I witnessed the reunion of the siblings.
I had intended to leave Viaisia Castle first, but Aid skillfully overtook me.
Then, he stood before Titty before I could.
Though I won the duel, I feel like I lost the match.
However, I’m glad I lost.
I’m truly glad…
Titty, who had been pretending to be someone else to meet her brother’s expectations.
Aid, who had been pretending to be someone else to stay by his sister’s side.
The two of them had lost themselves and wandered in a abyss.
But now, their sister will no longer have to pretend to be the “Ruling King,” nor will their brother have to pretend to be the “Chancellor.”
They made it just in time, before the Final Enemy of this millennium, the “Ruling King.”
“Ugh… everywhere hurts… Pet me, Kanami…”
Caught up in a moment of sentimentality after witnessing their long-awaited reunion from afar, I was brought back to reality by Snow, who was now teary-eyed beside me.
“Alright, if you can speak, you seem to be alright.”
Judging by her appearance, she had no serious injuries other than frostbite.
I gently tapped Snow’s head and finished the healing magic I was casting on her.
“Ow!”
“Snow, you can rest now. Leave the rest to us.”
With that, I pushed Snow back and stood before the true enemy.
I intended to leave Hidaki to Aid and the others. I was confident that if I left it to those siblings, their sister’s role as the “Ruling King” would come to an end.
If that’s the case, then there’s only one thing I need to do.
Standing on the now snow-white street, there was an Apostle.
Sis, clad in faintly golden, shining magic power—I had to stop her.
“Don’t lay a hand on them. I’m your opponent.”
Seeing me block her path, Sis spoke to me with a relaxed expression.
“Heh. So, the ‘Thief of the Laws of Wood’ prepared by Legacy wasn’t enough to defeat an ally… But as long as I have the ‘Thief of the Principles of Water’ I prepared, an ally’s victory is impossible, you know?”
She clearly had absolute confidence in Hidaki’s strength.
She showed no intention of interfering with the match between Aid and Hidaki. In fact, she seemed more interested in watching it with me.
Sensing a mutual interest, I lost my fighting spirit. And so, the viewing began, with Sis betting on Hidaki, and me on Aid and Titty.
“Aid can’t win against Hidaki. No, even if several ‘Thieves of Principles’ gather, Hidaki cannot be defeated. That’s how the world’s rules are set.”
“I suppose so. That Hidaki seems strong. I doubt even if all the rest were here, they could win.”
I agreed, looking in the same direction as Sis.
Hidaki, the “Thief of the Principles of Water” and the “Ruling King,” possessed immense magic power. By transforming the Royal Capital into her domain, she could likely manipulate the temperature and magic power of this space at will.
From the information obtained through the 《Dimension》, it was clear that she was invincible in magical combat within this frozen barrier.
“…? Are you finally willing to give up your body’s magic stone?”
Seeing me frankly acknowledge Hidaki’s strength, Sis tilted her head in confusion.
“No, I’m not. But even so, I’m saying Aid will win.”
I shook my head with a smile.
I no longer had any worries from before the duel.
I could watch with a smile because I knew that the current situation was the best possible future.
“Hah? Still, Aid… wins…?”
Sis didn’t seem to understand what I was talking about.
But for me, it was already a foregone conclusion.
According to the 《Dimension》, Aid was crippled.
Bloodied and covered in wounds. His ligaments ruptured, and several of his bones were broken, let alone his muscles.
His magic power source was displaced by my magic, making it impossible for him to use magic properly.
On top of that, it was a winter world. His body temperature was being drained, and he was on the verge of freezing solid.
Frankly, it was a miracle he was still alive.
Nevertheless, Aid vowed now that he would not lose.
If that’s the case, then that’s it.
—That’s how it is.
I recalled Rowen’s appearance in the Dance Battle Tournament finals.
It was the same as with all the Guardians we had fought up until now.
There are moments when people fight with their lives on the line.
Their physical condition doesn’t matter.
Being on the verge of death doesn’t matter.
As long as their spirit doesn’t break, they continue to believe they can move, and indeed, they do.
It’s the moment when the spirit transcends all else, and one can declare their worst condition their best.
It’s the moment their “Lingering Desire” is cleared—the moment they can stake their entire life on one single thing—
It’s the moment people fulfill their “Mission” by risking their lives.
