Chapter 71

(Note) This is my second post of the day.

17

"Yaaaaah!"

In response to the overwhelming attack by the Servants, Lily charged in alone.

She didn't have her beloved black spear in hand. It had been taken from her during the previous exchange, and she hadn't had the chance to retrieve it.

"What can you do without a weapon?"

Izumi glanced at her with a look of exasperation and asked. But she wasn't looking at Lily; she was looking at me...

...For some reason, Izumi has been talking only to me since just now. She's been saying things that should be directed at Lily to me instead.

If this keeps up, I can't help but think it's strange.

Her attitude was as if she didn't even recognize Lily and the others as having personalities.

She doesn't acknowledge the personalities of monsters. ...Come to think of it, when Izumi faced off against Garbera, she shouted, "I won't lose to a monster controlled by a villain!"

A person with the ability to control monsters.

The one who comes to mind is someone who is similar to me but has taken a decisively different path.

Is this just a coincidence?

To begin with, why did Izumi attack us?

We were almost completely overwhelmed, so we didn't have the chance to ask, but could it be that Izumi is completely mistaken...?

"Ahh!?"

Before I could even think about the answer, I saw Izumi kick Lily in the stomach.

Lily, who was unarmed, took the blow to her stomach without any defense. However, the one who smiled was Lily, who had received the attack, while a slight look of surprise appeared on Izumi's face.

"Wh-What is this feeling...?"

Izumi's foot had sunk deeply into Lily's stomach. If her internal organs had been crushed, it might have looked like this, but that wasn't the case.

I immediately understood what Lily had done.

She must have partially deactivated the mimicry on her abdomen and returned it to her slime form. A slime's body is both flexible and resilient, absorbing simple impacts.

"...Got you."

Taking advantage of the momentary shock, Lily grabbed Izumi's leg.

The presence of rising magical power. A green magic circle was about to be activated.

—Third-tier wind magic. The range is narrow, but the density is high.

The magic activated, surrounding Izumi and Lily.

This will hit.

Even if she tries to manipulate the magic to miss, Lily herself won't be able to avoid damage. This is a desperate attack that will surely deal damage.

Or so I thought, in the next instant.

Izumi crouched slightly.

By the time I realized what was happening, Izumi was already in action.

Using her bent leg as a spring, the powerful leg strength of "Vajra" kicked off the ground, generating explosive propulsion.

"...Wh-What!?"

Lily's scream. Her feet left the ground.

There was nothing to stop "Vajra's" speed.

In an instant, Izumi was out of the magic's range.

Lily's determined wind magic only disturbed the air in vain.

"...You're doing a terrible thing, Shinjima."

Shaking Lily off with a kick, Izumi spoke to me.

"To use a monster you care about as a pawn, even if it's a convenient toy..."

The flames of anger burned in her eyes.

Seeing her attitude— I was certain she was mistaken.

"Izumi Yuna-sama!"

At that moment, a sharp voice cut between us.

Izumi, who had been about to attack me, raised her eyebrows.

She turned to the source of the voice. It was a natural reaction, but it was the first time since she arrived that she had done so.

"Um, you are...?"

"I was the deputy leader of the Third Knight Regiment of the Alliance, my name is Shiran."

"Oh, right. Shiran-san. We talked once before, didn't we?"

Her reaction was clearly different from how she treated Lily and the others.

Though her tone was somewhat cold, there was at least room for conversation between Shiran and Izumi.

That meant Izumi was deliberately ignoring Lily and the others, and more importantly, that all the disasters since she arrived were due to her misunderstanding.

"Why did you suddenly attack us? I would like to know your true intentions."

Seizing the opportunity to intervene, Shiran pressed on.

The tension in her determined face was a sign that she understood the dire situation we were in.

Even if Shiran joined us, the situation wouldn't change. The power gap between us and Izumi was that great.

"...Rather, I'm more curious as to why you're acting with Shinjima Takahiro."

In response to Shiran's accusation, Izumi replied with a sharp tone.

"This guy is the culprit who used monsters to attack Fort Cheria, you know?"

Shiran's eyes widened, and I narrowed mine and furrowed my brow.

My suspicion was correct. But that didn't make me feel any better.

The situation was clear.

About two months ago, Izumi set out from Fort Cheria into the depths of the forest.

When she returned, she must have witnessed the ruins of Fort Cheria and understood, to some extent, what had happened there.

However... only to some extent. It wasn't perfect.

Since she wasn't there, the information she received would have been secondhand. There would be gaps and possibly errors.

Still, this is terrible.

Whatever happened, it seems Izumi was told that I was the one who attacked Fort Cheria.

Of course, it's a complete misunderstanding.

The problem is that it's a particularly troublesome kind of misunderstanding.

"Wh-What? That's not true, Yuna-sama."

"What do you mean it's not true?"

"The monster tamer who attacked Fort Cheria was Kudo Riku, not Takahiro-sama."

