I was interrogated in a room comparable to a detention cell and released after
five days. It's evening now.
"Go on. Scram."
They shove me out of the building and chuck my suitcase behind me. I'm
in nothing but my underwear, and I rummage through my suitcase to change
and shove my feet into my shoes. It takes me a while to get dressed. I'm
guessing it has to do with the fact that all my fingernails were ripped off.
When I get everything on, I heave out a big sigh and start walking. I stand
out among the people on the busy street since I'm beaten up and drenched in
my own blood.
I sigh again. "Chill out, relax. There's no point getting worked up over
every little thing."
I manage to stay calm by blocking the faces of the interrogating knights
out of my mind.
"They were just doing their job."
Their punches only left surface-level wounds on my body. If I felt like it, I
could grow my missing fingernails back. But I don't, because I'm fully
immersed in acting out my role as a nobody.
"Yeah, I'm always cool and collected."
Right. Calm.
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I let out another long exhale, and my field of vision clears. I pay attention
to my surroundings and sense strange shadows lurking behind me.
"Two of them are tailing me."
The kidnapper hasn't been caught. Which obviously means that the state
of Alexia's well-being is up in the air.
Just because I've been released doesn't mean it's all sunshine and roses.
They just don't have enough evidence to convict me, and my name hasn't
been cleared yet.
I trudge back to my dorm room, pretending to hang my head from
exhaustion.
"Later…," whispers a quiet voice.
It reaches my ears, accompanied with the faint scent of a familiar
perfume.
"Alpha…?"
But I can't find her anywhere among the city folk scurrying past one
another on the main road after sunset.
When I flick the lights on in my dorm room, the silhouette of a girl emerges
from the darkness.
"You must be hungry."
Her black suit fits her perfectly, accentuating her feminine curves. She's
holding out a sandwich with a thick slab of tuna in her hand from Tuna King,
the famous restaurant in the capital.
"Thanks. It's been a while, Alpha. Where's Beta?"
I'm famished after not eating a proper meal in five days, and I devour the
sandwich. Beta is the one who's supposed to be on rotation to assist me.
"She contacted me. What a mess." Alpha sits cross-legged on the bed.
There's a nostalgic quality to her shiny golden locks that trail down her
back and those blue eyes the shape of almonds. She's grown up since last
time.
"Yep." I stuff the last piece of sandwich into my mouth.
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"There's water in there."
"Thanks." I chug it from a large glass. "Ahhh! I'm alive again."
I strip off my jacket and shoes and dive into bed.
"Hey, at least change out of your clothes."
"Can't. Gonna go to bed now."
"Don't you know the position you're in?"
"I'll leave the preparations to you."
Alpha is brilliant. She'll prepare the best stage for our performance if I
just let her do her thing. Until then, I'm gonna sleep… I mean, save up my
energy.
Alpha lets out a frustrated sigh. "I'm sure you already know this, but
they're going to think you're the culprit if you don't do something."
"True that."
If the real culprit is never found, I can almost guarantee the next suspect
in line will be punished. Especially since this involves the kidnapping of a
royal. Someone has to die or else the case will never be closed.
Ya gotta love the Middle Ages.
"Wake up. I've got more sandwiches."
"I'm awake."
Alpha hands them over. "Someone is trying to escalate the situation and
frame you as the culprit."
"Huh. Like, I'm gonna be convicted even if they don't do anything?"
"I'm guessing they want to settle this matter quickly, and an unassuming
student from a poor noble family is the perfect target."
"Agreed. I would do the same thing."
"We can't trust the Knight Order."
"Has the Cult infiltrated them?"
"Yes, without a doubt. The abductor is a member of the Cult. Their goal is
to obtain high concentrations of the blood of the heroes."
The girls are still pretending that there's a Cult—for me. What a great
bunch.
"Is she still alive?"
"If she dies, they won't be able to extract any more of her blood."
"True."
"Though I'm not sure why you decided to woo the princess." Alpha glares
at me.
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"That's not how it happened."
"I'm sure you have your reasons—reasons you can't tell us."
I don't let out another peep and avert my eyes to avoid her gaze. I have no
real reason, of course.
"I understand. I know you're struggling with something deep down in
your heart."
How do I respond when that's totally not the case?
"But I hope you can trust us even a little bit more. If you told us about this
earlier, it wouldn't have gotten out of hand. Don't you agree?"
"Y-yeah."
"It's okay. Our job is to make sure you're covered," she adds with a smile.
"Once we solve this case, you're treating me to Tuna King. That last
sandwich was supposed to be mine."
"Of course. Sorry for stealing your sandwich, Alpha."
"Don't worry about it," she insists, standing up and heading to the
window.
Once she gets it open, she hooks one foot out of the room, wiggling her
tiny hips.
"I'll be leaving now. Lay low for a while."
"Got it. What's our strategy?"
"We'll assemble an army. There aren't enough members in the capital.
And I believe we should summon Delta."
"You're sending for Delta?"
"She wants to see you."
Gunshot Delta. Otherwise known as Suicide Weapon Delta. Put simply,
she's a blockhead who's spent all her experience points on her battle skills.
A little reunion would be nice, I guess. I'm begging that all of them turned
out all right.
"I'll let you know the details when the preparations are complete. See you
soon."
Alpha flashes me a final smile before yanking on her bodysuit to hide her
face and slipping out the window into the night.
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"Is that the end of your report?" asks a redheaded beauty.
Her fiery, straight hair reaches to the small of her back, illuminated under
the flickering lights of a candle, and her wine-red eyes are set on the
investigation papers on her desk. The reporting knight blushes in the presence
of her poise and allure.
"Y-yes, Princess Iris. We'll continue our search to the best of our
abilities."
Iris nods, cuing him to take his leave.
When the door clicks closed behind him, Iris is left alone with a
handsome man with blond hair.
"Marquess Zenon. Thank you for your cooperation."
"The incident took place on school grounds. I was responsible for keeping
her safe, and more importantly, I'm worried about her well-being…"
He lowers his eyes and bites his lower lip in frustration.
"You had to attend to your duties as an expert swordsman. No one blames
you. And we don't have time to point fingers right now. We need to focus on
getting Alexia back safe and sound."
"I suppose you're right…"
"Another thing." Iris stops speaking for a moment and snaps the report
closed. "Is it true that this Cid Kagenou is most likely the perpetrator?"
"I don't want to believe one of our students could be the culprit, but based
on the circumstances, I have to say I find him suspicious…though I don't
think he's strong enough to overpower Alexia in a duel." Mr. Zenon tacks on
the last bit, carefully choosing his words.
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"Which means he either had an accomplice or drugged her. But he didn't
crack during interrogation. Do you really think it's him?" Iris asks.
"I can't say for certain. But I want to believe him."
Iris nods and narrows her eyes. "I have my most trusted knights
surveilling him. We'll wait for the next report."
"I pray for Alexia's safety." Mr. Zenon offers a bow before taking his
leave.
Just as he opens the door, a young girl skids through it into the room.
"Your Highness! Please listen!"
"Claire! What are you doing here? Excuse us, we'll be leaving!"
Mr. Zenon grabs the girl with black hair, Claire Kagenou, attempting to
push her out of the room.
"Marquess Zenon, who is she?"
He halts. "She's…"
"Claire Kagenou! I'm Cid's older sister!"
"Claire! Sh-she's currently one of our top students, and she's shadowing
the members of the Knight Order."
"I see… All right. I'll listen."
"Thank you so much!" Claire exclaims, approaching Iris and pleading her
case. "My brother would never kidnap Princess Alexia! This must be a
mistake!"
"The Knight Order is taking every precaution in its search to avoid any
mistakes. It hasn't been confirmed that your brother is the criminal."
"Yes, but if no one finds the real culprit, he'll take the fall!"
"Our knights are carefully investigating the matter. I can assure you that
no one will be wrongfully convicted."
