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Maou Gakuen Vol 3 Chapter 3
🕑 Added 2020-06-09 06:31:04 +0000 UTC
Chapter 3 – If Death Can be Redone
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The calm and intellectual beautiful teacher, Nakano Tsuruko-sensei was teaching the lesson while writing on the blackboard.
「As you can see, execution has various effects. It not only remove the obstacle in your way, it also act as an example for others. Even in such case, the method and display that you should take will differ depending on how much fear you want to inflict at the people. Depending on your method, it’s even possible to make an execution into an entertainment show.」
Even though the end-term exam would be next week, I was listening to the lesson absent-mindedly. My head was filled with nothing but thought of how to save Reina.
Currently Reina was maintaining her body using the abundant affection from Kaa-san. However, the fundamental problem still hadn’t been solved.
How to exchange the core that became the center of Reina’s body?
The answer to that still hadn’t appeared.
When I came to myself, the class was already over without me noticing it.
Even though the academy curriculums already consisted of only unfamiliar topics for me, added with my current state, it felt like the result of my term-end exam would be really wretched.
「Hey Yuuto. They said that the result of the proficiency test before this has been baam put up!」
Miyabi came toward me with her large breasts shaking.
「It feels like I’m beaten while I’m already down but……let’s take a look just in case.」
「You do that! But I don’t wanna to get disappointed gaaann, so I’m going ahead to the palace!」
Oi!
Are you alright with that!? Miyabi exited the classroom without giving me any time to ask her that.
I’d also go to the palace after taking a look…….
I got out of the classroom and went to in front of the staff room where the result was put up.
However──,
「……My name isn’t there.」
Only the people in the top 100 got their name displayed. Naturally my name and Miyabi’s name weren’t there.
「It feels lonely but, it’s kindness in a sense to only display the name of the top rankers……」
My shoulder got tapped when I muttered that.
「Yo」
It was a young man with his hair dyed blond. He looked like a thug in a glance.
「Geld(ゲルト). What rank are you?」
It was Geld who was a Card of the World Aspite. He was the first opponent who picked a fight with me when I came to Ginsei Academy. However, now we had a relationship where we sometimes called out to each other like this.
「Hm, my grade this time isn’t really good.」
He shrugged. Perhaps that meant his name also wasn’t displayed there just like me. I unconsciously felt a sense of familiarity with him.
「I see. We need to work hard huh.」
「Yeah, especially because I have decided to not get involved with the Devil King War anymore……I need to do my best more.」
I see. Because I defeated Aspite, this guy ended up giving up on his own dream.
「……That’s, sorry.」
When I said that, Geld looked at me as though he was seeing something strange.
「You’re really a strange guy……something like that is only normal in the Devil King War. Normally you should be prouder.」
Of course I was happy that I won, but it was improper to act triumphant more than necessary right in front of the loser. Besides, I believed it was respectable how Geld was acting optimistically on walking a new path.
「Besides, if I have to say whose fault it is that I have to withdraw from the Devil King War, then it’s Aspite-sama’s fault.」
「What do you mean?」
「He shut himself inside his room and won’t come out since he got beaten up by you.」
「Shutting up……himself?」
Hm?
Come to think of it……I certainly punched Aspite so hard he fainted but……that was all.
It wasn’t like with Ibiza who got swallowed by a black swamp and sent back to hell.
That meant──,
「That Aspite, he still have the qualification to fight in Devil King War?」
「Yeah. But, it’s already hopeless in his current state. There is no hope of his recovery, he retired from the war.」
He was certainly an unpleasant guy, and he did something terrible to Lizel-senpai. I believed that this was his just reward but……I felt a bit regretful after hearing his current situation.
「Well, because of that, I’m thinking to focus myself in succeeding my family business. That’s why I want to get along with the guy who look like they might become the next devil king……and so, best regards!」
Geld gave me a thumb up and grinned. Really, this guy was completely mercenary.
「By the way my family is in the steel industry at the human world. The Shinkamaishi Iron Manufacture.」
「I have heard that name before. It’s a really famous company……」
「Yeah. It’s a prominent iron and steel company in Japan.」
You are……a young master from a good house!?
Come to think of it, Ginsei Academy was an academy that gathered the nobles of the devil world. I was simply unique, while everyone else was all crazy rich people!
Shit……why did it feel like I was betrayed…….
This guy felt like he was emitting a commoner aura. But, I have to accept reality. It wasn’t like Geld did anything wrong.
「I see……then, you have to do your best to raise your rank huh. You have it hard.」
「Yeah, fifth rank is completely no good.」
「……」
When I took another look at the rank list, there were familiar names at the first and fifth rank.
First rank, Kouma Ruki. Fifth rank, Kamaishi Geld.
I reflexively grabbed Geld’s collar.
