“…He’s dead… truly dead… I thought he’d never die, but finally….”
I crushed both his lungs.
I severed both his arms and legs.
I stopped his heart.
And then, I further snapped the bones in his neck with “Hermina’s Heart”—only then did he finally stop moving.
Before Kanami’s corpse, I let a torrent of cold sweat drip from my forehead. Honestly, I still can’t quite believe he’s dead.
I didn’t expect him to move even after his heart was crushed. No, I had considered it as a possibility, but seeing it with my own eyes was too terrifying; my body froze. The sight of him crawling around with just one arm filled me with primal revulsion.
The subsequent dying scream that echoed was imbued with a resentment that seemed to tear space itself asunder.
However, I managed to silence him before he could use “Incantation.”
Despite a perfect surprise attack and a certain victory, Aikawa Kanami truly surprised me. My heart is still pounding so hard it feels like it might explode.
As if to shake off that fear, I repeatedly stabbed his torso with the two swords in my hands, continuing to confirm his death.
“So… he’s not becoming a monster… No, to be precise, Kanami’s older brother is already—”
The “Thieves of Principles” have a state called “Half-corpse.”
It’s an upgrade to the “Demon,” a popular and feared existence in common circles.
Therefore, out of caution, I continued to jab his body with my sword.
When you have ample HP and MP, there’s always a chance you might move after death.
However, this cruel method of confirmation shatters the heart of a young girl.
“U, UUUAaaahhh, AAAAAAAAHHH…! UAAAHHHH, AAAAHHH—!!”
Nearby, collapsed on the ground, is Nosfy Fuziaze, the “Thief of the Principles of Light.”
Just moments ago, she was radiating light and enveloped in dense magic, but now she’s a mere shadow of her former self. Even after losing most of her “Lingering Desire” and fighting spirit due to Aikawa Kanami’s persuasion just before, her current state is utterly pathetic.
She’s crying profusely.
She continuously stares at Aikawa Kanami, who just died before her eyes, shedding large tears.
She lies there bleeding, her back cut open, clawing at the floor with all her might, as if her nails might break, trying desperately to get closer to the one she admires, all while weeping.
“AAAHHHH…! Th-this, this is impossible…! Impossible, impossible, impossible! Aaah, no way! No way, surely…!!”
She’s forgotten even to use healing magic on herself, desperately trying to deny the reality before her.
I observe her dispassionately.
If you look closely, the wounds on her back are slowly healing. It seems that if a “Thief of the Principles of Light” is cut by a sword other than “Hermina’s Heart,” she’ll recover automatically. Facing such inhuman self-healing abilities, my fighting spirit flares.
“…Nosfy-san. …Well, good for you. Just as you wished, Papa protected his daughter with his life. So, what are you planning to do after your wish is granted?”
I grip the swords in my hands tightly and shift my gaze to Nosfy.
I glare at her, preparing for the battle that is about to begin—
“—Hic!”
All I get in response is a small scream.
And then, Nosfy tries to escape. However, she fails to stand and can only retreat backward while sitting, her legs giving out. Her face is contorted, and she’s clearly terrified.
“…………”
I read her thoughts without a word.
This isn’t a trap or an act. Nosfy, like other “Thieves of Principles,” is good-natured. She’s bad at lying.
I can also guess the reason for her fear.
She was infatuated with Aikawa Kanami. You could even say she worshipped him. She truly believed her father was the strongest and the most handsome man in the world.
Therefore, she must see me, who killed Aikawa Kanami, as the strongest and most evil enemy in the world.
The way her thoughts work is exasperating.
Strong people don’t lose. The best always remain the best. Unbeaten, no matter what. —It’s so idiotic it’s laughable.
It’s clear that “Thieves of Principles” are truly weak beings.
They are prone to strong convictions, negative, and extremely dependent.
They seem to exist solely to be tormented by the world.
“Thieves of Principles” are weak.
Undoubtedly, weak.
—However.
However, Rowen Aleis, the “Thief of Earthly Principles,” whom I saw at the “Dance Battle Tournament” in the past, was strong.
I know the difference between him and her.
It boils down to whether one has reached the answer.
It’s a matter of the heart’s location.
In short, Nosfy is still not complete.
She doesn’t know herself and doesn’t acknowledge herself.
That’s why she’s so weak.
