Diah’s scream filled the underground space.
“—! ——————!!”
It was a demonic tone that could drive anyone who heard it mad. It wasn’t dangerous because it was loud enough to pierce eardrums. Simply hearing it made one’s mind feel twisted by the unknown, nonexistent sound.
To this wide-area magic of a voice, Rustiara responded with mere words.
“—Diah! You’re too far away, I can’t hear what you’re saying!! Is that how you really want to be a swordsman, always relying on magic from so far away!?”
Shaking her throat to its limit, she shouted to Diah, who was still wandering in the sky. Stirred by the complex he held, Diah, who had been drifting in the sky, paused his screams and looked down at Rustiara on the ground, muttering,
“R-Rustiara…!? Why aren’t you running…!? Why are you—”
“I came to tease you, Diah, you who insists on being a swordsman in that state! You don’t look like a swordsman at all, do you! Not like that!!”
“—I am a swordsman!! Ever since I was little! I’ve always tried to be a swordsman! I decided to fight with this sword and live with this sword, and I’ve come this far! And you—!!”
Taking the bait, Diah transformed the expelled magic from his missing right elbow into a sword. Then, flapping the wings of light that covered the entire ceiling, he swooped down towards Rustiara directly below. Seeing Diah leave his safe zone and attempt to settle things with a sword rather than magic, Rustiara smiled with affection. She seemed to find Diah’s innocence, easily taken in by her provocation, utterly endearing.
“You’ve come, Diah! Within my reach!!”
“No matter where I am, I won’t lose! I’ll even win against you, Rustiara, with my sword! I’ll show you! —That I can use a sword! I’ll show you!! I can too!!”
Landing on top of the building where Rustiara was, Diah swung the sword of light in his right arm with all his might. While his swordsmanship was far from elegant, for a being with Diah’s status, it became incredibly fast and powerful with that alone. Rustiara dodged it by a hair’s breadth. Rustiara, who was parrying the sword strikes with just her martial arts, gradually had to draw her own sword as the sharpness of Diah’s attacks increased.
However, she hadn’t drawn it yet. With the flat of her sheathed sword, she tried to block an incoming strike that she couldn’t quite dodge.
“—What!?”
However, she was about to realize the failure of that defense. If this had been a true sword fight, it would have been a magnificent defense. But Diah’s sword was composed of magic. And it was a magic sword wielded by a Diah who had lost his composure. The moment the sheathed sword and the sword of light made contact, Diah’s concentrated magic loosened—and exploded. The light, previously solidified into a blade, diffused, and like a shotgun, it pierced Rustiara’s skin, slipping through her guard.
“I’m cut even though I blocked…! What is this…!”
“Rustiaraaaa—!!”
Rustiara gave a wry smile at Diah’s unreasonable attack, while Diah shouted in excitement. Rustiara immediately threw her sword’s scabbard to the ground and stepped forward. She must have judged that it was too dangerous to continue fighting at sword’s length. Brushing past Diah’s wild slashes against her torso, she forcefully closed the distance from sword fighting to hand-to-hand combat. Using her physical prowess, she grabbed Diah’s left wrist and the upper part of his right arm, where his martial arts were weak.
“Damn it! L-Let go—!”
Diah strained to break free. However, Rustiara didn’t let go. Nor did she launch her next attack. Instead of crushing his arm or applying a joint lock, she chose to have a “talk” face to face.
“Hey, Diah… Why do you want to be a swordsman…? Why go to such lengths…? Can you tell me, just a little…?”
“Why do I want to be a swordsman…? It’s obvious! It’s… it’s—!”
Diah tried to answer—but his words got stuck. The question from Rustiara seemed to have triggered a memory he didn’t want to recall, distorting his expression. Then, he quickly threw a tantrum, murmuring and chaotically gathering magic.
“Ah, ahhh, shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up—!!”
If judging purely by martial arts, this distance was Rustiara’s advantage. However, Diah had magic. Moreover, he possessed enough magic power to instantly create a lethal explosion just by mishandling his spells.
“—Flame Arrow!”
The spell name was “Flame Arrow,” but its effect was entirely different. Diah’s dense magic, with nowhere to go, burst like a flashbang between him and Rustiara. It was likely a self-destructive technique similar to the one Rainer excelled at in the past. And it was performed on a scale tens of times larger than Rainer’s. This was an intensity Rustiara couldn’t withstand. Rustiara had no choice but to let go and flee. Diah believed Rustiara would definitely flee the moment the magic was cast, but—
“—Huh?”
