It was the fifteenth day of the Month of Water. Bell had finally settled into a routine at Lilia-san’s mansion and had become a favorite among the servants.
I was currently making another trip to Alice’s General Store—a destination that had been appearing on my itinerary quite frequently of late. I’d managed to forget to ask Alice about her schedule during the chaos of my last visit, and while Kuro had told me I could stop by whenever I liked, I figured sooner was better than later.
A normal person might have assumed they wouldn't have to worry about living expenses for a while after the windfall I’d recently acquired, but this was Alice we were talking about. I lived in constant fear that the moment I looked away, the entire sum would vanish into some gambling pit.
As I reached a wider thoroughfare, a strange sensation washed over me. It was as if I’d stepped through a thin, invisible membrane. It was difficult to describe, but the feeling was undeniable. I tilted my head and scanned my surroundings, but everything seemed quiet. Despite the lingering unease, I kept walking.
However, as I neared the street where the shop was located, that sense of wrongness intensified. I hadn't passed a single soul. On this road? At this hour? Normally, the area was bustling with stalls and shoppers. To find it completely deserted was nothing short of an emergency.
Anxiety gnawed at me as I looked ahead. From the end of the road, three figures were approaching.
One was a woman with long red hair, carrying a spear that towered over her. Beside her was another woman with a massive shield; she was a mirror image of the first, save for her short-cropped hair. Twins, perhaps?
Trailing behind them was a blue-haired man with a sword that looked like a Japanese katana. My Sympathy Magic flared as they drew closer. I could feel a nauseating wave of pure hostility radiating from him, a cold, sickening intent directed solely at me.
The trio came to a halt a few meters away, and the twin women stepped forward.
"The name is Eta."
"The name is Theta."
"We are messengers of the War King, Megiddo-sama."
I stiffened. Messengers of the War King? That meant they were Demons. I had a terrible premonition about this. Given everything I’d heard about the War King so far, I doubted they were here for a friendly chat.
"Megiddo-sama wishes to see you," Eta stated.
"You're coming with us," Theta added.
I didn't like where this was going. Kuro had mentioned that the War King wasn't exactly the "negotiating" type. Cold sweat trickled down my spine as I addressed the twins.
"And... if I say no?"
"Do not misunderstand," Theta said, her voice dropping.
"We aren't asking for your opinion!" Eta barked.
The woman with the spear lunged forward in a straight line, thrusting her massive weapon with terrifying speed. It was a strike far too fast for me to dodge, but before the tip could reach me, a figure blurred past my shoulder.
"Sieg-san!?"
To be honest, I couldn't process the events as they happened. I didn't know why she was there, and my eyes were unable to track the high-speed clash between the spear and her twin blades. The only things I registered were the ear-splitting crack of Sieg-san's swords shattering and the sight of her being hurled violently against a nearby wall.
Shocked, I rushed to her side. Sieg-san was badly hurt. Her body was trembling, and though she couldn't make a sound, her lips moved to form a single word: Run.
I couldn't fathom the sheer power behind Eta’s strike, but the stone building Sieg-san had hit was pierced with a clean, circular hole a meter wide.
"Hmph. You have impressive technique. You realized you couldn't block the blow at the moment of impact and managed to deflect it instead..."
Theta’s voice sounded chillingly clear. Sieg-san wanted me to run, but there was no way I could escape them. The only combat magic I had was Auto-counter, and that didn't magically increase my physical capabilities. I couldn't avoid an attack I couldn't see, and I certainly couldn't outrun someone who moved like a blur.
Rage boiled in my gut at the sight of Sieg-san's injuries, but I was helpless. Realizing my own pathetic powerlessness, I stood in front of her to shield her. Their target was me. I didn't think I could reason with people who attacked without warning, but I couldn't let them hurt her any further.
I wondered if my only choice was to surrender quietly.
"Theta, what’s the plan?" Eta asked.
"He only needs to be alive. Cut off his limbs so he can't flee."
"Understood. Let's get to it."
As Eta leveled her spear at me again, both twins suddenly leaped backward. A split second later, three deep claw marks were carved into the cobblestones where they had stood.
"Who’s there!?"
"You would harm my Master? That means... you're begging to be torn to shreds!"
"Anima!?"
"I apologize for the delay! This humble Anima has completed her mission and returned!"
A familiar figure stood before me, her black fur mantle fluttering in the wind. It was Anima, the beastman who had been helping the Security Force in Rigforresia.
"Anima... how did you get here?"
"Ha! The reorganization finished the other day, so I ran!"
"I... see."
She ran? From Rigforresia? That involved crossing at least three mountain ranges. While I was reeling from her absurdity, Eta and Theta narrowed their eyes, their expressions turning serious.
"A beastman? Eta, this one... she's strong."
"So it seems. But it won't matter. If it's two against—what!?"
The twins had seemed confident that they could win a two-on-one fight, but their expressions vanished as a massive wave of fire roared toward them. They were forced to leap in opposite directions to evade the inferno.
The flames had come from behind me. There was only one person back there, and I knew exactly who had cast it.
"When I think back on it, it was such a trivial obsession. And yet, for some reason, I found it so difficult to let go."
It was a dignified voice, yet it carried a gentle, warm resonance. Footsteps echoed as a figure stepped past me. Her short hair had grown to shoulder-length, and though her aura had shifted, I couldn't possibly mistake her. In her hands, she held only the hilts of her swords, but blades of flickering crimson flame had formed from the guards. Her madder-red hair swayed like a heat haze in the glow of the fire.
"However, if it is to protect you... I will discard even the foolish pride I clung to so stubbornly."
"Sieg... san? Is that..."
"Yes. I’ve used the Fruit of the World Tree."
Sieg-san spoke in a beautiful, clear voice before turning her gaze toward the twins. It wasn't just her hair and her voice; the magic power radiating from her was vastly greater than before. Or perhaps it was more accurate to say it had finally returned to its peak.
She walked up to stand beside Anima, leveling her twin blades of fire.
"I will fight too. You aren't in top condition either, are you? Besides, the thing we wish to protect... is the same."
"You... what is your name?"
"I am Sieglinde."
"I see... Lady Sieglinde, I appreciate the backup! Let us fight together!"
"Yes!"
Anima bared her claws, crouching into a lethal stance, while Sieg-san gave a firm nod and readied her swords.
Dear Mother, Father—I was suddenly attacked by messengers of the War King. There is Eta with her spear, Theta with her shield, and a blue-haired man who has yet to move. Now, the clash between the twin demons and Anima and Sieg-san has begun.