Unit 907

The independent state of Alsamira. Surrounded by the desert, the resort town had

been enveloped by night as most guests headed to bed.

"It's been a year, Saint Disciple Iska."

On the hotel's fourth floor, the blond girl had snuck into Iska's room, speaking very

calmly from her pinned-down position on the floor.

"Do you remember me?"

"…You're…"

His clearest memory of her had been from the afternoon.

It was the exact same girl who had bumped into him from behind at the intersection.

He had been on the road where they had carried Captain Mismis after she had tuckered

herself out from playing in the pool.

But they had first met a year ago.

"We're enemies."

"But you're letting me go?"

"…You're the one from the jail…?"

"My name is Sisbell. I am honored you remember me." On her back, she offered a small

smile.

A year ago, he wouldn't have thought the girl imprisoned for being a witch was beautiful

by any standards.

…Her clothes and hair were a mess… Even though she was smaller than I am, she was

still trying to stand up to me.

She seemed like an entirely different person now.

Taken by curiosity, her large eyes were looking intently back at him with her

mesmerizing face. Her glossy strawberry blond hair spread across the carpet. Her

dress was simple yet cultured.

…Why did she sneak into my room?… I don't think it'd be easy to get a key. How did she

even find out my room number?

His thoughts went in circles.

"I apologize for forcing my way into your room so late at night… but… um…"

The girl was still on the ground. Her face was slightly flushed, and she turned away

from Iska, who was looking straight at her.

"I'm… not used to being treated in this manner…"

"What?"

"…If you wouldn't mind getting off me, I would be so happy."

He had pinned down a dainty girl, leaning over her. When he finally realized that, Iska

leaped up.

"Oh, s-sorry!… But it's not what you think. When I heard the door open, I thought it

was a thief sneaking in—"

"No… It's fine… I was the one in the wrong." The blond girl got up, her face red.

She brushed off the dust on her dress with her hands, giving him a passing glance

before sitting on the sofa. Every action was hypnotizing. There was no way around not

staring.

She was lovely.

And she had to have been born into royalty or nobility and received years of vigorous

training if she moved with such grace.

…Come to think of it, Alice is the same… She moved with poise when we were in the hotel

together…

He knew it was off that he was reminded of Alice from Sisbell's actions and appearance.

"May I call you Iska?"

He snapped back to his senses, standing in surprise.

The ephemeral girl carefully observed him. He nodded silently to her.

"Iska. I apologize for two of my deplorable actions. First, I forced my way into your

room with a spare key, but most importantly…"

She took a breath.

"When you let me out of the prison, I did not give you a word of thanks. Though it was

rude of me… I was afraid it was a trap at the time. I did not think that anyone from the

Empire would let me free."

"I think that's natural. I knew I was doing something ridiculous, too."

Iska nodded where he was still standing in the living room. He elected not to sit on the

sofa. He didn't know anything about Sisbell's abilities. If she attacked him with astral

power from the front, Iska wasn't confident he could react in time.

He had saved this witch. At the same time, that didn't mean she was his ally, and it was

still possible she could turn on him.

"I will pay you back here."

She had a blue crystal bracelet, reverently holding it out after having tugging it off her

own left wrist. "It is a later piece by the jewel craftsman Bildred Morpheus. It represents

the works of early last century. It's not just beautiful. It has historical value. In every

gemstone shop around the world, even if they low-balled you, it would still get you a

mansion and—"

"W-wait a sec!" Iska shouted as she held the bracelet out in front of his eyes. "What's

going on…?"

"Like I said, a token of thanks for saving me." The witch had the bracelet resting in both

her hands.

Iska gently pushed back her hands, which were pale as though they had never been

burned by the sun.

"I can't take this."

"Why not?"

"That's not why I saved you. I wouldn't have done it if I wanted compensation. And

there's no way to get back my position as a Saint Disciple with money."

"…" Her lips pursed.

"Headquarters have their eyes on me now. If I accept something from you, they'll

definitely think I'm working with the Sovereignty."

"I took that into account."

"What?"

"I came here in order to invite you to our country."

Sisbell's eyes were sincere. Standing up, she put her hand on her chest.

"This past year, I've investigated you. Everyone in the neutral city knows about the

incident that happened while you were under the direct command of the throne."

"…So that's how you knew my name?"

"Yes," she answered with a soft smile. "You lost your position as a Saint Disciple. I don't

think it would be an exaggeration to say your reputation has fallen. It is my turn to pay

you back. I can promise you status and prestige, even greater than before. The

Sovereignty would warmly welcome you."

"…"

"I will guarantee a position for you and your safety. Even though you come from the

Empire, there will be no issues with your livelihood."

This was like de ja vu.

In the wastelands, the Ice Calamity Witch, Princess Alice, had made the same proposal

to him as red dust billowed around them.

"You. Become my subordinate.

"I will secure you a position. You'll become a refugee of the Empire."

Did that mean the girl in front of his eyes had influence that rivaled Alice's? He couldn't

imagine there were many in a country with political power to rival a princess.

"Who…?"

"Yes?"

"Who are you?"

Was she related to Alice?

Iska gripped his hands into fists and stopped himself from saying anything more.

Asking questions related to Alice was off the table. If he asked anything, Sisbell would

suspect he had a relationship with Alice.

…If headquarters catches wind of this… I might actually be executed on the spot.

"It wouldn't be so easy to prepare a position equal to a Saint Disciple."

"I could do it," she assured. "I have access to the royal family… as their attendant."

"So you're close to them?"

"Yes. I am in a position close to the royal family. I have received permission from my

employers to do this. I can assure you."

She was an envoy of the royal family.

In other words, she bore a close relationship to someone who was familiar with the

queen herself. That was why it was possible for her to make a proposal on par with

Alice's.

"Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

"…Why me?" He turned to Sisbell, who was blushing red. Iska gulped. "I won't deny

you're close to the royal family. I think it must be true, but I'm sure there are others

who could fill this position."

"Uh." Her shoulders shot up.

"The astral corps can mobilize at a single command. Even an Imperial soldier knows

that the royal family has guards," Iska said.

"…"

"Are you inviting me to the Sovereignty because you want someone from the Empire?"

There was a shadow… of sorrow that had made its way into her eyes.

Since Iska had hit the bull's-eye, she had been at a loss for how to answer. From the

way she quivered and bit her lip, she almost looked as though she was desperately

holding back tears.

"…But… it's because I…," the blond girl managed to rasp out, "I have no servants. I can't

trust anyone…"

"What?"

"I can't tell you the specifics right now. But… the Sovereignty isn't as much of a monolith

as it seems to other countries."

"…But what does that have to do with not having any servants?"

Wasn't that an exaggeration? Iska didn't want to accuse her of lying, but he didn't think

that would apply to the one princess he knew.

"I can't trust anyone !" Her voice echoed through the living room.

She stepped up in front of Iska without giving him a chance to say anything as she took

his hand and squeezed it.

"I can't trust anyone in the country. That's why I need to ask you… I need someone to

become a knight and protect me in place of a servant!"

