―― At the same time that Natsuki Subaru had his cheek swollen by Petra Reite’s slap and Medium O’Connell was thrown into confusion by Flopp O’Connell’s bombshell.

“——Seems like they didn’t wait for us to arrive after all.”

With his pipe in his mouth, the strongest Shinobi of the city-state muttered lazily, looking up.

Slouching further, the werewolf—Halibel, was keeping a watchful eye on the peaceful evening from the roof of the Dragon Carriage.

Just before, there was an incident where the Dragon Carriage itself was targeted.

Thanks to the alertness of the children who noticed the ambush before Halibel, they managed to escape danger, but such luck doesn’t come so easily. Ensuring that no such luck occurs is Halibel’s duty.

“After that, Ana’s gaze is pretty intense. I need to make up for it too.”

The girl he had known since childhood, who was related to him, had paid an exorbitant price to be part of this imperial journey.

With Halibel accompanying her and filling the role of an envoy from the city-state. — One might think there’s a business opportunity igniting her merchant spirit, but her true purpose was to search for a lost friend.

She’s a girl who doesn’t want to show any weakness. Of course, she would never voice that.

“That’s why, an old middle-aged man who’s known you forever should lend a hand.”

Saying this, Halibel slowly stood up.

The interconnected Dragon Carriage, utilizing multiple earth dragons to pull it altogether—was truly a greedy technological marvel typical of the empire, showcasing the absurdity of “Divine Protection from Wind.”

Yet still, Halibel wasn’t accustomed to this unnaturalness.

As the scenery rushed by and wheels grated on the bumpy road, she felt no wind or sway. In Kararagi, the sheer number of earth dragons was limited, making beast carriages the norm, and the swaying and slowness were familiar.

And when it came to unfamiliarities—

“Well, even the moving corpses were something else, but… dragons can become ‘Zombies’ too, huh?”

Halibel muttered, inserting her fingers through the gaps in her robe and scratching her unkempt belly.

Reflecting her gaze up towards the night sky, she saw a horde of dragon corpses—zombie flying dragons—whose majestic giant bodies and extended wings bore painful cracks.

A dense cloud of shadow engulfing the stars slowly approached the interconnected Dragon Carriage.

“——There’s a troublesome one among them.”

Halibel gave that assessment, hiding herself among the horde of zombie flying dragons.

Sensing the presence of that abominable enemy, the earth dragons pulling the carriage began to show signs of disturbance.

Even the earth dragons, known to be loyal friends to humans, hadn’t lost their wild instincts simply from being tamed. They felt the approaching threat, and even they had hearts that could tremble in fear.

While the interconnected Dragon Carriage was a remarkable invention, such crises were always looming. Earth dragons are highly empathetic creatures. When one is scared, the fear swiftly rubs off on others—

“——!!”

Exactly after Halibel voiced her concern, a neigh piercing the night echoed.

That was not a deadly cry that would freeze the earth dragons’ hearts.

The source of the neighing came from the foremost carriage, from a dozen earth dragons linked together, valiantly pulling the interconnected Dragon Carriage—a single pitch-black earth dragon giving voice to its cry.

“Wow, what a courageous kid you are.”

Thanks to the black earth dragon’s ingenuity, the panic spreading among the earth dragons was halted.

As a result, a terrified earth dragon did not abandon its duty, thus avoiding the worst outcome of the interconnected Dragon Carriage experiencing catastrophic failure. Just as Halibel was impressed, she suddenly realized something.

“Wait, the black earth dragon is female. It’s not courage; it’s maidenly spirit.”

With her narrowed eyes now wide open, Halibel chuckled softly.

Laughing, the werewolf Shinobi lightly stepped out into the empty void outside the racing dragon carriage, jumping into the air.

To intercept. A formidable foe even recognized as troublesome by “The Worshipers,” to keep it from drawing near.

That formidable enemy is——

△▼△▼△

“Hey, hey, hey! What the hell’s that!?”

Subaru, pressed against the window frame of the corridor while observing the outside scene, exclaimed in a flushed voice.

Just done discussing with Rem and Lui—no, Spica—and rejoining Emilia and the others who had been waiting with concern, he had just been struck by Petra’s slap.

“This is just for me and Otto!”

As she received a physical reprimand in an instant, chewing on her anxieties about the situation that was going to arise, she was trying to solidify her footing.

Suddenly, a roar that shattered the night sky resonated, prompting Subaru and the others to press themselves against the window.