「GELDDDDDDD! THIS TRAITOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORR!!」
「Wha-!? What’s with your so suddenly!?」
We parted after having such conversation and I headed to the palace. When I climbed the stair──,
「Ah, Yuuto-kun.」
A voice came from above.
When I lifted up my face, the devil king candidate of Judgment, Kouma Ruki was standing at the stair’s landing.
I met the first rank after the fifth rank. Someone who genuinely lived in the clouds appeared in front of me.
In addition that adorableness was heaven class. However, he was a male.
「Ruki, are you going to take a look at the rank list too?」
「Yep. But I can do that later if I can speak with Yuuto-kun.」
He twirled on the spot and took an adorable pose.
I caught a glance of soft and pure white thighs from his fluttering mini skirt.
It would be fine if that was all. However, was it my hallucination that it felt like I caught a glimpse of female panty?
「Speaking with me?」
I went up until the landing and asked him. Ruki said that it was rare for us to meet like this, so he invited me to the rooftop.
We climbed the stairs together and opened a steel door to get out to the rooftop. The rooftop was really spacious and there was also no one there. This place looked nice for having a secret talk.
「You see……」
Ruki’s fingertips fidgeted with each other while he stared at me with an upturned gaze.
That gesture was dangerously cute.
No wait, why were you giving an atmosphere like you were going to confess at me after this!?
……It felt like I was going to awaken to something forbidden like this, so please spare me.
「You see……it’s hard to ask this as a fellow devil king candidate but……have you gotten invitation from someone to team up and fight together?」
「What?」
Ruki put his hand on his chest and looked slightly relieved when I reflexively asked that.
「I’m glad~ I was worried that I’m the only one who get left out. I won’t know what to do if that’s the case.」
Ruki seemed to comprehend something by himself. It felt like I got left behind alone.
「Wait a second. I really don’t get what are you talking about.」
Ruki realized it and said 「Ah」. He lightly hit his own head and stuck out his tongue.
「Sorry, I’m not good with talking.」
He also winked at me.
……This guy, every single movement of his was cute. Was this guy really a male?
「It seems there is some kind of strange movement among the devil king candidates. I heard that someone is trying to form an alliance.」
Alliance?
「I don’t know at all who might be working with who. In the first place I don’t even know who is the one forming this alliance.」
It was unexpected that there was someone doing something like that.
It was hard to imagine devil king candidates──or rather the devil race cooperating with other people.
「That’s unexpected……then, the guys who aren’t ask to join will be at disadvantage won’t it?」
「Yep. I’m scared that some candidates will conspire and attack me in group……Yuuto-kun is my only acquaintance who I can talk with about this so, because of that……」
Ruki pinched the end of his skirt anxiously and his waist fidgeted restlessly.
……That’s why, stop that, it’s too cute.
I endured my wish to say that and asked Ruki.
「Then……it might be better for us who don’t get asked to join to put up a united front just in case.」
「Yep. So……sorry to bring this up to you so suddenly, it might be difficult for us to form an alliance but……can Yuuto-kun and me, have a special relationship with each other?」
Special relationship!?
「E-err……that’s……do you mean something like a cooperative relation?」
「Yep yep! Things like exchanging information and the like.」
Then, say that from the start!! That was bad for my heart!
It wasn’t a bad offer. I thought that, but I didn’t know Ruki really well. He looked like a good guy from his appearance but, he was still a devil. Carelessness was forbidden.
「I guess……for now, let’s at least exchange information if one of us obtain enemy information.」
「Yep. Let’s start from something like that for now.」
Ruki nodded in satisfaction.
「This is also a good chance, so I want to know better about Yuuto-kun too.」
Ruki smiled amiably and brushed up his hair. His white and slender neck made my heart skip a beat.
「Yuuto-kun is a human aren’t you? What do you think about this Devil King War where devils fight each other?」
What a basic question……however, perhaps it was only natural that a devil harbored such question toward me.
「To be honest, it feels like I’m an outsider.」
「I seee, but it can’t be helped I guess. This is a fight that will decide the devil world’s king after all.」
「But, this fight will also decide the fate of mankind, so it’s not unrelated to me. The devil king is the king of devil world while also the king of human world at the same time.」
「But, you have to fight against devils you know?」
「Human’s strength is small, so it’s pointless to do anything. I don’t want to think like that. This is a problem that is affecting us human too, so I want to do anything that I can.」
「Heee~ amaziing……. Normally I think human will absolutely give up from participating in the Devil King War itself.」
It didn’t seem like he was being sarcastic. He sounded like he was really impressed.
His innocent gaze felt a bit ticklish. I continued to hide my embarrassment.
