Volume 7, Chapter 10 “The Most Dangerous Man”
Volume 7, Chapter 10 “The Most Dangerous Man”
Part 1
Shortly before Leon and Serge settled down.
The main people aboard the Licorne were watching the battlefield from the bridge.
The conversation between Leon and Serge, who were fighting, was overheard, and Alberg, who heard it, held his face with his right hand.
” ―― Serge, did you want to be loved? Did I treat you badly?”
Alberg seemed to regret it, but Louise’s reaction was the opposite.
“Wanted to be loved, what a joke. So did he think he was allowed to do whatever he wanted? He’s a really jerk.”
While each of them showed a different expression, Marie saw the masked knight on the bridge.
In fact, the masked knight was in command of the fleet assembled by Leon.
“The battle is over, right?”
“A beautiful lady, I’m afraid this is the only place we’ve come to an end. In addition to the Holy Kingdom of Rachel, we don’t know the movements of the remnants of the rebellion. Besides, we’ve got some big ones left.”
The big one――Ideal.
Ideal, who had been working in the dark by preparing multiple sub-units, could not be located at the moment.
The masked knight was also wary because he didn’t know what he was thinking.
“But we have Luxion on our side, so we’re safe, right?”
“I want to hope so”
Julius really believes that his true identity is unknown, so he pretends to be a masked knight. However, Marie knew who he was.
She’s realized it, but is wondering if she should pay attention to it.
Marie looked next to her and saw Kyle, the man who had rescued Yumeria.
Parent and child are all here, watching over Leon’s battle.
Then Livia let out a small sigh of relief.
“――It’s over, isn’t it.”
On the monitor provided in Licorne, Arroganz was approaching the motionless Gier with a large sword.
Ange was also pleased with Leon’s victory, but she still wanted to complain about his bad mouth.
“Couldn’t that idiot have been smarter about winning? If he’d just keep his mouth shut, he’d be a man worthy of being a hero.”
When she heard Ange’s high opinion of Leon, Marie was taken aback inwardly.
(I don’t think he looks like a hero even if he’s silent. Even so, aniki is still terrible. What’s he going to say at the end? Is he going to verbally finish him off?)
What was the last thing that Leon wanted to say? Marie was curious about that, but then someone started crying and she turned her attention to him.
――It’s Lelia.
“Stop it. Don’t do it! Don’t kill Serge! You don’t have to do this, do you? Ne~e, please, stop him! “
Lelia looks at Alberg with a sense of sorrow.
But Alberg thought it would be better to end it here.
“It would be more helpful if it ended here. For the country and for Serge.”
Lelia shook her head in disbelief.
“How can you say that? He just wanted to be loved! The truth is, you just didn’t love him, did you? That’s why you have no problem saying horrible things like that!”
Lelia cries out, but Noelle approaches her and slaps her. (Note: Good job)
When Lelia stops crying in surprise, Noelle teaches her instead of Alberg.
“Do you really think you can help Serge after all this? Can’t you imagine what will happen if he is caught? If we don’t end this quickly, he’ll continue to suffer.”
This is not a peaceful modern world.
It was a story that Lelia couldn’t understand.
But Marie knows. She almost got crucified once for pretending to be a saint.
(I misunderstood because there are some parts of my life that are the same as my previous life. This world is pretty extreme, but I thought it was peaceful like my previous life.)
It is a world where human rights awareness is lower than in previous life.
If it doesn’t end here, there will be hell to pay for Serge.
Lelia, who couldn’t understand it, clung to Noelle.
“I won’t let it! Please help him. You guys can help him, can’t you? He’s a big deal back home, isn’t he? Please ask Leon to help! “
When Noelle turned away, Lelia then turned to Ange.
However, Ange would not accept such an offer.
“Don’t put any unnecessary burden on Leon. I’m sorry, but ending it here is the most merciful thing we can do.”
” ――W-What about you? You are not going to help him? Wouldn’t Leon be willing to go through the trouble if you asked him?”
Lelia turns to face Livia, who had been silent.
As a fellow reincarnate, Marie immediately understood that she was trying to take advantage of Livia, who was a foolish good-natured person.
However, Livia, who has gained various experiences, was not only kind.
“I can’t bother Leon-san with my selfishness. And there’s nothing I can do about it.”
