――With its entire body engulfed in flames, the “Witch” turns into dust.

　The power of the “Sun Sword,” finally unveiled, was extraordinary; the ferocity of the flames that burned through to the soul surpassed even Subaru’s imagination, who planned to use it.

“Is this the true power of the ‘Sun Sword’…?”

The crimson flames that spread not only scorched the “Witch” that was struck but also reached the other two “Witches.” Subaru could only gasp as he witnessed the aftermath.

So far, Subaru had encountered the “Sun Sword” multiple times, but the wielder was always Priscilla. However, it would be a blunt simplification to say that Abel was a superior user of the “Sun Sword” compared to Priscilla.

Priscilla had always faced formidable foes when wielding the “Sun Sword.” The current “Witch” — Sphinx — was undoubtedly a strong adversary, but to overcome this, Abel had engaged in incredible strategizing.

At every battlefield leading up to today, through every situation, and every dire crisis, he had never used the “Sun Sword,” eliminating that option from Sphinx — no, from all humans.

Just imagining the kind of courage it took to realize that is unfathomable.

“What’s with that expression of yours? It’s so perplexing.”

“I’m surprised! Even after working together this long, I still find parts of your humanity to complain about…!”

“What are you saying…? Are you implying that I had my cards hidden? If so, you must have been thinking the same thing.”

“Mine’s a result of personality issues, not just cunning, bravado, and copying! Just thinking back to the first ‘Ritual of Blood,’ when I clashed with Zikuru and the others in Gwararu, that time Arakia invaded, when I argued with Yorna at Chaos Frame, and even the shenanigans with Olbart and the Dragon Carriage! You were holding back the entire time!”

“Is that so?”

“Is that so!? Agh, ow!”

Subaru stared in shock at Abel, who positively affirmed with the scarlet sword in hand, and the pain in his right arm, which had been broken by Sphinx, surged back.

Cuddling his broken arm with teary eyes, Beatrice approached Subaru and waved her hand, casting a healing spell.

“Even if you say it, that man won’t be affected. Perhaps he’s lacking any sense of guilt. He’s just like Roswaal.”

“Guh…!”

“There, does it feel a bit better now?”

Beatrice berated Abel with her utmost insults while finishing Subaru’s treatment.

There was still pain, but he felt the broken bone had been healed. He couldn’t move it recklessly yet, and it would take time to fully recover; priorities were different.

“Is Jamal Aurelie going to be okay?”

“As long as he’s not deceased, we’ll manage. That’s what Betty, Subaru’s partner, is for.”

With that, Beatrice swiftly ran over to Jamal.

After taking down one Sphinx, three more appeared, and it was Jamal who provoked them the most and received the worst of their assaults. The way he taunted them was embarrassingly childish, but it stemmed from his loyalty to the Emperor.

“Uagh!”

“Oh, Spica, you did well! How’s your body? Is there anything wrong?”

“Ah!”

She nodded vigorously, smiling so as not to worry him. Subaru wiped the dirt from her dusty cheeks and patted her head, commending her efforts.

Truly, everyone here had fulfilled their roles and collectively achieved victory.

While it was undeniable that Abel’s trump card had contributed immensely,

“Still, I will hold this against you for a lifetime.”

“If you say that, then whoever suggested this should be satisfied.”

No matter how much he glared with resentment, he was met with a cool facade that brushed it off.

It infuriated him, yet he could only express praise for devising the strategy of hiding the “Sun Sword” and having faith in executing it.

――Abel’s choice to refrain from using the “Sun Sword,” even though he could, was something Subaru learned only after the battle with Sphinx had begun.

To put it plainly, it’s a secretive method that could be seen as a war crime.

Originally, the trump card to stop the “Great Calamity,” which could potentially annihilate the Volakia Empire, was supposed to be Spica’s “Star Eating,” requiring cooperation with Subaru.

However, if Abel’s “Sun Sword” could reach the soul of the undead, that changes things.

