(Seraphina POV)
Saber Gladiolus.
My long-lost little brother...
In our childhood, we were inseparable until our parents' tragic demise. He was taken away by a noble family when they discovered he was a chosen hero.
"Sister!"
"Saber!"
As he struggled in the grasp of the guards, I watched helplessly, unable to free him due to my own lack of strength.
Separated, Saber went to a noble family, and I found myself in a nearby orphanage. A priest recognized my potential in Holy Magic, and I became a potential Saintess.
I trained so hard because of my weakness back then.
Years later, in the capital city of our kingdom, Saber and I crossed paths again. He had likely forgotten my face, as he was still quite young when we parted. I remembered every detail of our separation, but for now, I chose to keep it that way....
After all...
He was my enemy now, intertwined in events far beyond our control.
Staring at my reflection in the tranquil pond, I clenched my fists and tugged at my hair.
Who would've thought that my little brother was partially responsible for the devastating waves?
It hurt.
My own past mistakes had led to our separation, and later, I had recommended to his companions that they leave him behind at a party.
Could I ever apologize to him? I couldn't even face him during our last encounter after the first Wave, let alone express my gratitude for his role in our survival.
Now, I was destined to confront him once more in the future?
Why?
Why was the goddess tormenting us like this? Were we cursed?
I despised it, every bit of it.
Why was I compelled to face my little brother again in the future?
Most of all...
Why was I even blindly following the whims of THIS goddess?
Fuu-!
Unbeknownst to me, a glimmer of light pierced through my my back.
"No... It's all my fault. Everything unfolded this way because of me."
Who was I to blame the goddess for the twists of fate that had befallen us?
"Everything... All the blame lies with me."
If only... I had never been born.
Perhaps... Saber could have enjoyed the peaceful life he had yearned for in his younger days.
***
(Julius POV)
Following the recent incident, I sought refuge in the library, determined to dig deeper into my research.
"The Ruler of Calamity... I'm sure I've come across it here before."
I meticulously combed through every tome in the castle's library. Page after page, I pored over the contents, hoping to uncover any fragment of relevant information.
"Could this be it?"
...
..
.
After what felt like an eternity of fruitless searching, I reluctantly concluded that I hadn't found anything of use.
"Nothing here either..."
My head drooped onto my arm, and I let the book I had been examining tumble to the floor.
"Ahh...."
Stretching my sore back, I felt the tension release with a satisfying crack.
Just as I was on the verge of surrender, I heard a knock on my chamber door.
"...Who is it?" I retreated from the desk, walking toward the door, which I opened to reveal an unexpected sight. My sister stood there, drenched and emanating a pungent sewer odor.
Pinching my nose in disgust, I took a step back. "Eww... What's that horrendous smell?"
She remained silent for a moment before clicking her tongue in irritation.
"You should be grateful I fetched this for you, idiot." With that, she flung a small, dripping pouch in my direction, which I managed to catch. It, too, reeked to high heaven.
What in the world is this...?
Before I could inquire further, my sister spun on her heel and strode away, gesturing for me to keep quiet with a finger to her lips.
...It must have been quite an ordeal.
Seeing her clenched jaw, I empathetically shook my head.
My sister had always been a cleanliness enthusiast, detesting anything dirty. If she spotted even a speck of dust in her room, she'd summon a maid to clean it immediately.
Sighing deeply, I turned my attention to the pouch and found my lips twitching in disbelief.
"Shit..."
Indeed, it was a monster's shit.
....
After thoroughly sanitizing my hands and the pouch, I cautiously opened it to inspect its contents.
It was a book.
[Record of Falsities]
"Is this straight from mythology or something...?"
Though I couldn't help but doubt the content's authenticity, considering it was my sister who had provided it, there had to be some useful information within.
With that in mind, I gingerly turned a few pages.
"Chimera..."
My gaze locked onto an illustration of the legendary three-headed creature, and I quickly delved into its description.
CHIMERA
- A formidable fusion of ancient beasts, the Chimera is a creature of unparalleled power. Born from the merging of legendary creatures, its very existence defies the natural order. Its body displays a harmonious chaos, blending the ferocity of a lion, the cunning of a serpent, and the strength of a goat.
"This... It's similar to that Boss Monster!?"
My mouth hung open as I eagerly continued to flip through the pages.
MEDUSA
HYDRA
BANSHEE
TYPHON
...
..
.
With each page I turned, my anxiety intensified.
"Who in the world can think of monsters such as these...?"
Then, a troubling thought crossed my mind.
What if these monsters appeared during the Wave of Calamity?
Just the notion sent shivers down my spine.
"Where did Juliette even acquire this...?"
It was during this perusal that I encountered a specific heading.
"Ruler of Calamity..."
I had found it!
My fingers swiftly turned the next page, eager to learn more.
'The Ruler of Calamity is a being that controls when and what will be destroyed.'
'One of the privileges of being the Ruler of Calamity is the ability to tame Boss Monsters as pets.'
"A... Pet?"
Upon reading this line, a cold chill ran down my spine.
'According to historical records, it is said that the previous Ruler was able to summon 20 Boss Monsters at one point. They were only defeated thanks to the goddess who granted one of the chosen heroes a unique ability on par with it.'
'It can also summon a Wave, but the side effect is....'
As I continued reading for a few more minutes, I suddenly froze upon reaching a particular sentence.
'The longer the Ruler of Calamity lives, the stronger it becomes.'
***
Somewhere...
As Solis and Saber's lips parted, he closed his eyes for a moment before gently pushing himself forward to capture another kiss.
"Hhmm~!?"
Saber cradled Solis's cheeks in his hands, showing no intention of letting her go.
After a few intense moments, Saber finally relented, noticing that Solis was out of breath and her face had turned a bright shade of red. Her embarrassed expression was undeniably cute.
Solis, stuttering and unable to express her thoughts clearly, managed to utter, "Y-Y-You pervert!"
"Pft! Hahahaha!"
Saber couldn't help but laugh at her reaction. He briefly touched his lips, then remarked with a teasing grin, "Your lips taste sweet."
Solis's face flushed even more, and she appeared utterly flustered.
"How cute~"
However, her embarrassment reached its limit, and it seemed like her brain short-circuited. She shook her head violently.
"Just die!"
Suddenly, a radiant light began to emanate from within Saber's clothing.
"??"
Saber reached out and touched the source of the light, then his eyes widened in astonishment.
"...!!?"
In an instant, his body was enveloped by the brilliant light.
"... Contractor?"
He disappeared.
...
..
.
[Welcome to the "Labyrinth of Calamity".]