――The piercing azure sky gazes down upon the bustling people below with a grand eye.

The bright white sun twinkles brilliantly, and a large white cloud drifts lazily.

As a lukewarm wind brushes my neck, I gently toss my pale blue hair, breathing deeply and quietly.

I feel the world with my entire being, fully aware that I am a part of it.

It’s a rather grand way of speaking, almost as if a difficult notion is being proclaimed. Still, when told that this is what I need right now, I am more inclined to practice than to doubt.

I’ve put myself in the position to seek this teaching willingly. I’ve only just begun. It would be too hasty to give up.

That said――,

“…I can’t deny my impatience.”

I softly place my hand over my chest, waiting for the air I inhaled to assert its strength within my lungs.

I can’t feel whether this sensation is nourishing myself internally, which frustrates me; my eager pursuit of immediate results feels annoyingly characteristic of my disposition.

――No, perhaps my urge for swift results is not born from my nature, but rather from the circumstances I find myself in.

Not from myself, but for another who is meant to fulfill their duty elsewhere――.

“――Ah! There you are!”

A voice called out to my quietly meditative back, pulling my awareness back to my breathing. Exhaling the air I had held in my chest, I turned around to see a small shadow running toward me.

A young boy with fluffy pink hair was approaching, his adorable features accompanied by rosy cheeks and bare, white legs adorned in short pants; he seemed precariously cute.

The boy looked to be about eleven or twelve years old and smiled widely as he arrived in front of me.

“Lady Priscilla has called for you! She wants you to come with me!”

“I understand. Thank you very much for coming to fetch me, Schult.”

“Not at all! There’s no need for thanks!”

Although he humbly deflected my gratitude, I couldn’t help but notice how excited his cheeks turned——the boy, Schult, seemed quite pleased.

However, the task he brought with him was rather serious. It wouldn’t do to smile goofily.

Thinking that, I tightened my softened expression, let out a small sigh, and nodded――,

“Then, shall we go together?”

“Yes! I shall take you to Lady Rem!”

With a little hop, Schult saluted as he placed his hand on his head. Though I was slightly taken aback by his energetic demeanor, the girl——Rem nodded alongside him, and together they made their way to the one who called them.

To Priscilla Barielle, Rem’s temporary master in Castle City Gwararu.

△▼△▼△▼△

It’s been about ten days since the fall of Castle City Gwararu―― a terribly absurd operation was executed, resulting in the city being conquered with minimal human losses.

Fortunately, the tumult within the city was minimal, and it was the skill of Ziqru Osman, the commanding officer of the Empire’s troops, and Mizelda, who had ceded leadership to her sister without losing her influence, that made all the difference.

The presence of these two kept the soldiers with military power in check, preventing chaos and tragedy from erupting.

Of course, those in the city weren’t solely the fighting types.

In fact, they were vastly outnumbered by the townsfolk, who were unconnected to war. However, even if they did not make a living through combat, the people of Gwararu were quite spirited.

Initially, their disdain toward Ziqru and the Empire’s troops was strong, having taken over City Hall and stripped them of their authority without much in the way of fighting.

However, their dissatisfaction was quickly extinguished.

This happened because――,

“Following the stronger is the custom of the Empire. Therefore, it was clear to anyone that my actions held more righteousness than mere words.”

“That’s…”

“Or perhaps, is it more valuable to bend one’s head and endure the storm only to loudly shout for the broken house to be repaired once the wind dies down?”

“Isn’t it a bit extreme to use such an example?”

The way she looked down upon her opponents not only indicated a straightforward standing but also placed them underneath her. In response to this method of cornering, Rem quietly retorted.

After a brief pause in response to her answer, Ziqru made a faint noise as if clearing his throat.

“You dare to call me deceitful? You’re certainly bold, Rem.”

“If lives are at stake, I think that boldness is justified. But I also believe that you, Lady Priscilla, are not one to act in haste.”

“You would assess me with your standards?”

“I don’t have any other means to measure.”

Gazing directly into her crimson eyes, Rem firmly countered.

Having lost her memories and with no tangible past to claim, everything she sees is fresh, and every action taken is a novel experience.

