Chapter 45: Volume 6 - CH 5

Ayato unintentionally gasped at that name which Julis said.

“Orphelia, don’t tell me──”

At the same time, a sensation he has never experienced so far welled up in his chest. It was closely similar to uneasiness and it was strongly appealing to Ayato for something.

“…Why did you come?”

That silhouette slowly looked back.

She wore the uniform of Le Wolfe, but other than that she only wore long gloves covering up to her elbows and white tights; she did not even put on a coat within this snow. Her calm voice was cold as if freezing and dark and hollow as if resounding from the bottom of the ground. The amount of her prana was quite abundant and one could understand at first glance that it was spreading until every corner of her body.

However, what was impressive above all was her long pure white hair which melted into the surrounding snow and her ruby-like red pair of eyes. Like her voice, her eyes as if inlaying the red moon, which is a symbol of ill omen, retained a desolate darkness which would cause one to freeze. And yet, her expression was full of sadness as it looked like she would burst into tears at any moment.

“Is it really her…?”

Ayato had also seen her figure in the news before.

Orphelia Landlufen. She was Le Wolfe Black Institute’s rank #1 who won two consecutive <Lindvolus>, and was called the strongest <Strega> in Asterisk’s history alongside that Helga Lindvall.

There was no mistaking that the girl standing now in front of Ayato was the same <EreshkigalVenomous Witch> which he saw in the news.

“It’s been about one year since then. I didn’t think I’ll meet you in such a place.”

Julis, though with still a grim face, continued in a somewhat nostalgic voice.

“…Even though I warned you many times to no longer get involved with me.”

But, Orphelia, with still a sad expression, briefly replied so as she treated Julis coldly.

Julis ruefully bit her lips for only an instant, but she immediately turned a piercing gaze at Orphelia.

“My business is the same as one year ago. Come back, Orphelia. The world where you should be isn’t there.”

“…Stop it, Julis. I’m just following my fate. You cannot overturn it.”

Orphelia feebly shook her head and clearly showed a will of refusal.

“I won’t admit it!”

Julis’ voice seemed almost like she shouted.

“……”

When Orphelia cast down her eyes, she touched the school badge on her chest with her hand.

“My fate is right here now. If you want to make me abide at any cost──”

“Yes, I understand! But it won’t go like one year ago!”

At the same time as Julis said that, mana swirled.

“W-Wait, Julis!”

“Ayato, don’t interfere with this! This is a problem between me and Orphelia!”

Julis shouted without looking back at him.

Ayato who felt a strong determination in her voice could not help but stop his foot which was about to step forward.

“Your school badge, I’ll smash it this time for sure!”

Heat waves swirled around Julis and fiery chakrams manifested.

“Bloom proudly ── AnthuriumGreat Crimson Heart Blazing Shield!”

When Julis shook her arm, nearly twenty chakrams were released towards Orphelia.

But, the chakrams which made up the vanguard nose-dive just before Orphelia and scooped out the ground.

The scorching chakrams instantly melted the snow, and steam and snowflakes soared.

It might just be a mere smokescreen, but it was enough to cut off her line of sight even for a moment.

At that opportunity, the chakrams parted left and right and assaulted Orphelia as they surrounded her.

(Good…!)

It was a perfect combination be it range or timing.

At least, it should be enough as a first move to seize the initiative.

But──

“──!”

At that moment, Ayato felt a shiver run down his spine.

On the other side of the white screen, an incredibly powerful prana swelled up.

That amount was no joke. Ayato himself had confidence in the amount of his prana, but it could not even compare to that of the girl before him. It seemed to be gushing forth immeasurably… or rather endlessly.

Prana overwhelming to the extent that it could not be estimated── and very ominous.

An amount of mana, which could not be compared with that of when Julis activated her ability, raged and blew off the spray of snow in an instant. The air shook and a ferocious overpowering feeling as if twisting and squashing everything was released.

