Kimi to Boku no Saigo no Senjo, Aruiha Sekai ga Hajimaru Seisen

Chapter 4

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Chapter 4

The Threshold Between Duty and Sentiment

Within Sector 3 of the Imperial Capital.

"Uuuuuuuuuu……"

On the second floor of the base, within the strategic planning room used for squads.

Within the perfectly sound proof room, before the mountain of doc.u.ments sitting on the table before her, the pet.i.te blue haired female captain let out a groan. Sitting next to her, Iska handed over a juice bottle.

"Captain Mismis. Here, I bought the carbonated juice that you like."

"Yay! It’s ginger ale!"

Mismis’ expression brightened up in an instant. As fast as a carnivore pouncing on its prey, she grabbed the bottle with both her hands.

"Come on, Nene and Jhin too, let’s take a little break."

"How unusual."

"Eh?"

"That you bought juice in a gla.s.s bottle instead of a can."

Sitting in a chair across the table, Jhin folded his arms and pointed a puzzled gaze at Iska.

"Did they run out of canned juice?"

"No, I wasn’t really paying any attention to that. I just kind of… Felt like it."

Until Jhin pointed it out, not even Iska himself realized it. A gla.s.s bottle for juice, that was─

‘Here. This is to thank you for guiding me. Your throat must be parched from talking all this time too’

"… Now that I think about it, it’s cause I was given juice in a bottle."

"Given? By who?"

"Ah, no no no! That’s not it, not it at all. It’s just that I went to buy some, and that’s what the shopkeeper gave me. Back when I went to the Neutral City that is."

Seeing Jhin knit his brows, Iska shook his head in a fl.u.s.ter. He couldn’t possibly say that it was given to him by the Ice Witch of Calamity, and even if he did, it was obvious that it would just make things more confusing.

… Now that I think of it, how did I get back?

… Before I realized it, I was in a pa.s.senger cab and had already arrived at the Imperial capital.

The driver said the fare was paid for in advance. Just being told that, Iska couldn’t grasp the situation right away. Even if he boarded a pa.s.senger cab in a daze, there was no way he could pay the fare since he had forgotten his wallet. In that case, the one who paid for the fare beforehand was…

"Aah this is useless!"

Mismis jumped out of her seat with a thud.

"There’s too much to memorize! What’s with this? All we know about the special mission we’re going under Lishia-chan’s command for is that we meet up next week, and begin training for it next month right? Then why are there so many doc.u.ments about it beforehand…?"

The mountain of doc.u.ments on the table measured about one metre high. Not only that, there was more than just that. Behind the mountain, there was a whole other mountain range of the same size just waiting for them.

"Uuu. Saying that there’s no guarantee that we’ll come back alive if we don’t cram the entire mission’s contents into our heads, it’s too much."

"Though she also said that even if you memorize it, there’s no guarantee that you’ll come back alive right~."

"Nene-chan, I don’t need that kind of comment!"

Mismis plopped back down into her chair. And now, she had her head against the table.

"After getting worn out by lectures, it’s physical training on the grounds. Once the body is tired from training, it’s studying doc.u.ments. After getting worn out by studying, it’s back to training… She won’t even tell us what kind of mission it is, there’s no end to the anxiety as to what we’re going to do huh."

"I can at least predict that it won’t be a worthwhile mission though."

Saying that, Jhin went back to reading through the mountain of doc.u.ments at a terrifying pace.

"Now that I think about it, Iska─"

"Hi there~. Mismis, where are you right now?"

A broadcast interrupted Jhin from speaking. The voice they heard was Lishia’s. It was likely a communication from the central base where her operations room was.

"How’s it going? Is Jhin-jhin tired of all your complaining at having to memorize all those doc.u.ments yet?"

"*gulp*…"

"On top of that, you didn’t ask Iska-chi to go buy you juice did you? You can’t do that, it’s a breach of rules for an officer to give commands to their subordinates unrelated to their duties. Aah, but if there’s any ginger ale left then I’d also like one though~."

"You’re watching aren’t you!? Come on, show yourself!"

The captain looked around frantically in the room where there was no way surveillance cameras would be put in place.

"Anywho, setting that aside. Iska-chi, is it fine to ask you to run a little errand somewhere?"

"To Lishia-san’s position?"

"Nope, to the Imperial Diet."

The fifth seat of the Holy Apostles did not hide her bitterness.

"You may be about to forget, but Iska-chi was a prisoner until a few days ago. And you were released thanks to who again?"

"… I remember."

The Eight Grand Apostles. As the ultimate authority at the summit of the Imperial Diet, they were the ones who held real power over the entire Empire in place of the Emperor.

"That written report about the time you went to the Nelka forest, it seems they finished reading it over. And so, they called for a meeting."

"… It couldn’t be, they’re done with Iska-nii and throwing him back in!?"

"There there, calm down Nene-tan. I just heard about it myself."

Nene stared at Iska with a worried look. And in contrast, Lishia’s voice that rang out through the room was a carefree one mixed in with a yawn.

"Anyways, go and see. The meeting’s at four in the afternoon at the usual place."

"Another suspicious chat huh?"

Jhin spoke while leaning back on his chair.

"There’s no way the Eight Grand Apostles have anything good to talk about. At any rate, it’s those guys that Master called the shadiest of them all. It wouldn’t be weird no matter what ended up happening."

"… That’s how it goes."

The Man of Black Steel Crosswell ─ the man known as the strongest swordsman of the Empire, the on he considered his most detested opponent, was not the Nebulis Imperial Household Agency, nor was it the star mages. He never relaxed his guard around the Eight Grand Apostles. That master who served as the personal escort of the Emperor, said that of the ultimate authority in the Empire.

"In any case, I’m off."

"Iska-kun! I-if something happens, I’ll come running over as a captain okay!?"

Mismis yelled out in a reliable and serious tone. Nodding back at the captain making a face like a mother looking out for her child, Iska left the room behind.

