The moment I left the arena after the third round, the intense focus from the battle vanished.
All the discomfort that had been lurking in the shadows returned at once. Nausea and drowsiness struck me with high density, and my feet felt unsteady from dizziness.
I was starving. No, I was more thirsty. I wanted water immediately.
Stomach acid clung to my throat, making me feel sick. I tasted a strong sourness from the back of my tongue. The back of my nose ached. It was the worst feeling of my life.
Or, I couldn’t say for sure since I had no past memories. Still, the pain was so intense. There couldn’t be any greater suffering.
I stumbled forward, covering my mouth. Franryure, walking beside me, noticed and called out to me.
“W-what’s wrong, Christ-sama!”
“I’m fine… Just a little tired…”
I held up my hand to stop Franryure from coming closer. Then, I continued walking in silence.
Sensing my unusual atmosphere, no one dared to speak. We walked in silence until we reached the luxurious accommodation ship in the North Area.
I intended to talk with Franryure in the room arranged by the Dance Battle Tournament staff. Reaching the room in the North Area, I quickly opened the door. Franryure behind me was strangely restless, so I wanted to finish our conversation quickly.
However, there was already a guest in the room. Dia-chan was sitting on the sofa, waiting. She had said she planned to talk with Franryure here this morning, so she must have come over, worried.
But she was unusually early. The match with Franryure’s group hadn’t taken that long. We had a bit of a long chat before the fight.
Rustiara’s team seemed to have finished their match even faster.
“Dia-chan… Where are Rustiara and the others…?”
“Welcome back, Kanami. Rustiara is out for a walk with Sera. She said she wanted to be on alert while we talked.”
“I see…”
Rustiara seemed to be handling the surrounding guard duty. That way, I could focus on my talk with Franryure.
“The talk… it’s not just between us two, is it…?”
Franryure seemed disappointed that Dia-chan was there.
“Of course, Fran. More importantly, Dia, why are you in Christ’s room? Could it be that you’re staying together—!?”
“Hmph. Kanami and I are companions and share a common destiny. We’re always together.”
“Th-that can’t be…! …But for some reason, I feel like I can allow it if it’s Dia. It’s like you’re a bothersome younger brother or sister. Someone who would absolutely never develop into a romantic relationship.”
“Wh-what did you say, you punk… Are you making fun of my height…?”
Thinking that if I left them to it, this bickering would never end, I interrupted.
“Wait. Let me talk first… It’s important.”
I wanted to finish the conversation as quickly as possible. Perhaps due to my headache, that feeling was even stronger.
Moreover, there was a time limit for this discussion. The conditions of the match set it at about an hour. Franryure, who seemed like she could stay forever if asked, was bound by that hour. I had to make sure she left within that hour.
“You’re right… Sorry. Kanami, Fran, come sit here, and let’s talk calmly.”
Dia-chan calmly guided us to our seats. Franryure, seeing Dia-chan’s composed demeanor, put away her indignation.
“Kanami, come here. I’ll heal you.”
Dia-chan patted the space next to her and urged me to sit. The magic she was radiating transformed into a warm light. It seemed she intended to cast a healing spell on me.
“…It’s okay.Accumulating fatigue is my role right now.”
“Besides, healing magic won’t recover fatigue. It only heals external wounds. Come on, over here.”
“No, really. I’m not that badly hurt…”
“Better safe than sorry.”
I didn’t quite understand what she meant by “better safe than sorry.” However, before I could refuse, Dia-chan grabbed my hand and forcefully pulled me to sit beside her. Then, Dia-chan’s magic flowed into me, and my scratches vanished.
She didn’t let go of my hand during that time. Just like yesterday, she held it tightly, showing no sign of releasing it. I felt like her mental state had reverted again, even though we were only apart for a short while during the match.
Even after the recovery was finished, she showed no intention of letting go. She was determined to talk while holding my hand. Franryure, sitting opposite us, couldn’t notice because of the table between us.
Since it couldn’t be helped, I decided to proceed with the conversation. I was too tired to think about anything else.
“So, Christ-sama, what did you want to talk about…? From your appearance, it doesn’t seem like what I was hoping for…”
“Right… Well, it’s about Rainer… Do you know what he’s been up to lately…?”
I brought up his name. Hearing it, Franryure tilted her head in surprise.
“Rainer? Rainer was supposed to be volunteering as a guard for the Dance Battle Tournament. He said he was bored while we were competing…”
“As a guard…”
Perhaps that’s how he was able to disable the functions of the Magic Stone Line.
“Please listen calmly. Actually, last night, he tried to kill me…”
“Eh…?”
Franryure didn’t immediately grasp what I had said.
“He apparently can’t stand me living idly. So, he tried to kill me in place of my older brother, Hein.”
“Eh… Is… is that true…?”
