The imperial princess Tracy activated "Limit Break" which should be
impossible.
Muddy black aura burst up like a tornado. The figure in the center of it
sported a grin that split her lips like a crescent moon. Coupled with her
harsh beauty and giant scythe, she looked exactly like a "fallen villainess".
Compared to Shia's cute figure and bluish white magic power, she looked
like a hidden last boss who was standing in the way of the heroine.
In fact the strength flooding that body was immense. From the pressure she
radiated her specs had definitely increased by several times. To the
observer, they somehow hallucinated that her blond drill hair had somehow
increased in number. They looked like they were twisting and meandering.
Anyway, it was also certain that this wasn't just a bluff or illusion from
Shia's grumbling "Mumumu-" and her wary expression.
Hajime also checked with his magic eye stone. He learned that Tracy wasn't
using any kind of artifact and she was really activating the "Limit Break"
with her own strength.
"Now, here I come! Shia Hauria! Has you finished preparing for the fun
overtime!?"
"I already have more than enough though?"
"Myy-, how unfriendly! But, that side of your is also lovely desuwa!"
"Aa, she is really Altina's kind desuu. My words won't go through desu-"
Shia didn't even try to hide her disgusted face. Tracy made a smile of wild
joy and raised her giant scythe in overhead position for a vertical down
swing.
"Please I ask you, to accept this seething passion of mineeee!"
"It will be a bit hard to deal with this using just Level II… why is there so
many degenerate perverts who turn out to be abnormally superhuman I
wonder?"
Shia let out a long sigh, but Tracy completely ignored her and let out a
magnificent loud laugh "Ooo-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-" with her tension
increasing through the roof. She was in a perfect condition. She began to
rotate her giant scythe in high speed.
By doing that, the muddy black torrent of magic power was converging into
her giant scythe.
"Muu, this isn't normal. Hajime-kun, is it alright to not stop them?"
Shuuzou who hadn't said anything at all since the match started and only
watched with his eyes blazing fierily finally let out a worried voice from
feeling the aberrant pressure. Koichi and Kirino also stopped watching the
battle gleefully with their gaze alternately looking at Shia and Hajime with
a bit of worry.
Hajime, no, Yue, Kaori, Shizuku, Tio, and then Aiko, Myuu, Remia, and
even Liliana were tilting their head as though to say "Just what are you
saying?"
They noticed a second later.
Come to think of it, Shuuzou and others had never seen the bugged bunny
Shia before.
From the past replay they had only watched Shia's hopeless rabbit
performance at her first meeting with Hajime, the way she fought
desperately in Raisen while looking like she wanted to cry, and even at the
battle against Tio in the northern mountain range and against the giant army
of monsters, she was overshadowed by Hajime and others. She was doing
her part in those battles, but she still wasn't at the level of bugged character
at that time.
It was understandable then that they were feeling somewhat concerned just
from Shia facing an opponent of this level. In fact, Tomoichi, Kaoruko, and
even Akiko were also looking slightly worried.
And so Hajime smiled wryly and replied with only a short sentence.
"It's fine. You will understand if you watch."
He urged them with his gaze to look at Shia and Tracy after saying that.
Shuuzou and others followed his gaze toward that direction…
And then,
"Now! It's time for massacre desuwaaa――EGXESSSSSSSSSSSS!!"
The giant scythe that was rotating in high speed overhead fired innumerable
jet black blades. Those blades drew a giant arc and a part of them passed
above the head of Hajime and others to circle around. The blades attacked
Shia from left, right, above, and even from the back.
Originally this technique must be for carving apart the whole area around
the user. Tracy's technique to control it to form a cage of magic blades was
astonishing.
But…
"Nuhn"
Shia lifted her foot, and dropped it. She entered the state of body
strengthening Level V just for an instant.
A tremor that felt like an earthquake shook the palace. The floor――it was
the floor of the throne room, so the surface was made from a hard mineral
material, added with steel plate and magic barrier that automatically
activated from impact――turned into a crater with cracks spreading like
spider web. At the same time a shockwave also radiated out around Shia.
With just that, the majority of the jet black magic blades rushing toward her
were erased. Even the rest was blown away to every direction.
Just in case, Shia had sent a short gaze toward Yue. She blocked the
shockwaves toward the audiences with perfect timing, even so the pupils of
Shuuzou and others including all the empire nobles turned into dots due to
shock.
But, the bugged bunny didn't obtain her numerous nicknames just from
something of this level.
The true absurdity happened right after.
