Chapter 37

The sinking royal ship -- Weiss.

Libia and the others had escaped and were on a small airship.

The masked knight had dismounted from his armor and was checking on Libia and the others.

"You seem to be safe."

Ange supported Libia.

And Marie was being supported by Kyle and Cara, who had brought the airship.

Ange looked at the masked knight.

"Thank you for saving us."

"…It's not necessary. More importantly, the battle has resumed. With new monsters appearing, we are at a disadvantage as we have lost our means to defeat them."

Partner had once defeated it, but Partner had sunk afterward. Ange looked sad as he remembered the airship that had sunk, but he shook his head and became serious.

The new super-large monster was attacking both friend and foe, and a three-way battle had begun. It was clear that both sides were in confusion.

Zirk, mounted on his armor, was shooting down approaching monsters with his rifle.

"This is dangerous. We should retreat."

Gregg was the one who objected.

"Where are we supposed to run? Are we just going to let that giant thing reach the capital?"

"If that's the case, can we win? Partner and Weiss have sunk, and we have no way to win."

The masked knight, watching the intense battle between the Arrogants and the Black Knights, clenched his fists.

"…Baltfalt is also busy. If there's anything we can do…"

Libia and Ange, looking exhausted.

It would be impossible to ask them to do the same thing again.

Beside them, a white orb was floating as if watching over them.

As the atmosphere grew dark, Marie looked up.

"Wait. There is… a way to win."

The masked knight approached Marie.

"Is that true, Marie! No, Lord Marie?"

"Y-Yes. We have the magic flute, don't we? If we can get it played again and then destroy that giant thing, it should work. But…"

They didn't know where the owner was.

And they didn't know if the owner would play the flute again.

"I see, we need to persuade them."

It might be difficult.

Everyone thought so, but Libia stood up.

"…Let's go. We have to end this battle."

"Libia, you should rest. You're already swaying."

Even when Ange said this, Libia shook her head.

"I want to stop it. Besides, I feel like only we can do it."

The surroundings were in chaos, and Leon was also busy. The communication situation had worsened again.

"Only we can do it, huh?"

The masked knight nodded slightly and told Kyle, who was operating the airship.

"Head to the owner of the magic flute!"

But Kyle looked very reluctant. He probably didn't like being ordered by the masked knight.

"Why should I listen to you? Besides, we don't even know where the owner is."

"No, we do."

Everyone's gaze turned to the white orb.

"The location has been identified. Please leave the navigation to me."

Libia looked up at the sky.

"Ale, please. Guide us."

"Ah, so that's what you call me? I'm flattered. I feel closer to you. Now, please proceed."

Kyle, operating the airship, said,

"Going through the battlefield like this, I need a special allowance to do this."

Despite his words, Kyle continued to work.

The masked knight struck a pose.

"Let's go! We will end this battle!"

Chris seemed to feel uncomfortable with the masked knight.

'This guy is too familiar.'

As the airship moved forward according to Claire's instructions, robots began to gather around them.

"What the—!"

The masked knight hurriedly became alert, but Claire assured them.

"They are our guards. It seems that the stubborn one has arrived in time."

"In time?"

A pillar of light appeared from the sky, piercing through the super-large monster and turning it into black smoke. The airship moved toward the flag of the duchy, taking advantage of the black smoke.

"What was that light?"

"…Magic."

Is that magic!? The masked knight was surprised, but he didn't know if it was true.

"We can see it."

The masked knight couldn't see anything in the smoky battlefield.

"The visibility is bad, I can't see anything."

"Please slow down."

When Kyle slowed down as instructed, the airship became visible through the black smoke.

Blade was panicking.

"Hey, we're going to crash!"

Claire was laughing happily.

"It's fine. Please continue at this speed."

The figure of Heltrude sitting on the deck came into view.

Monsters were surrounding her, protecting her.

The masked knight mounted his armor.

"I'll clear the way."

Ange, supporting Libia, smiled slightly at the masked knight.

"You're reliable, even with that strange mask."

"…Please call me the Masked Knight."

The masked knight, now in his armor, addressed everyone.

"Follow me!"

But Zirk was unhappy.

"Don't give us orders!"

They defeated the monsters around Heltrude and helped Libia, Ange, and Marie down to the deck.

◇

Libia and the others, protected by the five and the robots, stood before Heltrude.

Heltrude, sitting on the deck, was gripping the magic flute.

She was looking down, showing no sign of resistance even as Libia and the others approached.

"Heltrude, I have a request. Please, stop the fighting."

Heltrude, who showed no reaction, made Ange irritated.

"Do you want to keep causing chaos until the end? The battle is already decided. Surrender."