“It’s true. My acquaintances can attest to it, there’s no mistake.”
“How could he…!”
Hearing about her brother’s heinous act, Franryure trembled. From her reaction, it seemed Rainer hadn’t told her anything. And she hadn’t realized his murderous intent.
“So… if possible, Franryure-chan, I’d like you to stop him.”
“Of course. I’ll stop him immediately.”
“If he attacks me again, I think I’ll have no choice but to fight him with all my might. In that case, there’s a possibility one of us might die. As his older sister, I wanted to inform you beforehand. That’s why I’m telling you this.”
I subtly threatened Franryure by implying Rainer might die. In reality, I had no such intention. Considering the difference in our abilities, there was a high chance I could simply apprehend him. I still intended to do so.
However, I preferred for it to end with his sister’s persuasion, without a fight. That was why I used such an exaggerated expression.
Franryure swallowed nervously, hearing my resolve, and fell silent. Instead, Ragune-chan, who was standing behind her, asked.
“…Brother, did Rainer really want to get revenge on Hein-sama?”
“Yeah. He said so himself.”
She calmly confirmed Rainer’s objective. Hearing this, Franryure finally managed to speak.
“Revenge for Elder Brother Hein…? But that was… unavoidable…”
“Rainer doesn’t think so. He regards me, Palinkron, and Rustiara as enemies.”
I stated it clearly, urging Franryure to hurry. Ragune-chan, who had been contemplating behind her, muttered.
“Those three…? Rainer seems to know about that day… That’s strange…”
Something seemed to bother her. She immediately grabbed Franryure’s hand and urged her to move.
“Fran-chan, let’s go find Rainer right away!”
“Y-yes. Let’s do that. We have to find that idiot quickly…”
The two of them hurried off to find Rainer. To increase their chances of success, I offered advice.
“By the way, I’m monitoring the West Area with my Perception magic, so if Rainer is hiding somewhere, it’s likely not there.”
“Got it. Thanks for telling us about Rainer. See ya!”
Then, they stormed out, roughly opening the door. I watched them go, feeling a sense of relief.
I had expected to be bombarded with questions, but it wasn’t like that. Ragune-chan understanding the gravity of the situation and responding swiftly made a big difference.
I don’t think the matter of Rainer will be completely resolved by this, but I’ve done what I could.
After they left, Rustiara and Sera entered the room.
“It seems the talk is over. I hope this reduces the danger even a little…”
“That depends on luck. I don’t think Rainer will change his mind just because his sister persuaded him. But it’s better than doing nothing.”
Our group reunited, and while talking, we began moving to the hotel where Rustiara and the others were staying. It would be more convenient there, whether for intercepting someone or dealing with whatever happened.
“Now, all that’s left is to protect Dia until the match the day after tomorrow and weaken Kanami… Oh right, how was today’s match? Is it really tough if you don’t sleep?”
“No, I thought my condition was the worst when I woke up, but it didn’t feel that way during the fight. Maybe my brain releases endorphins when I’m fighting.”
“Hm, ‘brain endorphins’?”
Rustiara tilted her head at my words. It seemed to be an uncommon term in this world.
“Uh, it’s like the heightened concentration when you’re about to die or a surge of strength in a crisis. You know, like when you get strangely high-strung after pulling an all-nighter?”
“Indeed, I feel like I can concentrate supremely on the verge of death. Yeah, I get it. Is that why today’s match was so easy?”
“Yeah, it was easy. My thoughts were clear, so I won with just the minimum required magic.”
“Hmm, it ended quite quickly too, so you seem to have a lot of stamina left. I thought it would be a bit tougher with Peri-chan here.”
“I thought it would be a bit tougher too.”
However, looking back, it felt like everyone except Franryure wasn’t fighting seriously.
“Then, let’s tease Kanami more and weaken him.”
Rustiara said with great amusement. I didn’t feel like hearing that with a smile.
“Uh, uhm, Rustiara-san… What are you planning to do?”
“Don’t worry too much, I won’t do anything strange, you know?”
“It’s truly painful outside of battles, so please be gentle…”
“We’ll just have an endless chat to keep you awake!”
“An endless chat…?”
“Here, I bought so many expensive sweets, let’s all have some tea.”
Rustiara smiled, holding up sweet treats.
A chill ran down my spine. It was a chill different from the one caused by my poor physical condition.
This was likely a premonition. I intuitively felt that the coming time would be something akin to torture. A sliver of ‘Sensation’ taught to me by Rowen detected it.
My body instinctively tried to pull away from here. But the hand I held with Dia-chan wouldn’t allow it. There was no sign of her letting go of my hand. Dia-chan held my hand tightly, as if happy, with a smile.
And so, we arrived at Rustiara’s group’s hotel room.
