When Old Man Rom awoke, several hours had already passed since the retreat from the forest encirclement.

"In the end, only Felt remained in their hands, and we were left alone. We brought this upon ourselves, and we ended up like this. How embarrassingly pathetic," Rachins added after finishing the damage report to Old Man Rom upon his awakening. Rachins could not hide his mortification, and one could easily imagine the defeat swirling within his heart. Naturally, the same sense of defeat lay deep in Old Man Rom's broad chest.

However, the number of lost battles that Old Man Rom and Rachins have faced is different.

"The number of defeats is so shameful that it cannot be a point of pride," Old Man Rom said, reflecting that in his lifetime, the number of victories or successes could perhaps be counted on the fingers of both hands. Even if he managed to achieve local victories, the ultimate war record showed more losses, marking the career of an old giant who has aged in vain. Whether the fact that he had barely managed to save only his own life from each lost battle was something to be proud of or not, was not something he could judge himself.

Thanks to having survived and exposed himself to ridicule, Old Man Rom was able to encounter irreplaceable things. However, he was now robbed of those irreplaceable things.

"What about Felt's condition? Is there any way to confirm it...?"

"Hah, unfortunately, Manfred's 'Blessing of Distant Sight' was crushed. The helmeted guy too, but that maid accompanying him wasn't easy to fool. We should be grateful that we only got our eyes gouged out."

"I suppose they didn't leave any of the abilities. It was a naive expectation," Old Man Rom replied.

The 'Blessing of Distant Sight' mentioned was a very strategically and tactically useful type of blessing that allowed one to identify and monitor a target's location from afar. It was used by Manfred Madison of the Flanders underworld alliance, 'The Scales', who had cooperated with Felt and the others. However, the 'Blessing of Distant Sight' itself was not something Manfred was granted but was the result of him misappropriating someone else's bestowed item.

"The 'Black Silver Coin' and 'Flower Prison Garden' are organizations deeply rooted in Flanders, but unlike them, the 'Scales' is a group with a long, storied history that extends beyond the city. Worth noting is the 'Scales' technique of stealing blessings—Old Man Rom speculates that they might keep the blessed ones alive while another party uses the component from which the blessing originates.

In short, if the eyes of the bearer of the 'Far Sight Blessing' are extracted and transplanted, the effect of that blessing can be freely inherited. Of course, it's not just a matter of simply swapping the eyeballs to use the blessing endlessly. There's a secret technique possessed only by the 'Scales', and it's a sacred secret never revealed to outsiders. Regardless of the method, if the eyes needed for the 'Far Sight Blessing' are destroyed, then relying on Manfred to track Felt's movements becomes hopeless.

"Still, it's a miracle that everyone is alive, just like Manfred's one eye and our own dire situations."

"Miracle, huh. I can't just accept it like that," came Rachins' frustrated tone in response to Old Man Rom's muttering as he stroked his chin.

He had survived after facing the challenge with the resolve to risk his life. Although not to the extent of regretting surviving like some imperial citizens might claim, losing to someone who attached unnecessary restrictions made him feel the difference in power. Thus, he understands that feeling. However, if he can feel regret after giving his all, then Rachins still has a future ahead of him. Surely, the same goes for Gaston and Camberley.

"—Rom-sama, are you awake?"

"Mhm, Grassis?"

At the end of their conversation, Grassis suddenly appeared. She was last seen bound by the thread user called Yae, but looked more sprightly than Rachins. Despite her youthful appearance, she and her sister Flam, trained by the Astrea family since birth, rank among the top warriors known to Old Man Rom. Their excellent 'Flow Method' greatly aids in healing wounds and restoring stamina, so she appeared nearly fully recovered.

"Even so, don't overdo it. ...By the way, how's the blessing?"

"Just a little longer until the next reload... as long as Flam isn't dead."

"Don't say such ominous things! ...Although, I can't completely deny it. Even if the helmet guy hasn't intervened, beyond the dunes, Reinhard and the 'witch'..."

"Rachins-sama, cheer up, okay?"

"Why am I the one being comforted!? You're the one who's supposed to be down!"

