A storm of explosions roared in the distance.
It was probably Lord’s wind magic. My Lord’s magic is quieter.
“Lord is fighting freely, isn’t he? Well then, Helvishein, shall we fight somewhere where there are no people?”
Nosfy walked down the street with her back to me, her expression full of confidence.
She must be confident she can react even if I attack from behind with a surprise strike. Her demeanor clearly shows she sees me as nothing more than a warm-up before fighting Christ.
I won’t follow her.
I absolutely refuse to chase after her.
Honestly, I only have a bad feeling about getting involved with this ill-tempered woman’s affairs.
Lord and Christ have conveniently distanced themselves. Right here, right now, I will fight.
“Let me tell you, I’m going all out from the start. Unlike before, I won’t let my guard down one bit, Guardian of Light. —Rowen! Sylph Ruf Bringer!”
Drawing both the ‘Treasure Sword’ and the ‘Demonic Sword,’ I poured my magic power into them.
Then, I infused all the power I had gathered when I imitated Christ’s ‘Incantation’ earlier.
The legendary swords, imbued with magical power, began to shine vibrantly again.
But this still wasn’t enough.
Not yet.
“’Accelerate’ ‘Accelerate’ ‘Accelerate’ ‘Accelerate Accelerate Accelerate’ —!!”
Further amplification of magic power.
I performed an ‘Incantation,’ mimicking Lord. The wind magic around me swelled with terrifying momentum. This method seems to suit me better than Christ’s incantation. However, the ‘Price’ it demands also grows rapidly.
As if to say lightness is necessary for acceleration, everything was being shaved away, shaved away, shaved away.
My ego, my experiences, my memories—my soul was being scraped away, becoming lighter.
This self-harm was accompanied by a sense of pleasure. The shaving was so exhilarating that I felt like bursting into laughter.
Yet, behind that pleasure lay many things that could never be recovered.
I almost forgot.
I almost returned.
I almost reverted.
Far into the past, beyond even infancy, I almost returned before I was born—and wanted to die.
It was a terrifying ‘Price.’
“—Haa! Haa, haa, haa!!”
My breathing had stopped without me even realizing it.
In exchange for the magic power I gained, I had lost many things essential for life.
“Oh, is that Lord’s incantation? It seems you, a descendant, haven’t changed much, imitating others’ ‘Incantations,’”
“Th-this kind of incantation isn’t normal…! It’s not something a human should chant…! But! Lord chanted this…! He chanted it with a smile, while he was working…!!”
I managed to hold onto my memories. Among them were memories of Lord kindly teaching me magic.
He was clumsy, but he taught me with sincere diligence.
Seeing his demeanor, recalling Elder Sister Fran even a little was likely due to her fundamental kindness. We trimmed the garden together and shared meals. I vividly remember her treating me to lunch with a sisterly air when we played at being vigilantes.
However, to think that what lay behind that smile was something like this makes me want to tear out my own heart.
“If it means Lord was driven into such a corner that he had to rely on something like this! Then even more so!! I won’t let you take another step past this point! I won’t let you get close to those two!!”
“……I don’t quite understand. If Lord is suffering, wouldn’t my presence as a friend be the most necessary? I, too, from the bottom of my heart, wish for Lord’s smile?”
She speaks with such audacity. This woman—!
“—It’s impossible. I believe my intuition. No matter how I look at it, no matter how I think about it, I can only see you as the root of all evil. Ah, I can’t think of anything else! My kind Lord might still believe in you somewhere in his heart, but I don’t! I don’t care about your stories or your circumstances! Without question, I will surely—kill you!!”
I declared.
Perhaps because my Lord was gone, my words became a little rougher, but it’s probably just right for dealing with Nosfy.
“……Didn’t Lord Uzun tell me to hold you back?”
See?
Nosfy didn’t even bat an eye.
Still smiling, she calmly tried to pick apart my words.