“That’s a black dragon… No, it’s way bigger than any regular dragon!”

“That size, it can’t be a mere flying dragon! It’s definitely dragon-class. That also…”

“——That dragon has three heads!”

Subaru and Beatrice, pressing against the window side by side, echoed Emilia’s screams above them, witnessing a sight that recognized even Subaru and otherworlders as monstrous.

Flying through the night sky, parallel to the interconnected Dragon Carriage, was an immensely gigantic black dragon, flinging its colossal body and three heads back and forth.

Its grand form and enormous wings bore cracks, and the three pairs of golden eyes glaring even in the night sky testified to its true nature.

“Dragon Zombie…!!”

“A black dragon with three heads… Don’t tell me, it’s ‘Three-Headed Balgrin’?”

“Do you know it, sister!”

While Subaru and the other two turned to the backside at the question from Ram, who was resting her chin on her elbows, Ram glared outside at the dragon with her pale pink eyes and stated,

“It’s the infamous evil dragon that rampaged in cities on the border of the empire and kingdom.”

“I knew it! Unique monsters with that kind of nickname are famously troublesome…”

“Years after the ‘War of the Subhumans,’ it nearly turned the commercial city into a wasteland. Not to mention…”

“And what encompasses that?”

“——The fight where the previous lord, Roswaal’s grandmother, lost her life.”

In an instant of hesitation, Ram’s words shocked Subaru and the others into silence.

When hearing of casualties among close relations, the threat of the enemy suddenly becomes frightfully vivid, especially Roswaal’s grandmother—it’s hard to imagine she would be weak to such a threat.

Such an astonishing evil dragon was currently being suppressed ahead of time by Halibel—

“And what kind of werewolves are those?”

Tanzer, peering through the same window as Subaru, couldn’t hide her amazement at the scene outside.

Her bewilderment, while off the mark, was not incorrect at all.

She termed the fighting Halibel as “werewolves,” which was accurate.

Because——

“Halibel-san, there are about three of you…”

“No, there are four, Subaru. One seems to be trying to trim the wings on the dragon’s back.”

“I don’t think it’s a matter of precise numbers…”

The strongest Shinobi of the city-state, Halibel, swiftly eliminated Spinx’s deadly attacks in an instant—a performance well in line with her reputation, alongside the fierce battle unfolding in Subaru’s view.

Essentially, Halibel was performing a ninja trick, creating clones to engage in aerial combat against the evil dragon.

Her high-speed combat style led Tanzer, unfamiliar with Halibel, to mistakenly assume that this was a group of Shinobi known as “The Worshipers.”

In any case——

“Uah!”

“I don’t think the evil dragon is the only foe. Shouldn’t we join together now?”

Spica’s high-pitched voice rang out along with Rem holding her hand, suggesting they combine forces.

Ideally, Subaru wanted to discuss Spica’s handling further in a more settled situation, but there was no time for luxury now.

“Yeah, that’s true. …Let’s head over to everyone now! Abel and the others should be moving too. Right now—!!?”

“Subaru!?”

As he was about to respond to Rem’s suggestion to move from the spot, a sudden, searing pain shot through Subaru’s chest, interrupting his words, as Emilia supported him while he crouched down.

Yet Subaru was not the only one experiencing this sudden anomaly.

“…Are you okay?”

“I—how embarrassing to be supported by you, deer woman…”

“Even Beatrice has… Balus, what happened?”

Beatrice, who wavered similarly due to the unexpected pain, showed discontent with Tanzer, who held her up instinctively.

Hearing Ram’s inquiry concerning their interaction, Subaru scrambled to respond, “I—I don’t know!”

“It suddenly hurt in my chest… Ugh!?”

As he pulled down the collar of his clothing, widening his eyes, Subaru was met with a revelation.

Seeing the same on him, Emilia and Ram’s expressions turned into frowns of suspicion.

What lay there was a reddened, worm-like scar—yet, not just any scar.

“What is this… Does it resemble someone’s eye shape?”

“Ah, it does look like an eye, doesn’t it? It’s an eyeball mark… wait, Beatrice! You have—”

“…Beatrice has the same mark on her soft skin too.”

The mark on Subaru’s chest was about the same size as a child’s palm—depicting a deformed eye-like pattern.

It seemed Beatrice carried the same mark, as she peeked down at her dress neckline, getting Tanzer to nod emphatically.

