―― “Great Calamity.” At the sound of those words, Abel narrowed his black eyes behind his demon mask.

The one who uttered them, Ubiruku, wore a smile that concealed the depths of his heart.

He was a gentle man, friendly and treating everyone without discrimination. His demeanor had not changed since he first appeared before Abel.

Without any consideration or the presence of collaborators, he stood before Abel in the audience chamber, unchanged.

Ubiruku, who claimed to be a “Star Reader” and predicted the disasters that would befall the Volakia Empire, never let his emotions waver, no matter what events he foresaw.

It was almost as if—

“―― So, facing me here, this encounter was something you foresaw long before, wasn’t it?”

“Oh no, oh no! That’s quite an overestimation! I’m not that significant, you know?”

“If you can only spout nonsense, I won’t hesitate to cut off that tongue.”

“Yikes! How scary! My stomach feels tight as ever!”

Ubiruku shrugged his thin shoulders and nonchalantly replied. When Abel scoffed at him, Selena, who stood beside him, muttered, “I don’t understand.”

She looked between the conspicuously raising hands of Ubiruku and Abel’s profile, saying,

“I’ve seen that face. He’s a ‘Star Reader’ who frequents the Crystal Palace… one of the jesters kept close to His Majesty the Emperor. Do you know him?”

“A pity, but yes.”

“Hm… I didn’t want to escalate things until it was necessary, but should I inquire? What exactly is the true identity hidden behind that demon mask of yours?”

With an intelligent glint in her sharp eyes, Selena expressed her suspicion about Abel’s true nature.

Surely, she had great doubts about him in light of the significant internal strife shaking this empire, especially since he managed to become the commander of the Rebel Army—an enigma that rivals Ubiruku’s shadowy nature, including the concealed identity.

However—

“Answering that question cannot be prioritized right now.”

“There are ways to forcibly remove that mask. I’m quite capable myself.”

“Don’t bother. This is a warning.”

“Oh, a warning to me?”

Selena narrowed her eyes challengingly at Abel’s words.

This fierce attitude of hers, claiming the title of “The Burning Duke,” was Selena Dracloy—she sat here because she had burned away all the contempt and derision thrust upon her.

The intensity of Abel’s answer more than enough clashed with her principles.

“Wait, wait, wait! Let’s calm down! Just showing my face makes the atmosphere so tense, what’s up with that?”

“If you stay silent, you might effortlessly become the hero of this battle.”

“I would never wish for that! It would be a disaster if either of you—or both—fell here due to me!”

“―― I don’t understand.”

As tension rose between the two, Ubiruku reached out a hand, his voice slightly hurried.

In response to Ubiruku’s reaction, Selena returned to her previous suspicion.

At that moment, she toyed with the hilt of her sword at her waist, closing one eye.

“If you humbly serve at the side of His Imperial Majesty Vincent Volakia, your duty should be to attack me and this man, the rebel commander. If left alone, he would die. Isn’t that something you should be pleased about?”

“Don’t you dare kill me on your own. There’s also the path toward your own death.”

“Sorry, but I’m currently speaking with this ‘Star Reader.’ Please don’t interrupt.”

“――――”

Having directed the narrative, Selena halted her dialogue with Abel for now. When she glanced back at Ubiruku, he wore a puzzled expression.

“Well, necessary as it is, this is quite an interesting scene to watch from the outside. Oh, please don’t make such a scary face. I am unarmed, you know?”

“Being unarmed is no excuse for carelessness. You better give me a valid reason to remove my hand from this hilt. You know well that I won’t hesitate to strike a defenseless opponent.”

“―― You can’t cut me down.”

In a moment where Ubiruku had previously been wearing a weak face, he denied Selena’s increasingly harsh words with a single statement.

As he spoke, the color drained from Ubiruku’s face.

Though the full extent of his emotions was not visible, the emotion he did reveal vanished, leaving only a vacant, colorless expression behind.

“――――”

Despite the provocation in his declaration, Selena did not rage nor draw her sword.

What filled her heart more than anger was an indescribable uneasiness regarding Ubiruku—no, about the very existence of the “Star Reader.”

It was as if, despite being face-to-face with the opponent in front of her, it somehow felt like there was no confrontation happening at all.

“… Aren’t you supposed to be killed here?”

“Oh dear, how cruel! I’m terribly wounded. What do you think?”