“Yes, my Lord’s command was to delay you. But I’ve already retired from being a ridiculously earnest knight. I intend to accidentally kill you! Right from the start!!”
“I see. Helvishein, your resolve has been clearly conveyed to me.”
Even bathed in my full killing intent, Nosfy maintained her stance, like an understanding sage.
Indeed, the gap in strength, as well as experience, is undeniable.
According to the legends of Revannism, the battle record of a girl who became a ‘Sacred Banner’ is exceptional. She is a seasoned veteran who, once she appeared in historical texts, blazed through a thousand battlefields with the momentum to fill timelines.
She is my opponent.
But still, I cannot lose.
My Lord Christ believed in me and entrusted me with this. I cannot betray that trust.
More than anything, as a knight—no, as Rainer Helvirshine, I cannot lose.
“Yeah, I can’t afford to lose to someone like you…”
“Someone like me…?”
“……I’m sorry, but I just can’t believe you’re stronger than that Rowen.”
I had seen the ‘The One Who Steals Earthly Principles’ Rowen’s fight in Laura Via.
At that moment, I felt I had no chance of winning. There was no opening, and no matter where I went or what I did, I felt a single breath away from having my head severed.
However, this “Thief of the Principles of Light,” Nosfy, is a little different.
It’s only in combat, though… there’s a warmth to it. Rowen specializes in combat, but Nosfy specializes in things other than combat. That’s the feeling I get.
“You understand well. Yes, in terms of simple combat ability alone, that is correct. But that is only natural, isn’t it? It wouldn’t do if the Guardian Knight were weaker than their Master.”
“Ah, a Knight must be stronger than their Master to protect them. That wouldn’t be called a Knight at all… However, my Master, Christ, defeated Rowen. Which means, against someone like you, who would likely be weaker than that Rowen, I cannot afford to be held up.”
By stating the reason why I cannot lose, I block my own escape route and think only of absolute victory.
Hearing that, Nosfy’s mouth falls open, and after a moment of stunned silence, they burst out laughing.
“Heh, heh heh, heh heh heh. That is admirable ambition. Undoubtedly, except for that insurmountable problem of impossibility.”
“I have a mission to become stronger than Christ. Yes, I must win, even if it costs me my life. Therefore—!”
Ignoring Nosfy, I continue to tell myself. From experience, I knew that this vow was the most important thing in battle. With a sensation akin to an “Incantation,” I shout—
“To truly become Christ’s Knight! Here today! By defeating the Guardian, I will become stronger!! I will kill you!!— *Ignis Venti*!!”
—Using the wind’s magic power as propulsion, I charge forward.
In contrast, Nosfy, maintaining their composure, mutters and weaves light magic.
“…Ah, it’s irritating to watch. That insolence, arrogance, recklessness. You know yourself you can’t do it, yet you try to gloss over it by saying it aloud. Please stop that, it reminds me of the past.”
Naturally, their Magic Construction is divine speed.
“—*Light Rod – Banner of Light*.”
Before I could reach them, they finished infusing the banner with magic power. Then, they swung the banner sideways just once.
No shockwave, no magic, came flying. The light from the banner simply flared. I bathe in its radiance. It’s fine. I can’t defend against it anyway. If they want to control my “Blood,” let them. Since the cards are on the table, for this battle, I just need to focus solely on the sword.
However, as if to disrupt my concentration, a voice echoes in my ears.
(—Helvishein. Please listen.)
“—Nngh!?”
I look at Nosfy, who is in my line of sight, but their mouth isn’t moving at all. They maintain a smug smile, their lips sealed. Yet, I can clearly hear Nosfy’s voice now.
Here, I realize. The light wasn’t trying to control “Blood.” What it was trying to control wasn’t “Blood,” but myself. I’m being directly challenged to that “Talks”—!