Grassis, who patted the hunched back, made Rachins shout angrily with his tongue extended.
To his angry voice, Grassis, looking not at all surprised, said "Wow" and quickly slipped behind Old Man Rom, glaring at the childish young man with theatrically sulky eyes.
It was their usual playful banter. However, Old Man Rom patted her on the head, a hand larger than her head, and said,

"We also share the concern for those at the tower. If we can use the protection, let us know immediately."

"...Understood, sir."

"Who the heck is that!!"

Rachins overreacted to Grassis, who nodded with few words and accepted Old Man Rom's hand.

Because he respondeds back like this, Rachins often gets caught in the mischief of the playful sisters. However, acting as usual is likely appreciated by Grassis right now for her mental health.

And for Rachins, it should help him avoid being consumed by the recurring sense of defeat.

"Youngsters should fuel their rebellious spirit. Critique sessions are my responsibility."

Despite gathering a force of 500 and creating the most advantageous battlefield possible, Old Man Rom and others lost the battle with the helmet guy, and Felt was taken hostage.

Such a major defeat could be said to be the greatest blunder since the 'Demi-human War.'

However, if there was anything different from Old Man Rom's mindset during that large defeat, it was that this defeat wasn't entirely devoid of gains or was unexpected.

—It was a method they didn't want to use, but considering the giant dragon might be summoned back by the helmet guy when cornered, Felt's presence as a shackle was always in mind.

And it was already known beforehand that "Divine Dragon" Volcanica was the main force of the Helmet Guy.

Therefore, even though Felt and the others could not win against the Helmet Guy in this battle, they at least aimed to put a constraint on his main force. Of course, it was best to defeat the Helmet Guy here, but they took pride in having achieved the minimal goal and even pinpointed the true nature of the Helmet Guy's power.

If victory is the utmost success, then the current situation is the second best—or rather, since Felt was taken hostage, it could be considered the third-best outcome.

"However, having experienced it firsthand, you can't use the same method to break the power again. Felt also needs to be creative in how he approaches it, understanding the opponent's moves."

Naturally, Old Man Rom had no intention of giving up at this point.

The Helmet Guy hadn't taken their lives due to his own circumstances. As a result, they still had the majority of their strength, and an opportunity to refine their strategy for another confrontation emerged.

No one could call it cowardly or underhanded to make full use of that opportunity.

"For some reason, it seemed the Helmet Guy couldn't afford even a moment to stop. If that's the case, he probably won't be able to rest his body properly regardless of any short breaks. Mental fatigue highlights the shortcomings of his power. If Felt is a constraint on the 'Divine Dragon', there should be significant openings to exploit. Moreover, it seems that the Helmet Guy and his allies aren't entirely unified—"

Muttering to himself, he analyzed the information obtained from that battle within his head, which was larger than the average person's.

If someone said it was opportunistic right after losing, he would have no rebuttal, but within Old Man Rom, the reflection on the recent defeat was already settled, and strategies for the next battle were being devised one after another.

Some might call him heartless for that. Frustrated that he would turn his thoughts to the next battle rather than worry or feel anxious while Felt, akin to a granddaughter, was taken away, with her safety uncertain.

However—

"Damn it. I'm becoming more and more miserable."

In the profile of the cold-hearted old giant who thought that, Rachins saw not disdain, but an overwhelming and persistent sense of frustration.

"Go for it, Rachins-sama."

"Shut up! Why do you act like it's someone else's problem, damn you!"

△▼△▼△▼△

"—Domain Expansion, Matrix Redefinition"

Muttering softly as if to himself, Aldebaran set a new restart point. After overcoming 29,221 attempts and extricating himself from dire straits, he passed the checkpoint and decided to take a short break. Aldebaran exhaled deeply and fully until his lungs were empty, adjusted the position of his helmet, and said:

"...Sorry, I'm calm now."

"No, no, please don't worry at all. Rather, is just a little break enough for you? If you like, Yae-chan’s thighs are available."

"No, I don't need to borrow them."

"They're soft and fluffy, you know?"

"It's fine."

Waving his hand lazily, Aldebaran firmly refused Yae's tempting care. Yae, in response, pouted her lips and said, “Tch,” but she probably didn't take it to heart. Her way of speaking and Aldebaran’s refusals were customary between them. Even so, Yae's presence, without leaving his side, is a relief—in the sense of alleviating his burden.