While this might occasionally earn her the displeasure of others, being overly fearful of it would render her unable to move at all. What’s certain is that since her current life began roughly twenty days ago——over the past few days, Rem has managed to live alongside the woman before her without perishing.

Hence――,

“Hmph, you speak quite impertinently. What an unlovable girl you are.”

Having expected that her opponent would sheathe their weapon, Rem felt a glimmer of hope.

Though there would be moments of irrational behavior for reasons beyond comprehension, fundamentally, she viewed the woman before her——Priscilla as a rational individual shrouded by dangerous remarks.

Priscilla sat languidly in a luxurious chair, propping her chin on her hand while splayed over her lap was a book. Acting quite reminiscent of a sovereign of a palace or mansion, she appeared picturesque as ever, but this place was merely borrowed.

Currently, Priscilla had taken over the largest mansion in the Castle City and leisurely spent her days within, and apart from City Hall, it was the most substantial building in the city, lavishly wasted on space that could comfortably house twenty to thirty people.

Of course, there was some backlash regarding the seizing from the original owner of the mansion, but it had settled through the Empire’s way——in a brutal manner with a small amount of blood shed.

In other words, exerting force to push through each other’s claims――,

“――――”

Casting a fleeting glance into the corner of the room, Rem noted the gathering of those called upon by Priscilla, there was another person besides herself and the smiling Schult.

That man was the one who had dueled over the management of the mansion.

“Heinkel.”

“…What is it?”

“It’s just that it seemed you were looking at me meaningfully, so I wondered if something was wrong.”

The man replied in a low voice, frowning at Rem’s call. He then roughly raked his hand through his red hair.

“It’s nothing serious. Just that girl Priscilla was astonished at how you spoke to her, considering you’re such a fearless brat.”

“Being called fearless is one thing, but it’s not entirely accurate…”

“I’m just saying that’s how it appeared to me. Don’t nitpick.”

The man clicked his tongue slightly and waved away Rem’s words.

With his fiery red hair, tall build, and rugged features marred by a stubble, he was Heinkel, one of Priscilla’s subordinates.

After Priscilla had arbitrarily decided to remain in Castle City Gwararu, these two, Heinkel and Schult, had flown in from her original base. With the addition of that helmeted man——Al, this made up Priscilla’s entourage.

“Of course, now Lady Rem is our comrade too!”

“Don’t speak out of turn, shorty. This girl is a daughter of the enemy of Lady Priscilla, isn’t she? She’s nothing but a potential threat to us.”

“Eh!? Lady Rem was our enemy!?”

“Well, that’s on hold.”

With round eyes widened in shock, Schult looked up at Rem as he responded.

Heinkel’s assertions were extreme, but Rem’s complex situation made it impossible to deny them outright. Lacking memory, Rem found herself devoid of a steady affiliation, and the information necessary to determine her standing was insufficient.

Naturally, the one who would best contribute to defining Rem’s ambiguous position would be――,

“…That person.”

The black-haired boy——Natsuki Subaru, who had departed from Castle City to fulfill his duty, would solidify Rem’s vague stance.

However, even this Rem found it difficult to wholeheartedly accept; she struggled to lend an ear to his words.

Because Subaru’s actions and words, as well as the grotesque aura he exudes with his whole being——no, that was no longer the sole reason for her hesitation.

Indeed, his aura had become an obstacle in how Rem viewed him unreservedly, yet she had already acknowledged that there were no lies or malice in Subaru’s words or actions.

The reason Rem found it difficult to accept him boiled down to her own lack of footing.

Who she is, and her relationship with Natsuki Subaru, and others.

Unless she could confront that reality, Rem’s time, as well as her feet, would remain stagnant.

She wishes to confront Subaru to affirm her own existence, yet to confront Subaru requires her to assert her own reality.

It was a dilemma akin to wandering into a maze without an exit.

“You seem to be having quite the struggle. The wrinkles on your forehead are solid proof of that.”

“That’s… true. I intend to follow Lady Priscilla’s advice, but…”

“What is it?”

“Lady Priscilla’s words are always quite difficult.”

Looking down, Rem, stifling her embarrassment, clarified that her lack of education was the reason.

Though she couldn’t say it outright, the way Priscilla chose her words was complicated, often leaving Rem struggling to grasp their meaning. It didn’t help that Priscilla was sharp-witted and didn’t often consider others.