“But is it just me and Beatrice? Is everyone else fine?”

“How disgusting.”

“It’s pure concern, okay?! I’m not saying anything weird given this situation and this size!?”

As Subaru tenderly rubbed the mark still oozing pain, scowling, it was evident that this anomalous sign had risen in this dire situation. Naturally, it was clear this was some action from someone opposing Subaru and the others, but the target’s intention remained a mystery.

Alternatively, since Subaru and Beatrice were connected by a contract, it could also mean that whatever was placed on one manifested upon the other’s body.

“Damn it, there’s no use thinking this over. It’s best to have someone knowledgeable check it out. For now, we absolutely need to—”

“Uah!!”

“——No! It’s too late!”

Just as he was again slightly proposing they move from the spot, an interruption barred them.

Spica and Rem dashed forward, shoving everyone out of harm’s way. In a sudden act that proved correct.

——A shadow of an enemy with a massive sickle burst through the roof right above Subaru and the others, violently tearing apart the space where they had just been standing.

△▼△▼△

“Count!”

“My lord!”

As two voices called out with concern simultaneously, Roswaal chuckled wryly.

Neither of them showed him a sliver of trust nor openly listened to his concerns, but the worry was unmistakably genuine, showcasing their virtuous nature and revealing they were part of Emilia’s faction.

——They weren’t those who couldn’t connect with Roswaal from the root.

“…So, I’ve been marked.”

Swallowing the smile he had shown, Roswaal opened his shirt at the chest.

Upon seeing the source of pain there, a red, swollen marking emerged depicting an eye pattern. Petra’s wide-eyed expression, shocked, couldn’t hide her surprise.

Otto also darkened in expression, staring at the mark.

“Count, did you say that’s a mark? I didn’t want to assume…but…”

“You’d be right on the nose about that.——This is likely proof that I’ve been acknowledged by the enemy, or, perhaps a marking that designates me as a target. In any case, it’s nothing we welcome.”

“Enemy, or a target?”

As Otto’s gaze inadvertently cut over to Petra and in quick response, she shook her head vigorously, sensing his intent.

From that reaction, it was clear neither Otto nor Petra bore the mark.

While that should be something to breathe a sigh of relief about——

“What kind of effect does this mark have?”

“——The likely possibilities are those that gradually chip away at life and those that read the target’s thoughts. Also, there’s the one to constantly pinpoint a location.”

“Of course, you are starting from the worst case here. If that’s the case, the one most likely is the marking to identify locations, correct?”

“Indeed, you’re truly sharp.”

Calmly laying out the possibilities, Roswaal closed his eyes as he judged the severity of the situation.

That judgment was undoubtedly correct. The most dangerous form of life-draining curse would be impossible to engrave remotely, ruling that possibility out.

I’d say it is enough that we’ve been marked to identify our locations.

“We might need to think about acting separately so our movements aren’t easily detectable. There’s also Halibel’s backup outside. You all need to separate from me—”

“——No, it seems it’s already too late.”

As he responded in a low voice, Otto pulled Petra close to him.

With surprise evident in her wide eyes, just a split second later, a giant figure crashed through the window adjacent to her, diving into the corridor of the interconnected Dragon Carriage.

It was an enemy in menacing black armor, wielding a massive sickle—it was a Zombie.

“——!”

Petra stifled a scream, pointing toward the enemy from within Otto’s arms.

While admiring the bravery of the girl trying to seize the initiative in this hurried situation, Roswaal stepped forward, thrusting his hand before the enemy raised the sickle.

With a blade hand, he stabbed into the gap of the enemy’s helmet, thrusting his fingers into the eye socket and incanting.

“Goah!”

Instantly, the head swelled up in flames, exploding from within alongside the armor.

In stark contrast to the dramatic entrance, Roswaal ensured that the enemy made no move. Delighted at his best effort, Roswaal turned around to see it was too naive.

One after another, soldiers with the same armor began pouring into the carriage from the roof and hallway.

In one fell swoop, the interconnected Dragon Carriage itself had transformed into a battleground.

△▼△▼△

“Abel, over here! Quick! You too, come on!”

“Believe it or not, I’m running at full speed right now, sister!”

With all her might, Medium struck away the enemy’s attacks with her twin swords.

Her broadswords clashed against massive sickles, and as she weaved through, protected by both men—Vincent and Flopp, they endured the enemy’s fierce onslaught.

