Epilogue: The Beginning of the End

“…W-what in the world is happening!?”

The [Megiddo’s Flame] of destruction was activated by Glenn’s hand.

Ah, we’re going to evaporate cleanly down to our bones like this, Wendy thought, bracing herself firmly.

When Wendy, trembling with fear, cautiously opened her eyes…

Like the other students, she could only stand dumbfounded at the unbelievable sight before her.

The scene—at that moment, in the courtyard, an unimaginable amount of mana was swirling like a storm.

A flood of mana, like an erupting volcano, ceaselessly gushed from the center of the magic circle array [Ignition Plug], dispersing into the atmosphere.

The sublimated mana rose as a shining pillar, as if piercing the heavens themselves—

“…Sensei… what is this…?”

Rumia, gazing curiously at the sky, asked Glenn, who was breathing heavily through his shoulders.

“The mana supplied from each [Mana Boost Supplier] to this magic circle array, the [Critical Active Mana]… it’s being released back into the atmosphere by activating this array…”

“But… isn’t this the [Ignition Plug] meant to activate the [Megiddo’s Flame]…?”

“We were deceived.”

Glenn spat out irritably, striking the array with his fist.

“This isn’t an [Ignition Plug] at all…! No, the original formula was indeed an [Ignition Plug], but through a ritual of formula modification remotely intervened via the ley lines, its core function was completely altered into something else…!”

This truth was only uncovered by thoroughly analyzing the deepest layers of the formula using Rumia’s [Sympathetic Amplifier] with [Function Analyze].

“The function… altered…?”

“Yeah, exactly.”

Glenn, swaying from exhaustion, stood up and said.

“This is a [Mana Dam] disguised as an [Ignition Plug]! It’s a mechanism that stores mana supplied from the surroundings like a dam. If you ‘activate’ it, it simply releases the stored mana into the atmosphere without directionality. But if you use [Dispel], it channels all that stored mana toward a pre-set target with precise directionality—all at once. That’s the kind of thing it is. That’s why the [Dispel] was unusually easy.”

The [Mana Dam]. A ritual magic that assists other ritual magic by finely adjusting the amount of stored mana through an on-off switch for activation and freezing.

This one was a much grander version of that, one could say.

The problem is… why?

The mastermind—why did they set up a [Mana Dam] disguised as an [Ignition Plug]?

“Likely, the setup is like this. The mastermind disguised it as the [Megiddo’s Flame], set up the [Mana Dam], and gathered mana… to secure the mana needed to achieve their true goal. When the time came, the mastermind would dispel the [Mana Dam], acquire the massive amount of gathered mana, and use it to accomplish some purpose… that must’ve been the plan.”

“…Their true goal…?”

“But it seems the mastermind had too many enemies. The imperial army, the organization’s status quo faction, Jatice… they couldn’t avoid their interference, and they judged that their plan would inevitably face some disruption. That’s where disguising it as the [Megiddo’s Flame] comes into play.”

“W-what does that mean…?”

“Right… even if there was interference, they’d first move to dispel it. They’d have no choice but to dispel it. Because it looks like the [Megiddo’s Flame], not a [Mana Dam]! Activating it wouldn’t even cross their minds unless they were suicidal! So, even with interference… as long as they secured enough time, the mastermind’s true goal wouldn’t be hindered!”

“So… you, me, Jatice-san, everyone… we were all deceived by the mastermind…?”

Rumia couldn’t help but show a pained expression, but…

“…No.”

Glenn shook his head at Rumia’s words.

Then, envisioning the mocking, madness-filled face of《The Justice》in the darkness, he said.

“Now that I think about it… Jatice probably saw through the mastermind’s true goal from the very beginning, didn’t he?”

“Huh?”

“But he deliberately played along, dancing in the palm of the mastermind’s hand. Probably because… his own true goal aligned with the mastermind’s in some way.”

“…!?”

“The proof is that he inexplicably left the dispelling of this critical [Ignition Plug] for last. If he truly wanted to stop the [Megiddo’s Flame], wouldn’t he normally dispel this first? This is a move you can only make if you know the [Ignition Plug] is actually a [Mana Dam].”