"Ahah. Receive thisssss! This is my full power in full throttle! It's time for
beheading desuwaaaa! ――EGXESSSSSSSSSSS!!"
With a slight delay after the magic blades attack from all directions, Tracy
appeared behind Shia. It seemed she had even cut through the shockwave.
Apparently she was convinced that Shia would be able to endure her attack
and she closed the distance by using the magic blades as cover.
Tracy sported a happy smile of wild joy when Shia looked back across her
shoulder and their eyes met. However, there wasn't the slightest hesitation
in her swing.
The giant scythe's sharpness had been explosively increased due to the
thick jet black aura wrapping around it. It swung toward Shia's slender
neck――
*Gakii—-nn*
A sound like metal clashing on metal echoed.
Time also felt like it had stopped.
"…I think I just heard a sound that should be impossible coming from
human body though"
Tracy-san's mad joy vanished for an instant. It seemed her mind was blown
away by the completely unexpected, no, the completely absurd occurrence.
Even now there was the sound of *creak creak scrap scrap* that shouldn't
be made from human body. She looked at Shia's completely unprotected
neck that had been hit by her strongest and greatest slash. Her expression
turned blank.
This was one of the reasons why Shia was a bugged bunny that blew away
even the madness of a battle maniac.
――Shia-style Metamorphosis Magic Steel Coating(Fighting Spirit
Defense)
Throw away your blade and come at me barehanded! What's wrong… you
scared?
But it's fine! Shockwave will pass through so it's still effective! This
fragment of absurdity seemed to say that.
The eyes of Shuuzou and others flew out like in a gag. Their face seemed to
say "Something like this is possibleee!?".
I understand. I understa~nd your feeling, Hajime and others seemed to stay
with their faraway look. Then in front of them Shia slowly pulled back her
fist.
"Passion, ideal, principle, intellect, elegance, refinement――you have
enough of all those. But, however-, you are overwhelminglyy~ lacking in
"fighting spirit"–!!"
Tracy came back to her senses with a gasp and stepped back with
convulsing expression. Even so she reacted swiftly.
She took a short chain from the dream breast pocket.
There were ten rings on that chain. She instantly put her fingers into those
rings and poured her magic power, activating a barrier that was worth ten
"Holy Severance"…
"This is how you put your fighting spirit into it desuu! SHAORAAAAAA
——!!"
"There is no way this is――hidden buu!?"
*Papapapapann* Continuous sounds of breaking echoed, then right after
that Shia's fist pushed forward as though no barrier was on its way at all.
That fist landed on Tracy's chest immediately after.
Tracy was blown away while spinning in the air. She crashed on a pillar
inside the throne room and bounced, then she hit another pillar and bounced
again, she bounced all around like a pinball, and in the end she crashed on a
furniture vase that looked absurdly expensive and came to a stop with only
her butt sticking out.
Her body was convulsing *Twitch-twitch-twitch*
She looked dead no matter how they looked at her…
No, she moved just a single arm by squeezing out her last strength. She
lifted her hand behind even though that hand was shaking fiercely…
"M-my deepest, gratitude. Niceee, fiiighttt~ desuwa――slump"
She made a firm thumb up and firmly spoke her praise and satisfaction, and
then she fell limp at the end of the death match.
No, that's you. You have done really well. Everyone couldn't help but send
her their praise and applause inside their heart.
Even the interviewer Hajime reflexively grinned at the imperial princess's
brave fight.
"She passed."
"Passing what huh?"
"Passing of what!?"
Hajime paid no mind to Gahard's stare. He also didn't listen to the
questioning of Princess Liliana.
While they were doing that, Shia slowly lowered down her outstretched fist.
"She is an outrageous pervert but, well… she has a good fighting sense."
She lightly brushed away her rabbit ear *fuasa* with one hand. Shia smiled
fuh and coolly turned around. Her gesture was a bit savory. A bit like a
certain lord.
The dumbfounded Shuuzou and others remembered to breath seeing her
action. Yaegashi family's eyes were sparkling, no, blazing. Tomoichi and
others were also smiling faintly seeing the reason why she was called
bugged.
"Wait, this isn't the time to just watch! First aid! First aid! Your
highnesssss! Are you aliveeee-"
"T-that's right! Kaori, let's help out!"
Slowly, blood was spreading from inside the vase where Tracy's vase was
buried into. Kaori and Shizuku ran toward her in great panic.
