――The collapse of the Crimson Lapis Castle at the center of the Magic City “Chaos Frame” and the flood of shadows.

That was the identity of the roaring sound that shook the city, and it was a nightmarish scene for those who were present.

The beautiful castle, made of the splendid red and blue gemstone, the Crimson Lapis, crumbled as easily as a sandcastle.

For those familiar with the Magic City and its residents, it was a shocking blow, akin to the heavens falling.

Something that shouldn’t have occurred happened, blurring the line between dream and reality—even those unacquainted with the city felt the same.

“――――”

Within a room prepared for visitors from outside at an inn in the Magic City, a violent tremor spread.

Some widened their eyes in surprise, some stiffened in strong vigilance, some screamed, falling back in shock, while others leaned into their dismay to try and maintain their composure.

However, regardless of their reactions, what assaulted them was uniformly recognized as a “threat.”

As they were ensnared by it, trapped by primal fear, an irretrievable situation unfolded—

“「――Everyone, quiet down!!」」

In that instant, it was the sharp, resonating “overlapping” voices that cut through the time frozen in panic.

The echoes of two voices in the room—identical, they struck at the eardrums, reviving the almost catatonic minds.

Before those who shot their faces up in shock stood two figures, both with black hair.

One with an unmasked face, the other with an oni mask, both men extended their arms towards the overwhelming collapse visible from the window.

“Don’t stop! If we delay our response to that, everyone will lose their lives!”

“It’s a great devourer, one that swallows the castle and even seeks to consume the sky itself! If we don’t act now, the casualties will multiply in an instant!”

“――――”

“「――Kafma Ilurukusu!」”

As if following the same line of thought, the gazes of the two men converged onto one person.

The bronze-skinned man, Kafma Ilurukusu, was struck with awe, caught in confusion about which way to turn.

Yet, that confusion was short-lived because—

“「Stop that shadow’s steps! Know that your inaction is traded for the lives of the Empire’s citizens!」”

“――Hah!”

The moment he was shown the clear purpose of action, Kafma’s eyes cleared of hesitation.

He placed a fist on his chest and bowed.

“I will leave your side. May the blessings of the sun’s sword be upon you!”

“Your efforts shall be my blessing. Give it your all!”

“Of course――!”

Responding powerfully, Kafma headed straight for the window.

With momentum, he leaped, tearing through the window with his outstretched arm and scattering the glass shards as he flew outside. Immediately, Kafma’s back expanded, and from beneath the discarded cloak, six transparent wings unfolded.

Flapping his wings reminiscent of an insect, Kafma sliced through the sky of the Magic City.

His path was direct, aimed at the collapsing Crimson Lapis Castle being consumed by the shadows.

“How many did you bring?”

As he watched Kafma take flight, the oni-masked man—Abel—posed a sharp question. The target of his inquiry was the handsome black-haired man, Vincent, who had received Kafma’s bow.

The man seated on the throne of the Volakia Empire narrowed his eyes slightly at Abel’s question.

“The attendants are as you see. Kafma Ilurukusu, and the absent Roswaal Dunkelken. There’s another who isn’t particularly useful.”

“Is there no hidden piece? Your lightness has served against you.”

“Is it unreasonable to hold me accountable for that?”

Abel let out a thoughtless remark in response to Vincent, who had openly revealed his hand. Vincent offered a bitter protest, but Abel paid it no mind.

Placing a hand on his chin, Abel traced the lower part of his mask with his fingers, pondering for a few seconds as he glanced at the other people in the room—those unable to hide their agitation at the impending threat.

Among them, only two young girls responded to his gaze.

One was Medium O’Connell, a blonde girl with blue eyes, and the other was Tanzer, a deer-human girl in a kimono with round, frightened eyes; neither held the decisive power to change the situation at hand.

The only one who had the potential to serve as a valuable card was—

“A-ah…… Why, why, why now…?”

“Al-chan……”

Under the quiet gaze of Abel, a frightened voice emerged, oblivious to the surroundings.

A black-haired boy, hiding his face with ragged cloth, cradled his head with one arm as he struggled with the terrifying sight outside the window, yet was unable to look away due to the dilemma.