When she was told flatly that she could not help her, Lelia drooped her head.
“Why? ―― Help him.”
Lelia spills large tears, and when Clement approaches her, he tries to get her to step back so that he doesn’t have to show her a bad scene.
“Don’t look, Lelia-sama. Let’s leave here.”
“No! I don’t want it!”
Lelia stood up and spoke up in defense of Serge.
“He’s just like me. He just wanted to be loved! I can understand how he feels. I’ve never been loved either! “
Lelia appeals that she can understand Serge’s feelings, but Clement is confused when he hears this.
“No, your parents loved Lelia-sama deeply.”
“Where’s that? They adored my sister, who had the aptitude to be a priestess, didn’t they. I was excluded, aneki and my parents used to talk about it together! I was ―― I was second only to aneki, right.”
She says she was never loved more than Noelle.
Noelle grabbed onto Lelia as she cried out.
“That’s enough”
“Let me go! You don’t understand what it’s like to be unloved! “
“Not loved? You have no right to say th――”
Marie tries to stop her.
(They’ve started fighting again. These girls should not be together?)
The moment Marie started to move to stop them, she saw in her vision a man holding a gun.
“Noe――”
It was Clement who moved before Marie could shout.
“Ojou-sama! Tsu !?”
Pushing them away, Clement stepped in front of the man and crossed his arms.
Without hesitation, the man pulled the trigger against Clement.
There were only a few light “clicks” from the small pistol, but the bullets easily pierced the well-muscled body of Clement and blew him away.
As Clement’s blood splattered on the bridge, silence fell around them.
Noelle and Lelia couldn’t understand what had happened, and the people around them were too surprised to move.
Louise’s eyes flickered as she looked at the man who had done the firing.
“Why did you do it? Why did you shoot him, Emile!”
It was Emile who was holding a pistol.
Emile’s pistol was different in shape from the common ones in this world, and most importantly, it was different in power.
Emile, holding such a weapon, the light was gone from his eyes.
He silently points the muzzle of his gun at Lelia.
Everyone was surprised by the unexpected behavior and was slow to move.
“Good bye”
Emile’s target was Lelia. Noelle, who noticed this, moved quickly and pushed Lelia away.
“Go down!”
“Eh? “
Lelia, who had been pushed by Noelle, did not understand what was happening.
Emile pulled the trigger several times and there were a few light “pshuw“. In a panic, Alberg jumped on Emile, pinned him to the floor and took his gun.
Emile was held down, but he looked at Lelia with a blank expression.
Lelia was safe. She had been pushed away and was lying on the floor.
“A-Aneki?”
A shaken Lelia calls out to Noelle, who stands in front of her and shows her back.
Noelle looked back, but she was bleeding from the corner of her mouth.
“You’re ―― such an idiot. Serge―― and you look exactly alike.”
Blood slowly spread down Noelle’s back.
Not in one place. She was shot in several places, and the blood poured out and spread across the floor.
As it was, Noelle collapsed.
“Noelle!”
Marie ran over to Noelle and checked her wounds, which were in bad shape, probably because it was a very powerful pistol.
She immediately used her healing magic, but when Marie checked the wound, she immediately noticed it.
(T-This no good. I can’t save her)
The blood drained from her face.
Seeing a large amount of blood flowing from Noelle, Marie burst into tears.
“Noelle, be firm. Just hang in there a little longer and aniki will come. I’m sure Leon will save you.”
She kept calling out to her, but Noelle was smiling painfully.
“T-That’s right. I want to see Leon――for the last time.”
“It won’t be the last time!”
Ange was raising her voice.
“Report to Leon. Luxion should be able to do something!”
As Marie used her magic on Noelle, Livia came over to help with the healing magic. But the look on her face was a surprise ―― and frustration, as she turned away only once.
Marie asks Livia.
“If it’s you, somehow can do something, right? You’re so much better than me, aren’t you? Healing magic is your specialty, isn’t it!?”
She looked at Livia, who was a more skilled healer than herself, and saw hope, but she shook her head.
“I’ll buy you some time. Now, Are-chan is not here, we can only rely on Luc-kun.”
Kyle and Cara were treating Clement as the commotion inside the bridge began to increase.
“O-Over here looks okay!”
“Marie-sama, please heal Noelle-san.”
