Chapter 95: The Opponent to Fight
Inside the palace, an eerie silence prevailed. There was no sign of the artificial knight soldiers like before attacking us.
Since we didn’t know the internal structure, I thought some exploration might be necessary… but the terribly cold presence emanating from deeper inside showed us the way we should go.
“…Niinii.”
As we hurried down the path, Sophie suddenly stopped at a bend.
“…I’ll take a separate action from here.”
“You have a reason, don’t you?”
Sophie nodded firmly and shifted her gaze to a path different from the cold presence.
“…The control room should be down that path. I’ll go over there and try to take control of this mechanical palace.”
“The control room is down that way? How did you know that?”
“…I’ve already grasped the tendencies of the designer and manufacturer of this palace. The rest was deduced from observing the exterior while on the surface and the internal structure we’ve seen so far. Almost certainly correct.”
“Just from that little information…I’m amazed. As expected of Lady Sophie.”
Sophie’s talent for technology is truly exceptional. She’s really reliable at times like this.
“…It’s silent now, but it likely has means to attack the surface. At minimum, I have to seal those off.”
“Ah. Of all of us here, you’re the most suited for that role, Sophie. Sorry, but I’m counting on you.”
I placed my hand on Sophie’s head and stroked her. My cute little sister narrowed her eyes pleasantly while nodding resolutely.
“…Yeah. You all be careful too.”
Parting from Sophie, we hurried onward. Following the evil, cold presence, we arrived at a large hall – a circular great hall surrounded by sturdy walls, reminiscent of an arena. A space where lavish dances could be held, yet nothing extraneous was placed inside. And in the center stood a woman wielding a sword.
“Well, hello. I’ve been waiting.”
“….Loretta.”
Seeing her, Luche’s gaze sharpened like a blade.
“The path to the king’s chamber is a straight shot from here. Please, go right ahead.”
“Oh? How considerate of you. Have you decided to betray your beloved ‘mother’ now?”
“Of course not. Lucille told me to let any guests pass. However…only three of you may proceed.”
Currently in this place are me, Luche, Noel, and Princess Marietta – four people.
In other words, one of us must remain here. Lucille predicted we would be four here.
“…Just as expected.”
“It seems so. By now, Lady Sophie is probably playing with dolls too.”
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“…..?!”
As Sophie headed for the control room, her technician’s intuition stopped her in her tracks.
Three seconds later, countless magic circles emerged from the floor ahead, summoning mechanical golems that manifested their massive forms one after the next. Not just ahead – magic circles also lit up from behind, and another golem army materialized.
“…..A trap.”
Her escape was cut off. The encirclement was complete. Sophie was utterly isolated.
The fact that a trap was prepared specifically in this spot meant Lucille predicted Sophie would head for the control room alone.
“…..It doesn’t matter. As expected.”
But to Sophie, such trouble was anticipated.
When she saw the positioning of the separated pawns on Robelte, she had already read that Lucille intended to separate her.
“I’ll break and dismantle them all, and get praised lots by Nini.”
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Luche could sense the violent fluctuations of Sophie’s magic power. The battle had likely begun.
“Normally golems wouldn’t be enough to stop her, but the total number deployed is 589,063 units. No matter how many hundreds she defeats, more will just keep manifesting from the magic circles. It’s an unmanageable quantity for her alone. It may be wiser to give up on your little sister’s life.”
“So you’re trying to drive us to despair and ‘delight’ in it?”
“As perceptive as ever, Luche. You see right through me.”
“That’s not it. It’s because you don’t seem all that dejected yourself.”
Lightning magic she couldn’t suppress burst from her body. But without even glancing at Alfred and the others tensed behind her, her eyes were locked solely on her once-friend Loretta.
“Alfred, Noel, Marietta – you go on ahead. I’ll settle things with this fool here.”
This was her intention from the start. This is why Luche came all this way to this flying mechanical palace.
“…Understood. Don’t lose, big sister Luche.”
“Don’t get cheeky, just get going already.”
After watching their backs disappear down the inner passage, Luche refocused her attention on the enemy before her.
“Letting them through so easily. I was bracing for you to stab me in the back.”
“Don’t wound me. Did you really think I would do such a thing?”
“You wouldn’t?”
“Of course not. If I stabbed you in the back, I wouldn’t get to see your face twisted in despair.”
“…..I see.”
“I thought we understood each other.”
“Yes…I thought so too.”
But Luche no longer understood anything about the woman who was once her friend.
Perhaps she never truly understood her at all, not from the very beginning.
“Luche. Won’t you try to understand me again?”
“Loretta. I can no longer try to understand you.”
Now, their paths had completely diverged.
“I see. Then let us settle this.”
A jet-black wind whipped around Loretta’s body. The torrent of power swirled into a gale, staining her blade.
“Last time I didn’t use this against your injured self, but this time I will. My Ring of Chaos.”
A miasma on an entirely different level than Nenel’s poured from Loretta’s ring.
Undoubtedly full force. A magic power brimming with killing intent. Yet her poise and stance were unmistakably Loretta Garland herself, just as Luche knew her.
“And you’ll use yours too, won’t you? The Royal Garment Ring.”
“….Rest assured. I intended to fight with all my strength regardless.”
The golden magic bursting from Luche’s body became lightning that incinerated the evil wind enveloping this place.
“I will use every ounce of my power to kill you, Loretta Garland – as the friend you once were.”
“How delightful.”
Clashing purple thunderbolts and jet-black winds. The two forces grappled, gnashed, and lashed out fangs to tear apart each other’s lives. But that was merely the prelude – the opening act before the deadly battle begins.
“Heed my thunder – Zeus!”
“Bring forth the ailing winds – Wind Demon King!”
The released, swelling magic powers collided.
The mortal combat had now raised its curtain.
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While Luche began her deadly battle, Noel and the others also encountered their next foe.
“So it is you.”
“……..”
Standing in their path was the Masked Girl – no.
Liatris Lirimbell.
“Alfred.”
“I know.”
She was the one Noel must settle things with. The one he must fight. His foreign friend understood, lightly thrusting out his fist.
“You have to get her back for sure.”
“Same to you.”
Lightly meeting the extended fist with his own.
No more words were needed. They each knew what must be done. And as expected, Liatris only let Alfred pass.
“….Honestly, you gents are so passionate.”
“I’m counting on you too.”
“Don’t just tack that on.”
After Alfred proceeded further in, it was as if that triggered Liatris, as miasma began rising from her.
“……Liatris. We didn’t come here to fight you.”
Noel and Marietta also prepared to engage by deploying their magic power.
“We came to bring you back.”
Their resolve was already firm. No matter how bad the odds, they would never give up.
“So you’d better be ready too. To be held in my arms again.”
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