For Aid, this must be it.
At this exact moment, no one can defeat Aid.
Not me, not the Apostle, not his sister, not himself, and certainly not the “Ruling King.” No one.
That’s why I can watch with peace of mind.
Seeing my expression, Sis strongly refuted me.
“What nonsense are you spouting… ‘Thief of the Laws of Wood’ is the weakest ‘Thief of Principles’! That’s what Legacy decided! He bound it with a ‘Price’! Aid joining won’t mean anything!”
“Ah, I know. That Apostle Legacy seemed to place a lot of expectations on Aid.”
“W-what? Expectations?”
“Hey, Sis. Have you ever seen the true magic of the ‘Thieves of Principles’?”
Sis shook her head based on her own reasoning.
In response, I explained my confidence based on my own reasoning.
“It’s a power you, who live self-centeredly, treading a borrowed life, will never understand. Watch closely. This is ‘true magic.’ Surely, this is what I and Saint Tiara aimed for—”
Perhaps sensing no lies in my words, Sis fell silent. Then, she began to watch Aid intently with me.
She seemed determined not to miss a single detail if I said so much, and resumed watching the distant battle.
Perhaps, when this battle is over, Sis and I will finally realize.
What “Magic” is.
Its essence.
From Titty’s memories, the beginning of “Magic” was a fairy tale. The “Thieves of Principles” imitated it and performed “Miracles.” Next, Shiso Uzunami spread “Curse Techniques” throughout the world, and then Saint Tiara developed “Spell Formations” that anyone could use.
We refer to all of these as “Magic.”
However, I believe that true “Magic” lies elsewhere.
I will witness the genuine article from the siblings who are about to disappear.
Aid and Titty.
The true “Magic” they gained by staking their entire lives.
Noticing this, I enhanced my 《Dimension》—
◆◆◆◆◆
“—’Ruling King’!!!!”
In the direction of Siss and my gaze, amidst the battle between two “Thieves of Principles,” Aid’s roar echoed.
He cloaked his right arm with wood, enlarging it, and I could see him charging across the snow-covered street.
In response, Yotaki stood still on the frozen fountain, calmly chanting magic.
“—《Ice Shield: Round》”
A massive magic circle deployed between Yotaki and Aid, transforming into an ice shield.
Aid’s enormous arm, capable of crushing a house, swung down and directly struck Yotaki’s created greatshield.
The collision of immense mass against immense mass shook the entire Royal Capital.
It was an earthquake that threatened to crack the ground, but Aid’s fist could not shatter the shield. Faced with ice that showed not even a crack, Aid prepared his next move.
“As expected of the legendary ‘Ruling King’! My brute strength alone won’t faze you!! Then next—!!”
“Aid! Older Sister will help you too!!”
But before he could, Titty caught up.
She stood beside Aid, brandishing her bayonet, showing her intent to fight alongside him, though he tried to refuse.
“Please, Older Sister, stay back! Leave it to me!”
As he declared earlier, he was eager to defend against the “Ruling King” alone.
Titty shook her head with a happy expression.
“No, it’s alright now, Aid. You’ve already overcome yourself. What stands here is none other than my beloved younger brother, Aid. A very strong, dependable, and proud younger brother. So—”
Titty knew.
She knew where Aid was heading.
Because he was no longer a child who knew nothing, she gently persuaded her younger brother.
“You mustn’t continue to fight alone. If you keep pretending to be strong and fight alone, you’ll regret it, just like your older sister has. Being alone is lonely. It’s extremely lonely. So, let’s walk together…”
“Th-Older Sister…?”
“More importantly, that ‘Ruling King’ was created by both of us children. Therefore, it is only right that we defeat him together. Isn’t that so?”
With a grin typical of Titty, she proposed fighting together.
Aid’s face briefly contorted into a grimace.
Even from my distant observation, his desire not to put his beloved older sister in danger was perfectly clear.
Titty neither got angry nor exasperated, but simply continued speaking.
“Aid… let’s go home together…”
“Go home… together?”
“Yes, let’s return to our homeland… I want to go home. I want to go home with you, the two of us! That’s why I came to pick you up!!”
And then, she poured out her heartfelt wish to her younger brother.