"H-Hajime-kun! Is the princess alright!? Look, she is twitching like a fish
that is fished up to the land――"
"Ah, her convulsion stopped…"
Tomoichi and Kaoruko went deathly pale.
"It's fine. Even if she really die, it's possible to revive her if she is still
freshly dead."
"Your appreciation for life is too low! Do you need rehabilitation starting
from your moral value!?"
"Reviving the dead is so easy like preparing instant food huh…"
The common sense of the adults with good senses was crumbling into dust
that vanished into the wind. Tomoichi's gaze stabbed at Shuu and Sumire as
though to say Just how did you raise this guy!, but the two of them averted
their gaze away in a flash and mumbled vaguely.
If one sharpened their hearing, they would hear excuses like "No, well,
with the fantasy encroaching into the real like this, something like
resurrection is just a small detail isn't it? Even in video game the characters
often die in battle, yep" "If it's a game then the real hurdle will be making
a come-back from 1 HP, yep" being muttered.
This is why Nagumo family is just-! These damn game maniacs! Tomoichi
held his head in his wits' end.
The mini Tomoichi in his heart was peeking out saying "Isn't it fine
already? There won't be any hardship if you just accept it you know?".
Hopefully Tomoichi-san would win his battle against his inner self here.
A slight distance away, Akiko was alternately glancing at Tracy who was
lying on a sea of blood and her father Gahard with an uneasy look while
pushing on Aiko's shoulders.
"H-hey, Aiko. If it's Kaori-chan then she can heal her highness right? It
will be fine right?"
"Y-yep. It will be fi――"
"Ah, her soul slip away――"
"Shirasaki-saaaan-. Do you need any helpppp!?"
"Ai-chan-sensei~, please dooo!"
Aiko broke into a dash. She jumped *pyon* to the rescue scene. Then
"Haaih" she let out a yell of fighting spirit like a master of kenpo. Her
hand shined in light pink color and hit something down as though she was
performing a volleyball smash.
Right away, Tracy's body jerked and bent backward like a shrimp.
"…Shia, did you mistake your strength control?"
"Don't tell me, Shia, thou… wisheth that if circumstances permit it…?"
"N-no way! It's not like I was thinking of something like Try dying one
time! just because she is an imperial princess!"
"…Shia-oneechan… scary…"
"Myuu-chan!?"
Hajime turned his gaze toward Gahard while such conversation was going
on.
"So, empire. What is that artifact? Is that some kind of the empire's secret
treasure? Also, how can that princess use "Limit Break"?"
"Really, just how thick is the skin of your face?"
Gahard let out a deep sigh in complete exasperation.
"――"Magic Eater Scythe Egxess". It's an artifact that the first emperor
discovered at the bottom of Ur's lake."
"Ur's lake?"
"Err, your majesty? If that's true, Ur is in the kingdom's territory so the
kingdom should have the right of possession for it isn't it?"
" "Just shut up you black hearted princess who is hungry for benefits" "
"Why are you two in sync like that!? Or rather, I'm telling you I'm not
black hearted!"
Gahard ignored the protesting Princess Liliana and continued explaining.
According to him, the first emperor was a leader of a mercenary group. It
could be understood that he was an extremely ambitious person from how
he built a country despite such status.
Him discovering Egxess at the bottom of Ur's lake because his ambition
was pulling him toward that coincidence.
"There is a legend that "something precious" is dwelling in the bottom of
Ur's lake since the ancient time because of spirit or whatever. You might
have heard about it if you ever went there."
"Aa. I heard that from the owner of the "Inn of Water Fairy". It seems the
inn's name was also taken from that legend… aa, I see. So the first emperor
sought even that kind of legend, in order to obtain new strength."
"Yeah. He didn't know what might possibly become his strength after all. I
heard that he even directed his ambition to rule toward the church deep
inside."
"So your weak faith came from your bloodline huh."
Gahard shrugged. Tracy also resumed breathing at that time. She had
recovered to a degree where she groaned "Uu~n uu~n desuwaaa" with her
unique end of sentence that was as firm as Shia.
Kaori continued her treatment while Shizuku was giving the princess a lap
pillow. Aiko was staying on standby in preparation for the worse with her
soul magic. They were sending creeped out glances that said "Uwaa, there
is far fewer places that are alright in the princess compared to not?" at
Shia.
It seemed that the princess's whole body was far more beaten and messed
up than her appearance at the outside suggested.
Even so, she recovered successfully so Tomoichi and others patted their
chest in relieve while Yue and others were listening carefully to Gahard and
Hajime's talk from the start.
