Chapter 81

(￣(エ)￣)＜After the last post, I added some extra notes in the afterword, Bear.

(￣(エ)￣)＜If you're interested, please check it out, Bear.

□【Holy Knight】Ray Sterling

The scene before me could be described in one word: hell.

On the cobblestone streets of the town, countless ice statues lined up. If they were just ice sculptures, it might have been a joyful sight like the snow festival I attended as a child.

However, if all of these were ice statues of humans.

If they were real humans frozen solid.

And if those people had the emblem indicating they were <Masters> on the backs of their left hands, just like me... it would be nothing but terrifying.

No, it's a bit different.

Seeing something like this... the frozen human bodies I saw yesterday made me feel emotions other than fear.

"…………"

In front of me was a sign.

'No <Masters> beyond this point,' huh. Is this... a warning?

It probably is.

It's a warning, and the fate of any <Master> who tried to pass is these ice statues.

Or perhaps it's not a warning.

Yes, 'You can't pass, you shouldn't pass—so please don't come here'... I felt such a wish from this sign.

I think I feel this way because I know the one who created this and the hell before me.

The meaning of this sign might contradict the fact that I was called here.

But... he might have accepted this contradiction.

Hey...

"Do you want me to come? Or do you not want me to come? Which is it—Yugo?"

"…Which one, Ray?"

At the center of the hell was it.

A mechanical giant, nearly five meters tall, covered in pale blue ice armor. Ice blades shaped like crosses were mounted on both arms.

It was as if an ice church had been personified—TYPE: Maiden with Chariots, the <Embryo> Cocytus.

And its <Master> is... the man who helped me destroy the Gouzmeiz bandits, Yugo Leceps.

A friend I parted ways with smiling just this noon.

But his voice... was far too different from what it was yesterday or today.

He sounded terribly preoccupied with something.

"Franklin... who is the owner of your clan?"

"Beyond this gate. They are... currently in battle with the Royal Knights."

"..."

The Royal Knights, Lilianna and the others are fighting him.

Of course.

Franklin kidnapped the princess.

So, Lilianna and the others would challenge him, risking their lives to protect what is important.

I knew from the day I stepped into <Infinite Dendrogram> that she is the kind of woman who would step forward no matter how dangerous it is to protect what she cherishes.

"Then, we will pass through here as well."

"You are fine. But I cannot let your companions pass. That is my... role."

Yugo's <Majingear> pointed at Luke, Kira, and the other three behind me.

But, "You are fine," huh?

"Why can I pass?"

"I didn't decide it. That person... the owner wants to fight you directly."

Franklin... wants to fight me?

The only connection I have with him is that he drugged me with the Inumimi medicine yesterday.

Besides, I'm just a rookie, and there should be many stronger people.

Why would he care about someone like me?

"Why?"

"…………"

Yugo doesn't answer.

Or perhaps, Yugo doesn't know either.

"…Well, you can pass. If you want to stop that person, if you want to save the princess... just pass through."

With that, Yugo moved his machine to clear the path.

"…………"

I can pass, huh.

But that means leaving Luke and the others behind, and at the same time...

"Mr. Ray, please go ahead."

As if reading my thoughts, Luke spoke.

No, knowing Luke, he must have understood what I was thinking.

"You have things to worry about on both sides, don't you, Mr. Ray? If so, Mr. Ray, please hurry to the other side of the gate. I will take care of this."

"Luke..."

"I will fight in your place, Mr. Ray."

These words seemed to address both of my concerns.

Is it okay to leave Luke and the others here?

And is it okay to leave Yugo, who looks somewhat unstable, and proceed?

These two concerns.

"I understand that the person you mentioned in your story as 'the friend you fought with yesterday' is him. I understand that you are concerned about why he is involved in this. I understand that you have a lot to talk about. But, understanding all of that, I say this: Mr. Ray, you should go forward now."

Luke looked me in the eye... and pushed me forward, saying:

"If you don't make it in time, you will surely regret it forever. So, Mr. Ray, go after Franklin."

"...Thanks, Luke."

I thanked Luke and continued:

"...I'm counting on you."

"Understood!"

With that, I gripped the silver reins and faced the west gate.

As I stepped into the frozen hell before me, I had a moment of doubt, thinking I might freeze myself, but nothing happened.

I couldn't even feel the faint cold.

I spurred Silver forward, breaking through the frozen hell.

"…………"

However, halfway down the path, as I approached Yugo's machine... the machine, which had been moved aside, moved forward to block the path.

"Yugo"

"…………Ray"

The voice coming through the speaker sounded like it had been squeezed out after deep contemplation.

After a long silence, Yugo... made a proposal to me.

"I apologize for going back on my word to let you pass... but can you fight me one round with all your strength?"

I don't know what he was thinking, what decision he made, but my answer was immediate.