The Imperial Diet.

Also known as ‘The Unseen Will.’

The source of that second name, was because the diet building did not appear on any map. It’s location was verbally pa.s.sed down from a superior to their subordinate. It was absolutely never written down. It was to the point where Iska was first informed of it only when he first rose to the status of a Holy Apostle.

"Five thousand metres under the Imperial Capital huh…"

The temperature, was truly one hundred and fifty degrees.

In the abyss of the planet where underground microbes could narrowly survive. Only by using an enormous elevator that was located in the central base, could one reach the ‘Unseen Will.’

… For the sake of hiding from the eyes of the Nebulis Imperial Household Agency.

… How meticulous.

Even if the entire Empire was burned to the ground by star mages from Nebulis, they themselves would be completely unscathed. It was a place where one felt like they could hear the sneers of the Eight Grand Apostles.

"We’ve kept you waiting."

Iska looked up directly in front of him at the monitor on the wall as it turned on, and the faint image of eight men and woman came into sight. The Eight Grand Apostles. While being the eight people who had the Empire under their thumb, only their silhouettes were shown on that monitor.

"Now then, Successor of Black Steel Iska. We have confirmed the contents of your report."

"To have fought with the Ice Witch of Calamity and repel her. As expected, you have outstanding talent."

A tone with a sense of joy. Seeing that the Eight Grand Apostles were in good humour, Iska secretly felt a sense of relief. It was a fact that he was tense from having been called here by those of superior status, but the Eight Grand Apostles were also eerie in that he never knew what they were thinking.

"However, I was unable to protect the power reactor."

"The duty given to you was to keep the Ice Witch of Calamity in check, not to protect the power reactor."

"The Empire has a means of opposing the Ice Witch of Calamity. Just from having been able to validate that, you have made sufficient military gains. It is enough to consider your reinstatement into the Holy Apostles."

Holy Apostles ─ hearing this spoken by the Eight Grand Apostles, Iska reflexively raised his face.

It was far too hasty. The Empire had a doctrine of skill supremacy. There were cases where a regular soldier with outstanding talent would leap over the position of an officer… But, even taking that into consideration, was there really a case where someone like Iska who was imprisoned for treason against the state to be appointed to the Holy Apostles so quickly?

"We understand your feelings of wanting peace. As a Holy Apostle, you would be able to hold an audience with his Excellency the Emperor. However, to rise to that status, there is naturally a need for you to silence the other Holy Apostle candidates. Especially since there are none who do not know of your criminal record."

A deep laughter was pa.s.sed through the monitor. A man in the prime of his life, an old man, and a young woman’s voice could be heard.

"And so, we will present you with the conditions for your reinstatement into the Holy Apostles. That is─"

"The capture of the Ice Witch of Calamity."

"─! To capture, Al─"

As Iska was about to reflexively say Alice’s name, he just narrowly managed to stop. Even he did not know why he kept her name secret on the spur of the moment. Somewhat unconsciously, he just hated notifying the Eight Grand Apostles of the name Aliceliese Lou Nebulis IX. He understood that they were enemies. But, could he really do it?

… With my hands.

… To hand Alice over to military headquarters… That’s…

‘How old are you?’

‘… Oh? Then I’m one year older.’

A carefree smile. The girl who was his enemy showed for an instant that her heart had thawed. That memory, brightened his cynical mind for just an instant.

"There is no time limit. However, do make haste. If you wish to protect the Empire that is."

"Make haste? What does that mean?"

The Eight Grand Apostles spoke like they were predicting a bleak future. As a threat against Iska, the scale of the way they put it was far too large.

"I wonder if you have heard of this legend? ‘The Great Witch Nebulis is still alive.’"

"If it is about that, then I heard it many times when I was a child."

It was a simple ghost story that anyone who lived in the Empire knew about. However, it wasn’t ever something to seriously consider. For example, it was similar to the thought that ‘The world will end in one more year.’

"But is there something about…"

"Fumu, so it seems you do not know."

A somewhat delighted laugh rang out.

"The one who spread that legend throughout the Empire, was none other than your Master."

"Master!?"

"We believe it to be the truth."

"That man, the ‘Man of Black Steel,’ kept secrets from us. We thought that there was no way that you would not know as his successor, but I see we were mistaken… Then it is fine."

"Forget that we spoke of this."

They had already lost interest in Iska as a single soldier. The tone of the Eight Grand Apostles quickly became cold and dry.

"All you have to do is chase after the Ice Witch of Calamity. Just with that, you will be reinstated into the Holy Apostles. That is of course, as long as you never perform a jailbreak like you did before."

"We have high expectations of you."

"Now go. It is nothing, Lishia Ean Empire will pa.s.s you your next mission. All you need to do is follow her instructions."

"…"

A silent bow. While unable to say anything, Iska turned his back to the Eight Grand Apostles.

Half asleep and half awake.

As the night wore on─

Both his vision and thoughts were dim, and he felt like he was caught in an illusion. After returning to the base where Captain Mismis, Jhin and Nene were waiting for him, even as the four of them quietly continued to go through the doc.u.ments in the strategy room, not a single bit of information from those doc.u.ments entered Iska’s mind. He didn’t remember anything from the time he returned to the barracks from the base either. By the time he realized it, he was sitting in his room with the lights out, and Iska was simply pondering as the night wore on.

‘Why, do you like this painter?’

Alice was an enemy.

She was a pure blood direct descendant of the Great Witch Nebulis who revolted against the Empire, the daughter of the current queen of Nebulis, and the Ice Witch of Calamity which posed a major threat to the Empire. There was likely no better example of a perfectly clear enemy.

Also, she was likely the most formidable enemy he had ever faced. If he were to capture her, the balance between the nations would likely crumble in an instant. If he used Alice as a hostage, the Imperial Household Agency would have no choice but to comply with peace talks. In that sense, the Eight Grand Apostles’ aim was unmistakably on point. However…

"… It may be wrong."