「I talk big but, the reason that I said just now is something that I only thought up recently. At first I was just getting swept up by the flow of event.」
「You mean……your reason has gradually changed from the beginning?」
「Yeah. It’s also possible that a wicked guy like Ibiza will become the devil king. I don’t even want to imagine a world that is ruled by that guy. And so, I have to do my best……」
「Yuuto-kun, what do you want to do with the devil world if you become the devil king?」
「Eh!?」
I see, there was also that. Because, devil king was the king of the devil world.
Thinking carefully……I didn’t really understand what kind of place the devil world was.
I was only thinking about the human world but, becoming a devil king meant that I would also shoulder the responsibility for the devil world too.
「That’s……sorry. Even I don’t really understand. But……」
「But?」
「……Despite what I said, I think the biggest reason I’m participating in the Devil kIng War is because I want to answer the expectation of Lizel-senpai and others. That’s why, I will surely decide about what to do with the devil world after consulting with them.」
「I see. Fufu, I think I understand Yuuto-kun better now, I’m happy.」
He was smiling brightly looking like he was saying that from the bottom of his heart. I unconsciously also got drawn by that and smiled too.
「Then, this is just a supposition……what if there is a devil king candidate who is thinking of human and love them……do you think you can yield the throne of devil king to someone like that?」
「……That’s」
If there was a devil king candidate who I could trust…….
Then, would there be any reason for me to fight?
However, was it possible for such devil to exist?
「I wonder……」
「You don’t know?」
「I can’t say anything unless I’m seeing that person with my own eyes.」
「I guess that’s true.」
Both of us smiled at each other. Then──,
「Then, take a good look at this me.」
「!?」
The door to the stair opened and unfamiliar students entered in droves.
『Alert. Danger is approaching. Please don’t let your guard down.』
Arcana’s warning resounded in my ears.
……There were four people in total.
The man walking at the front seemed to be the leader.
「It’s absurdly rare for this me to show my face in the academy yeah?」
That person’s face was haggard and there were also dark circles around his eyes. His wavy green hair was also messy. His uniform was wrinkled with paint staining it everywhere.
Ruki whispered to me before I could ask who he was.
「That’s the second year Takakuzure Marios-senpai. He should be the devil king candidate of Tower if I remember it right.」
Marios raised one hand and the three students standing behind him walked forward.
Then, these guys must be the Cards of Tower.
What I didn’t get was why all three of them were holding figurine. Eerie monster that looked like alien, a transforming hero from morning Sunday show, and……a female warrior wearing bikini armor?
These guys, just what were they going to do?
Marios read my expression and grinned.
「Lovers, Morioka Yuuto. I’ll have you come together with us.」
The target wasn’t Ruki, but me huh……. However, why did they show up openly like this? If they wanted to attack me, they should be able to do a surprise attack.
「Just what’s your business with me?」
「Well, I’m scouting you. I’m looking whether you are going to enter our alliance or not.」
──!?
「Then, is it you, the one who is going around calling at other devil king candidates to form an alliance?」
Marios’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.
「What’s this……so it’s already becoming a topic. You have sharp ears.」
Ruki looked up at me with an anxious face.
「Yuuto-kun……」
「I don’t have any business with Judgment over there. I also don’t have any intention of picking a fight here, so you can go back.」
Ruki frowned in distress.
Perhaps he was troubled of what to do after suggesting a cooperation with me just now. Or perhaps he was wary that I might team up with Marios and tried to kill him here.
Marios ran out of patience seeing Ruki and me staying quiet.
「Anyway, I’ve no business with Judgment here. I’m taking Lovers even if I have to use force. Luckily it looks like you are alone.」
「What did you say?」
「Go!! Narihira! Shiba! Naniwa!」
The three with figurine in their hand took a stance when Marios called their name.
They would attack simultaneously──that was what I thought, but the three of them didn’t move even for a step. In exchange, they tossed the figurine in their hand to the air.
Those figurines rotated in the air and swelled.
「Wha-!?」
They enlarged to a size that seemed like the size of the real thing. The figurines landed on the rooftop quite loudly.
「No way……」
Alien and transforming hero, and also……the female warrior in bikini armor were lined up in front of me.
「You see! This is the power of us Tower!」
Marios spread his hands widely in triumph.
「Well, this is a test for your participating in the alliance. Do your best to resist. Even if you die……wellll, that’s going to be an unfortunate accident……you guys, give it your all!!」
「Yes!」
Marios’s three Cards replied and the three figurines attacked.
「Yuuto-kun! Let’s run!!」
「O-ou!」
Ruki pulled the sleeve of my uniform. I turned around and started running.
「Wait, we’re running away!?」
「Because those guys are in an alliance right!? There might be others lying in wait!」
「True!」
Ruki was faster than I thought. He was running slightly ahead of me.
「There is another stair at the opposite side!」
「Got it!」
However the rooftop was wide. I hope they wouldn’t catch up before we arrived at the other side──!?