With the “Sun Sword” and “Star Eating” as a two-pronged strategy, they could operate it as a key to defeating the undead and, ultimately, repel the “Great Calamity.”

“You realized this first, didn’t you? That’s why you grouped with us?”

“Uh?”

“Listen, Spica, this sneaky Emperor can wield the ‘Sun Sword,’ which is a key item for defeating zombies. You realize this too, right? Instead, we should have actively used ‘Star Eating’ to whittle down the undead. What happens then?”

“Ah, ah, oh?”

“Exactly. The enemy’s main force comes to stop us. We would try our hardest to utilize Spica’s ‘Star Eating’ against them. Since we wouldn’t know of any other winning chances! If Spica could reach out, great! If not….”

“Ah!”

At the conclusion of Subaru’s explanation, Spica’s eyes widened as she pointed at Abel’s “Sun Sword.”

“That’s right!” Subaru exclaimed, affectionately ruffling her head.

As he stood next to Spica, Subaru shot Abel a scornful glance.

“Listen closely, Spica. Those are the eyes of a twisted individual. To become the Emperor of Volakia, you have to be as black-hearted as that. …Should we really let the Empire fall?”

“Changing sides right after the enemy leader has been vanquished? You’re really timing this badly for a betrayal.”

“Please, let’s not go down the path of immediately getting us executed for treason after saving the empire!”

As urgent as the situation was, the Empire was a terrible influence on Spica’s character. Abel was emblematic of that and, given the circumstances, should not be around her.

She should interact with more wholesome and refreshing individuals — essentially children like Emilia, Rem, Beatrice, and Tanzer to learn from.

“Then we need to keep Otto and Roswaal away too. I like my sister, but having more than two becomes tough. Garfiel seems like a good influence, but…”

“Subaru! We’ve wrapped up our treatment over here as well!”

“Got it!”

Following Beatrice’s call, Subaru and the others headed toward Jamal.

However, there was no welcoming voice from Jamal, who lay sprawled out on the ground, utterly depleted.

“For now, it seems we’ve escaped death. But further treatment will take time and depends on Betty’s remaining strength.”

“Betty’s remaining strength… Would that be like her magic supply?”

“Perhaps. …It’s a bit irregular, so I’m able to use a lot more than usual, but I don’t want to rely on it too much.”

“Irregular…”

Hearing Beatrice’s answer, Subaru glanced down at his hands.

The irregularity she spoke of likely pertained to the mana remaining within Subaru — as he had a spirit contract with Beatrice, what he possessed was directly tied to his MP. Currently, the amount of mana available to him being significantly irregular.

Subaru considered the reasons behind this.

There were possibilities that the bonds he formed with the Pleiades Battalion positively influenced him or that his shrunk body was causing anomalies with the gates.

However, in the case of the latter, Beatrice shouldn’t be at a loss for an explanation, so he thought the former was more likely.

“I’d rather believe that the connections with everyone are strengthening me; that makes me personally happy and fired up.”

“Subaru…”

“Don’t worry, Beatrice. But even so, it’s not a situation where I can freely cast magic without limits, so I agree we should conserve what we can. But that’s concerning.”

Respecting Beatrice’s judgment, Subaru gazed steadily at the fallen Jamal.

It goes without saying; they couldn’t abandon him, even though he was a vital contributor to the victory. Yet, if Jamal remained unconscious, someone would inevitably have to carry him.

“I’ll say this, I’m not carrying him.”

“You seem awfully chipper after picking up that sword. You were just as exhausted from our catfight, and now look at you, leaping and bounding… Carrying Jamal should be a piece of cake for you.”

“Even if I could, I won’t. Now that Jamal Aurelie has fallen, I am the most agile in this vicinity. With a position to be wary of, I can’t be burdened.”

“Don’t call him a burden! Ugh, fine! I’ll…!”

“Ugh, ohh!”