Marie, gripping the holy maiden's staff, was looking around.

The battle was still ongoing, and she was worried that a stray shot might hit them.

Heltrude, with dark circles under her eyes, looked up. Marie gasped in surprise, but Libia spoke earnestly.

"Let's end this. This battle is wrong."

Those were heartfelt words.

Ange added to Libia's words.

"The duchy's army is almost destroyed. Retreat now. It would be for the best. Can't you stop that monster with that flute?"

Heltrude laughed and then burst into laughter, gripping the magic flute.

"You're right. It's the right decision. Even the guardian of the earth can't defeat you noble ladies. It's wise to give up— but I absolutely refuse."

Heltrude stood up, spreading her arms.

"Kill me if you want! Even if you kill me, the guardian won't stop. How will you deal with an enemy that keeps coming back no matter how many times you defeat it?"

Heltrude, in a state of despair, was confronted by Libia.

"The people of the duchy are also being attacked. If this continues—"

"—So what?"

"Eh?"

"All we can do is laugh. One of my vassals said it at the end. We were being used. I don't trust anyone anymore. Everyone… should just disappear!"

Libia approached Heltrude.

"That's not true! I'm sure there are people who care about you, Heltrude."

"Yes, there were! But Bander will die if this continues. And Lauta—my only sister, is already dead."

Libia, shocked, stepped back, and Heltrude laughed.

"The price of summoning the guardian with this magic flute is the user's life. Even though it failed, when the guardian disappeared, my sister died. You all toyed with us."

Her regret, resentment, and hatred were taken away, and Heltrude drew her last breath.

"How cruel. You noble ladies who toy with our hearts are the worst."

Libia looked down, and Ange defended her.

"Stop spouting nonsense. Are you going to ignore what you've done?"

Marie, timidly,

"If I play the magic flute now, I won't lose my life… I think."

Heltrude glared at Marie.

"You know a lot. If you stop in the middle, you won't die. I won't be able to use the magic flute again, and the guardian will try to kill me. But I'm not afraid of dying now. I want to destroy this hopeless world. —I just want to avenge my sister!"

Libia strongly opposed Heltrude's opinion.

"Even so… this is wrong. What good will revenge do? Your sister won't be happy!"

As the two argued, it was Marie who became furious.

"Shut up, you flower-headed fool!"

Libia and Ange were surprised, and even Heltrude was shocked by Marie's outburst.

Holding her staff and placing her left hand on her hip, Marie—

"What's wrong with being wrong! It might be wrong for you, but it's right for this girl! Is revenge wrong? Do you know? And did you speak for Heltrude, telling her not to seek revenge? Don't put words in her mouth! That's presumptuous!"

As Libia tried to respond,

"But if this continues, no one will be happy—"

"Are you telling this girl to be unhappy and not take revenge? You want her to stop taking revenge because it's wrong? What about her feelings? You're lecturing her, but if someone important to you was killed, would you just stay quiet? Would you not take revenge because it's wrong?"

"That—"

Ange defended the cornered Libia.

"Whose side are you on! I'm not interested in Heltrude's revenge. We need to stop that monster first!"

"Shut up! A world that can be destroyed this easily should just be destroyed!"

Marie's words left everyone speechless.

Marie didn't stop.

◇

Marie was frustrated.

Revenge is wrong… such words were meaningless to someone who had lost someone important.

(That's right. I always disliked this flower-headed fool. Talking about beautiful ideals, saying war is wrong? Revenge is wrong? Is she crazy?)

"I know it's wrong. But I couldn't stop myself from acting."

Marie didn't know why she was defending Heltrude.

She just couldn't bear to see Heltrude being told she was wrong.

Ange, who blamed Marie, said,

"The battle is already decided. Look."

Ange looked around, and the duchy's army was raising white flags.

Attacked by the super-large monster and the kingdom's army, they had already been reduced to nearly twenty ships.

"There's no point in continuing the fight. If you retreat now, there's still a chance for negotiation. Why continue a pointless battle?"

Marie couldn't respond.

"Are you going to continue a meaningless war of attrition?"

Even if the duchy's army made a comeback from here, it would be meaningless with their reduced strength.

They would eventually be defeated by a different country.

Ange was right.

"The Duchy of Fanhaus, originally a branch of the royal family, can still negotiate if they retreat now."

Heltrude laughed, looking down.

"That's true. The future waiting for the duchy will be like slavery."

The harsh reality awaiting a defeated nation.

But it was a just right from the kingdom's perspective.

Libia spoke to Heltrude.

"There are families waiting for the soldiers. Please, don't let them die needlessly."

Marie understood the logic.

