Chapter 81

Summary of the previous chapter:

Yuna Iino joins the battle.

27 ～Lily's Perspective～

"Why, why...!?"

With one arm, Tsubasa Takaya was carrying me, who was bound with chains, as he ran up the mountain.

It was not a strategic retreat while keeping an eye on the enemy, but a full-out sprint with all his might.

Behind us, I could sense Berta pursuing us.

If it were a straightforward race, Berta, being a wolf, seemed to be almost on par with Tsubasa Takaya. She occasionally spewed flames, maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far.

If Berta caught up, it would be the end.

Tsubasa Takaya knew this, which is why he was desperate.

Of course, what he feared was not being caught by Berta.

It was being caught, leading to a fight, and ultimately, being held back.

"Why, why, why, why"

"Ugh...!"

His all-out escape, without any consideration for me, whom he was carrying.

"This is impossible! Why is Yuna Iino helping Masashima!?"

After encountering Yuna Iino, Tsubasa Takaya's judgment was swift.

He created a pillar of earth to blind the enemy and immediately fled the scene.

It was a perfect example of quick decision-making.

He must have been very afraid of Yuna Iino's presence.

Given the disparity in our forces, it was a reasonable judgment, and upon reflection, there were signs of this in his previous actions.

For example, when I lost consciousness, my master was unharmed despite encountering Tsubasa Takaya.

He could have killed my master on the spot, but he didn't.

After securing me, he left without further pursuit.

Considering Tsubasa Takaya's previous behavior, it was unlikely that he let my master go out of moral or ethical considerations, or even sympathy.

He prioritized leaving the scene without further pursuit because he feared Yuna Iino, who was with my master, and was known as "Vedette."

And he is still doing the same now.

"Anyway, we have to put some distance between us...!"

"I won't let you escape."

"Ah!?"

At the sight of Yuna Iino appearing to the right of our path, Tsubasa Takaya changed direction in a panic.

Despite his desperate escape, it seemed he had been outmaneuvered.

But that was to be expected.

No matter how hard he tried, she was "Vedette."

The fastest of the exploration team.

The world's fastest, righteous avenger.

Escaping from her would be nearly impossible unless a miracle occurred.

Tsubasa Takaya had no choice but to continue running, even though he knew it was futile.

He may be insane, but he is not incapable of calculation.

He knows he cannot defeat Yuna Iino.

If a fight breaks out, he will be crushed. Knowing this, his only option is to keep running, hoping for a miracle.

"Ah!"

Every time Yuna Iino appeared, Tsubasa Takaya changed direction and ran.

"Ahhh!"

Driven by the fear of losing the significance of my existence, which he found in me, he continued to run.

Tsubasa Takaya's mind needed my existence.

The current situation must be utterly hopeless for him.

So, with all his might, he tried to shake off the despair that clung to him.

...One problem was that he had lost all consideration for the "Mihō Mizushima" he was carrying.

"Ugh... ugh... ugh..."

For me, with my diminished physical abilities, this escape was a heavy burden.

The shock of his powerful strides reverberated through my internal organs.

The bushes we broke through scratched my skin.

The vibrations made me feel like vomiting.

Actually... this might be bad.

I was gradually losing consciousness.

If this situation continued much longer, I might lose consciousness for real.

How long...?

As I thought this, I furrowed my brow.

"...Huh?"

I felt a sense of unease in this situation.

Something was off.

...But what?

With my mind not functioning as well as usual, I thought for a while.

Given my current state of being carried by Tsubasa Takaya, I had plenty of time to think.

Indeed, plenty of time.

"Ah"

Then, I realized what was bothering me.

This endless escape.

This was what was off.

"I don't want to. I don't want to! I won't give Mihō-nee-chan to you! I can't lose her again!"

Tsubasa Takaya, in his desperation, was already cornered.

After all, he is just a Warrior, and she is known by a nickname.

The disparity in their forces is clear.

A one-shot reversal based on their compatibility is highly unlikely, considering they are both close-combat types who do not excel in magic.

It should be over quickly.

Yuna Iino has the power to do so.

This feels like torment.

The current situation doesn't seem like her.

"Ah!"

As I thought this, the boy's escape continued.

How many times has this happened?

Again, Yuna Iino outmaneuvered him.

No matter how long he ran, the miracle he hoped for did not occur—and without it, the escape came to an end.

Tsubasa Takaya, who had been trying to avoid tripping, was finally caught.

"What... What is this!?"

His body was entangled in white spider silk.

Of course, such a thing would not naturally be waiting for him—yet Tsubasa Takaya had no time to think about it.

After all, he had been so cornered that he had no choice but to move without checking ahead, leading him into the area where the spider silk was waiting.

"Damn it..."

Restraining a Warrior with immense strength is difficult.

The trees that held the spider silk were broken by his force.

Or uprooted from their roots.

In a few seconds, he could tear the spider silk apart.

But in this situation, those few seconds were fatal.

He could no longer escape.

"A... Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah—!"

The boy, crushed by despair, let out a death-like scream.

At that moment, something must have snapped inside him.

His already unstable mind lost all rational judgment.

"Aaaaaah!"

A meaningless struggle that would only make things worse.

Tsubasa Takaya's magic, as a Warrior, was poured into his sword.

"Take this—!"