“It seems my headache has eased a bit...”

While saying this, Aldebaran felt relieved that his headache from mental stress was fading. Including the fact that he was on the verge of losing, he had exhausted his spirit too much in the battle with the Felt Gang. By underestimating how much that chipped away at him, he narrowly scraped up a victory in what was almost a lost battle.

“You can't just mentally reset in the middle of a fight, after all...”

In this case, a mental reset refers to Aldebaran's authority, where he spends as much time as possible zoning out without using his head, then resumes the matrix by downing poison. Repeating this helps recover frayed nerves and a cornered spirit. If you have a calm environment and a way to start over, it's a method to buy mental peace infinitely, but while it can calm the mind, it doesn’t relieve simple physical or brain fatigue. In fact, the severe sleep deprivation and accumulated fatigue have left Aldebaran with serious damage.

“Even as a joke right now, if I borrowed Yae's lap, I'd fall asleep in an instant.”

"Does that mean you're besotted with Yae-chan?"

"No, I mean I'd lose consciousness. As you let me banter like this, it distracts me a bit."

Aldebaran slowly shook his head from side to side, trying to push back the weight pressing down on him. Currently, Aldebaran and his companions had moved westward away from the battlefield on the plains to avoid being seen and were spending time making sure it was completely safe for Aldebaran to rest. However, although they said they were spending time, in real time, not much time had actually passed.

"By the way, just for reference, if I feel like I'm about to collapse, is using the 'Dragon's Blood' for doping a viable option, or not?"

Aldebaran asked 'Aldebaran' while fiddling with the metal fittings on his helmet. Along with Yae, 'Aldebaran', who was also on lookout duty, answered Aldebaran's question by skillfully scratching his nose with his front paw before saying,

"Ah, a definite comparison is difficult between this 'Dragon's' body and my too-weak original body, but if you put in 'Dragon's Blood' without diluting it, it might just burn you up."

"Burn... that's a different result from the duke of Priestella."

"I realized with this body that even putting aside Natsuki Subaru, who's all messed up inside with curses, the fact that the duke can endure like that is a miracle. Being close to the royal family really makes a difference."

"...Even if we say dilution, it doesn't seem like just thinning it with water would work. By the way, there's this stereotype that shinobi are knowledgeable not only about poisons but also about medicines. What about 'Dragon's Blood'?"

"I'm interested since it's a rare opportunity, but if Lord Al becomes more terrifying, Yae's heart won't hold, so no way."

Pushing forward with emotional concerns, realistically, unless they're specialists, it's unlikely anyone could confidently perform the act of diluting 'Dragon's Blood'. It's not like you can casually mass-produce a last elixir. The world isn't that easy.

"At the very least, I’ll cast some healing magic. Here, a street heal."

"Since we're in the same party, it should be a proper heal, not just a street heal."

Aldebaran made that remark as excessive healing magic was unleashed through the power of the 'Divine Dragon.' Unfortunately, there were not many obvious external injuries, and of course, Aldebaran's lost left arm did not grow back because of it, but he did gain some peace of mind that he could recover even from serious wounds.

Well, if he were seriously injured, he'd rather drink poison than wait for recovery, so it was literally just peace of mind.

"By the way, Lord Bor, may I ask you something?"

"...Ah! Am I Lord Bor? That didn't resonate with me at all. What is it?"

"Have your feelings for Lady Felt calmed down a bit?"

Yae's question, pretending to be casual, was clearly evident in the subtly tense atmosphere, and Aldebaran narrowed his eyes inside his helmet. And the same went for the 'Aldebaran' who sensed the same thing.

"If calming down means declining, it's actually the opposite. My affection is overflowing and it's dangerous. The distance where we can't meet nurtures my feelings."

"It's not like you're that far apart, and I can't support that kind of affection."

The 'Aldebaran' who teased using his own vocabulary was likely being honest to a large extent, as his feelings when he said those words were common with Aldebaran. This seemed to be conveyed to Yae as well, as she nodded with "I see," and said,

"Lady Felt really is in the way, isn't she~. Can't we remove her smoothly?"

