Chapter 93: Each Person’s Resolve
Several days had passed since Lucille’s attack.
The [high-density mana crystal] needed to power the magic airship had finished charging the required amount, and all that was left was to make the final preparations and board the [Orchestra], but…the momentum was difficult to find.
The true identity of the Helmet Girl was Noel’s fiancée. Moreover, all the memories he had made with her had been erased.
And…Charl had been taken away by them. She was right in front of me, yet they just took her away.
“…I can never reach out at the crucial moments.”
Since then, Makina has not awoken. According to Sophie, her physical body has become that of an ordinary living human. I don’t fully understand what happened myself. The only certainties are that it involved [magic], and that Lucille seems to know something about it.
“No matter what kind of magic it was…”
As I speak to the quietly sleeping Makina on the bed, I gaze at my empty open palm.
“If I can’t even protect the precious people with my power…then it’s meaningless, isn’t it?”
Brother Leo, Makina, Charl.
No matter how much stronger I become, I always end up losing what’s important.
“What are you moping about, you idiot brother!”
“Gah!?”
A merciless chop struck the back of my head without warning.
As stars flickered in my vision and a stinging pain spread, I turned around.
“Lu Luche nee!? Shouldn’t you still be resting…”
“Who do you think I am? A wound like that healed ages ago. A true lightning-fast recovery.”
She laughs it off, but it wasn’t the kind of wound that could heal in just a few days.
Big sister Luche’s healing ability is extraordinary, but even accounting for that, she can’t be fully recovered yet. She may act nonchalant, but she’s undoubtedly pushing herself too hard.
“…Planning to give up on everything and just stop here?”
“……”
“Lamenting your powerlessness, stopping and hanging your head – is that what you want to do?”
Back then, I told the sleeping Makina in front of me not to give up.
Those feelings haven’t changed.
“…Of course not.”
Makina didn’t give up. So now it’s my turn.
No matter what happens, even if I’m powerless –
“There’s no way I’ll let it end like this.”
I won’t give up.
“I’ll board that mechanical palace and take Charl back.”
I clench my fist tightly, squeezing hard.
“I’ll make them pay in full for taking Leo’s arm, trampling on Makina’s heart, and kidnapping Charl. …That’s what I have to do. I won’t stop.”
“If you understand that much, then stop moping around here and get the preparations done already. I’m sure Makina would say something similar.”
“…Yeah, you’re right.”
I don’t have time to be depressed or lament my powerlessness.
That’s not what I should be doing right now. Big sister Luche’s words reminded me of that.
“…Thanks, Big sister Luche. I feel like my head is clearer now.”
“Whatever. I just figured Makina wouldn’t want to see your pathetic face.”
Big sister Luche turned her back to me and Makina, heading for the door.
“This will be the last time for a while.”
But just before closing the door, she paused one last time.
“That I’ll meddle in my little brother’s affairs as his sister.”
★
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The magic airship created by the [Steel Prodigy], whose name echoes even in the Ivelpe Kingdom.
The transported parts had been assembled in a flash over the past few days, and all that remained was the final inspection before the airship could take to the skies, heading toward the mechanical palace ruling over the sky in just a few more hours.
“So this is where you were.”
Marietta’s voice called out to Noel, who was gazing at the airship in the makeshift assembly area.
“Are you ready?”
“……”
Noel could not nod in response to Marietta’s question. But her reaction was likely expected – Marietta didn’t seem particularly surprised.
“So you’re still wavering about fighting Liatris san, I see.”
“……Gh…”
Marietta’s words pierced Noel’s heart without mercy.
He had thought Liatris was dead – the one who changed his world, the most precious and beloved person at the center of Noel’s being. When he lost her, it was like the whole world went dark before his eyes. All light vanished from existence. He had continued forward by lighting the flame called revenge in that pitch-black world. That became Noel’s entire purpose.
Yet Liatris was alive. But she had lost all her memories of him and now turned her blade against Noel himself. Furthermore, Noel had until recently aimed his sword at her with murderous intent as the target of his vengeance, even if he had hidden behind a helmet. He had hurt Liatris with a blade steeped in killing intent.
Chaos. Confusion. The storm of various pieces of information, reality, and the past raged violently within his heart.
He could feel the sword called the will to fight or the intention to battle that existed in his heart flickering, about to be extinguished by the tempest of the flame called revenge that had forged it.
“Indeed…that Lucille woman does seem quite skilled at toying with people’s hearts.”
