Chapter - 4

Academy's Puppeteer, Reisen Hiraga.

"...You mean to say you have some kind of plan against a monster who won't even be hurt after taking a direct hit from a Device?"

Her tone was prickly, the aura of dubiousness that he exuded making him rather unlikeable. But he did not seem to mind, instead laughing throatily.

"Fufu. While it is indeed surprising that a direct hit from Yui's Sweeping Centipede failed to accomplish anything...in the end, that was merely the effect of mana itself. The Crimson Princess is not a defense-oriented Blazer, and as such breaking her barrier of mana is simple. My own ace should be able to see us victorious in one strike."

"Well it sure would have been helpful if you'd used it sooner."

Reisen shook his head.

"While I would have very much liked to have done so, it is most regrettable that this Noble Art requires some time."

"So you can't use it."

"Fufu. I am ashamed. However, if we can last that long, I assure you that my ace shall break her with ease. Thus, if I may so trouble you, could you buy me a little time to until I have completed the preparations for my technique? We of Akatsuki would be rid of the troublesome Crimson Princess, while you would clear this hellish first round - it is to our mutual benefit that we should aid one another now, as people on the same team, is it not?"

"..."

Mikoto responded with silence and a displeased furrowing of her brows.

It was his voice. There was scorn in every word he said, as though he were mocking the world and everything in it. It made her sick; just hearing it rubbed her the wrong way.

But on the other hand, he had a point. Right now, they were fighting on the same side. Cooperation would be the efficient course of action.

Moreover-

I don't have any means of beating Stella, but this guy says he does.

If only for this alone, she had no reason to refuse him.

"I understand. But - I can't guarantee this will go well."

"How timid."

"If I did have confidence, then I wouldn't have had to rely on the cooperation of shady folk like you and your ilk."

With that said, she placed her left palm over her right eye, and swept it across to reveal a monocle - Icy Sneer Mikoto Tsuruya's Device.

"Done with the hush-hush chit-chat?"

Mikoto entered a stance, and beyond the rim of her monocle was the levelled gaze of the crimson-eyed knight, her red hair trailing wisps of flame.

"Did you wait for us on purpose?"

"Yes. I came late from the first, and then -even though it was with your agreement- made you go along with my desire to vent my anger. I'm really sorry about that...so I'll be more gentle on you."

"That's considerate of you. I wonder if you could considerately cede this match?"

"Fufu. I like your thick skin, Tsuruya-san, but that's impossible. After all, this fight is very important to me."

"That so? Can't be helped then."

"Yes. I'm afraid the 'complimentary service' ends there. I'm coming over now. If you want to resign, the earlier the better. I will not retract my blade once I've swung it!"

With that, Stella kicked off the ground and charged towards Mikoto.

"Tch-!"

That embodiment of violence, that had taken down Yui without a thought for her ruined arm, was now closing in with that greatsword in her good hand. Coming to destroy her.

Nothing good would come of taking that strike on. It would most probably make all the hurts she'd taken so far feel like mere tickling.

She might even die.

The fear that pierced Tsuruya's heart could paralyse her mind.

But even so, she was one of the previous year's national Best Eight.

She was one of Japan's elite. She would not retreat or show fear.

The magic she unleashed from her monocle -a rare sight among Devices- was one that could instantly reduce the temperature of a selected area within her vision to Absolute Zero.

"Satin Ice!"

A glaring light wrapped in a frigid, cutting shroud shot forth from the monocle.

This magic's speciality was that its effect triggered instantly upon her focusing on a target. In other words, this magic travelled at what was effectively the speed of light.

In a split-second, the temperature around Stella fell below freezing point right through to absolute zero. Even liquid nitrogen, which was well-known to be able to freeze objects instantly, reached only around minus 200 degrees Celsius. No human could remain unharmed when exposed to temperatures even lower than that. It would freeze them right down to the marrow - their heart having stopped long before that.

No matter the terms in which one spoke of it -activation speed, range or stopping power- it was a first-rate ability.

With it Mikoto could go toe-to-toe with any of the powerhouses in the Seven Stars Sword-Art Tournament.

That was true.

