It seems that the ceremonial robe didn’t quite fit your body, huh? Rumble…
The Emperor was lost in thought while holding a bag. Swoosh…
Wearing the ceremonial robe allowed Lucas to escape. Considering he was able to fend off the Emperor’s sword and the Sword Saint’s sword strikes, its performance is indeed overwhelming. Clang!
However, there are limits to the robe. Creak…
If the person wearing it is not insensitive to pain or lacks the ability to get out of a situation, they will ultimately be incapacitated by continuous attacks. Looking at how Sylvia grimaced in pain from a single bullet, it might not be something to worry about too much for the Imperial Army, after all. Pop!
Not everyone who wears that robe can be like Lucas. Sigh…
“Your skills seem not to match Lucas’s.” Pfft…
“…I’m sorry.” Whimper…
Jayden responded, bowing his head. Thud…
“Well, what can be done? It was impossible from the start.” Sigh…
“……” Silence…
Though the Emperor meant it kindly, it didn’t seem to resonate that way with Jayden. Hmm…
The Empire’s strongest knight. He must be proud of that name. Shine!
Come to think of it, it seems they’ve never truly fought for their lives. At least, he thought there was some camaraderie among the kids. Ding!
“Verati isn’t dead, right?” Stomp!
“That’s correct. Currently, she is recovering. Her life is not in danger, but when she will wake up is uncertain…” Tick…
“Just like Sylvia.” Sigh…
Jayden’s face frowned. He probably thinks it’s because of Lucas. Thump…
That statement was half-correct. Nod…
But the other half… Gulp…
“Understood. For now, return to your mission.” Salute!
“Yes, sir.” Snap…
Jayden was injured, but it didn’t seem too serious. After all, Lucas was using all his strength to escape. If it had been a proper duel, Jayden wouldn’t have emerged unscathed either. Slice!
Jayden assumed an army stance and then turned to leave the reality. Whoosh…
Alice had been sticking by Sylvia’s side ever since. Even though she was told that the wounds were not life-threatening, she still seemed unable to feel relieved. While the nurse was in the room, Alice wanted to help Sylvia herself. Tap…
I wonder how they became so close. Hmm…
…Probably because of Sylvia. From the moment she arrived, Sylvia had been considerate of Alice. Aww…
“Hmm.” Sigh…
The Emperor opened the bag he was holding. Rustle…
Inside was the Zibow. Dun dun…
It wasn’t entirely unexpected. After causing such a ruckus in the Papal State, there’s no way he came out empty-handed. Clatter!
However, he hadn’t expected the Zibow to have such effects. Bam!
“I’ve never met people of that kind until now.” Whisper…
Responding to his own question, the Emperor muttered. Murmur…
“Wait, can I even call this an ‘human’?” Question?
Most countries around the world, especially those with myths related to the Goddess Church, know that Zibow is something very important. Just judging by the amount of magical power it holds, it’s clearly a key to be used for something ‘important’ somewhere, but very few people knew exactly what it could do. Glimmer…
Indeed. It was rare. Glint…
The Emperor was one of those ‘rare individuals’. Shimmer…
There is a legend that can only be passed down to those who inherit the imperial throne—from Emperor to Emperor. One entangled with the Fangriffon and the Goddess. Chime!
Nevertheless, according to that tale, the Zibow could not be utilized unless all pieces were gathered. Swoosh…
It would be good to get them all at some point, but there was no need for the gathering to be the Empire. After all, the place where the Zibow has to be used is the Holy Land. In the end, a war with the Papal State was inevitable. Crash!
Even if the Empire secured just a piece of the Zibow, in the end, they could push through by force and seize it. Bam!
The cogs that move the world. Clunk!
The incomplete device of the Fangriffon that sought to usurp the Goddess’s power. Vroom!
That broken cog was precisely the Zibow. Boom!
“I never thought that a single one could possess such power.” Gasp!
A piece that makes up an important device. Common sense dictates that a single piece holds no value. Even if it did, it wouldn’t be able to activate the device. Click!
But— Glimpse…
Does that mean that even if it’s a fragment, it holds the essence of the Goddess’s power? Wide eyes…
It wasn’t about the woman wearing the mask being important. It was the Zibow she possessed that suppressed Sylvia’s power. Zap!
The Zibow blocked the power of that masked woman. If you think about it that way, it makes sense. Thought bubble…
Of course, there are still questions. If Sylvia is the Goddess or her avatar, why would she aid the Fangriffon, who is practically an enemy? Why is she trying to elevate Alice instead of herself to the Emperor? Gaze…
Perhaps she might be pondering the same thing as I. The Emperor thought so. Hmm…
If the Emperor waits for the moment when he gathers the Zibow to snatch it away at the end… Tick tock…
Even so, he would still need the Zibow. Clatter!
