I believe I’ve mentioned this before, but my proposed method is simple. We will complete Hidaki as a “vessel capable of adapting to the Star’s Demonic Poison” all at once—ah, did I mean “Star Principle Thief” now? Regardless, that’s the goal. In other words, we’ll gather the power of this world and continuously Level Up.
We gathered in the tower where we usually research and practice Curse Techniques—no, a building that has now grown so large it can be called a castle—to listen to Sis’s story.
Currently, in the Grand Hall, there are just the three of us: myself, Master, and Sis.
Around us were scattered numerous books detailing the research results obtained up to today. I had read them all night to take over the healing from Diplakla. Basing her reasoning on that information, Sis continued her impassioned speech.
“Diplakla spent generations researching, intending to create only one ideal Star Principle Thief… but I was against it from the start. Because we don’t know if we’ll always have enough time? Like Hidaki is now, we don’t know how things will worsen! Therefore, we should have always chosen the shortest path!”
Sis often displays actions and words like an innocent child, but precisely because of that, she frequently gets to the heart of matters.
Those with foresight tend to postpone things, believing there’s still time. Like myself and Diplakla right now.
“If she becomes a Star Principle Thief… no, in the process, Hidaki should gain a Body that repels all sickness. To gain ‘Everything’ means exactly that.”
And unlike the cunning me and Diplakla, Sis cannot hide things.
Anyone could easily discern the ulterior motive behind her words. Seeing Master’s gaze sharpen, I asked before the talk escalated further.
“Sis, a question… That sounds like you’re asking Hidaki Sister to bear “Everything” of this world…”
“Yes, that’s right. I want that to happen, and I will encourage it when the time comes… But I won’t force it. If her illness is cured during the process of gathering Magic Power, she can stop Leveling Up at that point. Even if she becomes a Star Principle Thief by some chance, I will never say she must become a Substitute for the Master.”
Given Sis’s personality, I expected her to immediately reply, “That’s right! Not only will her illness be cured, but she can also become a foundation for the world! It’s a cause for celebration!” But that wasn’t the case.
She gently lowered her eyes and quietly shook her head.
In that gesture, I could clearly sense her camaraderie for Hidaki Sister. Master, standing next to me,’s eyes widened in genuine surprise.
“Really? Sis, you say the most unreasonable things when it comes to the world. If Hidaki Sister becomes a Star Principle Thief, you’d say she has to sacrifice herself for the world because there’s no one else who can!”
“…There’s no one else who can? That’s not true, Tiara! It wouldn’t be problematic to have multiple Star Principle Thieves! Surely the Master would be happy if there were many to choose from! Heh heh heh.”
“Huh? ‘Star Principle Thief’? Can you make more than one…?”
Could beings who control worlds be created so easily and quickly?
I had the impression that there could only be one Star Principle Thief in the world, but the specialist, Apostle Sis, seemed to have a different view.
“Ultimately, only one will bear ‘Everything’, I suppose. But to create candidates, isn’t it possible to make as many as you want? After all, this world is filled with more than enough Magic Power!”
Even while living in a world filled with despair, Sis alone lived with hope.
That positive way of thinking is likely something neither I nor Master possess. She may lack many things as a person, but she possesses many things that we lack in return.
“I believe that you, my Ally, and Tiara can also become Star Principle Thieves someday. So, if you don’t want to sacrifice Hidaki, why doesn’t one of you become the ‘Substitute’?”
At the end of that hope, she declared that Master and I, standing here, were also candidates.
It was difficult to believe, but Sis took each of our hands and encouraged us.
“You are truly special. Because you are the best friends I chose—no! The best Ally and ‘Saint’! If you truly put your minds to it, nothing is impossible… Yes, I believe that!”
Faced with such straightforward affection, Master and I blushed.
She has no pretense.
Simply with that—
“So, I want you to believe me too. Hidaki will definitely be cured. I, myself, will be constantly confirming her condition by her side. To ensure nothing strange happens, I, Apostle Sis, will do my utmost—”
She stirred our hearts.