Among those accompanying Abel, this boy revealed the least about himself, but considering his genuine fear expressed, it felt hesitating to incorporate him into any strategy.

Not out of consideration for his feelings, but purely from the judgment of being useless.

“In that case, there aren’t many options left to take.”

As Abel contemplated, Vincent’s words stabbed into his thoughts.

Standing shoulder to shoulder, the two men who both could be called emperors looked out the window.

Casting aside the fleeting sentiment that briefly crossed his mind, Abel exhaled.

“Indeed, as Vincent said, there are few measures we can take.”

Then, like a response to Vincent, who must have reached the same conclusion, he added a single line.

“――We’ll regroup with Yorna Mishigure. Her power is needed.”

△▼△▼△

Sensing a change in the situation, Talitta licked her dry lips.

The shift in the air, the scent of pursuers, the palpable hostility and murderous intent; all of them were unlike before and prompted her mind to race for a brief instant.

Was it for good or ill? Which was it, really?

However——

“――It doesn’t matter which.”

If the outcome is the same, Talitta decided not to ponder deeply.

She was already aware of her lack of intellect. If it had been her sister Mizelda, even with a similar mental framework, she would undoubtedly pick the right path through instinctual intuition.

But Talitta did not possess the same keen instincts as her sister. She probably lacked acumen. A whole array of “no’s.”

Spending too long worrying would only lead to endlessly doubting whether she would arrive at the correct solution.

Thus, she resolved to not hesitate. After the result was realized, she could grapple with its righteousness endlessly.

Therefore, regardless of how the air changed with the pursuers, Talitta did not change her course of action.

“Ugh…”

“You can’t escape. No matter how strong you are.”

Talitta tightened her grip on the man whose airway had been constricted, his eyes bloodshot and struggling.

The man, a sheep-human with his right eye aflame, fought desperately to evade his binding, but Talitta made use of the sleeves of her discarded jacket to tighten on his neck, cutting off the tendons in his arms to impair his movements.

Honestly, Talitta was greatly troubled by the resilience of the pursuers, who could stand back up even after suffering serious blows.

“If only I knew how to deal with this, I might be able to manage just fine.”

“――――”

Eventually, the man’s gasping voice faded, and his powers drained away. Grabbing the opportunity, Talitta stripped the man of his jacket, laying his limp body beside the road.

Taking a breath, Talitta glanced back, seeing the bodies of the pursuers she had subdued laid out along the walls of the streets.

Realizing that blunt attacks and knife assaults were ineffective, she persevered with strangling techniques to achieve her victories.

Fortunately, the pursuers were not particularly gifted with extraordinary strength or stamina, but their technical ability to effectively wield their strength seemed quite poor.

Thanks to this, Talitta’s techniques proved effective, allowing her to continue neutralizing the pursuers peacefully.

――If it was acceptable to let them die, it would have been much easier.

“――Don’t kill them too much.”

That single phrase flashed back to her mind, compelling Talitta into considerable struggle.

It was a statement made by Abel just before they had parted, intending for her to act as a decoy to assist everyone in escaping.

Given the circumstances, it could have been a scene where she should have argued against such unreasonable demands. Yet, would one like Abel, with such keen insight, issue a directive that was impossible to carry out?

Or perhaps he believed that given her capacities, she could manage it.

If so, Abel must have recognized Talitta’s abilities.

“――――”

Just how much does Abel discern?

Of course, seeing the secret arts that attacked Subaru and Medium revealed that Abel wasn’t someone who could anticipate every situation perfectly.

If he could do that, he would no longer fall within the realm of normal humanity, but would be considered an existence beyond comprehension.

The domain of reasoning which should not be intruded upon; he was not a person who could transgress that boundary.

However, she could not help but think, if he could at least reach that point, perhaps it wouldn’t be overly presumptuous.

As one of Shudrak, equipped with the skills to catch any prey, Talitta possessed a strangling technique that should not normally work against beasts.

Yet she believed that Abel knew about both her proficiency and the reasons she possessed it.