“No way…”

“This time, he relentlessly killed every person siding with the mastermind… including kills that weren’t necessary to stop the [Megiddo’s Flame]. That must’ve been his payment for dancing. While deliberately dancing in the mastermind’s palm, he dealt the maximum damage to them… that devil of a man, damn it!”

To begin with…

(Saving Fejite? That guy was never that noble, was he!? Sure, he doesn’t kill without reason… but if it’s for his ‘justice,’ if it’s necessary, he’d gleefully pile up any sacrifice… that’s the kind of guy he was!)

He’d been naive—Glenn, envisioning Jatice’s twisted sneer at the bottom of the abyss, tightly clenched his fist.

“But by activating this [Mana Dam], the stored mana is now dispersing into the atmosphere! It’s your victory, Sensei!”

Rumia desperately pleaded, but…

“Yeah… it seems at the very last moment, I managed to land a blow on the mastermind and that bastard Jatice… but it was a bit too late…”

At that moment.

A high-pitched sound, like shattering glass, resounded grandly across the area.

The [Mana Dam], which had been releasing its vast stored mana into the atmosphere upon activation, was suddenly, inexplicably, ‘dispelled.’

“Huh!? Why!?”

“…Time’s up.”

Glenn irritably gazed at the distant sky. It was just at sunset.

“It was set to automatically dispel at sunset… that was its original mechanism, wasn’t it?”

In a situation where everyone could only stand stunned.

From the dispelled [Mana Dam], a laser-like beam of directed mana began shooting toward the sky—

“By activating it, I managed to reduce the stored mana considerably… but it wasn’t enough to completely thwart the mastermind’s goal…”

The massive mana beam curved in the red sky, pouring down toward Lazare—

“Look… I’ve got a really bad feeling about this…”

Glenn could only watch, cold sweat dripping, as it unfolded.

“W-what’s that high-density mana light…? Why is it pouring down on that man…?”

“That’s… a [Mana Dam]!? Impossible, wasn’t it supposed to be an [Ignition Plug]!?”

While Halley and the others trembled in shock, staring at the sky in disbelief.

“…You’ve done it…!?”

Slamming his spear into the ground, bathed in the torrent of mana light, Lazare seethed with rage and spat out.

“Not enough! With so much mana lost, it’s not enough…! Glenn Radars…! To think that someone like you could outmaneuver my plans…!? Damn it… it’s just as Reik Fohenheim warned…!”

To carry out the plan as intended, never let Glenn Radars onto the stage.

Reik’s words before the plan’s execution now resurfaced in Lazare’s mind, too late.

But he had no choice but to acknowledge it now.

He hadn’t meant to underestimate him, but—he had underestimated Glenn.

Glenn,

“…No choice. It’s far from perfect, but we can’t turn back now… even if his power’s revival will be, at best, incomplete…!”

Lazare pulled a single key from his pocket.

Then, it became visually clear that the massive mana light pouring down was not targeting Lazare, but the key.

The key voraciously consumed the mana pouring into it, absorbing it greedily.

“…!? What’s that key…!?”

Celica and the others surrounding Lazare tensed in alarm.

But, completely ignoring them, Lazare spoke grandly.

“I am—Lazare, of the Researchers of Heavenly Wisdom,《Heavens Order》,《The Steel Paladin》… Now, I shall heed thy ‘inner voice’…!”

Proclaiming this boldly—he pressed the tip of the key to his chest.

The key’s tip slid into Lazare’s chest as if a keyhole existed there, meeting no resistance…

And with a click, he turned the key… at that moment.

Suddenly, a pitch-black magical power overflowed from Lazare’s entire body… swallowing him whole.

“W-what!?”

“What’s happening!?”

“…!?”

Halley, Baron Zest, and Re=L tensed and backed away.

Meanwhile, the black magical power erupting from Lazare began swirling violently—

“Guuuuuhhh—!?”

Lazare, at the center of the vortex, began writhing in agony.

Then.

“…What… is this…?”

Celica, witnessing this, suddenly knelt on one knee, looking ill.

“What’s wrong, Celica?”