There, the figure of Orphelia calmly standing and countless arms which rose like smoke at her feet wriggled like that of the dead. Those poisonous-looking blackish brown arms flickeringly waved like a heat haze and they looked not like solid, but gases.

Those arms blocked and caught all the chakrams released by Julis. The chakrams strengthened their rotation as they struggled so as to somehow break loose from the arms, but the blades of flame slipped through the dead’s arms like smoke.

Despite this, the claw-like hands still firmly seized the chakrams.

“So that’s Orphelia Landlufen’s ability…”

Naturally, Ayato had also heard about it.

The ability of the <EreshkigalVenomous Witch>said to be the strongest ── it was the power to manipulate poisonous smoke called miasma.

“…Ah, Julis. It’s no use. As expected, it’s impossible for you.”

Immediately after Orphelia muttered in a voice filled with sorrow, the chakrams were easily crushed.

There, Ayato finally understood the feeling from earlier.

That was a warning.

Ayato’s instincts judged this girl to be dangerous. Probably something like that.

Although at this late hour, he remembered the words that Helga said before.

『──She’s an existence different from us.』

He thought that it was metaphorical, but that’s wrong. It was a plain fact.

Certainly, the power of the girl before him clearly surpassed the human realm. By just confronting her, he keenly understood it. He was made to understand it instinctively.

──However.

“I’m not done yet!”

Julis moved as if she anticipated this.

(Julis…!)

An overpowering feeling by which even Ayato froze for an instant. To Julis who set an attack in defiance of it, Ayato was surprised, yet in admiration.

Judging from Julis’ tone, the two of them seemed to have also fought before. In other words, Julis probably knew Orphelia’s power. That’s why even after being showed such overwhelming power, she continued to challenge Orphelia without flinching.

But generally, it would be the opposite. Not having your heart broken even after experiencing this much overwhelming power was impossible unless you possessed a very strong mental strength.

(Or… is there something that she can’t yield to the point of going that far?)

It was probably the latter.

“Bloom proudly ──Anemone Coronaria[1]Blazing Sunflower!”

As Julis put up both her hands right overhead, a large flame flower opened its bud.

That flower of anemone which emitted a dazzling light illuminated the snowfield of midwinter like a small sun. It was to the extent that a burning heat reached even where Ayato who took some distance was. This was a technique that Ayato was seeing for the first time, but it was quite a bold move.

“Take this, Orphelia!”

When Julis swung down her arms with a shout, the large flame flower fell towards Orphelia.

But even so Orphelia, without changing her complexion, just quietly raised her right arm.

“Eh…?”

The next moment, Ayato doubted his own eyes.

From Orphelia’s action, Ayato thought that she’d activated some sort of defensive ability, but ── of all things, Orphelia stopped Julis’ technique barehanded.

The glove of her right hand flared up, immediately turned into charcoal and disappeared into the wind.

Even so, there was not even a trace of burns on the right hand of Orphelia who stopped the huge mass of flames.

“No way… are you telling me that she stopped it only with her prana…?”

It would certainly be possible in theory if one invested prana to local defense.

However, defense in prana basically reduced damage to some extent and it was impossible to completely stop an attack. By doing something like that, prana would probably dry up immediately. And if one was to block a technique of this scale, then all the more so.

However ── one could see no signs of Orphelia’s prana being dried up at all.

“Impossible…”

Julis opened wide her eyes in disbelief.

“…Your fate is weak… That’s why I told you.”

As soon as Orphelia listlessly frowned and clenched her right arm, the large flame flower burst as it exploded and vanished like mist.

Moreover, miasma blew up from around Orphelia and formed a huge arm which absorbed the countless arms which were wriggling so far and soared to the sky.

“──Turn to dust.”

As Orphelia muttered, that blackish brown arm swiftly ran through the snowfield like a snake crawling on the ground and caught up with Julis.

“Kuaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

Julis raised a painful scream, but the arm which grabbed her raised her until about ten meters high and then mercilessly flung her against the ground.

