Arc 5 – Chapter 31, "The Cost of a Mistake"
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Mimi: "I got it~!"
Garfiel: "You're a nuisance, stop sayin' that!"
The next morning, Garfiel, looking to be in a rather poor state, walked the streets with Mimi.
Giggling, Mimi touched the chest of her robe, which were stained with Garfiel's tears and saliva. The stench had reached the point of causing Garfiel's nose pain.
To Mimi, who had the same sharp sense of smell, that stench must have been unbearable, but when Garfiel had advised her to wash it, she'd replied,
Mimi: "Mmm, it's fine! After returning to the hotel, I can get a chance of clothes~. Missy'll be really mad that I didn't go back last night. Hetaro and Tivey too~!"
Garfiel: "… sorry."
Mimi: "Mimi isn't worried about it~! Mimi'll only say that Garf's a good, good boy when Garf sobs and cries!"
At Garfiel's soft apology, Mimi only gaze an innocent smile. Last night, Garfiel had shared a second farewell with his mother.
After being hit by a series of wounds, he had shamefully ended up crying into Mimi's chest on rooftop.
And, even more embarrassingly, the sobbing had drained him so much that he'd fallen asleep. The next morning, a loud noise in the city had woken him up on Mimi's lap.
When the owner of the rooftop had found them, he'd finally managed to maintain his composure, and Mimi had worn her usual attitude.
Excuses were hard to find, so they'd slunk off of his rooftop, embarrassed.
Mimi: "Do you feel better?"
Garfiel: "It's, you could say, 's somethin' like that."
Mimi: "It's like that, right?"
Garfiel: "… yeah, like that."
Unable to voice his true gratitude, Garfiel frowned, but Mimi completely ignored his failure, leaving Garfiel with no clue what to say.
He recalled last night, when Mimi blurted out that she was interested in him. Involuntarily, his eyes chased Mimi's figure.
Before, he'd thought that Mimi was just tagging along with him, feeling companionship with him due to their shared non-human heritage, but she'd unexpectedly been following him with romantic intent.
And, even having given her confession, she acted the same as she always had.
He did the same with Ram, but, when the situation was reversed, he felt thrown off. That weakness was just another shameful part of Garfiel.
Mimi: "Well, what should we do this morning? Go to you mother and see her?"
His thoughts having been sidetracked, Garfiel jumped both at the suddenness of Mimi's words and their actual content.
Garfiel: "Wait, wait, why would we go see her?"
Mimi: "Because Reala is Garf's mother, shouldn't she know that as well."
Garfiel: "This midget really can't read between the lines…"
Aside from using instinct to spot the most important part of their relationship, Mimi is was unaware of the subtleties involved. He was in a difficult position, unable to answer questions about whether or not they were family. Garfiel immediately realized that it was useless to try to explain, and then gave up. And realized that that was another problem.
Garfiel: "'S fine… there's no need t' let her know that my amazin' self's her son."
Mimi: "Is that really okay?"
Garfiel: "It is. My amazin' self will leave it up to my sister…"
He would probably inform his rational sister.
After the initial shock and confusion passed, she would certainly come to the same conclusion as Garfiel, even faster than he had.
Only, even if their conclusion weren't the same, she still had the right to know that their mother was still alive. But would it be right to have her bear the pain as he did?
Garfiel: "Only by taking a moment can we make a decision."
Mimi: "So it's like that~. That's really hard~, Mimi~, just thinks that moms should be gotten along with~."
Garfiel: "Stuff 'bout moms… d'ya understand it?"
Mimi that unexpected, so Garfiel's ear shuddered and asked. Mimi is nodded with an imposing attitude of "yep~".
Mimi: "Mimi, Hetaro, and Tivey never knew Mom and Dad. They probably thought "triplets~, raising a super big family is too hard~" so they left us somewhere~. Then, we were picked up by the Chief, so he's family, and Missy is family too!"
Garfiel: " … so… y'really do have a big family."
Without knowing the reason, he suddenly felt that the atmosphere had relaxed as he stroked Mimi's head.
At that moment,
Mimi: "—waah!"
Mim quickly leapt away from his hand.
Garfiel stared at her reddened face, as she spun around with a whirring sound while rubbing it.
Mimi: "Ever since yesterday, getting too close to Garf feels weird."
Garfiel: "Right, sorry… d'ya want my amazin' self t'leave?"
Mimi: "I don't want that either~, something not too close and not to far feels the best~."
She scrambled away with small steps, stopping in a place outside of his reach.
Garfiel frowned, confused, as Mimi gave her usual "hehe~" laugh. Just now, his own face seemed to tingle with a little redness.
Mimi: "Hey, let's eat the souffle!"
Garfiel: "Y-yeah, sure…"
As if in a hurry to change the topic, Mimi withdrew the dessert box from her pocket. That was what Reala had given Mimi last night, before they'd parted ways.
Momentarily, a numb of pain flowed through his chest as Mimi held the snacks toward him, the aroma wafting gently to his nose.
The dessert was a little like bread, with sweet condiment added to the dough, stuffed with cream and bean paste.
There were two large, round souffles in the box, one each for Mimi and Garfiel, which would serve as their breakfast.
Mimi: "Yay! It's sweet~! Delicious! Super delicious, super delicious~!"
Garfiel: "Ah, 's delicious!"
