Part 1
– Oh. You two can still move with those injuries? …Are all Japanese born this healthy?
Edmund laughed both bored but also admired.
A bloody Mutsura and Subaru were in front of him. They were out of breath as they stood back to back. Subaru had a hole on one side of his body, and Mutsura had his arms and legs injured. A great amount of blood flowed through their cut uniforms.
– What’s with that guy…? He’s too tough! None of our attacks are working!
Subaru shout confident. The force of his scream had made his injuries to spread, turning his angry tone into a groan.
Subaru was talking about Edmund’s automaton—Icarus.
Icarus hadn’t received any damage at all. Some of his external black armor had peeled off, but the internal blue frame was intact. Any kind of explosive blast didn’t work. Any type of projectile slipped through its surface and was thrown into another direction. Trying to attack him in close combat only made him retaliate with an unknown <severing> power.
They truly couldn’t do anything.
– How are you feeling, Mutsura?
– Not good… I’m already almost out of magical energy.
– That’s not the spirit… but same here!
Running out of magical energy meant their shikigami would also lose their power. In the worst case scenario, they could even run rampant.
– Look… Don’t you think we should prepare for the worst?
– You idiot. I have already prepared for that a long time ago.
– I see… haha.
The two of them laughed under the desperate circumstances. Edmund looked at them interested.
– The loyalty that allows you two to face death, I like it. I’m sure there’s no point in asking this to martyrs such as yourself but, I will do it regardless. Don’t you feel like becoming mine?
– …Ah? What?
– I would treat you two very good. I’m a man that will sooner than later seize this world. I would also save your master—yes, I would even give you the Far East island.
His boasting was the very epitome of absurdness. Subaru had exchanged looks with Mutsura reflexively.
– …Is this guy serious?
– I am. So, what will it be? Even a fool could understand the problem here. You either get killed by me here, or let me steal your country for your master?
After grandiosely pointing his finger to them, Edmund moved his thumb to his chest.
– Following me is the correct answer. Why? Because I am the only and unique definition of rightfulness.
Subaru wanted to ridicule him, but some hesitation had taken a hold of his body.
If they followed his orders—the lady would probably be saved.
On top of that, even pretending to accept his invitation would be meaningful. It would at least buy them some time.
– Become mine along your master. Don’t worry, I will also make Raishin mine. Become friendly pawns of the upcoming world war under my command. I’m sure you would have a great time. …Let’s see, it would also be interesting if I just married your master. Your entire clan could come in be very handy after all.
Subaru’s doubts had disappeared in that instant. Refreshingly easily.
– Your face changed. Did you make up your mind?
– Yes, thanks to you. Do you really think our lady would cling to someone like you? How disgusting! The man she loves is as stupid as you but—
Letting his body be overtaken by a burning killing flame, Subaru let his anger command his words.
– He is a thousand times better compared to you!
Not angered, the prince replied amused.
– That’s a good sentimental answer. I will admit it—that you two had good deaths!
Icarus charged at them. Was it a whirlwind or a blade of magical energy? In any case, Icarus’ extended hand had that hidden danger contained in it. As Icarus’ strike was about to cut them both in half—exactly at that moment.
The automaton had stopped.
– …Impressive. How did you do it?
Edmund asked with a stiff voice. Mutsura had appeared right behind him.
He had certainly been with Subaru up until this very moment. Mutsura pinned Edmund’s arms on his back, sealing his movements. There was a something like a black carpet below him.
– A shikigami known as <Madori>. They come in a set of male and female. I can use the male to teleport to the female.
– I see… I will admit I let my guard down, and I will compliment you for taking my back. However, what will you do now? You sure can’t make any seals from this position.
– But if you are referring to my shikigamis, they are already here.
Subaru had noticed it just then. One of Mutsura’s arm was covered in black.
It was a direct possession from the Sukhavati Butterflies! One of the last butterflies had burrowed into Mutsura’s arm, disappearing after melting into it.
– The automaton was unscratched—but how about the puppeteer, prince?
– …do you intend to kill yourself with me?
A drop of sweat run through Edmund’s temple. Subaru had also started screaming, in panic.
– You idiot Mutsura! Don’t do anything stupid!
– It’s all my fault that this turned up like this. I was the one that built the hexagonal barrier as well… after getting manipulated like an idiot by this person and putting our lady into this unnecessary danger… I would have no way to apologize unless I did something like this. Regardless, for me, it wasn’t Raishin-han…
Mutsura continued his words after smiling gently.
– It wasn’t Raishin-han who I wanted our lady to marry with. It was you, Subaru.
Subaru’s sight had turned blurry.
They were in the middle of a battle—but he was crying.
For something… something that stupid.
For someone like me…!
