Volume 24, 1 — A Fuse Burns

Volume 24, Chapter 1: A Fuse Burns

The situation had developed into the next phase.

"Even so, will things just end like this?"

In the voice of Alsheyra who said this, one could hear a bit of exhaustion.

Alsheyra stood on a small mountain of heaped rubble.

She also didn't really want to believe that this rubble was the palace she had lived her life in.

But, after pulling out a piece of cloth that concerned her from underneath the rubble, she noticed that it was clothing from her younger years from the deepest garment room, making her unable to do anything but believe everything before her.

It was the clothing she had worn for her coronation ceremony.

"I was still small back then."

She muttered.

In order to maintain her longevity, she had manipulated her Kei to stop her growth.

"In the first place, I should have grown wider, huh."

The reason for stopping her growth was for the current battle.

Alsheyra Almonise.

The target of Grendan's Three Royal Families was to once again acquire the strength of the origin of all Military Artists, Airen, and she was the child born after continuous inter-family marriages.

The unfortunate part was that she wasn't complete, though her Kei power was far superior to any other Military Artist.

And the true complete body had finished some task completely beyond their expectations, and lost her power. Right now, she was being protected by the rescue team, moving amongst the group of people inside the shelters.

That was alright, Alsheyra thought. That child shouldn't have participated in battle.

"But……"

She muttered. It seemed that even her entire body's power wasn't enough. Maybe this was the feeling of burnout produced after completing one mission. Because Alsheyra whose strength was too great and who had always been limited, leaving her unable to fight with full strength, had finally fought once in a situation without limits.

This might be an experience that one might not have multiple times, so right now she was a bit hesitant. She felt excited, but her chest was filled with a feeling of solitude.

"Though I've made up my mind so much, it's still a bit of a struggle."

Releasing the clothes in her hand that had become rags, Alsheyra looked at it.

The final battle still hadn't ended.

The next opponent was there.

In the distant portion of her vision.

The part of the world that was surrounded by flame slowly spread, and the shaking flames made one feel like reality had become blurred.

She didn't know its name. No one knew. Even the Electronic Fairy prototype Saya, and Grendan who was this city's Electronic Fairy also kept quiet, so at the least, there was no one who knew the name of this thing in this city.

Even so, even if they didn't know this thing's name, it was something that they had no choice but to defeat, that was for sure.

"Then…… how's the current situation?"

(Okay.)

Alsheyra asked the Psychokinesis flake next to her.

The voice that came from the Psychokinesis flake obviously belonged to Elsmau.

(The morale of the Military Artists in the surrounding cities is all high, but there is a portion that had become mixed.)

"Ah, there's nothing we can do about that."

Everyone was betting their lives on this battle.

That speech was truly worthy, but most people would probably be roused from being told to bet one's life after a short explanation.

That was the behavior that Military Artists who possessed strength and a feeling of mission should have.

"And next?"

(The current situation is that the people have split into a portion that will participate in the battle and a portion in the shelters. The people in the shelters have been gathered into several cities, and afterwards will leave this place one by one. But for this to complete it will still be about three hours.)

"Ah, just assign this to the people who are good at doing this kind of work. Then, what about this side?"

Alsheyra extended a finger and pointed ahead.

In front of her fingertip was obviously the beast covered with flame.

(The cities that migrated to its surroundings…… they are right now being known as the City Collective, but they haven't combined into a group, rather each city is forming its independent group, preparing to make the next action.)

"Aha."

(They have also sent an invitation to us to partner with them, what do we do?)

"Really……"

Alsheyra touched her chin and thought.

In normal situations this kind of request would be ignored after a laugh.

But, the current Grendan wasn't the same as yesterday's.

"How is the damage to our side?"

(The damage to Military Artists is extremely light, as essentially no one participated in the recent battle, and no injuries occurred as a result of the shockwaves from the battle, and we won't have any problems if we group to take action.)

"Really? Then quickly make the connections to be able to hold a conversation with them."

(Understood, though……)

Elsmau spoke the words after this under her breath.

But Alsheyra couldn't have missed the meaning in her words.

What should the Heaven's Blades do?

Elsmau wanted to ask this. Moreover, she had included the Queen herself in that.