Libia and the others were right, but what about Heltrude?

Before Marie could say anything, Heltrude spoke.

"…I never thought I'd be protected by a pitiful holy maiden. I'm a foolish princess, no, I can't even be a princess anymore."

She played the magic flute.

The melody was somehow gentle.

"Is this okay?"

When Marie asked, Heltrude stopped playing and laughed.

"No, I don't like it. But looking at the holy maiden made me calm down. Yes, I knew. I knew that doing this was meaningless… but I couldn't stop. What have we become?"

Heltrude, crying, collapsed on the spot, and Marie went to her side.

The battle around them had stopped.

The five armored units surrounded Marie and the others protectively, and the surroundings had become quiet.

Heltrude said,

"I surrender."

At that moment, Claire warned.

'An aircraft is approaching rapidly.'

The five units that had surrounded them became alert, and a black unit landed roughly on the deck. It was battered and bleeding, even though it was armor.

—It was the Black Knight.

'Get away from the princess. You heretics of the kingdom.'

Eyes appeared on the armor, looking at Marie and the others.

"This guy is creepy."

Heltrude, seeing the Black Knight, cried.

"Bander, it's over. Let's end this. You fought well for me. Thank you."

The battle was finally over.

But the Black Knight was not convinced.

'…Princess, have you been deceived?'

"Bander?"

'I will show you how I can scatter the kingdom's army.'

The Black Knight, standing up, was oozing a liquid that looked like blood from all over his body.

"No, it's over, Bander!"

'Not a chance!'

The Masked Knight attacked the Black Knight, but was deflected by a large sword. Other units also attacked, but they were no match.

'Right. It can't end. I can't let it end… The revenge for my family is not over. I must make the people of the kingdom suffer the same way—until I avenge my wife and daughter, it can't end!'

The Black Knight approached Marie and the others.

And the revived super-large monster was heading towards them.

Marie thought for a moment, "Ah, this is over."

Libia stepped forward in front of the Black Knight, spreading her arms.

"Black Knight, please stop."

Marie reached out.

"Idiot, what are you doing at a time like this!"

The Black Knight stopped and raised his large sword.

'Are you the girl from that time? Then I must kill you here— you cannot be allowed to live.'

Marie gripped her staff and used the holy maiden's power to create a magical shield.

The Black Knight easily deflected the shield with his left hand.

'Don't think you can stop me with this!'

"Bander, stop it!"

Heltrude shouted, but the Black Knight swung his large sword at Libia.

"Libia!"

Ange jumped out to protect Libia.

Marie closed her eyes.

And what she heard was,

'—I'll kill you, old man.'

◇

"You're in the way."

To help the Black Knight, the duchy's armor units gathered around me. After defeating them all and looking around, the Black Knight was nowhere to be seen.

I chased after the Black Knight who had fled and finally found him on the deck of a duchy airship.

For some reason, Libia and the others were on board and were about to be killed.

My blood boiled in an instant.

"What are you doing— I'll kill you, old man!"

I rammed into the Black Knight with Arrogant, blowing him away. The Black Knight, at his limit, was shouting something.

'It can't end! I won't let it end! I'll kill all the heretics of the kingdom!'

Hearing that, Luxion shook one of its eyes horizontally.

'He's no longer making rational decisions. He's been taken over by that.'

That right arm.

The Black Knight raised his large sword.

'Master, we need to end this soon. The super-large monster is approaching.'

I also raised my large sword and accelerated.

"Old man, go to sleep!"

I mimicked the Black Knight's movements, and Luxion supported me. We had fought the Black Knight many times and made adjustments.

The charm hanging around my neck glowed slightly.

'Youuuu!'

We swung our large swords at each other, and the Black Knight's large sword pierced deep into Arrogant's shoulder.

On my side, the blade had entered the Black Knight's torso.

"Luxion!"

'I'll take care of it. —Impact!'

The blade of the large sword glowed red and released a purple lightning bolt, sending the Black Knight flying.

Like a water balloon bursting, black liquid spewed out, and the old man in the Black Knight fell onto the deck of the airship.

Arrogant, using his left hand, picked up the right arm from that time. An eye appeared on the back of the right hand, looking around nervously, as if afraid of Arrogant.

'Master, I'm ready whenever you are.'

I threw it, and a light descended from the sky, destroying the right arm.

"Feeling better?"

'Yes. Now it's his turn.'

In front of us was a moving mountain.

The super-large monster.

"…Let's go all out."

'That's a good idea.'

I put away the large sword and spread my arms with Arrogant.

◇

Heltrude clung to Bander, who had fallen on the deck.

"Bander!"

Bander opened his eyes, but when he touched his abdomen,