“Well then, it’s fun, fun time. Geez, you must be happy, Kanami. It’s a pajama party with cute girls!”
“…H-hey, can’t we do it another way? I think moving our bodies would deplete our stamina more.”
“No. This is the best way. Without a doubt. I can tell by looking at Kanami’s face. Fufufu.”
Rustiara opened the door with absolute certainty. I had to spend the time until the next match here. Thinking that, this place seemed more terrifying than any labyrinth.
I stepped into a demonic realm with no way to resist.
Without exaggeration, the torture began. It was hell, being woken up every time I dozed off, only to listen to trivial conversations. I couldn’t sleep a wink, despite desperately wanting to. I had heard of similar torture methods in my previous world.
The three of them took turns keeping me company. I was pressured by Dia-chan, teased by Rustiara, and blamed by Sera-san. And most of it was about ‘Christ,’ someone I had no memory of. Information increased, but the mental strain was more than ten times that.
And so, I entered the second night of hell.
***
Endless chatter continued until late at night. Now, I was talking with Rustiara.
“–Faaaah… Nothing’s happening. I’m getting a little bored…”
“Haa… Haa…”
“Your breathing is heavy, Kanami. You look like a pervert.”
“P-please let me rest alone for a little while…”
I had already started to lose my will.
“No, if I let you rest here, it’ll all be in vain… I’m sorry, Kanami…”
Rustiara’s face twitched slightly seeing my abnormal state. Instead of her usual cheerful expression, she apologized and continued with the plan.
“I understand that, but… it’s just too much…”
“Sh-shall we try something else to distract you? Hmm, right. We’re all huddled together now, and there doesn’t seem to be any enemy attack. Let’s spread out our Perception magic a bit. We might find someone preparing a surprise attack nearby.”
“That’s right… And I’m a little worried about Snow. Is she eating properly…?”
Snow, who sometimes prioritizes laziness over hunger. I hoped she wouldn’t collapse from hunger… No, it would be more convenient for us if she did collapse…
“Oh? Even in this state, you’re worried about Snow.”
“Well, even so, she’s my guild companion. We’ve been partners for a long time…”
“I see.”
“I’m also curious about Rowen… But extending it to the South Area is impossible for me right now… –Magic, Dimension – Multiple Expansion.”
I used up the MP that had naturally recovered over the past few hours and expanded my magical senses. Then, as I first tried to find Snow in the West Area—
I unexpectedly found a familiar person. Snow and Reaper were talking on the deck of a nearby ship.
Curious about what they were discussing, I tried to focus my magic there but was noticed by Reaper. His body stiffened like a cat’s, and he looked around. As a mage of the same attribute— and with our ‘Connection’— Reaper seemed to be sensitive to my Dimension magic.
Realizing I was expanding my senses, Reaper waved me over, signaling me to come here.
“Snow and someone I know are nearby…”
“Eh, Snow?”
“And my acquaintance is waving me over, telling me to come here…”
“Whoa… You can’t go, can you. I don’t think it’s a trap, but going would be dangerous wouldn’t it…”
Rustiara and I exchanged glances. As we considered what to do, one of the magic stones in the room vibrated.
‘–No need to be on guard. I’ll be leaving here soon.’
It was Snow’s voice. She must have picked up our conversation.
‘Reaper wanted to know Kanami’s location, so I just told him. I’m only interested in the fourth round match…’
“…Understood. I believe you, Snow.”
I didn’t fully believe her. However, I didn’t want to stir up trouble unnecessarily. If she said she was leaving, I’d just agree.
Hearing this, Snow made a pained expression. It looked like that of a cornered child.
My chest ached. I knew Snow was doing something foolish. But as a partner who had worked with her on guild business, I didn’t want to see her pained face.
‘Kanami, uh, well—’
Then, Snow tried to say something, mumbling. She wanted to talk but couldn’t find the right moment. That’s how it felt. Her expressions changed rapidly.
‘W-well then, goodbye… Kanami…’
After showing various expressions, she finally left. I had berated her so much yesterday. Perhaps she was too embarrassed to talk again. However, she wouldn’t stop picking up my sounds. That’s just how Snow was.
As I resented Snow’s nature, black magic gathered in the room. Then, Reaper finally appeared.
“Yo, big brother.”
“…Hey, Reaper.”
It was the usual Reaper. However, I couldn’t let my guard down, as he had a habit of suffering alone in secret. Honestly, who did he take after… It was probably Rowen’s fault, his foster parent.
“Hey, did Snow say anything to you…?”
“Yeah, a little. She asked me to cooperate.”
“As I thought.”
As expected, Snow had tried to get Reaper’s cooperation.
“But, I told her I’m not on anyone’s side.”
Reaper declared as a matter of course. It sounded like she was setting up a defense, stating she wasn’t on my side either.