The doubt and uncertainty hadn’t completely vanished, but Master slowly nodded.
“Sis, I believe you… With this explanation, I understand that you are thinking of me and Hidaki in your own way.”
“I-It’s not like that! That’s not true! I always prioritize the world and the Master above all else! Just because I quarreled with my Ally doesn’t mean I think it’s better to be a little kinder!!”
It seems that the arguments Master and Sis had up until today influenced Sis’s compassionate actions this time.
Her honest growth and nature made me recall her true age—just a little over ten years old.
Master seemed to have the same thought as her words, nodding with a fond smile.
“Ah, that’s right… For once, I truly believe you are right. We were the ones who were too leisurely… Our goals should be as high as yours…”
“I believe it too. Master and I tend to be too cautious. Being with Sis feels just right.”
As always, I agreed with Master.
Hearing those two responses, Sis smiled, a little teary-eyed.
“Of course! You should have left it to me from the beginning! You were just slow to realize!!”
This was the moment when Apostle Sis’s plan began.
The plan’s content was simple.
Instead of investigating the cause of the illness, it focused solely on continuously strengthening Hidaki’s body.
It was an overly forceful and chaotic plan, but it was sufficient to make Master believe it was correct.
After all, at Master’s core lies absolute trust in Hidaki. He believes that entrusting all power to his sister herself is better than others meddling unnecessarily.
I was the only one opposed to this plan.
While there was no direct harm to me, the thought of strengthening my rival, Hidaki, filled me with anxiety. However, I knew that if I objected here, it would lead to a future where “a new Adventure would begin with only the companions excluding Tiara, who opposed the journey to gather Magic Power.”
Master’s Adventure would proceed without my oversight.
For me, that would be a defeat equivalent to having my favorite book taken away.
Furthermore, I also had the reason of not wanting to take my eyes off Hidaki, who would be getting stronger.
With the matter decided without me being able to voice my objection, Master left the Grand Hall to go and call Hidaki.
I did not follow behind him.
I cautiously watched Sis, who remained, from a distance.
“—Fufufu. That’s right, Diplakla and I are different… From the start, I was right. Not Diplakla, but this Sis. Yet everyone praised Diplakla, who was cowardly and deceitful… When in reality, I was the one who was right—”
I couldn’t take my eyes off Hidaki Sister, let alone just Hidaki Sister.
As a pawn, I couldn’t move without being separated from everyone.
And from this day forward, Sis Sister’s plan rapidly advanced.
First, the work of saving people suffering from illness in various places was done not with Curse Technique “Level Up,” but with stones that absorb magic power. These stones, filled with magic power, were repeatedly transported to Hidaki Sister’s hospital room, and “Level Up” focusing on physical enhancement was repeated.
The results were immediate.
In just about a month, Hidaki Sister’s condition began to improve.
The illness that had troubled Lord Diplakla so much was resolved by Sis Sister’s simple plan.
The master was moved by the surprisingly positive outcome.
On the day Hidaki Sister was able to move again, the master hugged his sister, who was sitting on the bed, and shed a faint tear.
“—Thank goodness! This means I wasn’t wrong…! Ahh, Hidaki—!!”
“I’m sorry, Older Brother. I worried you again… I’m truly sorry for being such a weak sister.”
At that moment, Hidaki Sister’s gaze, held within the master’s arms, turned towards me. I instinctively tensed, ready to defend myself, but her subsequent words eased my tension.
“Sis and Tiara… thank you so much…”
She bowed her head to us, who had cooperated in gathering magic power for the past month. Sis Sister immediately puffed out her chest and replied.
“Yes, of course! There are still many things I want Hidaki to do, so I absolutely won’t allow her to die here!”
“Huh? Uh, yeah. That’s because of the relationship between me and Hidaki Sister. This is only natural, natural!”
As I chimed in, I continued to watch Hidaki Sister’s expression.
Frankly, I thought the worsening of her illness this time was a setup to corner and kill me.
I felt like some major accident would happen during this plan, plunging me into the worst predicament ever. Yet… it has already been two full years since Hidaki Sister uttered the words, “This is not just a side project; it’s the beginning of the true final chapter.”
