some old magic experiment, right? That’s rough… You should get checked by a proper mage doctor when you get back, yeah?”

“Haha… yeah, you’re right… I really want to get back to my original female body soon~~”

Glenn forced a laugh to brush it off. He was truly relieved that his secret hadn’t been exposed.

…But then.

“B-But… as for me… w-well… I was thinking… maybe… Renn-sensei… staying in a male body… might not be so bad… or something like that…”

“…Y-Yeah… maybe… I mean, Sensei’s… kinda… pretty cool like that, right…?”

Francine and Colette suddenly grew shy, their cheeks flushing…

“I mean, just hypothetically! If—if, say… Renn-sensei was actually a man… then, maybe… I might… l-like Renn-sensei…”

“Such a shame, right…? Why does Renn-sensei have to be a woman…? If Sensei were a guy… I’d probably… f-fall for…”

“H-Huh…?”

The dangerously charged atmosphere made Glenn’s cheek twitch… and at that moment.

Crash!

Sistine and Rumia, their temples visibly throbbing, stood up abruptly…

“You two! That’s enough already! You’re bothering Sensei!”

“Hehe… don’t you think you’re clinging to Sensei a bit too much, you two? Hmm?”

They forcibly began peeling Francine and Colette off Glenn.

“What are you doing!?”

“We’re just saying goodbye to Sensei! Don’t get in our way!”

“You’re going way overboard! Let go of him already!”

“Tch! If you’re going to interfere with my moment with Sensei, I won’t hold back!”

“Oh, Sistine, Rumia! Wanna have one last showdown before we leave!?”

“Bring it on! Rumia, back me up!”

Sistine & Rumia vs. Francine & Colette.

As always, a fierce magical battle erupted in no time—

“Stoooop! Don’t fight over meeee—Gaaahhh!”

And, as always, Glenn was caught in the crossfire of stray spells and blasted away.

“Ha… these guys really get along great, don’t they?” (munch munch)

Watching the usual chaos unfold, Ginny munched on cake with a look of exasperation, completely unfazed.

Meanwhile, at that moment…

“Sorry, Re=L… I dragged you away from the farewell party…”

“No problem. If it’s Elsa’s request.”

Having quietly slipped away from the farewell party, Re=L and Elsa walked side by side through the academy grounds at night, exchanging lighthearted conversation.

“Thank you… I just had to talk to you one last time…”

“Okay.”

Aimlessly wandering, they gradually drifted away from the city center…

“Time really flies, doesn’t it, Re=L?”

“Yeah, fast.”

“Looking back now, it feels like the day we met was just yesterday…”

Before they knew it, they had reached the plaza in front of the railway station.

With the last train of the day already gone, the area was deserted, not a soul in sight.

The two sat side by side on a bench in the plaza, continuing their casual conversation.

“…Hey, do you remember? Our first meeting, Re=L.”

“Uh… what was it again?”

“Hehe… Oh, Re=L. At the Reitzel Cross Railway Station, you came at me out of nowhere, sword swinging! I was so startled back then.”

Elsa peeked at Re=L’s profile, chuckling as if it were a fond memory.

Re=L, perhaps recalling the moment, faltered awkwardly.

“Uh… that was… um… yeah… back then…”

“…Back then?”

“Uh… I don’t know how to explain it, but… Elsa, you… scared me.”

“Huh? Scared? …Me?”

Elsa tilted her head in confusion at Re=L’s words.

“Yeah… back then, I… yeah… Elsa, you were scary… like some terrifying enemy creeping up behind me… that’s what I thought…”

“…”

Elsa fell silent at Re=L’s vague explanation.

“But… no, that must’ve been my imagination. Because the Elsa now isn’t scary at all.”

Re=L hurriedly clarified, a touch of panic in her voice.

“Maybe I was just stressed because Glenn and the others got lost, and I was freaking out…”

But then.

“…Impressive, Re=L.”

Elsa muttered softly and rose from the bench without a sound.

“To sense it in that split second… you really are a genius.”

“Elsa?”

Before Re=L’s eyes, Elsa took a few steps forward… and stopped.

In the darkness, with her back turned, Elsa’s expression was, of course, hidden.

“That sword talent… it makes me a little jealous…”

“Uh… Elsa…? What’s wrong…?”

“Haha… sorry, let’s get to the point.”

Elsa suddenly turned around, smiling brightly at Re=L.

Her demeanor was no different from the usual Elsa. Just an ordinary girl.

The dear friend Re=L had spent this entire study abroad with…

“…Hey, Re=L. Listen… I have something called the ‘Memory of Flames’.”

“Elsa…?”

“When I close my eyes… I can still recall it. The day my father was killed—the day I lost everything. Yes, as vividly as if it were yesterday.”

Murmuring this, Elsa slowly reached for the glasses on her face…

And removed them… in that instant.

“—!?”

A sharp, murderous aura and overwhelming pressure struck Re=L from all directions, as if slicing into her.

Re=L instinctively leapt from the bench, conjuring her greatsword and crouching into a defensive stance.

“E-Elsa…? No… who… are you…?”

Re=L trembled with shock and confusion.

The girl before her looked exactly like Elsa in every way… yet her overwhelming presence and pressure were that of a completely different person. In an instant, a terrifying monster stood there.

Meanwhile, the girl, now bare-eyed without her glasses, gave Re=L a faint, mocking smile.

She let go of the glasses in her hand.

The unsupported glasses began to fall freely under gravity… slowly…

The moment they hit the ground—

Whoosh! Elsa’s form vanished with a gust of wind.

“—!?”

Following the alarm bells of her instincts, Re=L dove sideways off the bench.

Zing! The bench was suddenly sliced diagonally in two—

Scrape! Re=L skidded across the ground with her feet, turning back.