"…"

"If that weren't the case, I wouldn't have come by myself to ask you to do this. I'm weak,

after all… To present myself to a frightening Imperial soldier, a former Saint Disciple…

Do you understand how much preparation it takes to expose oneself alone in this

situation…?!"

At the end, she was practically shrieking, mixed with violent sobs.

"Even when I came into your room, I was genuinely terrified that you might shoot me,

thinking I was a thief… I don't have strong astral powers like my mother and—"

Like her mother?

She immediately realized the suspicion wordlessly floating into Iska's mind. She

finally noticed that she had been talking, swayed by her emotions, without a pause.

"…I'm sorry. I lost my composure." A weak sigh escaped from her.

The witch reluctantly let go of Iska's hand.

"I can't believe, out of all the things I could have done, I let myself ramble when I was

making a request of you… I have no negotiation skills. Please don't get the wrong idea.

I just wanted to rely on you, and I got worked up…"

"—"

"I'd like to do this over again. I'm glad I met you today…"

The girl named Sisbell turned around.

It was as though she were flowing in water. Her fluid gait made her fair hair fan out as

she left Iska's room behind.

Click. The door locked automatically. Beyond the thick door, her footsteps became

fainter until he finally could not hear them.

"What was up with that…?"

She had left him behind. Iska sighed in surprise. He had come visiting a desert far from

the Empire and Sovereignty… and yet, he had somehow met the girl who he had

broken out of prison a year ago.

…Is it a coincidence? No, but… she knew what my room number was. How did she figure

that out?

He could switch rooms just to feel safe. In any case, he probably needed to check for a

bug. He looked around the living room.

"Oh."

His eyes stopped on the sofa where the girl had been sitting.

"She got me…"

It was the blue crystal bracelet—the one that Iska had already turned down. Sisbell

had unashamedly left it behind when she had stood up from the sofa.

—I won't give up , it seemed to symbolize in her place.

He picked it up. After carefully checking whether it was bugged, Iska turned his head

to face the heavens.

"Who is she…?"

The shop streets were illuminated by neon lights.

The freezing winds of the desert whistled through the main thoroughfare as Sisbell

ran as fast as her legs would take her.

"…What…? What do you think you're doing, Sisbell?!"

She had figured out where Iska was staying, sneaking into his room and finally

reaching the point where she could negotiate with him.

Then why?

"This isn't like me…!"

How many years had it been since she had raised her voice?

She had never complained to her mother—not even once. At most, when she was a

child, she had been stubborn to her poor keeper, but that was the extent of her

experiences.

"This is a disgrace. Even after I practiced all the scenarios…"

She had wanted to get closer to the former Saint Disciple Iska.

Sisbell had secretly felt confident when it came to smooth negotiations. Despite her

appearance, she had picked up her mother's techniques while she was young.

Which smile did she weaponize? What kind of tone was necessary?

What did she need to do to make him lower his guard and win him over? She had

wanted to pull him over to her side. She had been confident she could. There was just

one thing that had been outside her calculations.

Iska was too nice of a boy.

How could she have guessed?

How could she have guessed he would have accepted her?

"…If you wouldn't mind getting off me, I would be so happy."

"Oh, s-sorry!"

Sisbell had been the one who had forced her way into his room. What kind of person

would apologize to someone who was breaking and entering? That had bothered her

from the get-go. His words didn't indicate he was an Imperial citizen who feared

witches. He had treated her like another human being.

And that was specifically why Sisbell's emotions had come undone.

With him… she could open up about her true feelings. Even if she yelled and begged

for his help, he would have been okay with her.

For a moment, Sisbell forgot her own circumstances and started yelling.

"…What a disgrace!" She chewed on her bottom lip, repeating that phrase.

She pulled a communications device out of her pocket.

"My lady?"

"Shuvalts, it's me… Yes… Uh-huh. That's right. All we did was meet tonight," she said

to her keeper, who was awaiting orders at the hotel. "I will try again. I'll wait for

another opportunity. You're right. I mustn't rush things. I will definitely make sure I

succeed. I won't give up."

Her mother's life was on the line.

To protect her mother from that monster that hid in the royal family, she would need

a strong ally.

The sun rose over the sandy horizon.

The frosty grains of sand started to absorb the heat, and the independent state of

Alsamira began to blister.

It was enough to make anyone sweat, which was instantly evaporated by the desert

winds.

"Time for barbecuuuue!" Captain Mismis boomed, as passionate as these sweltering

winds.

There was a camping area immediately within walking distance of the hotel. Like the

pool, this popular establishment was emblematic of the resort, which meant it was

flooded with tourists from the early morning.

"This is paradise! I can't believe I get to eat barbecue for breakfast. While we were in

the capital, I didn't even have time to toast bread. I only ate canned stuff." The

commander held a perfectly chilled drink can in her right hand.

As she gulped it down, the winds whipped against her. It had to be delicious.

"I'm so blessed…"

"If you have enough time to get drunk, help us, boss."

Jhin was keeping track of the gas burner's flame. Next to him, Nene was slicing up

vegetables, and Iska was in the middle of cutting the meat.

"I'll cook the meat!"

"Oh, Captain. We need to put the veggies on first, since they won't heat up as fast.

Here!"

"Boo." The captain slumped over when Nene pushed a plate piled with vegetables

toward her.

"…" Iska kept an eye on the captain, even as he intently observed the waves of people

coming in and out of the camp area. Most of them came with their families. The others

were couples or old married pairs of two. Even though his gaze pierced through the

crowd, he couldn't find Sisbell from the other night.

…It just happened yesterday… I thought she would have followed me to the campgrounds,

but I guess not.

He didn't know whether to tell the others. Iska had taken the whole night to think

about the decision, balancing the advantages and disadvantages of his choice.

If he came clean, they would be informed about the risk of an astral mage nearby.

But if he tried talking about Sisbell, he would end up having to divulge details about

the incident from a year before.

After a long night of deliberation, Iska decided he wouldn't tell them yet.

…It would be easy to tell them. I can do it whenever I want… But once I act on it, I can't

take it back.

If he shared the information about the incident of breaking a witch out of jail, he was

worried his friends could be suspected of involvement. They could all be thrown in jail

on the whims of the Eight Great Apostles or headquarters.

And they were in an independent state.

They were all aware of the risk of staying near an astral mage from the Sovereignty,

who had come to this resort for their own reasons. They were prepared for the minute

chance that one might attack. The three of them knew of the possibility that they might

encounter a witch, even if he didn't immediately tell them about Sisbell.

"Aha! I know, Iska! It just came to me!"

"Whoa?!"

The captain hopped right in front of him, grinning suspiciously. Could she have read

his mind? He backed away when he saw Captain Mismis's pointed look.

"Wh-what?"

"Iska, you were looking there, huh? Ta-da! Roasted sausages. I put some special spices

on them! Eat up!"

"…"

"Huh? What's wrong?"

"…Nothing. I just realized I didn't need to worry about some stuff that's been on my

mind."

Captain Mismis didn't find anything off about Iska's response, holding a plate of

roasted sausages out to him.