She possessed a quality reminiscent of Abel——no, it would be more accurate to say they shared the same nature. While saying this openly might earn her displeasure from both Priscilla and Abel, she refrained from doing so.

“Advice? What advice are you talking about? Lady Priscilla giving advice to this girl?”

“Yes, Heinkel-sama, I know! Lady Rem is being taught at the side of Lady Priscilla! So, while attending to Lady Priscilla, I’m just like you!”

“Hey, hey, wait a minute, Lady Priscilla?! What advantage could there be in doing such a thing? You’d just be nurturing an enemy!”

“Eh!? Lady Rem was our enemy!?”

“Well, that’s currently on hold.”

The moment Schult’s round eyes widened and expressed surprise, Heinkel’s face turned to bewilderment upon learning about the contract between Rem and Priscilla.

He approached Priscilla, who was sitting, and pointed at Rem as he spoke.

“I thought you were just keeping her around like a maid… This means our faction’s information is accessible. Intentionally putting us at a disadvantage; this isn’t a game…!”

“Silence, you fool. Do you intend to direct commands at me?”

“Guh…!”

“You’ve faced painful consequences time and again, yet you continue to learn nothing. Even I am not one to take my time with idle tasks; I have my own roles to fulfill.”

Priscilla glared at Heinkel, tracing the cover of the book on her lap with her finger.

While her voice lacked any strong anger, Heinkel seemed to have been struck by an unseen blade as he gasped and took a step back.

Rem felt that Heinkel’s display of fear was unnecessarily exaggerated.

Of course, Rem had witnessed the proof of Priscilla’s unparalleled abilities, how she had repelled the Empire’s formidable beings known as the “Nine Divine Generals” with her sword, and she felt deeply how remarkable Priscilla truly was.

However――,

“I don’t believe Heinkel-san is significantly inferior…”

Hastily adding that it was merely in Rem’s view, she felt it necessary.

However, Heinkel had come out victorious without permitting the swordsman representing the mansion to do anything, having disarmed his opponent and spared his life.

His clear sword intent and excellent sword skill would have no equal, even among the Empire’s soldiers.

Yet still, it appeared Heinkel was overly reactive.

Moreover, Rem herself was no expert at being oneself. Among the strong, there may be perspectives that Rem couldn’t enter.

That said――,

“My attention to that girl is nothing but a whim. However, picking up Schult, who was on the verge of starvation in barren land, and calling upon you, who was bleeding your heart over futile efforts, was also my whim.”

“Yes! I was saved by Lady Priscilla’s whims! I’m just so lucky!”

“Are you truly satisfied with that?”

As Priscilla boasted that everything was conducted as it pleased her, Rem found herself overwhelmed and dumbfounded while Schult gleefully boasted of his luck.

Heinkel, too, appeared somewhat relieved from his earlier anxiety, yet a hint of caution remained in his gaze towards Rem.

Heinkel was perhaps the one who had the most rational perspective in this situation.

“So, Lady Priscilla, what was the reason for summoning us?”

“Hmmm?”

“If it’s just about taking care of you, then I or Schult would suffice, wouldn’t it? I’m struggling to understand why you’ve called Heinkel here.”

In terms of role distribution, managing Priscilla’s life in the mansion could entirely be handled by Rem and Schult. Living with a cane had already become quite familiar, and there were no worries about basic household chores.

It’s possible that he could have originally been in charge of such tasks.

In this type of task distribution, Heinkel’s presence held no place.

To start discussing this means――,

“Heinkel-san, what exactly do you do…? I’ve only seen you swinging a sword or drinking, or playing with Schult.”

“I’ll tell you, but I don’t remember playing with that shorty.”

“Yep! Heinkel-san indeed often looks after me! I just get close by myself! It always seems like he’s lonely when he’s by himself, so I thought I’d keep him from feeling lonely…”

“Oh, is that how it is? Schult, you’re very kind.”

“Hehe~!”

Having dispelled the questions swirling within her, Rem gently patted Schult’s tousled hair. Schult’s mysterious charm always left her wanting to stroke his hair like this.

Inside the city, there were also moments when she felt inclined to pet the bustling Utakata.

Perhaps it was simply about wanting to dote on someone younger.

