A symphony of steel clashing erupted, like the cries of women in distress, as sparks flew.

“Gaaaaaaaah—!”

“Ahahaha! Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!”

Twisting and turning gracefully, the dancer’s blade sliced through the air, targeting vital points from all directions without hesitation.

Such attack is a feat of unimaginable physical prowess; each seemingly casual strike bore the potential to inflict fatal injuries upon Garfiel.

The curved blade, tips bent like a hook, split the wind, its speed transcending sound as it moved with almost divine swiftness.

Garfiel, equipped with shields in both hands, deftly slid, redirecting the strikes rather than blocking them outright, avoiding direct collisions.

The assault’s momentum remained unbroken as the woman’s body swayed, and in the gaps left open, Garfiel struck back, launching a front kick toward her exposed torso.

Garfiel’s direct kick possessed a power akin to that of a cannon, capable of shattering even stone walls.

If he landed such a direct hit, it would easily breach the soft defenses of human flesh, crushing internal organs with overwhelming force.

In fact, every blow from Garfiel had resulted in battered, broken bones of the woman, effectively delivering the message of impending doom multiple times over.

However—

“I saw that earlier!”

“Don’t screw with me!!”

In response to Garfiel’s soaring kick, the woman twisted her body to avoid its trajectory. The missed footwear barely grazed her back, entwined with her flowing black cloak.

For a moment—albeit dangerously so for both the woman and Garfiel—it was a critical pause.

“Sh—”

With a short exhalation, the woman wrapped her arm behind her back, shrouding Garfiel’s leg entangled in her cloak further in fabric. Her opposite hand swung with a half-rotation, gliding the blade through its arc.

A direct strike aimed at Garfiel’s right thigh, instinctively, he jumped slightly off the ground using his remaining left foot, thrusting the sole of his shoe beneath the ensnared right foot.

Garfiel’s left foot collided violently with the blade’s side.

The crunch of steel being bent intertwined with the sound of a splintering wrist as the woman let out a lewd cry, dropping the knife. She staggered back, as Garfiel, trapped by the cloak, could do nothing but tumble to the ground. With the impact of the kick and his two hands on the floor, he flipped backward, distancing himself before freeing his ensnared foot from the fabric.

“I’d say I’ve taken your wrist and your knife, huh!”

“It’s all right. I have other knives, and my left hand will move soon. The cloak is… just a nuisance in this fight against you.”

“Don’t pretend to be tough!”

“Whether that’s bravado or not, you can confirm by your intestine!”

Wiping away sweat with the snatched cloak, Garfiel tossed it to the edge of the hallway.

Elsa ignored the discarded cloak, rubbing her twisted left hand lightly with her right while calling out to the enormous shadow that stood behind her.

“Meily, don’t just stand there quietly; pass me a spare knife!”

“Geez, Elsa, you’re so inconsiderate. I’m not your bag carrier or knife assistant. I want to fight without being interrupted by oversized boars!”

The shadowy figure—riding atop a massive beast—pouted and tossed something to Elsa.

It was a holder that contained the curved blades Elsa wielded. Drawing out two new blades from it, she examined their grip one-handed while glancing up at the girl.

“You’re the one to blame for bringing such a large beast just to look cute. I’m happy to be able to dance with her without any nuisances around, but…”

“And getting so absorbed in that, letting the main target slip away would defeat the purpose. If Mom finds out what you’ve done, she’ll surely be furious. I’ll make sure to tell her it’s all your fault.”

“If you’re too scared to tell, then sneak attacks and snatching wins are out of the question. Good kids like Meily and the others can do that. I’ll gladly handle the troublesome kids!”

As she spoke, Elsa tossed the blades into the air, juggling them one-handed.

With how thick the blades were, a misstep could result in losing an arm, yet Elsa tossed them without an ounce of worry, catching them smoothly in both hands.

“Sorry for the wait. If it’s just holding it, my left hand should be fine for now.”

“Don’t sweat it. I want the same thing, stalling for time. It’d be rude to interrupt a sisterly discussion. Family matters are precious.”

“Oh? Just how are we sisters?”