Diah was stunned. Despite the massive explosion, he was shocked that his arms, still holding him, hadn’t moved. Rustiara was still right in front of him. Diah looked at both of Rustiara’s hands. Her fingers weren’t just bent—two of her ten fingers were blown off. Even with flesh gouged out and bone exposed, they were still tightly clenched. Rustiara had not attempted to evade. She had chosen to continue this face-to-face situation without defense or evasion. Then, Rustiara, whose cheek had half its skin peeled off by the previous explosion, smiled boldly and said,
“…Sorry, but I’m not letting go.”
“W-Why…?”
Diah groaned, his question full of confusion. He couldn’t understand the reason for her actions.
—I don’t understand either.
Rustiara, without showing any pain, continued speaking with a smile. Without answering his question, she continued her persuasion as if the magical explosion hadn’t even happened.
“Actually, Diah, I think I have a pretty good idea why you’re so fixated on swords… We’ve talked a lot since then, slept together, and taught each other swordsmanship….”
“Rustiara, your hand… and your face too…”
“You’re fixated on swords because—you were kicked out of your home as a child for not being able to wield one. Isn’t that what you think?”
Ignoring Diah, whose face had lost all color, Rustiara strode into his heart with her muddy boots.
“Don’t, stop it! Rustiara! Don’t go any further, let go! Be quiet right now!”
Diah didn’t use magic, but instead swung his arms, desperately trying to break free. He was desperate to escape from Rustiara’s presence, but she wouldn’t let go. Despite the unbearable pain from her injuries, she showed no signs of it and remained focused on the “talk.”
“—But you already know that reason was wrong, don’t you? You know it was all the Apostles’ fault. That’s why you’re no longer fixated on iron swords, using magic swords instead… being indecisive about it.”
“Rustiara! Let go or I’ll cut your arm! With this sword!!”
In response, Diah constructed the magic sword Rustiara had just mentioned in his right arm. Unlike an iron sword, it was a light sword that could change its shape at will. Naturally, he could swing it even with both arms restrained. Despite being in battle, it was incredibly easy to cut down Rustiara, who stood motionless before him, just talking.
—No more holding back.
Diah threatened with a cornered expression. However, her reply remained the same.
“You seem straightforward, Diah, but you’re actually the indecisive, clingy type, aren’t you? You’re still clinging to your hometown and swords, unable to let them go. Are you perhaps regretting what happened with Apostle Sis, even just a little?”
“…………!!”
As Rustiara, with her blood-covered face close to his, struck at the core of his being, Diah’s expression contorted. At this point, the scene only showed Rustiara having lost her sanity. She knew from experience that words that could save someone truly suffering came from a sincere heart. However, her plea, made while abandoning all defense, was not the act of a sane person. Faced with Rustiara, who seemed utterly mad, Diah could only scream.
“Ahhh, ahhhh, ahhhhhh—!! I said shut up! Shut up! I told you to run! Why!? Why do you care about me, Rustiara!? Why do you, why do you so much—!!”
With a shriek, Diah moved his sword of light. Having lost his brakes, Diah couldn’t stop the attack. And again—Rustiara took it. The sword of light moved, changing shape like a living creature, and its blade plunged into Rustiara’s right abdomen. Instead of attacking the arm he had declared, he attacked her abdomen, and Rustiara’s smile deepened.
“Kuh, ughhh—! You’re kind after all, Diah. You don’t want me to suffer the same fate, do you…? “Why do I care?” because I like you, Diah.”
“I-I’m not kind…! Your abdomen is more dangerous than your arm…! You’re going to die, Rustiara…!!”
“Diah…. If you truly hate me, then slash upwards with all your might…”
Finally, Rustiara entrusted her life and death to Diah, who stood before her. Even after suffering a mortal wound, she did not waver in her words. She said she was fine because her trust in Diah outweighed the pain and fear.
“But I believe Diah will hesitate… I believe that no matter the state, Diah will hesitate to kill me…”
“……!!”
Diah groaned, unable to speak, his voice lost. He no longer asked “Why?” for the reasons. It was likely beyond reasons by now. Bound as if by chains that covered his entire body by the madness of the defenseless girl before him—and the weight of her trust—he seemed unable to move. Right now, Diah’s mind must be echoing with voices telling him to kill Rustiara. From the number of high-lethality magic spells he was witnessing, it was easy to infer this. It was the magic of Arty, the “Thief of the Principles of Fire,” that painted all of one’s human instincts with negative emotions. However, Rustiara’s voice reached even into that殺意-filled mind. She forced it through. As a result, Diah’s instincts and reason were clashing. He was completely frozen by the balance between murderous intent and their bond.
Then, Rustiara leaned forward and slumped against Diah. Opening both hands, which she had been tightly clenching, she wrapped them around Diah’s back and hugged him. Diah, to whom all authority, including life and death, had been entrusted, continued to groan.