– That’s some impressive determination. But, you’re too naïve!
Edmund moved his right hand. A dagger had come out from his sleeve and stopped in his hand. Trying to break Mutsura’s concentration, Edmund moved his arm to thrust the dagger into his eye—
But Subaru had stopped that arm.
Edmund’s eyes opened in fright. He had closed the gap between them in a second!
There was another <Madori> by Subaru’s feet like the one from Mutsura’s.
– Subaru, don’t do this! You will get engulfed by the explosion!
– As if it was the time to say that. …Also, I won’t let you go alone.
Mutsura’s expression twisted in pain—and then turned into a smile.
– We will get scolded by the lady.
– That would be contrary of how it always was.
They both laughed. Edmund struggled, trying to call his automaton—
But he was too slow. Mutsura had already finished gathering his magical energy.
(Lady. Please be happy…!)
Subaru closed his eyes as he waited for his death.
—But there were absolutely no signs of the bomb going off.
Thinking it was weird, Subaru slowly opened his eyes once again. He could see Mutsura contorting his body in pain.
His Izanagi eyes had figured out the abnormality quickly. Mutsura’s <Magic Circulatory> was being trampled from within!
The enemy didn’t waste that opportunity. Icarus ran to Subaru’s back—they would get killed!
However, only a sharp impact sound could be heard, as a fierce wind pressure blew above Subaru’s head.
The opportunity that irregularity had created allowed Edmund to break free and throw Subaru and Mutsura away. After barely evading the dagger in his hand, Subaru had hurriedly turned around, searching for Icarus. However, the automaton was nowhere to be seen.
With a rumble, one of the trees from behind fell to the bushes.
Icarus had broken the trunk, as he lied backwards on the ground.
A black hair had spread in front of the surprised Subaru, who was still unable to understand what had happened.
Two shadows had just arrived. One was a lovely girl automaton. The other one—
– You two sure are too modest. Doing all these things without telling me.
Was the back of that naughty boy, like the one he had seen seven years ago.
Holding back the smile on his face, Subaru started speaking as if spitting out.
– Stop being so arrogant! You were also doing your own search secretly!
– Then let me correct myself. If you’re going to mess around, then let me join too.
Raishin moved his face to Edmund. He had spread his arms joyfully.
– I wanted to meet you, Raishin. This is the second time you save me, right?
– Hey, stupid prince. What were you hoping to accomplish by imitating the chairman?
– I just wanted to feel like a student. If you are here then that means that Zekaros—the oldest Zekaros sibling was defeated, huh?
Edmund’s eyes looked at Raishin like a tongue licking through his body.
– He was plenty strong, and he had been provided with an excellent automaton too.
– Unfortunately, my partner here is the best automaton in the world.
– Fufu… I will admit it, Raishin. After all of this time, right now—
The magical energy of the two had swollen up, covering the entire area around them.
– You have finally become a first-class magician, worthy of your partner.
Icarus’ armor had reflected the moon light. A second later, a blue flash of light had cut through the shadow of the darkness.
Part 2
Still singing her enchantments, Hinowa had taken a small dagger from her chest, holding it up.
Finally completing her <dagger seal> with her left hand only, Hinowa exclaimed loudly.
– Oh king among the thirty-three thousand shikigamis, oh great incarnation of the prince. Come forth, come forth—manifest!
It had been all the magical energy in her entire body. She had even removed her self-preserving limiter to avoid damaging herself. After quite literally mustering all the magical energy she could use, she had swung the magical dagger down.
The silver blade was covered in a deep black in a second. The black ghastly aura had surged, as crimson flames blew up turning into a shikigami.
A black armored warrior clad in flames.
Hinowa was being held by the prince of the shikigami. Or was the correct expression to say she was inside him? She had turned one with that existence, transforming herself into that.
It was a magical lord that crouched in the floor, having Hinowa inside him. Despite crouching, his entire body reached the ceiling and filled the floor. On top of that, he still didn’t look like his full incarnation. The shikigami prince was severely weakened by the barrier.
Charl was hit by an intense heat as she tried to approach the shikigami prince—Hinowa.
『Hinow—aaah!!』
『Step back, Charl! You will die!』
Sigmund warned her. Even Loki was surprised. For Charl and Loki these flames should feel like being inside a hell of flames, but Hinowa trusted they could withstand it…
『This is yet another outrageous monster indeed…』
Her opponent, the youngest Zekaros sibling had whispered tired. He was looking up at the giant body in front of him dumbfounded as he protected himself with his wind from the flames.
『Will my attacks… even work with this thing?』
He only needed to test it. The sibling had sent out an enormous <wind blade> into the giant.
