When Charlotte arrived at the battlefield where Heinzel and Delia were, what she saw was a Leviathan’s corpse shattered to pieces like broken pottery, and a bald man standing proudly on top of it.
And there was Delia, sitting on the ground, staring blankly into the air.
Charlotte couldn’t comprehend the current situation.
Until she stepped out of the spire, the light had seemed like it was going to flee from her if she looked away. She had seen a gigantic hand as if God had placed it there. She had witnessed lightning striking down relentlessly.
She felt Delia’s determination to obliterate the enemy with everything she had.
A monster appeared on the earth that felt absolutely unbeatable.
Beyond the horizon, hell seemed to unfold, as if disaster had been transferred intact.
That was for sure, but at some point, the light dwindled, and she began to hear the monster’s screams. A deafening roar echoed as if it would burst her eardrums.
Neither human nor monster, she felt a turbulent flow of alien power. It felt similar to the monster of the end, but it was a different kind of power.
And now, there was Delia, so vibrant it was hard to believe she had used such powers, and there was Heinzel, who clearly looked alive despite radiating no sign of life.
“…Is this a relief?”
Creek– In her chaotic thoughts, Charlotte took a step forward.
“Delia.”
She approached Delia, who was blankly sitting, and tried to talk to her, but Delia didn’t respond. She just stared blankly at where Heinzel was standing.
Even as Charlotte shook her shoulders, touched her head, and raised her arms to lift her up, Delia’s mind was fixated on Heinzel.
“You daft girl.”
“Uh… Huh? Your Highness…?”
“Right. What on earth happened?”
“…Ah.”
Finally seeming to regain her senses, but quickly slipping back into a daze, Delia. Charlotte clicked her tongue, sat her down, and hurriedly walked over to Heinzel.
“Phew.”
Though she acted calm on the outside, Charlotte’s insides were burning with anxiety.
How could they not?
In the north, there was a monster they didn’t understand, a creature they wouldn’t dare to touch, standing firmly. They had no idea when it might move, or what kind of consequence it would bring if it did.
No, that aside.
The stark contrast between Delia, looking too pristine for having fought a fierce battle, and the miserable sight of Heinzel far away was eating her insides away.
Mistiltein, confident that Ser, with knowledge beyond that of humans, wouldn’t break under common shocks.
But what lay ahead?
The artificial arm on his left shoulder was shattered without a trace, and the one on his right shoulder was cracked, looking like it could break at any moment.
His body was a wreck. One leg was missing. The remaining leg looked ragged. His back skin was entirely peeled away, and his bones seemed to have shattered beyond recognition.
Along with that, he emanated no vitality.
There was no magical power in him. That massive and fierce magical power was nowhere to be felt.
There was no sign of life. The solid flame that seemed never to extinguish was not evident at all.
Yet, he was alive.
He breathed normally and hadn’t collapsed.
The sight of this made Charlotte’s steps urgent.
Clang– The enormous shield he had set down made an unusually loud sound as it hit the ground.
Charlotte exaggerated her gestures to announce her arrival as she called out to Heinzel.
“Hey, Baldy.”
10 seconds.
20 seconds.
After 30 seconds, a long sigh escaped Heinzel’s lips, as if he had relaxed.
“It’s you, Charlotte.”
A voice just like usual.
But the atmosphere was entirely different.
An unreadable emotion.
Heinzel’s voice, so transformed that it was hard to believe he was the same person, reached Charlotte’s ears.
“…What happened?”
“A formidable monster appeared. We had an intense battle with it. And I won.”
Click– As Mistiltein clenched his fists, an odd sound came from them.
“I took it down with my bare fists, without weapons or armor.”
Unlike that bastard.
Slowly turning away, Heinzel’s gaze moved beyond Charlotte’s back, toward the empty air.
His face wore an expression of refreshment.
Nostalgia, disappointment, and exhilaration blended into it.
After glancing at Heinzel for a moment, Charlotte took out an elixir from her pocket and handed it to him.
“Right… Good job.”
There were so many things she wanted to ask.
But she didn’t.
She couldn’t.
It wasn’t a situation where she could leisurely listen to explanations, plus Heinzel’s expression indicated not to ask.
So Charlotte had to keep her lips sealed.
“Hmm.”
However, Heinzel didn’t take it.
He merely walked toward Delia, dragging his staggering body.