"Weren't they originally people with a lack of coordination? As long as they think of some way to fight without obstructing others, it'll be alright."

(Understood.)

After replying with that, she could feel that Elsmau's presence had fallen off from the Psychokinesis flake, and it seemed that she had gone to contact others.

"Hahh……"

Alsheyra sighed.

"Kanaris, Reverse, Cauntia, Kalvan, Savaris, and Ruimei…… Ah, I fear that we're doomed."

That many of the representatives of Grendan's extraordinarily strong Military Artists had been sacrificed in this battle.

All that remained was only Lintence, Troyatte, Barmelin, Haia, and Claribel. Also Elsmau.

"Ah? You told Claribel to act alone?"

(Yes, she said that she wanted to join with Zuellni. Layfon Alseif went together with her. Should I call them back?)

"……It's alright. Right now it's too late even if we call Layfon. Clara as well, she definitely has her own thoughts."

(Understood.)

"Even if we add one or two pieces right now, I don't think we can do much more of anything."

Alsheyra murmured alone, once again feeling Elsmau's presence move away.

Her body was filled with Kei, and even if she let this Kei flow continuously, the feeling of burnout inside her body wouldn't disappear. In a completely different place from the heat and pressure of Kei was a kind of bleak feeling.

But clearly nothing had ended at all, and this kind of situation was truly troublesome.

"Hahh."

"You seem very impatient."

She didn't know when she had leaked out a sigh, but at the same time another voice came from behind her.

"Lin, are your fingers fine?"

Alsheyra turned her head, gazing at the man's hands. The man who never cared about his outer appearance in the first place still wore a tattered coat, and it didn't seem like his unshaven face could be called anything good.

The man was Lintence.

"I wouldn't have expected that you worried about others, it seems like that end of the world is coming soon."

Though he said that kind of thing, his hands were already bandaged to the point of having no gaps between bandages. The bandages were dyed blue with a special medicine applied to promote healing, and they were also dyed with the blood leaking from the wounds, making unpleasant spots emerge on the bandages.

Those were wounds from the recent battle with L?vateinn.

Of course, the wounds weren't all directly from L?vateinn. If it were truly like that, then even Layfon would no longer be standing.

Though the steel threads could cover the entire city and attack enemies from any angle, they also had their weak points.

To put it simply, it was a similar principle to telephone wires. Sound would propagate through vibrations across a tightly-stretched wire. The vibrations produced by various changes in the battlefield would pass through the steel threads and be transmitted to Lintence. Grendan's crumbling, blows as great as hurricanes, the destructive shockwaves produced by the Queen, L?vateinn, and Heaven's Blade successors' techniques…… these shocks were all gathered by the steel threads, and became vibrations transmitted to Lintence.

If it were an ordinary battle then he could cancel out those vibrations.

But, this hadn't been an ordinary battle.

Lintence had no way to get rid of all of the extraordinary phenomena that continuously sent out sweeping shockwaves, so he had been injured.

"Is this a disaster brought about because of a difference in technique? Nothing at all happened to Layfon."

"There is a difference in the substance of your Dites. Having an almost unlimited use will also have corresponding danger."

Lintence spoke calmly, but sounded somewhat dissatisfied.

"Then, can you still fight?"

"Don't underestimate me. This kind of scrape won't have any effect at all."

"Really~"

Lintence was still cold as always, but he noticed the small bit of anxiety hidden in Alsheyra's eyes.

"What is it? You couldn't have thought that I would have suffered a setback from just this degree of adversity, hm?"

"How admirable of your mindpower to be able to talk about this situation like that."

"Hm."

Lintence used a grunt to answer Alsheyra's words.

They had finally managed to defeat the monster that had eaten away at the lives of so many Heaven's Blade successors, and right now there was another new extraordinary, giant monster.

That was the crisis of the end of the world.

One could only feel that it was boasting to use the words 'this degree of adversity' to describe that kind of large-scale crisis.

"It's no different from 'this degree of adversity'".

Even so, Lintence still said this.