The mask of the transforming hero was right beside me.
These guys, were their specs the same with their setting!?
「Stride!!」
I also accelerated using magic. It seemed Ruki also used the same magic and ran beside me. With this we arrived at the opposite side in the blink of eye. Just when I thought that, the door we were running toward opened.
「Fuh, it’s not bad to see hope being shattered.」
It was a man who looked like a rock band member. There was also a woman with flashy appearance putting her hand on the man’s shoulder.
「That’s the Moon Kitakami Lunatic and the Sun Sansa Summers!?」
「Whaat!?」
Another devil king candidates!
These guys, they were showing up one after another even though they hadn’t showed up at all until now!!
I and Ruki came to a stop.
Ruki moved behind me to face the figurines that were unleashed by Tower’s Cards.
「Shit……」
A tiger in the back, and a wolf at the front huh…….
If we had to pick one no matter what, then it was better to face one devil king candidate rather than two……however that might also be a trap.
While I was unable to decide, Sansa asked Lunatic fawningly.
「Hey Luna, our duty is pretty much finished with this isn’t it?」
「Yeah, we have showed up. Our duty will be finished if we split their fighting strength.」
Were they talking about the rule of their alliance?
Marios yelled behind me at the opposite entrance.
「Oi! Moon and Sun! Don’t let that guy run away!!」
「Don’t worry. I brought a suitable person with me.」
A girl showed up from behind Lunatic and Sansa.
「My Suite Card number II, Swordia(ソーディア). I leave the rest to you.」
The two of them vanished behind the door after leaving those words behind. In exchange the girl called Swordia stayed behind.
She had light brown hair and feminine white uniform. From a glance, she looked like a high school girl who attended a school for young lady, but looking carefully, her skin was exposed at some strange places, and her skirt was also short.
「Aa!? Just one! What’s more a number II, that’s the lowest rank!! I’m bringing my Suite Cards here you know!? Don’t screw with mee!!」
After Marios’s shout, Ruki’s whisper entered my ear.
「Yuuto-kun. If II is alone, it’s better to run that way.」
「Yeah, let’s do──」
Swordia raised her face that was looking down. However I couldn’t see her face well.
White cloth was wrapped over her eyes.
The white cloth was lacy and girly, but there was no way she could fight like that.
However, Swordia was staring still at me as though she could see.
On her waist was two swords that didn’t suit her appearance.
Swordia’s hands each grabbed the two swords on her left and right.
Chill ran through my spine.
The arcana’s voice spoke to me at that time.
『Warning. Even more dangerous threat has appeared. Please don’t let your guard down.』
This Swordia was more dangerous than Marios’s three Cards?
「Ruki! We’re going back!!」
「Eh? Eeh!?」
I turned around. Ruki also followed me slightly late.
「Hahaha! Are you crazy Lovers!!」
I ran toward the loudly laughing Marios.
「You guys! Kill them quickly!!」
「Sir!!」
Marios’s Cards replied back. At the same time the three enlarged figurines also ran toward us.
The transforming hero kicked on the floor and jumped high in the air. It somersaulted forward and took a kicking pose.
I didn’t know how strong that attack was.
But I would also go with maximum strength!
「Take this! Fidezenon!!」
Magic circle unfolded in front of me and the lid of hell was opened.
It was an advanced magic that I couldn’t use until now, but the ritual of magic stone refinement was a boon for me. That ritual resulted in my mana’s limit increasing.
Fidezenon’s seething flame shot through the transforming hero. It was like the content of a smelting furnace was shot out.
「Whaaat!?」
Marios’s Card, was it Narihira or Shiba──he raised his voice in surprise.
The hell flame swallowed the transforming hero and it was evaporated in an instant.
However, the alien crawled on all fours toward me at that timing.
「Ruki!」
「Thunderio!!」
He fired an intermediate lightning magic in respond to my voice.
Did Ruki specialize in lightning type magic?
The alien’s body convulsed and it writhed on the spot.
It wasn’t defeated, but it seemed that Ruki was able to stop its movement.
The bikini armor female warrior jumped over that alien and attacked.
We dodged the slash that it unleashed from midair by separating to left and right.
And then I immediately ran with all my strength to charge toward the Tower bunches.
「You guys, get back!」
Marios shouted, then he also leaped to the side to open a path for us.
Was he a type that wasn’t good with direct fighting?
「Yuuto-kun!」
「Don’t chase them too deep! We’re running for now!」
I said that and reached toward the door that connected to the stair.
The steel door flew off its hinges at that moment.
「Guh!?」
The sudden happening blew me away without being able to do anything.
It felt the same like being hit by a quite heavy steel plate. I helplessly rolled on the rooftop’s floor.
「Yuuto-kun!? Are you alright!?」
Ruki ran toward me removed the door from on top of me with all his strength.