“Julis!”

Although Ayato ran off and caught her body at the last second, he was blown about ten meters away on the snowfield with Julis due to the strong impact.

“Julis, are you okay!?”

Ayato immediately got up and lifted Julis in his arms.

“Ugh…”

Julis seemed to have already lost consciousness.

On a closer look, corrosion-like traces from being grabbed remained on her uniform and her complexion was awfully bad, too.

(This is the <EreshkigalVenomous Witch>’s miasma…)

Rumors said that its poisonous nature would undermine others just by touching it, but it seemed to be true without any exaggeration.

“…Are you Amagiri Ayato?”

As if having noticed Ayato for the first time, Orphelia looked at him with cold eyes, not even showing one ounce of interest to him.

“It’s already settled, right? It’s true that it’s Julis who suddenly challenged you, but any more would be──”

Before Ayato finished his sentence, miasma blew up around Orphelia ── no, from her body. She lost her glove (because one glove was already burned away by Julis) and one could see that miasma rose as it swayed from her exposed white skin.

“It is sad, but even I cannot stop a fate which has already begun to move… If you do not want to be rolled up, too, you should leave.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t do that.”

While holding Julis, Ayato activated <Ser-Versta>.

“…It’s a shame.”

As soon as Orphelia said so with a sad expression, the countless arms formed by the miasma attacked Ayato and Julis.

“Amagiri Bright Dragon Style Intermediate Sword Technique ── <Arrow Clearing Crow>”

However, they were all bisected before reaching Ayato and Julis and disappeared into the void.

Just a little, Orphelia’s eyebrows twitched.

“Ah, that is <Ser-Versta>…”

Orphelia’s miasma probably could not be dealt with using an ordinary weapon, but if it was this ogre lux which burnt all things, then it was another story.

If Orphelia was to draw back with this, then there would be no problem.

But in case that that wasn’t so, he might be forced to a bout.

(Honestly, I don’t feel like being able to win at all.)

While holding Julis in his left and setting up <Ser-Versta> in his right hand, he gradually took distance.

Fortunately, Orphelia showed neither signs of moving nor the attitude to set something.

At the time when Ayato began to hold such a naïve thought like “at this rate, I might succeed in escaping”──

“Eh…?”

Ayato’s feet suddenly grew weak.

His hand holding <Ser-Versta> trembled and he choked as if something was clogged in his throat.

“Don’t tell me…!?”

“……”

When Ayato explored the surroundings with the state of “cognition”, the flow of air was clearly unnatural.

Probably, Orphelia would have already set up miasma around.

“Hahaha… I would say it’s something like tasteless, odorless, colorless and transparent poison gas….That’s really crazy.”

Only dry laughter could still come out, but if Orphelia could manipulate miasma at will, doing at least that would not be strange.

“──I am sorry. But, you will soon feel at ease.”

The arms of miasma were raised in order to smash up Ayato and Julis.

He could still barely move his body, but at this rate, it would be just a matter of time before he is caught.

Even so, he could not give up. As he tightly grasped <Ser-Versta> again, he somehow waited for an opening.

At that moment.

“Can you wait a little, young lady?”

An out-of-place, cheerful voice resounded on the snowfield.

- ψ -

On a closer look, yesterday’s gentleman ──Gustave was standing on the snowfield with a smiling face.

“Actually, I was requested to dispose of these people. There is a bonus for each head, you know? Therefore, if you like, would you please hand these preys over to me?”

Orphelia looked at Gustave with uninterested eyes as expected.

“…And you are?”

“I am called Gustave Malraux.”

“Never heard of you.”

Though Orphelia curtly said so, a space window suddenly opened in front of her.

『──Hey, Orphelia. You bastard, where the hell did you go? I told you many times not to come out of the research institute, right?』

It was only voice communication, but that voice was familiar.

It was Le Wolfe Black Institute Student Council President Dirk Eberwein.

“…I’ll be right back.”