Looking up at the starlight coming through his window, Iska muttered to himself.

"Can we not get along without peace talks or hostages?"

Unless the witch was captured, peace talks would not occur. Iska himself thought this just until recently. Because he believed this, he fought against the star spirit corps from Nebulis, and took action to battle the pure blood witch in order to capture her.

… But that’s wrong.

… Even without peace talks, Alice smiled.

Iska and Alice. Even if one were to say they weren’t on good terms, they were able to pa.s.s time gently in the Neutral City. By nature, weren’t the Empire and the Nebulis Imperial Household Agency able to do the same? Without requiring any peace talks, wasn’t it possible to find a path that didn’t involve conflict?

Stretching out one leg, Iska sat up. While resting one hand on his knee, Iska picked up a communication device with his other hand. The communication light flickered on and off, and Iska waited quietly for the other side to pick up.

"F-fwaaaa… I-Iska-kun… What’s… Up… Munya… So late at night?"

"Sorry for contacting you so late at night, Captain."

Mismis spoke in a dazed voice. And after waiting for her to fully wake up…

"Okay, Iska-kun. It’s alright now."

"I’m sorry about dropping it on you so suddenly, but please excuse me from tomorrow’s training."

"Heh? Wh-what’s wrong!?"

From the other side of the communication device, he could hear the fired up voice of his surprised female captain.

"By take a rest from training, are you not feeling well? Or maybe you’re dissatisfied in my leadership…? S-sorry Iska-kun, I’m such a useless captain…"

"That’s not it, that’s not it at all."

"Ha!? It couldn’t be because I snuck away on my own to get barbecue? Sorry Iska-kun, I didn’t know you wanted to get meat that much."

"I’m telling you that’s not it!?"

Iska cleared his throat with a cough. And while feeling like the hand holding the receiver was stiffening, Iska mustered his strength as he spoke.

"I have something to do, in the Neutral City."

"The Neutral City? Eh. But you just used Lishia-chan’s ticket to the art exhibition right? And before that it was the opera ticket I gave you."

"It’s not like I have something to go see there. It’s just, there’s someone I want to meet and talk to."

"That is?"

"It’s, um, probably going to end up being a very troublesome conversation and take quite a bit of time… And it may end up in a fight though."

Making a bitter smile, Iska spoke in a self deprecating tone.

"I plan on leaving early in the morning, but because of the distance from the Imperial Capital, it would take about ten hours just for the round trip. I don’t know when I’ll be able to get back."

"So you want to take a break from training."

"Yes."

The next day, the four of them were going to train. If Iska was the only one skipping out, the schedule for the day had to be reworked. Let alone Mismis, it would likely also cause problems for Jhin and Nene.

"Is it important?"

"… Yes. Please allow me to go"

The captain on the other side of the line remained silent. And after waiting for nearly a minute, a grand sigh came through.

"It can’t be helped. Iska-kun is going so far for it after all."

"Thank you very much."

"But I have one condition. I’ll be going with you tomorrow."

"Eh?"

Why would she? With a moment of silence between them as Iska hesitated to ask her motives, the one to speak up first was Mismis.

"Try looking in a mirror."

"A mirror?"

"Iska-kun, right now you’re making a cold expression right?"

"…"

Just from that phrase, Iska’s half open eyes shot open in surprise.

"See? Just like I thought. It’s being pa.s.sed through your breathing you know?"

Mismis’ laughter came through the line.

"Your voice was stiff from the very beginning after all. Besides, you’re contacting me so late in the night. You’ve been brooding over it quite a lot right?"

"… I have nothing to say against that."

Putting his hand to his brow, Iska took a deep breath. Normally, Mismis couldn’t be described as quick-witted by any standard, and her memory was definitely poor. However, only her ability to perceive changes in emotions in her subordinates was terrifyingly sharp.

"You got me there. As expected of our captain."

"Heheheeh. Well yeah. But just like I said, I’m against Iska-kun going on your own. I mean, the way you’re talking is different from normal. As a captain, I can’t approve of letting a subordinate go and do something on their own in that kind of condition right?"

"… Understood."

Iska nodded. No matter how things turned out, there was a need to eventually report it anyways. Since he had to talk with her about it anyways, even if she didn’t know his exact intentions, having his superior come along with him would likely be fine.

"Captain Mismis, please do accompany me."

"Roger that! By the way, what’ll you be wearing? If we’re going as civilians I need to quickly pick out clothes!"

"It’ll be fine in our normal combat garments."

They were combatants from the Empire. That was a fact that was indispensable to what he wanted to accomplish the next day.

"Then tomorrow, we’ll meet in front of the garage at six in the morning."

Cutting off the connection, with his consciousness far more sobered up than he thought possible, Iska continued to look up at the Imperial capital’s night sky through his window.

"Alice-sama."

In a corridor overflowing with light, Alice was called out while returning to her private quarters from the royal palace’s large public bath, and turned around.

"Rin, where were you? I thought we were going to get in the bath together?"

"…"

"Rin?"

The young attendant remained silent with her mouth shut tight as she stared at Alice with her amber eyes. There wasn’t a clear sense of anger or anxiety in her gaze, what was being conveyed was a different emotion ─ something like a deep seated fear.

"I have something to speak of with you."

"What is it?"

The attendant then replied with a suppressed tone.

"We have finished collecting information on the swordsman from the Empire."

"About Iska?"

It was about the lineage that she was concerned about from the beginning.

… Though I met him twice in the Neutral City.

… It’s not like I could have asked him directly.

He likely rivalled even the Holy Apostles who were the greatest fighting force of the Empire. However, he was a regular soldier who was not even an officer, moreover, when he was away from the battlefield, the ferocity he had as a swordsman seemed like a lie. She could only see him as a gentle and normal young man.

"Let’s hear it."

"Yes. It is just, in this pa.s.sage…"

"Of course, let’s go to my room."