“Wha…”

Before the cleanly bisected bench stood Elsa.

In her right hand—

“Huh…? A… katana…?”

At some point, she gripped a beautiful ‘katana’… and Elsa stood still, having fully swung it, poised in a moment of zanshin.

It was a summoning technique. Elsa had flash-summoned the ‘katana.’ But the speed of her summoning, undetectable even to Re=L, far surpassed the standards of a student.

And—if Re=L had been even half a moment slower to evade, her body would have been cleaved in two along with the bench. The realization sent a chill down her spine.

“…As expected. Even a surprise attack like this wouldn’t land so easily.”

Clink.

Elsa gracefully flicked the blade, sheathing it lightly in the scabbard held in her left hand.

Then, holding the scabbard in her left and resting her right hand on the hilt, she assumed a relaxed half-stance—

Facing Re=L.

“Who… are you…? You’re like a different person… no, wait… I remember now…”

Re=L, stunned, widened her eyes as if realizing something.

“This presence… this killing intent… yeah… that feeling I got when I first met Elsa at the station… no way… how did I not notice until now…?”

“A truly refined warrior is gentle as a spring breeze in times of peace, but the moment they sense the air of battle, they become a storm in an instant—just as you do.”

Elsa answered Re=L’s question casually, as if it were nothing.

“Of course, I’m still immature. Without these glasses, I can’t manage it. These glasses are a self-suggestion device… a switch to toggle between the peaceful me and the warrior me.”

“A switch…?”

“At the Reitzel Cross Railway Station, when I first made contact with you… I was in my warrior state, trying to gauge your depths, and I nearly took off my glasses. But I almost got cut down instead. I hadn’t expected you to be that sharp.”

As if to say, ‘That’s all for the explanation,’ Elsa shifted the topic.

“Now, let’s continue. I had a father. Though he was a foreigner from the East, Her Majesty the Queen gave him a place in this country. He was a proud soldier who wielded his sword for the Alzano Empire, his homeland. He married in this country, lived for it, and vowed to be buried here… that was the kind of man he was.”

Re=L could only listen in a daze as Elsa spoke haltingly.

“Despite suffering from a lung disease that weakened him day by day, he fought for this country. I respected him more than anyone. I wanted to carry his burdens… From a young age, I resolved to become a soldier in the future.”

“…”

“My father said I was fortunate to have a sword talent far surpassing even his own. I was overjoyed. I trained tirelessly every day to follow in his footsteps and surpass him. Those days of training with him… they were harsh, but I think they were fun. But…”

Suddenly, Elsa glared at Re=L with eyes burning with dark hatred.

The intensifying killing intent made Re=L unconsciously step back.

“Two years and a bit ago, an assassin came to our home. It was likely retaliation from an evil magic society that my father had repeatedly harmed. That assassin killed my kind mother and my father, who was particularly unwell that day. They stained our home red with fresh blood and engulfed it in crimson flames…”

“!?”

“…Your face changed. Have you finally remembered? That assassin’s name was… Illushia. Illushia Rayford. …Yes, that’s you, Re=L.”

At Elsa’s accusatory words, Re=L paled and staggered back.

“No… that’s not… I mean… but Illushia is me, too…”

Re=L, thoroughly shaken and confused, stammered incoherently.

“…I can’t forgive you.”

Ignoring her, Elsa condemned her with finality.

“You changed your eye and hair color, your name, and discarded your past… I don’t know how it happened, but you’re in the Imperial Army. You, who killed my father, a once-proud Imperial soldier! You’re in the Imperial Army, which was my father’s pride, my aspiration! There’s no way I could forgive you!”

“—!?”

“Since the day you killed my parents, my life has been a wreck! Vile relatives swarmed like hyenas, stripping away my parents’ wealth! As the daughter of my noble mother, I was treated as a tool for political marriage! I was forced to leave the military academy and shoved into this frivolous school for spoiled ojou-samas! And above all—the ‘Memory of Flames’ still burns me darkly to this day—”

“Ah… ugh…”

“I will never forgive you… With my father’s techniques… with the skills I’ve honed… I will defeat you! Since that day, my life has been derailed, but by defeating you, I’ll finally reclaim it! By defeating you, I can start walking my own path! Now, let’s cross blades, Illushia!”

Elsa’s sword aura and killing intent swelled to their peak, tearing through the space between her and Re=L with ferocious passion.

And—Re=L instinctively knew.

Elsa was strong. Her overwhelming presence was evident even to an untrained novice.

But more than that, right now…

“Th-… then… all the time Elsa spent with me…?”

Re=L, shrunken like a squirrel abandoned by its mother, asked with a tearful expression.

“Yes, that’s right, Re=L. It was to assess your skill… nothing more.”

“—!?”

“What were you expecting? Someone who swings a sword at a stranger on first meeting… who conjures a blade as naturally as breathing… Did you think there’d be someone convenient enough to be friendly with such a dangerously incomprehensible person?”

“…Ah… that’s…”

“I looked into your records as an organization’s assassin and your time in the military. You’re undeniably strong. The realm of calm and storm, front and back—catching you off guard is impossible. To defeat you, I had to first understand your depths. That’s why I got close to you.”

“I… I thought… Elsa was my friend…”

Re=L looked at Elsa with pleading eyes, clinging to hope.

It’s not true, right…? Her eyes spoke more eloquently than words, begging Elsa.

For a fleeting moment, Elsa’s face twisted in pain…

Then, she averted her gaze, as if escaping Re=L’s eyes…

“…Too bad!”

She declared unilaterally, as if shaking something off.

“You’re the enemy who killed my father and mother! I’ve never once felt friendship toward you!”

In that instant, Elsa moved like a blur.

With her katana still sheathed, she stepped toward Re=L.