Infuriated by the inflexible Emperor stating the obvious, Subaru attempted to lift Jamal. However, Spica slipped by him, opting to lift Jamal instead.

Seeing a petite girl easily lift an adult man was a sight that was painful to witness, even if Spica herself didn’t seem to struggle.

“Well, anyone else lifting him would look like that. What do you think?”

“Good work. Keep it up.”

“Just as Betty said, he has no sense of guilt!”

“Didn’t I tell you? …Spica, don’t overdo it!”

Beatrice sighed at Abel’s thoughtlessness, and Spica cheerfully replied with a smile. Thankfully, it seemed like she didn’t feel Jamal’s weight at all.

Regardless of the fact that they had defeated the formidable Sphinx, they couldn’t afford to celebrate just yet.

The reason being —

“——It seems there’s a reason I kept my hands free.”

As Abel spoke and motioned with his chin, shadows could be seen approaching down the street where Subaru and the others were, seemingly alerted by the earlier battle with Sphinx — the figures of undead appeared.

The implications of this, coupled with the unfortunate truth of Abel’s claim, made Subaru grit his teeth.

Thus, if the undead were now showing up here…

“…Defeating Sphinx didn’t break the ‘Secret of the Undying King.’”

“Damn it, the most reliable method — taking down the caster should make the magic disappear — is off the table. Beatrice, this is…”

“Even if corrupted, they were beings crafted to aim for the ‘Witch of Greed.’ They probably designed the spells in a way that allowed ‘The Secret of the Undying King’ to function even in their absence. Unless we dismantle that system itself, the limitations of the ‘Stone Block’ will continue to afflict this country.”

“That’s likely…”

As Subaru digested Beatrice’s words, his gaze shifted to the far north of the Imperial Capital — to the Crystal Palace.

That was the base of the Sphinxes, and if something symbolic was to be placed anywhere, it would be most appropriate there. Of course, the Sphinxes might also have setups in other locations that wouldn’t understand such romantic scenarios and drama.

“No, it has to be the Crystal Palace. Whatever the ‘Witch’ intends, if there’s a need to connect with the ‘Stone Block’, contact with the core of the Crystal Palace… Moguro Hagane is essential.”

“Moguro is one of the Nine Divine Generals, isn’t he…?”

“That’s correct. Right now, he’s being kept at the Crystal Palace. More precisely, the palace is in a dormant state.”

“Absolutely! You better explain yourself later!”

Not only with the ‘Sun Sword,’ but Abel seemed to be keeping even more secrets. However, Subaru welcomed the confirmation that they would be heading to the Crystal Palace.

“――――”

Truth be told, even while understanding that something at the Crystal Palace must be at the center of the “Great Calamity,” he wanted to confirm the safety of the comrades he had sent to other battlefields. Especially the well-being of Emilia and Tanzer.

He hadn’t been able to fully ascertain their placements.

The anxiety and frustration within Subaru…

“——What’s this? You’re all in bad shape. Even the Emperor is a sweaty, muddy mess. Turns out you’re quite hard workers.”

A carefree voice cut through the tension, as a black shadow descended, briskly walking between Subaru and the approaching undead.

As the figure squatted before Subaru and Beatrice, smiling with a golden pipe in his mouth, he offered outstretched hands.

“For the diligent folks… here’s a little gift!”

As the hands opened, multiple strange crystals, the size of coins, were laid bare on the palms.

Subaru didn’t know what they were, but Beatrice recognized them.

“That’s a core bug…!”

“Yep. Those belong to them.”

Nodding casually, the figure rubbed his palms together with a grin.

In the very next moment, the undead across the street let out painful cries, disintegrating into dust. — The cores that maintained the undead had been crushed, causing them to lose their forms.

The one who had effortlessly executed this was a tall black werewolf —

“Halibel!”

“Oh, oh, glad to see you! I like kids who can shout loudly and energetically!”

Halibel, who had acted separately, nodded at Subaru’s surprised voice.