"Yae, just so you know..."

"Oh, that's a hasty conclusion. I understand Lord Bor would react that way, so it's a consultation without any dangerous methods. If, at worst, Lady Felt tries to run away, both I, Master Al, and Lord Bor would all be happy, but I guess Lord Bor wouldn't be happy."

"I'm not particularly happy either."

"Even though your source of trouble would disappear?"

"—. You're also, subtly, a source of my trouble."

"Ouch, that backfired."

Yae playfully replied with a tap on her own forehead.

The happy method she was hoping for referred to the conditions when Felt was taken hostage—the situation where she said it was okay to kill her if she tried to run away. At that time, she promised "Aldebaran" that there would be no hard feelings even if she died.

However, although it was a sensible agreement between Felt and "Aldebaran"—or rather, "Divine Dragon," it wasn't the outcome Aldebaran hoped for.

Despite the relationship and approach they currently had, Aldebaran wanted Felt to recover and return to the royal selection, and to compete for the throne until the end with a positive spirit. Of course, looking at "Aldebaran's" reaction, the suspicion about Felt that was initially raised at Lugunica’s royal castle was almost confirmed.

"After all, it's too much to dismiss as mere coincidence since the dragon's really captivated. Actually, how much of the original personality seems to be emerging?"

"This is just a vessel, like a dragon shell. You don't need to worry about the original personality suddenly popping up. It's just that the remaining thoughts are a bit assertive, and the intensity of that assertion seems to vary."

"…By the way, how much do those remaining thoughts remember?"

"Likes Farsale. Dislikes Reid. And other vague feelings."

"The first-generation 'Sword Saint,' huh? Don't bring up legends so lightly; it's daunting."

Although his name was frequently mentioned by the 'Witch,' whenever asked, anyone who knew him only had the worst things to say about the first-generation 'Sword Saint.' Now, with further testimony from "Divine Dragon’s" residual thoughts, it seems the rascal reputation is true. While the other unclear issues are concerning—

"So, come to think of it, I've got both Yae and the 'Dragon' here, but where are Felt and the father?"

"Both are on standby over there. Heinkel-sama is responsibly keeping a close watch on Lord Felt."

"That combination is the worst!"

"— Oh no, I forgot! Yae made a mistake."

"————"

Aldebaran let out a deep sigh at Yae's affected response and stood up. Given the treatment he was providing Yae, he had no choice but to accept the small annoyances she threw his way.

"Oh, are you going to see Miss Felt instead of Farsale? I'll also…"

"As long as you can't correct that slip of the tongue, it's better not to meet her for the sake of likability. Besides, we should avoid letting the scale tip more in her favor."

With that reasoning, he instructed "Aldebaran," who was about to follow him, to stay put and entrusted Yae with training in patience, ignoring her as she teased, "It's a collaborative effort, isn't it~?" Aldebaran then headed in the direction where Felt and Heinkel were supposed to be.

Felt and Heinkel, who were waiting beyond the large tree, out of earshot of the strategy meeting in the shade—

"Hey, old man, just so you know, you don't need to make excuses to me."

The moment Aldebaran peeked in, he was greeted with rather harsh words. When he looked, he saw Felt leaning back against the large tree and Heinkel standing opposite her, looking down at her. From an image composition perspective, Heinkel, looking down from a higher vantage point, could be seen as psychologically superior compared to Felt.

"Excuses? Why on earth would I need to do something like that? Don't talk nonsense, you brat!"

"In that case, stop looking at me all cautious and wary. Your glaring is annoying."

"Who are you calling…!"

As Heinkel seethed with anger, unable to find the next words, it seemed such visual judgments were not very helpful. Despite the age and height difference between the two, it was clear without quantification who the superior actor was, and Aldebaran felt sorry for Heinkel for being in such an unfortunate scene. He even thought of quietly slipping away.

Then,

"Hmm."
"Aldebaran…"

Both noticed him almost simultaneously, and Aldebaran reluctantly approached them. Carefully choosing his words, he said,

"Old man, you should stop messing with Miss Felt. No matter what you say, it won't do you any good."