“Yeah, I know…”
I nodded quietly. I knew this better than anyone. However, Reaper returned words that contradicted my resolve.
“–But, you guys are wary of Rowen’s surprise attack, right? If it’s about that, I can cooperate? That’s why I came all the way to this big ship.”
“…Aren’t you in too much trouble yourself, Reaper?”
I wasn’t surprised that Reaper was well-informed. She possessed Perception abilities, and she had just been with Snow. It wasn’t strange for her to have heard various things.
“Well, that’s true… But if Rustiara-neechan’s team were to fall, it would be a problem for me…”
“It would be a problem if Rustiara fell…? No, aren’t you on Rowen’s team in the first place? Don’t you need to cooperate with Rowen?”
“Rowen’s team…? Ah, was that it. But the Dance Battle Tournament means nothing to me. In fact, right now, I feel like hindering Rowen… I don’t want to see that petty Rowen…”
When she mentioned Rowen’s name, Reaper wore a truly disappointed expression. Considering Rowen’s words last night, it was highly likely that the two of them were in a minor quarrel.
“I see. But what do you mean it would be a problem if Rustiara’s team fell?”
I didn’t quite understand that. As far as I knew, Reaper and Rustiara had no connection. Reaper was silent for a moment. Then, casually, she spoke about her own convenience.
“…Rustiara-neechan and the others are magic experts. For the future, I want to curry favor with them. There’s a limit to studying in the library or eavesdropping on classes at the academy!”
I understood what she was saying. Reaper’s body was constructed by magic. Therefore, if she wanted to resolve the problem with her body, she’d need to rely on skilled mages rather than skilled doctors. It made sense, but I felt a slight dissonance.
“I’m good at Dimensional Magic, so leave the guarding to me. I’ve gotten stronger again since then, you know?”
Snorting, Reaper intensified her black magic. Clearly, her darkness grew denser. Indeed, Reaper’s magic had grown stronger without me noticing. Before I knew it, I felt her magic had grown stronger than mine.
“…Hmm. It seems like we’ve reached an understanding. But Reaper-chan, I never expected to meet you again at this timing.”
“It’s nice to see you again, Rustiara-neechan.”
Rustiara, who had been watching, joined the conversation. It seemed she knew Reaper.
“Rustiara, do you know Reaper?”
“Well, yes. We met in town a little while ago. At that time, in exchange for teaching her about magic, I asked for her help in searching for someone.”
Reaper added to the explanation.
“If I see someone like Rustiara-neechan, who clearly has strange magic, there’s no way I wouldn’t talk to them. Perhaps they could quickly solve my body’s problem.”
It seemed they had interacted without my knowledge. They appeared to be on friendly terms.
“–Therefore, I know Reaper-chan’s body situation well. Precisely because I know it well, I can trust Reaper-chan… I have no complaints, but Kanami, please explain this properly to Dia.”
“…Understood.”
Rustiara seemed to trust Reaper. She probably believed that due to her magical body, Reaper wouldn’t offend them, the experts in magic. I could also trust that aspect. Only that part.
In any case, with Reaper, who could use Dimensional Magic, the possibility of a surprise attack would be significantly reduced. Despite some drawbacks, accepting her was a wise move. Also, there was no excuse to refuse her. Rustiara and Reaper quickly hit it off and started chatting happily. Reaper’s innocent cheerfulness seemed to be a good match for Rustiara. Reaper brought up the topic of her body to Rustiara and sought the opinion of a magic expert. As expected, it seemed she came here because there was something beneficial for her.
It seemed so— but I knew it wasn’t just that. Through ‘Connection,’ I touched Reaper’s deeper emotions.
“…Hm, what’s wrong? Big brother.”
When I stared intently at Reaper, she noticed my gaze.
“No, it’s nothing… It’s nice working with you, Reaper…”
“Hm, nice to meet you!”
From the surface, I couldn’t discern anything. However, it was certain that Reaper was hiding a certain emotion. The reason I couldn’t discern it was probably because Reaper was growing at an unexpected speed. Her appearance remained that of a child, but her inner self was growing at a terrifying pace. Just as a newborn learns from everything they see, Reaper was also learning. Before I knew it, I felt Reaper was distant. She was no longer the one I knew.
If I were in perfect health and could think deeply, I might have grasped some clue. But with my head feeling like it was filled with sludge, I couldn’t grasp anything. I was merely struggling to keep my consciousness from floating away.
Therefore, I had no choice but to accept Reaper’s offer of help as a gesture of goodwill. No matter how Reaper felt about me, my desire to help her remained unchanged. The emotion hidden in Reaper’s subconscious. Even if it was far from affection—
Thus, with Reaper’s cooperation, we welcomed the morning of the third day of the Dance Battle Tournament.