He was someone Subaru had entrusted with the elimination of a threat deemed crucial for their team’s best performance during this Imperial Capital battle.

His presence here meant—

“Rest assured, I took care of the job. Couldn’t squash Ana boy’s face though.”

“—! That’s a relief! Thank you! Can I ask for your help continuously!?”

“Hmm, no need to hold back. Just ask away.”

“I want you to join me at the castle! But on the way, I want you to assist the others. I’ll make Abel work his butt off here!”

“How rude…”

Subaru brushed aside Abel’s grumbles as he made his proposal.

In any case, having Halibel complete the job was a stroke of luck. Given how precarious Emilia and the others were, having Halibel join would be like a bonus, enhancing Emilia’s performance.

“Orbal should be at the castle too. So we can handle Emilia and Tanzer…”

“Wait, Natsuki Subaru. Is that based on strategic judgment? If not—”

“If you’re satisfied with it, then let’s call it that! It affects my performance, after all!”

Subaru retorted back to Abel who was trying to interject, their glares clashing.

Beatrice, firmly grasping Subaru’s hand, seemed supportive. Amidst their intense stares, Halibel stepped in.

“Hey, no need to fight. And about the battle at the castle, I don’t think we’ll need it?”

“Eh?”

Subaru widened his eyes in response to what Halibel had said while stroking the hair under his chin.

When searching for proof for that statement, the “Worshiper” gazed off into the distance with thread-thin eyes.

“Is it about the power of love being great, or something?”

He laughed with a mixture of disbelief and admiration.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　△▼△▼△▼△

――An unbelievable scene was unfolding.

As she lost track of whether she was Yorna Mishigure or Iris, she could only hold back tears as her vision threatened to blur.

“――Tanzer.”

The name she uttered with trembling lips referred to the vixen girl, her one eye ablaze, fiercely combating the onslaught of undead swordsmen while flipping the hem of the chosen kimono.

It was a confident and vibrant battle far surpassing the Tanzer she once knew.

Tanzer had been a girl filled with insecurities.

In her youth, she was clever, capable, yet deemed herself far too inadequate, the harshest critic of her own worth. When she truly was of the same age as Tanzer, being like her was not something she could achieve.

Assigned work, so as not to become a burden on her parents and the people of her village, she foolishly flaunted the notion that fulfilling her responsibilities was her duty, completely oblivious to the kindness surrounding her.

Now, compared to that self, she stood face-to-face with the remarkable Tanzer, who she believed had perished, uncertain and unsteady on this ground.

Concerning Priscilla, the empire, the magic city, Tanzer, Yugaldo—and her own muddled mind was in turmoil, the greatest confusion she had ever faced in her numerous lives.

This was far too much to bear in close succession…

When had so much happened since they became separated in the magic city?

Visiting Chaos Frame together with her sister Zoe, she thought she had been watching Tanzer’s growth closely from that point. But had anyone been around Tanzer, supporting her, and pushing her to become strong since then?

Someone other than herself had stood alongside Tanzer, encouraging her to grow stronger.

She felt it in Tanzer’s strong gaze, in her determined strides, in the punches she drove into the face of the undead swordsman.

“Tanzer-chan!”

“Yes, Emilia-sama, let’s press on.”

The silver-haired girl — Emilia — chimed in as she coordinated with Tanzer, her voice ringing out like silver bells.

With her long hair dancing, she swung the ice-crafted weapon, striking down the undead swordsmen in tandem with Tanzer, flawlessly synchronizing their offense and defense.

Despite the limited time they had established their rapport, Tanzer and Emilia worked together remarkably.

The blue-haired swordsmen — the “Zombie Swordsmen” were smashed one after another, fragments scattering around them in sheer disbelief at Tanzer and Emilia’s unimpressive power.

Yet —

“Ah, ah, ah, alas, the limits of the living, I see! You swing with such fervor, but how long do you think that strength will last?”

“Stop it! You’re cheating, don’t act all high and mighty!”