"And so, it seems there was a small ruin that looked like a church at the
bottom of that lake. That scythe was left there together with a lithograph."
"Church? Lithograph? The holy church also built a church in that kind of
place?"
"No, I heard that the building's style was completely different. It was a ruin
from who know which era. Most of all, the letters that were written on the
lithograph was the proof of that."
――Magic Eater Scythe Egxess. I offer it to those who bear a grudge to the
god.
"A heretic huh. Could it be…"
"By the way, since the empire's founding those who can use Egxess at the
level that can be called as "master" is only Tracy other than the first
emperor."
"Is it because the scythe will forcefully devour the user's magic power once
they touched it and even after they let go of it?"
"Hah, as expected from the greatest transmutation master. You get it just
from looking at it."
There was also how it was very difficult just to handle a scythe as a
weapon. But more than that, the magic power amount that the weapon
demanded was absurd even when it wasn't in use.
It was to the degree that only owner of magic power in the level of Hajime
and others could use it. Otherwise――
"The user will have to fight until they die. To fight and fight in order to
continue devouring the magic power(enemy)."
"It's really a cursed tool huh. I feel something like a deep-seated grudge
from it. As I thought, it's a relic from the era of the Liberators… no,
perhaps it was from even more ancient time. It seems the holy sword has
existed far longer than the era of the Liberators, so perhaps this thing is also
something as ancient as that."
"…Muu. Although my lightning sphere was weakened so it would only
shock the target unconscious, this thing was still able to devour my magic."
Yue's gaze was attracted by curiosity toward Egxess that was lying near
Tracy.
Perhaps because they had just heard the story, even though Tracy's hand
wasn't holding it right now, the scythe was clad in an aura that was like
miasma and it felt like they could hear a groan of deep-seated grudge Ooo
from it.
Then after that, that muddy black miasma stretched out slowly… and
touched Tracy's leg *chon*. Right after that, Tracy's body jerked and
convulsed,
"F-fightt~, fight moreee~ desuwaa~"
"Y-your highness!? What's the matter… eh!? Her magic power is rapidly
slipping out!?"
"Don't run away from the ancient battlefieldddd~ desuwaa"
"What do you mean ancient battlefield!? Your highness, get a hold of
yourself!"
"I-I'll use the magic of magic power transfer!"
The treatment seemed to become flurried for some reason. It was like a
field hospital there.
Hajime pointed at Tracy and looked at Gahard.
"She is completely cursed isn't she?"
"Don't mind it. That's not really different from her usual behavior."
"Just how did you raise her huh."
"That's the result of me not raising her."
"Raising a child properly is important isn't it, dear?"
Remia mama casually entered the conversation. Her lovely smile stabbed
into Hajime papa. Eh? What did you say? Hajime pretended to not hear
anything.
"So, about the Limit Break. Of course she didn't have it originally. It's
something she acquired. It seems she obtained it from that legendary
decisive battle. In all likelihood, the artifact that you supplied for us must be
the trigger."
"But, it's strange that the princess is the only one if that's the case isn't it?
At that time, the whole mankind's battle strength should be put through
Limit Break. Or are you telling me that now there are a lot of other people
who have Limit Break too?"
"I also thought so and investigated, but Tracy is the only one… This is just
my guess, but there are two causes. First that she is using Egxess on top of
being in Limit Break state where her body was strengthened like crazy. The
other cause is that she didn't receive Shirasaki Kaori's healing… that's the
only thing I can think of."
What do you mean? Hajime and others tilted their head in puzzlement.
Gahard recalled that time and he looked like he got a headache.
"Originally I didn't intend to bring that girl into the battle. The crown
prince and the second prince had passed on at that time, so that girl was the
next emperor candidate based on her real strength and also her right of
inheritance's ranking."
"Certainly. The other countries all left behind their children who would
shoulder the future. I also sent Randell and mother to evacuate to the
empire at that time."
Gahard himself was prepared to die in battle at that time, so his decision
was only natural, Liliana said with an understanding nod.
"Come to think of it, if she participated in the final battle, it was strange
that we didn't meet her in the meeting inside the fortress. Or rather, various
people came to meet me before the final battle started but… the princess
wasn't among them."
Hajime's gaze turned toward Shia and Tio. His gaze asked them whether
they had met her without him knowing about it. From Tracy's personality,
she looked like she would definitely head to meet Shia or the Hauria clan at
the very least but…
Even so, it was strange that they never heard about her at all until now.