Could it be that Hidaki Sister was really just ill?
Were all those strong words just a bluff to buy time?
I was progressing so smoothly that such thoughts even crossed my mind.
The “Curse” that had been relentlessly hounding me was no longer able to kill me; I was no longer weak enough to die from my organs developing holes. The “Blood Power” inherited from the late Hermina had been trained to a numerical value of 2.00, and I could now even repair fatal wounds.
I had ample magic power to perform this.
While I myself had grown, the biggest factor was the vast amount of magic power I was hoarding within “Ruf Bringer.”
Ever since I began wearing it at my waist, I had been siphoning magic power from various sources whenever the opportunity arose. Even during this journey to gather magic, I had stolen more than enough magic power to strengthen Hidaki Sister.
—In other words, no matter how hard the “Curse” tried to kill me, the number of entities capable of causing my accidental death was decreasing.
If this wasn’t going well, then what would?
The strategy of growing while running away had paid off handsomely.
I could now treat that terrifying “Curse” as a trivial matter, and I had accumulated enough magic power to rival the “Thieves of Principles.”
As this smooth progression continued, my anxieties naturally began to fade.
Then, a few days after Hidaki Sister became able to move, the master and Sis Sister discussed future plans in the usual grand hall.
“—Yes, yes. You’ve gotten quite energetic. Hidaki’s ‘Magic Power Conversion’ seems to be going smoothly, my ally.”
“No, not yet. It’s still not perfect. It’s not enough.”
The master shook his head at the word “smoothly.”
Hidaki Sister had merely canceled out the deterioration; she hadn’t fully recovered.
Having once caused his sister to suffer due to a lapse in vigilance, the master was resolute not to repeat the same mistake.
In line with Sis Sister’s initial strategy, they moved forward without delay.
“…I understand.”
“Sis, let’s go north. We need to gather much, much more.”
Since the master and I had provided salvation to the southern countries, the amount of magic power we could gather there was limited.
Therefore, the next destination was decided to be the northern lands.
—And so, just as I had seen in the Skill “Reading,” the four-person journey with Hidaki Sister began.
Looking back, I believe this final “Adventure” marked the pinnacle of my life.
After all, by this age, there were very few people who could match me.
Having always aimed for Hidaki Sister as a goal, I had become too strong. With “Ruf Bringer” at my waist, I could have probably defeated the “Thieves of Principles” in various regions.
Although Hidaki Sister and I were subtly vying for the master’s attention, I had grown accustomed to it by this point—in fact, I felt that this stimulation made the “Adventure” even more enjoyable.
To embark on the greatest “Adventure” in a world of the unknown, amidst slight dangers, with beloved companions—
“New Calendar Year 5”
—The “Adventure” of this year was the best it had ever been.
Watching the master and Sis Sister save people everywhere, Hidaki Sister and I would exchange comments from the rear, saying, “As expected of Master—” and “Honestly, Older Brother…” It was like discussing the impressions of a book, and the enjoyment was different from when we traveled alone.
And at the end of that adventure, we reached Viaisia Country, the northernmost part of the Northern Alliance.
It was there that I first glimpsed the “One who steals the logic of the wind” from afar.
She was more majestic and noble than the rumors of the “Mad King” suggested, but there was no doubt a crack in her heart. The master was concerned about it, but ultimately prioritized safety and decided not to interfere.
If the master had come north alone, he would undoubtedly have tried to help her, even though he was deep in enemy territory.
However, thanks to me and Hidaki Sister, who were skilled navigators, the final page of the northern “Adventure” closed with a very peaceful ending.
“The Kanami party, heading north, saved people suffering from illness along the way without discrimination, even if they were ‘Demons.’ Although Kanami and his companions intended to ‘Adventure’ discreetly, the name of ‘Primordial Kanami,’ the originator of ‘Curse Technique,’ gradually began to spread in the northern lands. While the Northern ‘Savior’ might have been the ‘Ruling King,’ ‘Primordial Kanami’ began to be rumored throughout the world as the ‘Savior’ who transcended national borders—”
By the time that journey ended, we had completely achieved our original objective.