Garfiel voiced his agreement to Mimi's loud applause.
The dessert was slightly sweet, but not overwhelmingly sugary, and the dough fluffy and soft. If freshly baked, it would have been even more delicious. This was a mother's expert cooking.
In that case, Garfiel could have had more chances to taste it.
Mimi: "Gar~f?"
Garfiel: "This really isn't like my amazin' self, yeah?"
At Mimi's concern, Garfiel shoved those wishful thoughts away.
He returned his thoughts to his friends, who were waiting for him. Like Mimi, Garfiel stayed out without permission.
Because of that, he would certainly be severely reproached—
???: "—Hello, hello? Is this okay? Can everyone hear? Meat creatures who can hear, good for you! Meat creatures who can't, go fester and die, that'd be a huge help. Gahahahaha—"
Garfiel: "What?"
Mimi: "Hmm~?"
Just having taken a short step forward, a voice suddenly assaulted their eardrums.
The two glanced at each other and looked up to the sky at the same time, where the voice seemed to be booming from.
Garfiel: "That voice sounds like…"
???: "Well, well, well, was there any idiot who died from shock at that moment? If not, well, it doesn't really matter, but if there's anyone who dares to ignore this lovely lady, then, my mood will be ruined!"
Ignoring the Garfiel, the voice kept speaking at that annoying volume.
The others walking on the morning streets all looked up at the sky, dumbfounded. A shockingly loud voice — that conclusion would be wrong.
Garfiel, whose sense of hearing was different from a regular human's could tell that this voice wasn't a loud one coming from one source; rather, it permeated the entire city, spreading the way an echo would.
However, knowing that didn't answer any questions.
???: "You boring creatures do nothing but ruin my mood. There's no value here at all. —You're all just garbagegarbagegarbage! Clear your disgusting minds of your ugly thoughts, and immediately find a ditch of waste to stick you head into and down in! Please go die soon, please, I beg you! Gahahaha!"
— The owner of this voice had the most vile of souls.
Garfiel: "What kind 'f joke 's this? Stop fuckin' around!"
Mimi: "Garf… I keep feeling like this is super, super uncomfortable…"
As Garfiel cursed in irritation, Mimi showed an uneasy expression. At her, Garfiel traced the scar on his forehead, gritting his teeth.
That expression didn't suit her. That expression, he didn't want to see it from her.
???: "Well, well, then, since the bit dull rotten meat creatures can't figure it out, I'll explain it. I have control of the radio— meaning, meaning, meaning—!"
Garfiel: "Get on with it, what's the meanin'?"
???: "That——— I, no, we have control of the City Hall. Ah, by the way, is there a control tower at the end of the city? That's also ours now!"
Garfiel: "Control tower… what did Otto-nii?"
Sound the other side of the true purpose of the owner, Garfiel felt the threat, holding his breath.
Before and after arriving at the city, he'd hard about Pristella's structure from Otto. Pristella's ever functioning watergate could the trap any enemy in the city if they were lured within.
And, in charge of that gate's operation, control towers located in each corner of the city, were controlled by this host, who possessed the most vile character possible. The entire city's population had been taken hostage.
Reaching the same conclusion as Garfiel, panic and anxiety began to spread though the civilians. Everyone shouted at the same time, and the city rang with toxic laughter.
???: "Kahahahaha—! By now! At this moment! Only now are you realizing that you're all going to be decimated! It's shocking how brainless you all are! It's too much for me! Ah, garbagegarbagegarbage! Gahahaha—"
Garfiel: "——"
???: "Oh, this won't do. Any longer without giving my name, you're all going to start trying to escape reality? Why don't you allow this gentle and kindness lady's mercy give you a plain and easy answer?"
In the panicked city, Garfiel held Mimi's hand tightly. Then listen carefully to what the voice is saying.
Capella: "I am the Witch Cult's Sin Archbishop of Lust—"
Garfiel: "Witch Cult—!"
Capella: "Capella Emerada Lugunica! Gahahaha! Respect me! Worship me! Then cry and beg and die tragically like worms! You rotten slabs of meat! Kahahahaha—!"
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Upon hearing the broadcast, Garfiel had been forced to make a series of choices.
Although the broadcast of the self-proclaimed archbishop induced panic, the actions of the citizens of Pristella were very orderly. Even in that turmoil, they kept emergency procedures in mind and fled into the shelters scattered around Pristella.
Passerbys had attempted to lead Garfiel and Mimi into a shelter. However, they had refused to take their lead and instead chose to go elsewhere.
That had led Garfiel to another choice.
Then, the result of that choice—
Reala: "Ah, Mr. Gorgeous!"
Garfiel: "——"
In another shelter, Reala had run toward Garfiel upon seeing him, relieved to find an acquaintance.
Garfiel endured the pain in his heard an allowed her to approach.
– And the result of that choice,
From the very moment Garfiel had refused to be led to a nearby shelter, this choice was imminent.
Where should he be? With Emilia and Subaru, or with the mother whose safety he'd gone out of his way to confirm?
Rationally, Garfiel knew he should have immediately returned to Emilia.
Even so, he'd made the excuse to himself that since this shelter was relatively close by, he could afford to check on her safety.
Reala: "It's great that Mimi-san is fine as well. That broadcast had me worried."