"Okay, hurry, Iska. Try one."

"Are you sure you want me to be the taste tester? You're the one who was looking

forward to this barbecue."

"It's fine. They're super spicy."

"What?"

"And an opportunity arises!" Mismis shouted, stuffing it right into his open mouth.

Iska immediately felt as though he'd been struck by lightning. With one bite, his tongue

was on fire.

"Nhhhhhh! These are so spicy! Ow!"

"Iska! Water! Drink some water!" shouted Nene.

He tried to wash it away with cold water, but the burning sensation lingered.

"Wow. Specialty spices from the desert don't disappoint. Looks like the rumors were

true. Your tongue gets all swollen, and you feel like you've been electrocuted."

"Please don't make me your lab rat!"

"Ha-ha. It's rated X for spiciness, and I thought you could take it, Iska. Anyway, can I

have everyone's attention?"

There were four sausages roasting over the flame grill. They were browned and

smelled delicious.

"There's one special sausage in the mix! Rated Double-X for spiciness! Which means

it's twice as spicy as Iska's sausage. Time for a little game of Russian roulette!"

Iska, Jhin, and Nene looked at one another. Captain Mismis, the proposer of this evil

game, was the only one with expectant eyes.

"But wait, there's more! If you're the one who eats that sausage, you'll receive another

punishment! You'll have to be the one to eat all the vegetables here!"

"…So that's what you're after."

"…You just don't want to eat your vegetables."

"…Hey, Captain. It's not exactly healthy to only eat meat all the time."

"You've all got it wrong! I'd like to eat my veggies, too! But I think the occasion calls

for a fun little competition! And I won't be the one to stop it!"

Everything about her expression screamed that she was heartbroken. Not that she

could hide the excitement in her voice.

"But there is one saving grace for the person who eats the super-spicy sausage. If they

can pretend it's not them, they won't get the other punishment."

"So you would need to eat the whole thing without changing your expression?" Jhin

downed some ice-cold juice. "Is it actually possible to hide it, Iska?"

"No way." Iska decisively shook his head. "It's like a bomb went off in my mouth."

"Cool. But, Captain, I'm going to warn you: If you get the spicy one, you'll have to eat

all the vegetables. And we won't let you have a single piece of meat."

"Oh-ho? That's what I should be saying to you. All right! Players, fight!"

They each reached out to one of the four sausages on top of the grill and took a big bite.

…This… is fine. It's a normal sausage. I didn't get the spicy one!

Now the only ones that were left were the other three.

Nene took a wary bite of hers. Captain Mismis eagerly bit off a chunk. Jhin had already

polished off his sausage.

"H-huh? Who got the spicy one?" Captain Mismis blinked. "I'm sure it was Nene!"

"I-it wasn't me! You're acting suspicious, Captain Mismis, especially since you accused

me!"

"But it wasn't me, either. But Iska and Jhin seem fine…"

"I know. Maybe the captain forgot to put in the spicy sausage, so we all had normal

ones?"

"Hmm… m-maybe?"

Nene and Captain Mismis seemed puzzled.

Jhin nonchalantly confessed, "It was me." Jhin, of all people.

"I finished without any of you figuring it out, so I guess we have to keep the game going."

"No way?! You, Jhin?!" Mismis exclaimed.

"Whoa! Hey, how'd you pull it off?!" Nene asked.

"With ice." The silver-haired sniper was holding a bottle of juice with ice. "I cooled off

the inside of my mouth. With a numb tongue, I couldn't taste or feel anything."

"Unfair, Jhin!" cried Mismis.

"I just happened to drink some of my juice before we started. I didn't break any rules…

Cough!… Ah, shit. After all that, it's still… Cough…! "

"Jhin?!" Nene yelped.

"…These spices are… totally not normal… I can't believe it'd be this strong after I cooled

down my mouth…"

Jhin was bright red. When Iska and Nene saw his face, they knew… this wasn't

something that could be withstood.

"Anyway, I got through it, so we're going to keep going with the game."

"Ugh… I-in that case, you can't use that strategy anymore!"

The captain pulled out additional sausages from the cooler. As they roasted over the

open flame, they started to smell good again.

"This is rated Triple-X! It's the ultimate delicacy! It even has an age-limit warning for

anyone under fifteen! You won't be able to handle this with your strategies, Jhin!"

"A-are you doing okay, Captain…?"

"I don't want to eat the vegetables!"

"Did you just…?! I knew it was because you were a picky eater!"

The first round was just to get things going. She had been initially scared that she

might end up getting the sausage, but when she confirmed Jhin had been the target,

she was certain: Luck was on her side today.

They could see right through her.

"Okay. The final match. We're going to settle things for good!"

All four of the sausages appeared to be identical.

They each forked a sausage and held their breaths as they took bites.

…Hmm?… It's fine. I didn't get the spicy one!

Iska hadn't been able to withstand the sausage rated X for spiciness.

Jhin had taken the perfect countermeasure, but he hadn't been able to endure one with

Double-X.

When it came to the Triple-X level of spiciness, no one would be able to hide their

reaction. It would immediately show on their face.

"Not mine," Iska said.

"Me neither. What about you, Jhin?" Nene asked.

"Like I'd let myself get it twice in a row."

Three pairs of eyes naturally gathered on their captain.

"Hey, Captain Mismis… Oh." Nene stopped talking.

The commander was locked in place with the sausage in her mouth.

"…You, huh?"

" " She didn't answer.

Her face was as red as a ripe apple. Then it paled. Her face turned sheet white as

though she had burned right out.

"…Bwoof." Captain Mismis barked like a puppy, collapsing on the spot.

"Captain?!"

"O-oh no! This is bad, Iska. Hurry! We need to get her water! Or an ambulance!"

"I'm just so done with this. I have nothing to say."

They lugged their incapacitated captain over to the shade.

She really was the furthest from an actual adult. After they looked down at her, all

three of them turned up to the heavens for mercy.

In the eastern part of the continent. The yellow deserts of Route Herald.

The sandy wasteland enclosed the independent state of Alsamira. It currently served

as a safe route, but it had once been known to be a land where its many victims never

came home.

"This route was established because the survey units risked their lives ascertaining the

territory of the basilisks," explained one of the bus crew in a large loop bus that carried

tourists to Alsamira.

"The animals inhabiting these harsh lands evolved to become stronger to ensure the

survival of their species. As you all know, the top of the ecosystem is the large wandering

beast known as the basilisk."

According to legend, it could turn people to stone with its eyes.

…I've heard those who manage to escape are covered in sand… which is how these

legends started.

They needed to be vigilant about its ferocity.

Even at nearly four yards in length, it was terrifyingly nimble and vindictive. A basilisk

would never allow anyone to step in its nest. There had been records of people being

followed all the way to the ends of the desert after committing this crime.

"But you have nothing to worry about. This bus makes detours around all basilisk nests.

Even if we encounter one, we are equipped with tear gas containing chemicals that the

basilisks hate. There are even two specialist hunters on board who—"

"We're relying on you," Alice answered in a monotone as she leaned onto the window

frame.

