142 The Real Thing

Out of everyone—me, Allen, Cecil, or even Teacher Milk—the person most paralyzed by the demon descending from the sky wasn't who you’d expect. It was Eva Avery.

"…Why? How…? Eva-chan… and… King…?"

Eva usually had this unshakeable, permanent smile plastered on her face, but right now, she looked utterly lost. She was wearing an expression of pure, bone-deep bewilderment.

In that momentary lapse, a monster lunged straight for her face.

Eva didn’t move. She couldn't move.

Fortunately, a Death Scythe flashed through the air, intercepting the blow just in time.

"Eva, snap out of it! What are you doing!?" Sierra screamed.

"…………"

"Big sister, look at that…" Eleanor drifted closer, her voice trembling.

"I see it! Eva, that has to be a fake, right!? Why are you so shocked? High-level illusions happen all the time!"

"…No," Eva whispered, her voice devoid of its usual cheer. "That… that is Eva-chan."

The shift in her tone sent a chill down my spine. Sierra and Eleanor looked just as perplexed as I felt. Those two had actually come here because Allen asked them to directly. Apparently, their plan was to hang back in the shadows and leave without even telling me if nothing happened. Real stealthy.

But with the monster horde surging, they were stuck on the front lines right alongside Eva.

"EVA!!!!"

Sierra’s shout went ignored. Eva remained a statue.

That was when Teacher Milk dropped down from the aerial dogfight. "What is the meaning of this? Why are there two Evas?"

"Teacher Milk, it has to be an illusion!" Eleanor insisted.

"No, that’s impossible. They couldn't have cast a spell on us from that altitude. A transformation is possible, but this feels different. —Eva, talk to me. What’s going on?"

Eva didn’t even blink. She just stared up at the sky, standing there in a total daze while the world burned around her.

"Eva-chan…? Are you okay?" Eleanor asked softly.

"Eleanor, keep an eye on her for a second," Sierra commanded. "Teacher Milk, I’m going to launch an attack on that demon."

"Right. But let’s use Cecil to coordinate our forces first. The knights and mages from the surrounding area are starting to rally, and the battlefield is finally taking shape. Initiative is good, but reading the flow of the war is better."

While Sierra and Milk tried to get a handle on the situation, Eva didn't move a muscle. Then, in a whisper so quiet it was barely a breath, she spoke.

"…So, you’re the fake."

In an instant, the atmosphere curdled. Milk, Sierra, and Eleanor all recoiled as an absolutely monstrous amount of killing intent rolled off Eva.

She surged with a terrifying amount of mana and launched herself into the air. She moved so fast she was a blur, a literal rocket aimed at the clouds. Milk tried to shout for her to stop, but there was no stopping her now.

Before she even reached the demon, Eva manifested those invisible hands of hers. They spread out behind her like a set of macabre wings.

Then, every single hand unleashed attribute magic simultaneously.

If she had fired that at the ground, there wouldn't be a Royal Capital left to defend. That kind of mana was off the charts. It would have vaporized everything, and I’m pretty sure even Teacher Coco’s defense formulas would’ve folded like paper.

"Nell!" the golden-haired demon barked.

"Yeah, I’ve got it."

The man—King—flared his mana through both hands. In response, the other demons deployed their own defense formulas. They were meticulous; magic circles of varying shapes and sizes expanded horizontally and vertically to form a massive shield.

Eva’s barrage slammed into them one after another, the explosions rocking the very air with a continuous, deafening roar.

"—Tch."

King’s face twisted under the pressure, but the girl beside him—Nell—just stepped forward with a faint, eerie smile.

"Honestly, what an interesting child."

A split second later, she manifested the exact same invisible hands from her own back and unleashed a counterattack of equal magnitude.

The two spells collided and canceled each other out, creating a shockwave that felt like a bomb going off in my eardrums. We were all just standing there, necks craned, watching two monsters trade nukes. It was a clash of mana so violent that the entire country felt like it was one stray shot away from annihilation.

Finally, the two Evas came face-to-face.

The one with the black horns—Nell—was the first to speak.

"It’s been a long time. You’ve grown up to look quite a bit like me, haven't you?"

"…How did you steal my memories?" Eva demanded.

"Oh, you’re overthinking it. But you’re wrong. I am the real thing. Look, you recognize the idiot acting all high and mighty behind me, don't you? Still as arrogant and stupid as ever."

Eva’s eyes flickered toward King. I could see her shivering. Whatever she was seeing, it was clearly overlapping with memories she’d kept buried. Every word out of that demon's mouth seemed to be gouging out her heart.

"What are you talking about? You’re supposed to be dead—"

"We did die. Murdered by those pieces of human trash. But we were reborn as the Demon Race. I know everything, Eva. I know you’ve been looking for me and King all this time."

"…………"

"We don’t have much time to chat. I go by Nell now. You can keep the name Eva; it’s yours. Come with us, Eva. King and I haven't changed since the old days. We still just want to live freely in this garbage world."

Eva didn't respond.

Nell kept twisting the knife. "We’re here for a reason. We have a purpose. I know you’re confused, but this is important."

"…What purpose?"

"—It hasn't changed. For freedom. So that no one has to suffer ever again."