Having gathered an immense amount of magic power, Hidaki Sister had reached a higher level than anyone else.
This also meant that she had acquired a body stronger than anyone else’s.
By the time the symptoms of the illness that had plagued Hidaki Sister for so long seemed to have only a faint trace left, we had safely returned to Fuziaze.
The plan was not just smooth; it was perfect.
My own battles had also progressed to a point that could be called perfect.
The power I had secretly accumulated in “Ruf Bringer” was now at a level that was terrifying to measure. The resistance provided by this ample magic power had an output capable of dragging and manipulating all of Hidaki Sister’s “Threads.”
At this point, I felt I was sufficiently on par with Hidaki Sister.
Although the “answer check” after that “Adventure” had not yet occurred, I was about 90% sure that the upcoming “Duel” would be my victory.
“Ultimately, Aikawa Uzunami’s ‘Curse’ exceeded Aikawa Hidaki’s intentions, and not a single person died. As Thief of the Principles of Dimensions Tiara Fuziaze, who had become stronger than anyone, continued to bear its burden, the issue of the ‘Curse’ of the ‘Thieves of Principles’ was resolved. And seeing my state, Hidaki Sister finally acknowledged our ‘Equal footing.’ Thus, Hidaki Aikawa, who overcame illness, myself, who overcame the ‘Curse,’ and our Master—how far will the ‘Adventure’ of these three continue—”
Just as the skill “Reading” was about to capture the final page—
That incident occurred.
“Year 6 of the New Calendar.”
It was a rainy day, early in the new year.
That night, Hidaki Sis had crossed the “Boundary.”
It was the line that separated “Persons” from “Monsters.” In terms of numbers, it was the moment Hidaki Sis’s Level reached 30. I, who had grown careless so close to victory in the “Duel,” was late to notice it.
“――――ッ!?”
Sensing an abnormal surge of magic power while asleep, I jolted awake.
Immediately, I rushed around Fuziaze’s castle. I tried to borrow my Master’s “Dimensional Power,” but no one was in the bedroom. Next, I headed to Hidaki Sis’s room, but it was also empty.
“…Eh?”
The unease I had felt thinned out, and now it ballooned to its maximum.
My body moved before I was pulled by “Threads.”
Running with a bad premonition, I arrived at the Grand Hall where we always practiced our “Curse Techniques.”
By the time I reached there, it was already over.
Sis Sis and Master were facing each other with grim expressions.
I had seen their quarrels a few times before. However, the air that day was frozen to a degree incomparable to the arguments we had repeated until today.
What made it different from before was the “Monster” Master was holding.
It was close to a humanoid “Demon,” but not the same thing by any means. First, its skin was stained completely black, and dragon-like scales grew in rows. The number of fingers on its hands and feet were also different from a human. The “Monster’s” body was covered in frost from the “Ice Power,” and a sword was impaled in its chest.
Upon confirming that much, I realized that “Monster” was Aikawa Hidaki.
Master, holding Hidaki Sis’s corpse, shouted with a sword in hand.
“—Ah, AhhhAHH!! How dare you, how dare you deceive me!! Sis!!”
Facing that scene, I was dumbfounded.
“Eh…?”
W-What is this…?
This “Ending”…?
And then, my skill “Reading”—at this moment, it worked as if to explain this situation to me.
“Aikawa Hidaki, who converted too much magic power, finally crossed the ‘Boundary.’ Aikawa Hidaki, who became a ‘Monster’ from a ‘Person,’ had her very spirit twisted. Like a cracked vessel shattering under the weight of the water it held, everything broke. Aikawa Hidaki, who understood everything, unleashed all of her ‘Ice Power’ and froze herself. Even if she became a ‘Monster,’ she wished to die as a ‘Person,’ and asked her older brother, Aikawa Uzunami—to pierce her heart.”
Hidaki Sis became a “Monster”…?
Pierced through the heart, does that mean she died?
No, she didn’t die. It’s not just that.