This isn’t even worth killing. Killing her won’t increase the value of my life. To avoid wasting the tactics I prepared for Nosfy, I’ll break my own rules and continue to speak. Smiling as if imitating her—
“…Hah. What do you mean, ‘no way’? It’s all your own fault. This is the result of you doting on your dad all this time.”
“U, Uuuh, Uuuuhh….”
Nosfy continues to sob in fear, but I show no mercy.
“Didn’t I tell you before? This is what happens when you act spoiled.”
I will be a mirror.
For her sake. And for mine.
Just like with Aikawa Kanami, I will help her complete her life.
“I, I’m not acting spoiled….”
Nosfy tried to retort fearfully, but I coldly cut her off.
“Hahaha, you thought you weren’t acting spoiled even with all that? Saying ‘I hate you, Dad, I hate you,’ while hovering around him asking for attention? Constantly showing off in front of him, saying ‘I’m such a bad girl,’ while peeking at his reactions? If this isn’t acting spoiled, then what is?!”
I shrug my shoulders and continue to mock her.
These were clichés, but they were also undeniable truths.
Nosfy, who had never had the things everyone hesitated to say spoken aloud, was stunned for a few seconds before bursting into tears again.
“Aaaah, AAAHHH……, AAAAAAAAHHHH…… AaahhhAAAAAAA……!!”
Wailing, she shed even more tears. Her face, which I thought was already distorted to its limit, contorted further, and she clutched her head with both hands.
“Or did you think, ‘My beloved dad will be fine’? Did you think, ‘My super genius dad will absolutely not die’ and take it easy? Hah, so spoiled. You’re way too spoiled.”
I won’t hold back.
Facts are facts. It’s something she’ll have to face someday.
“That’s why you allowed a truly bad person like me to get close and stabbed in the back. Ah, this is all… undeniably, Nosfy-san’s fault.”
“AAAHHH… M-me…? My fault…!? My, my, my— AAAAHHH, AAAAHHHHAAAAAAAHHH—!!”
“Yes, it’s Nosfy-san’s fault! Now then, Nosfy-san!”
I’ve created not just a reason to fight, but also the meaning of the fight.
With this much, even she should finally—
“Now is the time for revenge on your father! As promised, duel with me! Rest assured, I absolutely consider you an ‘enemy’! The time has come to weigh on a scale whose life holds more value!!”
I continue to imitate, to earn her hatred and assert my position as her enemy. I provoke her to fight me right now.
“—N-no, please don’t come!”
However, even after being ridiculed to this extent, Nosfy couldn’t stand up.
Still sitting on her backside, she could only shake her head like any ordinary girl.
Even with the severe injuries on her back, she’s far too weak.
And with a slight disappointment, I ignore her request.
“No. I’m coming closer.”
This is the same as what Nosfy did earlier, but perhaps if it comes to it, she might fight. With a little hope, I approach her carelessly, as if inviting her.
Then, I raise my sword.
As if I’m about to swing it down, quite deliberately.
“Hic—!”
In response, Nosfy closes her eyes. She abandons all resistance, only managing a scream. I grit my teeth and frown. I thrust the raised sword into the ground and extend my free hand towards her.
“Nosfy-san. The world really was just Aikawa Kanami for you, wasn’t it…”
I steal two pendants hanging from her neck.
Easily obtaining the magic stones of three “Thieves of Principles” simultaneously.
This fact itself proves her loss of fighting spirit.
Even after having her greatest weapons stolen, Nosfy still can’t stand up. She continues to groan with her eyes closed, repeating weak words.
“Aaaah, aaaah…. Th-this is a dream… It’s a dream… A dream…!!”
Before this sight, I feel a slight sadness.
She’s too much like Kanami and me. In a world full of cheap lives, everything feels hollow.
“This is a bit unexpected… No, it’s easier, in a way…”
I reach out again.
This time, no longer with the swiftness of a pickpocket, but boldly I rummage through her clothes and take the “Scripture.” Seeing that Nosfy still doesn’t move, I am convinced.
The “Thief of the Principles of Light” is no longer a viable enemy.
Having decided this, I immediately move on to my next thought.
I survey the grand hall of Fuziaze Castle, ravaged by magic, and turn my gaze to the last person. Aikawa Kanami is dead, and Nosfy’s spirit is broken. Only one remains.
“Now then, for the young lady—”
If I can subdue Rustiara Fuziaze, my former master, there will be no one left to confront on this floor. Thinking this, I head to assess her condition.