She had gone by way of the neutral city on her solitary trip. She had transferred over

to a loop bus from the closest city to the desert of Route Herald and then continued to

ride for another ten hours.

…I'm sick of seeing the desert… And sitting for so long is doing a number on my butt. And

my shoulders feel stiff because I can't move around much.

Most importantly, Rin wasn't with her. Alice was plagued by the anxiety of going on a

trip without an attendant and the boredom from a lack of conversation partner. They

were both emotions that Alice hadn't felt in so long that she'd almost forgotten what

they felt like.

"I guess it's been about ten years? The last time was when my mother took me out

with her on the locomotive."

They had been on a continental railway at night.

Her memories of traveling across the country by railway while accompanied by the

royal palace retainers came back to her. Alice had been riding on a railcar heading in

the direction of the burning lights in the neutral city. She still remembered when she

had been attacked by the group of roving beasts that kept that land as part of their

territory.

…I wonder what got into me back then.

…When I saw those gigantic beasts for the first time, I guess I must have been frightened.

Her body had frozen in place. Even with her astral powers, Alice still hadn't had full

mastery over them as a young girl, scampering away in fear at the back of the train

when faced with the group of beasts.

"I remember that happened…"

It was similar to this situation. The only difference was that present-day Alice wouldn't

be frightened if she encountered a basilisk. Of course, she would prefer to avoid the

nest of a beast if possible.

"Watch out!" the driver yelled.

The bus driver suddenly hit the brakes, jerking to a stop from chugging up a sand dune.

It dug up a mound of sand as it screeched to a halt. Even Alice felt herself almost

launched out of her seat from the recoil.

"Wh-what is going on…? That could have been dangerous."

It seemed like some passengers had hit their bodies on impact. The inside of the bus

became slightly panicked.

"W-we sincerely apologize… Uh, um…"

"We have found prints ahead of us," muttered the operator, causing the passengers to

stir.

Ahead of the bus were curious tracks appearing along the gentle slope of sand. There

were traces that something gigantic had been crossing the desert.

"Hmm? That's…!" Alice stood up from her seat, sprinting over to the back door of the

bus and manually forcing the door open.

"M-miss?! It's dangerous out there! You can't go outside—"

She broke through the cabin crew as they tried to restrain her. She was on top of the

hot sand. Grains of grit whipped around her. Just one step outside made her start

sweating immediately. The scorching winds buffeted her. Alice started dashing down

thedune,followingthetracksonthesand.

They were footprints, traces of something much larger than a human lurking in the

desert.

…A basilisk? But we're far away from any nests… Plus, would it leave clear footprints?

The traces were bipedal. A basilisk slithered over the sand to travel with its peculiar

movements, making prints like someone skating on ice.

What did that mean when it came to these footprints?

An elephant or rhinoceros must have left these heavy tracks while walloping and

swaying over the ground.

"Is it bigger than a basilisk?"

She felt chills run down her spine. The basilisk should have been the king of this

desert's ecosystem. If that was the case, what had created these huge footprints?

"…" Alice noticed the black splotches in and between the tracks.

Is this… blood? When she approached it, her nose was tickled by a faint odor. It wasn't

blood. The malodor that lingered in her nostrils and polluted lungs was—

"Machine oil?"

It brought back memories of her battles with the Imperial soldiers. Even the Imperial

bases that Alice had targeted were always permeated with a similar smell.

"…And it's headed toward…"

The footprints went off to the east, continuing toward the independent state of

Alsamira. Based on the pristine condition of the tracks, it hadn't been long since it had

passed through.

"I was hoping this would be a good opportunity to talk to my sister, but prospects are

looking bleak…"

The wind blowing through the dune swept up her golden hair like so many silk threads.

She held it down to keep it out of her eyes.

"I hope I can reach it today." Alice shook her head slightly.

Within the suburbs of Alsamira was the residential district, neatly lined with wealthy

villas—far from the pools, campgrounds, and shopping areas around the hotels.

It was quiet there.

Past its outstretched roads were desert paths that led to the horizon.

"Hey… Iska, are we at the hotel yet? I'm so tired. I can't walk anymore," Mismis

complained.

"It's just ahead."

"We could have stayed another night at the other hotel…"

The captain stalked forward while Nene and Iska held her hands.

"I can't believe you'd change our hotel. You're so cautious, Iska."

"I'm just trying to save on our budget. Hotels near the shopping streets are all pricey.

This hotel has comparable reviews as the one from yesterday, but it's way cheaper."

"I remember informing you before we left," Jhin reminded, walking behind everyone

with hands full of Captain Mismis's swimming ring and other miscellaneous luggage.

They had been causing a ruckus since the barbecue that morning.

After that, they had swum in the same pool as the day before. They were finally on

their way back home. But at Iska's suggestion, they had changed hotels.

He had done it on the pretext of the residential district hotels being cheaper.

…But Captain Mismis is right for once… I'm changing hotels because I am cautious.

The night before, Sisbell had visited him. The incident had blown over quietly, but

when he thought about what would have happened if it had been an attack by the

tlitthidhii

It wasn't just that he would be in danger. His friends would be involved, too.

…I chose the hotel arbitrarily… I just called in to book it. She shouldn't be able to figure

it out.

No one was trailing them, either.

Until he had come here, Iska had always kept a watchful eye on his surroundings. He

was sure that there weren't any Sovereign assassins dressed as normal people.

"Ah, I'm blessed," Mismis said, seemingly to herself. "It's been a while since I had so

much fun," quietly admitted the captain with blue hair. "Nights can suck on normal

holidays… I end up thinking about heading off to the battlefield when morning comes.

But right now, I'm excited about our fun schedule tomorrow. Just thinking about it

makes me feel happy."

"I'm glad you want to have fun, but make sure you've got enough energy left to walk

on your own two legs."

"Fiiine." Captain Mismis smiled innocently as she gripped Iska's and Nene's arms.

That was when Nene suddenly stopped in a fluster, yanking on the captain's left arm.

"Oh, wait. Stop for a sec, Captain."

"What?"

"It's come off."

A faint green light illuminated through her thin shirt. The radiant light was coming

from Mismis's left shoulder.

"Oh! I-I'm so sorry, Nene! I didn't notice…"

"It's fine. The end of the bandage just curled up. I think it must have happened while

you were swimming in the pool."

She flipped up Mismis's sleeve and reapplied the bandage. In that time, Mismis's smile

had faded.

"R-right… I shouldn't be out having fun. I need to figure out a way to hide this mark."

"You'll be no help. You might as well have fun."

"Jhin! You meanie!"

"Iska, Nene, and I couldn't figure anything out. It'd be better if we clear our heads for

a while and then start thinking up ideas from scratch. We still have that sixty-day

extension."

The sun was setting. The sniper watched the horizon steeped in crimson and suddenly

narrowed his eyes.

"Well, if you're worried about it, boss, let's go to a general market tomorrow."

"A general market? Like the one happening in the back of the roads?"

"This is an independent state. Because it's not the Empire or the Sovereignty, they can

import stuff from either side. It's basically a black market."