「S-sorry……what was that just now?」
I raised my body and looked toward the entrance that had lost its door.
Over there was three new figures.
The petite figure at the center was making a pose.
「The star has come! Here is Rikimaru-chan and her gang!!」
The stern looking young men at both her sides also made muscle pose at the same time.
──It looks like some stupid guys also came!
The girl at the center had red hair that was tied into side ponytail. She was wearing tank top that showed her navel and hotpants and a jersey. She looked like a sports-oriented girl from her appearance.
The young men at both her sides only wore a pair of underpants. They had gone past being sports-oriented. They were body builders no matter how you looked at them. Their tanned smiling faces were annoyingly bright.
The Lovers arcana warned me who was falling dumbfounded.
『warning, enemies are surrounding us. Recommending to secure path of escape and retreat swiftly.』
That means, that too was also a devil king candidate!
The jersey woman who introduced herself as Rikimaru spoke proudly.
「Now, realize the greatness of Strength!! Strength is justice! Strength is power!!」
Rikimaru pushed her fist forward as a signal, then the young men at his sides became bursting with strength.
「NUUUUUUUUUN!!」
「FUOoaAAAAAAAAH!!」
Their muscles were pumped up and blood veins bulged out.
Sweltering.
Then the heat that was emitted from the bulging up muscles really became hot wind that blew out to the surrounding.
「「UORYuaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!」」
The two of them punched the rooftop’s floor simultaneously.
「──tsu!?」
A sound like rock breaking resounded. Cracks were spreading through the floor instantly.
The floor beneath our feet collapsed at the next moment.
The floor was smashed up with a single damn punch!?
「TSUAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!?」
「KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!?」
Ruki and I lost our footing and fell to the floor below together with the rubbles.
「Kuh……Ruki! Are you alright!?」
「Y-yeah.」
Setting that aside, this guy was screaming like a damn girl just now!
I stood up and lent Ruki a hand to pull him to his feet.
「We are splitting here!」
「I see, we can split the enemies that way!」
I immediately ran through the corridor while Ruki went down the stair.
If I bought time, Lizel-senpai and others should hear the commotion and they might come here.
When I looked behind, a bikini armor female warrior and an alien, and also body builder x 2 were chasing after me.
They didn’t split into two, all of them were pursuing me.
I said those words to Ruki, but actually their target was just me.
I couldn’t involve Ruki in this because of my fault. That was why, I made Ruiki to escape ahead of me.
「Even so! What should I do now!?」
I was running with all my strength, but a girl was lying in wait on my way.
The blindfolded girl with two swords.
The Moon’s Card, Swordia!
Her figure unsheathing her sword silently sent a chill to my back.
Ahead to the right, there was a stair to go below.
I hesitated for a moment whether I should run to lower floor.
But, the enemies caught up with me in that one moment.
Shit! I got no choice but to engage them here!
I stopped moving.
I thrust my hand forward to launch Fizard as soon as I turned around.
A silhouette leaped out from behind me faster than my hand.
「!?」
「HAAAAAAAAAAA!!」
That petite figure swung a katana that was longer than her body like a wind.
The alien’s body was turned to pieces in the air.
That girl’s silver twintail trailed behind her as she took a stance with her hand and glared at the bikini armor female warrior.
「Reina won’t! Reina won’t let you lay a hand on Onii-chan!!」
「Reina!?」
Even the body builders also stopped moving against Reina’s killing intent.
「Onii-chan!? Are you alright desu!?」
「I should be the one asking! You shouldn’t force yourself like that!!」
I felt a terrific killing intent from behind me at that timing.
Reina burst into action and circled to behind me. In exchange I ended up facing the bikini armor warrior.
「There is……a troublesome person desu, desu.」
Naturally she meant that girl Swordia. But, did Reina know her?
The bikini armor warrior suddenly kicked the floor and attacked.
Reina twirled once more and swung her sword to in front of me.
The female warrior was bisected diagonally from below. Its body returned to being a figurine when it fell on the floor.
Even so, as expected from Reina.
Usually she was an adorable little sister, but there was no more reassuring ally than her when she had a sword in hand.
However,
「──!?」
「Reina?」
Reina suddenly pressed her hand on her chest and made a pained expression.
The long katana slipped out from her hand and clanged on the floor.
「Reina!?」
I caught her falling and shaking body in my arms.
「O-oi! Reina! Hang in there!!」
Her face was expressionless like a doll. Eyes that were staring at nothing.
Again.
This was the same like when she fainted before.
But, Reina should be receiving excessive affection from Kaa-san right now!
And yet,
Why!?
……Don’t tell me, her core is finally reaching the limit……?
She wouldn’t die right now would she!?
I touched Reina’s cheek with a trembling hand. Her face cracked.
「!?」
Stop.