Mimi: "Ah, nothing's happened to us~! The souffle was delicious, thanks~ for the treats~!"
Reala: "Ah, that's good, I'm glad it was to your taste."
Mimi hadn't objected to any of Garfiel's choices, and had followed along faithfully.
Of course, she wanted to return to Anastasia and her brothers. To her, Reala's safety was someone else's business, and she had no real obligation to go and check.
Garfiel: "——"
While listening to his own excuse, Garfiel, having finally confirmed Reala's safety, was free to leave. He needed to immediately return to Emilia's side and defend her with vigor and strength.
When the Witch Cult appeared, Garfiel would protect Emilia and fight in her name. That was his agreement with Subaru, which he would absolutely not violate.
Even if he couldn't protect himself as a tiger, he couldn't forget himself as a man.
Garfiel: "It looks like everythin's good, so my amazin' self will…"
Reala: "Wait… Mr. Gorgeous, have you…"
As Garfiel prepared to leave, Reala's unusually timid attitude frightened him.
Reala: "Have you seen my children yet? They left early this morning… and they're not in this shelter…"
Garfiel: "——!?"
Hurriedly looking up, Garfiel scanned his surroundings, unable to see their figures anywhere here.
Reala: "Even my husband… no, nevermind, I said something superfluous…"
Garfiel: "What is it? My amazin' self'll be bothered if y' try to hide anythin' now."
Reala: "— The broadcast came from the City Hall, where my husband works… so today, when something happened there…"
Garfiel: "——"
The City Hall was a tall building in the center of the city.
Garfiel had heard that it was is in charge of the functions of the city, and the archbishop had announced that they'd seized it.
That was where Garek probably was.
Garfiel: "Haah…"
This news came far to abruptly, and Garfiel's heart quickened with the rhythm of an alarm.
The missing siblings, and Garek, who was in the middle of the most dangerous location. Confirming Reala's safety had led him to learn of the circumstances of her family.
Garfiel: "Captain, Emilia-sama…"
Their faces, as well as Otto's and Beatrice's flashed through Garfiel's mind. He had to return and become their strength.
But, as if immediately chasing that same idea, that faces of the siblings and Garek also flashed through in mind.
Reala: "I'm sorry to have disturbed you, Mr. Gorgeous. Please forget what I said."
Garfiel: "..."
Reala: "Just now, I was a little bit too frightened. My children and husband are well aware of the city's emergency procedures."
Reala showed them a smile of strength, but her hands were clasped, as if in prayer.
There was no doubt that her gesture was reluctant, and she was only desperately putting on an act to keep Garfiel from worrying.
Garfiel: "——"
Silence, silence, silence.
Unspeaking, gritting his teeth, Garfiel's mind raced. Mimi faced him, also silent, waiting for his decision. Unspeaking, she only held his hand.
Garfiel: "… Don't worry, leave your children and husband t' us."
Reala: "—Mr. Gorgeous!?"
That unexpected answer left Reala speechless with surprise. Nodding to her, Garfiel looked down at Mimi.
Garfiel: "'S my issue, so you should go back."
Mimi: "Hi-ya!"
Garfiel: "Ow!"
At being told to return, Mimi brought her foot down on Garfiel's, who cried out loudly in pain. Mimi took the moment to stand tall.
Mimi: "Garf said something so handsome, so how could Mimi not match him~? I'm definitely~ going with you~!"
Garfiel: "Midget… no, 's fine. Sorry."
Mimi: "At this point, you should be offering your grititude!"
Garfiel: "—Thank you."
Mimi: "You're welcome!"
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With a sweet giggle, Mimi drew Garfiel into a laugh as well.
Then, turning back to the stunned Reala, Garfiel spoke.
Garfiel: "My amazin's self's goin' lookin' for your family, so stay here, with everyone else, and wait for us."
Reala: "But, but… why would you do that for me?"
Garfiel: "——"
Why was he doing this?
Reala's wavering gaze questioned Garfiel. Garfiel grinned at her.
Garfiel: "Because my amazin' self's a golden tiger! Gorgeous! Tiger!"
Mimi: "Then Mimi, is also Gorgeous Mimi~!"
Shouting their stupid lines, their levity shocked the people gathered here.
At Reala's shock, Garfiel and Mimi put on a rose, then, with a valiant spin, the two rushed from the shelter.
Mimi: "Garfiel, what do we do?"
Garfiel: "Use the smell to pursue them. Those two and Garek, y' still remember their smell clearly, right?"
The problem was that this is was very large city, and the flow of water was everywhere.
To accurately find their scents, the environmental conditions needed to be right. In this populated city, a powerful sense of smell could only do so much. In spite of this, the two's animal senses served them well.
Once they'd seen Reala off safely, they found the scents of the siblings.
During this period, the evacuation of the city's citizens had proceeded smoothly. The city, unpleasantly enough, appeared to be a ghost city. In most cases like this, looting would have been expected, but the absence of that kind of immoral behavior was most likely due to the notoriety of the Witch Cult's name.
Mimi: "Hmm, is it this one? Gar~f, I smell them!"
Garfiel: "… right, and th' direction is…"
Garfiel tracked them and roughly predicted their location. They seemed to have traced yesterday's route from Third Street to First Street.
A thought flashed through his mind.