The pillars of earth he created attacked Yuna Iino, who was wielding a thin sword—and cleanly broke her body in two.

"...What?"

Tsubasa Takaya let out a bewildered cry.

"What is this?"

Yuna Iino's broken body turned into a black silhouette in front of him.

A phenomenon he had probably heard about, but it was difficult to connect it with his knowledge on the spot.

I immediately recognized what it was because I had seen it before.

—The copy ability of a Doppleganger.

I remembered... my master had enlisted the help of Riku Kudo.

Among his familiars, there was a Queen Monster named Anton, capable of creating numerous Dopplegangers.

This must have been one of them.

At this point, I understood what was happening.

The Yuna Iino who appeared and continued to chase Tsubasa Takaya was a hollow decoy.

Tsubasa Takaya was not being outmaneuvered by Yuna Iino, but by the Dopplegangers strategically placed by Berta.

This was a hunting tactic, and Berta, being a wolf, was skilled at such things.

Reflecting on it after it was revealed, there were things that made sense.

My memory is vague because I lost consciousness immediately, but I remember the last time I saw Yuna Iino, she had an injured leg.

To be able to run, she would need an excellent healer.

Of course, I cannot say for certain that none of Kudo's familiars can use healing magic. However, if they could, there would be no reason for my master to have a small injury.

Moreover, Yuna Iino had shown such hostility toward my master.

Tsubasa Takaya had also said it was "impossible" just now, and indeed, it was unlikely that Yuna Iino would lend her strength to my master unless something extraordinary happened.

Everything was planned.

So... this is the real strike.

"---Well done, Tsubasa."

A voice from behind.

"I will take back my sister."

The strongest of the familiars, the white spider Gerbera, bared her fangs at the ensnared Tsubasa Takaya.

Injured from the battle with Yuna Iino, she had lost her mobility.

But with the enemy rushing in, it was not a disadvantage.

"Y-You bastard—!?"

As he turned, Tsubasa Takaya tried to slash with his sword.

"Shaaaaa—!"

But Gerbera's spider leg, which moved first, pierced Tsubasa Takaya's right arm, breaking his forearm.

"AAAAAAH!?"

The boy's scream echoed through the mountains.

The magic-infused sword flew from Tsubasa Takaya's hand, and I watched it in horror.

...Amazing.

Amazing. Truly amazing.

To corner a cheater to this extent.

Just as I thought this, a beast-like roar pierced my eardrums.

"Not yet!"

"What...!?"

Gerbera's red eyes widened.

Tsubasa Takaya was not giving up.

"Guh...!?"

A kick to Gerbera's chest sent her white form crashing through the trees and disappearing into the forest.

"Wh-What?"

It was a moment of brutal action.

The determination that drove Tsubasa Takaya was intense.

His right arm, still pierced by the spider leg, was half torn off due to the violent movement.

This determination surprised Gerbera and repelled the ace that my master had been saving.

"Grrrraaaah!"

Berta immediately launched an attack.

But... it was too late by a split second.

"Out of my way!"

"Yaaaah!?"

Berta, about to spew flames, was kicked and slammed to the ground.

"Ugh, oh!?"

As a result, my master and Riku Kudo, who were riding on Berta's back, were thrown off.

The two, connected by Asarina, rolled on the ground as one.

Tsubasa Takaya turned to face them.

"You've caused me so much trouble..."

His voice, tinged with joy, trembled with a cruel foreboding.

A chill ran through my body.

Despite being mentally exhausted, losing his weapon, and having one arm crushed, Tsubasa Takaya could still kill my master and Riku Kudo.

Imagining what was about to happen, I was overwhelmed by a sense of powerlessness.

What am I doing?

Leaving my master in such danger and just watching, unable to do anything.

How powerless.

How pathetic.

What kind of first familiar am I?

But no matter how much I berated myself, the cruel reality in front of me did not change.

No matter how much I cursed my powerlessness, I could not do anything about the restraints.

"No, no, no, no!"

"Die, die, die—!"

As if the sound of the scream was pleasant, Tsubasa Takaya kicked the ground in triumph.

The two monster tamers, having lost their reliable familiars, had no means of resistance.

This was a reasonable judgment—and that was why neither Tsubasa Takaya nor I could understand what happened next.

"...Huh?"

In the next moment, Tsubasa Takaya's right chest was slashed vertically, blood spurting out.

Unable to kick, Tsubasa Takaya fell to his knees.

"What...?"

What he saw when he looked up was the figure of "Kudo," who had been carried by my master, pulling out a sword.

The sharp slashing motion had caused the coat to rise, revealing the body of the girl hidden beneath.

The bandage wrapped around her left thigh, which was in a kneeling position, made me realize... that's why they used Berta.

"Yuna... Iino? Is it... really...?"

"I'm sorry, Tsubasa, but no one will die here."

The face of Yuna Iino, revealed when the hood was removed, looked at the changed Tsubasa Takaya with sad eyes.

◆Yuna Iino joins the battle

→Thought it was a mistake

→Turns out she really did join

It was a bit of a whirlwind of events.

This time, some people might have predicted it.

There were obvious story clues, such as her suspicious attire and circumstantial evidence, but the biggest hint was the difference in the way she spoke when she briefly talked. Did you notice?

◆Character introductions have been added up to the first half of Chapter 2.