If she were dead, these familiar “Threads” wouldn’t be swirling so much.
For some reason, Hidaki Sis was still alive even in that state.
However, the only one who could judge that—was me, now.
“――――ッ!!”
As I realized that much, a chill I hadn’t felt in a long time ran down my spine.
I quickly turned around.
I focused my gaze on the “delimiter” of that “Curse”—the “Cut.”
The will lurking beyond the “Cut” was more bewildered than I was.
After all, a suitable girl for the “Curse” had finally died, yet there was no sign of the “Price”—’the death of Aikawa Uzunami’s beloved’—being paid.
Seeing that, the chill crawling up my spine expanded.
—This is bad.
Would a world that ridiculed people for not understanding human feelings have a philosophical answer to “What does it mean for a person to live?”
Undoubtedly, the world perceives human life only as “biological existence.”
If so, judging that the world cannot collect a “Price” from Hidaki Sis, who had no heart, the next target would be—
“Hidaki Sis…!!”
At this moment, I understood Hidaki Sis’s aim.
The great premise for me escaping the “Curse” until today was that Hidaki Sis and I had shared the “Price.”
That meticulously balanced structure, like building blocks, had now completely collapsed.
The gaze of the hesitant “Cut” slowly turned towards me.
It was akin to a beast instinctively latching onto the nearest prey. The “Cut,” visible only to me, grew larger as if to open its eyes wide. It grew larger and larger, as if to swallow me—
“Haa, haa, haa—!!”
Suddenly, I started to shortness of breath.
I also felt a rapid deterioration in my physical condition.
An unprecedented “Curse” was pressing down on my entire body.
On impulse, I drew power from Ruf Bringer at my waist and tried to resist it. However, the persistent, abnormal feeling of weakness did not disappear at all.
Compared to five years ago, I had grown.
But, more than that, the “Curse” had also hypertrophied.
At that time, Teeda, the “The one who steals the logic of darkness,” compared it to money.
Enticed by that, the word “interest” popped into my head.
The added amount, which had grown due to postponing payment, was now being demanded. And not to be shared with Hidaki Sis, but to be paid by me alone—
This is bad.
This is bad, bad, bad—!
Without a doubt, this was the optimal solution for winning the “Duel.”
If it’s a “Duel” where death is forced upon each other, one only needs to stop living until the other dies.
And with enough accumulated interest to surely kill the strengthened opponent, they would strike with all their might when the opponent, caught off guard and thinking “things are going smoothly”—!!
Hidaki Sis executed such a simple and clear sure-win strategy.
Would Normal people do that?
Ah, Hidaki Sis would.
As I answered myself that, I urgently made my skill “Reading” predict the future.
I no longer had the luxury to be picky or in control. I had to read the coming developments as roughly as possible, somehow.
“W-What is this…!?”
First, I saw a great war erupt between the North and South.
It wasn’t a war of pushing the borders of countries like before.
It was a struggle for survival between “Persons” and “Demons,” discarding all national interests and calculations. The most problematic thing was the scene of the “Primordial Kanami,” who had discarded all past and future, standing as a “Monster” at the center of that war.
I could not deny it.
As if to support that future, Master was yelling incessantly before my eyes.
“You said it would heal! I believed you! Hidaki believed what you said!!”
“Theoretically, yes! I intended to heal it too! But, not everything always goes smoothly! It was something I had to try to find out!!”
Aikawa Uzunami, who had lost his sister, was utterly broken, just like during the Romis battle six years ago.
Sis Sis, unable to withstand the killing intent directed at her from the male she loved, looked on the verge of tears.
“Ally, understand me too! Understand me! Yes, if you just take a small step closer, anyone can understand each other—”
“Ah, I understand you! I know you’re the type who’ll do anything to achieve your goals! I know, and I’m still saying this!!”
If things continue like this, Master will end up hating everything in this world. The foundation for that is being laid.
As if to follow his own sister, Master is absorbing the Magic Power leaking from the deceased Hidaki Sister and converting it into his own strength with a Level Up.