While it may have seemed helpless, their situation bore reason beyond being mere injured and non-combatants.

“Your Majesty! You alright? Please don’t tell me you were poisoned! I’d be in quite the pinch if you didn’t uphold our promise!”

“…Hmph. If you’re worried, hide your ambition a little,” Vincent scoffed.

“Given you always surround yourself with all those ambitious types, you might be surprised there are those who approach you for reasons other than ambition, Your Majesty!”

While laughing off the nonsense spewed by Flopp as he supported Vincent’s shoulder, the expression on Vincent’s face twisted slightly in response, as a sudden pain gripped his chest. The jarring pain and red mark felt like a thorn infecting his flesh.

Moments later, Medium withstood the attack from the enemy, and Vincent was certain he faced a headache just as troublesome as before.

That being——

“The pain in your chest…”

“Curse it, it must be the magic eye of my brother, Paradio Manesque. That bastard, despite dying in the Rite of Succession, seems to have still been a pain in the neck.”

“Magic eye…! What’s its effect?”

“It was to convey sound to a known presence, but seems like it’s sharpened after death.”

As Vincent replied to Flopp’s inquiry, he recalled the brother who had perished.

Among the siblings vying for the throne, Paradio stood among the most formidable, yet he had stumbled through his downfall due to underestimating the potential of his own magic eyes.

He would never have imagined that even in death, Paradio would come back to haunt him like this—

“No, but even with death, it’s not easy for one to change their essence. Someone has issued commands to Paradio.”

“But isn’t Paradio a member of the royals? No matter the state of being turned into a Zombie, you could hardly command someone like that…”

“——I’m par for the course. If Paradio were to obey, it would have to be that of the deceased former Emperor, Draizen Volakia, or someone he himself would bow down to.”

While Vincent himself emanated as a likely candidate, the very notions of associating with a Zombie swiftly discounted him.

Instead, the former Emperor, now a confirmed Zombie, Draizen, emerged as a contender, alongside his lost sister reviving as possible inconvenience in that grim outcome.

Yet, considering the attire of the enemy that Medium was facing, Vincent was left with one choice——.

“——It must be Lamia!”

The existence carrying the danger accompanied by the dreadful “Pruning Corps,” capable of commanding Paradio had to be none other than Lamia Godwin.

Estimating her among the trio of siblings Vincent once held in high regard during the Rite of Succession, he gripped the painful area of his chest tightly.

At that moment——

“Shut it! You damn Zombies!!”

A rough voice roared, and ahead of Vincent, blades thrashed wildly.

Glancing up, those Zombies crashing through the window had been shredded by a soldier with curly hair like a beast, reducing them to dust.

In tandem, the heavily breathing soldier soon recognized Vincent and called out,

“Oi! You lot, lend a hand! My sister’s somewhere inside…”

“No, the one who lends a hand is you,” Vincent stated.

“Huh? Whaddaya mean… th-th-th-that’s His Majesty!?”

The rough soldier, trying to press in uttering nonchalant words, screams in panic as he realizes Vincent’s identity; a completely expected reaction, suffocating any nonchalant impertinence while Vincent merely gestured disdainfully.

“Cooperate with those behind you and halt the advancing enemy forces. I will take care of your sister.”

“S-Sir! I, Jamal Aurelie the Second Class Private, will comply!”

“Strive hard, Jamal Aurelie. Your actions here will determine the fate of the Empire.”

“——!!”

At Vincent’s resounding command, the one-eyed Jamal trembled in fear. After that, with the ferocity akin to a beast, he struck through and over Vincent and Flopp, charging into the fray to assist Medium, pushing the Zombies back.

“Hey, the guy with the eyepatch! The Medium fighting alongside is a candidate for Empress, so treat her with respect!”

“I haven’t agreed to that yet, you know~!”

Amidst Flopp’s remarks, Medium’s response lacked tension.

Emboldened by the moment, Flopp broke into the room where Jamal’s sister was and dragged out a woman who had been left bedridden in a wheelchair, her eyes brimming with painful tears.

“W-what? What’s happening? Why won’t you just leave me alone…?!”

“——That’s likely what everyone in the Empire is thinking right about now.”

Sharing in the misery of the woman’s plight, Vincent shook his head.

No matter how dire the situation grew, stopping the interconnected Dragon Carriage here was out of the question.

The time required to restart the Dragon Carriage once halted would be uncertain at best.

If that happened——

“——We have no time to waste. We need to reach the castle city.”