Garfiel: "Those two went to th' park to see that Songstress…"
Fred had said yesterday that he'd left too late and failed to catch her. Having learned his lesson, he'd left early this morning, determined not to miss her again.
This time, his sister must have accompanied him.
Garfiel: "In that case, if we go to First Street…"
If they went there, they could find them fairly quickly.
Garfiel brightened slightly, thinking that the situation had turned in his favor. —And then he smelled it.
Garfiel: "——"
Mimi: "Is this their father…?"
Mimi noticed what Garfiel had.
That was, a split in the middle from the siblings. Garek had headed to the City Hall in the middle of the city.
The moment of choice descended again on Garfiel.
If he went to First Street, he could find the siblings. If they had been at the Songstress's performance, they would certainly have found safety.
However, the City Hall was a difference case.
As time passed, the people in the City Hall, where the Witch Cult had made their attack, were in increasing great danger.
However, Garek was in a place where, at any second, the possibility of his death would increase.
Mimi: "Gar~f…. what do we do?"
Garfiel: "——"
A choice once again approached Garfiel.
He could choose to confirm the survival of the siblings, who were on the way to reuniting with Subaru. In that case, he would be turning a blind eye to Garek in the City Hall.
How could Garfiel's relationship to Garek be described?
Unlike Reala, and the children born from her, there was no direct relationship between them. If blood was used as a basis for rescue, his obligation to save Garek will cease to exist.
However, what would become of Reala, if she lost him?
She'd spend years mourning with her children, all because Garfiel gave up on the City Hall. That family would shed endless tears.
Garfiel: "… Th' City Hall's where the archbishops is, right?"
Mimi: "Yep~!"
Garfiel: "That control tower's very dangerous, but 'f we can just get the the archbishop and kill her, then…"
Mimi: "Everyone will be saved~? Awesome~! Too awesome~!" Bouncing on the spot, Mimi applauded Garfiel's comments.
However, she immediately stopped jumping on the spot,
Mimi: "Although, it's not a big problem, but~ I feel kind of oneasy…"
Garfiel: "Uneasy?"
Mimi: "It's very dangerous. That kind of feeling. It's not clear, but it's that feeling." What she meant was that she had no basis for saying so.
At her timid attitude, Garfiel felt thrown off.
Up until them, Mimi had been constantly supporting him from behind, agreeing to his every decision.
Garfiel: "How shameless… expectin' others t' jus' do nothin' but support me."
Mimi: "Garfiel, what can I do?"
Garfiel: "'It'd be dumb t' ignore your unease, and the captain'n the others're goin' t' give me hell for it, but…"
Emilia's strongest force could not run away in fear.
And no matter how much he struggled, in order to save the city, they would need to face the City Hall eventually.
Garfiel: "First 'f all, we have t' confirm the situation of the City Hall. Like 'f there's a sentry posted there, or whether or not th' inside is safe."
Mimi: "Is that called an investigation? Oooh! I see~, we're going scouting!~"
Although Mimi was still a little tense, she agreed eagerly.
Seeing her draw the wand that she loved to use from her robe, Garfiel also drew his twin shields from his waist and attached them to his wrists.
As his arms were covered in silver armor, he declared himself ready.
Garfiel: "Let's go."
Mimi: "Alright~!"
With that response to Garfiel's brief words, the two headed toward the City Hall.
According to information from Subaru, the Sin Archbishop of Sloth had several minions fighting alongside him. Although they couldn't match up the the archbishops, those of them who were experienced in combat were capable of posing a threat.
On the road, alert of any guards who may have been assigned there, the two traveled cautiously and carefully.
Garfiel: "What… 's odd, what's goin' on?"
However, the they couldn't see even a single cultist.
Even if they had been hiding, they couldn't have been able to cheat Garfiel and Mimi's noses. In that case,
Garfiel: "'S like they think they don't need a guard!"
Mimi: "..."
When he remembered the voice from the broadcast, the force of Garfiel's anger became unbearable.
They had never thought that anyone would attack them. Without a sign of alertness, they assumed that their control of the building was absolute, and that they had already achieved their victory.
That arrogance, he wanted to tear apart with his claws and crunch on with his fangs.
Mimi: "Hmmm?"
As Garfiel gnashed his teeth, Mimi gave a soft murmur.
Seeming subdued, she rubbed his back, looking disturbed, her nose twitching constantly.
Garfiel: "What is it?"
Mimi: "I don't know~ but I think that something's wrong. Garf, something's off."
Garfiel: "Don't kid around!"
Seizing the hem of Garfiel's pants, Mimi suddenly spoke discouraging words. Garfiel snapped at Mimi, who wanted to retreat after coming all the way here.
The Witch Cult had neglected to even post an outpost. Retreating just because the atmosphere seemed off wasn't something that they could do.
If they left right now, the possibility of Reala's family suffering a tragedy could only increase.
Garfiel: "You can stay here 'f you don't want to go. My amazin' self'll be fine, I'll crush ther archbishop's easily!"
Mimi: "Garf!"
Shaking off the fingers on his pants, Garfiel leapt from their hiding place.
From the square along the waterway, he planned to immediately jump to the City Hall's building.
The distance is narrowing. There atmosphere remained stagnant. Their arrogance was real, what a joke.
Nothing happened. Ten steps left. Nine steps. Eight steps. Seven steps. He scaled a wall, finding a easier route to the building. Six steps. Five steps—
Mimi: "Garf—!"