“I have often thought the same as Selena Dracloy. Yet, despite that, this man has survived until today. That is a fact.”

To maintain a consistent demeanor means that one does not know whose wrath they might invoke.

With a lack of adaptability, Ubiruku had roused many people’s anger in the Volakia Empire and drew blades upon himself numerous times.

Yet, despite all that, he had survived until now—

“It seems to be the stars’ will. Ah, Ubiruku… it’s not yet your time to die.”

He clasped his hands before him, and Selena hardened her cheeks at Ubiruku’s words.

Debating the truth of that claim would be meaningless. The fact that Ubiruku appeared here—no, from the very moment he first stood in the Crystal Palace.

Ubiruku would not die.

His life was almost as if it were protected and guaranteed by the stars he spoke of—mocking this world entirely, under the guardianship of the “Observer.”

“――――”

As such thoughts flashed through Abel’s mind, he exhaled.

Abel’s personal motives regarding Ubiruku and other “Star Readers” were trivial matters. What mattered most was that Ubiruku appeared before him like this.

This jester who tied stars into every circumstance appeared before Abel was—

“I think it’s appropriate to say you’ve taken the stage once again. Are you planning to perform here again?”

Ubiruku’s gaze, ignoring Selena, landed back on Abel.

Not grasping the meaning behind his words, Selena furrowed her well-shaped brows. However, Abel had no intention of kindly explaining it to her.

Above all, the inquiry was quite infuriating for Abel.

“Let me make it clear.”

“Yes?”

“I never intended to step off the stage you speak of, not even once.”

He crossed his arms, correcting Ubiruku’s misunderstanding from the start.

Having been ousted from the throne, driven far into the east, Abel had faced countless hardships. Still, his fighting spirit had never once been broken.

Not to mention, he had never forgotten or intended to abandon the role he had to fulfill.

“You wouldn’t understand, ‘Star Reader.’ You who have never stepped upon the stage even once.”

“―― Is that so? A painfully deafening truth?”

“You wouldn’t even grasp that.”

Ubiruku tried to match words and expressions with Abel. However, there were no resonances in Abel’s true intentions in Ubiruku’s emotionless words.

And Abel had already given up on Ubiruku’s limits.

Thus—

“The time for that is near. You came here for that reason, didn’t you?”

“… So you knew I would come?”

“Don’t spout nonsense. I’m different from you. I may speculate about a second ahead, but I possess no certainty. —Perhaps it’s more fitting to say it’s a delusion.”

“――――”

At Abel’s utterance, Ubiruku’s expression slightly shifted.

The slight tremor in his brows hinted at a rare negative emotion. Whether it be anger or discomfort, it was certainly an unusual reaction.

However, Abel felt no cheap relief from that.

“So what will you do? You indeed stand by the Emperor’s side. Shall I send back a severed head?”

“Such a gesture wouldn’t concern the Emperor. Perhaps it might annoy him that he didn’t give the order himself, but that is all. More importantly—”

“More importantly?”

As the dialogue between Abel and Ubiruku progressed, Selena sensed they were approaching a conclusion and tilted her head.

With her brown hair swaying over her shoulder, Abel took a pause.

And then he spoke.

“I’ll assign you an important role. —A task that no one but you can fulfill on this battlefield.”

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　△▼△▼△▼△

Kicking up the accumulating white snow, a shadow raced across the battlefield with lightning speed.

The thin ice-covered ground slipped here and there, and the chilling temperature cut through the skin, perceived as a strong enemy that paralyzed instincts with just a glance. All such various circumstances were rejected, and he dashed through.

“You, you, you—”

“Hahaha! That’s why I said you should call me Cecilus Segmunt! I welcome it if you shout my name loudly—it makes it resonate across the battlefield!”

“Cecilus Segmunt—!!”

“That’s it!”

His smile left a residual imprint, and in the next instant, the sole of his foot pierced the “Cloud Dragon’s” flank.

With an explosive sound, his head was snapped back, and the massive Mezoleia swung wildly in the air. Emilia was astonished to see that it was accomplished by a boy much shorter than herself.

“That kid is incredible…”

The breath of the dragon, aiming to flatten the battlefield, was interrupted right before it could unleash its devastation, and the boy who boldly declared his name began to fight without stepping back against a dragon.