“I’m saying we’re referring to the same mother, you know! The color of our hair, the color of our eyes, our looks—none of that matters. Even beyond the blood, we can still call it family!”

Hearing Garfiel’s self-proclaimed philosophy, Elsa blinked for a moment, her expression transforming into one of surprise before breaking into a fit of giggles.

“Hmm?”

“Fufu… Oh, forgive me. It was just unexpected to hear such words from you, and it tickled me. …You seem quite the nice boy, actually.”

“Don’t treat me like a kid. I’m a proper man!”

“Really? You don’t look entirely like an adult or a man to me…”

Still beaming, Elsa playfully responded to the sulking Garfiel.

The perplexed expression on Garfiel’s face deepened as Elsa’s amusement only soared.

“Elsa, Elsa. Do you think this scary person might actually be cute?”

“Indeed, Meily. I’ve just started thinking the same. It’s been a while since I’ve seen someone I want to keep alive after pulling out their intestines.”

“Quit with all that nonsense. You guys, both of you are getting a fistful from me!”

Garfiel declared while rotating his wrists.

He wasn’t entirely clear on the meanings behind Meily and Elsa’s banter, yet there was no doubt that it disregarded Garfiel’s intent.

Understanding that much, Garfiel was determined to avoid offering any kind words of kindness.

If they weren’t the ones crying and pleading for forgiveness, he would crush them and render them immobile, thus bestowing the requisite punishment. —That was Garfiel’s role.

“Now, come at me. Sure, stalling for time is essential, but I’m also looking to grab some wins for myself. I’ll beat you down thoroughly and teach you that I am the strongest shield, both inside and outside the ‘Sanctuary’!”

With a flourish, Garfiel clashed his shields together.

The loud ring echoed through the hallway as he exuded his fighting spirit towards the two opponents.

“—Pfft! Hey, Elsa, did you hear that? The strongest shield! The strongest shield… Pfft! How adorable!”

Yet, despite Garfiel’s declaration, Meily burst into laughter, and even Elsa’s demeanor deepened into a smile with no trace of intimidation.

“What are you laughing at, huh?”

“Oh, it’s just funny. If you think you’re strong, then the brothers who ran away are just hilarious.”

“Are the commanders the ones being called funny?”

“Exactly! Because think about it! The area around the mansion is surrounded by my pets, and there’s only one way to escape the mansion. Actually, that was where Elsa was supposed to be stationed, but she moved without permission, so I just left a substitute.”

“——”

With Meily’s critical gaze upon her, Elsa averted her eyes, unfazed.

Shrouded in murderous intent, she meticulously observed Garfiel’s movements, leaving him feeling uncomfortably pinned down. On top of that, Meily’s confidence was a point of concern.

Meily sharpened her gaze in front of Garfiel, giving a gentle tap to the back of the giant beast she rode on.

“Besides this rock boar, I brought one more special guest today. I made sure to block the way with it. So, your attempt to stall for time is actually counterproductive!”

“…………”

“Sure, if you take down Elsa and me easily, you’d be able to chase after your brothers, but that’s not what’s happening, is it? So, seeing how hard you’re trying to stall without realizing that has everyone cracking up!”

She struggled to hold in her laughter as Meily innocently mocked them.

In response to that youthful malice, Garfiel let out a deep sigh.

It was true that a number of uncertain conditions were overlapping, placing them in a genuine crisis. Indeed, he acknowledged it was a situation beyond mere plans.

However—

“Hah. Ridiculous.”

“…Huh?”

“You’re the one who doesn’t get it. A monster still exists? Am I being held back here? That’s not how the world works for me or my commanders!”

As he watched Meily’s smile fade, Garfiel pressed forward.

Elsa slightly leaned in response to his movement.

“I’m up against the very commands I gave to bring the commanders down. —So, I’m going to knock your interruptions aside with a laugh!”

※※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

“Impossible, impossible, impossible, impossible, impossibly impossible, seriously impossible, what even is happening…!”

Gasping for breath, Subaru blurted out in despair as he collapsed.