Re=L, slightly worried, moved closer to Celica.

“No… my memories… my lost, blank memories… they’re throbbing…”

Celica groaned in pain.

“I know this black magical power… somewhere… long ago…?”

While this happened—

“I am thee… thou art me… Now, our souls shall fuse here—and thou shalt be reborn with me in this world! Come—!”

The black magical power overflowed from Lazare—continuing to overflow—until a darkness darker than darkness enveloped the area.

The thick darkness melted Lazare’s existence, reconstructing it.

And from the melted darkness was reborn—a demon.

Clad in sturdy jet-black armor and draped in a scarlet robe. The visor peeking from the hood held an infinite abyss, its expression unreadable.

A dark aura rose from its entire body. As if darkness itself had barely taken human form—this demon stood before Celica and the others.

“…Lazare…?”

‘I am no longer Lazare.’

To Celica’s stunned question, the demon that was Lazare planted its spear in the ground and declared.

‘I am—a Demon General Star.《Iron Cavalry General》Accelo Iero.’

“…Huh? …Demon General Star?《Iron Cavalry General》Accelo Iero… you say…?”

In this world, there’s a fairy tale called [The Magician of Melgalius].

This story, the masterpiece of the tragic genius Loran Ertoria, a magical archaeologist and fairy tale writer, is a simple, child-friendly tale of a ‘Mage of Justice fighting the Demon King to protect people.’

The Demon General Stars—direct subordinates of the Demon King.

Among these, each a match for a thousand, one of their ranks was—

“《Iron Cavalry General》Accelo Iero… no way, Lazare… why you…!?”

‘There’s a slight misunderstanding… I was, without a doubt, Lazare. But by accepting the ‘inner voice,’ I have been reborn as both Lazare and a Demon General Star, a Demon General Star and Lazare…’

“…Inner… voice…?”

Thump.

At that moment, a strange palpitation struck Celica’s heart.

“Inner voice… what does that mean… answer me, Lazare!?”

‘I have no time to deal with you now… I shall fulfill my purpose!’

As he said that,

Lazare—no,《Iron Cavalry General》Accelo Iero raised a hand.

“《■》…”

And muttered something.

The sky was streaked with fierce red lightning.

The branching lightning, crisscrossing freely, began forming the outline of an object.

It was—a ship.

The lightning lines, weaving like a net, arranged three-dimensionally, forming a ship in the sky.

As the lightning gradually weakened…

The ship it had outlined began to gain substance.

Eventually, in the sea of the sunset sky, a massive ark floated—

“W-what… is that…?”

A mysterious red flash rose above the Alzano Imperial Magic Academy.

Sistine, gazing at it from the window of the patrol office’s infirmary, was stunned by the massive ‘ark’ that appeared in the sky with the red lightning.

The distinctive shape of that ship… Sistine felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity.

“T-that’s… no way, the [Ship of Flames]…!?”

Yes, it was identical.

No matter how you looked at it, it was the ancient weapon from the fairy tale [Melgalius’s Sky Castle]—said to have burned an entire kingdom in three days—

It was exactly like the [Ship of Flames] depicted in the picture book’s illustrations.

“The ship said to be piloted by《Iron Cavalry General》Accelo Iero… why…!?”

Sistine’s stunned murmur was swallowed by Fejite’s sky—

“Hyahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha—!”

Jatice’s wild laughter echoed loudly from a certain high vantage point.

The ark appeared in the sky.

Gazing at this apocalyptic scene with arms spread wide, Jatice looked up.

“It’s here! Finally here! Yes, Lazare, no, Demon General Star…! I’ve finally dragged you onto the stage of history! I’ve lured you to a point of no return! Just wait, one of the most evil beings in this world! My ‘absolute justice’ will judge you! Lazare, you’re the first!”

Bringing the Demon General Star into this world—and killing it.

That was Jatice’s true goal this time.

“Yes, Demon General Star… Researchers of Heavenly Wisdom…! I’ll never forgive you…! Two years ago, that fateful day… I’ll never forget the humiliation of that day…!”

Jatice recalled that fateful day—a time just before he caused the horrific incident in the imperial capital using [Angel Dust].