(—Just for a moment, please lend me your ear. …Battle yields nothing. Come, put away your sword for now and let’s talk. If we wound each other, we only sow hatred. And that hatred breeds more battle. That would be too tragic. The world cannot be saved like that. Battle draws in those around you and will spread endlessly. That sword will kill not the enemy before you, but innocent people. Someday it will kill the neighbor you love. After slaying the enemy, the very things you sought to protect will be cut down behind you. That is battle. That is war. Please understand that truth. Strife begets nothing. What you must do now is exchange words. Talks are the path to true peace. Come, let us talk. Talk with me. Talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk… —)
Within the light emanating from the banner, countless arrays of words were condensed. All of them were hammered into my head at once. It was a pleasant voice from heaven. Like a lullaby sung by a mother, like a Norito chanted in the main hall, they were warm words. I suspect this is the true use of this light magic, persuasion through overwhelming radiance without any trickery.
I almost nod in agreement, drawn by the light. But I gather strength throughout my body and shake my head. The mere fact that Nosfy composed these words was enough reason for me not to be swallowed by the light.
“Shut UP! I already know all that! But can the world really turn on pretty words alone? We’re past the stage of “Talks”!!”
I charge straight through the dazzling light, closing in on Nosfy. At the same time, I swing my twin swords like scissors to sever the enemy’s head. Nosfy dodges lightly by arching backward. Perhaps due to the difficulty in judging distance caused by the light, their lunge was a little shallow.
“Oh? You aren’t fazed even after bathing in this light. After such “Incantation,” one would normally have a lapse in their heart… This is strange. Are you maintaining yourself while paying the “Price”? No, are you trampling over the “Price” with sheer willpower?”
Even if they dodge, it doesn’t matter. I take another step forward, continuing to swing my twin swords rapidly, from right to left, then left to right.
Dodging that with bare hands was apparently too difficult even for the formidable Nosfy. She ceased making her flag emit light and instead used it as a defensive weapon, deflecting my sword.
“A descendant of Helvishein, Rainer Helvirshine… you may reach the same domain as us through improper means. In terms of willpower, you seem to surpass all ‘Thieves of Principles.’ Well, considering the condition for being chosen as a ‘Thief of Principles’ is an unguarded heart, that’s only natural.”
While parrying my sword with her luminous flag, she analyzed me with an air of complete composure. I desperately wanted to shatter that composure. I increased my sword speed.
“I wondered why you were on this stage, but you’re quite interesting. I’m starting to wish I had a younger brother like you. Though, unlike a lord, it wouldn’t be for affection, but for the fun of tormenting him.”
She had even started to “admire” me as she fought. A shiver ran down my spine, and I forcefully pushed her sword away in rejection.
“Who would ever be your brother! Your light is malevolent! You have the same eyes as those rotten knights of Fuziaze! You use the same way of speaking! That light hurts people! I’ll extinguish your life right here and now!!”
I knew that look in Nosfy’s eyes. It was a look from my childhood memories. As an adopted son of a great noble, despite my commoner origins, I was constantly harassed. My unique background made me an easy target. I endured relentless bullying. At that time, the knights who toyed with me all shone with brilliance. Unlike me, who was of lowly birth, their way of speaking and their demeanor were perfected as nobles. Their families were wealthy, their bloodlines ancient and noble, they were talented, and they all wore beautiful clothes, with handsome faces—they enjoyed tormenting me with smiles.
Nosfy reminded me of those knights. They didn’t consider their actions evil, belittling people with the casualness of an afternoon tea.
“To extinguish my life… you say? However, purely out of kindness, I’ll state the facts directly… it’s impossible for you to defeat me?”
Amidst the clash of dual swords moving at super high speeds, Nosfy, with her usual composure, mercilessly declared that I had no chance of winning. Her words carried conviction. Now, I had the strength to easily handle my former academy seniors. Even a hundred regular knights of Fuziaze wouldn’t be a match for me. But Nosfy was on another level. She was someone who could easily handle the Eltralyu Academy itself, or even the country of Fuziaze. She was on a different plane of existence. She possessed a power that made me believe so.