"But!"
"Claire!" Mr. Zenon warns, stopping Claire from desperately pressing Iris
any further. "Settle down. I know how you feel, but any more would be an
insult to the Knight Order."
"Ksh…!" Claire lets out before glaring at Zenon and then Iris. "If anyone
lays a hand on my brother, I'll…!"
"That's enough!!" Mr. Zenon cuts her off and yanks her out of the room.
Slam.
Iris lets out a sigh, staring at the closed door behind them.
"Huh. We feel the same way about our respective families…," Iris
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murmurs. "Alexia, I hope you're all right…"
The two sisters used to be close, but somewhere along the way, they
started drifting apart. In fact, they haven't spoken in years, and Iris knows
they may never again.
"Alexia…"
Iris shuts her wine-red eyes and lets a single tear trail down her face.
When Alexia opens her eyes, she finds herself in a dimly lit room with no
windows and a candle as the only source of light. A heavy door is embedded
in the stone wall before her.
"Where am…?"
She doesn't remember anything after saying good-bye to Fido on her way
home from school.
Upon shifting her body, Alexia hears the clang of metal striking metal and
looks down to see her limbs bound to a low table.
"A magical restraint…"
That means her magic is being subdued, and it might be tough for her to
escape on her own.
Who brought her here and for what purpose? She goes down the list of
possibilities: Abduction, blackmail, human trafficking… There's no
definitive answer. Though Alexia may not be the heir to the throne, she
knows she has enough leverage as a princess to attract criminals.
That said, she has too little information to figure out the current situation.
She takes a step back. A new thought pops into her mind.
Is Fido okay?
Yeah, Fido. An asshole of a friend. But she likes him for speaking his
mind without fear.
If he's dragged into this mess, his life would be… Alexia stops herself
from finishing that thought, shaking her head to clear it before scanning the
room.
A stone wall, a steel door, a candlestick, and…something that looks like a
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black pile of trash. That heap is chained up for some reason, seated beside
her.
Alexia is staring at it curiously when she thinks she sees it move slightly.
It's breathing—something in tattered clothes.
"Can you hear me? Can you understand—…?!"
The being turns to look at her.
It's a creature.
Alexia has never seen one this malnourished before. She can barely make
out its eyes, nose, and mouth in its black, festering face. Its entire body is
distorted and bloated, and its right arm is longer than Alexia's legs. In
contrast, its left arm is thinner and stumpier than hers, and there is a
protrusion in its body as if it is carrying something in its stomach.
The creature is right next to Alexia.
Her hands and feet are chained to the table, but it's only bound by its
neck. If it were to just extend its long arm, the monstrosity could potentially
touch her.
Alexia hushes her breath, averting her eyes to avoid provoking it.
She's being observed.
There is a long pause that seems to freeze time…and then its chains begin
to rattle.
Alexia shifts her gaze to the side, and the creature is lying facedown as if
it has fallen asleep. She heaves a huge sigh of relief.
It isn't long before the door opens.
"Finally. I've finally got you." A lanky man in a white coat enters the
room.
His cheeks are sunken, his eyes caved in, and his lips cracked. The little
wisps of hair left on his thinning head are slicked down with the oil from his
scalp, from which wafts a dreadful smell.
Alexia calmly watches the man.
"Royal blood, royal blood, royal blood."
Royal blood.
As the man in the white coat repeats this phrase, he retrieves a device
equipped with a thin syringe. Maybe he's planning on drawing her blood.
The castle doctor took it many times before.
But she doesn't know why this man would kidnap a princess for her
blood.
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"May I ask you a question?" Alexia asks coolly.
"Hmm, hmm?" A strange gurgle emerges from the man.
"What will you use it for?"
"Y-y-you have the blood of a demon. I'll use it to resurrect them in the
modern day."
"I see. Pretty neat idea you've got there."
Although she can't understand what he's trying to say, she's very aware
he's gone completely mad and realizes he must be motivated by religion—or
something.
"Hey, I'll have a hard time staying alive if you take too much blood. I'm
not ready to die, you know."
"Heh-heh-heh… I kn-know. I want all the blood you can give me. I'll
siphon bit by bit from you each day."
"Yes, please do."
As long as he needs her blood, he won't kill her. Which is why she keeps
docile and doesn't try to resist. For the time being, she decides to wait to be
rescued instead.
"Th-th-this wasn't supposed to happen. I blame those morons for all this."
"Uh-huh, I hate idiots, too."
She stares at the man in the white coat as she mumbles under her breath,
"Because dealing with them wears me out."
"They destroyed my…my laboratory. It all started with that dumbass
Grease."
"Uh-huh, dumbass Grease is the one who started it."
"And then they kept coming and coming and—Aaaghh!"
"That's a shame. I'm sorry to hear that."
"Yes! Yes, it is! My research is almost done! If I don't finish it soon, I'll
be banished…banished…!"
"That sounds terrible."
"C-curse it all! That good-for-nothing…nothing!"
The man in the white coat approaches the chained creature and punts it as
far as its chain will allow. He kicks it over and over, stomping on its body, as
the creature all but keeps still, huddling into itself.
"Weren't you going to take my blood?"
"Oh, right. Right. With your blood… With your blood, everything will be
complete."
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"Good for you."
The man in the white coat readies the device and sets the syringe against
her arm.
"With this… With this, it will be complete… I—I won't be banished."
"Don't hurt me."
It'll make me want to clock you, Alexia adds in her mind.
The needle enters her arm, which she watches as though someone else's
blood is filling the glass tube.
"Heh-heh…heh-heh-heh…"
When it's full, the man in the white coat lovingly carries it out of the
room, and Alexia waits for the door to close before releasing a heavy sigh.
I've prepared everything for this day.
Two days after I'm released from interrogations, I look through the prized
mastermind collection in my dorm room and grab everything of potential use.
These cigars…aren't fitting for my age. But this vintage wine…a rare
collector's bottle worth nine hundred thousand zeni from Pordeaux in the
southwest of French. Yes, it's perfect for tonight—when the moon remains
hidden behind the clouds. Now, I'll pair it with my finest glassware… This
Buitton is the best in French and costs 450,000 zeni. And with this antique
lamp and that elusive painting The Shriek, which I just so happened to
stumble upon, on the wall… Voilà. Fantastic.
Oh, my heart is full.
I've hunted bandits and scrounged for coins on my hands and knees, all
for this.
Tears of joy stain my cheeks as I gaze upon my bedroom—a product of
my superior collection. All I have to do is set up the invitation I just received
today and wait.
I will wait for that moment.
Waiting.
Waiting…
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And waiting…!
Then…the moment arrives.
I murmur to myself at the same time the girl in ebony enters through the
window.
"The time is ripe… The shadows run the world tonight…"
Yes. I've prepared everything for this day…
"The time is ripe… The shadows run the world tonight…"
Those were the words he used to greet his underling, Beta.
He sits in a chair with his legs crossed, his back to his subordinate. It
might be unguarded, but Beta knows that it's distant and lives in a world
completely separate from hers.
The wineglass in his hand glows in the light of the antique lamp. It's even
clear to Beta, who isn't too familiar with alcohol, that he's casually sipping
on one of the rarest, most unattainable wines of all time.
Beta is stunned not only by the luxury items that color his room but also
by the painting she spots on his wall. The unobtainable masterpiece The
Shriek. No amount of cash could ever purchase this work of art. Beta almost
asks how he came to possess the painting, but she suddenly realizes it would
be meaningless and stops herself in time.
Everything falls into his hands because he is who he is.
That explains it all.
It's only natural for him to own The Shriek. In fact, even if one searched
every corner of the world, one could never find a more suitable owner for that
painting than Shadow.
"A world of shadows. The clouds cascade over the moon tonight. How
fitting. For us," Beta adds.
Shadow silently glances at her and places his mouth on the rim of his
glass.