△▼△▼△

“If we were to stop the Dragon Carriage now, we’d be surrounded by even more enemies. The interconnected Dragon Carriage’s mechanism relies heavily on the ‘Divine Protection from Wind.’ If we start without that protection, flipping over is a certainty.”

“I thought having that much convenience was too good to be true, but boy does it have quite a flaw.”

As the interconnected Dragon Carriage was ambushed, engaging in the coin-toss of devastation within the continued moving carriage, Selena blew the whistle on its faults.

Hearing this, Anastasia also understood that halting was far from realistic.

“Even without that, the earth dragons haven’t stopped running for nearly half a day… If we stop now, we wouldn’t be able to take off again tonight.”

“There’s also the disparity in numbers against us. The only thing compensating it is the mobility of the Dragon Carriage; without the difference, our fate will mirror that of the soon-to-lose Prime Minister, Belstet.”

“Is that truly the time for such banter? The old man is being openly scorned!”

“Lord Dukaroo will maintain his nature as he is; it seems only natural I’d be executed once this ‘Great Calamity’ incident is resolved…”

“What a pitiful resolve you’re trying to set!”

Responding to Selena’s offbeat joke, the elderly Belstet replied starkly, and Garfiel heightened his voice at their exchange.

The new surge of enemy attacks commenced just as Anastasia and Garfiel were together in the same room. Originally, Garfiel would have wished to regroup with Emilia and the others, but—

“You guys must have felt bad about having us come over, Garf-kun. But thanks to that, Selena and I were able to be spared!”

“Tch… The leaders have Ram and Emilia-sama, so there’s nothing to worry. Otto’s the only concern…”

“Even if you’re feeling emotional, reason doesn’t vanish. Otto is a merchant, so there’s no need to worry; he’ll handle himself, you know.”

With gritted teeth, Garfiel’s formidable yet unimposing muscles persisted through the oncoming maelstrom of clashing sickles charging in from the Dragon Carriage.

With blows that pummeled, slammed, and crushed them, he was hunting the Zombies in mere moments.

As the scattered Zombies crumbled into dust, somewhere on the side, Belstet—now merely a non-combatant alongside Anastasia, squinted harder.

“The ‘Pruning Corps’… It appears Lamia has indeed arrived.”

“Lamia Godwin? I’ve wanted to meet her once.”

“Oh really? What kind of person is she?”

“You’d know better than I would, given you’re an advisor to the Emperor—since you were one to seek her out.”

Withdrawing her weapon, Selena shrugged as Anastasia turned her gaze to Belstet.

The old man did not contradict Selena’s account, nodding with eyes veiled in mystery.

“Lamia was a woman worthy of being Emperor in her own right. Had it not been for Vincent Abelkus and Priska Benedict of the same generation, she would have been in that position.”

“Or perhaps she’s risen as a Zombie to come fulfill her original intentions? Frankly, if the same were said to your loyalty, Secretary, she’d potentially overlook it.”

“——I’m sorry to say, but both myself and Lamia are losers. It’s quite contradictory to the imperial way.”

Selena, closing one eye, sighed at Belstet’s serious reply.

The old man’s straightforward response seemed to irk her. Anastasia understood the complex emotions tied between the former lord and the erstwhile land together, though.

“——Ana.”

Unexpectedly, a call barely touched the ear of the contemplative Anastasia, causing her to lift her gaze.

The voice calling out was from Echidna, disguised in her fox-collared wrap as she eyed the entrance leading to the guest chamber.

“——I’ve returned, Lady Anastasia.”

Immediately trailing her gaze, Julius emerged from behind the door.

With a fierce expression, Julius grasped his sword in one hand as he cradled the slender man in the other—who had been instructed to fetch him on a separate errand.

With ashen hair flapping and disheveled expression, the man looked up rather pitifully.

“My goodness, everything’s gone off the rails! My chest is burning and throbbing, meanwhile this swordsman keeps shaking me about… this is absurd!”

“If you don’t want to complain so much, you should be grateful to me and my knight! For it’s possible, the target of their aim could be you.”

“Eh!?”

Ubiruku, the “Star Seer” who had been confined in the back carriage, widened his eyes in disbelief.

It seemed he was a person of great value in the Empire, considered indispensable in combating the “Great Calamity.” They had sent Julius to avert his death.

“Compared to Garf-kun, you look like you might easily stray or cheat,” she chuckled, poking fun.

