The place of fighting turns out to be deep within a dark alleyway.

There are two magic swordsmen fighting.

One is wearing a familiar-looking uniform and short skirt – it is undoubtedly Alexia.

However, the other is a man wearing all black and a mask.

What is this strange situation? I would understand if Alexia is the one wearing black and pretending to be Shadow Garden, but their positions are reversed.

I climb to the rooftop of a nearby building, erase my presence, and watch their fight.

“Give up already. You cannot win against me.”

The fight is proceeding in Alexia’s favor. The man in black is not weak, but he is no match for Alexia, after her recent huge growth in strength.

The black outfit is gradually being cut to tatters, and blood stains the stone pavement.

With just one more push, the fight will soon be over.

“Why do you kill innocent people? Is this what you people do?”

“We are Shadow Garden……”

Shadow Garden.

The man in black definitely said that.

“That’s the only thing you’ve been saying the entire time. Is this the will of the man called Shadow?”

“We are Shadow Garden……”

So repeats the man in black.

There is no mistaking it anymore.

This man in black is the criminal who’s been pretending to be Shadow Garden.

I’m sorry, Alexia. Turns out you are innocent. I’ve now apologized to you inside my heart.

In that case, then why is this man pretending to be Shadow Garden?

This is a natural question, but of course I already have an answer.

Because I am me, I can tell at a glance.

This…… is yearning.

He is someone who adores and yearns for Shadow Garden…… for powers in shadows.

I cannot deny that feeling of his.

Because this yearning had also been the beginning of everything for me. Yearning after those powers in shadows in movies and anime and manga, and then trying to copy it all. That was my beginning.

He is also treading that path, and the target of his yearning is Shadow Garden.

Indeed, he is this world’s very first Shadow Garden follower.

A hot feeling rises up in my chest. I am so happy to see the path I am treading being acknowledged by someone else.

Add oil!

I find myself cheering for him.

But still, I cannot forgive him. Why? Because I, too, am a power in the shadows. If I forgive someone who is taking my organization’s name in vain, then I would no longer be a power in the shadows.

Just as he is a power in the shadows, I too am a power in the shadows.

There is no room there for mercy nor compromise.

I harden my heart and continue watching the two of them fight.

“This is the end.”

With that, Alexia’s sword causes the man’s sword to fly off into the distance. But at that moment, I sense new presences rapidly approaching.

◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

“This is the end.”

Alexia sends her opponent’s sword flying.

With a ‘garan,’ it clatters onto the stone pavement a long ways off.

But at that moment.

“……!”

The sudden cutting attack from the back forces Alexia to roll away in evasion.

She blocks the follow up attack, then kicks her new opponent’s torso to take a distance.

While settling her slightly disarranged breathing, Alexia sizes up the interlopers.

Two more magic swordsmen have joined the fight. And both of them are also wearing full black.

Seeing the first man pick his sword back up, Alexia clicks her tongue.

So now there are three of them.

And none of them seem weak.

If it’s only one, she can win.

If it’s two, she won’t lose.

But if it’s three……

“To gang up on a frail lady with three big men, how horrible.”

Please let them be willing to pick up the conversation.

“Oh, I have a good idea. How about let’s have a one-on-one three times? Sound good?”

They are slowly circling around to encircle her.

Alexia continues to readjust her positioning while making sure that her back isn’t taken.

“Oh, the moon is just so pretty tonight. Take a look behind you!”

She attempts to restrain the enemies trying to circle around with her eyes alone.

With minute movements of the sword, both sides attempt to probe the other.

“Come on, you won’t look? But I think it’d be better if you did look.”

Alexia smiles.

Beneath the moonlight, her red eyes are sparkling.

“Because Nee-sama is behind you.”

“……!”

They fell for it.

Immediately, Alexia moves.

Her white blade flashes towards the enemy’s now unguarded back.

“Die.”

So whispers Alexia without actually saying it out loud.

The black clothing is cut through, and fresh blood dances in the air.

But it was too shallow.

One more strike, and she can fini-……

That instant, a shock pierces through Alexia’s abdomen.

“aGUHhh……!”

A black boot has been buried into her stomach.

The ‘baki baki’ sound of several of her ribs cracking ring out clearly.

Even while spewing blood, Alexia plunges her sword into the black boot.

But the boot is withdrawn at the last possible second, and her sword merely strikes the stone pavement.

He is no longer in her maai.

Alexia spits out the blood in my mouth with a ‘peh,’ then wipes her mouth.