Her footwork was as fluid as a leaf swaying on the waves, yet as swift as a swallow soaring through the sky.

With a lightning-fast step, Elsa’s right hand blurred into motion—her torso sharply twisting in sync.

That rotational force transformed into a whip-like suppleness, coursing through her arm, into her sword—

“Haaaahhh—!”

—and she drew her blade.

A horizontal flash streaked through the void—a searing white light that scorched Re=L’s vision from right to left.

At the same moment.

Clang! The sword was already sheathed.

“—!?”

Re=L instinctively recoiled, only losing a few strands of her bangs to the cut.

But Elsa pressed on, her second and third sword slashes hurtling toward Re=L.

“Kuh—”

There was no time to parry with her sword.

Re=L crouched low, rolling sideways, barely dodging the second and third strikes.

Elsa’s swordsmanship was like magic itself.

Drawing, striking, sheathing—those three fluid motions were terrifyingly fast, swift, blinding.

Her step, the twist of her hips, the spring of her entire body—all channeled into the blade as it slid from the scabbard, producing an explosively accelerated slash, a magical strike of unparalleled speed. This secret technique was only possible with the unique eastern blade known as the uchigatana.

This was Battōjutsu—the art of the draw, also called Iai Slash or Iai Draw. Its distinct principles, neither knightly nor modern swordsmanship, belonged to the Eastern Swordsman—the samurai.

“Fuu—!?”

Elsa attacked. Elsa attacked again. And again.

The moment a slash was unleashed, the next was already loaded in the scabbard—like a meteor shower, countless arcs of slashing light fired relentlessly, pursuing Re=L, overwhelming her.

Elsa’s repertoire of Battōjutsu techniques was truly ever-changing, boundless in its versatility.

With deft footwork and body control, she struck downward from above like a bolt of lightning—Heaven’s Breeze.

From below, she sliced upward like a gust against the wind—Frost Breeze.

Drawing the blade behind her back with her right hand in a reverse grip, she spun left to cut—Whirlwind.

“Haaaahhh—!”

After a right-handed Iai slash, she followed with a strike from the scabbard in her left hand—Tempest Breeze.

Spinning her body in reverse, she drew not the blade but the scabbard, thrusting with a reverse grip—East Wind.

Followed by a single-handed flat thrust with her right—Tailwind.

Every technique was honed to terrifying perfection—but Elsa had one move that outshone them all.

“Yaaaahhhhh—!”

Suddenly, with a spirited cry, Elsa stepped sharply forward—and drew.

A flash erupted, silver streaking through the air.

“—!”

Swish. A white thread raced across Re=L’s vision from right to left—

And that thread exploded into blinding white heat, searing Re=L’s field of view.

This was the right-spinning, horizontal strike—Gale.

A simple blow, delivered from the standard Iai stance without any flourish or trickery.

The most fundamental technique of Battōjutsu.

So sharp and swift was Elsa’s execution that all her versatile techniques seemed childish in comparison.

“Ugh…”

Re=L leaped back, barely evading it.

She looked down, pale-faced, at the shallow cut across the chest of her uniform.

Re=L couldn’t close the distance with Elsa at all.

Iai was inherently defensive, excelling at countering an enemy’s approach. It caught the moment of an opponent’s attack, slashing them down in an instant—a technique that seized the initiative.

If Re=L stepped into Elsa’s range, she’d be bisected in that moment—

That was the fatal premonition she felt.

“…What’s wrong? You’re supposed to be better than this…”

Elsa, still in her Iai stance, slowly closed the distance with sliding steps.

Re=L, her expressionless face now slick with cold sweat, backed away.

Channeling nearly all her mana into enhancing her physical abilities and precision, Elsa fought with close-quarters sword combat—just like Re=L.

“Come on, get serious, Illushia, the organization’s assassin swordswoman. My father’s techniques, which would’ve been stronger than anyone’s without his illness… I’ll prove they’re not inferior to the likes of you!”

Even as she taunted, Elsa’s mind was as clear as ice.

(…Speed is equal, Illushia has the edge in strength, but I surpass her in technique… Overall, our combat strength is balanced… but the more I read her, the more advantage I gain… I can do this! I can win!)

Amid the suffocating tension swirling in the air—

Re=L, who had been shaken, suddenly returned to her usual sleepy expression.

“…Elsa. …Are you going to kill me?”

Her murmur carried a tinge of sadness.

“I don’t intend to kill you outright… but this is a duel to the death. I wield my sword with lethal intent. You’re a heinous criminal whose fate is execution… Falling to my blade is no different.”

“I see. …Hey, Elsa, listen. I… don’t want to hurt you.”

“…!?”

“And… I can’t die.”

Re=L answered firmly.

The hesitation from before was gone from her face. She seemed to have resolved something.

“I promised everyone. I said I’d live. I still don’t really know why I was born… but even so… I’ll live and find that meaning.”

“…”

“So… I can’t comply with your wish, Elsa.”

“I see… So you’ll kill me for your own sake? Fine, I’m prepared for that—”

But as Elsa recognized Re=L’s unwavering resolve and deepened her stance—

“No way.”

Re=L muttered softly.

“Huh?”

“…Yeah. I won’t kill you, Elsa.”

“What are you saying? I’m trying to kill you—”

“Yeah. You can do whatever you want, Elsa.”

“Then! You should try to—”

“No way. I won’t kill you.”

Facing a dumbfounded Elsa, Re=L spoke calmly, as always.

“…Because… I like you, Elsa.”

At those words, Elsa’s brows shot up in irritation.

“That’s why I said I got close to you to size you up—!”

“Doesn’t matter. It’s… really disappointing that you hate me, Elsa… but even so, I still like you. …That’s all.”

“~~~ !”

Grit. Elsa glared at the sleepy Re=L with eyes that could’ve belonged to someone facing their parents’ killer.