We finally became a family.
She would be happy from here on.
We would give her happiness.
Let me,
Let me act like a big brother.
I still hadn’t, done anything,
Reina!
The next moment──m
.
Reina’s body crumbled into dust.
.
「UOoaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!」
.
Scream burst out naturally from my throat.
What,
What the hell is this!?
Don’t screw with me damn you!!
There ain’t, no way──
You are allowed to die so easily, LIKE THIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSS!!
.
.
──!?
.
.
The alien was preparing to leap at me right in front of my eye.
Behind him was the bikini armor female warrior.
Eh?
My hand was going to point forward.
That’s right.
I was going to fire Fizard as soon as I turned around──,
No,
Strange.
What’s this?
I should have done the same thing just now.
Or perhaps, was my memory mistaken?
Was it the phenomenon called déjà vu that sometimes happened? A false memory?
Eh?
Was that the case?
Before this Reina would come running after this──,
A small silhouette rushed in front of me.
「!?」
「HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!」
She swung a katana that was longer than her body like a wind.
The sharpness of the katana was extraordinary. The alien’s body was turning into pieces in midair.
A petite girl was glaring at the bikini armor warrior while holding her sword in a ready stance.
「Reina won’t! Reina won’t let you lay a hand on Onii-chan!!」
「Reina……」
Even the body builders also stopped moving against Reina’s killing intent.
「Onii-chan!? Are you alright desu!?」
「Y-yeah……」
I felt a terrific killing intent from behind me at that timing.
Reina burst into action and circled to behind me. In exchange I ended up facing the bikini armor warrior.
「There is……a troublesome person desu, desu.」
Surely Reina was staring at Swordia who was behind me. However the distance was still far. Because of that she prioritized fighting the bikini armor warrior that was nearer.
But, as the result of that──,
Just as expected, or perhaps just like in my memory,
Reina twirled to in front of me──,
「Reina-!!」
I used my hand that I held up for firing magic to immediately grabbed Reina’s arm.
「Fueh!?」
I hugged her from behind forcibly. I put strength into my arm so that she couldn’t move.
「O-Onii-chan……tsu!? P-please let go! R-Reina can’t kill that guy like this!」
Reina desperately pleaded with a flustered face. Her voice was filled with a mix of surprise and embarrassment.
「Don’t! You absolutely mustn’t fight! The next time you swing your sword, you will──!!」
「He……?」
I desperately insisted at Reina who was looking puzzled.
I didn’t want see her turning like that anymore.
Anymore?
What was it that I saw just now?
「I seeee, so your most important thing is that doll.」
The bikini armor warrior and the bodybuilders opened a way. Marios was walking forward between them.
Don’t tell me……the déjà vu just now was this guy’s doing?
──No.
A pink haired girl appeared from behind him.
She had a friendly and cheerful smile.
But on her arm, there was a bleeding wound that made her smile looked out of place. Her hand was holding a cutter.
──Most likely, it was that girl.
Marios made a triumphant smile.
「You are scared that doll is going to break down right? Then you can redo it no matter how many times you like with this girl’s ability.」
「What?」
「This girl is Shimokadzu Rinne. The characteristic magic of Wheel of Fortune, Revival is a magic to rewind and repeat time.」
「Then……just now, it was something that really happened……」
「That’s how it is. If you listen to what we are saying obediently, she will repeat the same time until you are satisfied. That doll won’t need to break down.」
「Kuh……」
Reina wouldn’t need to die.
Of course, the fundamental problem wouldn’t be solved just by repeating time. However it was a fact that there was no way to save Reina right now. If the same thing like just now happened again──,
「What? What are you hesitating for? Then should I make you firm your resolve?」
Marios took a small figurine from his pocket. It was a figurine of a winged woman. It looked like an angel or a goddess.
「It’s small and its degree of completion is also lacking but, this should enough if it’s you.」
「What’s……with that thing?」
「You see, your most important thing will break if I destroy this.」
「!?」
「……Onii-chan.」
Reina let out a scared voice.
Marios seemed satisfied with our reaction and he smiled happily.
「It’s the best right? It’s the best isn’t it? To lose what’s important for you! To do something that cannot be undone!」
What’s……with this guy?
「Aa……I’m shivering just from imagining it. IT feels like tears are going to spill out. I want to scratch and tear my chest, I want to break everything in this world. That pleasure……I’ll bestow it to you. Be grateful. Aa, but I won’t let you monopolize it. I too will break my important treasure with this hand……we are going to taste the greatest feeling together.」
What this person was feeling, it was a bit different from a sadistic happiness that was obtained from our suffering.
It looked like this guy really, honestly, felt happiness from losing something important to him, something that he treasured.
I couldn’t understand him at all.
He was a deviant.
Furthermore what he had was something beyond redemption.