At the same time as Orphelia replied so, the ominous overpowering feeling disappeared from the surroundings. And as she turned her gaze at Gustave, she said with a sigh.

“Suit yourself”

“I am grateful.”

Gustave took off his hat and respectfully bowed.

On the other hand, Orphelia remained silent and turned her back on Ayato as if nothing had happened. And just like that, she returned to the car without looking back.

“Dear me, I really got cold feet. I have heard the rumors, but to think that she was such a monster… scary, scary.”

Gustave who saw off Orphelia shrugged his shoulders as he jested.

“Now then, I guess I shall settle my business.”

As Gustave said so smilingly, magic squares appeared one by one on both his sides. Like last night, mana accumulated; a huge double-headed dog slowly crept out from the right magic square and a three-headed dog from the left magic square.

They were about one size smaller than yesterday’s chimera.

However, the strength of the mana felt from their bodies was far greater.

“Let me introduce them. They are my masterpieces, Orthrus[2] and Cerberus. How do you find them? Aren’t they majestic figures like those transmitted in the myth? My dear watchdogs which once turned all the stalwarts of the Star Hunter Guard into a bloodbath… well, still they were no match for the Guard Captain though.”

Gustave who talked as if seeming disappointed did not break his smile.

“Even so, I gradually improved them very much since then and it will be more than enough to hunt wounded prey.”

“Kuh…!”

While Ayato adopted a cautious stance, he kept a close eye on the surroundings looking for any chance to escape from this situation. Although Orphelia’s ability was cancelled, the damage due to the poison still remained. Though not very much, it was not a condition where he could satisfactorily fight. Moreover, if he were to fight while protecting Julis, it would be simply impossible.

But, the two-headed magic beast was moving in a circle around Ayato looking for an opening while baring its sharp teeth.

(It’s really bad…)

These magic beasts seemed to be tougher than he thought.

It would be all right if it was just one beast, but fighting two beasts simultaneously would be quite difficult for the current Ayato.

Being able to use <Ser-Versta> unlike yesterday was at least a saving grace, but it was questionable about how long he could hold. After all, even maintaining this ogre lux was the utmost that the current Ayato could do.

“Gurururururururu…!”

The three-headed magic beast ── Cerberus, while raising a low growl, bent over as to check for openings. It was a posture in which it could attack at any time, but the next moment, the other magic beast leaped from behind it.

A simple feint ── but even though Ayato understood it, his body could not follow.

“Guh…!”

Its arm which was moved down as it tore the wind sent Ayato along with Julis, whom he held, flying.

The shock was tremendous and perhaps because there was also the effect of the poison, he almost fainted.

The double-headed magic beast ── Orthrus once again engaged in pursuit further aiming at Ayato rolling on the snowfield like a rubber ball. Its huge jaw which could swallow whole a person approached Ayato, but the latter, measuring the timing, took a defensive position and rebuilt his stance. Then, rather than dodging its sharp fangs, he took one step forward aiming at its mouth.

“Amagiri Bright Dragon Style First Sword Fighting Skill ── “Mont Fuji”!”

He rounded his body and while putting his weight, swung down <Ser-Versta> with all his might.

“Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

That blow bisected the two-headed magic beast which raised a scream of death throes.

“Hou. As expected of the <Phoenix> champ, you’re good. However…”

To the words of Gustave clapping his hands while nodding, Ayato turned his gaze around.

At this instant, the fangs of Cerberus, who sneaked around directly horizontally, were approaching in front of Ayato.

(I can’t… dodge this!)

The moment he was about to thrust away his body in order to protect at least Julis.

“──”

At that moment, a sharp sword flash ran cutting the space itself and all three heads of the beast which bared its fangs were flying about in the air.

Its large build fell down making the ground rumble and the piled up snow soared.

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In the middle of that, shining golden hair glittered.

“I am sorry to have kept you waiting, Ayato. I made it in the nick of time.”

“Claudia…!”