Julius, wearing a mask, picked up Emile’s pistol and approached the person.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing!”
No one had ever thought that Emile would go after Lelia.
The pinned down Emile had no expression on his face. He only moved his eyes to look at the fallen Noelle.
“There was someone got in the way. I was actually going to kill Lelia.”
Lelia, who had been told she would be killed, looked at Emile with a blue face.
“Emile?”
Emile began to speak indifferently.
“I was sure you would choose me, but I guess Serge was your first choice. Lelia, I’ve always loved you.”
“You’re wrong. I want to help Serge but never meant it in that way!”
“It’s no different. ―― Because I’ve been watching you.”
Emile’s cold voice, which sent chills down her spine, was not that of a frail and gentle young man.
Alberg, who had been holding him down, was slowly lifted up by Emile.
“W-What a power?”
With his slender body, he forcefully lifted the adult Alberg by force alone.
The scene was unusual, and it looked as if Emile was not human.
“I’ve been al~ways looking at you for a long time. You worried about Serge. You may have thought of it as a slip tongue, but to me, you’ve always been the number one to me. ―― And yet, you betray me!”
As Emile exploded with emotion, a window on the bridge of Licorne broke.
The one who appeared from there was―― Ideal.
[I’ve come for you, Emile-sama]
“Thank you, Ideal. More importantly, Serge has failed.”
[It wasn’t a simple clay vessel. But it seems that the plan needs to be changed to Plan E. Emile-sama, are you ready for this?]
“Aa~, no problem. I’ll just take Lelia with me.”
As Emile extended his right hand to Lelia, Loic and the masked knight interfered.
“I won’t let you!”
“I’m not going to let you do what you want!”
However, Emile’s arm changed like a plant root and flicked them off as if it was a whip. The two of them let out a miserable cry.
“Nowaa!”
“Guhee!”
As they collapsed, Emile turned to face Lelia.
“Well, I guess it doesn’t matter if you are alive or dead. Come with me, Lelia.”
The root of the tree approaches Lelia. Lelia moves back while sitting down.
“No, don’t come here! Don’t come, you monster!”
Emile, hearing this, gave a dim, dark smile.
“It’s okay, Lelia. ―― From today, you’re a monster too!”
Just as the tree roots were about to entangle Lelia, flames appeared and interfered.
“Chi!”
Emile clicked his tongue and turned his head to look at Ange. Flames had appeared around Ange. Emile turned to face Ange. Ange, who controlled the flames, launched an attack on Emile.
“You’ve been rampaging all you want. I won’t let you do anymore!”
As the flames attacked Emile, Ideal deployed a barrier to protect him.
The skin color faded from Emile and turned white, and his eyes turned red.
[There’s too much interference. Shall we merge first?]
“I guess so. I can be one with Lelia later. Lelia――see you later.”
Emile smiled, and Ideal generated a flash of light that took away the vision of everyone who was there.
When Marie opened her eyes, Emile and Ideal were nowhere to be found.
Marie immediately instructed the others to inform Leon.
“Notify Leon immediately! Don’t forget to tell him that Noelle is in danger!”
But Louise was pointing at the monitor.
“W-Wait. Why is he still moving? And that figure is ――”
All eyes turned to the monitor, where a black liquid was leaking out of Gier. And then Gier was swallowed.
The figure was gradually changing ―― a hideous monster was being born.
.
Part 2
“IDEBAARUUU !!”
Gier’s figure was covered in a black liquid and then a lump of flesh. The soggy surface was pulsating with what looked like veins.
A number of small, thin hands appeared, and there was even something that looked like a face.
A voice that sounded like Serge kept shouting Ideal.
“Oi, that face is, don’t tell me”
[――Serge himself. It seems that Ideal had planted the fragment of the demonic armor that he claimed he had destroyed in Gier. He really did it. Yeah, I haven’t been mocked this much since Master.]
“This is no time for jokes! Is he gonna make it!?”
[Did you intend to help him?]
“――Pretend you didn’t hear what I just said.”
I immediately asked if I could help him, but after what Serge had done, even if he had been tricked by Ideal, he would have been executed.
“Domegaan! Domegaan haelpmiii ――” (Note: Someone! Someone Help me!)
The expression on Serge’s pained face disappears, and then appears on the surface, both eyes glowing red.