Faced with such a wish, it was no longer possible for Aid to continue fighting with ego. He honestly nodded and echoed the same desire.
“…Yes! I want to go home with you too! With you, the two of us! I want to walk the same ‘path home’!!”
“Then let us go together! My younger brother, Aid!”
“Let’s go together! Older Sister Titty!!”
Now, the “Thief of the Laws of Wood” and the “One who steals the logic of the wind”—two guardians, each capable of toppling a country—stood side by side to defeat a single enemy.
The “Ruling King,” confirming the increased numbers, began generating countless ice arrows in the air. It was a continuous magical construction, as if to say that if the enemies increased, they should all be defeated together.
“—《Ice Arrow: Fall Flower》”
In an instant, ice arrows, as numerous as falling snow, filled the sky and rained down upon the siblings.
“Then, Older Sister! Please provide covering fire! I’ll go first!!”
Amidst it all, Aid charged forward without any hesitation.
He transformed his wood-enlarged arm into a claw-like shape, signaling his intent to be on the front lines.
“Understood! If it’s a contest of arrows, I won’t lose! I’ll create a path for you! —Magic《Wind Arrow》!!”
Aiming the bayonet on his arm towards the sky, Titty immediately fired wind bullets one after another. Each bullet destroyed multiple ice arrows. And her aim was unerring; she shot down only those that would hit the charging Aid, creating a hollow path within the rain of arrows.
Trusting his sister’s power, Aid ran through the path without the slightest hesitation.
Their splendid cooperation forced Yotaki to construct further magic.
“—《Freeze: Niflheim》”
“—《Zitter Wind》!”
The barrier’s cold intensified—but a gentle wind blew within the barrier, neutralizing the “stopping” cold that sought to bind the charging Aid.
“As expected of Older Sister! Then—, I just need to go straight ahead—!!”
Aid ran through the path and reached the enemy.
However, the enemy was on a frozen fountain. To first drag the enemy down, he slammed his arm against the frozen fountain.
Icicles shattered, and ice fragments scattered wildly.
Yotaki, who had been responding without moving from the frozen fountain, was finally thrown into the air.
Aid leaped towards her.
“—《Ice Blizzard》”
Even as she fell, Yotaki calmly selected the appropriate magic.
A snowstorm assaulted Aid as he leaped.
Perhaps due to the short casting time, it was a crude and weak spell.
However, it was effective on Aid, who was in the air, and he was blown away without any resistance.
Thanks to her appropriate magic selection, Yotaki landed safely on the ground.
Conversely, the blown-away Aid landed by using his rearward Titty as a foothold.
Aid’s feet landed on Titty’s arms—and the siblings synchronized their breathing. The older sister launched her younger brother with her arms, and Aid leaped like a trampoline.
“—!! —《Blizzard》”
At the speed of their recovery, Yotaki could not construct a powerful spell.
She cast a newly improvised Ice Magic, but it was countered by Aid’s fist. Naturally, she was forced to continue constructing Ice Magic while retreating.
The tide of battle turned.
Gradually, Yotaki’s reactions began to lag, and Aid’s fist drew closer to her.
—The siblings’ synchronized barrage was undeniably cornering the enemy.
With their well-coordinated combo, the two approached the “Ruling King,” and the battle accelerated.
And within a few more exchanges, the battle had completely tilted in favor of the siblings.
Yotaki, being attacked, had no time to catch her breath, but the siblings even had time to talk while fighting.
“Hahahaha! Hahaha, we can do it! We can do it, Aid!!”
“Yes! We should have been fighting together all along!!”
As if not wanting to waste even this final moment, despite being in the midst of combat, they exchanged words to make up for the time they had lost until today.
“Hahaha! Hey, Aid! I know we’re in the middle of a fight, but there’s actually something I want to tell you. Do you have time?”
“At a time like this?! Fine! What is it, Elder Sister!!”
In front of the “Ruling King,” amidst a fierce, high-speed battle, the two of them finally began to chat like children.
Watching them, I continued to supervise them with a mixture of exasperation and a smile tugging at the corner of my lips.
“On the way here, we saw so many things! Just listen for a bit!!”
“Yes! I know! But I’ve also seen and learned many things myself!”