「Now, let’s hear your answer Lovers!!」
Marios toyed with the figure in his hand as though to show it off.
「Should I break this thing to make you lost your most important thing first!?」
「Kuh……」
「If you don’t want that, then obey me! Follow us without talking back! Work as our comrade……no, as our slave!」
「……No.」
「……Aa?」
「……Reina?」
It was Reina who replied.
She quietly removed my arm and stepped forward to glare at Marios.
「The most important thing to Onii-chan……Reina don’t know what it could be. But, surely it’s something even more important than Reina desu. It might be the seniors, or perhaps it’s father or mother……」
Reina turned a burning gaze toward Marios.
「In that case it will be better for this body to perish desu! Reina absolutely won’t let you lay your hand on Onii-chan’s important thing! That is the duty of the Lovers’ Knight……the duty of little sister desu!!」
Reina raised her katana once more.
「Don’t! Stop it Reina!!」
「He……then, go break yourself. I’ll just kill that guy after you are broken.」
「Now, let’s go──hm?」
A rumbling was coming from somewhere.
It was a sound that made the bottom of the stomach to shake, as though a thunder cloud was approaching. And then there was a tremor that was transmitted from the ground below. What in the world, this was……?
It came from behind Marios, from the corridor ahead. However that way was blocked by the rubbles of the rooftop that was destroyed by the bodybuilders just now.
The moment I strained my ears, that mountain of rubbles exploded.
「Yuuot-kunnn!!」
「Wha!?」
An ancient chariot pulled by two sphinxes cut through the dust cloud and rushed this way.
The one holding the rein was the blonde haired and brown skinned devil king candidate of Chariot.
「Neith!?」
That was the chariot that was created by Neith’s characteristic magic Top Runner. In front of that charging power──,
The bodybuilders were crushed underfoot without being able to scream.
「Uoh!?」
Marios dodged in panic.
I also held Reina in my arms and dodged by sticking close to the corridor’s wall.
Neith’s chariot kept rushing and pulverized the bikini armor female warrior too before passing in front of us.
And then the chariot stopped its stampede. Neith glared threateningly at Swordia.
「Withdraw! Or I’ll trample everyone no matter how many of you are here!」
However Swordia didn’t sheathe her sword.
Marios glared at those two with anger in his eyes.
「Dammit……every last one of them!」
Marios turned his glare at me and held up the figurine once more.
「You bastards, don’t you dare move! If I break this thing──」
However a small explosion occurred at his wrist.
「Detonate!!」
「Gua!?」
The figurine spilled out from Marios’s hand.
It was falling toward the floor──m
「TAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!」
A girl dashed through like a wind and caught it.
Her silhouette passed beside me in an instant.
The figure with blonde twintail and flashy sensual body was sliding on the floor and caught the figurine.
「Miyabi!?」
「Ahaha! I’m just barely in time but it’s safe! Then next is-!」
Miyabi immediately stood up and launched a spinning kick at Marios.
「HAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!」
Marios guarded with a Barricade, and yet he was still slammed on the wall.
「GUUOH!?」
Marios glared at Miyabi with a demonic face even with his body sinking into the wall.
「This……damn bitch……」
However Miyabi also didn’t withdraw for even a step and glared back.
Then as though to erase that atmosphere,
「How dare you try to make a pass at our devil king candidate.」
A cool voice that felt pleasant to the ear resounded.
When I turned around, over there was──,
「Lizel-senpai!!」
The stair that was located between Swordia and Neith. It seemed Lizel-senpai and Miyabi had come by climbing that stair.
Lizel-senpai smiled apologetically at me.
「Sorry for being late. But──」
Lizel-senpai passed beside me and glared at Marios.
「I won’t let you do as you please now that I’m here.」
「……Himekami, Lizel.」
Marios pulled out his body from the wall and called senpai’s name with a loathing expression. And then, he looked at everyone’s face in turn to compare the difference in fighting strength once more.
「……Tsk! We’re leaving!!」
He shouted roughly at Rinne and turned around to leave. Rinne too followed behind him and vanished.
When I turned around, Swordia who was at the opposite side of Neith had also vanished.
It seemed……I was saved.
Tension left my shoulders and I bowed my head to Lizel-senpai.
「Senpai, we are saved thanks to you. Miyabi too, thank you.」
「Ehehe, this is how it is if you leave things to me! I took care of it with ‘swiish’ and end it with ‘bamm’!」
「O-oi! Don’t treat that doll roughly!」
Miyabi was energetically swinging her hand that was gripping the figurine. It felt like my heart would stop seeing that.
「Miyabi, give me that doll.」
Lizel-senpai took the figurine from Miyabi and stared fixedly at it to check something.
「I can certainly feel something cursed from this……I’ll take responsibility to hold on this.」
Of course I had no objection to that. After I nodded, Neith dispelled the Top Runner’s chariot and walked toward me.