“――Oh my, this is quite a spectacle.”

“――!”

A voice smoothly slipped into the gap of thought as Talitta paused.

Abruptly pulled back to reality, Talitta spun around with her dagger aimed at the unexpected assailant trying to strike her from behind.

“Whoa whoa, hold on, hold on! Let’s wait! That’s a bit of a jump to conclusions there!”

“……Who are you?”

“……Ah, are you alright? Have you calmed down? Can I lower my arms, then?”

Just before she was about to strike, Talitta immediately halted her knife hand.

Before her stood a gray-haired young man dressed in a hooded blue robe, who bent awkwardly to protect himself.

The man had a perfectly handsome face, but the upturned flames in his eyes signified the same energy seen among the pursuers, and above all, the clumsiness of his movements gave off no sense of danger.

However, the fact that he’d approached silently from behind could not be ignored.

“――――”

“Oh my, I’ve probably sparked quite a bit of mistrust now. I just passed through here by chance, an ordinary person, you see…”

“……Ordinary people wouldn’t remain unfazed by this.”

Claiming to be harmless only served to strengthen Talitta’s reasons to remain cautious.

The sight of the pursued laid out against the wall— at least until she confirmed the living status by approaching them, it wouldn’t be surprising to think they might all be dead, and there he was, standing unflinchingly.

Unless his heart was dead, the only response would be that rather than merely being familiar with such situations, he was well-versed in them.

Amidst Talitta’s wary gaze, the young man presented a slight smile resembling a shy grin.

For a moment, she almost showed weakness to his attractive features, but her apprehension against the dangerous nature prevailed. One cute young lad like Flopp was more than sufficient.

――Thinking about him right now was not the priority.

“Boy, oh boy, I’m tired of this. While I won’t say this scene is something I’m accustomed to, it’s definitely a sight to behold, just as I said. –Hey, Talitta?”

“――!”

“Whoops, don’t dig right in! I’m not your enemy despite looking suspicious!”

In an instant, her briefly relaxed vigilance snapped back into sharpness.

The attractive young man addressed Talitta by name, behaving as though they were old acquaintances. Of course, Talitta had no familiarity with him.

There was no one here to call her by name, nor would he possess any information about her.

The only possibility was that Abel had told him the information after parting ways.

“Did you meet my family?”

“――? Oh, so you’re with your family? Hmmm, I heard the people of Shudrak rarely leave the woods, so perhaps your tribal chief decided to make a change?”

“Why do I look like I’m from Shudrak…!”

“Oh dear, the more I say it, the worse it gets. This kind of thing really happens to me a lot.”

With a wry smile, the young man drew closer with an increasingly familiar attitude towards Talitta, but contrasting that, her unease and repulsion towards him heightened.

He showed no signs of hostility.

However, the ever-growing unease he radiated slowly planted a dangerous impression in Talitta’s mind that he should be dealt with here.

And she had a clear premonition of how that seed of suspicion within her would bloom and what sort of flowers it might bear.

Because――

“――The filth of Shudrak.”

“――Ah.”

Suddenly, Talitta’s consciousness went white at the words spun from the young man’s lips.

“――――”

Why had this man voiced those words? No, how did he even know?

After all, the last man to utter those words to Talitta was already――

“Destiny, you see. You have become the filth of Shudrak, Talitta.”

“D-destiny…?”

“It’s what can be called the course of the stars, or the guiding. It refers to the fate that is meant to be—that’s where you are at, is it?”

The young man informed Talitta who had gone blank as if it were a casual matter, shaking his head side to side.

Then he placed a hand on his own chest, piercing her with his dual gazes.

“Perhaps we can say our destiny.”

“――――”

The use of “we” sent a shiver through Talitta, making her gulp.

That sound, so loud it felt as if the world trembled alongside it. –No, the breath Talitta drew did not shake the world.

However, the world was indeed quaking.

It was――

“Oh my!”

The nonchalant, almost carefree sigh of the attractive young man.

Yet the situation that unfolded could not be expressed by such a casual stance; it was an immense upheaval.