Within the pa.s.sageway, they didn’t know if anybody would come across them. Especially because both Rin and Alice kept it secret from even the queen that they encountered Iska in the Neutral City Ayin, it would be bad if anybody heard them speak of it.

"However, it really took some time huh?"

In Alice’s private quarters, the ‘Jewel Case Bell,’ Alice’s spoke to Rin while shutting the door firmly.

"After asking you, it would be one thing if it was information on the Holy Apostles, but I thought our spies would be able to gather information on the lineage of a regular soldier given just a few days."

She also didn’t think that she would meet the person in question twice during that period. His favourite food was pasta. His hobbies included appreciation of opera and paintings. She learned of such information that their spies would be unable to uncover so naturally.

… Also his sleeping face was quite cute.

… Wait, what am I thinking about!? This is the time to be dealing with it seriously!

"Let me hear the report."

Pushing away her internal conflict, Alice nodded towards Rin.

"… Just who is he?"

"A Holy Apostle."

With just those words, her attendant informed her of his ident.i.ty before continuing.

"Not only that, it seems that he was the youngest to ever attain the status of a Holy Apostle in all history. There is no mistaking that he bears influence as one of the most prominent swordsmen in the Empire."

"A Holy Apostle!? Wait a minute Rin, isn’t that strange?"

Altogether, the Holy Apostles of the Empire were eleven people. Since each and everyone of them posed enough danger to wipe out an entire star spirit corps, for the past several decades, the Imperial Household Agency concentrated its efforts on gathering intelligence about them. Alice herself had information about all eleven Holy Apostles drilled into her head.

"I’ve never heard of a Holy Apostle named Iska…"

"That is because there was never a recorded battle of him with a star spirit corps. After being promoted, without once being sent to the front line, he had his status stripped from him and was imprisoned."

"Imprisoned?"

Alice knit her brows. Why would someone with the outstanding talent to rise to the position of a Holy Apostle need to be imprisoned?

"What were the circ.u.mstances?"

"… I do not know quite how to express it."

With an unusually weak expression, Rin held out a faded magazine from the Empire.

‘The youngest Holy Apostle in history.’

‘Arrested for the crime of treason against the state by preparing the prison break of a witch. The judgment of lifelong imprisonment has been pa.s.sed down.’

… Sentenced to life imprisonment.

… But wait, what is this about a witch’s prison break?

The magazine’s listed date was about one year ago.

"Due to breaking out a witch that was captured within Imperial territory, in other words, for letting a star mage go, he was stripped of his status as a Holy Apostle. Just in case, I looked at other sources of information, but the contents of this magazine do not seem to be a mistake."

"He became a Holy Apostle but was immediately stripped of it. Is that why I don’t know about it?"

"It is not just Alice-sama. The spies who discovered it were also surprised."

However ─ as Rin said that, she began fidgeting with the hair that came down on both sides of her face. It was a habit of hers. Whenever she was deep in thought, she would unconsciously fidget with her hair.

"Just as Alice-sama knows, he was acquitted."

"I know that well."

"He was acquitted eleven days ago. It was just the day before Alice-sama fought with that swordsman in the Nelka forest."

Iska was acquitted for the purpose of fighting the Ice Witch of Calamity. Certainly, with his level of strength, she could agree with the Empire’s decision that he could challenge a pure blood witch all on his own.

"But, the more I think about it the less sense it makes."

Alice looked down at the magazine in her hands.

"Setting aside the time in the Neutral City, when we met him in the forest, Iska was looking to fight with me. Rin was also asked ‘Are you the Ice Witch of Calamity’ right?"

"Yes, though it is a failure I do not wish to recall…"

Perhaps because she remembered that she had started the attack, but had the tables turned on her, Rin spoke in a hazy tone.

"However it is just as you say. That swordsman known as Iska definitely had the will to fight against the Nebulis Imperial Household Agency. Rather, I feel that his goal was actually to fight against the Ice Witch of Calamity ─ against Alice-sama."

"Then, I wonder why he released one of our comrades from jail one year ago?"

She couldn’t help but feel there was a contradiction. On one hand he was taking actions to free a witch, on the other he challenged Alice and Rin with the intent of capturing them.

… Even though to the Empire, we are all just witches?

… What’s different about the witch that he released?

"About the incident of the witch’s jailbreak, we believe that it may be a trap to try and deceive us."

"Rin, look into the star mage who was broken out one year ago by him."

"I have already made arrangements for that. It will take another few days though."

"You work fast. As expected."

Nodding with satisfaction, Alice sat down on a corner of her bed.

─That was enough for the day. It was about time to sleep.

Having been Alice’s servant for ten years, this was a naturally born signal to Rin. When she looked at the teacups in the cupboard, it was teatime. When Rin pinched her ap.r.o.n, it meant she had other business to attend to. There was that kind of tacit understanding between them. And so, Rin left the room without a word. Making sure that the footsteps from the hallway had gotten far away, Alice stretched her arms out to her pillow.

"She didn’t notice right…?"

A handkerchief. It was the one she borrowed from him in the Neutral City Ayin. She had told Rin that she already burned it away. When Rin told her it belonged to someone from the Empire, so she would get rid of it, Alice had replied as such, but in truth, she had hidden it under her pillow.

"… I can get rid of it at any time after all."

Alice was aware that she was just making an excuse. But, not yet. She had yet to ask of Iska’s true feelings.

‘The fine arts have no borders. Isn’t Alice the one who said that?’

… I don’t get it.

He lent her his handkerchief to wipe away her tears. He guided her to the art gallery, and taught her about that painting with all his heart. Was that all like Rin was saying, a trap just to deceive his enemy? Was everything he showed her in the Neutral City just an act? It wasn’t too late to deal with the handkerchief after verifying all that.

"You seem to be quite concerned with that Imperial soldier I see."

"Mother!?"

The door opened without even a knock. Despite being late at night, her mother appeared wearing her usual royal garments. Having finished her official duties, she may have been just on her way back to her own room.