"I've heard about Kudo, but—"

"Then it's simple! Takahiro-sama had nothing to do with the attack. After all, he defeated Jūji Tatsuya, who attacked Fort Cheria, and cornered Kudo Riku, who was secretly controlling the monsters!"

It's the truth. Shiran isn't lying at all.

But Izumi shook her head.

"I haven't heard that story."

"Wh-What...!"

To Izumi, both the story she heard first and Shiran's claim were secondhand information.

So, it came down to which one she would believe.

Shiran is my companion.

As a statement from a relative, it might be considered less reliable.

"Besides... Jūji-kun attacked Fort Cheria?"

Izumi didn't believe Shiran. More than that, her demeanor became sharply pointed.

"Hmm. I had heard that there were people spreading such ridiculous rumors, but it's true."

Jūji was one of the members of the First Expedition Team who traveled through the forest with Izumi.

Even if he was just one of many, he was still an acquaintance.

Moreover, it seems Izumi had heard somewhere that "such ridiculous rumors existed."

If she had heard it that way, she wouldn't take it seriously no matter who told her what. It would only make her feel worse.

And... the fact that it was said by my companion, of all people.

Izumi knows that I fed Mihō Mizushima to Lily.

She might even think I killed Mihō Mizushima.

Of course, I didn't do that, but even if I claimed otherwise, there's no evidence. Even if I could prove my innocence, the fact that I fed the body to Lily wouldn't change.

At that point, I thought it was necessary for survival, but that's no excuse.

Shinjima Takahiro is an evil being, and it wouldn't be strange if he attacked Fort Cheria.

As long as this premise exists, Izumi won't back down.

I can't defeat "Vajra" with my cards in a head-on battle.

And I can't persuade her. Even a third party like Shiran couldn't do it.

The situation is hopeless. There's nothing I can do.

But...

"...Hey. Why don't you just give up already?"

Izumi, who had turned her gaze away from Shiran, spoke to me in a slightly exasperated tone.

"You should know by now that you can't win, right?"

She glanced at Lily, who was gathering magic power.

"Lily..."

Her expression was different from Izumi's, showing a different kind of strength.

An indomitable will. She wasn't giving up.

If that's the case... no, even if it isn't.

I can't give up. I can feel through the bond that none of the Servants have given up either. I can't give up.

Just as I made up my mind, something unexpected happened.

"Waaaaah!"

It wasn't me. It wasn't Lily, Garbera, or Rose.

"Kato-san!?"

Breaking into a run, a seemingly powerless girl dashed past me.

She ran along the mountain path, clinging to the cliff face, holding a knife in her hand, and moving with a pace that couldn't be called sharp.

It was a completely unexpected situation, so my reaction was slow.

Everyone here was slow, but— even if we were slow, "Vajra" was the fastest.

"Ugh"

"What are you trying to do?"

Before I knew it, Kato-san was restrained by Izumi.

"From what I can see, you don't seem to have awakened any cheat abilities..."

Pressed to the ground, Kato-san's face contorted in pain as Izumi, who was looking at her up close, furrowed her brow.

"Wait, are you... Kato Mana-san?"

"Why do you know... mmph"

A stifled scream escaped as the knife from Rose fell from Kato-san's hand, which Izumi had twisted behind her back.

Stopping us from rushing over with a glance, Izumi answered Kato-san's question.

"I recognized you from what Takayuki-kun said and your build."

"Oh, right. I remember Takayuki-kun joined the expedition team..."

"...I don't understand."

Izumi's tone dropped.

"Takayuki-kun told me that you were a junior who was close to Mizushima-san. So, why are you with Shinjima, who made Mizushima-san a monster's meal?"

"Maybe our standards for judgment are just different."

Despite the pain on her face, Kato-san's response was somewhat nonchalant.

I couldn't understand Kato-san in a different way from Izumi.

"Izumi-san, I think what you're saying is correct."

Her demeanor showed no signs of being cornered or desperate.

"Senpai did something wrong. Therefore, Senpai is a bad person. I see. So, you must be a good person, overflowing with a sense of justice. Even if we foreigners weren't treated as heroes in this world, you would have acted the same way. Maybe you're the kind of person who should be called a hero."

"What are you...?"

"But, even so, the one who saved me was Senpai, not you."

Confused, Izumi was glared at by Kato-san.

"To me, you are the evil one for hurting Senpai."

"Me, evil...?"

"Whether you are a good person or not doesn't matter to me. If anything, it's convenient for us."

...Convenient?

It was a strange statement. What did she mean?

"Izumi-san, you've been holding back, haven't you?"

"Wh-What?"

Ignoring my stunned reaction, Kato-san continued.

"If you were serious, Lily and the others would have lost their heads by now."

What is she talking about?

At first, I thought so, but when I thought about it—...

Despite the overwhelming power gap, none of us had died yet. There should have been plenty of opportunities to kill us.

Izumi only used her sword against Garbera.

Even then, she only cut off a spider leg.