The body of the relieved Ayato rapidly lost strength and he weakly sat.

On a closer look, in Claudia’s hands a pair of demon swords ──<Pan-Dora> was tightly grasped. The eyeball design put in the handle felt as though it was goggling at Ayato.

“Oh dear, this is a problem. An unexpected obstacle appeared.”

Impatience appeared just a little on the face of Gustave who did not break his smile so far.

“What will you do now, Gustave Malraux? I don’t mind being your opponent as is, but… it’s not the case for you, right?”

“…I see, what an unpleasantly shrewd young lady.”

Gustave confronted Claudia silently for a while, but he greatly sighed before long and shook his head.

“Haa… You’re right. I was certainly told not to lay a hand on you. Though it is a rare chance, I shall reasonably withdraw here.”

“It’s a wise decision.”

Contrastive to Claudia who chuckled, Gustave disappeared within the forest with a bitter face.

“Haa… You saved us, Claudia.”

“No, I’m glad that I made it in time. I already contacted the royal palace, so I think they will soon come to get us.”

“I see…”

At the same time as he muttered so, Ayato’s field of vision became blurred. And his consciousness rapidly faded away.

“Ayato? Are you all right, Ayato…?!”

While hearing Claudia’s cries, Ayato’s consciousness was sinking into deep darkness.

- ψ -

That greenhouse had already lost its function as a greenhouse long ago. The glass was cracked here and there, full of repaired marks and generally, it undeniably gave the impression of an old deserted house.

But still, in this country where the winter cold was severe, having been isolated from the open air meant that it probably had some level of benefit. The plants which grew as to fill up the greenhouse all retained a fresh green and among them, there were those which bloomed pretty flowers.

Inside it, a girl with rose-colored hair was only gazing absentmindedly at the girl with chestnut-colored hair who endeavored in gardening without getting tired.

“…I don’t understand after all. How is it fun making such a thing?”

At these words, the chestnut-haired girl shrugged her shoulders with a chuckle.

“Hmm… Well, if I have to say, it would be the actual experiences, I guess.”

“Actual experiences?”

“Yes. The experiences of coming to touch with a life.”

“I think that facing these runts would be more than enough for that.”

Although both of them were still children, too, there were many children younger than them in this orphanage.

“Fufufu, it’s not the same. These children[3] cannot talk, but in return they are very honest. When poured with affection, they will properly return it; conversely if you ease up on them, they will ignore you.”

“Plants? Ignore people?”

The rose-color haired girl made a face showing that she could not understand after all.

“Oh my, don’t you know? Even healthy plants will wither if they don’t receive affection from people.”

“…I didn’t know that.”

Although the rose color-haired girl noncommittally said, still she did not intend to leave the greenhouse.

For some reason, it was very comfortable here.

Though it was so old, small and ragged, she strangely felt at ease.

The roseate-haired girl somehow realized that the reason was the warm girl before her eyes.

“Hey, it’s boring to be always looking, right? Why don’t you try to help me occasionally, too?”

“…You mean me?”

“Is there anyone else here? Come, take this.”

The roseate-haired girl revealed a perplexed expression at the girl who peremptorily handed her a small shovel.

“I-I’ve never taken care of plants before…”

“Oh my… You really don’t know anything after all. Fine, I will teach you from scratch.”

Saying so, the chestnut-haired girl happily laughed.

It was a calm, gentle ── warm smile as she seemed to be really enjoying herself.

- ψ -

──His body was awfully heavy.

A feeling of pressure as if was being crushed by something.

As he opened his eyes to this unbearable suffocation, a dim room’s ceiling came into view.

Though confused for a moment, he immediately remembered.

This was Lieseltania’s royal palace, in the room which was assigned to him.

“I see… I fainted after that…”

That meant, this weight on his body was probably due to Orphelia’s poison which was still effective after all.

He realized it as he tried to raise his body to confirm it when thinking so.