His black steel armor had stopped the impact. Hinowa inside hadn’t even felt anything.
『Of course…』
The expression in the Zekaros sibling face was that of someone who could only laugh at the situation. After putting on a wry smile,
『But I can’t just stand and watch in silence. This obvious time stall… the fastest way to make your magical energy run out is attacking you!』
Not even finishing his own words, the sibling had let out a barrage of winds to attack her.
(…I cannot underestimate him.)
He had instantly realized Hinowa had just been bluffing to stall for time.
That’s right—Hinowa already didn’t have any magical energy left to order the shikigami prince to attack.
She could not make the cannon from a battleship be ignited with the gunpowder of a pistol. On top of that, even if she had some energy left, she still could not let her shikigami attack. In this closed space, her enemy would certainly die if she did. A battleship canon was not fit to light up the flames of a cigarette after all.
That’s why her summon was not made to attack. This was an armor to ascertain all of the opponent’s attacks would be nullified, and also a cover to deceive his eyes.
Hinowa had started making some seals with her hands inside the shikigami prince. Outside in a corner, one of the fulu that Hinowa dropped had turned into a shikigami.
It was a very small ladybug.
The small insect had flown near the walls exiting the tower.
Her destination was the location of Subaru and Mutsura, of course. She needed to know the situation they were in. She was also prepared to call for help, depending on the situation. There were several excellent magicians in the academy.
Hinowa had finally experienced the feeling of trying to rely on someone else after tasting how the sense of helplessness felt.
Hinowa aligned her five senses with that of the ladybug as it flew out of the coliseum.
She had searched her surroundings, but strangely enough, she couldn’t feel any traces of a fight.
Subaru and Mutsura were still alive. She could faintly feel their magical energy, but she couldn’t grasp their location. She could also not hear the sounds of the battle the youngest Zekaros sibling had let her hear.
(A shielding barrier…!? Something of this precision… how troublesome!)
A normal magical energy search would not help like this. …However, the Izanagi clan were also experts at their divination skills. After sharpening her senses and intuitively picking a direction, Hinowa flew to that place as she prayed.
Hinowa’s intuition had not betrayed her.
After feeling the sensation of jumping into a net, Hinowa realized she had entered the shielding barrier.
Hinowa felt the magical energy of Subaru and Mutsura, as well as that of her loved one.
(—Subaru! Mutsura!)
She found them. They were still alive!
They were not fighting. They were crouching by some bushes, resting their bodies in a tree.
Hinowa had instantly ascertained their condition. They both had lacerations. Their cuts in the skin were not that of an edged tool. It looked like the laceration from a whirlwind or something of the like…
Also, there was someone standing in front of the injured two, as if protecting them.
(Raishin-sama…!)
Raishin and Yaya. Maybe because they had just arrived right now, Subaru had sent out a precise warning.
– Be careful Raishin! His automaton is not only hard as hell, but also has a very edgy sharpness.
– Yes, I know. It’s the automaton Icarus—someone I know.
Raishin was looking at its blue armor. So the automaton was called Icarus…
A noble youth that had caused an uproar in the media a few months ago was standing next to Icarus.
(That is the treacherous prince!)
According to Charl, it was Raishin who had stopped Edmund from taking control of the Liverpool city. For Edmund, it would be no exaggeration to say Raishin was his sworn enemy. However, he had a very friendly smile on his face.
– I’m glad to see you are doing well. Well, I guess you of all persons would not die that easily. You’re a person that still lived after fighting with one of my closest friends after all.
– …The Crimson, Räikkönen, huh?
– That’s right. He failed his mission thanks to you. Seeing him getting heavily punished by the Society of the old hags was a masterpiece—I mean, a true tragedy.
– …What the hell are you all?
Raishin’s voice trembled. He had been uncharacteristically annoyed.
– What do you want with me!? Why do you keep butting into everything I do!?
– Hey, that is what I would call being overly conscious about yourself. You’re no more than an extra observation target for the old hags. Although you’re the principal piece for me.
– Stop being so indirect! What did you plan to do with them—with Hinowa?
– Eliminate them. Although I could also make her my woman after pretending to eliminate her.
Hinowa could see how the anger gathered in Raishin’s eyes in that moment.
It looked like he could no longer contain himself. It was a raging fury. After the violent emotion cursed through his entire body—
Maybe because of that very same intensity, Raishin had regained his composure.
Raishin took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
Edmund seemed to be actually delighted after realizing his provocation had failed.
– Good, that’s what makes you yourself. I will reward you with this information. The princess’ corpse would be the key to creating a machine doll. Possession—was it? If we could understand the secret behind their technique, we could give a body a <soul> without needing an Eve’s Heart. Also, killing the next Izanagi clan head would also hurt the Izanagi very greatly.
