The 15th day of the Water month. Bell, who has been living in Lilia-san's
mansion has gotten used to life, and he's made friends with the servants.
And now, I'm headed to Alice's miscellaneous goods store, where I've
had more opportunities to go lately.
I've been there before, but I forgot to ask about Alice's plans because of
all the things that happened during my last visit.
Kuro said she was fine at any time, but it would be better to do it as early
as possible.
Normally, one would think that having won so much money before, she
wouldn't have to worry about our lives for the time being but… it's Alice
we're talking about here. If I take my eyes off her for a second, before I
knew it, it would probably be gone to gambling, and I'm afraid
something may have happened to her.
Continuing down the street, when I get down to a slightly larger street, a
strange feeling of discomfort appears.
It's like I walked through a thin membrane… It's hard to explain, but
that's the feeling I got.
Tilting my head and moving my gaze to the surroundings, I found
nothing in particular and the road was quiet, so I decided to proceed
walking despite the feeling of discomfort.
It's not long before I came to the street where Alice's miscellaneous
goods store is… and the sense of discomfort became more intense.
…I didn't pass anyone. At this time of the day, on this street?
This area would normally be bustling with people setting up shops, and
it was clearly unusual how there's no one in this place.
As I looked around, feeling uneasy, I saw three shadows approaching
from the direction I'm walking to… around the end of the road.
A woman with long red hair and a large spear that surpasses her height,
and a woman with a face exactly like the other woman, except for her
short hair and huge shield… Are they twins?
There's also a blue-haired man with a sword that resembles a Japanese
katana behind them… I have a really bad feeling from them. My
Sympathy Magic is telling me their emotions… This sickening feeling of
hostility being directed at me.
The three of them walk up to me and after stopping a few meters away
from me, the twins step forward.
[My name is Eta.]
[My name is Theta.]
[ [ And we're War King Megiddo-sama's envoys. ] ]
[ ! ? ]
The woman with the big spear called herself Eta, while the woman with
the big shield called herself Theta.
War King's envoys? Does that mean these three are Demons?
I wonder why, I just have a bad feeling around them… At least it doesn't
sound good, considering what I've heard so far about the War King.
[Megiddo-sama has decreed that he will see you.]
[You will have to follow us.]
[...…]
I knew it was that kind of talk… I'm pretty sure Kuro had said that the
War King wasn't someone I could talk to very well.
Feeling the cold sweat running down my back, I quietly sent a question
to the twin women.
[…What if I say I don't want to?]
[Don't get us wrong.]
[Your opinions… isn't something we need.]
[What!?]
As soon as she said it, the woman with the large spear at the ready
approaches me in a straight line and thrusts her huge spear.
It's a fast and sharp thrust, a blow that I can't dodge, but before it can
reach me, the shadow of a person flew out from behind me.
[…!?]
[Sieg-san!?]
To be honest, I didn't immediately understand what was going on.
I didn't know what Sieg-san is here, nor did I even catch the moment
that the big spear and her twin swords intersected.
The only thing I could clearly understand was that with that loud sound,
Sieg-san's twin swords shattered and her body was slammed into a
nearby wall.
Seeing this unbelievable scene, I immediately ran to the fallen Sieg-san's
side.
Sieg-san seems to have sustained quite a lot of damage, and while
shaking her body, she looks at me, moving her mouth only to say "run
away".
I didn't fully understand how tremendous that strike of the woman with
the big spear… Eta is, but the area near the roof of the building that Siegsan had a hole with around a meter of radius.
[…Hooohhh, how surprising, for you to have such splendid ability. At the
moment of the intersection, you saw that it was impossible to offset it
and deflected that blow instead…]
I thought I heard Theta's mutter very clearly.
Sieg-san told me to run away, but perhaps… No, it's definitely not
possible for me to escape from Theta and the others.
The only combat magic I can use is Auto-Counter, but that magic doesn't
really increase my power levels.