"We're ready."
"Uh-huh."
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He knows everything. Or perhaps it's his omniscient tone that creates this
illusion. Well, the truth is, he actually knows almost everything Beta is about
to say.
But Beta continues to speak regardless, as is her duty.
"Under Lady Alpha's command, we've assembled all the people in the
area and mobilized them in the capital. There are one hundred fourteen in
total."
"A hundred fourteen?"
"—…gh!"
Is that too few?
Considering the strength of the Shadow Garden, she imagined that 114
new members would be more than enough.
But it doesn't take long for Beta to realize she misunderstood him.
After all, these people are supporting characters, and less than 10 percent
of them are qualified for the job. He's the star of tonight's show. As sidekicks
to bring the main character's story to light, 114 seems outrageously small in
number.
"I'm s-sorr—…!"
"You've hired extras…?" Shadow asks, interrupting her, but that last
word isn't in Beta's vocabulary. "Never mind. Just talking to myself."
"Understood."
Beta doesn't inquire any further, because she knows his words contain
more depth than she could ever fathom, and she has neither the right nor the
power to ask for more details.
That said, she can't stop hoping for a day when she'll stand beside him
and support his every secret. But until then, she's going to keep these feelings
hidden.
She continues to speak.
"Our strategy is to launch synchronized attacks against the hideouts of the
Fenrir sect in the Cult of Diablos scattered throughout the capital. At the
same time, we'll search for traces of Princess Alexia's magic. Once we locate
her whereabouts, we'll switch plans and prioritize her rescue."
Shadow nods, silently encouraging her to keep going.
"Gamma will handle tactical commands. Lady Alpha will command the
battlefield, and I will serve as her assistant. Epsilon will lead support from
behind, and Delta will ambush them, marking the beginning of our entire
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operation. The troops will be formed by…"
Shadow raises his hand, stopping short her detailed explanation.
He's holding a letter.
"An invitation," he adds, flicking it behind him.
Beta catches the sheaf of paper, which he urges her to read.
"This is…" She trails off, shocked and angered by the crass message.
"Send my apologies to Delta…but this prelude is mine to perform."
"Yes, we'll make sure that happens."
"Come with me, Beta." He turns to her. "Tonight, the world will find out
who we are."
Beta trembles with joy upon knowing she gets to fight beside him.
The ransom note brought him to the forest path deep in the woods. Shadow
makes his appearance in his school uniform, close to where Princess Alexia
was abducted, and Beta covertly lurks a short distance away from him.
It only takes a little while before he senses two energies approaching.
Something flies in his direction, which he catches in one hand and glances
at.
"Is this…Alexia's shoe?" he mutters.
And then they appear—two men on the path.
"Hey there, chick magnet. What're you doing with Princess Alexia's
shoe?"
"Ooh, and it contains traces of magic. You're the culprit, Cid Kagenou."
Both are in the armor of the Knight Order. There's no doubt they're the
ones who interrogated him before.
"I see. That's what you're trying to do."
The men unabashedly sneer at Cid's words.
"If you'd cracked sooner, we wouldn't have had to get in this mess."
"You could've gone through it without getting messed up."
The two wield their swords and brazenly close the distance separating
them from Cid.
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How stupid… Beta can't find the words to describe their idiocy.
"Okay, Cid Kagenou. You're under arrest for the abduction of a princess."
"Don't fight back. Struggling will get you nowhere."
One of them haughtily chuckles as he thrusts his sword toward Cid.
"Hmm?"
But Cid has stopped the blade with two of his fingers. Then, there's a
flash of light as his right foot grazes the man's neck.
Blood subsequently erupts from that exact location.
There's an ebony dagger sticking out of Cid's right shoe.
"AAAH… Agh…augh!!" The knight drops to the ground, clutching his
neck.
He'll die in time.
"You bastard!!" His partner panics and tries to slash Cid, but his attack is
too simple and careless.
Cid dodges by tilting his head, then literally swipes the man off his feet,
leaving him empty below the knees.
"Aaaaaaaggghhhhh!!" shrieks the knight as blood gushes from his thighs,
which he clutches. "My…my leeeeegs…!"
He starts crawling away from Cid.
"D-don't think you can get away with hurting the Knight Order, you
swine…! I-if we die, you're gonna be the first one they suspect!"
Cid leisurely treads the man's trail of blood and draws closer.
"E-eek…! I-it's over for you…! Over…!" screeches his prey, desperately
and fumblingly dragging himself across the ground.
"When dawn breaks…they'll find the corpses of two knights."
"Y-yeah! Come morning, it's game over…!"
The man inches forward. Cid follows his bloody path.
"But you don't have to worry anymore."
It's at that very moment the fool realizes that Cid is behind him.
"Eek!"
There's a flash of light from Cid's right leg.
"Because when dawn breaks…everything will be done."
The man's head is flung into the sky, and Cid turns around, blood raining
down on him. Beta shudders at the sight.
But Cid is no longer there in his school uniform.
Instead, there's Shadow, head to toe in ebony. Adorned in an inky
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bodysuit and boots, he holds a black katana in his hand as his coat sways in
the breeze. His hood hangs over his forehead, hiding the upper half of his
face. Only the lower half sees light. It's as if he's wearing a magician's mask,
where the only real visible parts of him are his mouth and the red eyes
peering out from the darkness.
After nearly fainting upon seeing his commanding and arresting
silhouette, Beta hastily retrieves The Chronicles of Master Shadow from
between her breasts and draws a rough sketch of the scene. Next to it, she
records his utterings from that day. And voilà. All this takes but five seconds.
On an unrelated note, these drawings and lists of his catchphrases
comprise the wallpaper in Beta's bedroom. Writing a new entry in The
Chronicles of Master Shadow every night before bed brings her one of her
greatest joys in life.
The roar of a distant explosion drags her back to reality.
"Is that Delta…? Nocturne has begun. Let's go, Beta."
"O-okay! Coming!"
Beta stuffs the notepad back into her cleavage and dashes after him. And,
of course, Shadow is totally unaware that she's done any of that in the first
place.
"Eek… What the hell are you? We've done nothing to deserve this!"
A sea of blood.
That's what this is. And there's a man screaming in the middle of it.
It has come unannounced. Without any warning or stating its reasons, it
burst through the wall and commenced its slaughter.
Yet another man becomes prey to its black katana blade.
No one wants to fight it. The men wish to make a hasty escape and
nothing more. But it is blocking the only exit.
"What have we ever done to you?! Nothing, right?!"
It turns to the man and starts to cackle.
"Eek…!"
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From behind its ebony mask, it laughs viciously.
"H-help…!" he sputters.
His body is split down the middle, sliced from the top of his skull to his
crotch. Blood bursts from each side as the two halves fall to the right and left.
As it submerges its body in blood, it catches the falling drops tenderly. It
might have the appearance of a woman, but the temperament is of a devil.
Upon noticing there are only a few spoils in the area, it extends its
weapon, elongating its black blade.
Without exaggeration, the katana literally extends far enough to smash
through the wall.
With a mighty swing…
"S-stop…!!"
…it destroys the building and everything in it.
"It's begun."
From atop a clock tower, an alluring elf watches the complete annihilation
and fall of a building. It's a joke, almost. The breeze tousles her long golden
locks, which glisten in the dark of the night.
"Oh, Delta… She always overdoes it." She sighs, shaking her head.
But she can't undo what's already done. Alpha looks over the capital from
the top of the tower.
The entire capital begins moving frantically. Everything commences as
planned. And most of the attention is directed at Delta, who just hacked a
building to bits.
"I have to give it to Delta for making it easier for the others to start…"
If she could just ignore the victims, she could admit Delta's moves are
exceptional.
"Guess I should get going, too," she murmurs.
Alpha hides her face behind a pitch-black mask.
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There is something going on outside.
Alexia opens her eyes for the first time in hours.