– Hurt the Izanagi clan… you say?
– Didn’t you hear about it already? That the Izanagi idiots were in the middle of a family struggle just when the world is about to have a world war. The old hags have already taken their measures.
Hinowa’s ladybug had jumped surprised.
Measures. Internal struggles. Had something happened to her grandmother…!?
Hinowa’s concentration was about to fall out after her heart had started beating rapidly.
Raishin asked Edmund a question with a low voice, still looking at him.
– …What is this Society you talk about? What magical society?
– There’s only a single group that the word alone <Society> could refer to. The elder’s pandemonium, the den of the devote, the paradise of heretics and perverts—although it sounds all comic coming from me.
Raishin could not understand him. He had slowly pointed his right hand to Yaya on his side.
– In other words, you don’t plan to tell me.
– I could explain it to you very carefully. If you become mine, of course.
– I will make you explain me every detail. After blowing you into hell!
Raishin sent out his magical energy. The energy that had entered Yaya’s body was instantly converted into a propulsive power.
Yaya ran to Icarus. However, the air around her had warped on the impact, making her break through from the opposite direction.
– She just slipped through his body!
Subaru spoke in shock. Icarus had turned around to thrust his sharp hand into Yaya before his voice could finish that sentence. The air—the space itself had split in half as Yaya’s sleeves were cut.
A red stripe of blood appeared on Yaya’s skin after the attack had pierced through her <Kongouriki> magic.
She had been cut. It was an extremely sharp severing ability—it looked like the injuries Subaru and Mutsura had.
A magic that allowed him to slip through any attack while also enabling him to cut through anything. This was—
(This is bad, Raishin-sama! Yaya-san can’t win against that automaton!)
The wise perception of the next Izanagi clan leader had seen through the true nature of the enemy.
Her attacks wouldn’t work against Icarus. However, that was not because he had a stiff armor.
It was a spatial distortion. He could distort the surrounding space to slip through explosions and physical hits.
On top of that, by cutting through the connection of the space itself, he could even cut through someone like Yaya.
It was both an offensive and defensive, fearful magic. Yaya’s <Kongouriki> allowed her to enhance her physical defense and offense to the upmost limits, but unfortunately, she could only attack the enemy by hitting them directly. They were a very bad match for Icarus!
Hinowa prayed that Raishin would choose to escape.
However, she also knew Raishin would definitely never do that.
Icarus kicked the ground below his feet as he aimed for Yaya’s landing point. Each of his opened fingers that looked like claws cut through the space as they neared her body.
(Watch out! Yaya-san—!)
Hinowa’s blood pressure dropped in an instant, almost making her faint. —Yaya had disappeared from Hinowa’s field of vision in an instant.
—No! She had moved so fast it looked like she had disappeared!
Edmund had lost his objective. Yaya had already surrounded him from behind.
Edmund seemed surprised but so was Hinowa. The sixth sense of the person that was to be the next Izanagi clan leader, had been surpassed for a second by Yaya’s speed. Just simply increasing her muscular strength would not make her this fast. She had outwitted her opponent and attacked from the blind spot of his cognizance.
Yaya let out a kick as she spun once at his back. It had been a fatal kick, but her opponent was not an amateur either. Edmund curved his body to evade the attack.
Yaya still continued to pursue him after rolling over. However, that time had been enough to make Icarus able to fall back to his master.
Icarus moved in front of Edmund to protect him while also thrusting his hands to slash at Yaya.
His attack had divided the earth below them like a legendary sword would. Yaya’s severed hair danced through the air as it reflected the light of the moon. She then started rolling like a spinning top after dodging Icarus’ hand strike.
Using that very same momentum, Yaya kicked Icarus in the chest. *thud* A metallic crackling reverberated in the air as Icarus’ breastplate crumbled in pieces.
– She managed to hit him!? It worked!
Subaru was very surprised. One of the breastplate pieces had gone in their direction, so Subaru and Mutsura fled that spot.
Edmund put on a faint smile as he sent out a cynic look at Raishin.
– I want you to tell me. Was that just now my fault? Or one of God’s whims?
– Neither of them. I simply figured out your trick.
As he answered, an intricate pattern was lightly shining in Raishin’s right arm.
The magical energy running through that pattern made it visible even under his clothes. It was a magical formula carving as intricated as a labyrinth Hinowa had never seen before. His magical energy coursed through that route as it accelerated and converged into magical energy threads—something she knew—<Kouyokujin>’s strings.
Yaya’s strength was increased drastically as those magical threads came into contact with her.