"If you can feel your death, then that's it. Whoever dies after this, whatever city is destroyed, even if the world perishes, those are irrelevant to a dead person. From the moment death befalls someone, the world has ended for that person. Regardless of if the opponent is that kind of monster, all of the fear one feels before death is the same. The problem is whether you can stand up or not."

"Nn~"

"You who have always been spoiled and haven't gotten used to that kind of situation wouldn't understand that kind of feeling."

"……Did you really say that?"

"Isn't that the truth? If you had that kind of feeling you definitely wouldn't have been standing on top of a pile of rubble wearing the expression of a lovelorn maiden."

"That way of speaking really makes me mad, things aren't what you think!"

"Really?"

"That…… I was only thinking of viewing my enemy so I was standing on a rather high place!"

"Is that so."

"You don't believe? You don't believe me, huh!"

"Who would doubt what the Queen says?"

"There's a man in front of me right now holding those kinds of doubts!"

"I never would have thought you would waver because of those kinds of doubts."

"W, what……"

"Why don't you just try crying?"

"Don't joke around……"

Changes appeared in the body of Alsheyra who said this.

Her voice stopped abruptly, and she covered her mouth, hurriedly turning her body so that her back faced Lintence.

"…………"

Though he was still looking at her back, Lintence didn't say anything. His gaze passed over her slightly trembling shoulders, looking at the burning beast in the distance.

The flame that seemed to scorch even one's consciousness had painted half of the sky red. From the eyes of the beast that looked as small as grains of sand from where he was, Lintence could feel a fury that made his entire body numb.

That was the final enemy.

Lintence didn't know on what basis he said it was the final enemy. But it was a strong enemy there; that was the most important fact.

"This situation is simple."

Lintence murmured, standing in front of the Queen.

It appeared as if he were protecting her from the gaze filled with anger.

"All I want is this moment. As long as I feel that I exist in this world. It doesn't matter who the enemy is, it doesn't matter how strong they are. It doesn't matter to me what will be produced from letting that thing live on. As long as I myself still live, then it's enough."

Lintence said this.

"Strength is enough. The stronger the better, and it would be the best if I could raise my power to its limits. Rather than being used as a decoration somewhere, it would be better to be burned inside by pollutants. Rather than cherishing my posterity and living on, it would be better to win an ending on some battlefield. I only wandered here because I had those kinds of feelings."

"…………"

The shaking behind him stopped, and a gaze sharply bored through Lintence's back.

"If you don't have those kinds of thoughts, you can never live the life of a Heaven's Blade successor. The other guys all think this way. Compared to the city's end and the deaths of people they don't recognize, those people have a target they must chase harder after, and that's why they endlessly chase strength."

"Lin."

"Who cares about the enemies? Who cares about the situation? The only question is whether there is a place where we can use our strength."

"Lin."

"Heaven's Blade successors are those kinds of beings. Those kinds of unredeemable beings. Laughing at the incompetence of the fallen, even if it would have been better for them to escape from that situation……"

"It's enough, Lin."

"…………"

"Thank you."

"……Hm."

There was no longer any shaking in the voice that came from behind him. From the dilapidated coat on this back came a slight sensation, making Lintence suspend his speech.

"Maybe you helpers think that burning out here isn't bad, but most people wouldn't think that."

"…………"

"So, as the Queen who must protect the citizens of Grendan, what I have to do is already decided."

Kei filled the area behind him, as what was originally flowing inside her overflowed outside.

"First is the peace of this world."

As she said this, her hand left his coat.

She passed by his side.

Her back once again entered Lintence's vision.

But, it was already completely different from the figure he had seen just before.

It was different from what he had seen until now.

It had lost something and gained something.

This was the figure of the newly-born queen.

"The punishment for destroying my home won't be light."

◇

He returned to Zuellni with Felli.

"You!"

Greeting him was a strong blow.

In order to greet Layfon who descended into the outskirts, Sharnid slapped him again and again on the back.

"Really, you did pretty well!"

Being told this by Sharnid in a relaxed and crisp voice made Layfon widen his eyes.

"Senpai, it hurts."

His neck was suddenly hooked, Layfon and Felli were pulled apart, with Gorneo and the others running towards Felli. They probably wanted to hear the gathered information from her directly. Felli had been constantly gathering information while they were moving, and continuously communicating with gathered Military Artists of the cities.