There were Imperial guns and bullets and Sovereign fibers woven with special metals

and worn by the astral corps. The source country was unknown and unofficial. Of

course, prices were high due to the exclusivity of the goods sold.

"The general rule of the market is that the early birds are the winners. If we're going

to get anything, we need to be there first thing in the morning."

"Jhin, are you saying we're going to get… that? Um, that thing from back when the

captain was taken hostage at the vortex…?" Nene asked.

"Yeah, the bandage on the former commander Shanorotte."

"Did this surprise you?"

"Y-you're a witch?! O-ow!"

"That's right. I'm what you call a witch."

The former commander Shanorotte had disguised herself as part of the Imperial Army.

She had ripped off the bandage—which hid her astral crest and energy. The stuff on

Captain Mismis's shoulder was just medical tape, which meant it didn't block her

powers, though the mark was unseen to the eye.

"When it comes to researching astral power, they've progressed more than the

Empire—according to the former commander Shanorotte."

The Sovereignty had developed a special textile that could block astral energy. That

didn't exist within Imperial territories.

"It's fine if all we can get is a knockoff. We'll get our hands on the stuff that was

developed in the Sovereignty—even if it's just the instruction manual."

"Of course, Jhin! This makes me happy. You have the biggest potty mouth, but you can

be so reliable when things get rough!"

"Get off me. It's already sweltering."

"What happened to your nice side?! Hey!"

Jhin nimbly sidestepped the captain as she tried to embrace him.

"…Hey. A girl is offering to give you a hug! You're so antisocial."

"Captain, I can see the place where we're staying."

Patting her small back, Iska pointed at the hotel along the road. Compared to the

luxury hotels, it didn't look as nice, but the reviews weren't bad.

Most importantly, this hotel was owned by the Empire. Anyone related to the Nebulis

Sovereignty would think twice about trying to break into it.

"Captain, Jhin, pick up the pace!" encouraged Nene.

They were at the automatic door, which was basked in blinding light. As they all turned

to look back at Iska in the lobby, he gripped his Imperial weapon. This was outside of

Imperial domain. Unless one had the common worldwide currency, it wouldn't be

possible to pay for their stay.

"It'd be bad if the money exchange closed. I'm going to go there right now."

"Okay. But come back soon, Iska. We're heading straight to dinner after this."

"Got it." Holding his money, he hurried outside.

It was evening. The sun was already more than halfway below the desert horizon.

"Let's see—"

He left the other three and headed out of the hotel. He had pretended to go inside the

hotel and immediately ran back over to the road outside.

…I'll make them think I went into the hotel and tail them.

…We'll run into each other here.

He had purposefully chosen a hotel in the quiet residential district because there

weren't as many passersby. If anyone was walking along the sidewalks, they would

catch his eye. But he didn't see anyone suspicious.

"…Guess she's not here."

Sisbell had invaded his room with expertise, somehow managing to obtain Iska's hotel

room number and a spare key from the hotel manager. He suspected the same might

happen again that day… or the astral corps might pay him a visit in his room and—

Although he was hypervigilant, he didn't see anyone who caught his eye on the large

street in front of the hotel.

"I knew she wouldn't come this far."

"Who?" A sweet voice giggled.

Impossible! Iska whipped around toward the hotel entrance. The glass automatic

doors had parted to reveal a blond girl walking coolly out of the lobby.

Iska felt cold rather than surprise.

"Good evening, Iska. Were you looking for me?"

"…Did you use some kind of trick?"

It was unbelievable.

How had she come for him before he had even gotten to the hotel?

"I said I would redo things. I don't intend on giving up."

Her innocent smile immediately settled on a serious expression.

Sisbell was wearing a different dress, elegantly lifting the hem of her skirt once she

was out the door.

"We're in the public eye. If we're seen together, it would spell bad news for both of us.

Would you be open to changing locations?"

"I agree. But where?"

The day was growing dark already. It was too dim to talk at a corner of the building.

And there could be witnesses. But the restaurants were busy with guests having

dinner.

"Over there. You can see a large building on the horizon."

Sisbell was pointing in the direction of the shopping zone. Facing the desert was a big

plot. He could see the shadow of a gigantic establishment that looked like a factory.

"That's…"

"A crude-oil mining facility. They open holes deep in the desert bed with drills to

extract oil. According to rumors, the Empire has its eyes on its wealth of energy."

"You sure know a lot."

"That's because it's part of my duties here. Oh, I can't tell you any more details." The

girl winked mischievously.

"Looks like we'll need to walk awhile."

"That's a good thing. We know there won't be as many people."

"…Okay. But let me tell my friends. I need to let them know it'll take a while for me to

get back."

"Be my guest."

He called Captain Mismis. Sisbell observed him for the duration of their call before

pointing toward the desert.

"Then let us go."

She started walking, her hair trailing after her in the cool wind.

The oil extraction facility had to be a twenty-minute walk on foot. Until they reached

the outskirts of its plot, the blond girl was entirely silent.

And the night wore on.

The entrance warned them against trespassing. They passed by the sign, venturing

farther into the plot.

"I think that we're far enough. It's empty at night, just like I thought."

Sisbell turned around.

Iska needed clarification on the shocking secret to her tricks.

"…From your astral power, huh?"

"What do you mean?"

"I only decided to change hotels today, but you were waiting there ahead of time."

He had been thinking about it all the way here, though he couldn't pinpoint her exact

skills.

"I was wondering about the spell you used."

"A spell? I didn't realize you were a jokester. Or do you think I'm a scary witch?" She

gracefully placed her hands over her chest and looked up at him.

She had called herself a "witch."

"As you've guessed, it's related to my astral power."

The blond girl fiddled with the button at the front of her dress. She used her other

hand to open it before moving down to another button.

Under the sunset, she started to expose her chest. This scene could have been a

painting.

"Um! What're you…?"

"Don't fret. It isn't for nothing."

Under her collarbone was the faint glow of an astral crest that shone out of the gaps

of the fabric.

"My astral power has the ability to reproduce the past, like a projector."

"Like footage?"

"I reproduced it all from this afternoon—when you called this hotel, when you recited

the room number, when you talked about what time you wanted to check in. I can

reproduce everything in front of my eyes. That's how I learned about those things."

"…I never knew there was…," Iska trailed off.

It was the first time Iska had heard of it, but she certainly wouldn't have been able to

get to the hotel ahead of him without something to that extent.

Sisbell spoke about it with nonchalance, but it had to have interfered with time and

space. Even among the many types of astral powers, it was a particularly rare one.

…It doesn't even compare to being tailed. This is diabolical. Nothing would be better for

gathering intelligence.

If this witch snuck into the capital, she would strip down all manner of secret

information, including intel from the organization headquarters, votes in the Imperial

Senate, and profiles of all the Saint Disciples and Eight Great Apostles.

"Yesterday, I told you one lie—about my identity."

"Did you lie about your name being Sisbell? Or that you're an attendant of the royal

family?"

"It's the latter. I'm—"

Her buttons remained open. She placed a hand on her radiant crest.