Shia and Tio also shook their head as expected.
"No, I don't remember ever meeting her." (Shia)
"I was the one who joined up with everyone last at that time." (Tio)
"I was also the supreme commander after a fashion at that time but… I
didn't remember her coming to greet me. Or rather, I don't remember
meeting her even after the battle was over."
Gahard nodded, saying that it was only natural.
"That's because she not only ignored my order to participate in the final
battle, she even took out Egxess that was sealed in the deepest part of the
treasure vault without permission."
Also, at that time the loyal soldiers of the empire who were guarding the
vault all received the Princess Smash without exception.
And so, because all in the vault belonged to the emperor, it was completely
a robbery even if it was done by an imperial princess.
According to some of the mister soldiers who were clinging and pleading to
Tracy even while trembling from the pain of their son below, when Tracy
tried to take out every single artifact that could be used for the battle,
suddenly muddy black aura overflowed from the deepest part of the vault.
In other words, Egxess responded to Tracy's heart that was seeking
strength… or perhaps it sensed that it was "time for the last battle"…
The truth would remain buried, but anyway, Egxess had never radiated out
miasma by itself until then, so the soldiers there who couldn't participate in
the final battle because they were too weak felt that it was destiny and they
couldn't bring themselves to stop Tracy anymore.
"Because of that she even made use of my disguise artifact to camouflage
herself and slip through the gate easily. After that the stupid girl hid all the
time so that she wouldn't get forcefully sent back. After all Egxess stood
out too much even if she was hiding her true form."
So that was what happened, she couldn't show herself to anyone else. No
wonder that nobody recalled meeting her there then.
"W-why did she go that far?"
A person with common sense, Kaoruko-san asked that question. She
implicitly asked, Even though she is a princess, why…? Even after she had
seen how Tracy acted, she was still unable to wipe the fantasy of "If she is a
princess shouldn't she not act like that?".
It must be because the first princess she saw was Liliana whose exterior was
completely "a lovely princess of a fantasy world". As expected from the
black hearted princess who had mastered the art of 108 fake smiling faces.
She perfectly manipulated everyone's impression on her.
And then the one who answered that question of Kaoruko-san wasn't
Gahard who was about to open his mouth…
"The answer is obvious desuwa! It was a grand battle that would only
happen once in this lifetime! The great decisive battle that would be deeply
carved in mankind's history! There would be nothing more unfortunate than
being unable to participate in such battle! Desuwa!"
"E-eee?"
It was Tracy. "Reeevived!! I'm reeeviveeed!!" She stood imposingly
while being surrounded by Kaori and others. Even though she almost died,
no, she had plainly died just now, her expression was looking extremely
refreshed instead!
"Shirasaki Kaori, and the other two! My thanks! It was annoying when my
dead elder brother Bias waved at me from the other side of the river saying
[Come over hereeee! You should come over here tooooo!], so I was busy
throwing the rocks in the riverbed but… well, I should overlook that matter!
Be thankful!"
No, are you grateful or do you want other to be grateful to you, which is it?
Everyone there did their best to swallow that tsukkomi inside their heart.
Because, she had clearly gone through a near-death experience, but nobody
there felt like performing a comedy anymore by making a tsukkomi about
it.
"Eerr, I guess I should at least ask, are you alright? Especially in your
head."
Shia spoke out words that sounded quite horrible depending on how one
listened to it.
Tracy's expression burst into happiness because Shia talked to her. It wasn't
a face of ecstasy or arousal. It was a cute and refreshing smile like a girl
who was celebrating her birthday. She was pointlessly beautiful, so she
looked excessively charming.
"There is no problem with my body, Shia Hauria. Thanks to you even my
gloomy heart has also been cleared up. If I'm not mistaken, the gentlemen
called this state of mind as… that's right, this must be what they called
"sage mode"! I'm completely like a sage right now desuwa!"
All the males there starting from Hajime averted their gaze toward the
distant sky with a beautifully synchronized movement. You don't need to
perform the role of the ignorant princess at this kind of timing you know…
they seemed to want to say that.
"Is that so. Please stay like that forever if possible."
"Oh my… to say that "I'm fine the way I am" like that. Fufu, Shia Hauria,
you really are a smooth talker aren't you desuwa?"
"There is no change at all with your Altina brain desuu…"
Shia quietly hid behind Tio. A pervert for a pervert. A pervert meat shield!
That was what she was doing.
Hajime asked once more in order to return the conversation to the right
track.
"And princess. What's the reason you can use Limit Break?"