“You used us! You experimented on Hidaki! I can never forgive you!!”
Finally, Master pointed the tip of his sword at Sis Sister.
At that moment, a very weak and small voice escaped.
“Ah, a, ah… It’s–…”
That voice of hers probably wouldn’t reach the enraged Master.
Sis Sister, with tears welling up, muttered a single word while constructing a Curse Technique.
“…Why don’t you understand?”
With that, Sis Sister spread her Wings of Light, which she only used in emergencies. Giving up on conversation, she quickly ran towards the window of the Grand Hall.
Master, blinded by the light, tried to follow her.
“Don’t think you can escape!”
“Master, wait! If you continue like this, you’ll lose yourself! If you keep converting like that, your body will become the same!”
I quickly stopped him. I grabbed the hem of Master’s clothes, who only had eyes for Sis Sister, and desperately shook my head.
However, Master became furious when he heard my voice.
“So what! Shut up, Tiara! What do you know! It has nothing to do with you!!”
The words mixed with hostility, which I heard for the first time from Master, made the bottom of my chest ache. Tears welled up in my eyes, just like they did for Sis Sister. However, as we had adventured together until today, I was convinced that these were not Master’s true feelings.
“It has everything to do with it! I made it together too! Because I’m your best disciple–!!”
“Haha, that’s right! We made it together! Hahaha!! What’s a Level Up! What’s Status! What a laughable joke! You guys egged me on to create Curse Techniques, and this is the end result! This is the ending! It’s like I’m an idiot! It was all according to your plans, all on the palm of your hands! As expected, Curse Techniques were Curse Techniques, and Curses were Curses!”
At the same time, I knew that Master was the saddest person right now. Having known the Aikawa Siblings’ circumstances, I understood that Master’s pain was deeper than my own.
–Right now, Master is losing the sense of “self” he found in this world.
If things continue like this, Master will break, just like before.
“But! Thanks to the conversion spell you devised, Master, many people were saved! You became a hero– no, you became the world’s Savior! It wasn’t a Curse! I believe it’s something far more sacred!!”
“Haha, ‘Savior’? Sacred? Ah, that’s right, I’m the Savior! It’s all according to the Apostle’s plan! Now we can gather all the Magic Power in the sky in one place! Good, right! Now we can save the world! Haha! And!? What then!? What then!? Ah, good, good! It’s really good for you guys! It’s not good for me!! This world is saved, so what do I get!? I was told Hidaki’s illness would be cured, and that’s why I came this far! I killed myself, killed others, and did things I didn’t want to do to get here! And this is my reward! I helped those I didn’t want to help, and I couldn’t help the one I wanted to help!! Don’t mess with me!!”
Tears began to pour from under Master’s mask. Just imagining the expression behind it intensified the heat in the depths of my chest.
–Ah, it’s hot.
The same feeling I had when I confessed to Master in Fanian overflowed. It’s a real emotion that can’t be expressed in cold words. That emotion urged me to stop Master’s tears. The Skill “Reading” went into overdrive, and the future began to be read.
— From here on, it’s just the story of a madman seeking revenge. The man who tricked and killed the “Thieves of Principles,” became stronger than anyone with his Magic Power, and ultimately turned into the same kind of Monster as his sister. In his gradually fading consciousness, the man saw the figures of heroes gathered to slay the world’s enemies. The girl Tiara, who once adventured with him, was nowhere to be seen–
Master, after killing those heroes and losing his reason, would probably devour all the Magic Power in the world. This is not deviating from the goal of “making Master stronger” that Hidaki Sister told me about. If there’s a way to resurrect only Hidaki Sister after all life has perished and bring Master back to his senses, this is the best possible move.
Indeed, the best move– but is this really okay? Master breaks, is fixed, breaks again, is fixed again… Is Hidaki Sister okay with him being so sad, suffering, and crying like this? I am not okay. Unlike Hidaki Sister, I don’t want to see Master like that.
I swore during our first adventure. I want to see the smile of the person I love. I want to make the person I love happy. If Master had a naive dream of “everyone together,” I want to fulfill it with all my might–!