At the landing of the third floor of Roswaal’s Mansion, just before reaching the top floor, Subaru and his group—Otto, Frederica, Petra, and Rem—were huddled in silence.

All of them showed clear signs of fatigue as they crouched on the floor, their bodies dotted with numerous injuries.

Especially—

“Frederica, are you alright?”

“…Yes, this much isn’t a big deal. I’m sorry to show such a disgraceful side in front of Subaru-sama.”

“We can’t get anywhere without you. The pathetic ones are honestly me and Otto here. Sorry about this. Being weak.”

“T-this time… I don’t have much room to argue against Natsuki-san’s light-hearted remarks.”

Otto sighed heavily, frustrated, while Subaru spat out a clot of blood from his mouth.

Ignoring the aches radiating throughout his body, Subaru adjusted Rem, still slung over his back. —Taking over the role of carrying her from Frederica was Subaru’s current task.

Otto grasped Petra’s hand, while Subaru carried Rem. Thus, the remaining fighter, Frederica, paved the way at the front, forming the best strategy for their group of five.

Immediately after parting ways with Garfiel, they faced an ambush from two hyena-like beasts.

While they barely managed to fend them off with Otto’s magical ores and Frederica’s fierce battle, they ended up repeatedly entangled in the magical beasts’ wicked clutches throughout the mansion.

A swarm of bat-like darkwing rats lying in ambush in the passage connecting the main building and the auxiliary building.

Hyena-like striped king dogs prowling the mansion, seizing opportunities to strike at any chance.

Kangaroo beasts laying nets as Subaru and his party fled to guest rooms, preying on the moments they let their guard down.

Handling the two-headed snakes, with bodies as thick as Subaru’s arms, had proven especially challenging.

They smoked the darkwing rats away, brought down the striped king dogs with Frederica’s claws, retreated while being nipped on the rear by kangaroos, and using Otto’s desperate negotiations to hold off the two-headed snakes, Subaru had managed to wrap around their bodies, leading Frederica to sever both heads— thus, they found themselves in this very hallway.

“This is completely… It was a mistake to be split from Garfiel…”

“Don’t say such cowardly things! Garfiel might be thinking everything is fine for us and confidently howling at the moment; let’s at least match the expectations we’ve built!”

“Seriously, your stubbornness doesn’t seem fit for a businessman…”

Otto, appearing the most physically unharmed among them, responded to Subaru’s wry smile, filling him with renewed determination to stand tall.

Carrying Rem on his back honestly felt sorrowfully light. They say carrying an unconscious person is heavy, but that wasn’t the case with Rem.

He couldn’t feel much warmth or weight. Her presence was so faint. Only the faint sound of her heartbeat and breath confirmed her existence, and Subaru adjusted his grip on her with particular care.

Despite knowing he shouldn’t let her fall, he feared the possibility.

“Frederica…”

“I’m fine, Petra. You don’t have to worry that much… We’re almost at our destination.”

Frederica tried to smile back at Petra, who looked at her anxiously.

However, contrary to her words, Frederica was in no state to view things optimistically. In the fight with the hyenas, her one arm was now ensnared and had bled, leaving her less capable of movement.

As a complete fighting force, they were far from ideal. A prompt healing and a tranquil place were necessary.

“However, it’s true that we’re almost at our goal.”

Subaru said, heading towards the top of the stairs —the highest floor.

What Subaru aimed for was Roswaal’s study. Obviously, it had an escape route leading outside, and it was the most troublesome path that had led to Elsa’s intrusion in previous loops.

Initially, when they lost all exit options, Subaru had nearly discarded the thought of fleeing through that route — but after discussions with Frederica, he reconsidered.

Right after parting ways with Garfiel, following repelling the ambush by the two hyenas, the scenario unfolded.

“There’s a hidden passage in Lord Roswaal’s study that leads outside. Using that path, you can escape to the hut in the forest beyond this mansion.”

“Unfortunately, Frederica, it doesn’t seem like things will go that smoothly. That hidden passage has been compromised. After all, that black woman entered through that very path.”

“—”

Understanding the grim situation as Frederica fell silent, Subaru informed her, knowing it to be a definitive despair.