She was a monstrous anomaly, not only with her unique light magic but also in close combat. She effortlessly defended my full-power dual swords, even having the liberty to joke.
“Hhh, you hear me!!”
I roared and swung my swords. I had never swung my swords with such intent, even in the labyrinth. Before fighting Nosfy, I had believed that this all-out effort would at least be somewhat effective. However, she crushed that faint hope with a cool expression.
“Fufu, what nostalgic swords. But, precisely because they are nostalgic, I am accustomed to them.”
Nosfy narrowed her eyes. She was reminiscing even in the midst of combat. Her attitude infuriated me. But more than that, her words piqued my curiosity.
—Accustomed? How?
In our previous battle in the labyrinth, I was overwhelmed and defeated. Our fight hadn’t even lasted a minute in total. No matter how exceptional she was, it was too soon for her to become accustomed to them.
“Are you surprised at how easily I can respond?”
Nosfy must have sensed my confusion. She then changed her expression to one of slight malice and snapped the luminous flag in her hand.
“What!?”
The broken flag split into two rods and changed its shape. It now resembled the ‘Aris Family’s Treasure Sword Rowen’ and ‘Ruf Bringer’ that I held.
“There’s still a long way to go, Helvirshine. I probably handle those swords better than you do. Fufufu.”
Nosfy grinned and resumed the fight with her luminous dual swords. Her stance. The trajectory of the light swords swinging from left and right. It was too familiar.
“Thi, this is… could it be Helvirshine’s dual swords…!?”
Confused, I defended against them with the same stance and trajectory. There was no mistake. Nosfy had mastered Helvirshine’s dual sword techniques. And at a higher level than mine. Already at a disadvantage due to inferior basic physical abilities, the gap in skill made it an even more unfavorable situation. I hastily tried to change my fighting style.
“Wel, well then—! Rowen sir!”
I attempted to draw out the sword’s skill by influencing the magic stone of the ‘One Who Steals Earthly Principles.’ But before I could, Nosfy laughed. No longer hiding her expression, she had adopted the typical face of a bully.
“Next, the sword of Aris, is it? Not a bad idea, but unless it’s Aris himself, it’s impossible for you to reach me. This, too, is my superiority.”
She combined her luminous dual swords into a single blade. Then, she unleashed a sword slash reminiscent of the former Rowen sir. I defended by crossing my dual swords. Naturally, the speed lacked the sharpness of Rowen sir’s, but it was undeniably faster than any sword flash I could currently produce.
“—Wind Magic [Tausus Wind]!”
Perhaps due to an unconscious belief that I couldn’t win against Rowen, I disliked close-quarters combat and instinctively unleashed my Wind Magic. But Nosfy merely smiled at that too. Her cheeks flushed as she dodged the approaching wind spears as if dancing.
“It’s good magic, but there are traces of your instructors’ habits in your Magic Construction. I’m accustomed to reading your casting. I don’t even need to borrow your magic through a ‘Talks’ to counter it. …To be clear, I was countering your magic in the labyrinth as a form of performance to break your spirit. Under normal circumstances, I have the ability to deal with it without needing to counter.”
“…………!!”
I was speechless.
The confidence I had gained, however little, over the past month was crumbling.
*Then—!*
Cornered, I constructed magic that I had sealed into my legs.
“—[Iks Wind]!!”
Releasing the compressed wind into my legs, I kicked off the ground.
The hem of my left pant leg tore, and my skin was shredded by the wind. However, I gained speed commensurate with the damage.
At the end of the best stride of my life, I unleashed a sword flash at Nosfy.
It was a full-power strike, at the cost of my own body.
But the sight reflected in my eyes was cruel.
There was no one where Nosfy had been moments before, and my twin swords merely slashed through the empty air.
Then, I felt a tap on my shoulder.
A voice came from behind.
“—Your idea is exactly like that idiot knight’s. But, I’m used to it. How many times have I stopped that suicidal technique of yours? Sigh…”
A warm sigh brushed against my ears.