――Far away, at the center of the Magic City, the magnificent Crimson Lapis Castle crumbled with incredible force, and red and blue light was engulfed in darkness.

It wasn’t figurative; real black darkness wrapped around the Crimson Lapis Castle.

The beautiful was being sullied, and the radiant cursed, as they were smothered by unsightly elements.

“Oh dear, what a scene… I might need to decipher this properly.”

“And you—”

Blocking the light with his hand, the young man gazed at the collapsing castle and the surging darkness.

One could almost suspect this calm young man was the cause behind the chaos. But as though he perceived Talitta’s suspicion, he shrugged as if to dismiss it.

“It’s awkward to say this right after chatting about destiny, but I have nothing to do with that. It’s essentially a problem of the Lugnica Kingdom. I’m out of jurisdiction.”

“Out of jurisdiction, Lugnica Kingdom…?”

“Could it be that girl doesn’t realize she’s a ‘Star Reader’? If that’s the case, perhaps the Lord is making quite the gamble… must be rather unavoidable?”

“Stop with the nonsensical talk! You know something!”

Talitta charged towards him, intending to threaten, as she seized him by the neck and pressed her blade to his pale throat.

If she twisted her wrist, a flood of blood would spray forth from the young man’s neck in the next instant.

Given the cold blade’s sensation, it should have been enough to predict that future.

“Maybe my life or death isn’t crucial for resolving this situation…”

“――!”

“Right now, you shouldn’t be dawdling here. This isn’t a situation for me; I’m just going by instinct.”

Yet, he spoke nonchalantly despite the knife’s pressure on his throat, staring directly into Talitta’s eyes.

This was the moment when her discomfort towards him reached its peak. The impulse to slice his throat arose without a clear reason.

However, just before surrendering to that violent desire—

“――Killing me won’t change anything for the better. It was the same back then, right?”

――That single remark prevented Talitta from finishing the swings of her knife.

“Oops!”

“Just vanish! Right now!”

Clenching her teeth, Talitta hurled the young man out onto the street, while he managed to endure hitting the ground with his long legs, and then rubbed his throat rudely as he cautiously glanced back at her.

“Shouldn’t this be akin to tightening your grip on your own neck? It’s not like you’ll get another opportunity to meet me, I think.”

“That’s for the best! Just seeing your face feels like…”

“――――”

“Like facing the same nightmare over and over again!”

Cursing with that feeling, Talitta waved her hand to dismiss the young man.

That gesture made him sigh, as he looked out from a distance toward the collapsing castle.

“It seems unlike me; you appear to have responsibilities. That may just be the trump card to quell that shadow.”

“Me…? I don’t have such power…”

“――Destiny has already been decreed. You understand, the filth of Shudrak.”

“――――”

“Whether you fulfill it or not, it is your choice. Compared to you who walks beneath destiny, I can’t help but envy someone who can find their direction.”

With that, the young man donned his hood and turned his back, departing at a leisurely pace.

Though it wasn’t a fast pace, he could be overtaken in an instant. But Talitta felt no desire to pursue him.

It was deeply rooted in her heart that she did not wish to get involved with him again.

Yet ultimately, the larger reason was the last words he left behind—

“――Destiny has been decreed.”

She wished she had no prior knowledge of that. Nevertheless, she did have an inkling.

And that inkling painfully afflicted her over the past few days.

She didn’t want to ponder before taking action.

To be caught up in a prolonged, unresolvable torment, she wished to avoid it.

“Talitta-chan!!”

“――Ah, Medium?”

Tightly clutching her shoulders, a familiar voice came from the downward gaze of Talitta.

As she hurriedly turned back, a girl, now undersized, ran toward her while waving her hand—it was Medium O’Connell coming her way.

“I’m so glad! I found you right away; you’re safe!”

“I’m relieved to see you’re safe too. …Are Abel and Subaru alright? And that thing, did it…?”

Facing Medium coming closer, Talitta quickly tossed her questions.

It was surprising that Medium was on her own and had been looking for Talitta. Of course, given the collapse of the Crimson Lapis Castle, it was strange to think that the game of “hide and seek” with Roswaal was still going on; she didn’t think they could have interrupted it.