Luxion warns me.
[Master, it’s dangerous!]
“I know!”
[No, not the demonic armor in front of us, but――the sacred tree as well.]
“Eh?”
Flying the Arroganz into the sky and looking at the sacred tree, Luxion zoomed in on the image.
In that place is――.
“Why is Emile fused with the sacred tree?”
[Communication from Licorne. Master, Emile has been in contact with Ideal.]
“――Gimme a break. I have my hands full!”
If I look down, I see a mass of flesh-like demonic armor coming towards me, with ice blades appearing around it.
While shooting the blade of ice, it approaches Arroganz.
This one may have a tracking function, too, and will chase you even if I run away from it.
There were several white ones.
“Intercept it!”
[Roger]
From the additional armor installed on the Arroganz, missiles were fired one after another, destroying the ice blades. With all the missiles fired, Luxion purged all the additional armor.
And Luxion asks me for permission. It’s a way to solve all the problems of that second otome game. This was the quickest solution, as long as we paid no attention to the practical problems that followed.
[That’s it. Master, the sacred tree is apparently out of control. Before that, my main body will atta ―― ck ―― ]
“Luxion!? Oi, Luxion! Don’t joke around at this time!”
Suddenly Luxion stopped moving and his voice sounded more robotic than usual, as if he had been rebooted.
[The link with the main unit has been broken. Switching to offline mode now]
“You’re kidding”
The link with Luxion was broken and I was left to fight the demonic armor and the sacred tree alone.
.
Part 3
The sky, far from the continent where the Commonwealth is located.
Luxion was surprised to find that the link to the sub unit had been broken when he released the optical camouflage to make the ship appear.
[ ――Are you serious, Ideal?]
In the distance, the land of the Commonwealth could be seen. And the sacred tree was also visible.
Floating between the Commonwealth and Luxion was a square-shaped transport ship.
It is the main body of Ideal.
[Luxion――I’m going to put your body to good use. The main gun you have, I had to have it. The broken you don’t need it.]
[It’s you, Ideal, who’s broken. It’s a problem for an AI to change its master so often.]
Luxion judged Ideal to be broken for changing the master without following the established procedures.
[Am I broken? You’re wrong. You’re the one who’s broken! It’s disgusting to see you succumb to the new human race and be used by them! What do you think we exist for? What have we been fighting for? Such as you don’t need that power!]
Then, he learned that Ideal was aiming―― for his own main gun.
[You and I won’t be a match]
Comparing their combat abilities, Luxion’s was significantly higher.
As a supply ship, Ideal is not required to have offensive capabilities.
Weapons for interception may be loaded, but that’s all.
Even such an Ideal would not challenge Luxion without a plan.
[――Do you think I didn’t prepare for anything?]
Immediately afterwards, a rainbow-colored sphere envelops the entire Commonwealth.
No matter how much Luxion tried to find out, he could not find out the status of the Commonwealth. No information could be received from the sub-machines planted inside, and the Commonwealth was completely cut off.
[What are you going to do?]
[I will fight with the Commonwealth at my back. Now you can’t fire your main weapon. You can’t fire your main cannon now, because if you do, your master might get caught in the crossfire.]
After blocking Luxion’s biggest attack, Ideal shows off his next move.
[And I will not challenge you with a single ship]
As Luxion noticed a new reaction approaching, several airships emerged from the sea. They were not airships built by the Ideals, but supply ships used by the old humans.
Not just one ship.
The number of ships increased to two, then three, and in total, Luxion was surrounded by six ships.
Luxion immediately tried to make contact with the other supply ships, but there was no response.
[Managed to remove the AI? Ideal, don’t tell me, are you controlling all this on your own? You don’t have that kind of processing power on a supply ship]
It was beyond Ideal’s ability to process, and Luxion was surprised by the event.
[I’m going to push you in with numbers.]
Immediately after those words, Ideal and the other supply ships unleashed a barrage of optical weapons, live ammunition, and missiles at Luxion.
Luxion tried to intercept them, but being surrounded by them, he could not avoid being hit by all of them at once.
[――Master]
Luxion and Leon were to face strong opponents on separate battlefields.
.
Part 4
On the other hand.
Emile began to merge with the sacred tree, and the lower half of his body was absorbed into the sacred tree.