Brushing it off with half-lidded eyes, Re=L spoke as if pleading.

“Hey, Elsa. I want to talk. I’m… not very smart, so… I don’t know if I can explain it well… but about Illushia…”

“I told you, you’re Illushia! I have nothing more to say!”

“Yeah. I don’t know how to make you understand anymore.”

Then, Re=L slowly raised her greatsword overhead…

“Since I don’t know… sorry. For now, I’ll just beat you up, Elsa.”

The moment Re=L said that—

Boom! Re=L coiled her entire body like a spring and suddenly—threw her greatsword.

Spinning vertically with ferocious force, the greatsword closed in on Elsa—

(—!? She… threw her weapon!?) 

Elsa was completely caught off guard.

But she saw it—calmly, gracefully, she sidestepped, dodging it.

The terrifying blade wind grazed Elsa’s side with a whoosh—

“Elsa—!”

Seizing the moment, Re=L kicked the ground, charging into the gap with explosive momentum.

(She caught me off guard—but that was a mistake!)

Elsa lowered her stance like flowing water, her right hand on the hilt, locking eyes with Re=L.

Countering an approaching enemy—the initiative. The situation Iai excelled at—

(This ends now!)

In sync with her breath, she loosened the scabbard’s mouth, drawing the blade.

The sword slid from the scabbard, riding the twist of her hips, accelerating explosively—

A blinding flash of divine speed, where mind, sword, and body were perfectly aligned.

Elsa’s ultimate strike tore through the air, slicing even the vacuum toward Re=L—

To cleave Re=L in two—

Clang!

—But it didn’t.

The sensation in Elsa’s hands wasn’t the feeling of cutting flesh but a hard metallic sound.

“—What!?”

Somehow, a greatsword had appeared in Re=L’s previously empty hands… and it had blocked Elsa’s ultimate strike.

(Damn it! Her alchemy—she can transmute this fast without even chanting! I saw it once before, and yet—!)

As Elsa ground her teeth, she realized something.

In that exchange, it wasn’t Elsa who had countered Re=L’s desperate charge.

Re=L, charging in, had forced Elsa to counter desperately.

Even her ultimate strike, if read perfectly, was no different from a child swinging a stick.

In that moment, the correct move would’ve been to step back and reset the distance—

(Ugh… to make such a mistake at this point…!)

At point-blank range, with their blades locked, Elsa hesitated.

For an Eastern Swordsman, whose soul was their single blade, the idea of throwing their weapon was unthinkable. Thus, Elsa had instinctively assumed Re=L, now weaponless, had exposed a fatal opening and countered on reflex.

…But something still didn’t add up.

“Why… how did you know… that I’d counter…!?”

Through their crossed blades, Elsa glared at the sleepy Re=L with frustration.

“In that exchange… if I hadn’t countered and just stepped back, you’d have been in a death trap…!”

Yes. If Elsa had taken a moment to recompose and countered deliberately instead of being forced into it—

No matter how fast Re=L could transmute her greatsword, it wouldn’t matter. A single Iai slash would’ve bisected her—game over.

“You should’ve understood that…!”

Yes. That exchange was Elsa’s mistake… but it was also Re=L’s.

If Elsa hadn’t erred, Re=L would’ve been the one cornered.

“So why…!?”

To Elsa’s question—

“…Yeah. A hunch.”

Re=L muttered softly.

“I just… kinda thought it’d work out.”

She said it sleepily.

“…!?”

Elsa was stunned.

A hunch. Just a hunch. To bet her life on something so flimsy without a shred of hesitation.

No wonder. Re=L’s military records showed her defeating vastly superior opponents—ones she had no business beating—time and again.

Sizing her up by spending time together? What arrogance.

True, Elsa had seen through the limits of Re=L’s swordsmanship.

But Re=L’s strength lay in something far deeper, something unfathomable—

“Kuh…”

But now wasn’t the time to wallow. She had to reset the fight.

At point-blank range, Elsa’s sword was already drawn.

Battōjutsu, naturally, required the blade to be sheathed to be unleashed.

Elsa tried to create distance, weaving in feints, desperately leaping back—

“Yaaaahhh—!”

But Re=L surged forward, sticking to her like glue.

Letting Elsa sheathe her sword would be bad. So, keep it drawn.

Instinctively grasping this, Re=L acted on it, relentlessly pursuing the retreating Elsa, hammering her with heavy, sharp slashes one after another.

The power and speed of her mighty sword were like a thunderbolt.

“Guh—!?”

Elsa had no choice but to parry with her drawn blade. There was no time to sheathe.

Re=L’s barrage raged like a storm, tossing Elsa about like a leaf.

Clang-clang-clang! The metallic clash of greatsword and katana rang out.

No matter how Elsa retreated, sidestepped, or feinted, Re=L pursued her relentlessly.

Pursuing, striking—one, two, three, four, five—with astonishing recovery and rotational force, she overwhelmed Elsa.

If Elsa’s counters were refined technique, Re=L’s were brute force, relying on sheer strength.

Even though Elsa was perfectly parrying, she couldn’t fully absorb the impact.

Each blow numbed her arms, threw her body off balance, made her bones creak—

She couldn’t keep up.

(This… can’t be…)

She thought she’d sized Re=L up completely. Fighting in her true swordsmanship style, her superior technique should’ve easily outclassed Re=L. She should’ve won without issue.

Re=L’s expressionless face, fully immersed in the duel, was as terrifying as a demon god.

(I’ll die. She’ll kill me—)

Barely parrying Re=L’s relentless heavy strikes, Elsa felt terror.

She was entirely on the defensive. Her hands were losing sensation, her breath growing ragged.

It was only a matter of time before Re=L overwhelmed her—

(No… I don’t want to die…! What was all this for…!?) 