"Wh-why are you here?"

Alice hid the handkerchief behind her in a hurry.

"I heard that you commanded Rin to investigate an enemy soldier. However, I have talked of this with our intelligence agency. Alice, it is nothing for you to read into."

"…"

"… Or is it that you have another reason to be so concerned?"

"No, I overreached myself."

It seemed that she wasn’t seen meeting with Iska in the Neutral City. Judging that from the way her mother was speaking, Alice secretly let out a sigh of relief.

"But as an observation of the enemy’s plan at large…"

"I do understand that you have concerns of your own regarding that. However, if you get involved in it too much, your sisters will glare at you."

Alice’s older sister Ellitia, and her younger sister Cybelle. Alice was well aware that both were star mages worthy of the name pure blood, and both were talented women who were cornerstones to the politics of the Imperial Household Agency. And the fact that they competed for the throne…

The eyes of her sisters stretched around the entire palace, and the only time Alice felt at ease was when she was within her own room together with Rin.

"And one more thing. It seems that you are collecting paintings from an Imperial artist again?"

Her mother looked up at the photo books lined up on the top shelf of the bookshelf against the wall with an exasperated gaze. Despite not being in circulation in the Nebulis Imperial Household Agency, it was a collection that Alice took pains to build up little by little.

"The Empire is our enemy."

Alice had heard these words from her mother a countless number of times.

"Calling us witches and warlocks, it is the den of those who abhor and persecute us. The atrocious witch hunts in the past performed by the Empire was the embodiment of that. Just how many star mages fell victim to them? It is the dearest wish of all star mages to defeat the Empire and force them to yield."

"…"

"The same applies to art from the Empire. I’m sure you know of the many paintings of ‘witch hunts’ and ‘witch trials’ painted by artists from the Empire. They are also p.a.w.ns of the Empire. They are the same ones as those in your photo books."

"… Yes, mother."

"That is all I had to inform you of. I’ve taken up your time at such at a late hour haven’t I."

Her mother left her room. And once more, all alone in her room, Alice remained stock still where she was.

… Is it really as mother says?

… Is every single citizen within Imperial territory unforgivable without exception?

‘Just, who are you?’

‘On top of getting all the way to the Empire’s base on your own, you broke through the defences and destroyed the power reactor… It is not something the average star mage can do.’

Iska was different. When he stood before her in the Nelka forest, he chose to call her not by the derogatory name of witch, but a ‘star mage.’ On the other hand, her mother declared that all citizens of the Empire were savages who called them witches and warlocks. Just which one was discriminating against the other…?

Alice brought the handkerchief she was hiding behind her back to her knees. And after staring at it like she could pierce a hole through it…

"Okay, I’ve decided!"

Taking in a deep breath, Alice leaped out of her room. And walking down the quiet nighttime hallway with long strides, she stopped in front of the next room over.

"Rin! Rin are you awake!?"

Alice slammed open the door with a thud.

"Get ready to leave."

"Wh-why so suddenly!?"

Rin turned around while holding her nightcap and wearing her pajamas. She currently had her braided hair let loose straight down, and looked slightly more mature than she usually did.

"We’re leaving the palace first thing in the morning. We’re going to the Neutral City, so make the preparations."

"Again!?"

Rin raised her voice almost to the point of a scream.

"But, if we were to encounter that swordsman known as Iska…!"

"We’re going so that we encounter him."

"… What?"

"I want to confirm it for myself. His true feelings."

Biting down on her lower lip, Alice turned her back to her attendant.

"That’s why, this will definitely be the last time."

A path covered in a heat haze.

At a time when the sun on the horizon was rising up to the sky─

It was a wasteland where any and all moisture had evaporated, leaving behind spiderweb like fissures in the ground, and only a few weeds could be seen sprouting out here and there.

"The Neutral City Ayin huh. It’s been quite a long time since I’ve come this way by car."

A buggy was racing across the wasteland. Mismis was gripping the wheel as she squinted at the dazzling sunlight.

"I informed Jhin-kun and Nene-chan that the two of them can do independent training today."

"Thank you very much."

"Un. But the weather is nice huh~. It’s a perfectly clear sky with no clouds."

The wind blew over the car with no roof. Letting her hair loose in the wind, the female captain stepped on the accelerator.

"And so Iska-kun, isn’t it about time you tell me who you’re planning to meet today?"

"Who do you think it is?"

"Some big shot from the Empire? Maybe it’s a Holy Apostle other than Lishia-chan? Iska-kun, you were just called in by the Eight Grand Apostles the other day right? Maybe it’s a secret talk outside the Empire?"

"I’m, not that amazing a person."

The shadow of the Neutral City Ayin could be seen coming over the horizon. While recalling the streets of the famous capital of opera and the arts, Iska showed his captain a bitter smile.

"I don’t have any other acquaintances in the Holy Apostles. I was demoted right away after all."

"There’s rumours that those eleven people are super compet.i.tive too right…? Hmmm? But if that’s the case, I can’t seem to figure out who you made an appointment with today even more."

"I didn’t, make an appointment."

"What do you mean?"

"I just thought ‘they would come,’ one way or another. I never believed in things like destiny or fate before, but… But… I feel like I’ll probably meet them again."

"Meaning?"

"I won’t know until I go and see."

As Mismis was still making an extremely perplexed expression, Iska shrugged his shoulders. The Neutral City Ayin could now be clearly seen through the windshield of the car.

"By the way, Captain, do you see something flying in the sky?"

A black shadow was flying across the clear blue sky. From their perspective, it was coming from the northeast ─ from the same direction as the sun, approaching the Neutral City Ayin.

"… It’s a bird. Captain, it’s a really big bird."