The only ones who ever enter the room are a female caretaker and the man
in the white coat, which gives Alexia nothing to do except sleep on the same
table that binds her hands and feet. Neither Alexia nor the creature bother the
other, which means they are getting along all right. The clamor intensifies,
indicating there's some kind of conflict beyond this room.
Alexia smiles, expecting to be rescued.
"I wonder if they'll crash through the wall all dramatically," she mumbles
for no particular reason.
The stress must be getting to her. And even though she knows it's
meaningless, she shakes the chains that bind her.
"I'm sorry for waking you."
The creature next to her lifts its head.
"But I think it's best to stay awake. You don't want to miss out on the
fun."
Alexia knows it won't answer her, but she talks to it anyway. Boredom
can have strange effects on the mind.
It takes a while before the sound of the key unlocking the door echoes
throughout the room in a flustered and apprehensive way.
"Shit, shit, shit!!" The man in the white coat barrels into the room.
"Good day to you, too."
"I was so close! So close!!" He ignores Alexia, who is clearly having fun
with all this. "Those bastards… They're here!! This is the end! The end…!"
"Give it up. Resistance is futile. If you unchain me now, I'll ask them to
spare you," Alexia tells him.
"But no guarantees," she adds quietly.
"Th-those brutes would never let me go scot-free…!! Th-they'll kill
everyone…everyone!!"
"The Knight Order doesn't kill without reason. If you don't resist and go
quietly, they won't take your life."
A voice in her mind chimes in Not.
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"The Knight Order? I don't give a shit about them! Th-the fiends will kill
everyone, everyone, I tell you!!"
"You're not talking about the Knight Order?"
Then who? Alexia can't imagine anyone else. But then again, she knows
it's completely possible he's gone nuts.
"Either way, this is the end for you. Turn yourself in."
"No, no, no, no, no!! N-not until it's complete!!" The man in the white
coat claws at his head and shifts his bloodshot eyes toward the creature. "II've made a prototype. I-if I use this, even a worthless shit like you might be
useful."
He pushes the device with the syringe against the creature's arm.
"You shouldn't do that. I don't have a good feeling about this," Alexia
warns, sounding quite serious.
But he obviously just ignores her, shoving the needle in its arm and
injecting it with an unknown fluid.
"B-behold! I give you a glimpse of Diablos!!"
"Ooh, how exciting."
The creature begins swelling, its muscles bulging before their eyes, and
even its skeletal structure starts to expand. Its right arm, which was long and
thick, morphs into a malicious and ominous form. Its fingertips sprout nails
as long as human legs. Its left arm appears to be holding something and stays
stuck to its body.
It lets out a high-pitched shriek.
"I-incredible! Astounding!!"
"This…is surprising."
But the chains cannot endure the rapid growth of the creature and snap off
on their own.
"I told you it was a bad idea."
Splat.
The man in the white coat isn't even spared a final scream of agony before
he's crushed by its right arm.
"Well, then."
Alexia and the creature lock eyes.
She studies its movements. Her hands and feet are bound, which means
there isn't much she can do. But she can move around a little bit. Plus, she
can't stand the thought of dying as a consequence of some idiot's mistake.
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The creature swings its right arm.
Alexia twists out of the way as much as she can. As long as her injuries
aren't fatal, she can survive…!
"—…gh!"
It avoids Alexia and pulverizes the table that binds her. The impact sends
her flying against the wall, where she writhes in pain.
"Augh…!"
But she doesn't have any broken bones or visible wounds and can still
move. After checking herself for injuries, she quickly rises to her feet.
But the creature is gone, leaving behind a shattered table and demolished
wall.
"Did it…really save me…?"
Even if she hadn't shifted away, its arm wasn't anywhere close to hitting
her. Which would mean… Nope, it can't be. Maybe it missed.
"Well, anyway."
Alexia swipes the keys from the man's corpse and removes her magical
restraints. With this, her magic can flow free. She stretches once to loosen up,
then heads through the wall the creature destroyed.
There is a long, dimly lit hallway before her. Piles of trampled soldiers
litter the ground.
"I'll be taking that."
Alexia borrows a mithril sword from a corpse. It's flimsy, but it'll get the
job done.
When she goes down the hallway and turns the corner, she sees someone.
"We can't have you leaving on your own."
"Y-you. Why are you here…?" Alexia's eyes widen with fear.
What in the world is going on?
Iris's red hair swirls behind her as she dashes through the capital late at
night.
She was told that a building had been destroyed. At first, she thought
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she'd misheard the news. But as Iris sprints toward the city, half in disbelief,
her subordinates keep receiving report after report.
There are many ambushes occurring in the capital simultaneously.
It doesn't take long for her to reach that conclusion. But there's nothing
logically connecting the various locations under attack: firms, warehouses,
restaurants, private homes of nobles… The crimes must be premeditated, but
she can't figure out the goal.
That said, the capital is shaking.
The Knight Order is mobilized in a state of emergency, and they begin
evacuating high-profile leaders. Even though it's late, the residents crack
open their windows to check what's happening, and there are more than a
few onlookers outside. Iris shouts at the meandering residents, telling them to
go home, and rushes to the scene.
Something strange is happening. This is in no way a normal incident.
Iris can sense it.
It's right at that moment when a scream reaches her ears.
"M-monster!! Help…!!"
They are shouts from the Knight Order. They aren't too far away. Iris
changes directions and books it toward the cries for help. When she turns the
corner down a back street to the main road, she spots the monster.
It's a colossal, hideous beast.
With a swipe of the enormous, blood-soaked fingernails on its right hand,
it transforms the knights into piles of flesh.
"What is that?" Iris mutters as she dashes toward it. "Stand back!"
With one fluid movement, her unsheathed blade shimmers in the darkness
as it slices through the creature's chest.
And completely bisects it.
She cuts down its immense body in one fell swoop.
"Are you hurt?" Iris calls out to the Knight Order and forgets all about the
creature as it slowly falls to the ground.
"Princess Iris, you've saved us!"
"That's our princess! She slayed the monster in one stroke!"
The men are unharmed. Almost all the soldiers are completely unscathed.
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Well, the ones who survived, at least.
"The monster killed eight of our men."
A single hit took them down.
Her red-wine eyes tremble with sorrow when they fall upon the ghastly
corpses.
"Gather the bodies and head back. Please inform the lieutenant that…"
"Princess Iris!" shouts one of the knights all of a sudden.
He's standing there, pointing at something behind her, and the other
knights try to raise their muted voices.
"What…?!"
Iris turns and strikes without missing a beat.
Her sword collides with the right arm of the creature.
"Ksch…!"
For a moment, it seems as though Iris has been beaten until she quickly
releases a huge quantity of magic that effectively blasts its mighty arm. From
there, she dives into its bosom, severing its leg, and leaps back to prepare for
a counterattack.
In the following second, the monster swings its right arm where Iris had
stood and retrieves a few strands of her long red hair.
"Is it regenerating…?"
The injuries from the bisection vanish, and the new wound on its leg is
starting to heal.
"Ridiculous… How can it regenerate when Princess Iris sliced it in
two…?"
"This can't be…"
"Stay back," Iris calls to the shaken knights as she blocks its next attack.
Its moves are quick, powerful, and heavy—but bland.
"It's only a creature, after all."
Iris counters ruthlessly: She slices its arm to pieces, chops off its legs, and
beheads it. Successive strikes rain down on the creature, as if to mock, Try
healing from all that.
She won't let it retaliate. She's the only one attacking.
"Is it still healing?"
But the creature survives. In the brief moment Iris stops her assault, it
regains its form and swats her away with its right arm.
And then it shrieks into the night sky.
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As if in response, rain begins falling from the moonless sky. It drizzles at
first but quickly becomes a torrent. White steam rises where the droplets hit
the creature's blood.
"This might take a while…"
Iris straightens her posture, preparing for a long fight.