"I am Sisbell Lou Nebulis IX, a candidate to be the next queen."

"What?!"

"Although I don't have any proof to show you on this trip."

"…"

"Do you find it impossible to believe?"

"…The opposite." Iska shook his head, smiling painfully. His intuition hadn't been

wrong—not when it came to the identity of this girl, who resembled the Ice Calamity

Witch Aliceliese.

…A daughter of the queen. Like Alice… which means she's Alice's sister!

In that case, he could accept her powers. She was one of the Founder's descendants,

one of the mages they called purebreds.

"I'll believe you're telling the truth. That's why I was so surprised… But are you sure

about this? I am an Imperial soldier, after all."

"I want to bring an Imperial soldier on my side. That's why I used my trump card for

this."

Princess Sisbell's lips were trembling slightly. She didn't know when the Imperial

soldier might change his mind and attack her with the knowledge that she was royalty.

"I have no allies, even though I am a princess."

"…" He tried to guess what that meant. "Is it because everyone is scared of your astral

power?"

"Well, they consider me a nuisance. I can't reveal particulars, but our queen is being

targeted… by one of the Founder's descendants."

"Huh?"

"Do you think that will lead to the self-destruction of the Sovereignty? The individual

isn't attempting to steal the Sovereignty. They are seeking to do something even more

catastrophic—the collapse and decline of the world itself. Once they have taken the

queen's life, I am willing to bet they will strike the Empire."

"…Isn't that the same as suicide? Why would they do that?"

"To eliminate anyone who could get in their way within the Sovereignty. I believe they

will try to involve all the powerful members of the royal family in the war to wipe out

everyone."

But they could not hide that plot from Sisbell Lou Nebulis IX. Her astral powers could

see through all plans.

"Which means you're being targeted, too? By the traitors trying to kill the queen?"

Princess Sisbell had no answer to offer. Her large eyes were full of fear.

"Just as I keep an eye on the traitor, they are observing me, too. I still don't know who

is part of this scheme…"

Because of that, she couldn't rely on anyone in the Sovereignty. That was because she

couldn't know if they were traitors.

"My powers are useless in battle… If you were to point a gun at me, my life would be

over." She smiled in self-derision.

Her sweet face crumpled as the purebred bit her lip.

"Iska, I want you!" she yelled, which echoed pitifully through the desolate establishment.

"I am already prepared to welcome you, your family, and your unit as state guests. I

will guarantee absolute safety. All you need to do is stay by my side. I want you to

protect my life!"

"—"

"If the queen falls at the hands of the monster, the country will become its puppet. It

will break out into total war with the Empire. If that happens, those you hold dear

might perish," predicted the witch who could see into the past.

A full-blown war between the Empire and Nebulis Sovereignty wasn't far off. None of

that seemed insincere to his ears.

"Iska, do you seek destruction? One of the two countries will annihilate the other, and

the victor will lose its power and entirely decline. Is that the future you want?"

"…No."

"I want you to help me change it." Her cheeks must have been flushed from passion.

The princess of the Nebulis Sovereignty stepped forward.

"I won't ask you to betray the Empire. Three years… Even two would do just fine. You

only need to be my guard until I become the next queen. After that, you may go back

to the Empire or live in the Sovereignty. You could even escape the war and live in a

neutral city."

"…I didn't expect this proposal. I feel like you're almost wasting this on me, honestly."

"Do you understand the situation?"

She took his response to be positive. The princess from the enemy nation seemed

relieved as she offered her right hand.

"Then, Iska, I ask that you be my guard starting today."

"—"

"Iska?"

"It is an unprecedented proposal, but I can't take your offer."

"What?" She gaped at him, unable to wrap her head around what was happening.

Sisbell's eyes scanned him from the top of his head down to his toes. "I—I must have

misheard."

"I have my reasons. I'm not fighting as an Imperial soldier for nothing."

"I can't. I can't stand on the Sovereignty's side."

"…And why would that be?"

And that was it.

This must have been the fate of this planet all along.

It was destiny for the Sovereign princess to make proposals and for him to turn them

down. It was fate that their paths never converged.

"You were the one who said it. Do I want two countries to be annihilated? Of course

not."

"Th-then why won't you join me?! At this rate, the Sovereignty will become a puppet

nation, and we won't be able to avoid the two nations from going to war! To avoid this,

we need to—"

"That's where we differ."

"What?"

"I hope to end the strife between the two nations."

"How… how?"

"By negotiating for peace."

"That's impossible! There's no way that could ever happen!" she refused, enraged.

"Even if I was to become queen, that is something that would never materialize. I

believe our people… would never forgive the Empire."

"I realize that."

…I know… I've already heard that from Alice.

But had Iska faltered with this knowledge? No.

A full-blown war might be upon them.

Bring it on. That meant it was time to stop the battle before it broke out. That was Iska's

goal, and that was what separated his ideals from Alice's and Sisbell's motives.

"That's why I can't be your follower."

"…But…" The blond girl staggered. Just as she seemed as though she was about to

stumble to her knees, she leaned against a streetlight and desperately stopped herself.

She had been worn down. "—Uh… ugh…"

Her delicate shoulders quivered. A faint sob escaped from her. She ground her teeth,

trying to bear through it, but it overflowed from between her gritted teeth.

"...So… I really have no allies...," she mumbled, as though she was coughing up

blood.

"That's too bad. I am disappointed, Sisbell."

The reply seemed to come from nowhere in particular. Someone was behind them.

"A young girl's tears spilling in the cold night. How poetic. It could be a painting. Or is

that a part of your act to gain sympathy from an Imperial soldier?"

A man in black wearing a mask appeared under the streetlight… followed by an armed

group of four. They were wearing pilot suits made from hides that looked out of place

in a resort, and their faces were concealed by helmets.

"Well, Sisbell. It seems that you're giving your best to find new recruits."

"Lord Mask?!" Sisbell's voice cracked. "Wh-why are you here…?"

"Just on a holiday. I wanted to forget all about what's happening in the country. There

shouldn't be anything strange about that." The masked man dramatically shook his

head.

Iska wordlessly backed away. He had seen this man before. This was not a man who

was easy to deal with.

…This is the guy who restrained Captain Mismis!… This is an independent state—not the

Sovereignty or a battlefield. Why is he here?

Iska had fought against Kissing the purebred, but he had remembered the uncanniness

of this man, who commanded her and whose nature he didn't know.

"You're the one who's strange, Sisbell." He pointed at her.

She started to tremble.

"I wonder who this boy standing next to you could be."

"This… is…"

"There's no need to lie. I encountered this Imperial swordsman during the incident

with the vortex. Though we were both unsatisfied with the outcome. Heh-heh," he

chuckled from beneath his mask.

"Luck is on my side. I never would have known he was an Imperial soldier if I hadn't

been involved with the incident in Mudor Canyon. And it is already too late. I have

proof of your conversation."

The masked man made a show of holding a recorder out in front of him before tucking

it away in the breast pocket of his suit.

"This will devastate the queen. To think her own daughter had ties to the Empire."