It was a strange bird that looked like it flew right out of the world of legends. The shape of its body appeared to be an eagle, but it’s long snake-like tail fluttered in the wind. It’s feathers were a mix of white and blue in a marble pattern. It was like a cloud hanging in the blue sky. It was like the scenery was imprinted on the bird. Not only that, it was large. They were able to perceive it distinctly from the buggy on the ground, so if it landed on the ground, it would likely have a large enough build to dwarf a human.

"Oooh, how unusual. It’s an albatross! A kind of living fossil."

Mismis let out a small cheer of joy from the driver’s seat.

"It’s the great ancestor of the birds. They pretty much don’t live in Imperial territory at all. We use a lot of guns in the training grounds right? They hate the sound of gunfire, and all ran far away."

"Away from the Empire?"

"Yup yup. But albatrosses are smart, so when they are fed they can be made into watchdogs, with some training it is possible for humans to ride on their backs while they fly. That’s why it seems like in villages far away from the Empire, they train them even now. For example."

While following the bird with her eyes, Mismis continued her explanation.

"They keep several of them even in the Nebulis Imperial Household Agency, I’ve seen a report that stated that."

"… Nebulis?"

Iska looked up at the albatross while squinting through the sunlight. It was flying in from the northeast. It was just as Mismis had said, it was coming in from the Nebulis Imperial Household Agency’s territory. Not only that, perhaps it was just a hallucination, but Iska felt like he could see something riding on the back of the bird as it flapped its wings.

"… Could it be?"

"Iska-kun?"

"Captain, please continue like this to the entrance and stop the car there."

The albatross pa.s.sed over the city walls and began descending. As if chasing it, the buggy they were riding also arrived at the walls of Ayin.

"Hey hey Iska-kun, so about that person you want to meet, what are you going to do about it?"

"They probably, just arrived as well."

Up in the skies. As if being sucked up by the sunlight pouring down above, the albatross was ascending into the sky. Having finished its role of delivering its master to the Neutral City, it was likely returning to its nest in the Nebulis Imperial Household Agency.

"This way."

"U-un?"

Exchanging looks with Mismis, Iska walked down the streets of the Neutral City Ayin. The city where the arts bloomed. Just like when he came to see the opera, despite the heat wave, buskers were performing music outdoors, painters had their canvases spread out, and tourists were watching over them attentively with joy. It was a moment of peace that made one forget the times. While the Empire and the Nebulis Imperial Household Agency fought violent battles, in truth, people were able to live a life unrelated to battles just like this. It was a sight that gave one that impression.

Standing before a plaza, Iska came to a stop.

"We really do think alike do we not? I wonder just what star we were born under?"

A beautiful young woman carrying a parasol. She was not wearing clothes for travelling incognito. Just like the first time he met her, she was wearing vivid royal garments.

"That albatross just now."

"We raised it back at home. When it was a chick it was small enough to hold in one’s hand, but after four years it became that large. It flies much faster than an Imperial car after all."

"Alice-sama, even if you say that, were you not yelling ‘Rin, quickly, faster. It’s a race! Hurry it up so that we make it there before that car no matter what!’ just a moment ago?"

"Rin."

"… It was a slip of the tongue."

Rin stepped back. Giving her a sidelong glance, Alice closed her parasol with graceful movements.

"That’s right. About the taxi last time─"

"What are you talking about I wonder?"

The princess from the Nebulis Imperial Household Agency broke out an amused smile for only an instant. But immediately afterwards, she tightened her mouth, and squinted her eyes slightly. What she was looking at was not Iska, but the pet.i.te female captain with blue hair beside him.

"By the way, who is that girl beside you?"

"My superior, Captain Mismis."

"… I see. You also had such circ.u.mstances."

Alice muttered as she pa.s.sed her parasol over to Rin.

"Ummm, Iska-kun? Who is this pretty girl?"

"She’s─"

"It is fine, I will name myself."

Interrupting Iska, Alice placed her hand on her chest. And in a quiet voice that those walking around in the area could not hear…

"It is a pleasure to meet you, captain from the Empire. My name is Alice ─ Aliceliese Lou Nebulis IX."

"Alice-san? Eh, but… N-Nebulis?"

"Would you understand better if I were to call myself the ‘Ice Witch of Calamity’ as you would say in the Empire?"

Mismis’ entire body twitched.

"U-ummm? It’s a joke, right… Iska-kun?"

"It’s true."

"Wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-what’s going on!?"

"I have something to talk about with him."

As Alice said that, her gaze was fixated only on Iska.

"Let’s go somewhere else. Follow me."

"Got it. Captain, let’s go."

"… What’s going on…?"

Taking his somewhat dumbfounded captain along, Iska followed after the other two. Alice looked directly in front of herself. As for Rin who trailing behind to her side, she would turn around frequently to look at Iska.

"I won’t run away. And there isn’t anyone else than just us two."

"Sh-shut up! I am Alice-sama’s attendant, what’s wrong with me keeping an eye on you two who are her enemies. Rather, do not talk to me so readily!"

Rin turned back forward in a hurry. Seeing that she reflexively brought her hand closer to her skirt, there was no doubt that there was a great number of dark tools hidden underneath there.

"How mysterious."

What Alice pointed out to with her gaze, was on the right side of the street. There was a painter with his canvas facing the street, and a parent and child having their portrait drawn by the artist.

"Even though there is such a happy city, I wonder why we must hate each other?"

It wasn’t directed towards Iska or Mismis. Alice’s mutter may have been pointed at herself. Pa.s.sing one step through the walls of the city, all they could see before their eyes, was a hill scorched by the sun spreading out in every direction.

"It’s hot isn’t it?"

"Alice-sama, your parasol."

"─I am fine with this."

The Ice Witch of Calamity extended her finger.

"I’ll just freeze it suitably after all."

Cold air gushed out from the ground at Alice’s feet. The sand at their feet that was hot enough to burn bare skin was cooled in an instant, and the ground began to freeze over several hundred metres in the direction they were walking. It was just like a carpet of ice.

"Wh-what’s with this… Even though the Empire’s newest weapons can’t make this kind of cold…"

Mismis walked timidly along the frozen path.