"Yes, yes. It's definitely just as his majesty said."
According to her, she hid and then joined the battle, experienced an extreme
situation in the middle of the final battle, and in the end she survived. As
expected, there was no way she didn't stand out with the way she swung
around Egxess right at the center of the battlefield. In the end Gahard easily
captured her when she was exhausted and unable to move.
And then, the mankind allied army that was in a ragged state both in mind
and body due to forcefully using "Limit Break" and the fierce battle later on
would receive the treatment for their soul and body from Kaori and Aiko
after their magic power recovered but…
"Good grief! Even though I only sneaked to the frontline of hell just for a
little, his majesty gave me a punishment instead desuwa! Irrational!
Unreasonable! A parent who doesn't understand his daughter's heart!
You're stu~pid-stu~pid desuwa!"
"By the way, this girl had been belligerent and disliked losing since she was
little but, the screws in her head only became this loose since the incident of
Hauria attack."
Gahard's dry stare caught Shia who was peeking out from above Tio's
shoulder. *Pyoko-* Shia's face pulled back. It was as though she was
quickly saying My rabbit ears doesn't hear anything~.
"Aa~, in other words, that punishment was not receiving any healing and
recovering from the weakened state of Limit Break by your own strength
huh. We never met you after the final battle because you got immediately
sent home and unable to move all that time while recuperating then?"
"That was what happened, demon king-sama! Furthermore, Egxess too, it
mercilessly kept taking away my magic power even during my
recuperation, so my recovery got even more delayed… my stomach was
bloating thanks to drinking magic power recovery potion everyday
desuwa."
Really this child is a real glutton! Tracy lifted up Egxess and slapped it
*pechi* as though to say that.
In actuality, she was in a state where it wouldn't be strange even if she died
anytime. For the whole month her whole body would be wracked with pain
intermittently, and intense feeling of fatigue continued to torment her
without showing any sign of healing. Her treatment period was truly harsh
to the extreme. An ordinary person would undoubtedly go mad first before
their flesh body died. That was how bad her condition was.
But, with her insatiable longing and rivalry toward Hauria, she overcome
that hellish boundary of life and death and she also became able to adjust
the degree of magic power that Egxess devoured from her. And then when
she completely recovered, it seemed she awakened to "Limit Break" with
her own strength.
Also, the gazes of many people especially the maids toward Gahard became
extreme~~~ly cold because even though they had won the legendary
decisive battle with much effort, the princess was the only one who kept
suffering continuously like that.
As expected, even Gahard thought that the punishment was sufficient
already after three days passed. He also didn't want to throw a damper on
the victory mood anymore than this, so he planned to request Kaori for
healing. But,
"It was this girl herself who refused. She said things like she has the feeling
something will wake up inside her if she overcome this trial."
"She was also awakened to something else didn't she? It absolutely wasn't
just Hauria's attack that caused her screws to turn loose like this, but also
because of that hellish month."
"I can't deny that."
This time it was Shia's blank stare that pierced at Gahard. Gahard quietly
averted his gaze.
"Originally, I wanted to go meet Sha Hauria and demon king-sama and
party immediately but… when I arrived at Fea Bergen, everyone had
already returned home desuwa."
If only I could hijack his majesty's Fernir at that time, how frustrating
desuwa! Tracy said while glaring at her father.
"I see, and so your highness kept training until now so that you can make
your challenge when one day when you meet her."
"I also use kusarigama(sickle and chain) but… it's impossible for me to use
a scythe of that size. Your highness, your battle just now was truly a sight
for sore eyes."
Koichi and Shuuzou and then Kirino gave her their heartfelt praise.
There Tracy's eyes finally caught sight of all the parent~s. She tilted her
head with the question of Eh? Who could this people be?
Everyone smiled wryly and introduced themselves once more.
"My! I see! Then once more, my name is Tracy D Hoelscher desuwa. It's
truly an honor to be able to meet with the family of such truly powerful
people."
Tracy bowed with a beautiful courtesy. She was seriously an imperial
princess just from her appearance.
Certainly, she had some serious screw looses in her head but, "at least" she
was able to discern how she should act at any given time. It was just as
Hellina-san investigated!
Eh, who is this girl? Tomoichi and others made such face seeing Tracy's
complete one-eighty, however she ignored them and her hand shyly touched
her cheek.
"However, if that's the case, it's embarrassing to show such a shoddy battle
to everyone for your first sightseeing here."
"No, our praise just now is genuine."