"Sure."

I agreed and readied the black greatsword, Nemesis.

"I have a lot of things I want to ask and say to you... but for now, let's just exchange one blow each."

"…Thank you."

Thus, my machine and Yugo's faced each other.

The distance between us was about fifteen meters.

For me on Silver and Yugo in his <Majingear>, it was almost negligible.

So, as soon as we faced each other, I spurred Silver forward.

I charged like I was diving in, slipping past, cutting through the right side of the <Majingear>.

"《Motor Slash》!!"

Yugo's voice echoed through the speaker, and the <Majingear> swung its right cross blade at high speed.

It was a powerful strike, said to be on par with a sub-dragon class, with the full weight of the machine behind it.

I felt a pressure that rivaled or even surpassed the charge of the Demi Dragon Worm I fought for the first time.

If it hit me directly, my body would be torn apart.

But,

"《Counter Absorption》!"

"《Vengeance is mine}!!"

The strike from 《Motor Slash》 was blocked by the wall of light deployed by Nemesis, and the counter blade I released shattered the ice armor on the <Majingear>'s right arm, distorting the internal frame.

The one-round duel was over with that.

After the brief exchange, our positions were reversed—facing the gate, I spurred Silver forward, leaving Yugo behind.

Heading to the battlefield where Franklin awaited, entrusting my companions to them.

◆◆◆

■<Triangle of Wisdom> member 【High Pilot】Yugo Leceps

After the brief clash, Ray ran out of the west gate.

I watched him go.

"…………"

A one-round match.

As a result, Ray was unharmed, and my <Marshall II Kai> suffered significant damage to its right arm.

That alone would be a loss for me.

But now, I had taken something important from Ray.

"Used... it"

The 《Counter Absorption》.

One of Nemesis's unique skills, it is a powerful defensive skill, but its activation is limited to a certain number of uses, as Ray himself told me.

If he had used up his stock in the battle with the Gouzmeiz yesterday, this was the one use that had recovered over time.

I made him use it in our exchange.

For Ray, who would face that person next, it would be a significant handicap.

"…………"

"Yugo"

I asked for a one-round match with all his strength.

I did so because I believed Ray would use his full strength.

What I did was betray a battle companion, send him to a dangerous place, and even cut his lifeline.

It was a bitter choice.

But I chose it.

I didn't want to let the enemy of that person pass by.

I couldn't send Ray off with a face that said, "I have nothing to do with it," when he was heading into a life-or-death situation.

I decided to bear the burden of emotion and sin.

Ah, really... why am I... why am I...

"Is that... for Yugo, huh!?"

—Suddenly, my thoughts and Kyuko's words were interrupted by a fierce impact.

It was a charge from the triple-horned sub-dragon led by Ray's companion, followed by a wave attack from the <Master> on its back.

"—Sorry, but you were wide open."

As I tried to regain my machine's balance, the <Master> and the triple-horned sub-dragon, along with what seemed to be a succubus <Embryo>, continued their pursuit.

Their attacks were relentless and merciless, clearly aiming to crush me with the momentum of this surprise attack.

"Cheater"

"I'm offended. I said I would take care of this, didn't I? Your daydreaming is not my concern."

"Huh, he's quite different from Ray, isn't he?"

If Ray is a clumsy man who lives unreasonably and without pretense, he is full of reason and calculation.

His face is completely different from the one he directed at Ray... cold.

There is not a trace of a smile... and his handsome features are even more frightening.

He probably controls the impression he gives to others.

...Like me when I play the role of a knight, but even more so.

"Maybe. That's why I admire Mr. Ray. And probably..."

The <Master>—Luke—stares at me from the back of the sub-dragon, his eyes cold.

Just like that day with my sister.

And he says:

"I really, really dislike you."

I am taken aback by his words.

The succubus <Embryo> that seems to be his picks up, "This is the first time Luke has said he dislikes someone."

"…Well, to be disliked at first meeting is quite something."

"Yes. But I really do dislike you. You're too indecisive, too drunk... like someone I know."

"…I don't understand..."

"Do you really not understand?"

"…………"

His eyes have a force that makes me understand he is certain of something.

It's as if... I am avoiding something and leaving it unresolved...

"Well, then. I don't know what you're talking about. But no matter what, you will freeze here."

I regain my machine's balance, strike the triple-horned sub-dragon with my armor, and create some distance.

"…No <Master> other than that person and him can pass through here. As a member of the clan <Triangle of Wisdom>... as a thorn to protect that person, I will stake everything here."

"Is that so? Then I will use all I have to defeat you and push through. As a companion of Mr. Ray... and as myself."

He stands on the back of the sub-dragon, with the succubus at his side, facing me.

A moment of silence follows as we glare at each other, and... I break the silence with my words.

"—<High Pilot> Yugo Leceps and <Emb