“In the Labyrinth, I saved the souls of many people! I worked hard to save as many as I couldn’t save a thousand years ago! Pretty amazing, right!?”
“I healed many unrewarded people on the ground! I was able to reach out to those I couldn’t reach a thousand years ago! Aren’t I amazing!?”
While showing off to each other, they continued to advance forward. They continuously pushed forward, forcing the “Ruling King,” who was continuously retreating on the white street, to continuously fall back.
At this point, the battle had become secondary.
“After we left the Labyrinth, we had a blast in the Allied Nations! It was so much fun!!”
“I also did whatever I wanted in the Allied Nations! It was a very fulfilling year!!”
“We played in the Cathedral Tiarra left behind! We marveled at the Magic Tiarra created!”
“I also saw many of Tiarra’s legacies! Yes, honestly, they were all wonderful!”
“Speaking of which, I also did some blacksmithing! I couldn’t match Volz, but I made a cool sword! I entrusted it to my cute junior sister!!”
“I taught my knowledge in various places, regardless of whether it was North or South! Of course, I also taught my proud students!”
Their conversation was so fast-paced that it was honestly difficult to keep up.
However, I knew that it was their “last words,” so I desperately tried to listen.
I memorized everything, from the way they fought the “Ruling King” to their final conversation.
“Ah, it feels like it’s been a long time! Truly, there were so many hardships! I’ve lost count of how many tears I’ve shed!”
“Yes, it has been truly long! I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve lost myself! I caused so much trouble for everyone!!”
“I understand! Losing yourself is painful! It was so painful I couldn’t breathe! –But, even so, what was important remained until the end! Thanks to that, you children were able to return!”
“That’s right! Even if we lose everything, some things remain unchanged! In this heart! It was always there!! Thank you, Grandfather and Grandmother!!”
“Indeed! Then, let us show the world what was precious here, ‘Now’!”
“Yes, let’s shout together! Our story as siblings, everything! Finally!!”
At that moment, a warm breeze suddenly blew from somewhere.
It was a pleasant breeze.
The magic name was not stated.
Magic Construction could not be felt.
Perhaps, the way the siblings fought – their conversation itself had become their lives, their “Incantation.”
The world responded to that “Incantation,” and the surrounding “Demonic Poison” was turning into wind—
“Ah, it’s finally the end! And the legendary ‘Ruling King’ before us is our Final Enemy!!”
“The Final Enemy is the dream we longed for! The embodiment of our ideals! But, we are stronger now! Much, much stronger!!”
As their “last words” echoed, the wind blew.
That warm wind gradually melted the falling snow.
Little by little, the world that froze the skin began to warm it.
The snow covering the ground melted, and new life began to sprout from beneath.
The white Royal Capital gradually became colored with green.
Plants, flowers, sunlight, and spring breezes began to be born into the world—
The “Ruling King,” facing the warm wind that invaded his world of ice, was clearly surprised. He was mostly asleep, his expression unreadable, his eyes hidden, but—he was undeniably shaken by this miraculous phenomenon.
“Let’s go, my younger brother Aid! Follow without delay!”
“Yes, Elder Sister Titty! I will never be late again!”
And now, Titty and Aid unleashed their strongest Magic Power of the day, aiming to shatter the “Ruling King’s” entirety.
They wove their “Incantation.”
“——’This body is a soul sprinting on the road to hell’!”
“‘The world that let the child fall’,”
“‘I continued to resent in the depths of this land’—!!”
What the sister wove was the “Incantation” for Magic (King Falls to Earth).
“——’I am the one and only, a nameless child’s soul’!”
“‘The lost child was led by the world’,”
“‘I ran to the end of the backlight’—!!”
What the brother wove was the “Incantation” for Magic (King Falls to Earth).
Both were magics that lamented and regretted their own lives, as if descending to the abyss with their enemies.
Frankly, they were unfinished magics, fitting for their incomplete, unstated names.
“‘But——!!’”
“‘Now, the paths of two children have crossed’!!”
However, it was only natural that they were unfinished.
The “Incantation” that could be said to be their own lives, which had been so long, could not possibly end with just one or two sentences.
It was impossible for the “Magic” that was their own lives, which had always disliked being alone, to be completed by a single person.