"Wait, Lord Mask! I'm not colluding with the enemy. If anything, it is the opposite. I'm

trying to save the country from traitors by—"

"You're the traitor," he calmly interrupted.

"…Ugh." She gaped at him. "I see what you're trying to do…"

Her voice was cold. With wild rage in her eyes that was unfamiliar to Iska, the girl

glared at the masked man and his subordinates.

"To the Zoa family, the truth is not important. You want fragments of the conversation

that you can spin to support your narrative. Your goal is to deceive the queen."

"You are free to think what you like. It's already too late."

"…Who told you where I would be?"

"I will say this again, but I was just visiting the resort. Unfortunately for you, Sisbell, I

must take you in on suspicions of consorting with the enemy."

All four of his subordinates stood ready at once.

Before Iska could say anything, the blond girl turned her back on them, sprinting for

her life into the oil extraction facility along the dim night road.

"You're running? I should have expected that from the queen's daughter. I thought you

would obediently let yourself be captured, but it seems you plan to struggle to the end.

Chasing you in the darkness of night will be a task."

"…So you're Lord Mask."

Chasing after Sisbell from the corner of his eye, Iska turned to face the man.

"Aren't you supposed to be in this together? You're both part of the royal palace, right?"

"If you're asking about our relationship, then there is only one answer: Yeah, right."

Stifled resentment flooded out of the mask.

"The Sovereignty is not a monolith. You must have experienced that firsthand. That

girl schemed to make an Imperial soldier into her underling, of all things. That is a

serious crime."

"…You don't want to know why she reached out to me?"

Princess Sisbell had confided in Iska that she had no allies. Though he couldn't accept

her proposal because of his position, even Iska had seen his decision had left her in

distress. The girl was risking her own life to protect the country.

…She's just like Alice… We're enemies and incompatible with each other, but I understand

where she's coming from.

"Isn't she part of the royal family? Don't you feel like there's something up if she has a

reason to ask for help from an Imperial soldier?"

"I'm sick of this conversation." Lord Mask sighed. "I don't care about her reasons. We're

talking about the fight for the throne. She committed treason. She tried to bring in an

Imperial soldier to the fight. There is no reason for me to ask why she cheated. Breaking

the rules is a crime."

"In that case—"

"Making a commotion in the middle of the night is a crime, too. Don't make me file a

noise complaint."

An intense ray of light shone in on them. One of the facility lamps had been turned on

and lit the grounds as brightly as midday.

"Jhin?!"

"Jeez. I heard you were running late, and I was wondering what you were up to. I can't

believe you've gotten yourself mixed up with the wrong crowd. See, boss? This isn't

the right time to take our time choosing a barbecue place."

"Did you really have to bring that up now?!"

Jhin and Captain Mismis had appeared from the shadows of the extractor machine.

Nene jumped out after them, carefully clutching Iska's astral swords.

"Uh, it's that guy from back then… He's the sorcerer who kicked me!"

"If it isn't my dear hostage. I thought I'd pushed you into the vortex, but it seems you've

made it back alive. Wonderful. I believe you've been in good health?"

The two had a deep connection. Singled out by Mismis, Lord Mask shrugged as though

he was amused.

"Hmm, I see. In other words, Sisbell wasn't just seeking a single pawn. She was trying

to recruit an entire unit."

"Stop spouting nonsense."

The silver-haired sniper set his eyes on the four grunts, who did not so much as

tremble. The man Sisbell had called "Lord Mask" had to be a purebred. In that case,

that made them his accompanying guards.

"Don't get the wrong idea," warned Lord Mask. "Though you seek a battle, we do not."

"…What was that?"

"We came here to retrieve our kindred. We have no desire to play with fire in Alsamira."

He had the conversation between Princess Sisbell and an Imperial swordsman

recorded on a device, though they didn't know what Lord Mask aimed to use it for.

…What should I do? I need to make a call right here.

…We don't have a reason to fight for Sisbell as her shields.

That applied to Captain Mismis, Jhin, and Nene in particular.

Lord Mask could scheme all he wanted. This was an internal conflict of interest within

an enemy nation. It required no intervention from the Imperial unit.

"Looks like you got the picture. Let's focus on capturing Princess Sisbell. Make sure

you play nice. Though she is a traitor, it would be annoying if we had to face public

backlash for injuring a princess."

The masked man snapped his fingers. The ones who answered his call were not the

four men behind him—but something entirely outside their expectations.

Iska and the rest of Unit 907 and even the elites of the Nebulis Sovereignty who Lord

Mask led were taken aback by the intruder's abrupt entry.

"…What is that?"

Pushing past mounds of desert sand, a gigantic object dropped from the sky, tearing

through the curtain of night.

The thing had crashed onto the ground, making the earth rumble.

…It was a heavily armored machine, pitch-black.

The giant was shaped like a human, one that had built muscle on top of muscle. It had

to be about ten feet tall, covered in multiple layers of armored plates. It hummed with

the energy of a large truck.

It held an enormous, reinforced sword in its right hand. Its left hand sported a riot

shield. It looked almost exactly like a knight. Its grave appearance even made Lord

Mask leap back out of caution.

"Is that an Object? One of the extermination machines?!" Nene yelled through the dust

cloud.

"No way… I've never heard of one of these being deployed outside the Empire."

"Astral energy detected," announced a mechanical voice.

Its large frame swiveled, looking at the people gathered at the oil drilling facility,

appraising them. Its gaze landed on Lord Mask and his subordinates.

"Astral power in one, two, three, four, five…"

Finally, the machine turned to Mismis.

"Six. Tally complete. Initiating pursuit of target 'Purebred 9LC' for prioritized restraint."

"…No!" Nene's shriek was in vain.

The armored machine leaped high into the air, making a beeline for the interior of the

oil drilling facility. It was headed toward where Princess Sisbell had run to hide.

"Iska, we need to go after that machine! We can't let it get away! We need to destroy

it!" Nene yelled.

"But isn't that an Imperial weapon?"

…The Object. I'm pretty sure that was the name of the unmanned robot display model…

An anti–astral power weapon.

It was supposed to be their ally. As a top-class engineer, Nene would know the most

about it. Then why was she acting this way?

"It got data on the captain."

"…I see!"

"What? Uh. D-did I do something wrong?" Mismis asked.

"You can keep quiet and feign ignorance, boss. Iska and Nene, go after that huge thing!"

yelled Jhin, piercing through the night.

Propelled by his energy, Iska and Nene didn't miss a beat as they both launched off the

ground at the same time.

…The robot counted Captain Mismis as the sixth member with astral power… If it gets

back to the Empire, then we're over. Headquarters will know the captain turned into a

witch!

That was why they needed to stop it.

"What's going on? You're destroying it?… Are you planning on pinning the blame on us

?!" Lord Mask barked in a cold rage. He must have realized what the Imperial unit was

scheming. "You four! Capture Princess Sisbell and evacuate!"

"We're not going to let you do that."

A gunshot pierced through the darkness. A bullet tore through the air right in front of

the eyes of the astral mages as they were about to start their pursuit.

"Hurry up and go. Nene, don't lag behind."