—Elsa… wield your sword to protect. Wield a sword that saves lives—

Was it a flashback brought on by facing overwhelming death? Her father’s words from long ago resurfaced in Elsa’s mind.

Why had she forgotten until now? Why had she let that woman’s sweet words sway her, wielding her proud father’s sword for selfish vengeance?

(Is this… my punishment…!? Father…!?) 

“Yaaaahhhhh—!”

Clang!

At that moment, a tremendous impact struck Elsa, sending her flying.

The next instant, she crashed onto the ground, and looking up—

“—Ah.”

“Elsa—!”

Re=L loomed over her, greatsword raised high overhead—

Suddenly, a memory of flames flashed in Elsa’s mind. A world dyed red.

The girl—Illushia—raising a greatsword before her eyes. It was a haunting echo of some past scene—

(…I’m sorry… Father… Mother…)

Thud! The greatsword swung down.

The sound of it cleaving the air roared tremendously…

…

But.

The impact that would bring Elsa’s death… never came.

(…?) 

Elsa, who had squeezed her eyes shut, cautiously opened them…

Re=L had stopped her sword just before it would’ve split Elsa’s head.

“…Hey. Let’s stop, Elsa…”

Murmuring softly, Re=L looked down at Elsa quietly…

“Please… listen to me… I… don’t want to hurt you…”

Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes…

“──!?”

At the sight of Re=L like this, Elsa’s [Flame of Memory] flared up once more.

That’s right. Long ago, in that world where everything was red—

In the final moment, as she brought her sword down upon me, Illushia—

(She who killed my father, my mother, and took everything from me—that Illushia—)

In the exact same stance as Re=L now, she had stopped her sword just short—

Silently—in the exact same way as Re=L now—

—She had been crying.

“…Ah.”

Elsa’s anger, the humiliation of that day, reignited fiercely, as if doused with oil.

Don’t mock me, you murderer. You fiend. I can’t forgive you.

A monster like you has no right to shed tears like a human.

The one who wants to cry—who wanted to cry—is me!

“──Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!”

The hand gripping Elsa’s sword impulsively shot upward.

“──!?”

This time, it was Re=L who flinched at Elsa’s piercing roar.

Re=L leaped back, dodging Elsa’s blade.

The sword arced overhead, its tip flowing smoothly back toward the scabbard’s mouth—

Sheathing it, Elsa mustered the last of her strength and spirit, and charged forward.

“Illushiaaaaaaa!”

The overwhelming hatred and fury in Elsa’s cry caused Re=L’s reaction to falter for a split second.

“E-Elsa…”

Re=L weakly raised her greatsword again, but—

Elsa had already closed the distance, trapping Re=L within the range of her single step, single strike.

“Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

With a blur of her right hand, Elsa’s lightning-fast step carved into the ground.

A gust of wind swept through—Re=L’s hair fluttered backward, trailing behind her.

…Before she realized it.

Elsa stood back-to-back with Re=L, her sword swung through in a poised, lingering stance.

After a brief silence—

“—I killed her.”

Elsa flicked her sword clean and slowly slid it back into its scabbard.

Clink. The sound of the sword’s guard rang out—

Splatter! A vivid spray of blood bloomed behind Elsa.

“Ah…”

With a dazed murmur, Re=L collapsed to her knees, scattering crimson blood…

…and fell face-down like a puppet with its strings cut.

“Haa… haa… I-I did it…”

Using her sheathed sword as a makeshift staff, Elsa stood on trembling knees, scolding them into submission, and let out a satisfied groan.

“…I won… It’s over… Now… finally… my life can begin…”

Yes. This was the end. She had finally settled the past.

In exchange for bringing down Illushia, an unforgivable criminal, she would pursue her dream of becoming a soldier like her father… That had been the promise from the start.

Yes, it was over. Everything was over… and now, it would begin.

“…Illushia… rest easy… I didn’t kill you…”

In the heat of her passion, she had swung with enough force to kill, but—somehow, at that critical moment, Elsa’s hand had held back.

Thus, the cut was shallow. Elsa’s blade had sliced from Re=L’s right flank to her left shoulder… but it wasn’t a wound that would lead to immediate death.

“That’s right… You will face judgment under the law and atone for your sins…”

Elsa turned to look back.

She glared at Re=L, lying in a pool of blood, as if bidding farewell, yet…

Thump.

The moment she saw Re=L covered in blood—Elsa’s heart leapt violently.

“W-What…?”

Instantly, her vision wavered and distorted. Her heart pounded fiercely, her breathing turning into hyperventilation.

The strength drained from her body… and suddenly, an overwhelming urge to vomit assaulted her…

“—Urgh, ugh… blech! Cough! Agh—!”

Elsa collapsed to the ground, retching everything from her stomach.

“…Why…? How…?”

In disbelief, Elsa stared blankly at her trembling hands.

Her eyes burned, and tears of frustration spilled uncontrollably.

“I-I… I defeated Illushia… I overcame the past… the [Flame of Memory]… I was supposed to…! If not… then what… what was all this for!?”

No good. She felt sick. Her head throbbed. Chills and nausea overwhelmed her.

Her entire body shook as if with a fever, her teeth chattering uncontrollably.

“…That’s right… My glasses… Where are my glasses…?”

Like a frightened, cowering child, Elsa frantically scanned her surroundings.

There, a short distance away, lay the glasses she had discarded earlier.

Scolding her trembling knees, she used her sword as a crutch to barely stand… and, as if spurred by urgency, staggered toward the glasses.

“…G-Glasses… Hurry… I need my glasses…!”

Just as she was about to pick them up…

Crunch. Before her eyes, the glasses were mercilessly crushed underfoot.

“Wha…”

“Well done, Elsa.”

Suddenly, that person was there.