Lizel-senpai greeted her with a smile that was directed for old friend.
「You saved us. We made it in time thanks to Neith buying Yuuto time.」
「T-that’s not……I just」
Neith looked down shyly while her fingertips were kneading each other.
「No, you really saved our bacon just now. Thanks a lot, Neith.」
When I also thanked her, Neith’s cheeks reddened and the movement of her fingertips doubled.
Her gaze was wandering restlessly while sending glances at me.
She looked like she was troubled about something but……what could it be?
As usual, the gap of her current self and the gallant woman she was when she was riding a chariot was great.
Neith raised her face looking like she was resolving herself and talked to Lizel-senpai.
「B-but you know……Lizel. It’s no good, if you aren’t a bit more careful.」
「Eh?」
Senpai’s body leaned back slightly because she was taken aback by surprise.
「Lizel and Miyabi-chan, are Yuuto-kun’s Cards so……be a bit more careful. If you don’t stay on your guard, so that Yuuto-kun won’t meet any danger……」
Both senpai and Miyabis were bewildered by this unexpected critic.
「Eh……y-you’re right……err, I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful.」
「M-me too……that’s, I’m sor……ry?」
The two of them apologized even while feeling bewildered.
However question marks were floating above their heads.
They never even dreamed that another devil king candidate would criticize them like this. Even I didn’t expect this.
Neith didn’t notice our thought and gave even more candid advice.
「I think, it’ll be better if there is always someone to stay together with Yuuto-kun……this time he was lucky by chance. But Yuuto-kun is the candidate with the highest results in the Devil King War right now, so he stands out. Ah, speaking about standing out, there also might be a lot of people who think he can be defeated easily just because he is human and come attacking.」
Neith was gathering momentum and approached Lizel-senpai insistently.
Lizel-senpai was overwhelmed by that momentum and she unconsciously took a step back.
「Y-yes……it’s just as Neith say. I’ll try to rethink our security system a bit more……」
To think the day would come where I could see Lizel-senpai being pressured by Neith, I never even imagined this.
Lizel-senpai let out a confused sweat while smiling with a twitching face.
「B-but you know, Neith? You are……the devil king candidate of Chariot aren’t you?」
Neith finally returned to her senses when that was pointed out.
「Ah……I-I-I-I-I-I, t-t-t-that’s!」
「I’m happy for your consideration but……is, this alright? As the devil king candidate of Chariot……」
Miyabi also stared fixedly at Neith with a doubting gaze.
「Yep. Somehow……it feels like you are worryin’ about Yuuto even more than us but……Neith, don’t tell me……」
Neith’s face instantly turned bright red until her ears.
「Awawawa, t-t-tha-, that’s……it’s not that-!」
Neith’s gaze busily darted around in hesitation before it stopped still on my face and,
「Hyaaaaaaah!!」
She raised a strange shriek before she turned right about and ran away.
「Neith……what’s with her?」
I got worried because she was acting too strangely.
However Lizel-senpai spoke calmly.
「You don’t need to worry about it Yuuto.」
And then Lizel-senpai watched the back of the running away Neith with an unblinking gaze.
I was told to not worry about it but……the fact hadn’t changed that Neith had saved me. I had to return this debt to her one day…….
「Putting that aside.」
Lizel-senpai walked toward Reina and,
「Although it’s also thanks to Neith, you have also done great Reina. But……we made you overdid yourself like this. I’m sorry.」
Senpai said that while softly caressing Reina’s cheek. She was giving praise, but her expression was painful. It felt like the pain in senpai’s heart was transmitted through her eyes.
Reina energetically replied, perhaps so that she wouldn’t make us worry.
「N-no no, Reina is completely alright desu!」
Miyabi tightly hugged Reina from behind.
「We gonna pull ourselves together from now on! So Reina can just rest! If not, our heart will keep going ‘brr brr’ without stopping.」
「Yes……sorry desu.」
Reina smiled a bit shyly.
Even though it was thanks to the enemy’s ability, I was really glad that Reina didn’t die.
However, I was made to realize that there wasn’t any more moment to waste.
We didn’t know when we would be stabbed from the back or beheaded in our sleep if we continued to be relaxed just like we were doing so far.
However it wasn’t all bad things.
It was touch and go just now, but it was a harvest to be able to obtain information about the alliance that Ruki told me about.
The mastermind of the enemies was most likely the Tower Marios.
And then the members of the alliance were Strength, Moon, Sun, and……Wheel of Fortune.
「Lizel-senpai, I want to give a report about what happened just now. Can we have a meeting in the palace now?」
Senpai responded with a reliable smile.
「Of course.」
However her eyes were shining with killing intent that made my back tremble.
「It will be our turn to pick a fight next.」