Ideal’s sub-unit floated by his side.
[Are you sure you want to do this? Once you merge with the sacred tree, there’s no turning back.]
“Aa~, sure. I don’t care if this world is gone.”
[I’m not happy with the way things have turned out.]
“Me too”
For quite some time now, Emile had been cooperating with Ideal.
It was around the time when Lelia was getting cold to Emile and her heart was being taken by Serge.
Still, Emile liked Lelia.
“I wish I had Lelia ―― then I didn’t need anything else.”
All Emile wanted was Lelia.
The only difference between him and Serge was that he didn’t want anything else.
Not only Lelia, but Emile was easier to deal with than Serge, who had a rivalry with Leon and twisted love for his family.
[I wanted to get along with you. I meant it.]
“Thank you. Then I’ll ask you one last favor. I don’t care if she’s alive or dead, just bring Lelia back to me. We are going to be together from now on.”
Emile spreads his hands in ecstasy and is taken in by the sacred tree.
When Emile is out of sight, the color of the sacred tree changes.
Tree branches and green leaves become petrified and cracked.
The giant roots that hold the seven lands of the Commonwealth together are also turning white and cracking.
As the leaves fell to the earth in pieces, the territory of the Lespinasse house was covered in smoke from the impact of their fall.
And the branches of the sacred tree are not petrified, but pulsating like a living thing.
The branches of the sacred tree, huge and numerous, started to undulate like a living thing.
It was not a sacred tree, but a demon tree, which would be a better description.
If there were a demon world, it would be easy to believe that they were plants that lived there.
[Sacred Tree ―― Let’s fulfill our promise together]
As Ideal’s red eyes glowed red, the sacred tree sucked up the magic power in the air. As the red particles gathered to the point where they could be seen by the human eye, they were sucked into the sacred tree ―― A white insect-shaped monster appeared from the sacred tree that had taken it in.
Ants, bees, centipedes, mantises ―― all sorts of insect-like monsters, ranging in size from one meter to 30 meters.
One after another, they appeared and left the sacred tree.
Ideal was watching the scene.
[Wipe out the new humans from the Commonwealth and make sure to kill the Luxion’s Master. Do not leave him alive]
When he ordered them to kill Leon, the monsters swarmed towards the Arroganz.
.
Part 5
A masked knight watched from the deck of the Licorne as the sacred tree turned white and petrified.
He swung his fist down on the handrail.
“Damn!”
He also saw monsters flying out of the sacred tree one after another, but was unable to do anything about it.
The masked knight uses the smartphone-type communication device he borrowed from Leon to check the situation with the airships of the kingdom floating around.
“How many ships do you have left that can fight?”
It was Daniel who answered the communication.
“You still want to fight? We’re low on ammo. Even the armor can’t be moved for repairs or resupply.”
Leon’s friends fought well against the rebels, partly because the enemy’s airships and armor were high quality, but their people were low quality.
Even the opponents with the six great noble crests are sinking before Einhorn and Licorne.
When it was over, they realized that their opponent was weaker than they had expected.
However, although they won against a gathered army, they were not unscathed.
Looking at the deck of the Licorne, the armor of Jilk and others was being resupplied and serviced by drones.
It’s all the armor that was tattered in the fight with Serge.
The masked knight asks Greg, who is sitting on the deck, if he can still fight.
“Greg, can you go out again?”
“Why do I have to take orders from you? I’d say, but we’re in this situation. I will go out. But I am not going to be able to take on that many on my own.”
Chris, watching the monsters coming out of the sacred tree, took off his pilot suit and put on a loincloth.
Coolly, he straightens his glasses and looks at the number of enemies, which is ridiculous to count.
“They’re launching indiscriminate attacks. Is the evacuation complete?”
Brad fluttered his hands with a tired look on his face and said that it was impossible in the current Commonwealth.
“The crest is gone, the chain of command is a mess. And there’s no airship that could move properly, so it’s like a state of anarchy, isn’t it?”
Jilk took a binoculars to check the damage to the allied airship.
“Our allies have suffered damage as well. The problem is that Count Bartfalt also needs our help. I don’t think we have the time to help the people of the Commonwealth. “
The masked knight looks up at the sky.
The Commonwealth is surrounded by a rainbow-colored barrier, making it impossible to see the outside world.