Looking down at Elsa with a repulsive expression was—Marianne.

Around her stood countless female students, gathered in silence.

The girls following Marianne were a mix of first-years and third-years, from different classes and years, with no apparent common thread.

“…Sorry about that, dear. It’s gotten so dark, I couldn’t see my footing and accidentally stepped on your glasses. Was that… a bad move, perhaps?”

“Tch…”

Elsa’s gaze shifted bitterly from the shattered glasses to Marianne.

Mustering all her composure, she spoke.

“It’s fine… I can just buy another pair. More importantly…”

“Oh, I know, I know.”

With a wave of Marianne’s hand, the surrounding girls began to move silently.

They cast the [Spell Seal] enchantment on the fallen Re=L, binding her body tightly with sturdy ropes.

“Hehe… Finally, we’ve secured this girl… Thanks to you, Elsa.”

“Hmph… I didn’t do it for you. More importantly, you’ll keep your promise, won’t you?”

“…You mean sending you back to the military academy?”

“Yes, exactly. If I defeated and captured the criminal Illushia, you would arrange for my return to the military academy… That was our deal.”

That was the only reason Elsa had cooperated with Marianne.

With this Marianne, whom she never wanted to see again—

“Of course, Elsa… I’ll send you back to the military academy right away…”

Marianne smiled brightly at Elsa…

“…Or so you thought? My, you really are a fool.”

…As if mocking her outright.

“What…!? What do you mean by that…?”

At that moment.

Elsa raised her sword, which she had been using as a crutch, and sharply scanned her surroundings.

The surrounding girls had drawn rapiers or readied magic, all aimed at Elsa.

“…What exactly is the meaning of this, Marianne?”

“Elsa… You keep insisting on punishing Re=L under imperial law, but… that’s simply not possible, you know?”

Ignoring Elsa’s question, Marianne sneered and said as much.

“W-What are you talking about…? Aren’t you with the anti-military faction? At the Alzano Imperial Magic Academy, Re=L’s presence interferes with your interests… so you wanted her removed. Our goals aligned, which is why I, despite loathing you, agreed to your proposal and cooperated in this matter—to expose her fraud of hiding her past and name while serving in the imperial army!”

“Oh, was that how it was?”

“Don’t play dumb! You brought me Illushia’s information for that very reason! You lured her to this academy, isolated from the outside world, under the guise of a short-term study program, and I secured her! All to prove her crimes in court! Am I wrong!?”

“Haha, you fool, Elsa. Re=L Rayford… Taking her to court is impossible. It’s pointless.”

“…What?”

“She hasn’t committed any fraud. A former assassin of The Researchers of Heavenly Wisdom… The imperial army took her in fully aware of that. The army, desperate for any combat strength, wouldn’t let go of someone they’ve tamed with a leash. Accusing her is futile. It’ll just be swept under the rug.”

“…!?”

At Marianne’s words, a blaze of fury ignited in Elsa’s eyes.

“That’s not what we agreed on…! Then what was your goal!? You approached me with this strange deal, made me fight Illushia, and had her restrained—what are you planning!?”

“There are people who want her… as an experimental sample.”

“…What? An experimental sample?”

“The Imperial Ministry of Magic’s top-secret magical research organization… Heaven’s Cross.”

Heaven’s Cross. At those words spilling from Marianne’s lips, Elsa let out a derisive laugh.

“Heaven’s Cross…? Ha, haha… Are you serious?”

It was an urban legend that had circulated in the empire years ago.

“The Ministry of Magic’s special covert budget… Researching forbidden spells like [Project: Revive Life] or [Project: Flame of Megiddo], kept secret even from Her Majesty the Queen, continuing development in the darkest corners of the empire’s magical world… Do you seriously believe such an organization exists?”

“…What if it does?”

Marianne’s smile sent a chill down Elsa’s spine.

“Currently, the imperial government is split between the ‘militarist faction,’ led by the Ministry of War and hardline senators, and the ‘civil governance faction,’ led by the Ministry of Magic and moderate senators, each forming major power blocs. However, with the Rezalia Kingdom—a nation of zealots—constantly eyeing the empire for annexation, the empire’s policy of prioritizing wealth and military strength gives the Ministry of War and the militarists significant influence, bolstered by their massive budgets. Moreover, the Ministry of War has the Imperial Court Mage Corps, the empire’s strongest mages. The Ministry of Magic, which should oversee the empire’s core magical systems, finds this quite displeasing.”

“…”

“So, what do they do? Develop magical technology so valuable that the Ministry of War would beg for it? Especially a spell that could, even artificially, revive the dead… What do you think the Ministry of War, or the imperial army, constantly plagued by troop losses, would do? Even if it’s a forbidden art, if it exists, they’d have no choice but to bow to the Ministry of Magic, right? Just like that, the power dynamic flips…”

“No way… [Project: Revive Life]…!?”

“Exactly. Officially, the project was frozen by Her Majesty’s decree, but in secret… Heh, it’s not exactly rare. It’s a common story anywhere.”

“That’s a lie! There’s no way that’s true! Heaven’s Cross is just an urban legend…!”

“I’m telling you, it exists. …Because I’m a former researcher of Heaven’s Cross.”

“What…!?”

Elsa was utterly speechless.

“A while back, I made a bit of a blunder and got kicked out of the organization… Now I’m stuck as the Headmaster of this pathetic ojou-sama academy. But then, a chance to return to Heaven’s Cross came up…”

Marianne continued to mock the stunned Elsa.

“That’s right. Capturing Re=L Rayford, whom you call Illushia. If I accomplish this… I’ve been promised reinstatement into Heaven’s Cross.”

“That’s absurd! There’s no way that’s true!”

Elsa waved her arm in denial.