As Talitta shared her confusion, Medium responded, slightly breathless.

“Abel-chan and Al-chan are fine! Subaru-chan and Rui-chan got separated! And, we’ve gotta do something about that shadow that came out of the castle, so Talitta-chan needs to come with me!”

“Subaru and Rui? Where am I supposed to—”

“Right now, we’re going to stop that shadow with Yorna-chan! Abel said he needs your strength too!”

“――――”

Talitta’s eyes widened, unable to conceal her astonishment at the words she heard.

From the corner of her view, even amidst her agitation from the encounter with the young man, the reality forced its awareness onto her as the black shadow looming around expanded its calamity.

Stopping it or confronting it was a notion completely foreign to Talitta.

Even now, hearing she had been called by Abel to help with it was beyond her comprehension—

“Talitta-chan, are you hurt!? Can you still go!? I’ll do my best, so let’s together give it our all!”

Medium’s confident words blew away Talitta’s confusion.

No matter how small her stature was, her earnest heart remained undiminished. Following her lead, Talitta nodded quietly.

“Understood. –Let’s get there right away.”

“Okay! Thank you!”

Talitta felt a surge of pain in her heart at Medium’s relief as she nodded energetically back.

Endlessly and for a long time, the torment that had continued to plague Talitta weighed heavily on her. What had been brushed aside in the midst of battle started asserting itself before the looming turmoil, urging her toward a decision.

“――Destiny.”

The word whispered about the now-absent young man echoed back in Talitta’s mouth.

Likely delighting within itself for being acknowledged like a name called out, her inner turmoil felt as though it surged with renewed energy.

△▼△▼△

――Time returned to the moment Crimson Lapis Castle collapsed under the great flood of darkness.

“Child――”

“Whoa!?”

Just in the nick of time, a girl called Rui was pulled back as she was about to leap forward without hesitation.

Following her instincts, influenced by the visceral threat that tingled at her nerves, she jumped back without realizing that the roof tiles of the main fortress were about to burst.

Those tiles shattered beneath the weight of her heavy heels, and the impact spread to the surrounding tiles, causing widespread destruction.

However, the mere fact that the tiles had cracked was trivial compared to the events that unfolded immediately after.

“――――”

The overflow of shadows, darkness, pitch blackness swallowed the main fortress, causing the exploded tiles to disappear.

――No, what was consumed was not merely the main fortress.

The upper levels, the middle levels of the Castle of Crimson Lapis were engulfed by the swirling black that flowed like a deluge, vanishing from the world as Yorna witnessed it clearly.

That was an ominous shade that absolutely must not be consumed.

The sort of true darkness that, once engulfed, there’s no escape—a darkness that made every hope invisible under layers of despair.

Instinctively, she sensed it. –That could not be allowed.

“Ugh!”

Holding the girl struggling in her arms, Yorna kept her gaze fixed on the darkening fortress.

The moment that shadow overflowed, she noticed that the boy with black hair at its center, as well as Roswaal, who had touched him, were nowhere to be seen.

In that instant, she spied the black-haired boy’s hastily drawn arm vanishing.

Even Roswaal, who was so greedy for life and proficient in sensing danger, failed to escape the severe circumstances.

In that moment, since she prioritized leaping away with Rui, Yorna was uncertain of Roswaal’s fate.

While she believed that the cunning elder would not perish, seeing that pitch blackness made her question whether it was right to fantasize anything positive.

And more than Roswaal’s life or death, the real distortion in Yorna’s thoughts lay in—

“Child……!”

The shadow that swallowed Roswaal’s arm, the safety of the boy who seemed to be at its core.

According to Yorna’s assessment, the boy possessed no particularly remarkable abilities. He excelled in situational judgment and never erred in deciding the moment to make his move.

If anything, that had perhaps been attributed to his victory against Roswaal. However, that didn’t equate to being endowed with extraordinary skills.

Thus, at that moment, it was only reasonable to assume there was no possibility for the boy to escape unscathed.

However, that held true assuming he remained merely a victim.