"Sh-she’s really the Ice Witch of Calamity…"

"I do believe I said so myself."

The captain from the Empire seemed to finally understand just who she was. There was likely no better persuasive force than that kind of method.

"It should be about fine if we have walked this far. Here, n.o.body should be able to hear us. And it seems that neither of us are being tailed."

Nebulis’ princess came to a stop. They had been walking along the carpet of ice for about ten minutes. At a distance where the Neutral City could only be seen as a distant haze, Alice turned around.

"You likely have an idea of what it is I have to say. The Imperial soldier who was arrested for treason against the state one year ago. The eccentric Holy Apostle who is said to have broken a captured star mage out of an Imperial jail."

"…"

"I had it investigated. You know about who I am, so is it not only fair?"

Alice looked down at Iska from atop a hill of ice.

"Well, yeah."

"Besides, there is no way a swordsman with your strength would be a lower cla.s.s soldier. Though it’s a different story if you tell me that captain next to you is stronger than you."

"Heh? Th-th-th-that’s not the case!?"

Glared at by the Ice Witch of Calamity, Mismis jumped back in a fl.u.s.ter.

"More importantly… Wh-what business do you have with us!? A big shot among big shots like you, waiting for Iska-kun, I don’t get it at all!"

"I have something I would like to ask."

Alice exchanged looks with Rin. Returning her gaze, the attendant took out a faded magazine. It was familiar. It was a magazine that Iska was shown many times over while he was imprisoned after all.

"First, is what is written here the truth?"

"Without a doubt."

"About letting a star mage go, and because of that, you having spent one year within prison?"

Iska silently nodded.

"I wonder why you did it?"

"… She was still a small girl. At around twelve or thirteen years old, she only had a weak star spirit within her. It’s just, the Empire arrests star mages without any connection to that, and I didn’t like it."

"Your speech and conduct are contradicting each other."

There was a biting tone to the voice of the young woman known as the Ice Witch of Calamity.

"You were, expecting me in the Nelka Forest. Did you not attack me with the purpose of capturing me? When it came to me, you’re trying to capture a star mage, I don’t believe your reasoning for letting one go a year ago because you found her pitiful."

"…"

"Silence, is it? What’s wrong, Imperial soldier?"

The young attendant raised her voice.

"Are you unable to speak after having the weak points of your story pointed out by Alice-sama? I remember well when you asked me, ‘Are you the Ice Witch of Calamity?’ In any case, the jailbreak of the witch one year ago is just a trick to─"

"I’m not contradicting myself."

He cut her off completely. Perhaps because she sensed the strength of the emotions in his words, Rin kept silent after being interrupted.

"One year ago, and now, my goal has never changed."

"Does that have anything to do with the article in this magazine?"

"Peace talks."

Iska spoke that single phrase as he stood before Alice. It was the first time. The first time that he conveyed his vow to himself before a star mage from Nebulis.

"I want to end the fighting. But no matter what I say, there is no way the Emperor will listen to me, and I do not believe the queen of the Nebulis Imperial Household Agency will listen to me either."

"Naturally so."

Alice nodded with a cold tone.

"You say that you desire peace? It is useless. How much do you think our nations hate each other? The war will not end until one side surrenders."

"That’s right. That’s why what I thought of was capturing a direct descendant of Nebulis. To capture a powerful star mage that the Empire calls pure blood."

"The royal family?"

"I thought it would shake the Nebulis royal family greatly if one of their own was in danger. And even the citizens of the Imperial Household Agency would likely be anxious. That’s why they would only be able to comply with partic.i.p.ating in peace talks even if they hated it."

"… Are you saying that, all on your own, you plan to forcefully pave the way to peace talks?"

Alice folded her arms while knitting her brows, and then putting her finger up to her charming mouth─

"If you capture me and make me a hostage, even the Queen would be obliged to come to the table for peace talks. However, the child you let go one year ago was just a weak star mage. She had no role in the peace talks you are thinking about. So you thought it would be fine to just let her go?"

And then a moment of silence.

"… Certainly, there are no contradiction. On the contrary, it is consistent."

As Alice said that, her mouth almost looked like she was making an astonished laugh.

"It probably isn’t a lie huh. Somehow, it really seems like an idea you’d think of… But, it won’t work. Nothing will change that way."

"Why?"

"Even if you make me a prisoner, Mother will not move. That’s why there will be no room for negotiations. Peace talks are just a pipe dream. You have likely never been to the Imperial Household Agency. You would not know how much the people of our country hate the Empire."

The roots of the war that continued for a hundred years were deep. Even with a pure blood witch, a single hostage would not bring peace talks into existence. The people of the Imperial Household Agency would not allow it after all.

"… However."

Alice unfolded her arms.

"I also didn’t know that there were people like you in the Empire. Among the savage and overbearing Imperial soldiers, I didn’t think there was one who desired battle for the sake of ‘ending the fighting.’ Moreover… I do believe I have grasped your character well here in the Neutral City."

The Ice Witch of Calamity’s finger pointed over towards Iska. From atop a hill of ice, Aliceliese Lou Nebulus IX made a declaration in a loud voice.

"You, should become my subordinate."

"What!?"

The one to let out a shriek, was Rin.

"Wait a, Alice-sama!? Wh-wh-wh-what’s going on!? This isn’t what you said before, you didn’t mention anything about this when we were preparing last night!?"

"I just thought of it now."

"It is far too erratic! In the first place, taking an Imperial soldier in as a subordinate, let alone the Queen, there’s no way your esteemed sisters will allow it!"

"I can think of that kind of thing later."

Be quiet ─ Holding her hand out to the side, she silenced Rin.

"I will guarantee your social position. You would become an exile from the Empire."

The princess continued speaking in a fluent voice.

"The Imperial Household Agency accepts anybody as long as they do not discriminate against star mages. This applies even more to one who knows of the internal affairs of the Empire and has enough strength to rise to the status of a Holy Apostle who also desires to create a world without fighting."