Garfiel: "——!?"
Suddenly changing his direction, Garfiel redirected his energy to his legs, leaping not forward, but sideways.
Then, the a sharp light glinted off of the edge of a quiet blade flashed by his gaze. That destructive energy was completely silent.
The stone steps cut obliquely, as if they were cut, did not find themselves left behind. Floating, chopped white smoke.
Garfiel: "——"
If it weren't for Mimi's warning cry, he would have died just now.
A beautiful and exquisite slash barely missed Garfiel's head. If that artistic cut had hit, Garfiel's head would have been pinned up for display in the square.
Cold sweat.
At that moment, Garfiel landed and turned, and saw it.
Woman: "——"
Giant: "——"
Before his eyes, two figures suddenly appeared.
One of them was a giant man, leisurely holding a large sword in each hand. The other was slender, delicate woman, holding a long sword in her grip.
Both were wearing black headdresses, and Garfiel was unable to determine confirm their appearance.
Garfiel: "… 's not a nice greetin', y'know?"
Scratching the back of his neck, which was covered in cold sweat from shock, Garfiel spoke, trying to divert their attention from determining his own combat strength.
However, neither responded to Garfiel's words.
Mimi: "Garfiel, these two…"
Making a large circle around them, Mimi went to Garfiel's side.
Garfiel didn't dare to even look at Mimi, instead keeping his eye on the two figures.
Garfiel: "Yeah, they're strong."
Mimi's voice spasmed nervously, and Garfiel answered by placing his hand on her shoulders, supporting her.
The two they were facing seemed to be dreary, ominous ghosts.
The preternatural levels of danger the two exuded were impossible to accurately measure. This unfamiliar stimulation pricking at Garfiel's skin robbed his mouth of saliva, and he felt and urgent thirst.
Obviously, the enemy's strength far eclipsed humanity's.
They were clearly superior to that murder machine who Garfiel had once fought.
Garfiel: "Only two people…?"
No other shadows lurked around.
The only guards were the two before him. They'd cloaked their existence from Garfiel up until now, so any other potential presences wouldn't exist. Those with strength had already chosen to stop hiding it.
In other words, the two in front of them were the barriers that they needed break through in order to recapture the city hall.
At the moment when Garfiel understood this,
Garfiel: "Heh, interesting…!"
Mimi: "Garf?"
Garfiel: "'F we win, we can break through this field…!"
His heart stirred with vigor as he refused to let fear dominate his heart, touching his chest with a shield as he spoke in a sharp voice. Even as his head began cooling, sparks of excitement still bounced within him.
However, grasping Garfiel's trousers, Mimi shouted,
Mimi: "No, no! Garf, no! These two people, we can't! They're super~ strong! Only Mimi and Garfiel absolutely can't win! We can't!"
Garfiel: "—Whether or not we win, I — . Would not win or not, I will not try to see how I know. I absolutely would not agree with that. Moreover,"
Mimi discouraged, then the content of the feeling is to stimulate the fear of Garfiel cowardice. Garfiel pouted his mouth, his jaw full of anger toward the hostile two.
Garfiel: "Even if we run away with tails tucked between our legs, they'll catch up to us."
Mimi: "Then, then, once! We'll hit them once, dodge, and then run away. If it's just us, we have to leave! Without the Chief of Julios—!" (she pronounces "Julius" wrong)
Garfiel: "——"
At Mimi's frantic words, Garfiel bit his lip and pondered.
Indeed, Garfiel also understood that Mimi was correct. They couldn't match up to the two of them.
Facing that kind of enemy, one on one, was undeniably suicidal.
As there was no other way, was withdrawing the right course of action?
The two figures in front of them were the overwhelmingly strong barrier. With overwhelming power blocking the front, but also had to cross the barrier.
Garfiel, being defeated by Reinhardt, was far from the strongest he could be.
With consciousness that must become the shield of the most important, you must walk the strongest road to the necessary journey that you can claim to be the golden tiger.
And then, though not the same as the form of hope, the mothers and their new families met. If he withdrew here, Garek would—
Mimi: "——"
Again grabbing the hem of Garfiel's trousers, dominated by tumultuous thoughts, was Mimi, who held his with an uneasy expression. Garfiel recalled their gentle night, where she'd been his kind guardian.
Just then, his stubborn feelings began to gradually melt away.
Garfiel: "… Alright, we'll do just as you said. After an attack, we'll break away, and find others to come help us. —'S that okay?"
Mimi: "Yeah! Yeah! That's it— let's do it~!"
Faced with Garfiel's unflappable courage, Mimi gasped with delight.
Having unified their views, they turned to face the defensive figures before them, who had remained silent.
Their brief quarrel had provided a perfect opportunity to launch an offensive. Had they held back because of honor? Compassion? Caution?
Garfiel: "—Let's go!"
Mimi: "Hah!"
—If they were merely cautious, it was time to crush them.
Not needing a signal, Garfiel and Mimi leapt into the fray in tandem. Garfiel flew toward the woman, and Mimi attacked the giant.
As Garfiel approached her at bullet-like speed, the woman gently shifted her upper body, and, in the next moment, was swinging her blade downward at an alarming speed.
The beautiful flash of her sword split the air with a sharpness that fascinated Garfiel and caused him to momentarily lose himself.