That was the true cry of their lives—!
“‘Blow, green wind’!” “‘Engrave the path of us siblings’!!”
First, Sister Titty shouted.
Although the magic name was not declared, a strong wind fitting for Magic (Winds) blew.
In an instant, the wind disintegrated a part of the Royal Capital into particles of light.
The surrounding snow, cold air, houses, ground, castle, the world—everything was pulverized.
However, this decomposition was not for annihilation.
It was decomposition for reconstruction.
“‘Bloom, white cherry blossom’!” “‘Garnish the path of us siblings’!!”
Next spoke Younger Brother Aid.
What was decomposed by the sister’s [Wind of Freedom] was being pieced together by the brother’s Magic Power. Nurtured by his Magic Power, it was recomposed stronger and more beautiful than before decomposition.
The snow melted and turned into a river.
The drifting cold air turned into warm wind.
The rows of houses turned into trees.
The leveled ground turned into grassland.
All artificial structures were reconstructed and returned to their natural green—
Nurtured by Aid’s magic, the great nature blossomed endlessly. In an instant, countless trees lined the Royal Capital, and white flowers—”White Cherry”—bloomed profusely, engulfing the world in full bloom.
As the “White Cherry” petals scattered in the wind, they dyed the world white, carried by the breeze, with the wind itself.
It wasn’t a snowstorm, but petals that formed a blizzard, filling the world.
These petals swirled and swirled, a ceaseless blizzard blanketing the vision in white, and then, just once, a blinding gust of wind blew.
The petals that had filled the view were blown away, revealing the world that had been temporarily hidden.
The world, which had been in the process of being reconstructed until just before—had now, in the blink of an eye, become a finished product, leaping into view.
It was “home”—
A clear, blue sky.
Looking up, a deep, rich blue stretched endlessly.
The air had warmed to a comfortable temperature; the body no longer shivered from the cold.
Fluffy white clouds drifted, a golden sun traced a circle, and a rainbow-hued sunlight bordered its edge.
And a wind rippled across the vast grassland like an ocean. The sound of rustling grass played a natural melody. This melody was joined by the distant sounds of a forest and a river. The cries of animals echoed from the deep forest, and the babbling of a sparkling river reached the ears.
It was a landscape I remembered.
I was enveloped in a strange sensation, just standing here, having been caught up in it.
Even though it was a place that had nothing to do with me, I felt a gentle warmth.
—Ah, the wind feels pleasant.
Despite standing on the ground, I felt a sense of floating, as if I were suspended in the sky.
Even though the wind rushing by struck my body strongly, I didn’t need to exert any force.
The wind felt like being doused in water all over, but it was gentler and softer than water.
It felt as though all discomfort and weariness were being washed away.
The gentle wind flowed from the ten fingers on my feet—through my heels, knees, thighs, waist, chest, shoulders, caressed my cheeks, untangled my hair, and stirred each strand of my hair.
Ah, refreshing.
And this refreshing world was—the precious treasure that two children had once dropped.
Clutching that treasure, the two wove their final “Incantation” together—!
““‘Here lies the world of White Cherry-Green-Oak’! ‘Marvel at the dancing, falling flowers’! ‘Be dazzled by freedom as it shines in the garden’!!””
They shouted that “here” was the place they had aimed for their entire lives.
They shouted that “here” was the place they had even wished to turn into their graveyard.
““‘This is the path our siblings have trod’! ‘The nostalgic homeland where our lives end’! ‘The proof that we are who we are’!!””
Most importantly, “here” was the “paradise” for the two, the place they had promised to return to, together—!
They shouted it to the world now!!
““‘Now, here is the final homeland for us siblings’!!””
That was their true “Magic”—
““—Resonance Magic (Cherry Blossom Children’s Paradise)!!””
After reciting the story of their own lives, they declared the true magic’s name and, holding hands while fighting, confirmed each other’s presence “here.”
“‘Children’ are ‘here’ ‘now’!!”
“‘I’ am ‘here’ ‘now’!!”
This was the entirety of Titty and Aid’s lives, the magic at the end of their journey.
Combining the two incomplete magics—the “Path-Making” Magic (■ Road Falls to Earth) and the “Homeland Recreation” Magic (King Falls to Earth)—they had finally found the magic to return home.