She doesn't think she'll lose. Even now, she never considers that she
might see defeat. But it seems this battle is going to require more time.
Iris readies her sword. When the monster finishes healing, she rushes
toward it.
The next moment, her sword is knocked out of her hands, accompanied by
a shrill sound, and the impact sends pins and needles up her arm.
She glares at a sudden intruder, ignoring the fact that her beloved sword
whirls into the distance. The newcomer glances at her.
They stare each other down. The first to break the silence is the interloper.
"Why won't you see it's hurt?"
The uninvited guest is a girl in an ebony bodysuit. Iris can't see her face
but notices that her voice sounds young.
"Who are you?" Iris cautiously keeps both the intruder and the creature in
view.
"Alpha." After uttering a single word, the girl turns her back to Iris as if
she has lost interest in the conversation.
"Wait, what are you planning to do? If you plan to oppose the Knight
Order, we won't go easy on…"
"Oppose…?" Alpha cuts in, giggling condescendingly at Iris while
continuing to face away from her.
"What's so funny?"
"Oppose… I think that might be the most ridiculous word in the world.
Opposing an ignoramus would be senseless."
"Excuse me…?!" Iris's magic begins to swell, transforming into a
massive wave that sweeps the rain away and forms violent gusts of wind.
But Alpha doesn't even glance in her direction. She stands there unfazed,
her back still turned to Iris.
"Play your assigned role as the spectator and keep your eyes on the stage.
Don't disturb our performance," she utters before approaching the creature.
From behind, she seems solemn. She's already completely forgotten about
Iris.
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"Did you just call me a spectator…?" Iris clutches her tingling hands as
she glares at Alpha.
"Poor thing. That must've hurt," says Alpha, walking toward the monster.
"There is no more pain. No more sadness."
Alpha extends her ebony sword longer than her entire body.
"You don't have to cry anymore."
Then, with a step forward, she slices the creature in two.
No one has time to react.
Iris and the creature can only watch as Alpha bisects it. Everything about
it feels natural. There is no bloodlust; it's as if this is the only reasonable
solution.
The monster's massive body crashes onto the ground, and white smoke
rises from the husk as it gradually shrivels to the size of a little girl. A dagger
has fallen from its left hand.
There is a red jewel embedded in it, along with an engraving on its hilt:
To my beloved daughter, Millia.
"I pray…you achieve peace in your next life."
With that, Alpha vanishes within the white smoke.
A clap of thunder sounds in the distance. Iris is stunned in place.
Raindrops run down her hair and fall onto her face.
She's trembling, but she doesn't know why.
"Alexia…," Iris murmurs. She senses that her little sister is at the
epicenter of this chaos, and this premonition pushes her forward.
"Alexia, please be safe…"
Iris picks up her sword and starts running. The storm rages on.
"Wh-why are you here?"
When Alexia turns the corner, she sees an all-too-familiar visage.
"Because this is my facility, that's why. I invested thousands of zeni into
that man. That's all there is to it."
Confidence overflows from the smile stretched across the face of a
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dashing blond. It's Instructor Zenon.
"That's nice to know. I always thought you were messed up in the head. I
guess I was right."
Alexia takes one step back and then two. There's a staircase behind him,
and she guesses it's her best bet to escape.
"Huh. Think whatever you want. But I don't mind as long as I have your
blood."
"All anyone talks about around here is blood. Is this a research facility for
vampires?"
"If that's what you want to think. More or less."
"Skip the explanation. I'm not into the occult."
"Figures."
"I'm sure you're aware, but the Knight Order will be here any minute
now. This is the end for you."
"The end? What do I have that can possibly end?" Zenon is still all smiles.
"Your title and reputation will be ruined, and you'll obviously be put to
death. I'll be happy to drop the guillotine on your neck."
"You're off the mark. You and I will be escaping through a secret route."
"What a romantic offer. Too bad I can't stand you."
"You're coming with me. With my research and your blood, I'm destined
to receive the twelfth seat in the Rounds. I shall bid farewell to my
meaningless position as an instructor."
"The Rounds? Is that a group for lunatics?"
"The Knights of Rounds is a gathering of twelve superior knights from
my religion. Becoming a member brings me rank, honor, and fortune like
you'd never believe. They've already acknowledged my power. All I'm
lacking is experience, but my research on your blood should fix that right
up."
Zenon melodramatically spreads his arms out and lets out a guffaw.
"Whatever. I'm just sick of all this blood talk," mutters Alexia.
"I would have preferred Princess Iris, but it looks like I'll have to settle
for you."
"I'm gonna kill you."
"Oh, excuse me. I forgot you hate being compared to your sister."
"—…gh!"
A forceful swing from Alexia's sword signals the start of their battle. She
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goes straight for the jugular.
"Ooh, how scary." Zenon repels her attack at the last second and blocks
the following strike.
Sparks fly from the colliding blades.
Judging this skirmish merely by the manner in which their swords dance
in the air, one might be inclined to say their skills are equally matched.
But the sword bearers wear very different expressions. Alexia angrily
glowers, whereas Zenon has a relaxed smile.
And Alexia is the one burning with wrath, sure enough. She clicks her
tongue with frustration and backs away.
"You start using shoddy swords the moment I stop seeing you."
Zenon zeroes in on her weapon. She glances at it with a pained
expression. The battle has only just started, but her blade is already filled
with countless nicks.
"They say the choice of weapon shouldn't matter to an expert." Alexia
grimaces and stands her ground.
"I see. If we're talking about experts, I'm sure that's true." Zenon sneers.
"But you're mediocre. As a sword-fighting instructor, I guarantee it."
Alexia visibly screws up her face. For a moment, it looks as if her urge to
cry is drowned out by pure fury.
"Just watch me. Then you can say if you really think I'm mediocre."
With that, she lunges at him with all the energy she can muster.
Alexia knows. She knows full well she isn't strong enough to beat Zenon,
and her flimsy weapon won't last long. But Alexia hasn't spent all those days
training with her head in the clouds. In her mission to become as strong as
her sister, she's realized her own shortcomings and worked hard to make up
for them. She's observed her sister's swordplay more than anyone else and
can picture every move with impeccable accuracy.
Which is why it's easy for her to replicate.
"Haaaah!!" It's a stroke reminiscent of her sister's assaults.
"G…!"
For the first time, Zenon's smile vanishes. The sword he's blocked is
filled with magic.
The two swords violently clash and repel each other.
They're equally matched…
No.
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Alexia might be a bit stronger.
A red line is carved into Zenon's cheek. Visibly taken aback, he looks at
the blood he wipes off his cheek.
"I'm stunned."
There is no hidden meaning behind his words.
"I had no idea you were hiding your strength."
Zenon tilts the palm of his hand. He studies it as if checking the color of
his own blood.
"I'm going to make you regret looking down on me."
"Pfft." Zenon laughs. "I was certainly taken aback, but you're just a poor
imitation, after all. You've a long way to go before you're the real deal." He
shakes his head.
"You're asking for it."
"Since we're both here, let me give you a taste of my true power." Zenon
readies his sword.
"…g!"
The air changes as Zenon's magic takes on a sharper and deeper quality.
"Let me tell you one thing. I've never shown my true powers to an
outsider. I'm about to show you the skills of a true swordsman…of the next
generation of the Rounds!"
The air pulses around them.
"That's…"
This isn't in the same ballpark as before.
Alexia has never seen an attack with so much power lurking behind it.
Their skills are as hopelessly different as a genius and a clod. He may even
rival her older sister.
Alexia doesn't have the means to defend herself against the devastating
force of the approaching blade.
Her reaction is involuntary, something that's become a part of her after
many years of training.
There is no impact.
The two swords clash, and Alexia's weapon is pulverized into fluttering
bits of dust. She feels as though she's watching these sparkling fragments of
mithril pass by her from far away.
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Somewhere far from here.