Zuellni's Military Arts head Gorneo was also carefully thinking about what action to take next.

"Not bad not bad, you really are truly incredible."

Sharnid's mood was extremely good. Why would he have this kind of mood? Layfon felt that it was a bit hard to understand.

He felt that something rather bad would happen when person's mood was particularly good.

"I never would have thought that you would take Felli-chyan on a great escape of love."

"What!"

Though he didn't know why he had been praised like this by Sharnid, it had been as Layfon had expected.

"It's not like that at all!"

"What? It isn't? You somehow inexplicably eloped to Grendan, and then your childhood friend got mad and called forth a monster to destroy the world, then Nina got mad and charged at the monster alone, isn't that the current situation?"

"It's not at all! Moreover, what kind of thinking did you have to pull out that kind of cause and effect!?"

"What, you're still unpromising as usual."

"What!?"

Why did he feel helpless from this?

"Ah, but it's indeed be a bit exaggerated to say that the flames of your love are scorching the earth, right?"

"Please don't express something that makes it seem like I said such a thing!"

"That should be about enough, right?"

Harley naturally stepped in.

"Layfon, this is for you."

As he said this he gave over two things - two Dites.

"The Adamantium Dite and the Sapphire Dite, those are what we were able to build."

"Ah, good."

"Originally I wanted to strengthen them a bit, but we ran out of time."

"Wow, how embarrassing."

"……Though, if the Dites aren't enough, this guy will help send them over to you, and speaking of which that's the only use for him in this place."

"Hey hey, that's a bit mean."

"Then, please give that thing a headshot."

"There's a limit to everything."

"Useless person."

"You too, though."

"Rrrrrrrgh……"

"Rr~rr~rr~gh~……"

"Well……"

Seeing the two glaring at each other, Layfon didn't have any way to mediate.

"Hey, you scrap wood duo over there."

At that time cold words were poured over the two of their heads.

Dalshena had spoken.

"How long are you going to speak nonsense for? The Military Arts head is going to give out the battle plan soon."

"Hahaha, that kind of thing doesn't concern me."

"What did you say?"

"Our mission is to help this unpromising fellow to get to where our Captain in over her head is."

"How pitiful that you can proudly say those kinds of lazy words."

"T, those aren't lazy at all. It's really annoying, Shena doesn't seem to understand the wonderful skills of an artisan at all. A true artisan lives in the shadows."

"You demon, hurry up and apologize to the other artisans."

Dalshena's contemptuous look drilled through them.

"You too, it would be better not to always rely on these useless senpais."

"No…… they're trustworthy senpais."

Though he endured a painful stare, Layfon still said this.

"……Um."

Probably because it was an unexpected reply, Dalshena made a strange expression.

"Layfon, you…… Aww, how embarrassing."

Even Sharnid's face went red.

"Your strange thoughts are really puzzling."

"Yes, truly."

Dalshena finished speaking with a stiff expression and nodded her head forcefully.

"You guys……"

"Ah? Me? I have strange thoughts too?"

"Shut up, you accessory."

"What!?"

"It's about time to end this two-man comedy, right?"

An extremely cold voice slipped in.

It was Felli.

"Ya~ Felli-chyan~ Thanks for your hard work."

"You guys are playing around when other people are busy to death?"

Layfon felt a bit restless soon after being glared at.

"We didn't come here to play around. It's Harley's fault for trying to stand out without planning things that the situation became this troublesome."

"You're pushing all of your responsibility onto me!"

Sharnid made another joke, Harley cried out, Dalshena's face tightened, and Layfon made an expression saying that he didn't know what to do as he watched them.

At that time, Felli said something that made the surroundings freeze.

"……The sniper unit and the preparations division want to stand out, huh."

The two of them froze.

"Doesn't that violate your role?"

"You, you're also rear support!"

Sharnid cried out, his voice sounding as if he were about to cry. The normal Sharnid would definitely have relaxedly ignored Felli's comments, but this time was different. Because the soreness in his heart had been pressed on so strongly.

In the end, compared to Harley who stood frozen in place, Sharnid was the victor in mental power as he was still active.

"I never thought of standing out."