“N-Ngh…”

“Suh…”

On top of Ayato’s body, Saya and Kirin were soundly sleeping lying on him.

As might be expected of a room for an honor guest, the bed was also big, so there was still quite some space even if three people slept on it. Then, Saya brought her face near Ayato’s arm and Kirin hers near Ayato’s feet, both of them raising a quiet sleeper’s breathing.

“Errr…”

As he was unable to completely grasp the situation and was wondering what he should do, the room’s door opened and someone came in.

“Ah, did you wake up? Honestly, don’t make me worry so much.”

That face, which was shadowed as the corridor was bright, could not clearly be seen; but he knew who it was by the voice.

“Hahaha… I’m ashamed. More importantly Julis, are you all right, too?”

“No problem. I woke up earlier than you.”

While saying so, Julis sat down on a chair beside the bed.

“How long do you think has passed before you woke up?”

“Eh? No, I don’t know at all…”

As he honestly answered back since he did not know, Julis said with a mischievous smile.

“Three days.”

“Three days!?”

As expected, he was surprised at this.

“Orphelia’s poison is assorted, but the one you received this time acts on prana and it forcibly put one in the same state as when they run out of prana. Though it isn’t life-threatening, the troublesome thing is that the more aggregate amount of prana you have, the stronger the effect becomes. That’s why it would especially take time for you to recover.”

“Is that so…”

“These two were so worried that they constantly attended to you every day. You should thank them later.”

When Julis said so, she looked at Saya and Kirin with gentle eyes.

“And… I haven’t given you my thanks yet, too.”

“Thanks?”

“I heard the story from Claudia. Didn’t even Gustave showed up after Orphelia? Thank you, you saved me.”

“Ah, you mean that, huh.”

Though it was certainly true, he did what he thought was natural. Probably, if their positions were reversed, Julis would have done the same thing. They had already established such deep trust.

“It’s fine now. I hope you won’t start talking about favors or debts again.”[4]

Then, Julis calmly smiled and shook her head.

“No… I just wanted to say it properly.”

“I see.”

Though Ayato also returned a smile to such a Julis, he immediately returned to a serious look and asked.

“So, would you tell me, Julis? The relation between you and her ──Orphelia Landlufen.”

“…That’s right. Now that this happened, you also have the right to know.”

Julis seemed to have faltered for an instant, but she soon took out a handkerchief from her breast pocket.

“Ayato, do you remember this?”

“Of course. It’s the handkerchief from when you and I met for the first time, right?”

The handkerchief which had been carried by the wind and fell before Ayato who has just arrived at Seidoukan Academy. The time when Ayato handed it to Julis was their encounter.

He felt like already it was something of quite long ago, but actually only about half a year has passed since then.

“Yes, that’s right. And I think I talked about it a little before, but this was given to me by everyone from the orphanage as a present.”

“If I remember correctly, you said they embroidered it together. And that among them, Julis’ close friend sewed it…”

Saying up to there, Ayato suddenly realized.

“Ah…! Don’t tell me…!”

“──Yes. That close friend is Orphelia.”

With nostalgic eyes, Julis traced the most unshapely embroidery with a finger.

“Then, she was also in that orphanage before?”

As Julis gave a small nod, she stood up, went towards the window and opened the luxurious curtains.

He didn’t know what time it was now, but the soft moonlight came in through the slightly cloudy sky.

“But, if she’s your best friend, why did she do such a thing…?”

As he remembered the fight between Julis and Orphelia, Ayato cast down his gaze.

Even friends would quarrel, but that was beyond that level.

“After I started going to the orphanage to play, Orphelia and I immediately got along well. After all, we almost had the same age and above all, even though our personalities were the exact opposite, we got along quite well. She was a gentle girl who couldn’t even kill an insect and she liked taking care of plants more than anything… When a beautiful flower blooms, only then was she a little excited.”

Orphelia’s character sketch which Julis talked about seemed totally different from the one Ayato saw.

