Chapter 253

Shooting Star

※ From Rodd Bauer’s perspective .

“This isn’t looking good…”

The Naa Empire’s throne room had become a wasteland .

As I watched the fierce battle taking place in that very spot, I couldn’t help but feel ashamed .

“Rodd-sama, I told you not to move!”

“If you don’t stay still, even wounds that could heal won’t!”

“My bad, my bad . ”

Though I kept it smug in front of Mei and Alea, internally I was a mess .

(At this rate, Rei and them will lose . )

Because of my carelessness, our trump card, the Magi Shibley, had been broken .

As if that weren’t enough, the Demon Queen’s barrier was even stronger than it was last time .

It appeared as though Rei and Claire were still looking to try something, but it didn’t seem that was going well either .

Things would only get worse for us as things dragged on .

“Something… isn’t there something…”

My brain, which I was decently confident in, was desperately trying to spin ideas, but all of the conclusions were dark .

At best, I thought that perhaps we could do the same to the barrier as we had with Rates and disperse the wall’s magical energy with the same part of the Magi Shibley .

That being said, that had only worked because it was a surprise attack .

The Demon Queen had seen that last fight .

It wasn’t likely that the same tactic would work again .

“What should I do…”

This feeling of powerlessness tortured me .

This wasn’t the first time that I had felt this way either .

When Mount Sassal had erupted in Bauer, I had sustained a serious injury .

I had gone to a village at the base of the volcano to recommend they evacuate, but I collapsed there .

Until that point, I didn’t think there was anything that I couldn’t do .

However, bearing a heavy injury, losing my arm, and being almost out of magic, it turned out that there was almost nothing that I could do .

Fortunately since the evacuation had all but finished, there were no casualties amongst the villagers .

However, the small village didn’t have any proper medical facilities .

This was something that I heard afterward, but for quite a while it seemed that I was wandering between life and death .

What saved my life was the devotion from the very villagers that I was meant to be saving .

Though the villagers were still alive, they had lost their homes and had nearly no food .

To them, my existence should’ve been nothing but a hindrance .

However, the villagers did not forsake me .

As for why,

It was because I was one of Bauer’s princes .

At the time the village was still quite a conservative place .

I had only viewed that place as anachronistic, but it was only because they had retained the kingdom’s traditional values that they saved me .

If I had just been some traveller, they likely would’ve abandoned me long ago .

I had been saved by the very values that I had dismissed .

That fact brought me much conflict .

I had been too full of myself .

Believing I could do everything was but a bad assumption .

I was only alive thanks to the people .

And not all people agreed with the values that I held .

Society only forms when countless people holding countless values come together .

Thinking back, it seemed that Sein had realized this from very early on .

For him, it was more often the case that things didn’t go the way he wanted .

That was why he was especially sensitive to people’s differences .

As for Yuu… she’s a prodigy, so I think she already had a grasp on this as well .

I was the only one that was ignorant .

I was the Naked Emperor .

Part of the reason why I cast aside my royalty, was because I felt Sein was more fitting to rule during these times .

However, the biggest reason was because I had become painfully aware that I was not fit to stand above the people .

(Isn’t there anything… that I can do?)

After the revolution, I entered the army .

It was because I felt that position fit me best .

The army’s training regimen was tough .

In mock fights where magic wasn’t allowed, the veterans made me taste the floor many times .

However, only in that position did I come to see the limits of what I was capable of .

(Think . Don’t give up . They haven’t given up either . )

Rei and Claire, Manaria and Lily―the women I had once thought required my protection, were now fighting for the sake of humankind’s future .

If they had yet to give up… as a guy, there was no way that I could be the one whimpering .

(It’s frustrating, but there’s no way I can continue fighting . Then, these two…? Absolutely not . )

I looked at the small figures who were desperately treating my injuries .

Normally there was no way that it was okay for them to be on this battlefield . They were both still mere toddlers .

In my current situation however, they were still capable of far more than I was .

(No, it’s not that bad of an idea, Rodd Bauer . )

Suddenly a voice echoed from within my head .

It was a very calm, monotone voice .

(TAIM?)

(That’s right . I can’t borrow Lily Lilium’s body at a time like this, so I am calling out to you directly . )

(Enough of that . What do you want?)

I urged it to continue .

(Substitute the twins for the Magi Shibley . )

(What was that?)

(The magic that you gathered is still stored within that magic gem . All that’s left is to convert and bind it together . )

I looked to confirm, and as stated, the magic gem was still intact .

Though it was buried under the other debris, it had not lost its brilliance .

It almost looked like it was saying,

―It’s not over yet . Now, go .

Carrying a message from everyone back in Bauer .

(You say all that’s left is to convert and bind, but that’s the most difficult part . Do you know how much it took to complete―)

(These two can do it . )

TAIM stated it as fact .

I doubted my ears .

The Magi Shibley, which I had conceived and borrowed the wisdom of many magic scholars to fully realize, could be replicated by those two…?

(Explain it to them . Just say that they can apply the same principles as with the Magic Sword . )

Leaving those words behind, the voice disappeared .

As usual, it says whatever it wants to without caring to listen .

I hesitated .

However, if there was a chance then I wanted to bet on it .

It didn’t sit well with me to rely on kids this young, but at this point I had already let go of my worthless pride .

Perhaps if I was still the previous me, I would have given up without trying to rely on them .