“Master, please wait…”
Therefore, I will act. Instead of reading the next page with the Skill “Reading,” I will improvise and add to the current page. I felt the hot emotion flow directly into the Skill’s stats. If I were to name it, it would probably be the Skill “Writing.” My string of words overwrites the cold work written by Hidaki Sister.
“…Wait? For what?”
I will use all the knowledge from all my books to record the Tiara Fuziaze who will stop this protagonist.
“From now on, I’ll change everything… I’ll unravel all the Principles and create a new law of Magic Power… The magic that makes everyone happy that we aimed for together, I’ll create it… So, please wait a little longer… Surely Hidaki Sister too–…”
Hearing this, Master was visibly shaken. Due to his underlying kindness, he couldn’t brush aside the hand of the devoted girl pleading with teary eyes.
“–I won’t leave Master alone… Never…! Just as you saved me from being alone, I will save you, Master…! No matter how many years it takes, even if it takes thousands of years, I’ll catch up…!!”
“–W-why are you–!”
As I intended, Master was speechless and couldn’t retort. Then, he started lashing out like a child.
“Ah, shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up–!”
He tried to escape from this place, disliking the conversation with me. I tried to grab Master’s clothes again, intending to stop him– and froze. The scent of death rising from Master’s body stopped me.
— If I cling to Master here and now, I will surely die.
Master, in his despair, is unable to control his own power. Just like Rowen, the “One Who Steals Earthly Principles,” there’s a high probability he’ll kill someone with his excessive power. Even now, from behind, “The Rift” is watching me, waiting to kill me at any slight chance.
I had no choice but to withdraw my outstretched hand and watch my Master leave through the entrance.
The moment his curses, muttered in the pounding rain, faded from earshot, a wrought-iron chandelier plummeted from the ceiling of the grand hall. I urged my weakened body forward, narrowly avoiding it as I stumbled.
“――――! Haa, haa, haa…!!”
The sheer mass of iron shattered the grand hall’s floor, scattering countless candles. Upon inspecting the chandelier’s fragments, I found no signs of deterioration. It seemed it had fallen directly onto my weakened head due to some unfortunate coincidence.
I was immediately being hounded by the accumulated interest on my “Curse.” I remembered six years ago. With the same feelings I had then, I took another step forward.
“I will survive…! If I don’t survive, I can’t even help Master…!!”
Though I couldn’t follow Master, the conversation we just had should have planted a seed. From now on, no matter what Master chooses to do, he will be held back by my word of “Wait for me,” continuously. Even if only slightly, fate should change from the future I foresaw.
“Someday, I will definitely see the final page…! Together, with Hidaki Sister and Master surrounding me…!”
Even if this world were to perish, I would survive. This time, I had been outmaneuvered by Hidaki Sister, but my original resolve remains unchanged. I glanced back, intending to stare at the “rift” as I had done before.
However, midway—
“Impossible. No matter how long you wait, you will never be able to see the final page of ‘Aikawa Hidaki.’ —For her, such a thing does not exist.”
My thoughts were interrupted by a familiar young voice. With that voice, a boy emerged from the shadows of the grand hall. His appearance and words shocked me to my core.
“Wh—!?”
He was an utterly unexpected character. I placed my hand on the sword at my waist and called out his name.
“L-Legacy-sama…? You are here?”
The third Apostle was hiding in this grand hall. Yet, I couldn’t understand why I hadn’t detected his presence. It would be understandable if it were just me, but Master, who possessed “Dimensional Power,” had been enraged moments ago, declaring, “No Apostles will be tolerated.” To bypass Master’s “Dimension,” one would need equivalent power.
Ignoring my caution and confusion, Legacy-sama continued his own monologue.
“The ‘Thief of Principles’ is ageless. All that awaits you is your death by senility.”
To the Apostle who only spoke what he wanted, I responded with the minimum required courtesy.
“That is… I am already aware of that… Even so, it doesn’t mean there is no end. Everything has its limits.”