“That’s not the case! I’m busy fighting out here!”

“Is that so? If I don’t commission your assistance, I feel you’d scamper off to help Halibel outside!”

“Ugh…!”

With a face caught at a critical point, Garfiel howled, his fangs trembling.

While the interconnected Dragon Carriage was assailed by an unfolding threat, the greatest menace was being held back by Halibel alone.

A cacophony of ferocious dragon roars and thunderous echoes pierced the sky—only someone as strong as a city-state’s strongest could stall something of such vicious caliber.

“Garfiel, thank you for protecting Lady Anastasia and the others. I respect your bravery.”

“Shut it! Just like the general, I’m no good at taking compliments!”

“I’m disappointed to hear that! Just like Subaru, I hoped to become friends with you too.”

“AAAGH!!”

In response to Julius’s words, Garfiel roared, thrusting his fist forward; that coincided with the zombies appearing at both ends alongside them.

Their timing seemed impeccable—these elusive beasts had shown their true power.

“That said, unless we tackle extermination now… though we shouldn’t halt the Dragon Carriage from stopping, if it comes to that, it’ll be the end.”

“Nnnn――!!”

With a booming voice resonating, the golden hammer spear was swung down.

The lateral strike swept aside multiple zombies shrouded in thick armor, sending the enemies hurtling off from the carriage as they splattered upon impact with the ground.

Yet for all the enemies struck down, their numbers kept unwavering.

“You vile scoundrels! You wretched pests!!”

The fierce scowl on the face of Goz Ralfon defied proof as he bellowed like a lion.

That was Goz, visibly gripping his spear, as he witnessed a surrounding swarm of zombie flying dragons drop down fresh zombies into the carriage.

This audacious method of transportation proved to be the worst setup for having enemies board the connectivity dragon carriage.

——Not all the enemies being thrown down would cling to the interconnected Dragon Carriage.

In fact, nearly half of the troops weren’t met with the carriage but rather, as they were tossed from the flying zombies, they fell to the ground, shattering their undead forms.

Nevertheless, while this was no less than a self-destructive method for live troops, for the deceased, throwing them into the fray revealed an effortless act.

And all of this was achieved by——

“——Lady Lamia’s ‘Pruning Corps’!”

Just as Goz braved forth to guard the critically positioned earth dragons pulling the foremost carriage, the horde of flying dragons gleefully brought in fresh reinforcements, rooting him solidly to the sky.

“The ‘Pruning Corps’ is a group that brought about the Great Purge within the Volakia Empire.”

Each member clad in armor that distorted their faces, brandishing massive sickles to cull unnecessary humans in the name of their master. — Hence, the term ‘Pruning Corps.’

This group’s name was captured in the annals of imperial history after the only nine-year-old royal girl—Lamia Godwin, had massacred the forces of a rebellion led by lower nobles.

Those sacrificed in the purge faced a gruesome fate, despairing through hell on earth.

With shockingly intimidating authority, it was hard to believe they demonstrated such loyalty, being merely children following their young princess.

What they could identify through this battle was a universal truth; the poison of Lamia had yet to purify their lingering souls even in death; they were still under her thrall.

And——

“——Oh dear. It brings me joy that even after so many years, you still remember me and my darling beasts!”

Unexpected dread sliced through the sky, descending from above with a honeyed voice.

In that instant, Goz reflexively swung his spear up high, rending through a red arc and compelling himself to leap backward. Instantly, a blaze erupted from his hands.

Of course—because the “Sun Sword” illuminated everything in a bright glow.

“Could it be that you graced the battlefield yourself…?! Lady Lamia Godwin!!”

“Is it truly such a surprise? Given this body, it should be most effective for the time being, no?”

Gnashing his teeth, Goz glared at the highborn Zombie radiating an enchanting smile before him.

Her vibrant, crimson dress like blood, adorned with shiny jewels, was all overshadowed by the inherent beauty as a member of Volakia’s royal family—though now tinged with pale cracks and sinister golden eyes that made her seem ghastly.

While Lamia Godwin, nicknamed “Poison Princess,” once competed shoulder to shoulder against Vincent Volakia during the Rite of Succession for the Emperor’s throne—she stood now claiming the very evidence of her degradation, at once shattered by Goz’s retaliation.

However, unlike what struck other Zombies into lifeless pieces, Lamia’s body did not disintegrate, instead, it repaired the cracks, restoring it to its former form.