The undead swordsman with the glittering golden eyes challenged Emilia with a provocative grin.

As she slammed her hands against the ground, a moment later, ice branches extended from the street, ensnaring the swordsmen’s arms, legs, and torsos.

――It looked like thorny vines.

“――Ugh.”

“Yorna-sama!”

She suddenly felt a pain within her chest, causing her to crouch down.

Tanzer grasped her in a panicked shout, but even that moment indicated Tanzer’s mind was drifting away from the battlefield.

“Strive greedily for victory!”

“――!”

A powerful front kick was released, propelling Tanzer’s small form backward.

She soared through the air, heading toward the crouching figure of herself. As she instinctively looked up to call Tanzer’s name, she thought, what good would it do?

It would only pull Tanzer’s focus away unnecessarily.

“――Tanzer!”

“Yes, Yorna-sama.”

At the sound of her cry, Tanzer leaped through the air, regaining her stance just before colliding with Yorna’s figure, her small yet mighty back in front of her.

Then, the relentless sword strike from the “Zombie Swordsman” approached them both —

“――Emilia-sama!”

“Sure!”

Without hesitation, Emilia responded, and Tanzer lifted her leg.

That raised foot — the ice geta she had switched to — directly met the sword of the “Zombie Swordsman.”

It was an exact match for the thick-soled geta that the vividly colorful Yorna Mishigure adorned.

“Yaaah!”

With her lifted foot halting the blade, Tanzer bounced off the ground, spinning mid-air — her opposite thick-soled geta smashed down the “Zombie Swordsman’s” head into the earth.

As the severed head of the undead was struck down, the ground around it caved in, a circle nearly five meters in radius formed, converting the struck opponent into dust while Tanzer fluttered her kimono’s hem.

“――――”

In that graceful moment, Yorna could only watch in awe, spellbound by Tanzer’s captivating figure. Noticing Yorna’s gaze, Tanzer turned back, the corners of her eyes slightly crinkling as she smiled.

Upgrading her lips to call out “Yorna” seemed imminent.

“――No, stop!”

In that instant, Emilia, who had been a distance away, thrust her hands out, with an air of frozen anxiety and the two “Zombie Swordsmen” behind Yorna being frozen solid into statues.

Yet, Yorna could not express her gratitude.

More importantly, she had to stop the violent actions of another “Zombie Swordsman” suddenly materializing behind Tanzer — no, she had to rush to protect her.

“I…!”

She had overlooked so much, failed to grasp so many things, disappointed many, and here she stood on top of countless lives.

The weight of all that she couldn’t repay loomed over her, yet she couldn’t allow it to happen to Tanzer.

“――――”

With outstretched arms, she vowed to embrace Tanzer and shield her from harm, bracing to protect her from the attacks.

Well done, she thought. At this moment alone, she was glad she wasn’t stuck, trembling and unable to move.

At least now, her grown body, much larger than before, could protect this little dear, the precious child the one before her had sheltered with love.

“——It’s only you who can surprise me so profoundly, it seems.”

That soft voice, sweetly whispering in her ear, warbled in stark contrast to the fierce winds of battle, soothing her heart that had just felt the threat of death, dissolving its worry.

“――――”

Before the blade of the “Zombie Swordsman” could reach her, it was halted by the inserted crimson treasure blade.

Witnessing the one who executed it, she could only draw in a breath.

It was an unexpected yet unwelcome reunion.

Should she be happy, or sad? Even from that moment, her heart felt cracked in two.

Ultimately, she arrived at this moment without managing to clarify how she truly felt.

For now, just this moment alone, she knew clearly.

“Your taut face is lovely, my star.”

“Your Excellency…!”

As he spoke, the man who caressed her cheek with the opposite hand—a vividly colored blooded Yugaldo Volakia—stood before her, with living warmth in his skin and a heart contained in his eyes. Yorna and Iris could not hold back their overwhelming adoration.

 

---