Her hand is now dyed in red.

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That moment, two of the men had fallen for her bluff, but one person had not. It was he who had kicked her in the abdomen and gotten in the way of her delivering the killing strike.

Alexia glares at the three of them with enmity in her eyes.

3 vs 1. The numbers are still unchanged.

But the situation has worsened. Two of the enemy are uninjured, one is heavily injured but still capable of swinging his sword. None of them can be ignored.

In contrast, she now has a few broken ribs, at least one of which has pierced a lung.

‘I’m going to be killed,’ thinks Alexia.

Which is why there’s no helping it.

Alexia takes out a red lozenge from the chest pocket of her uniform. It is a drug that she had secretly pocketed even before the arson incident.

It is against her will to brandish such a terrible sword, but it’s still better than dying.

She brings the drug to her lips.

While reassuring herself by telling herself ‘I’m the type that does well even without prior practice,’ she makes to swallow the drug.

But at that moment.

Jet black descends from the skies.

Without a single sound, as if like a crow that flies through the night.

In the same motion, a jet black blade bisects one of the men, causing a vivid red flower to bloom in the night.

A cloying scent of blood fills the alleyway.

The man in jet black…… Shadow swings his sword to get the blood off. With a splash, a horizontal red line is drawn onto a nearby wall.

“You fools who take the name of Shadow Garden in vain……”

Shadow.

The most powerful existence that Alexia can never forget, he who had showed her the perfected form of her sword.

He is enemies with these men……?

It seems that he is not allied with these men in black.

“That sin…… shall demand your lives as recompense.”

The moment Shadow speaks, the remaining men in black move.

It was a split second decision.

They kick the stone pavement, kick the walls, and ascend to the roofs, aiming to get away.

But.

“How foolish……”

Shadow chases them.

“W-, wait a moment……!”

Alexia’s voice causes Shadow to stop.

He slowly turns around, then looks at Alexia.

Her sword is clattering audibly.

That what she is doing is sheer folly…… this Alexia is well aware.

“My name is Alexia Midgar. I’m a princess of this country.”

Shadow merely silently continues to look at Alexia.

If he feels like it, he could reap Alexia’s life before she even knows that it happened.

“Tell me what your aim is. For what do you wield your strength, what are you fighting against, and…… do you intend to bare your fangs against this country?”

Shadow turns around.

“Don’t get involved. It’s better for you to not know.”

“……! Wait! If you truly are an enemy of ours……!”

“What would you do if I am?”

His killing intent slams into Alexia.

She instinctively shrinks back in the face of this existence that she knows she definitely cannot win against.

However, to fight against one’s instincts is what it means to be human.

“I will fight. You will definitely kill my Nee-sama. And I cannot allow that to happen.”

The only sound from Shadow is the flutter of his coat.

“I, I understand your sword. Even if it’s not possible now, some day, I……”

“You will kill me?”

Leaving that question hanging in mid-air, Shadow disappears into the shadows.

Alexia whispers to the empty darkness.

“Yes, I will……”

Silence has returned to the night.

Now alone by herself, Alexia falls to her knees while clutching her abdomen.

Her sword falls from her shaking hands.

She has done a foolish thing. She knows this full well.

However, Alexia has recently finally understood. Why she swings her sword, what is precious to her, what is that which she truly wishes to protect.

It is for that one person who is her sister, and for that one person who is her friend.

Alexia had resolved to protect only those two.

“This…… is pretty bad……”

Her consciousness is fading.

If she faints in an alleyway like this, Alexia knows that nothing good is going to happen to her.

Somehow, she manages to rely on the wall to stand up.

At that moment.

“……Alexia ……Alexia!”

She hears her name being called from far away.

“Ne-, Nee-sama…… Nee-sama, here!”

“Alexia……!!”

Footsteps approach rapidly.

Something soft envelops and holds up Alexia’s crumpling body.

“Alexia, why did you go off on your own……!”

“Nee-sama……”

Alexia buries her head in her sister’s chest.

“Later on, I will have you tell me in detail what happened. Prepare yourself.”

“…… Alright.”

“And also, you will also tell me what this is about.”

“Eh……?”

With a glance, she notices red lozenges scattered over the stone pavement. Dropped there by someone.

“Ne-, Nee-sama, I know nothing ab-……”

“Be quiet.”

“Really, I really don’t kn-……”

“I will not forgive you.”

“Ugh, my head……”

Alexia chooses to let herself faint away.