Garfiel: "—kah!"
However, he wasn't so foolish as to lose himself and allow the blade to reach him.
It bounced into the shield on his right wrist, and he took the opportunity to kick at her. She swiftly avoided his blow and attacked again, but her lithe, terrifying form was blocked by his other shield.
With the neck as the goal of the cut-off, Garfiel shield with his left hand. Immediately after, he kicked her, he light body flying away easily.
Garfiel: "Haah!"
Looking at the form of the woman who he'd easily beaten backwards, Garfiel felt a sense of exhilaration.
When he glanced back he saw the giant I look back, I see the giants who act there, play a role of adaptability, and attack the attack magic blow that slickly passes through the big sword — it is just about to be out of the square.
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Mimi seemed to have successfully escaped.
The giant didn't have the speed to match Mimi as she ran, and this woman didn't have the ability to fight Garfiel. In that case,
Garfiel: "If we can win one—!"
If he could take her out, launching another attack later would be easier. Defeating the woman would make the giant much easier to shred.
Garfiel leaped forward toward the collapsed woman, her sword colliding with his left wrist.
He brought his right shield upon her slender, frail form. She couldn't have the same regeneration ability as Elsa.
Garfiel: "Got ya!"
He'd be able to take out the woman.
At the moment when Garfiel confirmed this and raised his voice, Death came from behind.
— The giant, who should have been a ways away, approached Garfiel, bringing with him the stench of [death]. Garfiel instinctively reacted like a loaded spring.
Immediately interrupting his attack, he brought his left wrist back to his back, leaping away from the spot.
However, another attack from his back smashed Garfiel's left wrist he was sent to the ground with a cry.
Garfiel: "Ahhh?" "——"
Garfiel, who was swallowed up by the shock, groaned violently for an unimaginable blow.
Bouncing up from the ground, his body, caught in midair, once again faced an outrageous attack. With the help of his twin shields, he mounted a defense against the impact — but he was sent flying by the momentum.
Targeting Garfiel, who was gliding through the air, trajectory parallel to the ground, the giant and the woman dove forward in pursuit at the same time.
"——"
"——"
Garfiel: "Haahh, ahhh!"
Garfiel was sandwiched between the two parallel attacks.
He met the sword swinging at him from the front with a shield, and used the other to block a giant sword at his back. With a forceful kick to the ground, he barely ducked escaped their cage of attacks. A sword once again emerged from the fray, which he met with both shields, sparks dancing along their surfaces, followed by a swing sweeping from top to bottom…
Garfiel: "Hah!"
His bones and sternum cracked, and the power of the blow left Garfiel's vision blood red. Although he'd bore the brunt of that sword, its blunt blade had barely spared Garfiel's life.
A cry of agony followed the blood spilling from his mouth as his body flew into a tower, barely avoiding the danger of being shattered to pieces. However, the two difficult enemies wouldn't allow his survival.
"——"
Wordlessly, they cut at Garfiel.
Although the intensity of this strike couldn't be compared with that of the previous one, the sharpness of the woman's sword as she called upon a power that should have been outside her scope was beautiful as it tangled with the breath of death. Even at this length, that calm, elegant blade would split him clean in half.
"——"
Also wordless, the giant's battling style was brutal and crude.
However, that kind of brutality wasn't one that was impulsive and left to chance, it was the brutality of someone who could harness and optimize their destructive power. Most people would barely be able to hold one of his sword, but he easily swing two of them, each in one of his giant arms.
Garfiel: "Ah, ah, hah, ah, haaah!"
A violent whirlwind of steel sliced through the air, flowing like running water.
Although their styles were different, the effectiveness of their dynamic was commensurate with their overwhelming skill, and they attacked side by side, leaving the escaping Garfiel only able to desperately play the defense.
Desperately bouncing backwards on the stone steps, dodging a heavy swing, feeling a sharp wind whistle over his head broken under the wind, rely on the instinct to withstand attacks with his shields, dodging, bouncing, defending.
—But, if they kept at it, sooner or later, he would be beheaded.
"——"
"——"
The two figures pressed Garfiel, giving his nary a chance to breathe. Without that, he couldn't do anything about the shortage of oxygen in his brain, couldn't see any ray of hope. His every effort was directed toward avoiding a fatal injury.
When he'd exhausted himself, his attention would surely fail to keep up. And his distracted self would suffer a fatal blow.
Masterful combat, masterful swings.
Tenacious as Garfiel's life way, they could easily and simply steal it away. The more time passed, the more escape routes closed to him.
Decision. A decision was pressing.
The only way out of this dilemma was to reveal his true fangs. In that moment, Garfiel found the only advantage he could possibly hold.
And that thought briefly revived him. He sought a breathing opportunity.
Garfiel: "—What…"
The woman's blades made deadly cuts. He brought both wrists forward to capture her, shifting his body the minimum distance to avoid the full impact of the giant's full attack.
As expected, the giant's hit cracked Garfiel's left shoulder, and the knee of his right leg was shattered. But, in exchange for a breath of fresh air, that damage was nothing.
Garfiel: "Kah, haah…"
"——"
"——"
With a raging roar, he released the heat boiling in his body.