I can't avoid an attack I can't even see, and of course, it would be
impossible to escape from someone moving that fast.
I feel anger boiling within my guts for having Sieg-san get hurt… but
there's nothing I can do.
Realizing my own helplessness, I stand in front of Sieg-san to protect
her.
I'm the one they're after… I don't think I can talk to someone who
suddenly attacks me, but I can't afford to let Sieg-san get hurt any
further.
…So I'll just have to go along with them…
[Theta, what do you think?]
[So long as he's still alive, we should cut off his limbs so that he can't
escape.]
[Yeah, let's do that.]
[ ! ? ]
With the girl with the big shield… Theta's words, Eta holds her spear
towards me again.
That attack's coming again… But for some reason, at the moment when
that spear would lunge again, Eta and Theta leaped backwards, and
immediately afterwards, three sharp lines appeared at the ground they
were standing at just a moment ago.
[Who the heck are you!?]
[…You're going to hurt master? That means… You're asking to be torn
apart!!]
[Anima!?]
[I'm sorry I'm late! This unworthy Anima, finished her duty and
returned!]
A familiar figure stood in front of me, her black fur cloak flapping with
the win.
It was Anima, who I had asked to join Rigforeshia's guard unit and was
temporarily separated from me.
[Anima… How did you get here?]
[Hahh! Just the other day, they finished reorganizing the guard force, so I
immediately "ran" to master's side!]
[…I- I see.]
You ran!? From Rigforeshia to here!? There should have been three
mountains around that area though…
While I'm surprised by Anima's outrageous statement, Eta and Theta
look at Anima with a slightly sharper expression than before.
[A Beastman? Eta, this one's… strong.]
[Yeah, I could see that. However, I don't see a problem with the two of us
fighting her alone—– What!?]
Even with Anima as their opponent, Eta and Theta had a somewhat
carefree expression on their faces, as if they knew they would win with
the two of them against one.
However, their expressions drastically changed when they saw huge
flames attack them immediately afterwards, and they quickly split off to
the left and right, avoiding the flames' reach.
Those flames that flew from behind me… There's only one person
behind me right now, so the one who released them is definitely…
[…Looking back to it, it was quite foolish of me to fuss about it. However,
why can't I just throw it away?]
[Eh?]
It was a dignified, yet somehow, a gentle and warm voice.
I heard footsteps and a shadow quietly stood in front of me.
Her short hair grew to her shoulders and the atmosphere she had
around her was somewhat different, but there's no way I could mistake
the appearance of her back for anyone else.
The swords with only hilts left in her hands have flickering crimson
flames that held the shape of the blades, and in the light of that flame,
even her red hair seems to sway like raging flames.
[However, if it's to protect you… I will throw away this foolish
obsessiveness I've been holding onto for so long.]
[…Sieg… -san? Could it be…]
[Yes. I used the Fruit of the World Tree.]
After Sieg-san told me with her beautiful voice, she looked straight at
Eta and Theta.
Sieg-san's change wasn't only that her hair grew back and her voice
returned, the magic power she was clad in was also… clearly larger.
No, rather than saying it had become larger… Perhaps, it would be more
accurate to express it as it had returned to how it originally is.
Sieg-san then walked up to Anima's side, holding her twin swords made
of fire.
[…I will also be fighting with you. You also probably aren't in your tiptop shape. Moreover, the person we want to protect, the person we must
protect… is the same.]
[You… What did you say your name was?]
[Sieglinde.]
[…I see… Sieglinde-dono, thank you for your help! Let's fight together!]
[Yes!]
Extending her sharp claws and preparing for battle, Anima shouted,
while Sieg-san vigorously nodded while holding her twin swords.
Dear Mom, Dad——- I am suddenly attacked by people who call
themselves the War King's envoys. Armed with a large spear, Eta,
holding a large shield, Theta, and a blue-haired man who showed no
signs of moving. Now, the battle between the twin Demons Eta and
Theta against Anima and Sieg-san—— The battle has begun.