“Ugh, ahh, ahhhhhh, ahh, I hate Rustiara… She’s a nuisance, an unbearable nuisance to me… I, Rustiara, Rustiara…—”
Diah stared with a grim expression at Rustiara, who was clinging to him. Then, Diah moved his freed arm and brought its sword of light—
“—Ahhh, no!!”
He cried out in denial, dissolving the magic sword back into particles of magic. Then, even with just one arm, he tightly hugged Rustiara back, responding to her overwhelming trust.
“—Rustiara is my companion! Even knowing my all, she stayed by my side without changing! She’s always believed in me and guided me, no matter what! She’s different from *them*! She talked to me as an equal and treated me as an equal friend! More than a companion, she was my friend!!”
Diah affirmed their bond. Regaining the light in his eyes, he converted the particles of the light sword into healing magic and began to seal the wound in Rustiara’s abdomen.
—At the same time, my hands stopped.
Furthermore, Diah enveloped all of Rustiara’s wounds with his abundant magic. He converted the magic of her missing limbs, her wings, and her sun-like magic into healing magic, shouting to save Rustiara, whom he had just tried to kill.
“Rustiara and I are friends! No matter what! Forever—!!”
He used healing magic as if burning away the overflowing murderous intent. He felt the flame of Arty, ignited in his heart, begin to dwindle. The magic of the “Thief of the Principles of Fire” was being offset by a power comparable to it. Then, after shouting enough, Diah whispered while supporting Rustiara, who was leaning on him.
“…Rustiara, I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry. …Honestly, I resent you. There were many times I thought what if you weren’t here. When I’m really irritated, I even think I want to kill you. But I want you to believe that I love you just as much as I hate you… Rustiara, even though I’m like this… I don’t dislike you—”
“Of course I won’t dislike you. I believe in you. Rather, I’m fine with being hated enough to be killed. In fact, I find it enjoyable. What I said on the ship the other day wasn’t a lie, so don’t worry. I’m really fine, fine.”
“…Thank you. Rustiara.”
Rustiara, maintaining her usual demeanor as if nothing had happened, smiled. Diah narrowed his eyes at her trust and expressed his gratitude. Now, the two of them, alone, had found a place for their emotions to settle. Without dispelling the magic, they had fully processed those negativity-filled emotions. Rustiara, with an expression as if this was only natural, laughed and checked her body, which had been on the verge of death.
“Alright, I can move now. Safe… Hehe, I knew I could count on you, Diah… As always, your teary eyes are so cute…”
Moving her still-unhealed fingers, she wiped away the tears that were about to fall from Diah’s eyes. Then, she clenched her hand, her fingers still injured. It was a fist that looked painful to behold, with much of the skin and even flesh gouged out. With that fist clenched, Rustiara pulled away from Diah and started walking.
“—Well then, shall we move on?”
Her destination was where the storm still raged in the underground city. The place where the maddened Snow was. Without hesitation, Rustiara, unarmed, headed towards the next battle. Diah tried to stop her from behind, but she wouldn’t stop, pushing forward. Her back was so brave—
—Watching the entire scene unfold, I muttered.
“Diah stopped…?”
Disbelieving, I stopped swinging my sword. I stopped both my skills and my legs and watched the two reconcile. At the same time, I let out a sigh. With Diah stopped, it could almost be said that the climax had passed. Now, the balance of power on the battlefield had clearly shifted. As long as Diah had his magic, Rustiara wouldn’t die instantly. Facing Snow and Maria, there was a degree of relief.
With the newfound余裕, I — my gaze drifted back to Rainer, with whom I had been fighting. My attention, which had been heavily focused on Rustiara, coalesced into one, and I looked at the enemy I had been fighting.
“Hah, hah, hah—!!”
Rainer, gasping as if spitting blood, supported his faltering body by sticking his dual swords into the ground. He was battered by my fierce assault, which had intensified after Rustiara nearly died. Fifteen places of bruises that would cause a normal person to faint. Of these, four had cracked or broken bones. Three wounds had reached major arteries. Of these, one was a ligament rupture. I could count the more minor details, but this should be enough. I could clearly understand that Rainer had sustained injuries that should have made him lose consciousness, yet he was still standing. Furthermore, his will to prevent me from passing was unbroken, and he continued to stand his ground. Rainer had succeeded in stalling me, just as he had declared.
I was astonished not only by Rustiara but also by Rainer’s struggle.
Disbelieving, unable to comprehend, I stopped in my tracks. I was overwhelmed by their resolve and stunned. I could even say I was captivated by their resolve.