On that fateful day, Jatice, under military orders, went to investigate a certain place—

And then—

“To think you dared to tempt me, this ‘absolute justice,’ with sweet fruit, trying to drag me down the path of evil! Well, an ordinary fool might have succumbed, foolishly accepting that key… falling to become ‘something inhuman’… like that Lazare…!”

Shaking off the searing humiliation he still couldn’t forget, Jatice shouted.

“But you chose the wrong opponent, Researchers of Heavenly Wisdom! Don’t think you can corrupt my noble soul with such temptations! I am Jatice! Jatice Lowfan《The Justice》! The proud ‘human’ who will judge you ‘absolute evils’—!”

The ark Lazare summoned will likely bring unimaginable calamity to Fejite. Countless people will probably die.

But—that doesn’t matter. Honestly, he couldn’t care less about Fejite’s fate.

To judge true evil, any sacrifice is acceptable—nay, it should be paid.

That is—his ‘justice.’

Laughing like a madman, Jatice was in top form—

“…Phew… but, Glenn… you really…”

Suddenly, as if remembering, Jatice’s expression darkened.

“You always, always exceed my expectations at the last moment… thanks to you, I nearly failed to bring about the Demon General Star’s descent… I nearly couldn’t execute my justice…!”

Jatice’s plan had truly been going perfectly.

Killing all the scum infesting Fejite while bringing the Demon General Star into being—and killing it too.

Just the former wouldn’t do, nor just the latter. Jatice aimed for total annihilation.

Not letting a single evil escape, exterminating them all… that was his unyielding policy. His seemingly roundabout, inefficient actions were all for that purpose.

But at the very last moment—Glenn threatened that.

Glenn far surpassed his predictions based on his original magic.

Jatice couldn’t stand that.

It felt as if his ‘absolute justice’ had been threatened.

Thus, Jatice vented his uncontrollable anger…

“But—that’s what makes you the greatest enemy worthy of my defeat.”

In the next moment, Jatice’s expression flipped to one of joy.

“Yes… yes, that’s right… you’ve always been like that… what was I so arrogant about? Glenn always exceeds my plans by far… that’s why I chose you as the enemy worthy of defeating with everything I have… haha, hahahahahaha…”

Then, spreading his arms to the sky like a scene from an opera, Jatice declared.

“Yes… if I defeat the Demon General Star… if I destroy that absolute evil with my own hands… my justice will surely ascend to a higher dimension… a justice worthy of facing you…! Wait for me, Glenn… I’ll definitely reach your heights…! Hyahahahahahahahahahahahahaha—!”

Jatice’s incomprehensible laughter echoed through Fejite, unnoticed.

“Now, let’s go! To the stage of the final battle!”

Zat!

His boots clicked, his frock coat flared, and Jatice Lowfan moved—

“……”

“…That was close, Eve-chan. Yare yare, glad we made it in time.”

Around Eve, collapsed powerlessly on the street, stood three men.

“But if Albert-san hadn’t been there, we really would’ve been in trouble.”

Christoph, bandaging the stump of Eve’s severed left arm with first aid.

“Aye… that guy’s magic sniping… it’s gotten even more divine lately.”

Bernard, vigilantly scanning the surroundings, glanced at the man’s back.

“……”

The man who had protected Eve from Jatice’s demonic grasp with ultra-long-range magic sniping, forcing Jatice to retreat—Albert, stood silently, gazing at the sky.

In the somewhat awkward atmosphere…

“…Why… did you all come here…?”

Unable to bear it, Eve muttered softly.

“Well, y’know? To save our selfish, unreliable chief, I s’pose?”

“You know, right? That the [Megiddo’s Flame] was set up in this city.”

“Well, turns out it was somethin’ else entirely… geez, the intelligence folks are useless.”

“Actually, we thought something was off about this whole thing… so I did some digging into Fejite’s situation through the ley line network using the magi-computer.”

“Chris-boy’s magi-computer skills are somethin’ else… man, old folks like me just don’t get those fancy new magic gadgets…”

“But if that’s the case… after Eve-san rushed off on her own, it became clear that something was off about [Megiddo’s Flame]…”

“So that’s why you came!? That’s just hindsight talking! If it really had been [Megiddo’s Flame], you’d all be ashes by now!”