In past loops, Subaru had encountered Elsa while trying to check the hidden passage. Even if it varied whether that psychopath entered through that path every time, her existence was known.

“Those two earlier, Elsa and that other girl… from their conversation, it seems they have other comrades. Regardless of whether the one referred to as ‘Mom’ is actually their mother or not… If reinforcements are coming, then the path…”

It would naturally be sealed off.

Surrounded by magical beasts outside the mansion, and with the only escape route also under enemy control, Subaru found himself trapped in a truly dire situation, igniting an intense thought process.

A life-or-death situation.

It was pitiful not being able to rely on Beatrice’s power here.

Had Subaru successfully convinced Beatrice, he wouldn’t have had to worry. With her ‘Door Crossing’ ability, escaping from here would be a breeze that wouldn’t require any second thoughts.

“…I’m powerless.”

Subaru lamented the situation, knowing Beatrice’s anguish and recognizing it was foolish to ask for her strength.

Not being able to bring her out at this moment was proof he’d failed to truly see Beatrice.

It was only reasonable that she would abhor him and cast him outside.

“Natsuki-san.”

“Subaru.”

In this moment of introspection, Subaru felt a hand slap his shoulder, and another pulling on his arm.

Looking over, he saw it was Otto on his right and Petra on his left. Each was attempting to bring Subaru back to reality in their way, only for them to realize they had done the exact same thing and grimaced at each other.

Seeing Otto and Petra like that, Subaru released a breath of relief.

“Subaru-sama. It may be my opinion, but I think we should still choose that route.”

Frederica raised her voice as Subaru took a breath.

Lifting his head, Subaru saw Frederica holding up a finger.

“Though it may outwardly seem like we’re trapped in a corner, surrounded by ferocious magical beasts and having our only escape route in enemy hands, logically, if we don’t deal with this, we’ll surely face demise…”

“Yeah, that’s right. I think we need to try and find a weak point in their encirclement.”

“By the way, Subaru-sama, that black woman who attacked us, was it someone we encountered before?”

Her low inquiry cut off Subaru’s words, prompting him to quietly draw in a breath.

He couldn’t glean the intent behind her question; all he did was nod, “Yeah.”

“She targeted Emilia in the royal capital once before. At that time, thanks to the sword saint who happened to be there, we managed to avert disaster. Expecting that handsome guy’s intervention this time would be quite convenient, though.”

“I see. The current sword-saint was present there. In any case, it doesn’t matter. What I wanted to know was not the past moment of repelling that woman, but her personality.”

“Personality?”

Subaru tilted his head at Frederica’s unclear statement.

“What I mean by personality is… that I can say she has bizarre tendencies. She has a penchant for slicing open others’ bellies and examining their innards, commonly referred to as ‘Intestine Hunter.’ As for her danger level, she ranks among the world’s greatest.”

“Plus, it’s clear she’s insistent on doing that herself, as seen by her delight in trading blades with Garfiel…”

“Not exactly close, but that’s likely her character, yeah… I don’t follow the conversation, though?”

“It’s simple, Subaru-sama. —There’s something unexpected happening with this ambush.”

Her assertive declaration caught Garfiel by surprise.

Subaru stared wide-eyed at Frederica’s confident exclamation.

“Currently, magical beasts encircle the mansion. Most likely, that girl who was with her is the beast manipulator… we should call her a beastmaster. The original plan, I believe, was for the magical beasts to close in and assault the mansion, attacking us inside.”

“Why do you think that?”

“—Because the timing of the ambush was off between the beastmaster and the ‘Intestine Hunter.’”

Subaru furrowed his brow at Frederica’s assertive words for a moment, only to suddenly realize what she meant and clap his hands.

“Aha! That’s it! Damn, why didn’t I notice this sooner? Indeed, if Frederica is right about that, it aligns perfectly with her character! That freak would surely act like that!”

“What do you mean? I don’t follow this connection.”

Subaru kicked the floor out of excitement and frustration. Otto looked so despondent in trying to keep pace with the conversation, and yet Subaru nodded at him.