“Damn it, I can’t waste any more time. Lady Priscilla! Please answer the previous question quickly. If not, I’m off to the tavern…”

“――Soon, those who departed the city will be arriving at the Magic City.”

“Ah…”

“If there’s movement, it’s highly likely that it will coincide with this moment. Stay alert.”

As Priscilla propped her chin on the armrest and spoke, the air became charged with tension.

The dry, taut atmosphere mirrored a shift of focus to Priscilla’s words. Heinkel’s expression sharpened, and Rem felt as if her chest had been struck.

Only Schult, resting his hand on Rem’s head, was congratulating their long journey, saying, “Thank you for your hard work, Al-sama!”

“――――”

If movement were to occur, Priscilla had warned. Yet, at the very least, those who departed with Subaru would inevitably face change, whether good or bad.

Negotiations with the only possible ally would significantly influence what Abel intended to do.

“If they’re moving now, does that mean you have some inkling, Lady Priscilla?”

“No, not anything specific. Just a general rule of thumb from my experience.”

“Rule of thumb? What do you mean by that…?”

“When great events transpire, the preceding calm is utterly deceptive; they move all at once, as if the block towers were tipped over simultaneously.”

Priscilla’s calm words held an unnameable authority.

Ultimately, her point was to not let one’s guard down, and while Rem took a deep breath, her gaze returned to the floor. Being overly concerned with Subaru should not mean neglecting the immediate surroundings.

To begin with, obsessively worrying about Subaru felt rather unpleasant upon reflecting on it.

“Even when nearby or afar, he is troublesome…”

“Lady Rem? Are you alright? Your face seems a bit flushed.”

“I’m fine. Just a bit of frustration has risen up. It’s bubbling with anger.”

“Being angry isn’t good! You’d look so much better if you smiled, Lady Rem~!”

Waving his hands and legs around eagerly, Schult earnestly pleaded with Rem, prompting her to lower the corners of her eyes in response. Meanwhile, Heinkel, his face serious due to Priscilla’s warning, interjected.

“Lady Priscilla, if that’s all, I’m leaving.”

“Feel free. Whether you drown in alcohol or squander time is up to you.”

“I don’t feel like drinking right now. I’ll talk to that floofy-haired commander at City Hall.”

With that serious remark, Heinkel strode firmly out the door. As Rem watched him leave, she turned back to Priscilla.

“So, what will you do, Lady Priscilla?”

“Are you concerned about my movements?”

“Well… yes. Though I don’t believe everything you do is necessarily correct…”

Still, Priscilla makes judgments based on knowledge and insight that Rem lacks.

For someone with so few possessions, such insights are exceedingly valuable when deciding what should be chosen. Despite Rem’s somewhat impolite words, Priscilla chuckled softly.

“Do not aspire to be a heads-less puppet. If that were the case, there would be no point in having you around.”

“Lady Priscilla?”

“As to the answer to the prior question, let that fool establish the preparations. That ‘General’ can also earnestly utilize the People of Shudrak. Therefore, I shall…”

“Lady Priscilla…?”

Holding her breath slightly, Rem awaited the continuation of Priscilla’s words. Meanwhile, Schult, standing at her side, had clenched his fist in anticipation for his master’s response.

Under the scrutiny of these two, Priscilla narrowed her slit eyes.

“――A bath. Prepare the waters and float the petals while you’re at it.”

“…Eh?”

“Stop making me repeat myself. It’s to be a bath. Prepare the bath immediately.”

Waving her hand, Priscilla hastily urged Rem and Schult.

Of course, Rem was taken aback, stammering, “W-wait, what?!”

Schult, on the other hand, snapped into a salute, “Yes! I’ll get the water ready right away!”

With a cheerful response, he energetically darted out of the room. Watching his little back disappear, Rem turned back to Priscilla, who remained propped up, preparing to delve back into her book.

“Are you not going with him? If you leave it all to Schult, he might forget to plug the tub and waste a lot of water.”

“I’ll be assisting Schult. However, what exactly are you thinking?”

“Your skepticism reflects your strong preconceived notions. Do you think that I, in any world, operate events at will like a spectator?”

“I’m not thinking quite that far…”

Explained with a structured argument, Rem’s momentum toward questioning gradually waned.