Yaya started sprinting like lightning, charging into Icarus. After reducing the distance between them in an instant, she leaped to the air at a point-blank distance from his face. Taking advantage of the incredibly fast series of movements that had left her opponent confused, Yaya dropped her kick from above this time. Icarus manipulated the surrounding space to dislocate her kick behind him. As Yaya’s leg slipped through his body, Icarus had thrust his piercing hand as a counter-attack—exactly as Raishin had predicted.
Yaya evaded his sharp hand after twisting her body in the air, dropping the heel of her other leg into his head in response.
A direct hit. The decorative horn in Icarus’ helmet broke down, falling and stabbing into the ground.
– It may be functionally possible but—you can’t use a space <distortion> and <severance> at the same time. Either that or you can only apply them into one target.
Raishin didn’t brag about his words, he had only answered composed.
– Of course I can arrange my attacks to hit you after understanding the extent of your effects.
Hinowa could feel a chill running down her back. It was certainly a simple logic. The imperfect swap between offense and defense—it was a weakness many magicians had. However, Icarus’ movements were very agile, and he had the ability to beat Yaya with a single hit of his attacks.
Expecting to hit a counter-attack under those circumstances wasn’t as simple as it sounded.
Yaya’s flexibility, instantaneous explosive power and her exceptionally high magical energy affinity—coupled with Raishin’s <Kouyokujin> that could draw out all of her capabilities to the upmost extreme, was what had allowed to make it possible.
Edmund should’ve been cornered, but he had started laughing unconcerned.
– You sure are quick to grow! To think I would no longer be able to match you even after using Icarus!
Hinowa had now experienced a different fear from the one from before. This man… was creepy. She could not understand what he could be thinking about at all. She could not comprehend him…
Raishin was probably thinking the same. Somewhat disgusted, Raishin started speaking.
– Give up. I don’t feel any obligation for, nor am I indebted to Great Britain. If you surrender here quietly…
– Don’t be so hasty. We are in the prestigious Royal Academy. There are many people in here that can beat me. Do you really think I would just infiltrate without taking extra-precautions?
– What… did you say?
– Of course I brought a cheat item with me.
Edmund took a small bottle from his chest pocket.
There was an emerald liquid inside, as beautiful as a jewel.
Raishin felt a cold chill as soon as he saw that. No, it was probably an uneasiness. It felt like the awe one felt when looking at a Buddhist mummy or facing the corpse of a saint.
– This is the sacred wine of Astraea—I think I would name it <Lady Justice> as a cocktail. In terms that you could understand it, this is an <Alpha Cycle> elixir.
What was… Alpha Cycle?
It had been a word that Hinowa could not understand, but it looked like Raishin and Yaya could.
– From Io’s research… that thing!
– Oh, don’t misunderstand it. Io is certainly a genius, but she only implemented the basic theory for this. It was the geniuses from the Society the ones that implemented this with chemistry rather than with a machine.
After smiling nonchalantly, Edmund removed the cork of the bottle with his thumb.
– It would probably be faster if I just showed it to you instead of explaining it. For guys like you…
There was no time to react. Edmund has thrown the emerald liquid into his tongue after raising his head.
A wind blast enveloped the surroundings as soon as he swallowed it. Subaru and Mutsura had stumbled back by the pressure. Hinowa’s ladybug was also forcefully swayed, almost getting destroyed.
Edmund’s magical energy had caused the blast.
It wasn’t a magical wind or anything of the like. The overwhelming magical energy, overflowing vitality, the rising ripples of his own spirit had created a physical impact wave that blasted all the air in the surroundings.
The trees swayed. Even the enemy’s shielding barrier was getting affected. The magical energy far exceeded that of a normal human being…. or even that expression alone fell pale behind the absurd energy output taking place right now.
– What is… this is beyond us…!
– This is bad… I can’t… breathe..!
Subaru and Mutsura moaned in pain after getting affected by the strong gale. Their magic energy circulation was probably being affected too. Maybe that was being reflected in their injuries, as they both had anguished expressions. It was already dangerous just being here, but they were amid of a turbulent magical energy storm—they didn’t have the energy to run away under these circumstances.
Of course, Raishin didn’t show the sightless trace of wanting to escape.
It was the same as that time. He was showing his back to Subaru, Mutsura and Hinowa, as he faced the enemy.
(Aah, Raishin-sama…)
Even faced by this monster, you…
– Yaya! Kouen 48!
– Yes!
Yaya started running after receiving the threads from Kouyokujin.
She had continuously attacked with her fists, kicks and hand slashes as she pursued Icarus. Even though it looked like before, there was a definite difference this time.
The magic that Edmund was controlling, its scope and the speed at which he activated it, it all had drastically improved. He was using the space <distortion> and <severance> at the same time. In other words—Yaya’s attacks were not hitting him!