“It’s a simple story, Otto. Really, we should have been trapped due to the magical beasts’ attack, so we’d have no choice but to flee through the only escape route available, right?”

“It certainly looks like that’s how it’s unfolded now. But the discussion was that you can’t use that secret path because it’s compromised, right?”

“Exactly. If the ambush had followed the correct narrative, we’d have been herded towards the hidden passage and caught by Elsa lying in wait. That had to be their plan… But things are disarrayed. Elsa isn’t currently in the hidden passage!”

“—”

Why was that?

Considering Elsa’s nature, it was an obvious realization.

“That action of hers was to prevent prey from running away, causing her to act independently. That’s why the timings of the beastmaster and the ambush were askew. Plus, she left behind her designated area which she was supposed to block… —For that reason, now, the hidden passage has no one watching it!”

“Originally, the black woman was supposed to be lying in wait there. Thus, in this unexpected situation, it’s highly unlikely for reinforcements to be stationed there as per the planned scenario. Of course, as time passes, the opposing side will eventually realize they’re out of sequence. The odds of someone being sent to contend with the hidden passage will increase gradually.”

“If we don’t hurry and escape before anyone comes, we’re doomed!”

Following Subaru and Frederica’s conclusion, Petra jumped up in excitement.

Subaru ruffled Petra’s bright brown hair and laughed, “Perfect!”

“Considering our gathered information, this is the most plausible route. Regardless, this discussion holds more promise than trying to break through the magical beasts’ encirclement. At the very least, even checking on the study would be worthwhile… let’s do it! This is the only option we have to escape safely!”

With that exuberant spirit, the group reached the very threshold of the study.

All were exhausted, both physically and mentally. Yet, the hope so close stood sentry to draw forth their last reserves of life from their battered bodies.

That very fire of hope—

“…Hey, hey, this can’t be true.”

As Subaru peered around the corner of the stairs leading to the top floor, he inadvertently muttered his thoughts aloud.

Otto’s head peeked in from above alongside Petra who emerged from below, all three of them seemingly submerged in shared disbelief.

“What’s wrong? Is Lord Roswaal’s study…?”

Frederica, seating herself in the midst of the stairs, prompted the scouts for answers. Yet she, too, could read the situation from the reactions of the other three.

Fearing what it might be, Subaru and the others turned quietly, and—

“There’s something really dangerous set up right before the room.”

—That danger appeared in the form of what Subaru recognized as a “Chimera.”

A creature possessing the head of a lion, with a body resembling either a horse or goat, and its tail twisting up like a snake. It wasn’t quite rivaled to the hippo beast that the beastmaster rode on, yet its size blocked the wide halls of the mansion. Such an outlandish existence seemed like it had jumped from the realms of myth—its combat prowess was undoubtedly formidable.

“That’s… the magical beast ‘Guiltirau.’ It’s a sort of overgrown predator that generally resides deep within the tainted forest… This shouldn’t have been dragged here to a human settlement… let alone into the mansion…”

“Is there a chance that it’s a flimsy creature, after all? Maybe it could seem fierce but actually, be docile if you tossed it some bonito flakes or something…?”

“What even is bonito? How about I try approaching it for food? I’d probably lose half my body in one bite…”

In response to Otto’s suggestion, Subaru imagined the size of Guiltirau’s head.

Realizing its mouth might just narrowly crush him with two bites.

“But even if Garfiel transformed, he’d be bigger. Alright, let’s get him to do a size comparison. If we’re larger, it’ll just crawl away, right?”

“And if we lure him back here, we’ll just end up getting a slap from that black lady. That’s not a laughing matter, Natsuki. …Have you thought of anything?”

While Otto cracked jokes, he directed an expectant gaze towards Subaru, as if he were anticipating an epiphany to strike during their preceding banter. It felt like an outrageously unreasonable hope, so Subaru glanced back at Frederica and Petra.

“Subaru.”

“Subaru-sama.”

Both ladies met him with the same expectant expression.

“—Hey, hey, what kind of expectations are you placing on me?”

Subaru exhaled deeply, shivering at the weight of their hopes. Then, re-adjusting the weight of Rem’s body on his back, he closed his eyes.