However, a cry filled with strong resolve erupts before I can.
“N-no—!!”
“Ohh?”
Nosfy has moved.
Using her unsteady legs with all her might, staggering and nearly falling several times, she rushes to Rustiara’s side before I can.
She immediately kneels down and cradles Rustiara’s near-death body.
I can’t say she’s standing.
But I am slightly surprised that Nosfy was able to move.
“Pl-please, forgive me! Rustiara-san has nothing to do with this! She’s just a victim! A victim born only to inherit the burdens of a thousand years ago, tossed about by fate!”
I stop in my tracks and consider the reason for her sudden resurgence.
Indeed, Aikawa Kanami had spoken the name “Rustiara” just before he died. Perhaps she interpreted that as his dying wish.
“I will protect Rustiara-san…! I will absolutely protect Rustiara-san! She who followed the same fate as me… my precious sister! Yes, she’s my sister! The moment I stabbed Rustiara! She looked at me with kind eyes! She still believed in me! She loved this foolish me! She’s a kind child! She’s not bad at all! Unlike me, she grew up to be good!!”
I soon realize that his dying wish is irrelevant.
Her words and expression reveal everything.
Nosfy now considers Rustiara family. That familial love is what’s helping her push past her fear. It appears to be a courage born from her unique situation, where family was everything.
“I won’t let my sister die! I will protect her absolutely! I will protect Rustiara!!”
Nosfy cries out, clutching her sister’s blood-soaked body as if to convince herself.
I feel a flicker of happiness.
Even in a world full of cheap lives, it feels like I can still walk forward.
“Ah, understood. I won’t lay a hand on her. Your young lady is already at death’s door. Besides, I’ve beaten the young lady myself multiple times. Our rankings have been established.”
I raise my hands, dispelling my fighting spirit.
Seeing this, Nosfy’s face shows a flicker of relief.
Honestly, I never intended to kill Rustiara from the start.
Rustiara Fuziaze, the Living God, I will not kill.
I had firmly resolved this in my heart before coming here. To Nosfy, who is unaware of my intentions, I intend to dramatically feign generosity.
“However, in return, I will take all the ‘Thieves of Principles.’ Of course, Kanami’s brother too. If you don’t like that, you’ll have to defeat me.”
I hang the “Thief of the Principles of Darkness,” “Thief of the Principles of Wind,” and “Thief of the Principles of Wood” pendants I obtained around my neck and grasp the sword of the “Thief of Earthly Principles” that was thrust into the ground nearby.
Then, I snatch the sheath from Aikawa Kanami’s waist and put it into my own belt.
In my right hand, I hold the “Thief of the Principles of Blood’s” heart, and in my left, the head of the “Thief of the Principles of Dimensions.” Thus, temporarily—six.
Finally, I deliberately grab Kanami’s black hair in a disheveled manner and thrust it forward as if showing it to Nosfy.
“U, Uuuhh…. Uuuuhh, Uuuuhh—!!”
Nosfy glares at me with tear-filled eyes.
She clutches Rustiara tightly, her trembling body held firm.
I understand her feelings.
She truly dislikes this.
She doesn’t want to give up Kanami.
The most important person is Kanami—her father.
She doesn’t want to hand him over. She doesn’t want to hand him over. She doesn’t want to hand him over.
However, she’s too scared of me, who defeated Kanami, to move.
She can’t even attempt a challenge.
“Fa, Father…! Father, Father, Father……!!”
All Nosfy can do now is call his name.
Confirming this, I judge that I have nothing more to do on this floor and begin to move.
I head for the stairs leading to the 46th floor.
On the way, I invite her just in case.
“I’m about to go kill everyone in the ‘Senate,’ want to come along? After that’s done, we’ll go downstairs and….”
However, she’s no longer looking at me.
She closes her eyes tightly, hugging Rustiara’s body as if in prayer, and continues to murmur.
“P-please help me…. Tiara-sama….”
And then, she called out the name of that saint.
At this point, she relies on her birth and laments.
“We… we can’t be your ‘substitutes’…. I can’t be a substitute…. The true princess can only be a true princess…. So, please—”
It’s not bad.
Rather, it’s quite good.
Nosfy is reconsidering her own life.
And if she continues to hold onto the will “I want to protect Rustiara,” she will reach her goal.
She has achieved “She will never again obtain the love she truly desired.”