“But one day, Orphelia’s figure suddenly disappeared from the orphanage. Even when I asked the Sisters, they would hold their tongues not telling me anything. So, I clung on to my big brother and had him investigated, and finally understood. About the fact that the orphanage’s management came to a deadlock, the huge debt, and──about the fact that as mortgage, Orphelia was half forcibly levied to a certain research institution. And the worst of this was that I knew nothing till then. I was a child who really knew nothing whether it be this country’s state or its system or even what kind of position I’m in.”

“……”

“Naturally, in order to take back Orphelia, the child me tried any means possible. But as a result, I only realized how powerless I was. Eventually, there is no one in this country that can oppose a research institution under the direct control of the Integrated Enterprise Foundation.”

Julis closed her mouth once there.

Silence ruled the room for a while.

Ayato too, just keeping silent, endured the heavy silence.

“──Having levied Orphelia was a research institution of Frauenlob. That research institute is the abandoned building which is in that snowfield.”

“That place is…?”

“Their research subject was... to create Starpulse generation posteriori.”

“Wha…?!”

Ayato unintentionally raised his voice. He had never heard about such crazy research.

“The person in charge of the research was a woman called <Magnus OpusGreat Doctor>, a student belonging to Allekant’s researchers.”

“I see; that’s why you don’t like Allekant…”

“You may say that it’s a personal grudge.”

He finally understood the reason why Julis hated Allekant.

Julis slowly took out her portable terminal and opened a space window.

There was a photo of two still innocent and intimate girls. One was a strong-willed girl with gorgeous rose-colored hair, and the other was a calm girl with chestnut-colored hair.

“This is me and Orphelia.”

“No way…”

He understood at first glance that one seemed to be Julis, but it might be said that Orphelia was a completely different person from the color of her hair and eyes, and her atmosphere to her look.

“Orphelia at the time was not a <Starpulse Generation> much less a <Strega>. It’s really disconcerting that now she is the world’s strongest <Strega>.”

In other words, that meant that Orphelia was a <Strega> made artificially.

“Then, does this mean that the research succeeded?”

“Who knows? But if it was the case, then it’d be a great discovery of the century. And it should have been widely publicized. The fact that they didn’t do that means that there is some problem. ──Like Orphelia.”

“Problem?”

Julis shrugged her shoulders with a sorrowful smile.

“You saw that abandoned building, right? That’s the result of Orphelia’s power having run out of control. The building fell to ruins, the ground rotted and grass doesn’t grow there even now.”

“Run out control…? Why did such a thing happen?”

“I don’t know the details. What I only know is that when the research center was destroyed, it was Solneige’s Special Forces who rescued Orphelia. Afterwards, I don’t know what kind of deal there was, but Orphelia was transferred from Frauenlob to Solneige.”

“I see, that’s why she is now in Le Wolfe…”

Solneige was Le Wolfe Black Institute’s governing body.

“Although, it was quite later on that I knew of these details. At the time, the research center’s destruction did not go public as it was concealed, and I wasn’t able to find even a clue about where and how Orphelia was.──Until I watched the <Lindvolus> that day.”

“You mean the <Lindvolus> of the time before last, right?”

Julis nodded at Ayato’s words.

“As expected, I doubted my own eyes. But no matter how much her appearance changed, my intuition told me that that was Orphelia. So, I tried to contact her, but…”

Julis’ voice faded weakly. With that alone, one could guess in what it resulted in.

“She has changed. It might have been inevitable, but it looks as if she gave up and abandoned just about everything. But… even so, I want Orphelia to come back. As things go, though not that serious, Orphelia’s body won’t last.”

Julis strongly chewed her molars.

“What do you mean by her body won’t last?”

“I’m also a <Strega>, so I know. I don’t think it possible to completely control such mighty power. Orphelia’s miasma is nothing but a double-edged sword which also undermines herself the more she uses it. She’s virtually fights while reducing her lifespan.”

Certainly, it was unthinkable that one could handle such overwhelming power with no risk.