Eve snapped irritably.

“I tricked you all! You should’ve just abandoned me! There was no need to risk danger coming here! Someone like me—!”

Slap!

“…”

As Eve grew hysterical, Albert silently approached and struck her cheek.

Then, without a word, he stood up and turned his back on her.

Eve, struck, hung her head and fell silent, an awkward quiet settling over them.

“Tch… got beaten to a pulp again, huh? That damn Jatice…”

Bernard, looking at Eve’s battered and bruised state, groaned with a complicated expression.

“…I’m sorry, Eve-san. If we’d gotten here sooner…”

Christoph apologized guiltily, but—

“You brought this on yourself.”

Albert, finally breaking his silence, cut her down coldly.

“If you hadn’t tried to outsmart us and had shared the information you’d somehow obtained beforehand, aligning with the rest of us… we could’ve intervened in this situation much more effectively and sooner.”

“…!”

Eve could only fall silent under Albert’s rebuke.

“Indeed, your source of information isn’t official—it’s shrouded in mystery. Because of that, in this incident, while the military’s response was delayed, you were the only one able to act, and officially, you’d probably be commended for it… But.”

Albert turned back, glaring sharply at Eve.

“Rushing ahead alone for your own glory, using the rest of us and the other court mages as pawns—this is the result. Reflect on it, you fool.”

“…”

“…Ahem, well, Eve-chan? He’s just worried about you in his own way…”

Neither Christoph nor Bernard could bring themselves to reprimand Albert’s harsh words.

A heavy silence weighed down on the group…

“Hmph… Get that arm looked at by Cecilia, the forensic physician at the Magic Academy. If anyone can do something about it, it’s her. …Let’s go, old man, Christoph.”

And with that, Albert began walking toward the academy.

“…We’ve fallen far behind. Time to catch up.”

“Haha… starting from such a tough spot again, huh?”

“Well, it’s business as usual, isn’t it?”

With those words, the men walked off together, shoulder to shoulder, leaving the scene.

And then…

“…Why…?”

Eve, left alone behind them…

“…Why… why is it always like this!?”

Gradually, her body began to tremble…

“Why can’t I do anything, accomplish anything…? If it’s like this, then what was the point of me… back then… with Sera… sniff… hic… Sera… waaahhh…!”

Like a child, she broke down and sobbed, alone, unnoticed.

“Fuhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!”

The Demon General’s laughter echoed through the air, the overwhelming pressure of the ark floating in the sky bearing down on them.

Everyone, lost in the moment, stood frozen, unable to move.

“Haha… hahaha… what the hell is that…?”

Glenn, no exception, could only let out a dry laugh, staring at the ark in the sky.

“That’s straight out of [The Magician of Melgalius]—the [Ship of Flames], isn’t it…? What’s going on…? Am I stuck in some bad dream…?”

But—no matter how hopeless it felt, he knew. His instincts screamed it.

Something unimaginable was about to happen.

“S-Sensei…”

Even the usually steadfast Rumia trembled slightly, gripping Glenn’s hand.

But then, someone broke through the frozen, empty silence—appearing out of nowhere.

…Honestly. How long are you going to stand there gawking, Glenn…?

The voice that snapped Glenn back to reality was one he recognized.

It’s not over yet—not by a long shot. It’s only just beginning. If you, at the center of this storm, are acting like this, the battles ahead don’t bode well…

Turning at the sound of those blunt, exhausted words—

There stood a girl, appearing as if from nowhere.

…Glenn, this is a trial.

She had the same build and face as Rumia, almost identical.

Her hair was ashen, like burned-out embers, her skin deathly pale—

And on her back were grotesque wings, like a collection of bizarre deep-sea creatures, their mere sight eroding sanity and stirring nausea.

You must survive the calamity that’s coming—

The mysterious girl he’d once met at [Taum Celestial Temple]—

For the future—and for the past.

—Nameless stood there, her gloomy, dark eyes and decadent smile lingering as she gazed at him.