Master might still believe he maintains his youth through “Level Up,” but I know that the “Thief of Principles” are ageless. As someone sensitive about my height, I had observed Hidaki Sister’s body not growing at all for the first few years. However, in an era rife with mortal danger, mere agelessness would hold little value. Legacy-sama immediately negated my opinion.
“Some existences are without limit. Among the ‘Thieves of Principles,’ only Hidaki is not only ageless but also immortal.”
“Immortal? …However, not too long ago I eradicated a clan rumored to be immortal. At that time, I strongly felt that such a thing as immortality does not exist.”
The vampires causing trouble in the west possessed a vitality close to immortality. However, there were always ways to overcome them. I used that as an example to refute him, but was immediately denied again.
“They are from a different dimension than vampires.”
“Even if you say they are from a different dimension…”
As I took a step back, I intently watched Legacy-sama. It was clear he was different. Not only was the density of his magic power overwhelming, but his demeanor and way of speaking were also vastly different from before.
“…Ah. Tiara, I’m sorry. These are not the words of Apostle Legacy. They are merely a message.”
Sensing my apprehension, Legacy-sama’s mouth twisted in a sad expression. Then, more than ever, he only shouted what he wanted to say.
“In other words, in the end, I couldn’t find myself… Funny, isn’t it? I always thought I had myself. I wanted to believe I wasn’t ‘made,’ just like you… But that was wrong. I was just a contingency plan. My job was simply to stuff words in and carry them when things reached this point! Ah, I, myself, didn’t exist from the beginning! Ha, haha—, hahahahahaha—!”
Legacy-sama laughed hysterically, his voice filled with despair. His state, like that of the other Apostles, made me feel as though he were being toyed with by someone.
After laughing to his heart’s content, Legacy-sama lowered his head and murmured.
“My Master… As instructed, I have now made contact with Tiara Fuziaze. The preparations for the ‘transaction’ are also complete.”
He spoke to someone in a low voice, incongruous with his small frame. At the same time, he produced a stone from his pocket.
It resembled the ore I used when crafting my sword, “Ruf Bringer.” However, I could tell its purity was unlike any stone I knew.
The stone was mesmerizingly translucent. The vast “Spell Formation” etched within was incredibly complex, yet it pulsed vibrantly like a heart.
The moment I felt as if a single person’s life was trapped within it—the “Spell Formation” confined within the stone was released, spreading throughout the grand hall. Like countless invisible brushes dancing, characters were inscribed on the floor. It was a text, yet it was also a painting. An enormous magic circle, densely packed with “Spell Formations” in a circular pattern, was completed before me.
Furthermore, the surrounding magic power solidified, and at the center of the magic circle, a single door materialized. It was neither wooden nor stone, but a heavy, purple door that could only be described as magical.
This was a “Curse Technique” I had never seen before. Prioritizing my safety, I inquired about the door’s danger.
“L-Legacy-sama…! What is this…?”
“Master wishes to tell you everything. As part of that message, he will completely sever the world’s gaze for a moment.”
“Sever the world’s gaze?”
I didn’t understand what he meant. Legacy-sama, who had become as desperate as Master, paid far too little attention to my words.
“With Master’s ‘Dimensional Power,’ such a thing is possible. Severing gazes is something he’s apparently always been good at.”
“No, it’s not about being good at it, but the ‘Dimensional Power’ belongs to Master… No, first, could you explain this Master person more simply—”
“My apologies, this is a message. —From now on, you will engage in a ‘transaction’ for a simplified Foreigner summoning. You can do it now.”
My questions were left unanswered. Moreover, the term “Foreigner summoning” was thrown at me, pushing my confusion to its peak.
Therefore, it was with a slight delay that I noticed the cold air leaking from the gap of that purple door.
“Be careful. The other side apparently had an appearance that could be called a world of stone in the past…”
I couldn’t grasp the meaning of Legacy-sama’s words.
However, bathed in the cold air, my entire body shivered, not just my spine.
“—Now, it is a world of ice.”
The purple door, on the verge of freezing from the cold air, creaked ominously. The path to the Other World where Master and Hidaki Sister were born was now opening.