All conditions are met.
By losing the “center of her world,” she can finally begin to walk as the “center of her own world.” A story starring her will finally begin.
At its end, she will surely weave true, true “magic.”
Not the failed magic taught by an apostle. Not a paltry magic that only gathers power, but a magic that is hers alone, because she is her.
—Tiara-san called that “Eternity,” I recall.
“Eternity”… “Immortality,” huh…
I don’t particularly want it. Honestly, even if I gained the power of “Immortality,” I don’t feel like I’d become stronger as a person at all. It sounds good to say you gain infinite durability and time, but it’s definitely more convenient without it.
However, it’s worth observing. Globally, it holds high value.
While I analyze my power, Nosfy continues to murmur.
“I am not a saint… I don’t even have light… I can’t be a ‘substitute’…. So, please…. Please, please, please…. Please, Tiara-sama—”
I read her face. It’s a very clear face.
How did it come to this…
I never wanted this kind of ending…
All I wanted was just one small wish…
That’s likely what she’s thinking.
It will likely take some time until she realizes that she herself, not someone else, is the protagonist of Fuziaze. And there isn’t time to watch this leisurely.
Considering the enemies gathered here, every second I’m thinking now feels precious.
“Well then, I’m heading off. If you wait here passively, I might even give you a finishing blow. That is, after everything is over…”
After giving a warning to the still-lamenting Nosfy, I ascend the stairs at the back of the 45th floor.
I tap each step of the unnecessarily ornate, carved stairs with the soles of my shoes, creating a cheerful rhythm, and skip my way up. Not Kanami, not Nosfy, not Rustiara—but Ragune Kaikuola is heading forward, and I feel a slight sense of satisfaction.
Along the way, I smile and speak to the corpse in my right hand.
“…Brother Uzunami, I showed you as promised. What did you think of my signature finishing move?”
Of course, I get no answer.
But I’m certain that if Kanami were listening, he would praise me.
Aside from being killed, I can vividly imagine him grudgingly admitting my superb surprise attack technique was magnificent.
Blushing at his praise, I boast to Kanami, reflected in the mirror of my heart—
From the first day I met him, I had been troubled by how to overcome the fraudulent magic called “Dimension.”
I wondered how I could defeat Aikawa Kanami.
The answer I arrived at was truly simple.
It’s an answer anyone could understand.
“Become Aikawa Kanami’s friend.”
With that alone, you would no longer be wary of me.
No matter how excellent your magic and senses are, they are wielded by a person. As long as an imperfect person uses them, no one can deny that the words “perfect” or “absolute” do not exist.
Therefore, I’ve been working hard to become his friend all along.
At the “Dance Battle Tournament,” we ate together, and watched a play on a ship. I also offered various advice and cooperation, helping Aikawa Kanami, who had no memories.
Naturally, I never fought him seriously during that time. I believe he may have noticed, but I continued to conceal my strength even in that first duel, during the battle at the Cathedral, and in the third round of the “Dance Battle Tournament.” Furthermore, for the past year, I’ve worked diligently as the confidante of Aikawa Kanami’s beloved. Thanks to that, I naturally ended up accompanying him in this fight—and gained his utmost trust as someone who understands Aikawa Kanami’s struggles.
All of that, everything, was for that one moment just now—
“Fufu. This is what I believe to be the best way to fight with ‘Magic Power Solidification.’ I don’t insist on the ‘Swordsmanship’ I hold in my hands, so I can make blades float and send them flying like this. I suppose it comes down to aptitude.”
I make small magic blades dance before my eyes, visible to the corpse in my right hand.
Several minutes ago—using these blades as footholds, I alone ascended the sky outside the window of Fuziaze Castle. Then, I infiltrated through the window of the 45th floor and, timing it perfectly, threw them at the two who were off guard. Unfortunately, I couldn’t kill them instantly with the first throw, but I succeeded in severing their dominant arm with subsequent blades. Having immobilized them with sound and sword, I finished them off with a mass-generation of blades—my trump card.
“Brother Kanami really didn’t notice me at all, did he? I was on tenterhooks, but in the end, it was easy…”
Kanami couldn’t “Predict the Future” of this series of surprise attacks.
I believe there are several reasons for this.
First, Kanami completely trusted me, his ally, from the start. I prepared various things, but ultimately, this is the biggest reason.