Tracy's face became like an embarrassed maiden at Shuuzou's words.
However, her words next contained really dangerous words.
"But, in the end I was unable to reap Shia Hauria's head. Far from that, I
couldn't even put a scratch on her. I'm truly ashamed of how lacking I am. I
wish that next time I'll be able to take her head with *splat*, like this
desuwa."
"I'll wrench off your head before that. Desuu"
Oh my, I'm happy! Tracy's face became like a maiden who had just gotten
confessed. As expected she was still Tracy.
"I had also went to a warrior journey to sharpen my skill in order to have
the greatest tryst with Shia Hauria, and yet…"
As a fellow princess, Liliana's expression convulsed while she looked like
she wanted to say That ain't what a princess should do…
"T-Tracy-sama, you went out to such a journey?"
"The people of the empire really is no good just as I thought desuu. If I
don't quickly do something with this princess at least…"
"…Shia, give up already. It's already too late for this princess. I think she
will chase after Shia until she dies."
"Assassination is a no okay? Right now you are making a really bad face,
Shia. You're completely an evil bunny."
"…I realize once more that Hauria is a race that is specialized for
assassination. How terrifying."
All the empire nobles started to tremble fiercely when they heard the words
assassination by Hauria. Look, this goosebumps on my arms… they were
showing each other's arms.
"In the end, I couldn't even conquer a great labyrinth… I was able to reach
the deepest part of Great Labyrinth Raisen but, I was completely helpless
before the last guardian."
" " " " "!?" " " " "
The gaze of everyone's in Hajime's group snapped toward Hajime. Hajime
let out an "Ah…".
"It attacked just like demon king-sama. When red magic power burst out, it
moved with super speed… at present I can't imagine how I can possibly
win against it no matter how much I struggle. Shia Hauria, you conquered
such enemy didn't you? As I thought, I'm still a novice desuwa!"
"H-hahaa, that's not really true I think? Right, Hajime-san?"
"Y-yeah."
"Come to think of it, I got the feeling the color of that that magic power's
light was exactly the same like demon king-sama…"
Gahard seemed to guess something and glared at Hajime. His gaze was
completely saying "You again!".
But, it was a matter of the past. Super Miledy G had self-exploded. Now the
guardian there was the Normal Miledy G. In other words, it was something
that had ended. It was statute of limitations, statute of limitations!
Hajime attempted to change the topic in order to distract Tracy from
arriving at the truth of the matter, and also in order to escape from the blank
stares of his family.
"Princess! Great Labyrinth Raisen is the trial of the Liberators' leader
Miledy! It's obvious that the it can't be conquered that easily!"
"! I see desuwa!"
Tracy-san, what a honest girl.
"You have no need to feel any self-depreciation! You have excellent skill! I
was moved!"
"My-, a praise from the demon king-sama personally!? It's an honor
desuwa!"
"In line with that, I have a proposition for your…"
"?"
Hajime quickly moved to Tracy's side to escape from his family's gazes.
Tio muttered "Ah, this scene, I hath seen it before. It's the same like that
time with Venri!". Liliana was saying "Again-" while puffing out her
cheeks like a squirrel.
Amidst that, the two turned their back to everyone else and secretly
conversed about something…
"If you accept now, I'll also throw an improvement for that Egxess. What's
more the maintenance will be free of charge, forever. Demon king quality
guaranteed."
"W-what an offer! But, what kind of improvement…"
"I'm thinking something like bombardment mode or form transformation to
make it easier to carry but… other than that, let's see… how about a
function to make the cut wounds splatter like rose petals?"
"What in the world! What in the world with such lovely option! That's
stylish!"
"If taken to the extreme, it'll be possible to also use the shooting recoil for
high speed movement or midair movement. I also got various other items
for you. If you're a magician then… this is an unprecedented treatment that
isn't just for anyone, you get it right?"
"But… I won't be able to fight Shia Hauria with that."
"On the contrary. Rather, there will be far more chances to fight her under
the pretense of training from here on!"
"Agreeeddd. You are my master desuwa!"
Hajime had put on soundproofing as the countermeasure of Shia's hell
rabbit ears, so everyone couldn't hear what they were talking about, but in
the end the two exchanged a firm handshake with a nice smile, so Hajime's
scheme had succeeded it seemed.
Tracy's gaze turned toward Shia just for an instant and she licked her lips.
Shia's rabbit ears stood on end with chills running through them.
Next her gaze turned toward Liliana. For some reason her expression turned
kind like a big sis, so shivers and chills also ran through Liliana's back.