"Wh-... Are you saying I’ll be out-argued by this kid?"

"It's not about winning or losing an argument. The basic premise is bad to begin with. From Miss Felt’s perspective, the old man I’ve teamed up with is a bonafide traitor... basically, from anyone’s perspective, he’s a major enemy to the Kingdom of Lugunica."

"I... understand that. Even so, I..."

Heinkel, with a bitter expression, lowered his eyes and muttered while clenching and unclenching his hands. Placed in a difficult situation, Heinkel wore a weary expression, yet he understood the nature of the precarious position he had reached for. He fully recognized that his actions would tarnish the renowned family name of the "Sword Saint" and create an irreversible stain. But, even bearing such an infamy that wouldn’t fade for hundreds of years—,

"I want the 'Dragon’s Blood.' It's essential to awaken your wife... Reinhard’s mother, right?"

"Kid, how do you know about that...?"

"Where do you think your son initially had me locked up? I’ve long known the circumstances of that idiot's family. I heard about it from Grandma Carol and others, too."

"Then! You understand, right? I need the 'Dragon's Blood!' And Al, he promised it to me! That's why I’m in on this plan—"

"So don’t give me excuses."

Heinkel was at a loss for words when she retorted to his desperate plea. Felt’s unwavering response cut through Heinkel’s feeble conscience much more brutally than any reproach could. However, it seemed Felt hadn’t chosen the method that would hurt Heinkel the most on purpose. As proof, she scratched her head vigorously and said,

"I’d like it if Reinhard’s mom could wake up, too. I understand the mindset of doing whatever it takes for that. So, I won’t deny you, old man."

"——"

"But, it just doesn’t align with the way we do things. It’s neither good nor bad."

Heinkel was visibly crushed by Felt's words as she squinted with one eye. Her intention to support him resulted in a clear display of superiority that only served to kick him while he was down. If the two continued talking, it would only further deepen Heinkel's wounds. Feeling a bit guilty for falling into Yae's trap, which had unexpectedly borne fruit, Aldebaran patted Heinkel on the shoulder, saying, "Okay, old man, that's enough," and relieved him of his duty to watch over Felt.

As Heinkel, shoulders slumped, left the area, Aldebaran remarked:

"You show no mercy, Miss Felt. You don't look it, but are you possibly angry?"

"Of course I am, you fool. Even now, I'm holding back the urge to kick your sorry asses. It's only because of this thing around my neck."

Felt touched the extremely fine steel wire around her neck—a topic discussed with Yae and others—and curled her lips, revealing her fangs. Despite her defiant attitude being at its peak, she seemed to realize that her life was in their hands. Naturally, given that not a single life of her comrades had been taken, there's a possibility that Felt's threat with the steel wire around her neck was underestimated.

"I won't make the same mistake again."

"......"

This was more than a declaration; it was a vow Aldebaran made to himself. The girl in front of him wasn't just a royal candidate with a mysterious royal background who had grown up in the slums. She was also a potential monster in training, having been raised under the tutelage of the infamous Valga Cromwell. There was every possibility that she had already emerged as a full-fledged monster, becoming a dangerously unpredictable entity beyond Aldebaran’s expectations.

Yet even so, Aldebaran resolved not to lose again.

"Even if this is my final mission, there's still meaning in growing."

The once-main asset, "Aldebaran," had become unwieldy, Yae's insolent and mischievous attitude was intolerable, and Heinkel, unrelated to the intentions here, became dispirited on his own, while Aldebaran couldn't manage without dragging along the uncooperative burden that was Felt. Frankly speaking, it became something far removed from the original travel plan.

However, the unexpected fierce battles and effective defeat stripped Aldebaran of complacency in exchange for mental and physical exhaustion, and brought him a valuable lesson.

"From here on, I'll extend the domain to its very limits."

He believed that updating the short-term matrix to respond immediately to pressing situations would reduce the time spent going back and forth more than the number of attempts, making it more advantageous in the long run. However, extreme matrix updates, when facing a large number of enemies like this time, could dramatically increase the likelihood of being cornered. Even with the conventional operations, paths could be blocked merely by bad luck, even if the opponent wasn't a strategist like Valga.