Amidst the fierce exchange of blows, the moonlight that was illuminating Edmund had suddenly been obstructed by something.
Raishin had jumped above him. His fierce roundhouse kick would hit Edmund’s neck—but Edmund would not even evade it, and only smile.
With a loud, high-pitching sound, Raishin’s leg had stopped in the air. It was the impact of hitting a steel plate. His leg would’ve probably broke if he wasn’t using Kongouriki’s magic on his body.
Raishin jumped back retreating, contorting his face in pain.
Edmund smiled happily as he made the gestures of someone rubbing an empty space in the air.
– A spatial distortion is not something to just be used to evade projectiles. Look, I can even use it to connect the space to the mineral deposits underground. —If you have enough magical energy, though.
Icarus swung his arm. A big ripple spread through the earth as it suddenly created a great fissure on the ground.
The sudden action had made Raishin lose his balance. Icarus had taken advantage of that, running up to him to cut him with his hand.
The great fissure on the ground obstructed his escape. Before getting cut in half by the spatial distortion around his hand, Yaya had moved Raishin out of the place after taking him in her arms and jumping from one side.
– …Sorry, you saved me, Yaya.
– Yaya is Raishin’s wife after all!
Hinowa got slightly annoyed by her words, despite being in the middle of a fight.
– What do you think, Raishin? This power is marvelous, isn’t it?
Edmund opened his arms as he spoke with a drunk voice.
– It allowed even a second-class magician like me to do this. You can feel it, right? The magical energy I hold right now far surpasses even that of that Rutherford!
Raishin sighed after carefully looking at him.
– …Looks like it. But the headmaster was many times scarier.
– I agree on that too. How will you overcome this disadvantage though? Your partner is alluringly excellent, but she can no longer deal with Icarus’ <Force Dimension>.
– Let the poor student that I am give a lecture to the great prince. What decides the usefulness of a magic is not the superiority of the ability. The most important thing is when—and how you use it!
– Interesting! Let me see it!
Edmund sent his magical energy to Icarus with his eyes. He had given Icarus an amount of magical energy equaling to that of Raishin’s Kouyokujin just with a look. His magic circuit had swiftly activated, exerting its immense effects.
The earth below him had burst. Some parts raised as tall as a tower, while some other disappeared down in a big hole. The continuity tying down the space had been plundered, making the concept of up and down lose its meaning. It was a scenery like that of a world from an abstract painting. One could not tell which way was below, or where in front was. Raishin could also not measure his distance between him and the opponent either. He was standing upright in a cliff, while Yaya was upside down. They would not be able to handle Icarus attacks like this!
Regardless, Raishin’s voice had been thoroughly calmed.
– Shinkan Zesshou, <Shinki Mikazuchi>.
Yaya lowered her waist. Icarus jumped through the warped space, shortening their distance in a second. Yaya swiftly evaded his attack as she took a hold of his extended arm—she touched him!
Yaya twisted his arm and threw him under her feet. Making use of all her strength, she dropped her fist into the defenseless Icarus on the ground.
—No, this time she hadn’t hit him. Icarus had slipped through her attack.
The earth below had been destroyed, making a large quantity of earth and sand blow up like from the eruption of a volcano.
– I will compliment you up to the part where you managed to grab Icarus’ arm. I have more magical energy than I can handle right now, but of course that my own discernment didn’t improve. If you take me by surprise—
Edmund’s words stopped there.
The cloud of debris looked extremely slow to him.
His field of vision was incredibly poor thanks to the earth in the air, coupled with the topographical change around. Wondering how they had moved inside that, he could notice Raishin was nowhere to be seen. As he realized that, he could also not see Yaya anymore.
Hinowa. Subaru. Mutsura. Even Edmund. All of them had lost sight of the two.
– —So that’s what it was.
Deep inside the dust cloud, Edmund had heard Raishin’s voice strangely clearly.
– No matter how much you increase your magical energy, your own senses didn’t improve, right?
Raishin was right behind Edmund.
Edmund turned around very quickly. However, Raishin’s voice had only been a diversion.
Yaya appeared behind Icarus after crushing the bedrock around them. Edmund seemed to have activated his <Force Dimension> magic in time, regardless, Icarus was still hit, causing a very refreshing sound to be heard along the impact of her fists.
Icarus was thrown into the bedrock, making his helmet-shaped cranium partially break.
(She hit him!)
Hinowa gasped unintentionally. She could not believe what had happened in front of her.
Because, it made no sense. The enemy’s magic had surely activated. Despite that—
The smile in Edmund’s face had disappeared.
– That was an interesting trick. …How did you do it this time?
– Do you really think the magician would reveal their own tricks?