Both Rustiara and Rainer fought without compromise, seeing only the best possible happy ending. It wasn’t that they hadn’t calculated. After calculating and finding it not worthwhile, they challenged the difficult task. Watching their fight, I honestly felt envious. They possessed something I didn’t. To be precise, they possessed something we—us “Thieves of Principles”—didn’t. Rainer and Rustiara. Thinking about the commonality between these two—I suddenly recalled Saint Tiara. It seemed Saint Tiara had been involved and left something behind for these two. For that reason, even though their stats hadn’t changed significantly, I felt like something had grown immensely. It truly felt like something worthy of being called “a value that doesn’t appear in numbers” had greatly increased. “A value that doesn’t appear in numbers.” It was a power that exceeded the standards I had set in the past. The power I vaguely defined as “strength of heart.”
And now, I had lost to it. Vaguely, I thought so. Feeling defeated, I stood still and muttered a single word.
“—Rainer, it’s enough.”
“Hah, hah, hah…! Hah, hah, hah…!”
However, Rainer couldn’t respond due to his breathlessness. No, it wasn’t just his breathing. It was likely that everything, including his stamina and magic power, was at its limit.
“Sorry, I went too far… As you said, Rainer, I’ll observe the situation…”
But somehow, my voice seemed to reach him. The moment I said those words, Rainer released the hilt of the sword supporting him and sat down on the spot. Then, with his remaining magic power, he began to apply healing magic to himself. With his stats, he should be able to heal himself sufficiently. After confirming Rainer’s safety, I then looked at the palms of my own hands.
“……Why.”
I asked myself a single question and calmly surveyed the situation. Because I couldn’t use Dimensional Magic, I used the techniques I had acquired in this short period—seeing the underground city as if it were a Dimension, without relying on Dimensions. The collapsed underground city. Now, Rustiara, who had freed Diah from his magic, was heading towards Snow, who was suffering alone. Meanwhile, Rainer lay fallen and battered, while I, unharmed, leisurely confirmed the situation. Ragune-chan, who had been instructed to cooperate, wore a troubled expression because I had compromised my principles midway. In this situation, it seemed only Aikawa Uzunami was getting it wrong. I continued to ask myself about this unsatisfactory development and situation.
…Why did it turn out this way?
No, I already knew the general reason. The cause was the sticky sensation from earlier. When Rustiara was about to die, I lost myself. If anything, I lost myself more than Diah or Snow. I couldn’t believe that I had lost myself. I thought I had gone through a few difficult situations. I was confident that I could suppress my instincts with reason by now. I wouldn’t be shaken by pain or mental anguish. My body had changed to the point where I could ignore physiological functions.
Yet, I, like an ordinary person, lost myself and fought against my own knight, Rainer, to whom I had entrusted the utmost trust. That sticky sensation had that much coercive power. It was at a level where my soul rejected Rustiara’s death.
When I reached that conclusion, Glen’s words—the dying “Thieves of Principles” were not aware of what they were doing—flickered in my mind.
“Truly…?”
Lately, I had been increasingly called a “Thief of the Principles of Dimensions.” Also, initially, I only thought of the Guardians as boss enemies, but I had begun to feel a sense of camaraderie with them. Teeda, Arty, Rowen, Aid, Titty, Fafnir—and Nosfy and myself. While I couldn’t articulate a clear reason, we were the same. For the same reasons, we lived the same way.
…Were the Guardians also feeling the same inexpressible anxiety and restraint that I am now?
“That’s why Glen said that… And Rainer and Rustiara, they looked at me…”
And perhaps Rainer and Rustiara were now feeling the same anxiety that I felt when I looked at the Guardians.
All “Thieves of Principles”—live desperately. They cling to their dying wishes and live. They don’t seem like villains. rather, they tend to appear as fundamentally good people—but something about them seems fundamentally misplaced. That’s the tendency of “Thieves of Principles.” Do I also appear that way? Just as I thought, “They’re misguided somehow, I can’t leave them alone,” are Rainer and Rustiara thinking the same about me?
I re-examine myself. Comparing the frenzied state of the “Thieves of Principles” I had fought in the past with my current self—I watched Rustiara collide headfirst with Snow. Her back, as she bravely moved forward to regain her bond with her companions, disregarding her own safety.
Advertisement: Ibunso Volume 7 will be released on July 25th. It covers the ship journey arc of Volume 4. Therefore, it’s centered on romance. The illustrations are sure to shine. I wanted to speed up my posts as I did before to match the release, but it seems unlikely, so I apologize. And regarding the bonuses for Volume 7, I’ve listed them in the activity report. The synopses for the bonuses of Volumes 5-7 are listed in the bonus synopsis storage.
P.S.
I want to put text in the right margin, but it’s very difficult. I apologize for it being in an unsightly position. I’m trying to figure out why the input screen, confirmation screen, and actual viewing screen all have different positions for it.