"Leaving too long of an interval could turn into a game of chicken with either my brain burning out or my heart wearing thin… but it's much better than screwing up, even if my soul breaks."

Originally, Aldebaran had no vision beyond achieving the plan. Reaching the Mogolade Great Vent in the city-state of Kararagi and accomplishing his goal there, cleaning up whatever he used for that purpose, and ending everything. He wanted no more than that. But in exchange, up to that point, he intended to fulfill it all.

"――――"

Felt, with narrowed eyes, watched the newly determined Aldebaran in silence. Intentionally ignoring that gaze, Aldebaran experienced a great discomfort from the fact that Felt's eye color was the only thing similar to Priscilla, despite having nothing in common in terms of personality, looks, or build.

"If possible, could you not look at me with those eyes?"

"That's unreasonable. Sorry, but I've had these two eyes since I was born. I didn't like them because they drew too much attention... no, I used to not like them.”

"――――"

"Now, I don't think they're so bad. So, I won't close my eyes."

Felt leaned against the large tree, sitting cross-legged on the ground with her arms folded. It's understandable why many are drawn to her gaze and the strength of her resolve, looking up to her with admiration. However, that very brilliance is, for Aldebaran, akin to the poison hidden in his back tooth. Nonetheless, unlike poison, it does not take Aldebaran's life but merely torments him.

"So? I'm hungry, what's for dinner?"

"That's pretty brazen of you... Sorry, but we don't have the leeway to take a meal break now. Moving is the priority."

"The hospitality for hostages sure is lacking. Is it that place you talked about, the something or other pit in Kararagi?"

"The Mogolade Great Vent. That's definitely the final destination. But first, a little detour."

At Aldebaran's words, Felt furrowed her well-shaped brows, questioning, "Detour?" In response to her, Aldebaran nodded, saying, "Yes, a detour," as he turned to imagine a yet unreachable place amidst the distant scenery and said,

"Now is probably when it's least guarded. We'll go pick up something essential for the plan."

△▼△▼△▼△

Fortunately, the detour along the way to their destination went smoothly without issues. Unluckily, the security was far too thick to be called sparse; however, given what was secured on the other side, they could find some reassurance in the thoroughness of their crisis management. Nevertheless—

"Security this thick can't stop my steps."

If they were earnest about stopping Aldebaran, the best move would be to do as Felt and the others had done and surround and crush him with several hundred people. To achieve that, even if it was the capital, the most strategic location, they would need to deploy at least one unit of the Knights Order. And to prevent that, Aldebaran had already made preparations in advance.

"Having to pull back immediately made it about fifty-fifty whether the diversion would have any effect."

Aldebaran gone rogue, with the 'Divine Dragon' Volcanica cooperating with him. When the 'Sword Saint' Reinhard, who went to stop them, was stalled by the 'Witch of Envy,' and when news came in that Aldebaran and his party freely crossed the dunes, it's not hard to imagine how much of a panic those in the know would have been in.

It must have seemed like a national crisis, the likes of which hadn't been seen since the rampage of the "Witch of Jealousy" four hundred years ago.

That is why they had to show a stance of opposition against "Aldebaran," which flew at a conspicuous altitude to attract attention, using the full might of the kingdom. Even if it meant leaving only the bare minimum of military force in the royal capital. And then—,

"—Found it."

—The four hundred and seventh time. Through trial and error, Aldebaran finds the desired item at the intended location. It is sealed tightly, forbidding any interference, from the entrance door to the multi-layered magical formations inside.

In reality, without any assistance, even if Aldebaran had reached this place, he would have been unable to do anything about the magical formations in front of him and would have retreated in defeat.

However, now Aldebaran has—,

"—I wonder how many holy gold coins the fangs of a 'Divine Dragon' are worth."

Merely calculating in his head, Aldebaran uses a rare item that would have many familiar merchants' eyes turning into dollar signs, as a catalyst to forcibly break the strong magical formation.

Though he had never heard of it, there was an extraordinary shattering sound like tearing apart reinforced concrete, and the invisible wall that was certainly there disappeared. Aldebaran stepped into the room.