Considering their current predicament, discernible forces.

Frederica was injured, while Otto’s magical energy was nearly exhausted. Neither Petra nor Subaru held any fighting strength, and here they were on the third floor of the main mansion. It was entirely implausible to summon Garfiel, and asking Beatrice for help felt out of the question.

Thus, Subaru had only one conventional style left to contend with, employing whatever resources available.

He contemplated each individual’s abilities, what they could do, the materials at hand, the enemy’s situation, the conditions—all these swirling together, he let out a breath.

“If brute force and magic aren’t options… then it’s time to bet everything on my modern knowledge!”

※※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

It was a tiny sound that first caught the attention of the magical beast, Guiltirau.

“—”

The rhythmic, sharp tapping of a lightweight, hard object on the floor echoed repeatedly, prompting Guiltirau to lift its nostrils into the air.

Known in some regions as the king of the quiet forest—unlike other magical beasts, Guiltirau didn’t prize making unnecessary roars or sounds.

Its massive and deformed body glided gracefully through the wilderness, silently approaching its prey and striking with one lethal blow. That stealthy, assassin-like hunting style was its greatest prowess.

Thus, even while under the command of its “Master,” occupying one position waiting for an ambush was deemed a foolish act.

Of course, it had no intention of violating its Master’s orders.

Having had its “horn” broken, Guiltirau found itself free from the constraints of its command.

“—”

Sniffing the air, Guiltirau pondered the order from its Master: to await and ambush any approaching foes at the door.

That constituted its duty, and the will of its Master.

The sound of footsteps approaching was unmistakably clear.

Creatures that walked on two legs, much like the Master, often made this type of sound. While some silently moved without making a peep, the sounds from this owner were distinctly clumsy.

Unattentive, chaotic, careless, and unceremonious—there was not a shred of elegance.

To Guiltirau, this weakling represented nothing more than prey to be devoured carelessly.

“—”

Soundlessly, Guiltirau shifted from its position at the door.

The footsteps were emanating from the western staircase, an area that had again and again echoed with sounds of fray for some time.

Guiltirau was aware its Master had brought a multitude of magical beasts alongside it. Many lesser magical beasts, both weaker and smaller than Guiltirau, circled the building while its Master left it behind to serve as the door’s guardian, embarking on a hunt upon an especially large, slow beast.

Having chosen to employ such a lumbering monstrosity to hunt while relegating Guiltirau to backup duty raised quite a few questions. Still, if those troubling thoughts were resolved by the presence of a formidable adversary, it would at least restore its dignity.

Thus, Guiltirau merely remained stalwart, ready to pounce only until the adversary reached its designated position, even allowing itself to be attacked by other magical beasts and refraining from striking out in folly.

If prey is unable to reach him, it was unworthy of being fought.

Prey that would be slain by lesser magical beasts held no value whatsoever.

However, the target overcame the obstacles posed by other magical beasts, eventually arriving at this place. The moment Guiltirau sensed that presence, it felt an impetus of excitement stirring within.

—Was this the long-anticipated moment?

The sound of clumsy footsteps revealed a threat lurking around, weak and brittle beyond all measure.

It was an entity that appeared to scatter at a mere swipe of claws or fangs.

“—”

The surge of emotions within was one of fury. A singular rage.

Wielding its fangs, Guiltirau wished to tear apart prey and spread its blood and innards across the earth.

To sublimate the burning feelings akin to humiliation, nothing other than this would suffice.

Tracing the sound of footsteps, Guiltirau prowled without casting a shadow in the moonlight. Its massive form moved with such stealth that anyone observing would regard it as an absolute nightmare.

The pitch-black assassin silently crept closer to the nonchalant footsteps, stopping dead at the corner where the prey seemed to pause momentarily.

“—!”

With no breath to waste, Guiltirau lunged, aiming for the prey’s back—but—

“—?”

Having caught up and closing the distance to claw at its target, Guiltirau found that prey to be nowhere in sight.

Losing sight of where it could wield its raised arm, Guiltirau froze at the moment of confusion. It quivered its nose, seeking out the source of its prey.