Marietta must sense it too –
That Noel’s will to fight is already faltering.
“She may have calculated this from the start, to sap the fighting spirit of the genius hailed as my brother.”
“…Could be.”
He understands it rationally. And the effect is undeniably immense.
“Duty as royalty, obligations…those were…lies. I fought for the sake of avenging Liatris. For revenge alone. And now I had resolved to fight for the future…”
That premise was based on having lost his most beloved, Liatris.
“But the enemy is Liatris herself. The woman I love most in this world. To raise my blade against her as an enemy to defeat, not in training or simulations but real battle…I cannot do it.”
“Then simply don’t raise your blade against her.”
“…Don’t joke around at a time like this.”
“The one joking around is you, is it not?”
Marietta’s voice was sharpened like a blade cutting through ice.
“Blinded by vengeance, disregarding those around you worrying as you kept fighting – is this the result? Don’t take it too far with the jokes.”
“…You’re right. My apologies.”
“Don’t apologize!”
Marietta’s hand shot out like a blazing flame, seizing Noel’s collar and slamming him against the assembly area wall.
“Don’t apologize now! Do you think you were the only one grieved by losing Lady Liatris!? Sister and I, the children of the church, even her parents – we were all grieved! Resentful! And you just tossed aside even those feelings to recklessly charge ahead alone! Don’t apologize now!”
“Marietta…”
His sister’s eyes looked straight at him, not allowing him to avert his gaze.
“But to begin with, I can’t comprehend it. She was alive. Not dead, but alive. Then shouldn’t you just take her back into your arms!?”
“You heard too…Liatris’ memories are already…”
“So what? If they’re gone, then make her remember. If you can’t bring yourself to raise your blade against her, then accept all of her with your own body until she remembers you.”
“…Ridiculous.”
“But still – try your hardest.”
Such commonplace, mundane encouragement. Marietta forms a fist in front of her chest, as if gripping those precious memories slumbering within.
“The chances of success may be extremely low. But they’re not zero. Then it’s worth the gamble. Use every card you have and take this long-shot bet, and win. It’s easy to give up, but that doesn’t make it painless.”
Having said her piece, Marietta released her grip on Noel’s collar.
“This bad habit of yours. Spinning convoluted reasons is all well and good, but try acting on your heart’s whims once in a while.”
“My heart’s…whims…”
He closes his eyes, facing his own heart in the darkness.
Noel had been wavering until this very moment – yes, wavering.
He couldn’t fight. But he couldn’t completely give up either.
The Noel from before, whose heart was frozen, likely wouldn’t have wavered. He wouldn’t have been able to move that frozen heart. But the current Noel is different. His heart sways with hesitation.
The anguish of fighting his most beloved. The anguish of completely giving up.
He only needed an instant to choose which pain to embrace. To Noel’s own surprise, the answer came instantly.
“…Marietta.”
The heart that had wavered in hesitation is now resolved.
“Thank you. Thanks to you, I’ve steeled my resolve to take this long-shot gamble.”
“Honestly…such a troublesome older brother. Please don’t burden your little sister too much more.”
“…I’ll handle it properly from now on.”
To be honest, Noel never imagined Marietta would go this far in her depths. But perhaps it wasn’t that Marietta changed, only that Noel himself had overlooked many things until now.
If he had still been blinded by vengeance, he may have missed even more. Marietta’s words may not have reached him. He may not have boarded this long-shot gamble if he had forsaken the future.
“…Thank you.”
That gratitude was not just directed at his sister,
but also toward the black-haired prince who helped clear the haze from his eyes and gave him the courage to face the future.
★
“Oh?”
The figure Marietta saw when she exited the assembly area first was Luche.
“Did you come to kick some sense into that hopeless brother of mine?”
“I was planning to, but it seems my role was unnecessary. I just saved you the trouble of having to deal with the idiot brother.”
“You did enjoy looking after others, even back when studying abroad.”
“That’s not it at all…Back then, I gave up on something. This is like…making up for that, or perhaps just clinging to lingering regrets…”
Marietta didn’t know what exactly Luche had given up on, but her eyes were not those of someone who had completely surrendered.
“Are you still giving up now?”
“…No. I’ve stopped. That’s why I’m playing the meddling older sister one last time.”
Luche’s eyes were brimming with determination and resolve.
“I’ve quit giving up. I’m going there to convey that.”
Marietta’s gaze followed Luche’s, toward the mechanical palace ruling over the sky.
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