– …It was in the report. The secret technique you received from The Labyrinth—It was the same thing you used to save my life just a while back, right?
Raishin would not answer. However, his silence was also an affirmation. Edmund laughed again.
– Then the logic is very simple. It boils down to whose control wins over.
A magical energy flame raised from Edmund’s body. A blast—Edmund’s magical energy filled the entire region around them once again. It was an incredibly vast amount of magical energy, enough to make the whole space glow with a pale-blue light!
– Yaya!
– Icarus!
The two of them ordered their automaton at the same time. The two automaton kicked the ground simultaneously.
…Unexpectedly, Yaya had displayed an equal fighting with Icarus.
Icarus clearly had the upper hand, receiving more magical energy and having the strongest magical affinity of them both. However, Yaya was still evading and parrying his attacks, not giving his enemy any opportunity to take advantage of. On top of that, she wasn’t running away either, she just attacked her enemy persistently.
Yaya’s attack hit him. They were properly damaging Icarus!
– …This is bad, Subaru.
Clinging to a bedrock that had protruded from the ground, Mutsura laughed uncontrollably.
– Raishin-han—he’s on an entirely different level from us.
– Hmph… we cannot expect less from the next husband of the Izanagi clan leader!
Subaru was also laughing intensely.
The even and fierce fight like that of a clash between two tornados continued to no end.
How much time had elapsed? Five minutes? Ten minutes?
Raishin and Yaya’s skin were full of slashes, and their breathing was painfully disrupted. They were both very exhausted. Raishin was almost running out of magical energy.
– What’s wrong, Raishin? Don’t disappoint me.
Edmund spoke with discontent.
– Do you understand it? I have the blessing of Astraea—an endless supply of magical energy with me. Be smarter! Use more clever tactics! The situation will only get worse for you like this!
– Why are you even encouraging me…?
Raishin replied with a tired face. He then smiled faintly.
– You don’t need to worry. My plan is already bearing its fruits.
– What? Even as a bluff, that sure is interes…thing?
Edmund had suddenly lost the strength in his body, falling to his knees.
– How do you feel, prince? Aren’t you almost out of fuel?
– …I was raised inside the palace after all. I haven’t had enough exercise compared to you.
– Io’s Alpha Cycle amplified the magical energy endlessly—at least that’s what I remember. In other words, if the amplifying target disappeared, it would stop no matter what.
That’s right—a multiplication!
If one of the factors was 0, there was nothing to amplify.
– Your battle style had many faults. Like trying to move a wooden doll applying telekinesis in every part of its body. Even though in fact, it’s enough with just applying that energy only into some joints, and only in a small part of them.
Raishin laughed like mocking himself.
– If you normally waste your magical energy at its fullest—you will sooner than later run out of it, fighting like that.
– …But you made it turn out like that, didn’t you? And it’s also the same for you, as for who wastes their energy.
– Yes, that was also the same for me. At least until two weeks ago. However, I have been receiving a Wiseman’s personal lessons. The great majesty Wiseman would just kick my butt if I hadn’t improved one bit.
Kouyokujin’s threads extended from his arm. The strength surged inside Yaya’s body.
– Kouen Zesshou—Tsukikage Guren.
Hinowa saw it in that instant. Raishin had not only extended his fingers towards Yaya—
But towards Icarus.
A red mist raised from Raishin’s back, spreading like wings. The magical energy extending from his fingers had turned into a sealing chain, running rampage inside Icarus’ body.
(A magical obstruction!? Had Raishin-sama… been doing this all the time…!?)
So Raishin had been slightly cancelling his opponent’s magic just before any of Yaya’s attacks hit him.
What an astounding controlling power! To interfere with the automaton being controlled by someone else from outside!
That action was no different from trying to tear off a steel chain with his bare hands—the chain known as the connection between the puppeteer and their automata. He was doing it without the help of a magical formula or a machine, with his own body. To believe that such a magician could ever exist in this world…
(Just as I thought… Raishin-sama is strong!)
Yaya had appeared behind Icarus in the instant that he lost the effects of his magic.
Edmund had given up trying to make Icarus slip through her attacks. Instead, he had created a magical energy <shield> along a strong wind blast. …It was truly a thick shield. It was probably comparable to a steel plate of a several hundred millimeters. However, even that wasn’t enough to stop Yaya’s kick.
Icarus’ upper half body was blown away after Yaya pierced the telekinesis shield.
Everything above his upper right shoulder was destroyed, sent flying a great distance behind.
Icarus stumbled in that place. He had barely moved his body at the last moment to defend his <Eve’s Heart>. It had been an admirable decision, but his operative level had greatly fallen after losing his head.
– You sure did it, Raishin. …You are truly the best!