That not-so-large room was narrower than the toilet in the Barielle mansion. A suffocating room with no windows except for the entrance door, like a solitary confinement cell—no, it should rightfully be called a solitary cell.

Because sealed within is an unmistakable criminal, a wrongdoer, an unforgivable evil.

"Even coming this far, I've done enough to merit a hundred death sentences..."

Yet, there's room to pile more sins upon sins.

To prove it, Aldebaran reaches out to the black entity before him. That too was influenced by an extraordinary principle, but this time, he doesn't need the assistance of the 'Divine Dragon.'

What is there, though of a different nature, is something Aldebaran had mastered at the end of rigorous training, drowning in his own blood and sweat—a collection of the teachings of the 'Witch'—,

"------"

The intent was conveyed from the extended fingertip, and in the next moment, cracks ran across the entire surface, shattering it. It crumbled like breaking pottery, yet without making a sound of scattering debris on the floor, its structure unraveled, dissolving into the air and disappearing. In front of Aldebaran, who witnessed this, a human figure lay collapsed on the floor in place of the vanished black mass.

"Quietly, come with me. If you do, I'll spare your life here."

"Ha—"

At Aldebaran's calm declaration, the silhouette laughed as if exhaling. No, it sneered. Sneering, sneering, sneering, licking its lips with a mouth full of sharp teeth—

"—Good, good, good, maybe good, alright, great, certainly fine, absolutely fine, so fine my chest trembles with joy—Gluttony! Gluttony!"

Yes, within the shadow-black solitary cell, released from the jet-black coffin that restrained it—Roy Alphard, the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony, reveled in the sense of liberation and hunger.

△▼△▼△▼△

—It was the end of a world where heaven and earth became unsettled, where the difference between day and night vanished, where the boundary between life and death blurred, and where the distinction between self and others became unnecessary.

"Young Master! Young Master!"

The one desperately and loudly calling out was Flam, who until now could not have been imagined to show such heightened emotion, and her gaze was directed beyond the dust storm—toward the black shadow tsunami advancing from beyond, crossing the boundary of the Pleiades Watchtower, and toward the red-haired hero, the "Sword Saint" Reinhard van Astrea, who was struggling to stop, resist, and repel it all by himself.

"Young Master—!!"

As she was someone who knew him beyond just as a hero and believed in his strength more than anyone else, the girl screamed and cried, her voice breaking, trying to deny the absurd reality that suddenly befell him.

Such a scream, like that of a wailing Flam, would surely reach Reinhard as he challenges the jet-black end. Surely, he cannot miss hearing it. Because no one else but Reinhard van Astrea himself has decided that he must be such a being.

Nevertheless, the reason there is no response to Flam’s anguished voice is that, even for the world's strongest 'Sword Saint', the slightest distraction could be fatal against the fierce threat he is facing.

Countless black arms surged literally like waves, expanding large enough to fill the view from end to end, aiming to crush their target as inescapable destruction.

Reinhard, with both arms nearly torn, wielded the 'Dragon Sword' which couldn’t be unsheathed, moving the legendary sword in place of his arms to break through and shatter the cage of black shadows that left no escape in all directions.

Endlessly repeating this, ten to twenty times per second, the sweat that formed and the blood flowing vaporized off his body, Reinhard immersed himself in his duty.

—Indeed, this was the ultimate showdown between the 'Sword Saint' and the 'Witch of Envy', a battle of legendary beings.

“Oh! I can’t believe this!”

Holding onto the reins on the coachman’s seat where she had jumped in, doing her unfamiliar role desperately, was Meili, gritting her teeth with her tousled braids disheveled.

Patrasche, in front with the reins, was wise, so Meili’s handling of the reins was more ornamental. Even so, Meili stood there to show her determined will to fulfill her role.

With Garfiel and Ezzo unconscious, Flam unable to take his attention off Reinhard, and Petra not returning from the ‘Tome of the Dead’, Meili was the only one still functioning here.

It was not an exaggeration to say that following Reinhard’s battle, all of their lives rested in Meili’s delicate hands.

“It’s not an exaggeration, actually, it’s just too much…!”