“If that boy was indeed behind this…”

Somewhere within that immense blackness, the boy would likely be lurking.

Yorna didn’t wish to think that this could be the boy’s intention; she recognized that desire despite herself. Yet, she had the decision she must make.

That task was as the master of the Magic City, the duty she had to fulfill, the position she had to bear, the object of love she must select――

“――!”

The moment she thought of that, a change occurred in the darkness before Yorna’s eyes.

The shadow, having swallowed half of Crimson Lapis Castle and attempting to ensnare its lower layers and walls as well, began to writhe, extending a “hand” toward Yorna and her fragile charge suspended in midair.

“――――”

What reached out quite literally could only be described as a “hand.”

The black hands stretched toward Yorna and Rui, not one or two, but a collection of ten or twenty—it was overwhelming.

Stretching shadows, elongated by sunlight, produced imagery that lacked pastoral tranquility, because emotions flooded forth from what were supposed to be featureless arms.

The vast shadows, the black hands besought only one emotion—“hunger.”

It was not simply the hunger of feeling one’s stomach in need of food.

It denoted an unfathomable “hunger” that yearned to consume everything.

“Child, be cautious! Mind your tongue!”

“Ugh, ah—!”

In order to evade the extending shadow, suspended in midair, Yorna resorted to extreme measures.

Uncertain of the shadow’s nature, and having witnessed the damage inflicted upon Roswaal, she consciously set out to avoid contact, believing that doing so would mean losing her life.

Thus, Yorna’s eyes widened, and she seized the exploded tiles from her previous leap to fashion it into a foothold, creating a way to escape into the sky of the Magic City.

With a light sound, using that flying tile as a step, Yorna soared high into the air.

In a bid to keep the shadow at bay, she attempted to fire a brick into the extending arms, yet the tile failed to pierce through the shadows and simply vanished, swallowed by the points of contact.

Leaving her assumptions untested, Yorna continued on, following the trail of her upward steps.

If the pursuing shadow’s arms could not keep pace with her erratic movements, it would prove beneficial. Or perhaps by predicting the range of the shadow, she could formulate a countermeasure.

Still—

“To be consistently on the defensive is truly infuriating.”

Not merely being chased; that wasn’t the issue.

Certainly, that was humiliating, yet the greatest loss was unquestionably Crimson Lapis Castle.

The Crimson Lapis was beautiful, and distinctly rare.

The mere thought of constructing a castle with it seemed both preposterous and absurd. The existence of that castle was not due to Yorna’s financial power or authority alone.

In fact, it had not even been Yorna’s idea to build Crimson Lapis Castle.

The beautiful castle, where red and blue danced, had been built by the citizens of the Magic City.

They had collaborated to gather gemstones so that Yorna’s residence as the ruler would not appear shabby, developing that splendid castle.

It was a rare gem. Handling such a material was challenging, and no one could possible comprehend just how much hardship had gone into constructing the castle. Yorna was no different and had never once conceptualized what those struggles entailed.

She had witnessed the castle’s construction from beginning to end without needing to imagine it.

Therefore—

“You’ve consumed my love, you ruffian—!!”

Pointing her long, slender finger at the shadow engulfing the castle, Yorna yearned to direct some force at it.

In that instant, the immense shadow that had enfolded Crimson Lapis Castle was pierced by a tremendous impact from within.

“――――”

Yorna could only speculate whether the shadow bore any substance or intentions, as she could not discern it.

However, she was certain she felt the resounding thrum of pain.

The shadow had consumed Crimson Lapis Castle—each stone comprising its walls had been imbued with the love of the citizens dedicated to Yorna.

Which led her to wonder how she could regard it as merely a castle.

How could she not love it?

The shockwave from the exploding castle dramatically reduced the shadow’s previous momentum from within.

The evidence of that being, it disrupted the black arms that sought to cling to Yorna, leaving her free to ascend to the skies.

Amidst Yorna’s grasping arms, even Rui, who squirmed, was wide-eyed in astonishment at Yorna’s surging love.

Yet, the girl’s reaction, which could be rephrased with appreciation, could not elate Yorna.