“Why would capturing Illushia get you back into the organization!? Even if it’s true, why would Heaven’s Cross, aiming to restart [Project: Revive Life], want Illushia—”

Mid-sentence… Elsa froze as a realization hit her.

—No, it’s not me… No… But Illushia is, in a way, me…

—Hey, Elsa. I want to talk. I’m… not very good with words, so I don’t know if I can explain well… but about Illushia…

Earlier, when Elsa had accused Re=L of being Illushia.

For some reason, Re=L hadn’t outright denied it… but she spoke as if it were someone else’s matter…

As if there were another girl named ‘Illushia’ out there…

“…No… It can’t be… Is that… true…? Re=L… Are you…?”

Elsa was dumbfounded by her own realization. It was unbelievable, but… it was the only reason she could think of for why Heaven’s Cross would want Re=L.

“Looks like you’ve finally figured it out, Elsa… That’s right. Exactly.”

Marianne laughed like a demon.

“Re=L Rayford. She’s a magically engineered human, created by The Researchers of Heavenly Wisdom’s [Project: Revive Life], based on Illushia. For Heaven’s Cross, aiming to advance [Project: Revive Life], she’s a research sample they’d kill to get their hands on… right?”

If that were true… then what she had done had no justice. It wasn’t even revenge or retribution.

It was the most despicable, heinous act against a girl who, until the very end, said she didn’t want to hurt her.

“That’s… a lie…! Besides, the idea that Re=L was born from [Project: Revive Life]—where did that information even come from!?”

“Who knows? I’ve heard rumors that Heaven’s Cross and The Researchers of Heavenly Wisdom have been collaborating for a long time. Maybe that’s the connection? Well, the source doesn’t matter. What’s important to me is that capturing Re=L will get me back into Heaven’s Cross. That’s all.”

“You… monster…!”

“And—of course, you’re coming with us, Elsa.”

Marianne’s gaze slithered over Elsa like a snake eyeing its prey.

“What…!?”

“Obviously. You know the secret now… Well, I was planning to capture you from the start, so I spilled the beans. Your combat skills are appealing even from the perspective of advancing [Project: Revive Life].”

“…My swordsmanship!? Why!?”

“Isn’t it obvious? [Project: Revive Life] is about artificially reviving the dead to regenerate irreplaceable combat assets. The key is how well it can replicate their living combat skills. So, as a regeneration subject for [Project: Revive Life], you’re perfect, Elsa. Like Re=L, you’re a genius swordmaster at such a young age!”

“You…”

The techniques she inherited from her father. The skills she honed through relentless effort.

This woman… planned to use them for something so trivial.

“…Unforgivable… Using me for something like that… exploiting me! You people are always like this! Taking everything from me—my home, my wealth, my pride, and now even my skills—how could I ever forgive this!? Aunt Marianneeeee!”

“Haha! I don’t need your forgiveness! Just shut up and get captured already!”

With a jerk of Marianne’s chin,

The female students silently tightened their encirclement around Elsa.

“You all… Didn’t you hear what she just said!? Why are you following this woman’s orders—”

“Oh? They’re helping me of their own free will.”

Marianne continued to mock the shaken Elsa.

“I told them if they cooperated, I’d pull strings to get them into Heaven’s Cross—and they all fell for it so easily.”

“What…!? No, that’s a lie… right?”

Elsa looked around in disbelief… but their eyes were serious.

“It’s not just your class that’s suffocating. The students at this academy are trapped in predetermined futures, confined spaces… They’re all fed up, choking on it. They want freedom. They want to become something unique… They carry those desires.”

“What… have you done…?”

Yet, Elsa couldn’t entirely fail to understand their feelings.

St. Lily Magic Academy was an ojou-sama school. Daughters of nobles and wealthy merchants were sent here to acquire the refinement befitting their status before marriage. It was entirely different from the Alzano Imperial Magic Academy, where students enrolled to carve out their own futures.

There was no freedom in their post-graduation lives—inherit the family, or be used as tools for political marriages… Most of them faced predictable lives, suffocating in a sense of confinement, to varying degrees.

Marianne’s temptation must have sounded irresistibly sweet to those parched hearts.

A legendary covert government organization. Becoming a member—becoming someone special, unlike anyone else—was, for those drowning in the mire of resignation, lacking the strength or will to break free, like a spider’s thread… It was hope itself.

But—

“Do you seriously think a ragtag group of amateurs can capture me?”

Elsa assumed an Iaido stance. A tense aura of swordsmanship and intimidation radiated around her.

Overwhelmed, the female students instinctively recoiled in fear, stepping back.

Normally, no matter if ten or a hundred ojou-sama gathered, they wouldn’t stand a chance against Elsa, who rivaled Re=L, but—

“They can. …Against you, at least.”

Marianne slightly drew an ancient sword from its scabbard at her waist with her left hand in a reverse grip.

Whoosh! Suddenly, several small flames flared up around Elsa—

“Ah…”

The flames weren’t strong. They didn’t directly sear Elsa’s skin, merely burning around her like a campfire, encircling her.

Just that. That alone, but—

“Ah… ah, ah…”

Elsa’s face paled rapidly, her body trembling as if with a fever—

Clatter.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?”

Clutching her head, she crouched down, screaming in a high-pitched wail.

“Ahahahahahaha! Too bad, Elsa! Yes, you’re strong—stronger than anyone here! But you have a fatal weakness!?”

“Nooooooo!? No, no, help, help meeeee!?”

“That’s right! You carry a crippling psychological trauma! Fire, red, blood—anything that recalls your [Flame of Memory] is your undoing! When you face them, you fall apart like a pathetic child, completely useless!”

“Aaaaa!? No!? It’s hot, it’s hot!? The blood… the red!?”