"Even knowing they were monsters, you hesitated to use your sword on something that looked human, didn't you? And with Senpai, you could have cut him down instead of just hitting him."

"If I did that, you'd be dead!"

Izumi replied, looking shocked, but I was stunned by the difference in perception.

Looking back, Izumi had always said she would "knock me down" and actually hit me in the face.

With a sword-wielding fist. She hit me, not cut me.

I was desperately trying to survive, thinking I would be killed, but she had been holding back all along...

The fact I heard was a sign of a hopelessly desperate situation, but it seemed different to Kato-san.

"You're right. It would be terrible if you died. You really are a true hero. I'm glad you're the kind of person you are."

She smiled confidently despite the sweat on her face.

"Remember this. As you said, I'm just a human. I have no fighting power and no way to survive if something happens. I'm a weak person who wouldn't hesitate to exploit others' weaknesses if necessary."

"What do you mean...?"

Izumi, who was about to speak, suddenly looked up.

"Ugh... hahaha. Kato-dono, you are indeed the most terrifying of all."

Her gaze was on Garbera, who had been beaten up earlier.

It seemed that while Kato-san was buying time, Garbera had managed to regain her footing.

"You seem completely insane."

"That's harsh. I told you before, I'm actually a coward."

"That's why you're terrifying."

While talking to Kato-san, Garbera, with her remaining spider legs firmly planted in the mountain path, held the handle of the cart she had been towing in one hand.

When she was knocked away by Izumi earlier, there was a cart borrowed from the Alliance's knights where she landed.

Garbera was lifting it with one hand.

Izumi looked slightly exasperated.

"...Quite a shoddy impact weapon."

It was a sturdy cart body customized by Rose to be portable.

It must have been under considerable strain being used as a club, but it didn't disintegrate in mid-air. It could be used as a blunt weapon.

But it didn't seem like it would be enough to counter Izumi. Garbera, having lost her legs, couldn't even move properly.

"Shinjima, I know this is your strongest card. But isn't it a bit much to rely on her now?"

It was a reasonable assumption... but I was more concerned about something else.

Garbera. Yes, Garbera.

The source of the unease I had been feeling was this.

Izumi doesn't know, but Kato-san and Rose are really close.

Yet, Kato-san, who seemed to be in a panic, ignored Rose, who had been slammed into the cliff, and ran to Garbera.

If she was really in a panic, it would be even more puzzling.

So, it must be the opposite.

Kato-san wasn't panicking. She was calm and calculating, observing the situation and acting accordingly. Therefore, her running to Garbera must have a clear purpose—...

"This is the end—!"

Izumi, demonstrating the true power of "Vajra," charged forward.

In response, Garbera swung the cart she was holding with all her might.

Of course, it couldn't catch "Vajra."

Garbera wasn't even aiming at her.

"What!?"

The cart, used as a mere blunt object, flew out of Garbera's hand, passing over the heads of Shiran and Kai, and slammed into the cliff face on the side of the mountain path.

Izumi hadn't even reached Garbera yet. She couldn't stop it.

The cliff face, which had almost collapsed when Rose was hit by Izumi earlier, was now struck with the full force of the white arachne's sturdy cart.

The cart and the cliff face shattered together.

As a result, a landslide, which had often stopped us on our journey, was triggered.

The mountain path began to collapse into the stream below.

Of course, "Vajra" wouldn't be damaged by such a thing. With her speed, it would be easy to escape from here.

That is, if she were alone.

"Why...?"

Izumi, who was about to speak, suddenly remembered.

She must have recalled Kato-san's words earlier.

—Remember this. As you said, I'm just a human. I have no fighting power and no way to survive if something happens.

"Impossible..."

She turned around. There, she saw Kato-san smiling and extending her hand.

What is she thinking? I shuddered.

A landslide alone wouldn't be enough to escape from "Vajra." At the very least, Izumi would try to secure my custody.

But in this situation.

In front of her was a powerless, weak girl who would die if no one helped her.

"Wh-"

To defeat evil or to help the weak.

Izumi, weighing the options, chose to take Kato-san's hand without hesitation.

"Idiot—!"

However, Izumi had one misunderstanding.

Kato-san had no direct fighting power. That was true.

But she was far from just a weakling.

Her weapon was her resolve.

Her existence was neither good nor evil. Kato Mana was just a desperate girl.

Therefore, the hand she extended was not a plea for help.

The bracelet on her wrist was a magical item I had given her for self-defense.

The embedded gem was a fake magic stone that emitted a blinding flash. A one-time-use, non-lethal blinding device.

—If necessary, I wouldn't hesitate to exploit others' weaknesses, I'm a weak person.

The girl's words were true.

The collapsing mountain path was enveloped in an explosive white light.

"Wh-... Wait..."

Izumi, who didn't expect to be ambushed by the girl she was trying to help, was caught off guard and plunged into the white light.

"R-Really an idiot—!?"

With a scream, Vajra fell.