Smirking at her, Priscilla continued, “Understand this well; everything in this world is made to suit my convenience. Yet, this does not mean that I can command all according to my whims. Such monotony would be unbearable.”

“Having everything go according to plan is dull, is it?”

“If everything unfolds just as expected, the meaning of welcoming tomorrow holds no value. Rem, do you wish for a world where everything ended the moment you were born?”

“――――”

Facing Priscilla’s question, Rem fell silent, lost for words.

Priscilla’s words were once more complex, but she barely grasped the true intention behind the discussion. A life lived as per one’s wishes would imply never encountering the new or unknown.

And that is not deemed favorable in Priscilla’s eyes.

However――,

“For someone like me, who excels at nothing, that sounds like an extravagant refusal.”

Having seen off Subaru on his adventure, Rem remained by Priscilla’s side in Castle City. At the heart of it all lay her hunger to regain the lost existence of “Rem” and seek a means or opportunity to rise above her current unsatisfactory self.

For Rem, who suffers from the torment of unfulfilled desires, Priscilla’s demeanor of enjoying the unpredictable was something beyond her understanding.

Even if she were to be seen as an uninteresting girl by Priscilla’s standards.

“You need not be the same as me nor desire for the same things. Go ahead and choose your own path.”

Yet, Priscilla’s unexpectedly soft reaction caught Rem off guard, filling her wide eyes with surprise.

Looking at Rem like she were a beloved pet, Priscilla pondered, “The world is simply beautiful as it exists.”

Priscilla’s serene murmur seemed to carry her genuine feelings, prompting Rem to retract her thoughts, dismissing her conclusions as foolish. For if that were her honest opinion, it would be an oversized sentiment.

It would mean that Priscilla cherished and adored a correspondingly vast existence.

“The concept of cherishing and nurturing seems entirely opposite to the impression I have of you, Lady Priscilla…”

“Did you say something?”

“N-no, it was nothing important, just…”

Shaking her head gently, Rem’s inner turmoil slightly lightened.

Though not all clouds of doubt dispersed, the weight of that prior gloom had faded. Just as Rem reached a conclusion in her self-analysis――,

“W-w-w-wait! The water! The water is overflowing! I’m going to drown!”

Came the panicked scream of Schult from the direction of the mansion’s bath. Imagining the predicaments he was likely facing, Rem raised her gaze.

Sorting through her eyes met with Priscilla, who sharply directed her chin towards the doorway, gesturing, “Go.”

“I can’t just comply with your whims.”

“However, I cannot ignore Schult’s cries. It seems I’ve won this round.”

Despite vowing not to yield, Rem’s resistance crumbled hopelessly.

Her desire to voice further arguments faded as Schult’s safety weighed heavily on her.

△▼△▼△▼△

――Priscilla’s warning had undoubtedly drove a deep wedge into Rem’s heart.

When massive events are set in motion, they care little for the concerns of each individual.

They sweep through, disregarding those swept up in its current.

Rem believed herself to have understood this through her own experiences.

Reviving without memories, she found herself cradled in the arms of someone unfamiliar in an unknown place; this was how Rem’s recollections began.

Escaping from that boy, she found herself ensnared, apprehended by many Empire soldiers, saved from the clutches of smoke and flame, drifting through, and passing her days in this city.

The term “maelstrom” felt distinctly tailored to describe Rem’s preceding experiences.

――However, she soon learned her understanding was naïve.

“――Lady Priscilla?”

Glancing down at herself, Rem furrowed her brow as Priscilla effortlessly stood, slipping away from her grip.

Surrounded by warm steam, Rem donned a bathrobe in the mansion’s bathing room. The main reason Priscilla seized the mansion was the existence of this impressive bathing room.

The bathing room, complete with a tub capable of stretching out arms and legs in a soak, was supposedly constructed according to the mansion’s owner’s tastes, something irreplaceable elsewhere.

In fact, after taking care of Priscilla, Rem herself would soon bathe, but she understood easily enough why Priscilla would want to claim it wantonly.

Regardless, while enjoying a bath, Priscilla stood up slowly, her hands freed from washing her hair, and walked toward the window of the bathing room.

“Lady Priscilla, you’re still in the middle of washing your body… ah!”