Alexia's childhood memories resurface in her mind of times when
swinging her sword brought nothing but pure joy.
Her sister is always beside her, and this is a distant memory that should
have faded long ago.
"You'll never be as good as your sister."
A single tear falls from Alexia's eye.
"You're coming with me."
Falling from her hand, the measly hilt that was once a sword hits the floor
with a dry, metallic clang.
Click, click.
There's a sound coming from the stairwell behind Zenon.
Click, click, click.
Someone is coming down the stairs.
Click, click, click, click.
When the noise ceases, there's a man in an ebony coat in front of them,
dressed entirely in black. He has his hood pulled up and wears the mask of a
magician.
The man calmly saunters forth, stopping one step outside the range of
their weapons.
"The man clad in ebony… So you're the feral dog who dares to nip at the
Cult." There's a sharp glint in Zenon's eyes as he glares at the intruder.
"My name's Shadow. I lurk in the darkness and hunt down shadows…"
His voice is as deep and as dark as the abyss.
"I see. You seem to have an inflated ego from destroying our smaller
facilities, but you haven't even taken down one of our main fighters. You're
just a coward who picks on the little guys."
It seems the man who calls himself Shadow is at odds with Zenon. This is
good news for Alexia, but she doesn't think this man is her ally.
"It doesn't matter who or what we choose to destroy. It's all the same."
"You're sadly mistaken. The main army of the Cult is here. Today, I'll
hunt you down with my bare hands. This is your fate."
Zenon turns his sword to Shadow.
"I'm Zenon Griffey, the next one to fill the twelfth chair of the Rounds.
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Taking your life will be my achievement for them."
With that, Zenon unleashes a gale of an attack at Shadow.
But Shadow is gone, and he slashes through empty space.
"What the…?!"
The next moment, Shadow is standing behind him. It only takes a second
before Shadow takes this position.
Zenon can't move.
As if Zenon has lost track of the time, he stills his sword—even holds his
breath—to focus every ounce of his energy on the man standing behind him.
Nobody budges.
That's right. Shadow stands back-to-back with Zenon, arms crossed.
He utters one sentence: "Well then…where are the main troops of the
Cult?"
Zenon twists his face in humiliation. He then slices downward from over
his shoulder.
But no one is there.
"Absurd…!"
Zenon hears a coat rippling through the air and looks back to find Shadow
standing where he originally appeared, as if nothing has changed.
Even Alexia has completely lost track of Shadow as she watches from the
sidelines. If this isn't a magic trick or gimmick, then she'd consider him a
mastermind… No, he's much stronger than that.
Suppressing his frustration, Zenon slowly turns around.
"I seem to have slightly underestimated your power. While you only
destroyed the smaller bases, there were several of them."
This time, Zenon strengthens his magic as he keeps an eye on Shadow.
The air undulates from its power. This is more intense than the strike that
shattered Alexia's sword.
Shadow is certainly an extraordinary warrior. But Zenon is mightier than
the average soldier. A once-celebrated child prodigy, he grew up to win
numerous tournaments and climbed the rungs to become a master
swordsman. There isn't a knight in the country who doesn't know Zenon
Griffey's name.
"I'll show you the power of the one to join the Rounds next term."
So fast…! Alexia barely manages to follow Zenon's sword with her eyes.
The afterimage of the bare blade tears the air and heads straight for
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Shadow's neck.
"That's one sharp move…"
Somewhere along the way, Shadow raises his black sword and effortlessly
blocks Zenon's attack.
"Guh…!"
They're locked in place. Zenon tries to push his way to victory.
But Shadow draws backward, using the swordsman's momentum to send
him flying.
"Heh…!"
Just before he slams into the wall, Zenon narrowly manages to tumble on
the ground and reposition his sword. But he can't hide his unease.
Neither of them moves.
Shadow has chosen not to move whereas Zenon can't. He feels as if his
entire body is being controlled.
"I thought you were going to hit me, Mr. Next-Gen Rounds."
"Nngh…!"
Zenon's face burns a furious red. He's frustrated with his opponent but
even more so with himself.
"That's enouuuugh!!" Zenon howls as he executes a sweep attack.
His thrusts forward are as piercing as a squall.
His consecutive strikes are as fierce as a raging fire.
But none of them land.
"Aaaaaagghhhhh!!"
His ferocious roar sounds hollow. It's as if an adult is practicing with a
child.
Alexia is in shock watching the fight. She has never seen Zenon reveal
this side of himself before. He has torn off his calm smile and mask of
integrity, and it's as if they're now out of his reach. The strongest person
Alexia knows is her older sister. Even so, Alexia doesn't think her sister
would be capable of overwhelming Zenon.
Clang, clang, clang.
The scant noise from their clashing blades echoes through the area and
seems almost out of place. It's the exact sound of light practice.
The ebony blade and its white counterpart etch their trajectories through
the air.
Alexia's gaze is fixed on this imitation practice session, mesmerized by
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the black sword. There's a reason her eyes can't stray from it.
"Mediocre swordplay…"
The figure in front of Alexia fights the same way she does.
When Alexia was a child, she had her own idea of perfect swordplay. It
isn't about talent, strength, or speed but building up from the basics. Yet
others keep comparing her to her sister and mock her for being average,
which makes Alexia feel as if she's lost her direction in life.
But despite all her struggles, Alexia never gives up.
And she's just witnessed these unremarkable moves slay the genius Zenon
Griffey.
"Amazing…," she mutters admiringly.
Witnessing this, she can see the path he's walked in life. It's a direct result
of his serious and unwavering efforts.
Alexia's sister might have the same thought.
"Iris…"
Alexia feels she finally understands her sister's words from long ago.
"Gaghh…d-dammit…!"
Shadow's blade lashes out at Zenon. He's been hit too many times to keep
count.
Zenon breathes raggedly as he glares at Shadow. His enraged eyes still
haven't accepted reality.
"Y-you bastard! Show me who you are…! Why do you hide your identity
when you possess this much power?"
Those with Shadow's strength hold riches and respect within arm's reach
—with the potential to be known worldwide.
But no one knows about Shadow's swordplay. Even if he hides his face,
those lucky enough to get a glimpse of his swordplay will never forget it. But
this is the first time either Zenon or Alexia have seen such phenomenal
swordsmanship.
"We are the Shadow Garden. We lurk in the darkness and hunt down
shadows. That's the only reason we exist…"
"You're out of your mind…!"
Zenon and Shadow exchange glances.
Alexia is completely excluded from this exchange. She doesn't know why
they're fighting or what they're trying to accomplish.
Blood. Creature. Cult. There are many key words to remember.
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But Alexia doesn't know what they mean. To her, it all sounds like the
ravings of a madman.
But what if? What if it isn't just nonsense? What if there is something
going on behind the scenes that Alexia doesn't know about?
"Fine. If you're ready to get serious, it looks like I'll have to answer to
your needs."
Zenon produces a pill from his breast pocket.
"With this pill, I shall be awakened and surpass all human limitations. An
ordinary human would break under this power and eventually self-destruct.
But those in the Rounds are different. Only those who can manipulate this
devastating power have the privilege of joining the Rounds."
Zenon swallows the pill.
"I am the Third Awake."
Zenon's wounds instantly begin healing. His muscles tighten up, his eyes
become bloodshot, and his capillary vessels protrude. It looks as if he's being
crushed by a tremendous force.
"I'll show you almighty power," boasts Zenon, his calm smile returning.
In his current form, there is no doubt Zenon is stronger than Princess Iris.
Alexia thinks Zenon is the strongest being in the world and shrinks back
in despair. No…she would if she'd never seen Shadow's swordplay.
She doesn't think Zenon's current form is the strongest at all. If fact, she
thinks it's something else entirely.
"How ugly…"
"That's ugly…"
Alexia's and Shadow's voices overlap. After all, they're striving to
achieve the same type of sword technique, which is why they share the same
sentiment.