Edmund laughed after raising his voice. The inappropriate but bright laugh spread through the forest.
– But what now? You run out of magical energy with that last move too. Look at your partner. She is pitifully barely still awake.
– …T-That’s not true!
Yaya screamed firmly as she was sitting in the bushes.
She could not stand up. She remained still in that place, as if her waist had already given in.
Raishin started talking after giving Yaya an affectionate look.
– That’s why, I will take the draw.
– …What did you say?
– What you said. We’re in the middle of the best magical academy. There are tons of incredible people. One of them will be sure to give you the final blow after I had weakened you.
– …I see. So that was all part of your plan from the beginning.
Edmund didn’t laugh anymore. In its place, he had nodded with a totally satisfied expression.
– I have totally fallen in love with you after all of this.
Edmund mustered all of his remaining magical energy to send it to Icarus.
Was he planning to carry out one last bold move…!?
Edmund had quickly turned around in front of the terrified Hinowa, Subaru and Mutsura.
– Well then, I will take my leave here.
– Wha—what!? What do you plan to do!?
His actions made even Raishin astonished. Hinowa’s chest was filling with uneasiness too. Had Edmund been just a distraction to gain time, while someone else already fulfilled their real objective…?
Turning his head to look at Raishin over his shoulder, Edmund spoke lightly.
– You asked what was my objective, right? I will tell you. I—those elders want a Machine Doll.
– …Why?
– Because that’s the power of God.
Raishin was gritting his teeth with both anger and sorrow.
Edmund had grabbed Icarus’ shoulder as they both raised up into the air.
– Although my interest in that is only as a <weapon>. A Divine Mechanic is the union between human and machine—an existence as if a Legends automaton and a Wiseman paired up. If I can customize them as I want and use them as my own force, of course that taking over the world would be easier, don’t you think?
– …You’re truly worldly minded. Incredibly so.
– I am. An emperor is someone who has surpassed that worldly minded mindset too.
Edmund replied fearfully. Those words had unexpectedly also secretly contained his determination.
Edmund started flying away. Raishin snapped out of his thoughts and tried to pursue him.
– Raishin! Don’t push yourself!
Yaya clung to his waist. That action had been enough for Raishin to fall to the ground.
– —Hey you shitty prince! I understand your objective. But what did you come to do to the Evening Party!?
– I came to see your face, of course.
– Don’t fuck around! Were you trying to kill Hinowa just for that…!?
– I told you that’s what the old hags wanted. I wanted to play with you… but if I had to pick a better reason, I wanted to show it to you.
– …What?
– I heard you want to take revenge on someone, right?
Raishin’s face had frozen up. He had a cold, ruthless expression—a face Hinowa had never seen before.
Edmund smiled.
– That’s good. I like those things. So, do you feel you can fulfill your revenge as you are right now?
– ……
– Thought so. Your opponent is that genius that is several times beyond what this academy can handle—Magnus, after all.
– …What do you want to say!?
– Come to me if you feel you are lacking the strength.
Raishin understood it. That’s right, what Edmund had wanted to show him was—
– …Are you saying you would give me that drug? How generous of you!
Raishin hit the ground in front of him after spitting out his words. He was sneering at him from the bottom of his heart.
Not caring about it, Edmund threw something in Raishin’s direction.
What rolled around the lifted earth was a golden ring with a rose design on it.
– I will give you that. You will get the guidance of <Mercurius> for when you wish for strength.
– Mercurius…?
– I will send a messenger soon. Let me hear your answer then.
After swinging his hand in a departure sign, Edmund left the place flying with Icarus.
Icarus had flown through the barrier after accelerating instantaneously. Edmund was finally gone. He had capriciously started a fight, capriciously talked and capriciously left.
The tension around the air had finally dissolved after the battle finally ended.
Yaya’s eyes rolled back as she collapsed on the ground.
Raishin walked towards Subaru and Mutsura after gently carrying his partner in his arms.
– Can you two move?
Still leaning on one of the broken bedrocks, Subaru yelled in pain.
– Of course not you dumbass! We’re severely injured!
– Then rest here after stopping your bleeding. I will go to Hinowa—
– You retard! I want to go to our lady too!
– Didn’t you say you couldn’t move!? Which one is it!?
– Hahaha… you’re both very healthy.
Still arguing, they had all stood up and started walking—eventually running through the forest. They were headed for the Coliseum—the tower were Hinowa was fighting.
A warm sensation filled Hinowa’s chest.
They were still coming for her despite getting wounded that badly.
Their feelings made her very happy. Cheerful and delighted, ecstatically so.
(Raishin-sama… Hinowa… could just die at any moment now.)
Hinowa smiled overjoyed—
As the ladybug closed her eyes.
雪月花 