She poured it on with a straightforward gaze. While her tone was commanding, there was also a sincere zeal and hope in her voice. However…

"I-Iska-kun…?"

A slender and shaking finger pressed against his back. As he looked slightly to the side, what he could see was the pet.i.te female captain, contracting her shoulders in anxiety, and half on the verge of tears and she looked up at him.

"U-um, you know… Um…"

"It’s alright."

Before she could say anything, he gently stopped her.

"I can’t do it."

Moreover, Iska replied to the princess standing atop the hill of ice.

"It has nothing to do with my reception, I can’t go to Nebulis’ side."

"… Why is that?"

The blonde haired girl’s eyelid twichted. It was not out of anger, but a manifestation of her unease. Aah, in the end, that’s how you’ll answer ─ her tone made one think she had such anxieties within her.

"Let me hear your reason."

"I have two reasons. First, even I have friends and family within the Empire. My comrades in my squad are one thing, but I also have superiors that I am indebted to. It is just the same as Alice who has family within the Imperial Household Agency."

"The other reason?"

"Because it’s impossible to bring up peace talks from the side of the Nebulis Imperial Household agency. Even if our positions were reversed, if Alice were to make one of the Eight Grand Apostles a hostage and try to bring them to peace talks, the Empire would turn a deaf ear. Rather, they would likely be thinking that the number of rivals had simply decreased. Unlike Alice who is connected by blood to the royal family, they are nothing but strangers to each other."

To bring an end to the fighting that had gone on for a hundred years without it ending with the ruin of one country, there was no other way than to forcefully bring them to peace talks. And those peace talks, were something that was only possible if the Nebulis Imperial Household Agency was the side to agree to them.

"Yes. That is exactly the Empire that I know of. No matter who it is, once they have served their purpose, they are cast away. A gathering of humans that one would not think of as humans…"

Alice bit down on her lower lip. The magazine that she was gripping in her hand had a slight bit of frost clinging to it, and ice had become covering the surface of the paper.

"However, do you understand what significance your reply has?"

"… I know."

Stepping back ─ while restraining Mismis with his left hand, Iska’s right hand went around to his back. A hard sensation. His finger met the hilt of his star sword.

"I cannot, walk together with Alice."

"… I see. So you and I are enemies after all!"

The magazine shattered into pieces. It became fragments of ice and vanished, the fragments of the memories of their past. That was, the instant the connection between the two was severed.

"If you can capture me, then show me that you can."

As Rin began to move, Alice held her back. And she covered her face with the headdress she used in the Nelka forest.

"If by any chance you are able to do so, even if it is a one in a million chance, if Mother would negotiate with the Empire, your dream may just be granted."

"Likewise, you should just eliminate me as you see fit. It will become progress in Alice’s unification of the world."

"…"

With a headdress covering her face and emotions, a witch.

Gripping onto a star sword in each hand, a soldier from the Empire.

Behind each of them, Rin and Mismis both stepped back as they even forgot to breathe and watched over them.

""You, obstinate fool!""

An angry roar from the boy and girl. As if their mutual anguish was being revealed to the wasteland.

An unavoidable future. Within that vortex of fate that they should have known, their anger and grief stuck together and rang out in a shriek.

And at the same time, Alice’s star spirit, and Iska’s star swords, as if resonating with each other, the earth shook greatly.

─The rage called forth by the stars.

"Wha!?"

Bringing his dash to a stop in an instant, the cold that was conveyed through his hand, ran through Iska’s body like electricity.

… What?

… Just now… An unthinkably strong chill!?

He had never experienced it before. No matter what battle he fought, no matter how close he came to death, he had never sensed such thirst for blood. He could feel it with his skin that it was filling the atmosphere.

"Rin, what was that just now?"

"… I do not know. But my star spirit is also frightened. I can’t control it!"

"Wait, I can hear something."

Alice removed the headdress that she had just put on. The young woman known as the strongest star mage in the Imperial Household Agency, spoke in a stifled breath.

"There’s something in the sky… ─ Rin, get out of the way!"

"Captain Mismis, get away!"

With a crack, a fissure formed in the blue sky. The moment they thought they saw a pitch black thread running across the sky, the sky split open, and an intense gale poured out of it.

"Kya…!"

Unable to withstand the gale, the pet.i.te captain fell over. And during that, Iska was certain of what he saw appear in the air.

"… Star sword. The blade, that betrayed the stars…"

It was a girl with long pearl grey hair. Under her large, wavy and irregularly patterned cloak, her body was darkly tanned. And she appeared far too young. From her outward appearance, she only seemed to be twelve or thirteen years old. However, precisely because of that…

"The Founder?"

Iska doubted the word that he heard Alice leak out.

"Why is the esteemed Founder who is supposed to be sleeping underground here…? No, why did she awaken…?"

It was someone that a direct descendant of Nebulis, Alice, respected as the ‘Founder.’ There was only one person who would come to mind.

"The Empire… The ones who… Ruined… This star… This vessel of the star spirit…"

What came out of her small and charming mouth, was the pure embodiment of a grudge.

"…"

"All should just vanish."

The Great Witch waved her hand in the air. The instant they realized this, Iska and Alice both leaped back to cover for the ones behind them.

─An invisible rupture.

As if an invisible G.o.d’s hand was swung in the air, the atmosphere condensed, and immediately following that, a violent shockwave exploded and scattered into the area.

"Wh-what!? What just happened!?"

"I don’t know. It’s just…"

Within the slowly rising cloud of dust, Iska let go of Mismis. He was fully aware that cold sweat was pouring down his back.

"Captain, fall back to the rear. Against just this opponent, I don’t have any confidence."

The shadow of a person hanging in the clear blue sky.

The Great Witch Nebulis─

One hundred years ago, the oldest star mage who changed the Imperial capital into a sea of fire, manifested in the skies above them.

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