“Mei, Alea, that’s enough healing . Instead, I have a request . ”

“What?”

“What is it?”

“It’s about the Magi Shibley, it’s a magic artifact―”

I explained just as TAIM had told me to .

I had no idea what the Magic Sword was, but I included that and explained as simply as I could .

“Sure, got it!”

“I understand . ”

“… Hey, do you really get it…?”

The twins had nodded so easily, I became worried .

“Simply put, we need to take magic from that gem and slam it into the Demon Queen’s black wall, right?”

“Y-yeah…”

“Then, just leave it to us . ”

“…”

As TAIM had said, it seems that the two understood .

“Rodd-sama, just watch from here . ”

“S-sure…”

Without waiting for my response, Mei gently dropped her purse on the ground .

“Relaire, you watch over us from there as well . ”

“Off I go then . ”

As though to respond to the twins’ voices, the water slime peeked out to offer a wobble .

“Alea, are you ready?”

“Yes, whenever . ”

Mei retrieved the Magi Shibley’s magic gem from the debris . Holding it in both of her hands, she closed her eyes .

Alea took stance with the sword that she had inherited from Dorothea and locked her sights on the Demon Queen .

And then― .

“Alea, go!”

“Yes!”

At an unbelievable speed for a toddler, Alea began running .

Keeping her sword pointed low, she rapidly approached the Demon Queen in a fluid motion .

“Hey, that’s too reckless!”

“No, this is fine!”

Panicked, I called out to stop her . When I turned to face Mei, her body was enveloped in a four-colored light .

Earth, water, fire and wind . Lights representing each of the major elements .

It was proof that she had drawn out the gathered magical energy and was controlling it .

“No way…”

“Uu… gh…!”

Mei’s expression however, revealed she was in pain .

It was understandable .

Even now, magical energy gathered from all across Bauer was flowing into the magic gem .

Even I, who was considered to have exceptional magical capacity, could not hold all of that magical energy within my body .

“Don’t push it!”

“My mothers are still fighting! Mei and Alea are going to fight with them!”

Mei shouted .

I was forced to realize .

I was still leagues away from fully comprehending how resolute women and children could be .

The age where only men fought, had come to an end long ago .

“Rodd-sama, move!”

“!”

In response to the sharp voice, I reflexively opened the way .

At the same time, a white―no, a near invisible, pure light gushed out of Mei’s body .

“Take it, Alea!!”

Like a shooting star, the light blazed a trail through the battlefield .

Just in front of it was Alea, brandishing her sword .

“Haaaahh…!”

The light enveloped Alea .

Then, as though it had exploded, a bright light flashed . The next moment, the light had converged onto Alea’s sword .

As light and sword became one, Alea left everyone awestruck as she became the battlefield’s shooting star .

“Yaaaahh…!”

Alea’s sword made contact with the Demon Queen’s barrier .

Sparks flew between the light and the dark as they clashed .

“Why… you…!”

The light was being pushed back .

Is it not enough?

Having come this far, is it not enough?

“!?”

After a sudden flash of surprise, Alea’s expression changed .

Right after, she very subtly changed how she held her sword .

“This was it, wasn’t it, teacherー!!

Alea screamed something .

The next moment― .

A thunderous roar and light filled the area .

“Guh…!”

I involuntarily protected my head .

This storm-like moment lasted but a few seconds .

“Kyaa!”

I heard a shrill voice right next to me .

When I looked, Alea was there sitting on her behind .

“Ouch… I seem to have failed my landing . ”

“Alea… you…?”

“What are you spacing out for, Rodd-sama, Mei and Alea, we did our jobs, you know?”

“!?”

As Mei said that, I hurriedly turned back to the throne room .

What I saw was― .

“… You’ve really gone and done it . ”

The sight of the Demon Queen . Having lost her magic barrier, she was kneeling on one knee .

“… Seriously?”

“Alea, good work!”

“Good work to you too, Mei . ”

“Haha… Fuhahaha…!”

Ignoring the adults who were still awestruck, the twins innocently high-fived .

I couldn’t help but laugh .

It seems that even Rei and Claire were surprised this time .

“Your daughters, they’re really something . ”

Like mothers, like daughters, or something like that .

They really were something else, that much was certain .

“Haah… I’m tiredー…”

“I as well…”

“Yeah? If you’re tired go ahead and rest . You’ve already done more than enough . Leave the rest to your mothers . ”

“I’ll do thatー”

“I think I shall as well . ”

The twins lay themselves right on the ground .

And almost immediately nodded off .

They were real bigshots .

“By the way, Alea . When you changed your stance in the middle of all that, what was up with that?”

“Mmー… I heard… a voice…”

“Voice?”

“My teacher… scolded me… Not like that, like this…”

Leaving those words behind, this time Alea drifted into sleep .

“That kind of thing… happens I guess…?”

To name people that Alea had learned combat techniques from, there was Rei, Claire, and me, but of course, the first one that came to mind here was her .

To me she had just been the object of my father’s revenge, but to Alea she had surely been a good teacher .

“Well… I guess I’ll give you my thanks, Dorothea . ”

To the woman, once praised as the God of the Sword, I sent a bitter smile .

For a moment I thought that I had felt someone’s gaze .

But when I looked, there was no one here but us three .

“I wonder if I’m growing old…”

Laying my exhausted body on the ground, I felt a refreshing breeze .

Without resisting it, I allowed my consciousness to sink .