It is doubtful that they will ever get out of this country.
(What do we do? It’s out of the question that we don’t save Bartfalt, but if we don’t, the people of the Commonwealth are in danger. But we can’t save them all with the forces we have at hand)
The masked knight then looks at the bridge.
( ――Noelle is also treated by Marie, but how long will she last?)
The masked knight, who has been given command by Leon, hates his indecision.
(You fought well, Bartfalt. I honestly respect you. But if it was left to you, I also)
When the masked knight was ready to give the order, Ange came on deck.
“Angelica ―― san?”
As the masked knight was puzzled, Ange took the communicator and spoke to the airships around.
“I have a message from Leon. He wants you to destroy every single monster that attacks the people of the Commonwealth.”
There were shouts from Leon’s friends when they heard this.
“It’s impossible. Impossible!”
“This side is already worn out!”
“No matter how strong a ship is, there is a limit!”
It was Raymond’s persuasion that came over the communicator that Ange had.
“Angelica-sama, we are at our limit. We can’t fight in this situation. I can’t order my men to die. This is the Commonwealth. If it’s to protect the motherland is okay, but it is impossible to fight for another country at the cost of your own life.”
Even if Raymond ordered them to fight for the Commonwealth, the morale of his men would be low. If he is not careful, they may even run away.
After taking a deep breath, Ange’s brows furrowed and her eyes became sharp. She then shouted out from her belly and announced to the people around her.
“You can’t just leave it there and expect it not to affect the kingdom. What if the monster that keeps creating monsters burns down our own homeland At this point, you should do everything you can to stop the damage!”
“But ―― “
Angelica smiles at Raymond and the others, who are still not convinced, and begins to talk in a good mood.
“And have you forgotten who my fiancee is? My fiancé, Leon, is a man who never fights a battle he can’t win! He has always been a winner, no matter what the situation. He’s the one fighting on the front lines. Why do you think that is?”
This is the Leon who has triumphed out of desperate situations. His friends remembered that, too.
“The first was the duel with Julius and others. Everyone said he would lose. But who won?”
” ―― Leon”
Julius, who was dressed as a masked knight, became embarrassed at the mention of the dueling ruckus.
(Are you going to retell that story here? Can you please stop? )
It reminded him of the day when he was more naive than he is now, when he challenged Leon, believing he could win, and was defeated. However, Ange didn’t stop her speech.
“Next is the Principality. Who defeated a fleet led by the Principality and the Black Knight with a single airship full of students?”
“It’s Leon. That’s right. He’s the one who defeated the Black Knight!”
The voices of Leon’s friends gradually turned brighter.
“After that, a kingdom suffering from internal conflicts, fought against a principality. It was an overwhelming disadvantage, but who led it to victory?”
“It’s Leon!”
“That’s right. He only fights when he’s sure he’s going to win!”
“Right, then, can he win this time, too? In this situation?”
Ange raised her voice to the allies around her.
“You have to win this battle and make a name for yourself in the Kingdom and the Commonwealth. You will be honored for generations to come if your name is engraved in history! Now, what will you do ―― Heroes?”
When Ange called him hero, Daniel was inspired.
“I’ll do it! If we come this far, I’ll make a name for myself in the Commonwealth!”
Raymond let out a sigh.
“I guess we’ll be together until the end after all. Ha~a, okay. He even renovated my airship for free, and gave me armors. “
Even before coming to the Commonwealth, Leon had made preparations.
Renovating the airships and armor that he distributed to his friends was one of them.
When the speech was over, the masked knight approached Ange and asked her about her true intentions.
“That’s great. But do you really think we can win?”
” ―― It’s fifty-fifty. The rest is up to Leon.”
“I see. But do we have a chance of winning? If so, I can fight too.”
White seeds jumped out from the wriggling sacred tree one after another.
Each of them is a monster.
Ange put her hands together in front of her chest as if in prayer.
“Leon, don’t do anything rash.”
.
Part 6
Licorne’s medical office.
Noelle was brought in there and managed to stay alive with the help of Marie and Livia’s healing magic.
Noelle’s clothes had been cut by Marie with scissors and she was now naked.
A large amount of blood had flowed out of Noelle, and her skin color looked bluer than usual.
She had dark circles under her eyes, and her breathing was weak.