“After all is said, it’s just a castle; surely one could rebuild it. But…”

“Ugh?”

“If I were to attempt to construct a new castle, the Love I held for that castle, now lost… Is it my inadequacy that I lament this wasted love?”

Looking down at Crimson Lapis Castle, now reduced to a mere shadow of its former self, which had been over half swallowed; a bittersweet ache washed over Yorna’s heart.

Nevertheless, she had no time to brood over sentimentality.

Even if the shadow that reached toward her had been scattered, the source of that darkness had not been eliminated.

Not to mention—

“My white skin is a sign that the threat remains.”

The explosion that devastated the Crimson Lapis outweighed the impact of one entire castle. Even so, while the forward direction was slightly diminished, the overwhelming pressure she felt from that pitch-black void showed no sign of weakening.

The shadow was very much alive, and evidently, its resulting menace was equally intact.

Thus, as the conditions set—that is, the necessity to strike down that pitch blackness—Yorna needed to either construct or discover how to counter it――

“――Yorna-sama!”

As Yorna heightened her alertness, a voice from the ground reached her ears from a distance.

Looking down, she saw the citizens of the Magic City gathering around the ruins of the collapsed castle. They had been caught in the destruction and were lending a hand to the soldiers trying to escape from the rubble.

By that definition, they became snacks from the perspective of the encroaching darkness.

“Citizens, flee—!!”

Prompted by that rising danger signal, Yorna called out to the residents below to retreat.

However, as she had ascended too high into the sky, it was now too far to dive down and grasp them. The distance was too great, and it was unrealistic to expect them to share her awareness of danger.

――Thus, below Yorna, as shadows expanded to engulf the residents who had gathered, anxious for their lord’s safety, she could do nothing to stop this.

That was—

“――Think you can do this easily?!”

The residents standing still, black shadowy hands extending toward each of them, mere moments before they would disappear into the eternal void, those figures were suddenly swept away from the side.

The one who managed to achieve this was the emerald-green thorns that had reached the citizens from a distance.

Yorna recognized that sight. The wild growth of thorns was faster than the approaching shadows, snagging many of the citizens with its barbs, helping them escape.

There was only one person Yorna could think of who could perform such a peculiar feat, even among the bizarre beings of the Magic City.

“Kafma Ilurukusu, summoned by the Emperor to provide assistance—!”

The armored man who sprouted thorns from his outstretched arms and beat his transparent wings appeared at the center of the clamor, catching Yorna’s attention.

Beyond the peculiar sight of Kafma, it was startling that he had taken action to protect Yorna’s residents.

In the past, under the pretense of suppressing Yorna’s rebellion, Emperor Vincent had once sent an army to seize Chaos Frame.

Kafma had been one of those rampaging through the Magic City during that army’s deployment.

That he would now take action to safeguard Yorna’s citizens was—

“Even if I serve another, if they are citizens of the Empire, I shall act for them.”

“――――”

“Yorna Mishigure! I understand that you and I cannot share opinions on this matter, but to lay this aside would be unforgivable! I will work alongside you!”

When she met Kafma’s unwavering gaze, he heaved up toward the sky, soaring scene after scene.

Kafma, who drew the attention of the shadow consuming Crimson Lapis Castle through his aerial maneuvers, seemed intent on buying time by using his mobility and suppressive abilities.

The problem lay in what to do with the time earned, but—

“Ugh! Ah—!”

Faced with an immediate choice of action, Rui moved in Yorna’s arms, but the way she was thrashing wasn’t the reckless response of desperation from before.

The girl twisted in Yorna’s embrace, indicating one spot on the ground, growling.

Following Rui’s gaze, Yorna quickly realized what she was trying to convey.

And—

“Kafma, I entrust the area to you for a moment.”

“If that is what is needed, understood!”

“And….”

“What is it?”

Following the evasive maneuvers around the extending shadow, Kafma was seemingly immersed in the confrontation.

Yorna had no intention of distracting him, yet was compelled to express something she must convey without failing.

“I am grateful for you saving my children earlier.”

“―― I merely did what a general ought to do!”