"Did you just call me ugly?" Zenon's smile slips away.
"Don't call that pathetic form almighty. It's a disgrace to those who are."
"You son of a bitch."
"With borrowed power, you'll never walk the path of the almighty."
This is the first time in this battle that Shadow intensifies his magic. Until
now, he's barely used it. It is so exceptionally precise that it's impossible to
perceive.
But what is this?
This surge of magic shows itself in the form of blue-violet rays of light.
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There are hundreds of ultrathin strands. These create a dazzling pattern as
they wrap themselves around Shadow like veins.
"It's beautiful…" Alexia is mesmerized by this sight.
She isn't admiring the beauty of the lights, though, but the precision of his
magic.
"What is this…?" Zenon is once again shocked.
No one has ever created such beauty through magic.
"I'll show you true almighty power…and carve it into your mind forever."
Magic gathers in the ebony blade and etches out a pattern, starting to form
a large spiral. Shadow continues focusing his power.
It seems as if that spiral will swallow everything whole.
A frightening power is absorbed into the black weapon.
"This is me at my peak." Shadow readies his blade in the lunging position.
This stance is only to strike down an enemy.
"S-sto…"
Is the ground trembling? Or the air? Or Zenon himself?
No, it's everything.
Everything is rippling.
Alexia notices that she's shaking, too. It isn't out of fear, though, but joy.
That's the final destination.
That…swordplay is the strongest.
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"Watch closely…"
Draped in light, the ebony blade pulls back…
"Hidden Technique: I AM ATOMIC."
…and releases.
All sound is lost.
A torrent of light shoots past Alexia and engulfs Zenon's body. It
penetrates everything, consuming the walls and the earth, blasting upward
into the night sky.
Then it explodes.
As patterns of light are etched into the night sky, the entire capital
assumes a blue-violet hue.
From impossibly far away, the delayed blast ripples across the city,
sweeping away the rain clouds, shaking the ground and the private
residences, before passing.
All that's left is a full moon and the beautiful night sky full of stars.
Zenon has been vaporized. He doesn't even leave behind a single speck of
dust.
The large hole blasts though the wall all the way aboveground.
And then…Shadow flings open his coat and slips into the night.
Once…there was a man who challenged nuclear power and trained his
body and mind to hone his techniques.
But it remained far beyond his reach.
And then, after many hours of exhaustive training, he finally found the
answer.
Q: How can I withstand nuclear power?
A: Become nuclear power.
From this, the esoteric technique I AM ATOMIC was born. And its power
is most certainly comparable to a weapon of mass destruction!
How long did time stand still? Alexia suddenly notices someone calling
her.
"Alexia… Alexia…!"
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The person gasps for air and shouts from far away. It's a voice she
instantly recognizes.
"Iris… Iris…!" screams Alexia, dashing out through the large hole in the
wall to the outdoors.
"Alexia! Alexia!!" Iris hurries toward her.
"Iris… I—I…gh."
Alexia is embraced before she can tell her sister she's unharmed. Iris is
soaking from head to toe, and her body feels chilly and warm at the same
time.
"I'm so glad you're safe… I really am." Iris hugs her sister tightly.
With some hesitation, Alexia wraps her arms around Iris's back.
"I'm sorry. I must be cold."
Alexia shakes her head against her sister's chest. Tears flow from her eyes
and won't stop coming.
Two students stand on the roof. It's early in the summer. One is an attractive
girl with silvery-white hair. The other is an ordinary boy whose hair is black.
"This incident has been resolved on the surface, but I can sense something
brewing behind the scenes. Iris is preparing to dispatch a special brigade, and
I plan to help her. So we're only just getting started," says the girl.
"All in moderation," adds the boy.
"Which means you've been cleared of the charges. I really dragged you
into that mess."
"Don't worry about it."
A gust of wind passes between them, and her skirt billows to reveal her
white legs.
"It's hot as balls out here. Can we go inside?"
The midday sun is beating down on them, and two shadows extend from
their feet. They can hear the distant voices of the cicadas chirping.
"Wait. There's two things I have to say."
"Here?"
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"Here," she confirms, squinting and looking up at the blue sky. "First, I
want to give you my thanks. You said you liked my swordsmanship, right?
Well, I know I'm late, but I really appreciate it."
"No problem."
"I finally like it. Not that I attribute that development to you."
"Did you really have to throw in that last bit?"
"It's the truth."
They lock eyes, and he's the first to look away.
"Anyway, if you've learned to like your swordplay, that sounds good to
me."
"Yeah, it is." The girl smiles.
"So what's the second thing?"
"We've pretended to date until now, but Instructor Zenon died in that
incident."
"Which means I'm freed from my duties."
"But I do have one proposition." The girl looks sort of uncomfortable as
she searches for the right words.
"If you're all right with it…" Her red eyes dart around, and her voice
softens ever so slightly. "Maybe we can do this a little while longer?"
The boy beams at her.
"No thanks," he answers, flipping her off.
The girl unsheathes her sword in one fluid motion.
That night, a student discovers a large pool of blood on the rooftop.
Despite the heinous amount, there's no corpse in the vicinity. Even when
the students and school authorities investigate the matter, there are no
wounded or missing persons, and the case is never solved.
Subsequently, this is dubbed the Incident of the Corpseless Murder and
considered one of the seven wonders of the school.
One day, out of the blue, Alexia asks her older sister something odd.
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"Can you please tell me what kind of apology guarantees forgiveness?"
Iris frowns when she hears the question.
What does she expect from me? She tells Alexia the obvious: "There is no
such thing."
Which is common sense, but all of it goes in one of her disgruntled
sister's ears and out the other.
"I hate apologizing to begin with," complains Alexia, turning away, at
which point Iris throws in the towel and calls it a day.
But Iris is fired up by a sense of duty to do something to help her sister.
From what she gathers, her silly sister annoyed someone close to her. The
problem is she hasn't made up for it yet.
Iris realizes this is the first time her sister has ever asked her how to
apologize.
Alexia always says sorry when she does something wrong. Of course, this
is a superficial apology with no real emotion, but others sharing shallow
relationships with her are none the wiser. Until now, Alexia has gotten along
just fine.
But if she's asking how to apologize, that means she isn't referring to a
fake acquaintance but to a friend.
That little sister of hers has made a friend.
Iris's heart bursts with happiness, a hint of loneliness, and an
overwhelming sense of duty.
But telling Alexia will only cause her to rebel. Iris contemplates this
situation all night but ultimately can't come up with a good solution.
To start things off, Iris is very direct in conversation but has almost no
social grace, as opposed to Alexia, who doesn't like to confront others. Even
if Iris suggests something, she knows Alexia won't lend an ear, saying
something like "I'm getting goose bumps from being so uncomfortable," and
that will be the end of it. In every way, the sisters are natural-born opposites.
That's why Iris decides to rely on a certain rumor.
On a rare day when both sisters have spare time, Iris invites Alexia to a
department store that's been the talk of the town.
"Iris, what is this place?"
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"It's called Mitsugoshi. I think it's all the rage in the capital. I heard they
sell some tasty treats."
"Treats? I don't hate that, but…" Alexia looks unamused.
Seeing her sister's expression, Iris panics. "H-hey, I hear girls are really
into this new snack called chocolate. Maybe you'd want to give it to someone
as a gift!"
Alexia stares coldly at Iris.
"F-for example, a new friend. I bet it'd make them happy."
Iris is very bad at hinting at things. It's painfully pathetic to see her try to
force a smile.
"All right, I get the idea. Let's go inside," Alexia suggests, looking
terribly bored. "Wait, we can't go in yet. Just look at the line."
A crowd has formed in front of Mitsugoshi, snaking around in a long line
in a frenzy.
"We'll cause more trouble for them if we stand in it," she adds.
As if on cue, a member of the staff immediately approaches them.