I could see Eva’s chest heaving. Those words, that face… her heart was clearly at a breaking point. To think that the person who had been her only light back in some literal trash heap was standing there, unchanged…

"Come here, Eva. If you join us, my dream will finally come true. Grandma would be so happy."

Nell slowly reached out a hand.

But Eva… stayed right where she was.

"There is no proof that you are real."

"You’ll understand once you come with us. But first, there’s a job we have to finish."

"—You’re going to kill Princess Sophia?"

"Oh, you’re well-informed. Yes, that’s the most important part."

Eva went silent. Then King, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, chimed in.

"Hey, don't rush her. It’s a lot to take in. I’m cool with taking it slow."

"—King, we don't have time," Nell snapped. "Go find the Princess. I’ll handle her."

"Got it. —Eva, I’m always waiting for you."

With that, King and three other demons dived toward the ground. Eva didn’t move to block them.

Milk, Sierra, and Eleanor immediately launched an attack to intercept the demons, but right then, a massive Transfer Window ripped open. A flood of monsters—larger than anything we’d seen yet—poured out.

"Sierra, Eleanor, focus on the monsters! I’ll stop the demons!" Milk yelled.

"Understood!"

"Ha! Now we’re talking!" King laughed, his hair practically standing on end with excitement. "C'mon then! I, King, will be your opponent!"

King engaged them, and while Eva watched from the periphery, she still didn't join the fight.

That was when Nell noticed Eva's right hand. Her fist was clenched so tight her knuckles were white.

"The me from a little while ago… she would have followed you," Eva said.

"…What’s that supposed to mean?"

"…I’m a student at Noblesse now. I’m here as a senior. They told me… they told me they wanted me to protect them. I’m living freely now. And I’m going to follow my own will."

Eva unleashed a blast of magic. Nell caught it with a grin.

"—I see. Then maybe I’ll play along and go back to the old days for a bit, too. Back then, strength was everything. If you wanted freedom, you had to fight for it. Fine, Eva! Come at me! If you can actually beat me, I’ll tell you everything you want to know."

---

"Weiss! Weiss!?"

"Yeah, I hear you! Why the hell are there two Evas!?"

"It might be an illusion! I’ve heard of high-level glamours!" Shari shouted back. "But that strength…"

This is insane.

Two absolute monsters were tearing up the sky. Neither was giving an inch, trading blows with mana levels that shouldn't even exist. It was way too powerful to be some cheap copy of Eva's appearance.

Below them, Teacher Milk, Sierra, and Eleanor were holding the line. Wait, since when were those two here?

And then there was that gold-haired guy with the permanent rage-face, keeping all three of them at bay while barely breaking a sweat. His movements were incredible. I’d never seen anything like it. Who are these people?

No, focus, Weiss. Protect Sophia. That’s the only thing that matters.

In Noblesse, having your plans go to hell is just another Tuesday.

I spotted a group of civilians near the gate about to be turned into monster chow. Just as I was about to move, a woman stepped in to save them, accompanied by a flurry of ice.

It was Lilith and Cynthia. Finally, the whole squad was back together.

They sprinted over to us immediately.

"We apologize for the delay," Cynthia said, looking as composed as if we were at a tea party. "Princess Sophia, it is an honor to finally meet you. I am Cynthia of the Violetta Family."

"Weiss-sama, sorry to keep you waiting. —Wait, what is that?"

Lilith was staring at the aerial battle with her jaw dropped. I didn't even have an answer for her.

The Royal Capital’s mages should be arriving any minute, but moving from this spot was suicide. I was trying to calculate our next move when a crushing weight of mana descended from above.

"It seems everyone is finally gathered."

"Princess, do forgive us for the late-night visit."

"Gahaha! Looks like you’ve grown up a bit!"

My blood ran cold. It was the three from the Sword-Magic Cup Calamity. Every one of them had their eyes locked on Sophia.

Last time, I was just a desperate kid trying not to die.

But things are different now. I’ve been sharpening my fangs for this exact moment.

I leveled my Dual Swords. Lilith, Cynthia, Allen, and Shari all took their stances beside me.

Right then, a massive Mana Cannon blast shrieked through the air, slamming into the demons. The sheer power of it was enough to make even a demon feel the sting.

I knew that shot. No holding back, maximum output—that was Carta’s Mana Cannon.

I didn't wait for the smoke to clear. I bolted.

"—My, you’re quite fast now, aren't you?"

The demons dodged the cannon blast, but I timed my lunge for the exact moment they regained their footing. I aimed straight for the throat of Beefa—the bastard who’d mocked me for "enjoying my human body" back then.

I was going for a clean decapitation, but the guy actually managed to twitch out of the way at the last millisecond.

"Can't afford to be careless, I see—wait, what!?"

A thin line of blood sprayed from his neck. Heh. So they bleed the same color as us.

"If you think I’m the same pushover I was back then, you’re dead wrong."

Even though he’d dodged the physical blade, I’d channeled Wind Magic through the tip. If it had been even an inch closer, his head would be rolling on the pavement.

I knew then. My sword could reach them.

And more importantly, I wasn't alone. I had a team that had bled and trained just as hard as I had.

"Cynthia, Lilith, Allen, Shari! Just like the drills!"

"""""Understood!"""""

—We are definitely winning this.