“N-Nosfy!!”
As I turned around—at that moment, my vision flipped.
Just before flipping, I managed to catch a glimpse of Nosfy. She had returned her Sword of Light to its original staff form and used it to sweep my legs.
“Guh!!”
I was slammed into the ground. Then, pain and heaviness struck both my hands.
Adjusting my blurry vision, I opened my eyes wide.
There stood Nosfy, legs spread far apart, pinning both my hands with her feet. In her hand was the light staff, its tip hovering before my nose.
A complete mount. A perfectly executed checkmate.
I had been utterly defeated in both sword and magic.
A loss for which there was no room for excuses.
My face contorted at the sudden, swift end.
“Yes, I win—but I might have gone a little too far. My heart aches seeing others in genuine distress, it makes me feel so rough and unpleasant… Ahaha, as expected, I have Lord Uzun and no one else. Huhu, huhuhu! Oh, just imagining it makes me drool. How vulgar.”
Drool almost fell onto my face, but Nosfy wiped it away with reflexes far too fast. From her actions, it was clear that Nosfy still had plenty of room to spare.
Far from cornering her, I wasn’t even stalling for time.
That was my current situation.
—Damn it… Bastard…
My mind was filled with involuntary curses.
“Well then, I’ll have you knocked out for a bit. I’m going to hit hard, so don’t bite your tongue.”
Nosfy tightened her grip on the light staff. Then, the tip of the staff before my eyes lifted slightly, as if about to pierce my skull.
—It was then.
The earth trembled.
A roar louder than thunder echoed from afar, and the world was struck by a massive earthquake.
This caused the finishing blow to be displaced.
“—Oh? Oh, my, my, my, it seems the Lord has finally gotten serious.”
Nosfy’s gaze shifted to the distance.
It seemed the Lord had unleashed a great magic on the battlefield over there.
Looking up at the sky, I saw an unrealistic fissure. And along that fissure, the sky seemed to be peeling away and falling in tatters. That wasn’t all. If I looked to the side, countless cracks had formed in the earth.
A scene that could only be described as the world collapsing was spreading across the world.
These were the aftershocks of the battle between the Lord and Christ.
Though they were fighting far away, the grandeur of it was palpable.
It was a clash of powers beyond my imitation.
Seeing it, I lamented.
“Even after going this far, I still can’t reach them…! Damn it…!”
I knew that with my current strength, I couldn’t reach the Guardians.
I should have known my limits and focused on stalling as Christ had said. To arrogantly try to win was far too naive.
Hearing my lament, Nosfy replied with a gentle voice.
“Yes, you cannot reach them. Helvishein, you lose. You are weak. While you have some noteworthy aspects, you have not yet reached the level of us ‘Thief of Principles’. Above all, the biggest problem is that your life is too shallow. From what I can see, your life has only spanned a little over ten years, hasn’t it?”
Her tone indicated she wasn’t belittling me.
Nosfy was merely stating facts and evaluating me.
“Compared to the other three people here, you are undeniably lacking. And no matter what you do, that deficiency cannot be filled.”
“Even if it can’t be filled, I have no choice but to do it…!!”
“Furthermore, your body has not caught up with that power. You probably gained that much strength through some kind of trick or loophole, didn’t you? To be honest, my impression of you is that you’re just patching yourself up with borrowed power; there’s nothing substantial underneath.”
Nosfy gently accepts my childish reply.
It’s like advice.
This means I’m not being treated as an enemy.
Nosfy’s advice echoes in my mind.
Rainer Helvirshine is shallow. He’s merely patching himself up with borrowed power. A coward who relies on tricks. That’s why he can’t catch up to Nosfy, Lord, or Master.
—I know.
I’ve known that from the start.
For one thing, my current Level and Magic Power are almost entirely Hairi’s power. I can only stand here now because I was granted her soul.
And my swordsmanship is a gift from Rowen. It’s not something I honed myself, but a shortcut I took, yielding superficial skill.