Now, after a long journey, the two had returned to this distant homeland, Viais.
Without a doubt, this was the greatest return magic in the world.
“Here, we are invincible! I’ll go ahead! Sister!”
Then, their bodies brimming with power, the siblings resumed their battle.
They went to destroy the illusion of the “Ruling King” in the place where they had once given birth to the “Ruling King.”
“Indeed! There is nothing to fear anymore! Brother, dance like flower petals!!”
“As you command—!!”
The two repainted the world as their homeland and resumed their battle with renewed vigor.
Aid repeatedly cast enhancement magic on himself, charging forward recklessly. When arrows of ice from the “Ruling King” flew towards him, Titty shot them all down.
The battle was similar to before, but the result was vastly different.
The frozen world (Freeze Niflheim) no longer existed; their homeland (Cherry Blossom Children’s Paradise) had unfolded. This alone weakened the Ruling King Hidaki’s magic to its limit and amplified the siblings’ magic to its utmost.
The “Ruling King,” not to be outdone, conjured various Ice Magics, but the siblings effortlessly overcame them.
The match was decided—or so I thought.
Titty, fighting, probably thought so too.
She began to sing while fighting.
She had that much余裕.
She fought, danced, and sang with laughter.
“Ah… ‘For a thousand and one hundred and eleven years, the two children eloped through life’… ‘There were times when we lost our way and were separated’… But we don’t have to be afraid anymore!!”
Titty cast her “Incantation” solely to imbue her magic with her heart.
Aid followed suit, with a bright smile I had never seen before.
“The two realized… ‘People don’t live for dreams, they live for their spiritual homeland’! As long as the ‘home that waits in their souls’ doesn’t disappear, they can always return!!”
Joyfully, they sang their excessive “Incantation,” paying the “Price” of their own lives to the world.
There was no suffering or sadness in this.
With pure joy, they infinitely strengthened the magic that was their own lives.
It was a construction unlike any other magic. Therefore, I am convinced.
This was undoubtedly true “Magic.”
And then, having finished her “Incantation,” Aid charged forward with the conviction of victory.
“I’ll defeat them! I’ll defeat the ‘Ruling King’ who troubles my sister! This is why I was born! I lived! I will use all of this life to defeat the ‘Ruling King’ here! My mission—!!”
Trusting his sister’s support, he ran forward without any hesitation.
Cutting through a rain of ice arrows, enduring a blizzard that struck from the side, he moved straight towards the “Ruling King” who was preparing ice blades—
“Forward! Forward! Forward, forward, forward! I’m moving forward—!! Here I—!!”
Facing the approaching Aid, the “Ruling King” chose to retreat further.
Pressed by the man charging forward alone, he created a large distance and tried to respond with long-range Ice Magic. However, that was—
“Go, Aid-!”
My sister won’t allow it.
The world’s best tailwind blows at Aid’s back.
Dia-chan’s wind blows Aid towards the retreating Ruling King. With his sister’s support, Aid shouts and reaches out his hand.
“Touch ittttttttttttt—!!!!”
And now, Aid’s hand touches the Ruling King.
It reaches.
What is released from Aid’s palm is the gentle magic he was most skilled at.
It’s the magic that once restored even our memories—magic that heals all abnormalities. Amplified by the power of our homeland, Sakura Doguraido, it becomes the world’s best healing magic, enveloping Hidaki.
“—Remove Field-!!”
In an instant, light bursts into the world.
Aid’s gentle magic engulfs the entire Royal Capital.
It’s as if the entirety of Viais is cooperating to save Hidaki from the Ruling King’s curse.
This is a strike that even a Thief of the Principles of Water couldn’t block.
I feel through the Dimension as Hidaki is freed from all Contracts and Curses.
Then, like a puppet whose strings have been cut, Hidaki’s body loses its strength.
The cold air and magic overflowing from her body stop, and this time, she falls into a perfect sleep.
Just now, the Ruling King has vanished from the world.
It was at that moment.
This means Aid has defeated the Ruling King.
He defeated them… we won.
This long-lasting battle between the Ruling King and the Siblings—
—ended in the Siblings’ victory.
Aid catches Hidaki as she slumps over.