"Princess Iris and Princess Alexia. Thank you for coming. Welcome."
The woman in a blue uniform politely bows and leads the pair inside. A
quick look around shows the two princesses have attracted a lot of attention
from the crowd.
"I see," Iris says with a nod. Alexia sighs at her sister.
They pass by the packed shops before they're escorted to a quiet corner of
the mall. According to their guide with the dark-brown hair, she's taken them
to a special boutique for their most honored customers.
The two princesses find the simple yet tasteful decor of the boutique
refreshing, especially because they're accustomed to ornate designs and
decorations. Every new and unique product brings a sparkle to Alexia's onceapathetic eyes.
A stunning blue-haired elf appears before them.
"Thank you for your patience. I'm Luna, the president of Mitsugoshi, Ltd.
Here is our newest product, chocolate."
A brown, bite-size morsel is placed in front of Iris and then Alexia.
"This is called a chocolate truffle. We've only just put it on the market."
"A truffle…?"
"It doesn't look very appetizing," Alexia comments, sounding indifferent.
"B-but it has a lovely aroma," interjects Iris, immediately trying to make
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amends for her sister.
"If you'd like, please try a sample," Luna responds with a confident smile.
"Why, thank you."
"If you insist."
The moment they pop the samples into their mouths, their faces light up.
"This is…very sweet. A complex flavor profile. I feel like I could eat a
dozen."
"The bitter notes highlight its sweetness. It's smooth and rich and smells
divine, and I'll take it."
Iris buys one of everything, naturally. And surprisingly, Alexia follows
suit. Mitsugoshi arranges to have the items delivered straight to the castle.
Even their service is exceptional.
"Alexia, shouldn't you ask them to gift wrap it?"
"No need."
"O-oh, okay."
Luna approaches the duo as they get ready to leave.
"Would you like to view some of our other products? I'm positive they'll
tickle your fancy."
"Well…"
The girls didn't intend to stay long, but they're too curious to see other
offerings from the company that developed chocolate—it's even enough to
pique Alexia's interest.
"Yes, please."
"Wonderful."
With a quick word to her staff, Luna introduces one product after another
—and not just candy. They have tea, liquor, accessories, daily goods,
gourmet and preserved foods… All overflow with novel and fascinating
qualities. The products basically force unexpected wads of cash out of their
wallets.
And then a piece of cloth is set before them.
"What's this…?" Alexia tilts her head, pinching the lacy black material
between two fingers.
"One of our panties for women," Luna introduces with a smile.
"Underwear."
"Really…?"
Iris and Alexia scrutinize the black T-shaped garment embroidered with
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white lace.
They can tell it's underwear when they look at it up close, but the size of
the fabric seems way too small. Their butts would hang out if they wore these
panties. Plus, some of the parts are see-through.
"We call them G-strings."
"G… G-strings?" Iris shudders and balks at the design that hides as little
as possible.
While it's cute and all, its intentions are all too vulgar for Iris to stomach.
Sh-should these panties even be allowed to exist?
"As for gentlemen, they seem to like them very much."
Alexia's ears perk up.
"Iris…"
"Alexia, you can't be serious…?"
"I'm confident about the shape of my butt."
"Th-that's not the problem!!" Iris stammers.
What's this crazy kid saying?!
"P-p-p-p-please don't wear these! A princess should never don lewd
clothing!"
"I'm confident about the shape of my butt."
"You've already said that! It's improper! Out of the question! I forbid it!"
"You can try it on, if you'd like."
Iris stops herself in the nick of time from snapping at Luna to mind her
own business.
"Yes, please," replies Alexia.
"Don't do this!" Iris counters.
"Come on, Iris, I'm just trying it on."
"Yeah, right! I mean, you're basically setting up a situation where you
have to purchase it! You're gonna act all indecisive, and then you'll just go
and buy it anyway. I know how this works!"
Alexia irritably clicks her tongue in response.
"Your Highness, I hope there aren't any misunderstandings about our
product. G-strings are made for women." Luna stands up. "In fact, I'm
wearing that same model right now."
Luna turns her back to them, and the pair zero in on the shapely butt under
her tight black dress.
"Look. Even though my dress is thin, you can't see my panty lines."
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"Y-you're right."
Underwear lines are always visible under lightweight fabrics. There are
girls who refuse to wear underwear to formal events to prevent them from
showing.
But this G-string eliminates that problem. It can't be detected under
clothing.
"Are you really wearing it…?"
"Would you like to see?" Luna asks, slowly peeling up her dress to reveal
her milky thighs.
"I-I'm good!"
"Just kidding." Luna seductively grins and unfurls her dress. "Would you
like to try it on, at least?"
"Yes."
"A-as long as you're just seeing how it looks…"
The duo trail after Luna into a large fitting room.
Iris nervously watches Alexia cheerfully slip out of one pair of underwear
into another.
Alexia yanks her skirt up to her waist and pulls her white pair down,
letting them fall to her ankles before lifting one foot and then the other. After
hanging them on a hook on the wall of the fitting room, she spreads out the
G-string in front of her.
"It's practically transparent…," notes Iris, sounding utterly baffled.
"Seems pretty airy to me," chirps Alexia, amused.
Alexia bends forward and raises her right foot, sliding the G-string up one
leg and then the other. She tugs it up under her skirt and tilts her head
curiously.
"It feels kinda weird…," Alexia comments.
Iris is at a loss for words when she sees her sister hiking her skirt up.
"That's…" Iris's vision goes completely white.
"Your Highness. You have it on backward."
"Oh, that explains it," Alexia replies to Luna, leaving her dumbfounded
sister be as she slips off the G-string and puts it on the right way.
"Ooh, it feels nice."
"Yes, it's made from our new prized fabric."
Alexia kicks up, crouches down, and spreads her legs to test it out.
"Iris, look at this."
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That pulls Iris back to reality.
"Look." Alexia jerks her skirt up to reveal a perfectly shaped butt that's
almost completely exposed.
Her delicate white skin glows in the light of the fitting room. Alexia
playfully shimmies her waist, and her buttocks jiggle around.
"S-stop that shameful behavior right now!"
"And see? No visible panty lines," adds Luna.
When Alexia lowers her skirt, Iris certainly can't see them.
"And check out the front. It's very cute."
Alexia hikes up her skirt again, turning to Iris. The design is cute, but
it's…
"A-A-Alexia, it's completely sheer…"
"It hides enough."
Iris chants three times in her mind, It's not enough, not enough, not
enough.
"I'll take three of these and all the other colorways."
"Thank you for your business."
"You can't! I absolutely forbid it!!" Iris snaps out of her trance. "Th-those
undergarments are too perverse for the royal princesses of Midgar. I simply
won't allow it!!"
"Iris…!"
"Neeeeeeeeeever, never, ever!!"
"But it's just a pair of panties!!"
The duo glare at each other. Luna can almost see the steam coming out of
their ears.
"Fine."
"Alexia, you've come around."
"You know, I want to listen to you. I've always been swayed by
meaningless words and lost sight of what matters. Like the time you told me
you liked my swordplay."
With her see-through panties on full display, Alexia keeps her eyes
warmly on Iris.
"Yeah, I remember that."
"My swordplay is a symbol of my small, insignificant life. That's why I
want to listen to those who accept that about me."
"Alexia…" Iris is touched to the point of trembling. They're finally on the
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same page.
"If you can't accept G-strings, I won't buy them. I really, really, really
want to wear them, but I won't if you don't want me to. So tell me: Are you
absolutely sure G-strings are out of the question?" Alexia bores into her
sister's eyes, as if peeking into her soul.
Iris wavers. "Um, I… Well, they're not totally unacceptable…"
"Not totally unacceptable?"
"…No."
"Then I'll take 'em!"
"Thank you for your purchase!"
Iris can tell she's been bamboozled, but she smiles and lets it go when she
sees her sister beaming giddily.