Emilia was captivated by the young boy, who introduced himself as Cecilus, with his blue hair, as if she were witnessing the “grand stage” he boasted of.

“――――”

In Emilia’s view, Cecilus’s body darted like a dream or a mirage. He moved at incredible speed, flitting back and forth across her sight.

Too fast to follow with her eyes, Emilia felt dizzy as if her eyeballs were spinning.

And it was the same for the Mezoleia, which was entwined by Cecilus.

“――What! How can a mere brat! A dragon’s enemy!”

Flapping its wings in the air, the “Cloud Dragon” swung its claws and tail wildly.

They targeted the ice wall Emilia had created—crafted to prevent Mezoleia from leaving the battlefield—but Cecilus jumped around energetically, unfazed.

Each time the dragon’s attack landed, it struck only the areas where Cecilus had already passed, failing to reach its real target.

“Besides, riding the dragon’s tail, Cecilus went up towards its back in a flash—”

“Yikes, yikes, yikes, yikes!”

With a speed that seemed like he suddenly grew more legs, Cecilus kicked Mezoleia down to the ground.

“Oh no, he dropped it…!”

As Mezoleia flopped upside down in the air, its wings flapping violently, it fell to the ground.

A tremendous rumble and ground shake erupted, the snow-covered earth was torn off and scattered, and Emilia braced against the chilly wind while trying not to be stunned by the sight.

Still, she acknowledged this moment as an unbelievable stroke of luck that couldn’t be overlooked.

“If I just defeat Mezoleia like this—”

“Oops! That won’t do. I must intervene!”

“Eh?”

Thinking it was somewhat unfair, Emilia began to gather mana around her, preparing to drop a large ice block onto the downed Mezoleia.

But then, Cecilus quickly slid in front of her, thrusting a finger at its nostrils, leaving her astonished.

With wide eyes, Emilia stared at Cecilus, who poked the tip of his finger at the dragon’s nose.

“Listen up! It’s a flow where I just saved you from danger, right? And now we’re locked in a one-on-one battle with that dragon… You understand what you should do here? That’s right, you must believe in my victory and pray earnestly! That’s your role as a princess!”

“Um… but I’m not a princess, you know? I’m unrelated to any kings!”

“A princess is just a figure of speech. Strictly speaking, it’s the flower of the story where you fall madly in love with me, the hero who saved you. Doesn’t it suit you, beautiful one?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I’ve already decided who I like.”

“Oh, is that so? Then there’s nothing we can do. Please, continue!”

While he rapidly talked, Emilia made sure to not miss any of the key parts of what he said. Therefore, Cecilus promptly recognized and stepped back.

After he did, Emilia didn’t hesitate to wave her hand toward Mezoleia again.

“Here goes!”

She shouted as a massive ice block descended straight down toward the grounded Mezoleia.

It slammed into the dragon’s belly, creating an echoing roar. As she heard the dragon’s low groan, Emilia prepared for another.

“Excuse me!”

But immediately after, her legs were swept, and she let out a scream, her body lifted off the ground like she was plucked from the spot.

In the next moment, a strong wind blew across the spot where Emilia and Cecilus had been standing, and the shockwave from the dragon digging into the ground scooped the earth out in a round pit.

If she had been just a moment slower in departing, she could have easily lost her life.

“Indeed, when it comes to facing a dragon, it’s never straightforward; the scenes keep changing every second. After dealing with only the secondary characters recently, I’ve been thrilled!”

“Oh, thank you for rescuing me!”

“Not at all! Even if you are a beautiful lady with a loved one, all I have to do is adapt my approach. Be sure to invite me to the wedding!”

With a wide smile, Cecilus, who lifted her just in time, responded to Emilia’s gratitude.

Strictly speaking, he wasn’t quite a loved one yet but merely someone who could become one; still, there was no time to delve into those details. What mattered was—

“Use it, Cecilus!”

“Use it? Even if you say that, what should I use—oh!”

As Emilia planted her hand on the ground, Cecilus, who turned to see, sparkled with excitement. From the ground, various weapons made of ice like swords, spears, and axes began rising.

The Ice Brand Art that creates weapons from ice lined the path stretching between Cecilus and Mezoleia with equipment.

“What a spectacular sight! This is great! To be honest, I only want to wield renowned swords or magic swords that suit my caliber, but…”

“Then it’s no good?”