She could have been dead, but thanks to healing magic, she is just barely alive and conscious.
Marie, her hands bright red with Noelle’s blood, kept calling out to her.
“Be strong, Noelle! Soon. Soon, Leon will be back. Luxion will restore your body to its normal state.”
Marie’s eyes were moist as she wanted to help her friend. She was on the verge of crying, but she was holding it. Seeing her, Noelle laughed helplessly.
“If this is how it’s going to be ―― I should’ve confessed. But I feel bad for Olivia-san.”
Livia was also struggling to continue her treatment, but her expression was grim.
“You can still make it”
“Haha ―― It’s a lie, right? I know. My body’s in bad shape, isn’t it?”
Both Marie and Livia knew in their heads that Noelle could not be saved.
However, they have no intention of stopping the healing magic.
Livia smiled as best she could.
“Leon-san is a coward when it comes to love, so he often runs away. So, if you’re going to confess, it’s best to do it in a situation where he can’t run away.”
She even gives advice to her romantic rival. Hearing this, Noelle also smiles.
“I have that feeling. He always avoids answering the important questions, doesn’t he? Aa~, but maybe that part’s good too.”
Marie, full of blood, joins the conversation. She desperately tried to keep her voice cheerful.
“Noelle is also stupid. There are lots of good men out there. Let’s find a better man than Leon. Because ―― I-I’ll help you.”
Noelle smiled at Marie, who was about to burst into tears.
“Don’t cry, Marie-chan”
“I-I’m not crying! I’m going to save you and find you a good man! And then we’ll be together more――”
Lelia shook her head in the corner of the room.
“Why. Why did you save me?”
Noelle doesn’t understand why she saved her. If it had been the other way around, Lelia would not have been able to move. Even if she could, she wouldn’t have defended Noelle.
And yet, Noelle has saved her life and is critically injured.
Livia looked up as Noelle shook her mouth. She turns her gaze on Lelia.
“She wants to talk to you.”
Lelia trembled as she approached Noelle.
As she looked down at Noelle lying on the bed, she was afraid of what she might say.
But ―― Noelle has something important to tell Lelia.
“Lelia, I don’t think I’m going to be around much longer ―― so I’ll tell you.”
“What? Don’t give up. You’re a priestess, aren’t you? Do something with mysterious power!”
Surely a priestess can do something, right?
However, Noelle denies it without effort and shows her her right hand.
“Ever since a while ago. The sacred tree sapling has been trying to help me. But it doesn’t seem to be working.”
The priestess’s crest on the back of her right hand glowed faintly as it helped Noelle.
However, it still didn’t seem to be enough to help Noelle.
“A-Aneki!”
She tried to say something, but she couldn’t get the words out. To that Lelia, Noelle talked to her about their parents with a serious expression.
“Lelia ―― You were the one they really loved the most.”
“Eh?”
Lelia couldn’t understand what was being said to her. Is this really the right time to bring this up? She couldn’t say anything about it, so she kept silent.
“Always has been――Our parents loved you. It’s a lie that you’re not fit to be a priestess.”
From there, the story of a past Lelia didn’t know began.
.
Part 7
That was when Noelle had just turned five.
It was a time when the Lespinasse house was still alive and well, and Noelle and Lelia were enjoying a wealthy lifestyle.
From a distance, Noelle listened to the conversation between her parents and Lelia.
Father is hugging Lelia.
“Lelia is smart! Yes, politics needs the people’s opinion!”
“It’s a democracy, right”
“You know a lot of difficult words. Very impressive, Lelia!”
Noelle couldn’t understand what they were talking about.
However, both father and mother kept smiling in front of Lelia.
Mother pats Lelia’s head.
“Lelia can be trusted with the future of the Commonwealth in the truest sense of the word.”
Lelia’s eyes sparkled at her mother’s words.
“A priestess? Can I be a priestess too?”
In front of a delighted Lelia, her parents laughed in a troubled manner.
They didn’t affirm that Lelia could be a priestess, and the answer was unclear.
Her father speaks gently to Lelia.
“The priestess is important, but there is something else that is more important. Lelia is smart, and I’m sure you’ll carry on our will”
Lelia replies with a big smile.
“Yes!”
Her mother also hugged Lelia.
“With you, the Lespinasse House is in safe hands.”