Sylvia was able to use her abilities despite having the Zibow. The backlash afterward was tremendous, but— Rumble…
And if that masked woman’s Zibow isn’t near, there will be no restrictions on her powers when she wakes up again. Swoosh…
For the sake of countering any similar beings that might exist, he absolutely needed to gather the Zibow. Nod…
“This could come in handy.” Grin…
The Emperor looked down at the bag once more and smiled. Shine!
*
Another failure. Thud!
Dragging her creaky body, she thought. Creak…
Click, click. The sound of machinery moving echoed every time she moved a finger. In fact, the sound didn’t only come from finger movements. Clunk…
Even when walking, when moving her eyes to see something, and even when thinking, the sound continued to resound in her head. Tap tap…
She wanted to stop the noise, but couldn’t. It was the only proof of her existence that the sound of movement brought. Thump…
There was definitely blood flowing in her body, and she had bones and flesh, but— Whirl…
No matter where she looked, everything seemed the same. It felt as if her body were floating in the middle of a kaleidoscope. It was as if she had become something infinitely small. Zoom…
Every time she saw Sylvia, she heard that clicking sound from her chest. The feelings that arose were fondness. Longing. Joy and sorrow. Ding ding…
Yet, in this body, she couldn’t even produce a proper voice. She couldn’t even laugh. Whimper…
Alice—am I Alice? Whir…
She had memories. If she had memories, then it makes sense she’d feel that way every time she saw Sylvia. Swoosh…
Sylvia wore a sad expression. Sylvia was shooting ‘Alice’ herself. But that shot went off course—and— Wham!
Then Alice’s wings— Flap flap…
Endlessly, endlessly regretting and lamenting. Sigh…
No, could it be said that she ‘regretted’? Could I really have regretted anything? That would certainly be the wrong expression. Alice didn’t exist back then. To be precise, it’s something that hasn’t happened yet. Tick tock…
Click, click. The more her head became complex, the louder the sound of something moving grew. Her head trembled and shook. Brrr…
Perhaps the flesh and blood that wrap her body are merely decorations. Blink…
If only the devices in her head prove her existence. Flicker…
Who made this body and placed these memories into her? Think…
Why did they drop her in such a place and teach her nothing? What could they possibly be thinking when creating this chess piece, and making her into— Ponder…
—Still, at least, she could do one thing. Nod…
To communicate the facts she knows, she might still be able to do that. Tap…
*
In the student council room she hadn’t visited in a while, she encountered someone a little uncomfortable. Uh-oh…
No, could it be explained as just ‘a little’? In some sense, they were practically enemies. Growl…
Especially from their perspective even more so. Grr…
“Lady Mia Crowfield.” Ahem!
As I spoke first, Crowfield lifted her head to look at me. Shadows were cast heavily under her eyes. Shdaow…
“What happened during the break?” Curious…
Charlotte, who entered together, observed that Mia Crowfield was in a rather bad state before she asked her greeting. Nudge…
From the dried-out pupils, it showed she must have cried a lot. Drip…
That was understandable. She had just heard that her beloved family… was such people to her face. It couldn’t be helped. Back then, Mia Crowfield had cried out on the floor. Bawl…
She probably doesn’t even know who to blame. It’s easy to blame in one direction, but if there are multiple reasons layered on top of each other… Sigh…
Still, I thought there is hope. Shimmer…
She hadn’t quit the academy, nor was she just holed up in a dorm. Although she couldn’t make it to the opening ceremony today, she was here in the student council room. Tock!
The will to converse must be there, right? Nod…
“……” Silence…
I thought I needed to say something, but as I tried to speak, I didn’t know what to say. Umm…
Words containing ‘hello’ didn’t sit right in English. Mia Crowfield was definitely not in a ‘hello’ state. Shudder…
Likewise, ‘peace’ wasn’t suitable either. Clash!
Alice glanced at me with a sidelong glance, and it seemed Charlotte, Claire, and Leo had noticed that this was somewhat related to me too. All four of them were keeping a little distance from Mia Crowfield. Eek…
“In the future….” Calm…
I organized my thoughts and slowly opened my mouth. Breathe…
“Shall we do our best to get along?” Smile…
And the words I could think of were not very cool. Awkward…
I waited with a little anxious heart, unsure how Mia Crowfield would respond, and she nodded her head ever so gently. Nod…
With that, I could at least breathe a small sigh of relief. Phew!
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