As Kafma stuttered in surprise at Yorna’s gratitude, he immediately returned to fulfilling his duty of buying time.

Yorna reassessed her estimation of Kafma.

A stiff man, lacking flexibility; that impression had not altered. However, if he could maintain his determination, it could be considered a virtue. If the situation and needs permitted, he could be someone worthy of love as well.

Besides, even so, Yorna’s fondness would forever remain unchanged—

“I shall descend. Hold on tight.”

Gritting her teeth, feeling Rui clutch tighter as if to reaffirm her own safety, Yorna began to tread upon the remnants of buildings, discarded earth, and even clumps of dirt en route.

Along the way, she directed the citizens who sought answers to part from the remnants of Crimson Lapis Castle—even more so, from the ruins of the town the castle had left behind.

There, patiently awaiting Yorna’s arrival was—

“I was sure it was going to be the Emperor who would come.”

“Hmph.”

Arms crossed, standing proudly was a black-haired man with an oni mask covering his face.

Upon landing before him, Yorna came down right as he was preparing to pull his arms away, with Rui running over there immediately.

Then, Rui grabbed the man’s arm, pointing toward the castle while fluttering her long golden hair.

“Ugh! Ugh!”

“I understand without you needing to elaborate. Truthfully, I’ve differed in opinion regarding your treatment; I commend you for appearing before me.”

“Ugh! Ugh!”

“Will you follow my orders? If so, then I shall add you to my ranks.”

Pulled by the girl, the man replied to Rui’s assertions with undisguised indifference. Although Rui demonstrated visible impatience, she eventually released his arm rather reluctantly.

But her hesitance in running off hinted at her thoughts.

――To somehow rescue the boy who had been consumed by that dark shadow.

“Yorna Mishigure, are you aware of the situation? That is a calamity that cannot be left unattended.”

“Agreed. The pitch-black darkness that would return everything to nothing upon contact; as the master of the Magic City, I have no choice but to confront it. Moreover, it has swallowed my castle. –Could it be you anticipated this happening?”

“I suspected something may happen. Though predicting the details fell outside of my conjecture.”

“――――”

Narrowing her eyes, Yorna attempted to gauge the true intentions of the man before her.

Yet, his thoughts remained hidden behind the oni mask; no insight could pierce through. Naturally, even if the mask were removed, she doubted she could glimpse into his soul.

He stood as a solitary being, possessing no intent to allow others to decipher his thoughts or motives—this was the essence of the seventy-seventh Emperor of the Holy Volakia Empire.

In other words—

“――Milord.”

“Do not address me so casually. If you wish to avoid breaking the wishes within my missives, you best adhere.”

“My apologies. …How on earth did you come to learn of my wishes?”

“I had no certainty. As long as you returned my envoy safely.”

Hearing that answer, Yorna felt awe at the man’s way of thinking, coupled with deep astonishment.

About yesterday’s meeting with the envoy; if the envoy returned alive, it meant her conjecture was validated.

For that matter, she recognized that she had danced within his palm upon acknowledging it.

However, more importantly—

“Your envoy should indeed be reprimanded.”

“That must wait until the matter is resolved. Yorna Mishigure, heed my directives.”

“――. If that is truly in the best interest, I shall comply without reservation.”

Yorna faced the man’s imposing countenance, but her hesitation and resistance were merely fleeting.

She held something precious to protect— the Magic City of Chaos Frame and its residents. To safeguard those, she required someone with the capacity to correctly navigate these circumstances.

Not merely a warrior capable of fighting; instead, one endowed with the strength to govern.

Yorna had pride in her own abilities to rule. However, that was a poor comparison to measure against the man who possessed the continent’s most expansive territory, who overwhelmingly dominated and managed it.

“So, what do you intend to do?”

Prepared to accept any plan to protect the Magic City, Yorna pressed.

Meanwhile, the ever-faithful Rui had also begun to glow alongside Yorna’s intent.

Receiving the gazes of both Yorna and Rui, the man—no, the Empire’s ruler merely nodded.

Then—

“――We will abandon the city and enact a retreat. We have no choice but to let the Magic City be consumed by that shadow.”