"Leave it to me!"

Nene sped up. She was right behind Iska. They could still make it in time. They followed

the Object going after Sisbell.

The dust started to settle.

The two Imperial soldiers and five astral mages remained in the hushed area.

"You're getting on my nerves." The man tapped the front of his mask with an extended

finger. "We had no intention of escalating things. Our goal was to take home one of our

fellow mages. Why would an Imperial soldier protect her?"

"You've got the wrong idea."

"Hmm?"

"You're clever, but you only think in circles."

The silver-haired sniper moved forward in place of Mismis. Lord Mask hadn't noticed

the silent rage in the calm voice of the Imperial soldier.

"It was you—the one who dropped the boss into the vortex," Jhin said.

"…"

"There's your reason."

Though only the two of them would be challenging the five elites, including a purebred,

Jhin did not have second thoughts about his will to fight or his self-confidence.

"That's why I want to give you a good beating."

When the Object was in flight, it emitted a white trail of light and vapor in the air.

…The Object is a generic model name… I know that it's supposed to be a witch-hunting

machinated soldier made by the Imperial research institute.

It was an executioner—one that would detect astral energy and pursue witches. The

main issue of concern was the way this one operated.

They didn't know whether it was the mass-produced variety from the Omen Institute

for Astral Research or a custom-made model from the first generation. It could have

been an "unofficial" model that hadn't been announced to the public.

"But they don't have parts that allow them to fly. I haven't even heard of something

that can make the propulsion required for this big machine to fly through the air," Nene

said.

"…So it's a newer model?"

"I'm not sure. I think that it's a model of the Object, though."

They headed to where the trail of light continued.

Iska kept running through the facility grounds with Nene. The trail of light was slowly

making a descent. It had probably found its target.

Sisbell the Witch.

"Anyway, Iska, we can't let that robot get back to the capital!" Nene shouted between

pants. "Captain Mismis was counted as a witch. If headquarters sees that data, they'll

find out that the captain has astral power!"

"I know that. We can stop that happening by destroying it, right?"

But they couldn't just destroy it. The Object was after the purebred Sisbell. Headquarters

would see this as an attempt by Sisbell and her guards.

…In the end, it'll mean I need to save Sisbell… But this is going to be the last time!

He couldn't extend his hand to a princess of an enemy country… because the

descendants of the Founder were the very people Iska needed to capture to realize his

wish for peace.

"Are you trying to say that you desire peace? That's impossible."

"That's why I thought about catching a direct descendant from Nebulis's bloodline."

In the history of the century-long war, the Imperial Army had never once captured a

purebred.

That was what he had been told. Iska believed it. That was exactly why he needed to

be the one to do it.

And he never would have guessed…

"My name is Sisbell. I am honored you remember me.

"I am Sisbell Lou Nebulis IX, a candidate to be the next queen."

How had this happened? What an inexplicable turn of fate. He never would have

guessed that he had let a purebred he was meant to capture escape with his very own

hands.

…And it's the same now… When she's right in front of me, I'm choosing to save her instead

of capturing her.

He was saving Captain Mismis. He was going to destroy the Object.

He didn't have the time to restrain a purebred.

"This has got me beat…" He couldn't help but bark in laughter, even during this serious

scene. "I was sure I was putting everything on the line, but things have gone off the

rails. An ironic twist of fate."

"Iska?"

"…Let's hurry, Nene. We can't let the Object get away."

He gritted his back teeth as he catapulted off the ground and pursued the trail of light.

NO TRESPASSING.

She jumped over a handrail with the sign. Looking up at the towering oil drills, she

went deeper and deeper into the grounds. Sisbell ran without a destination in mind.

"…Uh… ha… ah…!"

Where was she headed?

She was out of breath and sweating.

But where would she hide?

She knew she would be captured. Even if she waited through the night, concealing

herself in the shadow of the oil drills, Lord Mask's subordinates would find her in the

morning.

Even if she ran to the Sovereignty without being caught, her conversation with an

Imperial soldier had been recorded.

There was no point to it anymore.

She'd be damned if she did and damned if she didn't.

"Uh… ha, ah… uh… guh!"

This was the end.

She would be imprisoned as a traitor. That meant anyone who could have battled against

"that monster" in the royal family would be gone. They would go after her mother's

life. Their government would be destroyed, and the Nebulis Sovereignty would be led

to ruin.

ThldbhditdlltitthEiThldti

battling until this planet was destroyed and then, finally, no one would be left.

Why am I still running…?

Her vision was blurring from the tears building up in her eyes.

Her heels weren't suited to running. They were close to falling right off her feet. She

was wheezing. Her sides had started to hurt.

But then why?

"…Don't you dare underestimate me!"

She was obstinate.

Even if she was blamed for a crime when she was innocent, even if they tried to confine

her, Princess Sisbell still had a job to do… to figure out who the traitor was.

"Lord Mask! Who told you about me?!"

Sisbell never officially announced where she would be going. Even within the palace,

only a small handful of people knew this classified information. Her keeper, Shuvalts,

had been by her side, where he could keep an eye on her. Her mother was out of the

question. Because of that, the only suspects were her older sisters, Elletear and

Aliceliese. It must have been one of them.

…If I can just get back to the palace, I can check with Illumination… and find out who

contacted Lord Mask.

Even if she had to crawl through the desert, she would survive out of pure spite and

get back to the palace. She could be captured after that. If she could just tell her

mother, she might be able to protect the queen's life… which meant the Sovereignty by

extension.

"Protecting the country… is the duty of a princess!"

She would not yield.

She could be stubborn. Even if her mother and the retainers found her suspicious,

until she completely fulfilled her responsibilities as a princess—

"Prioritized target for restraint: 'Purebred 9LC' has been secured."

…

…Huh?

"Purebred 9LC." Sisbell realized that it meant her. A cold, mechanical voice and a

gigantic shadow dropped down from the sky… right before her eyes.

"An Object?! A mechanized Imperial soldier… I hope they didn't… pass along my

information to the Empire!"

It wasn't just Lord Mask. The traitor had even told the Empire that Sisbell would be

visiting this country.

"Gah!"

She didn't hesitate for a moment to change course. She turned her back on the machine

that stood in her way and ran for it.

"Skree."

She heard an unpleasant sound. There was something creaking between her feet.

Immediately, Sisbell's right leg lost mobility. A sharp pain ran through her body from

her left calf, making her lower body convulse.

"Suppression bullet fired."

She tumbled over from the impact. She couldn't do anything as she hit the hard

ground. She prepared herself—

"Right in the nick of time."

What? Sisbell had just been about to collide with the ground. But now she was being

held up by someone.

"Iska, it's shifted into auto-elimination mode. Be careful!"

"I know."

The Imperial swordsman prepared his black and white swords. He positioned himself

as though to shield Sisbell, who was immediately behind him.

"I guess I can't say I'm only doing this once. This is the second time, after all."

The former Saint Disciple Iska.

The swordsman who had broken her out of prison one year ago turned around with a

complicated smile on his face.

"I wonder why our fates are so connected."