Where had the foolish, fragile, weak target disappeared to?

“—!”

Once more, another set of footsteps reached Guiltirau’s keen ears.

Lowering its head to inspect the source of the sound, it realized the noise emanated from below. Footsteps descended and fled, the sound of prey trying to escape down the stairs.

It appeared that its target had noticed Guiltirau and hastened its pace to avoid detection, yet once Guiltirau registered that, it was determined not to let the prey flee.

Raising its head, Guiltirau looked back at the door it had been tasked with guarding by its Master.

Although this meant abandoning its position, it recognized that this was indeed the prey as commanded by its Master. Taking that head would assure compliance with its Master’s command.

Understanding this, Guiltirau pursued the prey, racing after its awkward attempts to flee.

Once that target turned its back, having entered its attack range indicated it had no way to defend itself.

In times gone by when Guiltirau ruled the mountains and forests, effortlessly hunting down spooked prey had become a trivial daily occurrence.

For those prey worthy of incorporation into its body, only those bearing true strength were considered.

Prey that turns its back and carries no resistance serves merely to remind one of the sensation of blood and flesh beneath its claws and fangs—suggesting that they, too, should learn how matters were defined.

Descending the stairs, it pursued the sound of footsteps.

Guiltirau leapt upon the landing, wildly dancing down toward the lower floor. As the prey fled to escape through the second, then the first level, Guiltirau landed upon the mansion’s first floor.

In the distance, signs of conflict radiated from another area of the building.

Its Master’s scent, compounded by the horrid odors of the huge brute of a magical beast that accompanied the Master. Alongside that, the smell of blood and steel, the essence of formidable strength.

“—”

Should it wish, Guiltirau desired to accompany its Master to partake in that battle too.

To unleash its claws and fangs against powerful foes, ripping apart their forms and drowning them in a sea of blood, savoring the taste of victory.

Yet, this was not a desire that was permitted. There were commands that must be obeyed.

—If it swiftly puts down this prey, it may yet secure a chance to rejoin.

“—!”

The greed and anticipation for blood ignited, causing Guiltirau to tremble.

The footsteps rose once more; as Guiltirau tracked them, it heard the sound of a door slamming shut. Peering into the dark corridor beyond the now-closed portal stood a recently sealed door filled with a strange energy.

Sprinting and ghosting past the door without a sound, Guiltirau positioned itself in front of the murderous prey lurking there.

Having grown familiar with the intruder’s characteristic play, it would not invite betrayal, despite enduring repeated ambushes under its Master’s commands.

It had now trumped every single adversary it had confronted—never had it faced a target that continued to stumble while adamantly seeking an escape.

It was time to kill. To capture. To chew, scatter, and stomp it into the dirt.

“—!”

Without even recalling to be stealthy now, Guiltirau hurled itself against the door the feeble prey had fled through.

With a thunderous crash, the double doors flung aside with effortless force, granting Guiltirau entry into a much wider chamber than before.

Inside the room, a giant table dominated the space, and at the furthest end was a hearth.

On the table dressed with a white cloth lay lit candlesticks, casting shadows that danced wickedly upon walls, illuminating a space once solely lit by moonlight.

“—”

The presence of fire kindled a train of discomfort for Guiltirau.

Though it was incapable of snuffing out the round, white flame that blanketed the sky, the nearby presence of this flame elicited a profound revulsion. After all, the forest it had once claimed as home was burned to ash, its sanctuary utterly erased. In the aftermath, having broken its horns and been forced into servitude, fire embodied for Guiltirau the conflicting memories of liberation and humiliation.

“—”

No footsteps revealed themselves. However, Guiltirau wasn’t so naive as to overlook the unknown sounds echoing through the expansive area.

The wide room’s structure had another exit directly across from the newly opened entrance.

In such an enclosed space with minimal recesses, Guiltirau sensed a presence beyond that door.

Sniffing again, its keen sense was still dulled.

It could not gather the essence of its prey—the scent of fear, or the aroma of excrement. Even if it tore that prey apart now, it would faintly taste the blood but would lose every whiff of flavor.