The same feeling of boiling blood expanded to his field of vision, which became nothing but pure white, a cracking sound echoing from beneath his face as his bones shifted. His teeth elongated into fangs, and he exercised his arms as his muscles expanded rapidly, his body becoming covered with golden hair.
Only his upper body changed, leaving him in a half-beast state.
The smell of blood chased his rationality away momentarily, but, in this state, his thoughts weren't completely animalistic. Seeing the person in front of them beastify, it was impossible for any hostile party to remain calm.
"——"
Facing the two speechless figures, Garfiel growled, reveling in the idea of shattering their eardrums, confirming that his nails had grown into thick, double-edged weapons. As the enemies' footsteps froze, he decided to open holes in their bodies.
His front paw descended toward the woman — until the form of giant man squeezed in front of her.
No matter. Even those thick muscles were nothing worth mentioning. They were but paper shields under his claws. And shielding was just what the giant intended to do — he held out his outstretched, the blade of his large sword facing down, making a gesture of neither defending nor attacking, but choosing to protect the woman.
Cute. But it was over.
— His paws would tear through the giant's body, followed by the slender form of the woman…
Garfiel: "——!?"
The process that had already been set in motion, but had been paused in the first motion.
Garfiel's tiger paw hit the giant, but failed to tear through him. That was because he'd caught Garfiel's paw in his own hands.
He'd uncover the front part of his robe to reveal his six arms.
With its strong arm of Garfil suppressed, gripping big sword will Garfiel's claws sharply blocked the tip, this violent attack from the front down.
—This was the [Eight Arm] defensive movement.
"——"
Too stunned to react, Garfiel hesitated.
He couldn't believed that the giant could stand up to his crushing blow.
That was also to say, in that moment, Garfiel had left himself exposed and completely unprepared.
"——"
From behind the giant's back, the woman swung behind unprepared half-beast and launched herself at him.
Garfiel's back, covered by tiger's fur, was a sitting target for that woman waving her long sword. As the tip of the sword approached, Garfiel felt the invisible breath of [death] on his neck.
However, his paws captured by the giant's hands, all he could do was wait for [death]—
Mimi: "Hold on a second!"
Garfiel: "——"
Garfiel would have been split diagonally in half, had the woman's cut not been stopped by an unfolding blue magic barrier.
Her strike bounced into the barrier, which disappeared as she landed back on the ground. The orange-haired kitten had saved Garfiel in the nick of time.
Mimi: "Garfiel, we promised that we'd flee immediately!"
For the first time, something like reproach colored Mimi's voice.
In his half beast status, hearing the voice coming from behind, Garfiel's rationality flew back into his head as he started to recognize his own stupidity.
Ignoring anxieties, being far too careless, having been too dismissive to his opponent, he'd landed himself in a dangerous situation. From that dead end, Mimi had rescued him.
Garfiel swallowed as he appreciated the strength of Mimi's barrier.
The violence in the woman's blade didn't match her appearance, and Mimi's defensive capabilities were really quite capable. Garfiel was incredibly fortunate that she was there.
Garfiel: "Hah, ah, ah, hahhh!"
Woman: "——"
Resting assured that he would be safe, Garfiel broke free of the giant's grip. Kicking at the body and spotting his blow bring blocked by an arm, Garfiel picked Mimi up by the waist and disengaged from the battle.
In this way, he would flee from here with Mimi. Following their original plan, they'd pick the fight back up with reinforcements.
Woman: "——"
Before they could move, the woman had quickly caught up. But once again, Mimi launched a barrier, this one larger than the previous one. The woman was again knocked back, and Garfiel gathered all his energy into his legs, preparing to escape.
— A breath. The figure of the woman stopped and gently cast a hand in front of the barrier. With a leap, she approached.
Garfiel: "What's—!"
Mimi: "——"
Garfiel: "Eh?"
A small sound accompanied a gentle impact.
Prepare to ask what had happened, Garfiel's stopped mid jump. As the stone steps flew past from under him, he saw a red line soar through the sky.
Blood. That's what is was.
Garfiel: "Midget…?"
The consciousness of maintaining his semi-beast form was interrupted, and Garfiel's rapidly changed back to human form. The sensation of losing his tiger fur was buried under a wave of chills.
In his arms was an exhausted, drained. He turned his gaze down. Looking up at the his flying figure was a woman whose blade whipped through the air.
More than half of that sword was coated with red, viscous blood.
A warm liquid dripped onto Garfiel's lower abdomen. Seeing Mimi's death grip on that wand she loved to use, even as she was rendered immobile from exhaustion, snapped Garfiel back into awareness.
Garfiel: "——"
Landing, jumping again. Continuing to leap to the nearby buildings, bearing the weight at his side as he fled. Fortunately, their adversaries didn't follow suit.
Were they uninterested in anything other than guarding the square, or was this a show of humanity? No matter, what should he do now? After four lengthy leaps away the square, Garfiel collapsed on a building, where he checked Mimi's condition.
Mimi's eyes closed, a large amount of blood spilling from the wound in her chest.
Garfiel yanked her clothes open to check on her wounds. He cautiously concluded that this wasn't yet a fatal injury. Of course, that didn't allow for any optimism. She was in need on immediate healing magic. He needed to calm himself.
Garfiel: "——"
Placing his hand on her wound, Garfiel willed all of the mana in his body into Mimi.