Noelle was very sad when she saw Lelia being treasured by her parents.
But it was that night.
Not Lelia, but Noelle is called to her parents’ room.
Noelle was worried that they would get angry, but at the same time she hoped they would treasure her like they loved Lelia.
When she gathered up the courage to visit their room, her parents, who were waiting for her, greeted Noelle with a somber look on their faces.
“Father, mother, ano, etto“
Her parents were silent, but little Noelle was not able to act as well as Lelia. When her parents saw this, they let out a sigh of disappointment in front of Noelle.
Her mother blatantly compares her to Lelia.
“Noelle, you are Lelia’s twin older sister. You should learn from Lelia and be more reliable.”
Her father was the same. He had his hands folded in front of his mouth and his eyes were somewhat cold as he looked at Noelle.
“It’s harsh to compare her to the brilliant Lelia, but it’s also problematic that the same twin can be so different.”
Noelle looks down.
Lelia, who does everything well, even in the Lespinasse House, was expected to have a bright future.
Everyone is saying that Lelia will be the next priestess.
They also say Noelle is a backup.
Her parents are even more disappointed when Noelle keeps quiet. But ―― her mother tells her.
“Noelle, you are the next priestess.”
“Eh?”
Noelle looks up and is happy to see that her parents have approved her. But the next moment, she felt like she was being pushed down into the valley.
Her father speaks of the reason why he does not make Lelia a priestess.
“We can’t let Lelia become a priestess and lead a hard life. We need her to carry on our will. So We are announcing that Lelia has no aptitude for being a priestess.”
Noelle can’t keep up with her parents, who insist on not letting Lelia become a priestess to protect her.
She just wanted to say that she was going to do her best.
“A-Ano, Father? I’ll do my best. I’ll do my best as a priestess to carry on the will of the two of you.”
I’ll do my best ―― so please look at me! Her parents didn’t seem to be expecting Noelle’s desperate plea.
Her mother says coldly.
“Do your best as a priestess? That’s why we can’t trust our will to you. Noelle, as a big sister, you must protect Lelia. She is our, Lespinasse House’s hope.”
“Hope?”
It was like being told that Noelle was not a hope.
Despite being a twin, Noelle was told to live for Lelia.
“Noelle, do you understand? From now on, no matter what happens, you must protect Lelia.”
Noelle nodded in fear as her mother pressed her harder.
Seeing that, her father seemed a little relieved.
“Now we can protect Lelia. And Noelle, you can’t tell anyone about this. Not even to Lelia, of course. She’s a smart girl.”
Noelle thought at this moment.
(If I become a nicer girl, will they love me?)
So she decided that no matter what happened, because of the promise she made with her parents ―― she would protect Lelia.
.
Part 8
―― Licorne’s medical office.
When she finished speaking, Noelle was coughing up blood from her mouth and was in pain.
Lelia is worried.
“Aneki!”
Blood staining her mouth, Noelle tells Lelia what she really wanted to tell her ―― her hardship.
“I was clumsy and not as good as you, so there was not much I could do to help. But since I was your big sister, I tried to do my best.”
“Enough! That’s enough, now stop talking!”
Noelle grabbed Lelia’s arm.
“I was jealous of you. You were so good at everything, and people loved you, and you could see that in Clement. He cared for you more than he cared for me.”
Lelia shakes her head.
“No. You’re wrong! I’m, actually!”
Before Lelia could say anything, Noelle made a smile. It was the best smile she could muster. Why she smiled, even Noelle herself did not know.
“I hated you. We were twins, but you were the only one our parents loved. After listening to Alberg-san’s story, they understood about the aptitude of a priestess. They knew from the beginning that we could not be priestesses. They knew, and they forced me to do the hard part.”
Lelia pressed her hands to her ears, not wanting to hear.
Noelle dared to tell Lelia something she didn’t want to hear.
“They loved you, you know. They loved you more than me. How come you don’t realize that? It’s the same with Emile. Why didn’t you realize it?”
“I, I am!”
Noelle says goodbye to Lelia, who begins to cry.
“You were loved more than me, you know. But it looks like I’m done here, so you’ll have to do the rest on your own.”
Lelia clung to Noelle.
“Wait! Ne~e, I beg you!”
Noelle let go of her consciousness.