Such was the price to enjoy tearing its prey apart.

Currently, ridding itself of this torturous embarrassment remained of utmost priority—seeking final shrieks from the pitiful target that had brought this upon it was the only source of salvation.

“—”

With determined advances, Guiltirau strode directly toward the chamber.

Then, with a mighty thrust, it blasted through the door with its long tail. Seeking to duplicate the behavior it displayed against the wardrobe, it tore the door down, and inhaled before charging right into the room.

“—Ooooooo!!”

Bursting into the chamber, it roared triumphantly.

The bellow served to intimidate its prey, coaxing quivering flesh to yield itself to claws and fangs, staining the floor with blood and flesh.

Frantically swinging its tail, furniture turned as Guiltirau devastated the interior, torn bags and boxes billowing high from the thunderous debris that arose around.

With the front claws smashing the floor, it ripped apart fabrics laid upon the ground—clouds of white smoke surged up like a storm, enveloping Guiltirau’s vision.

“—!?”

The sudden surge of dazzling brightness filled its sight, instantly stifling Guiltirau’s breathing. A massive amount of powder was swirling through the air.

Its vision blurred, the growls escaping Guiltirau’s throat faded in the turmoil—a thick cloud of powder rendered it temporarily blind and choked a deep breath from it.

“It’s caught!”

A disembodied voice pierced through the chaos, and that sound danced about not from within the room but from just outside the threshold.

“Embrace it all, the very essence of science—powder explosion!!”

With a loud crash, something was hurled into the white mist inside the room.

That object flickered brightly, glimmering as it struck one of the candlesticks on the table from earlier.

The candlestick hit the wall, its fire cascading down to the floor, igniting suddenly with even more ferocity.

“—”

“Oh no, wait…?”

That being said, there was no further reaction.

The candlestick lay upon the ground, yielding no further result. The voice of the one who hurled it tumbled amid stunned realization, standing in shock outside the room.

“—!”

In that pivotal second, Guiltirau sensed this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Clearly, something had gone amiss for the opposition. Had that not been the case, then Guiltirau’s very being would have faced immediate peril.

Upon understanding this, Guiltirau made the decision to dodge, retreating from the small compartment out into the wider space.

Emerging into the expansive room where it could exhibit its full might, Guiltirau became determined that whatever its prey was scheming wouldn’t matter in the least. It would be subdued by the sheer dominion of strength that would crush those frail figures before it.

At that stage, nothing else was required—.

“Ugh, I told you to quit being so weird!”

“Seriously, it’d be quicker to handle it simply like this!”

Just as Guiltirau aimed to charge forth, it caught the sound of two more prey’s voices.

One deep, the other high—aware that the tones belonged to different individuals of prey, Guiltirau’s senses kicked in when it recognized the top-half of the shelves was soon to collapse upon it.

The ropes extending from the entrance had tied the shelf legs.

If it were to focus on the target that had fled… that shelf came crashing down behind it.

Regardless, the shelf was only large enough to cover Guiltirau’s rear end in a minor way.

The impact delivered would have been little more than a slight bump—insulting enough to deal negligible harm.

Accepting that collision with leisure, Guiltirau drew its claws, severing the cord.

Finally, it aimed again to escape into the expansive chamber—

“—!?”

Just then, the cupboard flew open, spilling the liquid it had contained across Guiltirau’s powerful form.

The sensation was different from water. The viscous reality, tinged with a slight yellow, drenched down Guiltirau’s prized dark fur, generating displeasure within.

Yet such foul feelings faded almost instantaneously.

“—!?”

“Ottō Suwen’s private stock, all the money poured into commercial oil—take it all!”

Peering from the doorframe, the voice of prey echoed beyond the chamber.

But at that moment, Guiltirau could give little mind to the frailing voice of that pathetic prey.

—

The oil that coated its body ignited upon contact with the candle’s flames, engulfing Guiltirau in the very fires it had once known.

“—!!”

The king of beasts, hailing from the forest, who had reigned till the very end, became consumed by flames of humiliation, not knowing precisely what it was that had defeated him.

 

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