Only one person-

"Empress Dress"

-the strongest fire user in the world, was exempt.

Turning the entirety of the utterly frozen atmosphere into steam under extreme heat, she caused it to dissipate before the raiment of roiling flames that was clad about her.

"As I thought, that's how that would go, huh."

In truth, Mikoto had known it would turn out this way.

Satin Ice was at its simplest the manipulation of temperature. Fire users on the other hand could raise temperatures, thus making it hard for this technique to beat them. If those two abilities were to clash, then the difference between victory and defeat lay with each individual's mana pool.

In this, the Crimson Princess Stella Vermillion was unmatched, and as such Mikoto stood no chance from the beginning.

But she had managed to slow her down, just for a moment.

And that's more than sufficient to fulfill my role!

"Tear my enemies asunder, Sphinx!"

"Gooohhhh!!!!"

Having waited on the sidelines away from Stella, Rinna now took advantage of the momentary pause in her movements and struck out with King's Pressure.

Yes. One moment was enough.

If she but stopped Stella for a moment, Rinna could land a clean hit with King's Pressure, rendering Stella immobile.

The lion leapt into pursuit immediately, aiming for her head. Earlier, its blow had done no damage - that must have been quite a blow to its pride as the King of Beasts, for even without Rinna's orders it opened its mouth wide, preparing to crush Stella's head between its fanged jaws.

Even Stella could not possibly emerged unharmed from being mauled by a lion as large as an elephant and empowered by magic as it was.

If it went through, this would decide the battle.

But even as that faint expectation blossomed within Mikoto-

"Gaaaaoohhh!!!!!"

-Stella led out a sudden earthshaking roar aimed at the black lion the Beast Tamer commanded.

"!?!?!?"

The lion came to a dead halt just as it was about to lay into her.

As though it itself were affected by the King's Pressure.

"S, Sphinx?! What ails?!" Rinna berated the beast at its sudden disobedience. "Wherefore did you cease?!"

But even so, the lion did not budge.

Why? The answer was simple. Animals in the wild walked far closer with death than humans did. The strong devoured the weak. This was how that lion had lived long before Rinna had ever tamed it.

Thus, it understood, could not help but recognize the vision that hovered behind that young woman.

That vision of a towering, winged dragon.

The crimson-haired girl before it was by far a superior predator.

There was no way it could intimidate her, for how could a mere cat frighten a dragon?

Thus, upon meeting a predator whose capabilities far surpassed its own, wild animals would choose only to do one thing.

Run.

"Nyaaaaaaa~n-!!!"

"Eh?! Kyaau-!"

「Oh dear! What is this! The lion that should have been controlled by the Beast Tamer's Collar of Subordination, having been defeated by Stella's intimidation, has fled with its tail literally tucked between its legs, leaving its master in the lurch! And even now, Stella strikes at the defenseless Kazamatsuri-!」

Once again, Stella brandished her sword in her right hand alone as she put her full weight into a diagonal slash.

It was a broad stroke that leveraged on momentum alone, but having been thrown from atop the lion Rinna had landed on her bottom.

There was no way she could dodge that.

The same heavy hand of Stella's that had taken Yui out in a single strike fell upon Rinna, hitting not only her but also collapsing a portion of the ring itself.

It was unmistakably a killing blow.

"..."

But Stella did not count to two.

The reason for that was a voice that spoke from within the dust cloud churned up by that explosive impact.

"Even in my dreams, Crimson Princess, I did not think that during these parlor games I would be forced to lean on mine favored right hand, and thus bring forth my sin-drenched, fell-branded knight - she whose form was blessed by powers dark: the Sealing Arts of Accursed King!"

"My lady means to say 'Thanks, Charlotte, you saved me!' No, no my lady, you need not thank me. I am your personal maid, and also your sword and shield."

As the wind carried the dust away, it gradually ceased to veil the eyes, and what had transpired in the ring became clear to all.

Stella's blade had failed to reach Rinna.

The ground beneath her feet broken and cracked, the apron-clad maid Charlotte Cordé stood between Stella and her master...

...having stopped Laevateinn with but a single index finger.