The same can be said for my magic. After a little instruction from Aid and Lord, I managed to reach a practical level, but again, this isn’t something I practiced myself; it’s just the wisdom of a thousand years.
This equipment is all borrowed as well. Not only did I not make it, but I didn’t even gather the Magic Stones myself. I haven’t paid a single gold coin; it was all prepared by Christ. From lending me Rowen, who is likely Christ’s dear friend, I can understand the depth of Master’s concern for me.
—Ah. I don’t want to admit it, but I know.
In this sealed underground space, Christ must have been worried about involving me in battle. Perhaps he foresaw that I alone would be insufficient in the upcoming fight.
That’s why, even though it was dangerous for him, he only tried to make me stronger.
He is truly a kind Master.
I can’t say it out loud, but I believe he is a magnificent human, more worthy of serving than anyone I’ve ever seen.
That’s precisely why my frustration doubles.
It’s frustrating to be unable to keep up, despite finally becoming a knight to such an ideal Master. It’s so frustrating, so unbearable, that I cannot live up to the trust placed in me and being tasked to face Nosfy—!
“Agh, dammit…! Dammit…!!”
How weak I am—!
Weak, weak, weak! Too weak!
A weak knight is worthless! If I can’t protect Master, I’m meaningless!
I’m trash! I’m just a piece of trash—!
No, worse than trash! Instead of being helpful, I only drag others down!
Ah, as expected, I am trash that is less than nothing and has no value—!!
I haven’t changed at all, no matter how much time has passed! Nothing has changed despite living this long!!
—I scream this in my mind, and my heart feels like it’s breaking from my own self-recrimination.
I’m close to giving in, as usual.
But!
Even so—!!
There is an emotion that surpasses that frustration.
It’s a sensation I’ve never felt before. A pure desire to live up to their trust.
A pure emotion of wanting to win for Master.
“I—I won’t… Lose—!! I swore! I swore to protect Master and the others! So—!!”
I roar, still collapsed on the ground.
Then, I begin the Incantation to gain power.
“Accelerating, accelerating, accelerating!” “The path guided from the sky,” “The path leading to the heavens—”!!
Nosfy observes me with a look of exasperation and calmly continues her advice.
“I am not so weak that I can be swayed just by paying a ‘Price.’ It’s fine to rely on the ‘World,’ but the ‘World’ isn’t that convenient. You should know that.”
During the Incantation, Nosfy’s words snag at my ears.
—Am I relying on the World?
“For now, please faint. This is the end.”
The finishing blow is about to be delivered again. The tip of the light staff draws closer.
If this continues, it will end as Nosfy said… yet, there was something more concerning to me than this battle. There was a word I couldn’t afford to miss.
On the verge of defeat, in that fleeting moment, my mind races faster than ever before. My thoughts accelerate like a revolving lantern.
—The ‘World’?
Relying on such a thing. A thing like that. A thing like that. Was I trying to rely on such a thing?
—No.
I reflexively deny it. Of course.
What I’m relying on is something else entirely. In this Incantation, what I envision isn’t the World, but the faces of the people I trust.
I recall Rowen, Aid, Lord, and Christ’s teachings.
Therefore, rather than relying on the World—it is an ‘Enemy.’
Since birth, that has never changed.
That is the original intention of Rainer Helvirshine.
Ah, what I believe in is not the ‘World.’ Of course, it’s not myself either.
The moment I realize that, without even activating magic—
—Wind blows.
A gentle wind flows between Nosfy and me, rustling my bangs.
It’s not Lord’s wind, nor my wind. Of course, it’s not Nosfy’s wind either.
However, I knew the feel of that wind.
I knew whose wind it was.
Now, the tip of Nosfy’s light staff is about to descend upon my head.
The light at the tip grows brighter and brighter, and at the moment of my imminent defeat—
I clearly understand the true source of my power.
“Ah, aaaaaah…!!”
—I recall.