How could he walk so well without a leg?
How could he not fall without magical power?
What on earth was that unfathomable strength?
Charlotte, squashing the questions flowing in her mind, moved next to Heinzel.
“You walk pretty well.”
“I walk well.”
“Doesn’t it hurt?”
“It doesn’t hurt.”
“Is that so?”
“Indeed.”
A mundane conversation, as if talking to a wall, like chatting with a fool.
An utterly pointless exchange.
Yet within it, Charlotte’s face crinkled amidst a strange irritation. But she didn’t show it.
Eventually, as they reached Delia, Heinzel glanced at the elixir in Charlotte’s hand.
“Can you give it to Delia?”
“I can, but I think you should drink it first.”
Pop– Opening the lid of the elixir, Charlotte handed it to Delia while scanning Heinzel’s body up and down.
“I’m fine.”
Shaking his head just like before, Heinzel placed his hand on the still-dazed Delia’s head.
“All is over.”
Color began to return to Delia’s pale face.
“Good job, Delia. I thought it was a lie, but as you said, reinforcements have come.”
“…Reinforcements?”
“Look over there.”
Following Heinzel’s gaze, Delia turned her head. Amidst the swirling dust, one by one, the bewildered liberators began to emerge.
And leading them was Hermila, with a furrowed brow.
“Sister Hermila…”
Delia’s eyes twisted.
Her lips scrunched, and her head drooped.
“Waaah…”
“Geez.”
As Delia began to cry sorrowfully, Charlotte, crouching beside her, wrapped her arms around her affectionately, contrary to her annoyed expression, and started feeding her the elixir.
“Quit it, you kid.”
“Sniff, sniff… Waaaah…”
After some time, Hermila arrived in front of them, pushing back the liberators who followed her, choosing her words slowly.
“…Mr. Heinzel.”
A short question filled with meaning.
“Hmm.”
A brief answer that acknowledged everything.
Then, smirk– Heinzel’s lips curled up.
“I won.”
Words without an audience.
But Hermila fully understood their meaning.
What he had achieved, what he had done.
What level he had reached, she could tell.
Thus, she nodded.
Forced to smile.
“I was stronger. Slow, frustrating, took the long way around, but in the end, I won.”
Creak– Creak– As Heinzel repeatedly opened and closed his fists, he gazed at the distant Behemoth staring back at him.
“But we have no time for an arm-wrestle.”
Now, he was sure he would win.
Heinzel mumbled to himself, roughly ruffled Delia’s hair, and shifted his gaze to Charlotte.
“When does the effect kick in?”
Startled, Charlotte shook violently and quietly replied, avoiding Heinzel’s gaze.
“…Soon.”
“Is that so.”
Delia, not understanding their conversation, opened her lips.
“What kind of, medicine…?”
Thud–
But she couldn’t finish her sentence.
The tranquilizer mixed in the elixir had interrupted Delia’s consciousness.
“How did you know?”
Carrying the collapsed Delia in her arms, Charlotte cautiously glared at Heinzel.
“I could smell it. And a tranquilizer of that level wouldn’t knock me out.”
“Even this should knock out an ogre.”
“I’m stronger than an ogre.”
“Tsk. Yeah, you have a big ego.”
Charlotte’s gaze shifted to the liberators standing behind them. At that moment, the medical team rushed in, carrying a stretcher.
Charlotte carefully laid Delia down on it and said,
“If I ask how your condition is, you won’t tell me, right?”
“I can tell you.”
“What’s the matter?”
“I’m fine.”
Charlotte’s face twisted with annoyance.
“Right, damn it.”
As she tidied Delia’s hair on the stretcher, Charlotte bowed her head to the medical team.
The chaotic medical team, confused by their princess’s bow, hastily left the scene while covering Delia with a blanket.
Watching the medical team drift away, Hermila parted her heavy lips.
“Mr. Heinzel. Is it ‘still’… okay?”
“I decided to finish everything and win.”
“At this point, it should be fine to say it’s all over.”
“Not at all. If we carry on like this, I’ll surely get scolded.”
“Is that so…”
Hermila, forcing up the corners of her mouth, turned away. She hid her expression, suppressed her emotions.
Then, in her usual voice, she said,
“Then, let’s go.”
“Hmm.”
Hermila took a step forward.
Next was Charlotte.
Heinzel.
And then,
The Behemoth began to rise.