My skills and the quality of my magic also have a significant impact.
I learned “skills without skill names,” not just “numerics that don’t appear as numbers,” from Tiara-san. Among them is a skill that can be considered the epitome of surprise attacks. And my magic’s peculiar nature was exceptionally suited for this surprise attack.
It was as if it was “destined” for it.
“…Ah! While the lingering feeling of victory is important, I need to ‘Affinity’ with the ‘Thieves of Principles’ while I’m at it… I’ve heard a lot about how the ‘Affinity’ mechanism works. And your lives as well. Even if not completely, I should be able to do it to some extent.”
The nature of one’s magic depends on their personality.
It could be thick and sticky, pristine, or easily ignited.
In contrast, my magic shone brightly.
It was magic that reflected the world well, like a mirror. This convenient magic exerts unparalleled power in stealth.
And that mirror-like magic also exerts power in “Affinity.”
With a slight adjustment of my heart and a prayer to the pendant on my chest—thump, the world beats with a quadruple pulse. The diverse magic emanating from the magic stone envelops me, reaching a concentration comparable to the “monsters” in this castle. Although not absolute, having four is more than enough to draw out considerable power.
“Alright, this is going nicely. Or rather, this… it’s not meant for one person, but to be used in combination, isn’t it? So, right now, am I the ‘Thief of Earth, Wood, Wind, and Darkness’? …Sounds a bit awkward.”
I easily replicated what Nosfy had successfully done using “Magic.”
With a wry smile at my own overly convenient magic, I continue my small talk with the corpse.
“Darkness, Earth, Wind, and Wood. It’s a little different, but I’m adding Blood now too—so combined, ‘Star Principle Thief.’ What do you think? Isn’t it cool?”
The lack of light in my hand at the moment fits the “Star” theme nicely.
I’m sure the corpse in my right hand would have approved of this taste.
Deciding then and there to call myself the “Star Principle Thief,” I arrive at the 46th floor of Fuziaze Castle. As expected, knights who had been on alert on the floor below await me.
There are five of them.
These are elite guards chosen to protect the “Senate,” which is more important than royalty.
Just right. I wanted to test them out.
“Kaikuola-sama…? Why are you here…? Above here—”
One of the knights, spotting me from a distance, calls out.
I smile at him and boldly approach.
It’s not a smile of familiarity. It’s the smile of joy from being able to use elemental magic for the first time in my life.
“Wh—!”
As the distance closed, all the knights noticed my abnormality.
Startled by the unusual magic emanating from the red cross and corpse in my hands—I seize the opening and send magic blades flying towards their backs.
It’s the same tactic Kanami dodged, but the knights can’t evade it.
“Guh, Aaah…! Wh-why… Kaikuola-sa-ma—”
Upon closer inspection, one of the knights has a familiar face.
I seem to recall we were in the same room during my early days in the “Seven Knights of Heaven.” As that knight vomits blood from his mouth, a transparent blade emerges from his heart, and he dies, falling to the ground.
Subsequently, the other four knights also fall, one after another.
Each dies in their own way: their hearts consumed by darkness, nests of wood, bursting in wind, or impaled by crystal.
“This is magic infused with elemental attributes… It’s interesting. Just infusing a little magic, and various flashy things happen. Huh, ohh. Fufuーfuhuー.”
Confirming the annihilation of all the security knights, I happily splash through the fresh pool of blood, heading for the next stairs.
The pleasure of having my meager hand of cards suddenly expand, with my always bland magic now adorned with colors. Naturally, I hum a tune and head for the next flight of stairs.
“Fuhnーfuhuー, fuhー. Fufufufuーssuー”
—Along the way, I sacrifice the knights who stand in my path and aim for the highest floor.
It’s truly effortless.
They let their guard down, mistaking me for someone they know, and when I get close, they’re taken by surprise by the sword and corpse in my hands, leaving them vulnerable. Compared to the ridiculously ornate sword I brought myself, it’s so much easier to surprise enemies.
Thus, I kill them when I meet them and go up the stairs, kill them when I meet them and go up the stairs, kill them when I meet them and go up the stairs—
Finally, I reach the floor where the “Senate” awaits.
I believe the epilogue will conclude in the next chapter.
I apologize for the many incomprehensible descriptions. Kanami’s past and what he realized before dying, as well as Ragune’s past and her encounters with Tiara and Nosfy, will be covered in the following chapters.