“That body of yours…”

“It doesn’t vanish or crumble subject to being crushed… although it’s not the idealized convenience one might expect.”

Calmly stroking the regenerated parts, Lamia hefted the “Sun Sword” with her other hand. The dazzling, unyielding light of the sacred blade arrayed upon her seemed almost sacrilegious.

Seeing the reality, Goz grimaced as Lamia sighed again.

“In the Crystal Palace, we couldn’t coolly discuss matters, but please, don’t wear such a frightened expression, General Ralfon.”

“Groan…”

“Oh, you’re a general now, right? I’ve heard, Your Majesty Vincent revived the ‘Nine Divine Generals’ system, right? How noble of you all.”

“It turns out great power doesn’t always guarantee quality.

Due to the nature of this system, your only pulling rank will be on the basis of sheer brute strength, just perfect for gathering disposable soldiers.”

“…Indeed, it’s evident that behind the revival of the ‘Nine Divine Generals’ lies the expectation to set measures against the so-called ‘Great Calamity’… I too recognize that possibility.”

“You seem to imply altercations may arise.”

“But you should know, even if you lament it, you’re ultimately but a loser. That’s contrary to the Imperial standard.”

Barely even paying heed to Belstet’s response, Selena let out a sigh, shining her one eye at him.

Being labeled as a ‘loser’ seemed to resonate with more than anticipated, though beyond that did stem more tumultuous emotions.

“——Ana.”

Stirred out of her thoughts, she raised her gaze at the soft call.

It came from Echidna’s soft voice, looking curiously at the entryway that led into the guest room.

“——Lady Anastasia, I’ve returned.”

Following her gaze, Julius arrived through the door in vigorous fashion.

Gripping a knight’s sword in one hand while cradling a slender man in the other was the person he was sent to retrieve.

Meanwhile, by his side, there was the pale long-haired man, uplifted and bearing a helpless expression.

“Everything’s gone haywire all at once! My chest feels like boiling, burst from the grip of this swordsman… I’m at my wits end!”

“You should be thanking us, not whining! Our goal might just be you!”

“What!? ”

His eyes widened in disbelief when realizing Ubiruku, the “Star Seer,” previously confined in the back—was likely highly regarded in the Empire.

His status appeared indispensable in combating the “Great Calamity,” and thus, they’d dispatched Julius to safeguard him.

“You’d have strayed off elsewhere with Garf-kun, right? You wouldn’t have had the tenacity to stand still!”

“Huh… Hey! I’ve been fighting off out here too!”

“Is that so? If I didn’t give you the motivations, you might go help Halibel instead!”

“Growl…”

A glaring look fell upon Garfiel, disrupted by the truth dashed through.

As the interconnected Dragon Carriage withstood repeated enemy incursions, Halibel held the most significant threat at bay independently.

The unyielding roars from furious dragons alongside thunderous sounds echoed across the sky—almost to the allure of utmost resilience that only the greatest of the realm could maintain.

“Thank you, Garfiel, for your assistance in protecting Lady Anastasia and the rest of us. Your bravery is commendable.”

“Shut up! Just like the general, I don’t really think much of compliments!”

“That’s unfortunate! Like Subaru, I hoped to be friends with you.”

“GRRAAH!!”

Garfiel’s heroic honking bark collided with Julius, then seemed to synchronize with their joint efforts against the zombie troop advancing from behind.

Amidst the attacks the interconnected Dragon Carriage faced, the monstrous black earth dragon roared viciously.

That turmoil magnificently surged as the colossal titans fought back while elevating their stakes.

Run away—fleeing into streams, the world growing brighter.

“To engage in maneuvers to ensure survival! We’re to return the reverberated realities to their laps and alarm.”

Intense clashing roared through as claws rent flesh, struck down into the boundless horizons.

“RUN AWAYYY!”

“Nargh! What damned injustice is this screen of death!?”

“Leave your past lost in a hue of rage! DIVINE PROTECTION… we go now forward!”

And so they rushed, soaring as the constellations above reformed in cosmic spectacle itself.

Light seeming to dance amidst the starry sky refracting every color of fate.

“Ka-Chink—Ka-Chink.”

As the alarm was sounded, the thundering cacophony harmonized in streams of ethereal winds joining the clash of yet unsung furies.

A unison of old and new, from tall enshrouded rocks where brightness abounds—the ancestral songs resonated through.

“`

 

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