Calling out to inquire about her intentions, Priscilla ignored Rem’s pleas and opened the bathing room window, exposing her beautiful bare body without a care.

Compared to the steam, the cold outside air flooded the bathing room, causing Rem to instinctively shrink.

However, Priscilla’s daring move didn’t stop there.

She leaned out of the open window and stepped gracefully onto the balcony outside the bathing room.

“W-what are you doing!? Someone’s going to see us! Even if this is the top floor…”

In a panic, Rem grabbed her cane and towel, chasing after the agile Priscilla. She draped the towel over Priscilla’s slender shoulder, leveling her gaze as she chastised her.

But pricy as her cavalier reflection was, Priscilla maintained her gaze firmly toward the sky.

“――Look at the sky.”

“The sky? It’s nowhere near that height. Come on, let’s head inside before you…”

“Let’s return,” Rem urged, attempting to pull her back.

But Priscilla’s fingers turned and gently pressed against Rem’s lips. Caught off guard, Rem’s eyes widened as Priscilla’s crimson gaze flickered.

“Look at the sky, Rem. It seems the ‘behemoth’ is drawing near.”

While the meaning of that was unfathomable, Priscilla’s tone conveyed no uncertainty.

Simply following her lead, Rem raised her gaze, peering up at the sky that Priscilla seemed to behold. She concentrated her blue eyes to see what she had seen.

However, her eagerness to not miss it proved futile.

For in that moment――,

“What’s that…?”

Above the balcony, with the wind swaying through their hair, as the two regarded the vast sky, a colossal sun blazed in the heavens, slowly approaching a dark dot.

The dark dots appeared one by one——no, two, three, gradually multiplying until the blurred forms clearly came into view, and without realizing it, Rem’s throat tightened.

The gathering dark forms were slowly closing in on them.

“――Hurry, arm those below with weapons. There’s no time for play with the gathering flying dragons.”

As Priscilla’s warning grew vivid, Rem’s skin, her very essence, seemed to resonate with its urgency.

△▼△▼△▼△

――Simultaneously, the high walls enclosing the city came under the keen scrutiny of golden-hued eyes.

Swathed in the azure sky, moving through the vast expanse with a sense of arrogant ownership were congregations of the most glorious beings in this world—the flying dragons, cutting through the air alongside soft white clouds.

“――Castle City Gwararu.”

The name of the targeted city rested on the tongue, and a burning spirit swelled within her veins.

Responding to this rising fervor, the spirits of the companions flying beside her flared with passion. The rhythm of their wings cut through the air, mingling with their roars, increasing anticipation for the hunt that lay ahead.

To chide them for being zealous would be a clear insult to the dragon hunters of the azure sky.

For there would be no coward with no blood rushing in this moment of excitement—only those unworthy of standing alongside the white clouds.

“――Tch.”

“I know. Just like the old fool said, let’s do our jobs properly.”

From below, a voice carried the anticipation for the hunt from the back of one of the dragons.

On the back of a flying dragon with wings outstretched, a figure with crossed short arms demonstrated understanding for all of it.

With hair aligned like the sky hues of blue and eyes shimmering in golden light, their elegant attire seemed unfitting for the underlying ferocity and feral disposition of their presence.

At first glance, some might even call it adorable. But that innocence would crumble the moment two black horns were revealed upon the crown of her head.

Even within the Volakia Empire, where many horned humanoids reside, encountering such ‘black horns’ was virtually non-existent——no, it was absolutely unfathomable.

For it was proof of a being that should no longer exist.

“Is everyone ready?”

The one who bore the black horns called out. In response, innumerable roars resounded——an impossible number of flying dragons acknowledged her call.

Shouldering the blazing sun, charging across the azure sky, the embodiment of ruin surged forth like clouds of fog.

Once they descended, screams and cries would echo, extinguishing all lives amid despair.

Coincidentally, as ‘The Great Calamity’ threatened to obliterate the city far away, a different form of catastrophe pressed toward the city’s fortified walls.

The beginning of a cruel, inescapable hunt stood announced, as that being——Madelin Eshault narrowed her golden eyes and twisted her smile.

As the ninth of the “Nine Divine Generals,” she was charged with the obliteration of the city.

“Tremble and run. There is no escape for you——the dragons have come.”