“That’s why one year ago, as soon as I was admitted into Asterisk, I find out about Orphelia and went to persuade her. To at least stop anymore absurd fights. But eventually, she didn’t heed; and I’d told her to win a duel against me if she wants to continue no matter what… The result was, well… I don’t need to say it.”

So, that was the circumstances of a year ago, huh.

“It was a little long, but well it’s something like this.”

When Julis sighed as she said so, she put a hand on her waist with a somewhat refreshed face.

“Therefore Ayato, this is only a problem between me and Orphelia. I’m sorry to have involved you this time, but I must accomplish just this much by myself. Otherwise, neither Orphelia nor I would be able accept the outcome. Do you understand?”

“…I got it.”

To be frank, he wanted to help her, but everyone has a fight which they can’t compromise on no matter what.

“That’s it. Even you two there who are feigning sleep, I don’t want unnecessary interference about this matter.”

When Julis teasingly said so, Saya’s and Kirin’s bodies slightly moved.

“…So, you’ve noticed it.”

“Ha-Hahaha… I’m sorry.”

The two girls looked up apologetically.

“Oh, so you two were awake.”

That said, it was natural after they talked so much.

“Um, we didn’t mean to eavesdrop; how to put it, we couldn’t help it…”

“I don’t mind, so don’t worry about it. More importantly now, we’ve to give priority to Gustave Malraux over Orphelia.”

“By any chance, has anyone been attacked again since then?”

In that case, Ayato thought that it wasn’t the time to be leisurely sleeping like that.

“No, on that point, it’s all right. The guard staff largely increased in both the royal palace and the imperial villa, and the standby alert is set in the whole capital. Even that guy can’t take action at a moment’s notice. Just in case, I also took necessary measures so that a part of the guards’ staff might be dispatched to the orphanage, too.”

Because there was the incident with Flora, Julis was probably anxious, too.

“Besides, if he carelessly attacks, the Integrated Enterprise Foundation won’t just sit back, too. My brother should have already contacted them, but a certain number of soldiers are stationed in the research facility in the capital’s suburbs. Should war begin aside, it’s enough to deal with one criminal.”

“It’d be better if he’d just quietly withdraw though…”

Kirin said so and snuggled Senbakiri.

“…That’s probably impossible.”

“That’s right. Once we return to Asterisk, it’ll become extremely difficult for that guy to attack us── in other words, to achieve his goal. Not only will it be difficult to just get into Asterisk, even in the case that he succeeded in doing it, it’ll be impossible to get away to begin with. Therefore, he’ll definitely attack before that.”

“Then, he’s likely to aim for when we’ll be on our way back, I guess…”

If they were attacked somewhere on that mountain path, it would be quite troublesome.

“──Ah, that’s right. By the way, where is Claudia?”

There, Ayato remembered that there was something he wanted to ask Claudia.

Although vague, Ayato remembered the conversation between Claudia and Gustave. The way it looked, Claudia was more likely to have some kind of information regarding this matter.

“Ah, Claudia went back earlier.”

“Eh?”

“She said that there was some place where she must stop by. She seemed to be unusually in a hurry though.”

“Is that so…”

It looked like she did not tell about her conversation with Gustave to Julis and the others.

(Anyway, I’ll contact her later…)

It’s Claudia we’re talking about, so he thought that she had some plan; but he also wanted to ask her about that.

There suddenly, Ayato’s stomach greatly rumbled.

“Ah…”

Although it couldn’t helped since he had slept for three days, as expected it was a little embarrassing.

After Saya, Kirin and Julis looked at each other, they burst into laughter all at once.

“Puh, Hahahaha…! Good grief… Well, it’s good to be healthy. I will ask to prepare some light meal. Wait a moment.”

At the time when Julis wiped tears which floated on the edge of her eyes and stood up──

“I-I-I-It’s terrible! Princess!”

Flora who barged into the room with the vigor as to blow off the door shouted while being flurried.

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