Titty, seeing this from behind, lets out a deep breath and plops down. She cherishes the victory with a smile full of confidence.
“Phew! Heh, hahahaha! Hah, we did it!! I’m at my limit, but we did it!! Children, we defeated the Ruling King!! Ah, they were strong!!”
“Yes, we did it… We defeated the legendary Ruling King… Finally…”
Aid rejoices in the same way.
Gasping for breath, the two share their victory.
But Aid alone doesn’t let his guard down.
He immediately walks towards me, who was watching, while holding Hidaki. As he walks, I, leaving Sis stunned beside me, also walk towards Aid.
We had engaged in a life-or-death duel just moments ago, but now there was no distance between us. We laughed with Aid like old friends, then nodded at each other in silence.
Then, Aid hands me the sleeping Hidaki, and I accept her.
Finally, my precious sister has returned to my arms.
My sister, whom I’d been searching for continuously, has returned to my arms now.
Just that makes my eyes water slightly.
“Well, now it’s Lord Uzun’s turn… This time, show us the bond between you two…”
Aid speaks to me as I’m starting to relax. He cautions me, as a friend, not to let my guard down because the real battle starts now.
Following Aid, my other friend Titty, though still seated, cheers me on.
“Kanamin! Hurry and save Dia-chan! The children are a little tired, so we’ll watch from here!”
While Aid and Titty dealt with the Ruling King, the Apostles are our opponents.
I answer with a laugh, as expected.
“Yeah, watch from here. We won’t lose to you two either. After all, Hidaki and I are the best siblings in all dimensions and all worlds—”
I claim to be siblings who are not inferior to the sister and brother, and hug Hidaki in my arms tightly.
Then, the sleeping Hidaki stirs. Moving like someone adjusting their sleeping position, she wraps her arms around my neck. Hidaki unconsciously did what I most desired at that moment, without me needing to say a word.
Ah, that’s right.
We are like Aid and Titty. As the only brother and sister in the world, our hearts communicate without words. I will never let go of her again.
Just as I swore this anew, the Apostle, who had been stunned a short distance away, snaps back to reality and mutters towards us.
“No…? Huh, huh…? My Hidaki lost to two imperfect Thief of Principles…? Impossible! That’s impossible! Victory was decided by principles!? That’s wrong!!”
She cannot believe the defeat of the Ruling King—Hidaki.
Her absolute certainty of victory is overturned, and her composure from before the duel is lost.
Then, she stumbles and walks towards me and Hidaki, her fighting spirit rekindled.
“Ally…! Give her back…! Hidaki is mine! Give me back my Hidaki…!!”
As if threatening me, she amplifies her magic.
Her shining magic leaks out, trying to fill the world of Sakura Doguraido. As she is using Dia’s body, her magic is as immense as Hidaki’s earlier.
However, I am not fazed.
“Then, come at me. Apostle Sis. I will show you my all now. I will show you the true full power of a Foreigner—”
I slip my left arm under Hidaki’s knees and lift her lower body.
As Hidaki clings to my neck, it naturally becomes a sort of princess carry. However, since I am holding a sword, I lack the right arm to support her back, and she looks like she might fall at any moment.
But I have no worries about Hidaki falling from my arms.
I feel a sure strength from the arms Hidaki has wrapped around my neck. I can tell that my sister, like me, has no intention of letting go.
Therefore, I am confident that I can fight sufficiently in this state.
No, not just sufficiently, but I should be able to fight with more power than usual right now.
“—Resonance Magic, Dimension Winter.”
The dimension-attribute magic overflowing from me and the freezing-attribute magic overflowing from Hidaki in my arms mix, constructing the magic I once favored.
Borrowing the warm world of Aid and Titty, I create a cool breeze, slightly different from the spring wind.
It’s an alien wind that doesn’t fit magic Sakura Doguraido. But that slightly cold wind is the wind of our homeland, the Foreigners, so please forgive us for a little while.
Now.
What I will show you now is the power of us, the Aikawa Siblings.
It is time for the revival of Lord Uzun, the one who aims for the deepest part of the Labyrinth, the combined-attribute mage of dimension and freezing that once caused a stir among the Allied Nations.
I make my magic surge from my body and point my sword tip towards the Apostle, determined not to be outdone by the sister and brother.