Garfiel was one of the few who could use healing magic in Sanctuary. He'd always felt that it was slightly useless, but, in the event of any emergency, he hoped to be able to do something. Therefore, Garfiel had poured all of his magical efforts into learning how to heal, and he had a rough but complete grasp on each field of healing.
As long as the injury wasn't fatal, he was fairly confident that he could do something.
Mimi's wounds needed all of his effort to heal. Sweat beaded his forehead as he mustered up his mana, directing it to suppress the overflow of blood and mend the cut skin, muscle, injured internal organs, desperately willing them to be fixed, giving her mana continuously.
Continuously. Continuously.
—The wound wouldn't close.
Garfiel: "What… what…?"
Who was whispering in that soft voice?
Someone who could, in this situation, make that kind of soft sound deserved nothing but Garfiel's wrath. He glanced around wildly, looking for the source. There was no one there. Finally, he realized. That voice was his own. aware of it. The voice is just my own.
So that soft voice had been him? Had be made that sound? Such a sound was, was, was—
Garfiel: "Close, close, close, healhealheal…!"
Exhausted, he ordered all of the magic in his body into her treatment. The wave of healing magic flowed into her, filling her with a gentle current of mana.
In spite of this, the wound refused to close.
Garfiel: "—'S a lie, right?"
Unable to accept the reality facing him, Garfiel again muttered with a weak voice.
Immediately afterward, he hit himself in the face and bit down hard on his lip to keep himself grounded. Now was not the time to make such a soft voice. What could he do, what could he do?
What could he do, what could he do, what could he do, what could he do? He had no idea. But he couldn't give up here. This girl needed to be saved. Because hadn't she let Garfiel shed tears before her?
Such a child, who had been hurt trying to save him, could not die like this.
Garfiel: "——"
Gritting his teeth, Garfiel began to run. One of his hands rested on the girl's wound, trying again to staunch her bleeding with his ineffective magic.
The smell of blood, the smell of [death]. In these deserted streets, any thoughts about what might have happened were completely absent from Garfiel's mind.
Someone, anyone! Save this kid! Someone, anyone, bring a miracle! Tell me what to do! If there's anything I can do… what can be done to save her!?
Garfiel: "——"
Garfiel strengthened his sense of smell.
The smell of water, blood, high feelings, charred meat. In the midst of those foul scents, Garfiel found a very familiar smell brushing past, and immediately following it, running, running, continually, endlessly, running.
He flew into a shelter, seeing figures covered with bloodstains everywhere, and issued a sad sigh. But he wasn't free to care at the moment. Opening his eyes, he searched for that figure.
Searching, searching, searching…
Subaru: "Garfiel!?"
He found him.
In that deep, dark, cold underground facilities, he found the one who he had been desperately searching out.
Natsuki Subaru.
To Garfiel, that existence was miraculous, and, in any worst case possible, he was a ray of light, the last thing Garfiel could rely on.
Staggering pace. Head shaking.
Due to the weight of in hands and his choking lungs, Garfiel swayed back and forth.
As he approached, Subaru glanced around him, before becoming aware of the unconscious Mimi in his arms.
Under Subaru's gaze, Garfiel bowed his head, holding Mimi out, blindly cursing his own stupidity.
Garfiel: "Sorry, captain…! I'm so worthless…! Incompetent…!"
He'd been unable to protect that family, his vow to become a shield for their mission hadn't been achieved, his challenge to the hostile forces had been met with no results, and, in the end, this gentle girl was on the brink of death.
Subaru: "Garfiel, what happened… no, it's not the time for that. Ferris!"
Ferris: "I know! Hurry up, give that child to me!"
Reaching out, Mimi was taken from his arms, and placed in a bed near Subaru. Garfiel took a moment to try to sort through his thoughts.
In the next moment, a volatile healing energy overflowed, permeating the space. Garfiel simply couldn't compare. If Garfiel's healing prowess was likened to a drop of rain, Ferris would be a waterfall.
Witnessing the magic that could resurrect even a lost life, healing, Garfiel looked as if she had been drawn out of her soul, her face staring at her treatment.
Subaru gently placed a hand on Garfiel's slackened shoulder. With a glance, he could see that Subaru had endured an appalling injury to his foot.
Subaru: "Although I can't say that this went well, you did a great job bringing her to Ferris. Thanks to you, this child can be saved."
Garfiel: "Thanks to me…?"
What was Subaru saying?
Thanks to Garfiel, Mimi had saved? Ridiculous! Mimi was hurt so severely, at it was all Garfiel's fault.
Mimi's life should never have been in danger in that first place. That had all happened because of Garfiel's poor judgement.
Emptiness and twisted thinking, unsolvable thoughts of guilt, and self-conscious stupidity. The world would never forgive Garfiel's foolishness.
He had made a mistake, and he would need to pay the price. And still, the worst results were happening.
Subaru: "Ferris, what happened…?"
Feeling a change, Subaru's expression grew worried.
Subaru dragged himself over the the bed, questioning the man who was casting his potent healing spells.
In that terrifying torrent of magic, the healer shook his head.
Ferris: "Why…? The wounds, they won't heal…! If it goes on like this, I don't know if I can save her!"
His anguished cry echoed across the room, and Garfiel turned his face toward the sky. But he was underground, and so the sky had nothing to tell Garfiel.
— The price of his mistake could be nothing but a repatriation by blood.