“Even so, when you wear your glasses in normal times, you merely freeze up, unable to move… As long as you don’t look directly, you can manage daily life. That’s what the glasses are for, right!? But without them, in your warrior state, just seeing red or flames sends you into a panic!”

As Marianne drew her sword further from its sheath, the flames’ intensity surged dramatically.

“The reason you push others away is exactly that! Everyone pities poor little you, holding back their fire magic, keeping anything red out of sight… and you feel so guilty about it that you can’t connect with anyone! Honestly, all I can call you is a complete fool—!”

“No! Nooo—! Stop it—!”

“What a masterpiece! You want to become a splendid soldier like your father someday, don’t you? Impossible! A person who can’t handle fire or blood, of all things, aiming to be a soldier? That’s a joke! Ahahahahaha—! You’re better suited as a sample for magical experiments!”

And so, overwhelmed by panic, Elsa couldn’t muster any real resistance. The female students easily subdued her, binding her tightly…

“Help… please help… the flames… the red… it’s hot… so hot… ugh!”

“Shut up already! How long are you going to keep screaming?!”

Even as Elsa lay bound hand and foot with ropes, trembling, terrified, and sobbing, Marianne mercilessly kicked her in the stomach to silence her.

“Now, what do we do, Headmaster Marianne…?”

“As planned, the moment the train arrives, we begin preparations to depart. Once everything’s ready, we take the two of them and head for the capital.”

One of the female students questioned Marianne, who issued her orders briskly.

“…More importantly… are you all truly okay with this? There’s no turning back now, you know.”

Marianne posed the question to the female students, as if testing them…

“We’re fine with it! No problem at all! We made up our minds long ago!”

“We’re sick of everything—this academy, our families, this predetermined life…!”

“We’re not just tools to carry on family names or bloodlines! We want to become something special!”

“Good… that’s a fine answer.”

Satisfied with the fervent responses from the students, Marianne nodded approvingly.

“Then let’s begin. Everyone, prepare for departure. Tonight’s going to be a busy one…”

““““Yes, ma’am!””””

The female students responded to Marianne’s command with spirited enthusiasm.

—And so, this was the scene unfolding with Marianne and her group.

(Good grief… things have gotten quite out of hand, haven’t they…)

Ginny, holding her breath, spied on them from the shadows at the corner of a street facing the station plaza.

(The banquet’s in full swing, but Re=L-san and Elsa-san still haven’t returned. We split up to search the academy grounds… but to think it would come to this…)

Sweating nervously, Ginny observed Marianne and her group as they entered the station.

From her lip-reading, it seemed Marianne’s group planned to load Re=L and the others onto a train and head straight for the capital.

Sure enough, despite the unlikelihood of a steam locomotive appearing at this hour, its shadowy form crept slowly into the station under the cover of darkness. The absence of sound was likely due to some kind of sound-dampening magic pre-applied to the tracks in the area.

([Project: Revive Life], the Heaven’s Cross… it sounds far-fetched, but either way, this is completely beyond my ability to handle… and the numbers are overwhelmingly against me…)

Faced with nearly forty students surrounding Marianne, Ginny calmly made her judgment.

(I need to report back to Renn-sensei first…)

As Ginny turned on her heel, preparing to slip away quietly—that was the moment.

“Hmm… what’s this? A sneaky little spy girl, huh…?”

The sudden voice from behind made Ginny freeze in place.

From the shadows, from the alleyways, female students armed with rapiers and other weapons emerged one after another.

Given the situation, they were undoubtedly Marianne’s allies.

Twelve in total. Before she realized it, Ginny was completely surrounded.

(…Pathetic. I was so shaken by the situation that I didn’t notice them approaching… I’m a failure as a shinobi.)

Among them were students reputed to be among the top fighters at St. Lily Magic Girls’ Academy—rumored to rival even Francine and Colette in skill.

One-on-one, she might hold her own, but this numerical disadvantage was far too steep.

“…Do you all hate this academy that much? Are you so averse to following the path laid out for you?”

“Obviously! Of course we hate it!”

To Ginny’s scornful question, the female students responded in unison.

“Hmph… no power to change your situation, no effort to try, and not even the courage to attempt it. Yet your ambitions are as grand as anyone’s? What’s that? Secret government operatives? Don’t make me laugh—is this some childish fantasy? You’re taking puberty way too seriously. It’s ridiculous.”

“Say whatever you want, Ginny. Your master’s not much different, is he?”

For a moment, Ginny was at a loss for words, but now wasn’t the time for arguments.

She had to get this information to Renn-sensei as quickly as possible.

Slowly… searching for an escape route, Ginny took a step back…

“Oh? Running away, Ginny?”

The female students, keenly sensing her intent, taunted her in unison.

“Don’t you always go on about your clan’s pride? About living honorably?”

“Didn’t you say you’d rather die gloriously in battle than show your back to the enemy in disgrace?”

“Is that the extent of your resolve? Hmm… an Eastern shinobi, was it? Your clan doesn’t seem like much, does it…?”

“Grr… you…!”

The insults sent Ginny’s thoughts boiling over, urging her to charge recklessly—

—If you think you can’t win, retreat immediately.

—Throw your pride in the gutter and think of another way. What’s your goal?

Suddenly, Glenn’s words resurfaced in her mind, anchoring her composure at the last moment.

“…If I may.”

Gritting her teeth, Ginny swallowed her humiliation. She loathed her own inadequacy.

“Right now, I am not only a proud shinobi… but also, for what it’s worth, a mage. My apologies, but I’ll be taking the escape route. I won’t let your plans succeed.”

“Haha! Unexpected! Go ahead and try… if you can, that is!”

And so, in the unnoticed back alley—

“I’m breaking through—Haaaaa—!”

“Kyahaahahahaha—! Let’s play, shall we?!”

Ginny and the female students surrounding her clashed, their swords and magic erupting in a frenzy.