“No, it’s a self-imposed rule I wasn’t saying out loud, so let’s secretly change it! Swinging weapons around against a dragon is much flashier, after all!”

As he spoke, Cecilus stretched out his little arms and pulled out two ice swords from either side of him. However, Emilia soon realized her mistake.

The ice swords were created by Emilia. Therefore, while she didn’t feel cold, they might be too chilling for Cecilus, who wasn’t the same.

“Speaking of which, Priscilla didn’t mention it was cold…”

“Rest assured! I can compensate for the inconveniences via my techniques, so both I and the members of my party are fine! Well, I may get thrown off if I’m caught up in the Boss’s antics, so I’m handling this the ordinary way, but it’s true I’m something special!”

“Special…”

Exceeding the flood of unfamiliar phrases, Emilia unconsciously repeated them.

This sensation felt strangely unnatural, reminiscent of conversing with Subaru, and as she considered that, she suddenly realized.

“Hey, Cecilus! Did you learn those words from Subaru?”

“Subaru? No, I’m sorry, but I’d have to say no. The one who taught me terms of this nature was the Boss, but his name wasn’t Subaru.”

“Oh, I see… I guess I rushed to conclusions.”

Having leaned in, Emilia felt dejected by Cecilus’s response. However, she couldn’t allow herself to be discouraged, so she immediately slapped her own cheek to regain composure.

Then, just like Cecilus, she took hold of an ice spear.

“Let’s change our mindset… and fight Mezoleia together!”

“That’s an excellent change of mindset! Speaking of which, I still haven’t heard your name.”

“Me? I am Emilia… no, Emily! Emily!”

“Ah, so you have a bit of a backstory! However, I believe it’s best to avoid any further discussion on that at this time, so let’s get to the task at hand, Emily-san. Now, can I ask something from you?”

“A request? From me?”

“Yes. —While dealing with that dragon, could you please move that aside for me?”

Upon hearing the name exchange, Cecilus lowered his voice and made a request. He pointed at a patch of ground just a little distance away from where Mezoleia had fallen.

Looking at the spot Cecilus indicated, where the white snow lingered, Emilia’s eyes widened in realization.

And then—

“Please, do your best here, Emily-san. I shall fulfil my role… an utterly flashy role that only the grand actors of this world should!”

Having said that, Cecilus kicked the ground without waiting for Emilia’s response.

With snow flying around, Cecilus dashed straight toward the dragon, wielding two ice swords. As this small threat bore down on it, Mezoleia felt immediate danger from its scales.

“Don’t you dare take it lightly—!”

A chilling roar echoed as Mezoleia extended its claws against the large ice block pressing down on it. In an instant, the massive block of ice shattered under the immense pressure, unable to withstand even a second.

Once the weight of the ice was lifted, Mezoleia immediately turned and lay flat on the ground, preparing to attack Cecilus, who was diving toward it—

“Hey, take this!!”

Emilia’s thrown spear hit Mezoleia directly in the snout.

The sharp ice spear struck with enough force to bounce off the dragon’s head without embedding but delayed its attack on Cecilus.

Right then, Cecilus leaped into action at nearly the same speed as her thrown spear.

“Don’t blink, this is a must-see! Cheers and applause, anything will do!”

With flippant words, Cecilus’s ice twin swords shone bright as he spun about.

With a cheerful sound, he pierced the dragon’s scales, forcing “Cloud Dragon” to gaze with awe at the choreography of his blade dance, robbing it of its freedom and every chance to retaliate.

Despite his small stature, Cecilus’s skills were extraordinary.

His use of the body and how he wielded the weapons—Emilia had considered herself capable of both, but she realized he had reached a completely different dimension. He possessed potential that could rival that of Raid from the Pleiades Watchtower.

“But please don’t turn out to be a meanie like Raid.”

Regardless of his swordsmanship, Raid had always been very mean, so she wished Cecilus wouldn’t emulate his character.

Holding onto such hopes, Emilia swiftly made her way a bit away from the battle while keeping an eye on Cecilus, who drew the attention of Mezoleia.

The request Cecilus had made earlier loomed closer.

Upon reaching the spot, Emilia found—

“—Madelin! This isn’t the time to be sleeping! Wake up and persuade Mezoleia!”

Emilia shook the motionless body of Madelin Eshault, buried in the snow, and called out desperately.