All the empire nobles were watching their princess and the demon king
handshaking with a dreading gaze. They were sending glances at Gahard
were undoubtedly to insist "Isn't this bad? Her highness is making a deal
with the like of the demon king! It absolutely won't end well!".
Gahard also felt the same!
Hajime took down the soundproofing and he came back toward the group
with a pleased smile on his and Tracy's face. Gahard demanded an
explanation with pulsing vein on his forehead. Liliana cheered him on!
"Oi, Nagumo Hajime! What the hell are you talking with her! That girl is
my precious daughter so that I can be free――not that, she is the one who
will shoulder the future of the empi――"
"Ooops, my hand slipped!"
"By your will, my hand slipped desuwa!"
Gahard's words that leaked out his true feeling were interrupted by the two
who displayed a synchronized action like true master and servant.
In addition, Egxess was swung in a flash *hyun*. Magic blade flew out and
went passed right above Gahard's head to behind him.
It was already too late when Gahard gasped in realization.
"S-someone stop ittttt—-"
Gahard turned around while ordering his imperial guards with a desperate
look, but at that time the jet black magic blade was already cutting off the
red curtain hanging behind the throne that was embroidered with the
empire's crest. The curtain was cleanly slashed in a straight line.
And so, what appeared from behind the falling curtain was――
"Hih, what's that painting!?"
"W-why is such repulsive painting is decorating the back of the throne…"
"I-is this the art culture of the empire?"
"ABSOLUTELY NOTTTTTTTTTT!!"
The words of Kaoruko, Akiko, and Tomoichi were denied by Gahard's yell
with all his might.
All the empire nobles were yelling things like "Even though I don't want to
see it anymore! Or "Even though, even though it had stopped showing up
in my dream anymore-, but now-" or "O-oi! Guards! Watch the
surrounding carefully! Check whether there is Hauria here or not!" while
looking like they would lose their sanity.
Yes, there was a huge painting of zombie like humans tormenting the rabbit
race that looked like zombie the way their rabbit ears wilted like shriveled
carrot――it was a very heart-warming painting that was gushing out with
advocacy of anti discrimination――adorning the back of the throne.
The feeling of oppression from it was overwhelming. Certainly it felt like
this picture would reduce the sanity of anyone who saw it.
"Eh? Why is Ume ○ -sensei's painting is here?" (TN: Umezu Kazuo, a
horror manga artist.)
"T-that's nasty… nn, come to think of it, there was a time when Hajime
took a liking to this style and drew a lot of it for practice…"
Nagumo spouses looked toward their son with a gaze as though they were
looking at a criminal. The answer came from Liliana.
"Yes, the culprit is Hajime-san. At first it was hanged without permission in
our Heiligh Kingdom's palace, but I swiftly took it down and after
discussing it with Hauria, I asked them to hang it here."
In a sense, she was really a demon… everyone there thought that.
"Shit-, someone! Isn't there anyone! We need a new curtain! Hurry!"
Gahard yelled loudly while doing his best so that the painting wouldn't
enter his sight.
But, his voice that sounded urgent and overflowing with uneasiness brought
even further chaos.
The many people on standby outside the throne room――a lot of soldiers
and retainers were gathering because the emperor's angry yells and
thunderous sounds of combat kept coming from inside――rushed in
because they finally received permission to enter and they would finally be
able to check what was going on inside――
" " " " "Hiih!? What in the world!?" " " " "
The completely wrecked throne room. The glimpse of rabbit ears. And then,
the terrifying giant painting that was displayed in its full glory once more…
It went without saying that the throne room fell into pandemonium.
And so,
"Yosh. It looks like the emperor is busy, let's go sight see other places
without delay."
This guy was a demon… everyone thought.
"I shall show the way! My maste――cough. Maou-sama, everyone!"
Even though she should be a person of the empire, Tracy began to show the
group the way cheerfully as though she was completely unconcerned with
what was occurring there.
Yue and others had a lot of things they wanted to say, but for the time being
it would be troubling to stay in the middle of this chaos, so they
immediately followed the two. The adults, Shuu and others looked at each
other, then they turned toward Gahard apologetically before they also exited
the throne room quickly.
From behind the group,
"As I thought that guy is really a demon-! Shit-!! One day I'll absolutely
retire from being the emperor and become freeeeee—"
Gahard's voice was oozing with hardship. It was completely removed from
his daring figure in the past. That voice echoed futilely inside the throne
room.