Up until now, Meili had experienced numerous instances where she influenced the fate of someone's life. However, most of those occasions were when Meili was the one taking lives, holding the power of life and death. The only time she used her power to protect life was during the 'test' at the former watchtower, and other than that, her ability to protect life was no more than rudimentary. With such limited experience, she was not equipped to face an opponent like the "Witch of Envy."

"Please, Patrasche... I don't understand what you're saying at all, unlike the magical beasts, but... everyone is in danger...!"

"――ッッ"

Patrasche responded valiantly to Meili's plea that was conveyed through the reins. The pitch-black dragon charged ahead, pulling the carriage with everyone aboard, dashing smoothly across the poor terrain of sand, running, running, running, racing through it all—

"At this rate—"

It was the moment they thought of sprinting across the sand sea in one breath.

"――Ah"

For an instant, the ground seemed to stretch and contract, and with an unbelievable impact, Patrasche's feet lost traction, and the carriage was propelled into the air with passengers and all.

"――――"

This is bad, Meili's mind was filled with just one word: "crisis." Yes, a crisis. When Subaru fell into dangerous situations, he would often say "crisis"; it was certainly easy to say, and once it became familiar, it was all that would come to mind. Yet, chanting "crisis, crisis" offered no solution.

One thing was clear: if Patrasche fell over on the sandy ground just once, they would lose the 'Windbreak Blessing' that ensured their safe passage out of the sand dunes. Without it, there was no way they could escape alive from this space where even the boundaries between heaven and earth were indistinguishable.

—What, now, what should I, I, everyone, please, brother, help.

"Help everyone..."

Then, just as in a tearful voice that served no purpose in that upside-down world —

"Leave it to me, Meili."

Right after hearing such a cute yet reliable voice, Meili saw someone leap dramatically into the air from the overturned driver's seat, using it as a foothold, and jump onto Patrasche, who was floundering and losing its balance in mid-air.

It was a girl with a large ribbon and striking bright brown hair—

"Petra-chan!"

In front of the shouting Meili, Petra, who had jumped out, clung to Patrasche's neck mid-air, forcibly settled onto the saddle of the ground dragon, and clung on as if biting into it.

Using every bit of her small body, she held on tightly and pleaded with all her might.

"Patrasche! Calm down, listen to my voice!"

"——"

"That's it, good girl... Now!!"

Following Petra's clinging voice, Patrasche swung its long tail vigorously, forcibly controlling its posture in mid-air, and landed dynamically on the sandy ground as if stabbing its feet. It skillfully braked the momentum of the dragon carriage from crashing to the ground, and then continued running without losing its grace.

With an incredible responsiveness, Patrasche brilliantly handled that potentially fatal moment—a testament to both the trustworthiness of Patrasche and the skill of the girl who brought out its full potential.

"Meili! Are you okay!?"

"I-I'm fine! But Petra-chan, you should read that book—"

"I'm okay. More importantly—"

Petra cut off her words, sharpening her round eyes as she glared behind.

At the end of her gaze was the Pleiades Watchtower, where Reinhard stood as a one-man line of defense, trying to hold back the 'Witch of Envy' who was attempting to breach that line. The mere thought of the 'Witch of Envy' was enough to stir an inconceivable terror deep within Meili, threatening to overwhelm her.

However, with Petra still sitting astride Patrasche's back,

"Don't worry, leave it to me."

"Petra-chan...?"

"For now, we just need to get out of the Augria Sand Dunes. Let's go!"

Meili felt an inexplicable sense of reliance as Petra, riding atop the land dragon speeding through the sand sea, declared loudly, and she nodded her head repeatedly in agreement. Smiling at Meili's response, Petra then turned to face forward, tightening her expression. Clinging firmly to Patrasche's neck, she entrusted the imminent manifestation of the end approaching from behind to Reinhard, aiming straight for the edge of the sand sea, run, run, run.

While savoring the illusion of being showered by unfelt winds, Petra murmured softly.

"We have to do something about it ourselves. —Right, Subaru?"

"—Yeah, let's do it. With all the strength we have!!"

Feeling the presence and voice of someone precious and beloved, whom she could not physically touch, close at hand, Petra Leyte runs with all her might, her heart burning strongly.

—To deliver the wish that must be conveyed beyond this sea of sand, with all her might.