"Urgh-"

"But even if I still managed to stand out, then it can only mean that my sense of presence is too strong. I'm extremely sorry for standing out."

Felli lightly lowered her head.

"I want to cry, I really want to cry-"

"Sense of presence…… I'll definitely find a way to get that mysterious factor."

Sharnid and Harley moaned.

"Then continuing, I will report on the situation."

Ignoring the two of them, Felli turned the topic to the next matter.

"Right now, there are twenty-six total cities gathered with Grendan as the center."

Felli began explaining.

"Few disproportionate situations like in the Academy City are among these cities. In other words, there's obviously no way that all of the cities possessing excellent Military Arts forces gathered together."

"Why is that, huh."

Dalshena said this.

Of course, what she meant by 'that' was the current situation that had affected Zuellni.

The cities had suddenly shifted, and come near Grendan.

"Really…… I can't wrap my head around it."

Before the shift, Karian had made a speech, explaining the current situation, but as expected, the development of the situation was still difficult to understand completely.

"Ah, does everyone there think in a similar way?"

In order to cheer on Dalshena who was perplexed, Sharnid spoke.

"The people who know will respond, and the people who completely don't understand will do as much as they can in their situation…… that's how it is right now."

"Is that so…… Which kind are we?"

"Of course we're included in the people who don't understand anything, the confused innocents."

"What unfortunate people."

"Very true."

"Moreover the one who incited all of this was our original Student Council president, how troublesome."

"Yes, we must make preparations in order to stop the events that he has learned about."

"Can I continue explaining?"

"Ahah, of course, little sister-sama of the inciter."

"……Hmph."

Ignoring the smile of Sharnid who had found an opportunity for revenge, Felli continued.

"Though for now we are known as the City Collective, in reality it's impossible to suddenly have everyone directly coordinate with each other. So right now it's become cities acting alone, and at the same time sharing the information gained."

"That's the best way."

"Also, the current level of pollutants outside the city is falling rapidly. If it continues dropping like this, it will be possible to act outside the city even without using external gear."

"Is that really true?"

Everyone was surprised at this point, but Harley was the one who was the most concerned.

"This is information obtained after confirming it directly, I also confirmed it myself."

"Is that so…… I understand the filth monsters live by using pollutants as fuel, but even if a big group of filth monsters was nearby it wouldn't have an effect on the level of pollutants……"

"In other words, that monster eats that many pollutants?"

"What a great appetite. Do you know where that monster is?"

Because of Harley's words, Layfon and the others looked outside the outskirts of the city simultaneously.

The flaming beast that looked simply as if it were on the edge of the world was clearly so far away, but it still seemed extremely large, so how large would it be if it got closer? Layfon couldn't picture it with his imagination alone.

"Being able to affect the level of pollutants from that far away, couldn't that monster single-handedly get rid of all of the pollutants?"

"At the cost of burning out this world?"

Felli replied extremely coldly.

"Actually, the ground surrounding the monster has already become a sea of lava, and an ordinary Military Artist would be scorched to death just by getting close."

"If there are no pollutants, but the cost is that the ground becomes lava?"

"During that process humankind will be destroyed."

"Then never mind."

While listening to the conversation between Sharnid and Dalshena, Layfon's gaze drifted around.

"Then, what about Captain?"

Though he knew she wasn't here, he still wanted to look for her.

In the distance, the Military Arts head Gorneo was standing on a platform together with the Student Council president. They might be speaking of the actions Zuellni would take after this.

As one of Zuellni's students, Layfon also felt that he should listen to them speak, but right now he didn't have that kind of time.

Because they were missing Nina in this small group.

She who was the captain of the seventeenth platoon and stood before Layfon and the others, always becoming red-eared from anger and a sense of mission.

"She's still unaccounted for."

After slightly twisting her expression a bit, Felli replied.

"What's going on with that?"

"We made Psychokinesis flakes follow Captain when she appeared in Grendan."

Saying this, Felli explained the battle in Grendan simply.

"……Afterwards, after the battle in Grendan calmed down, that monster appeared, and during the commotion, the responses from the Psychokinesis flakes with Captain disappeared."

"Meaning, right now we don't know what Nina's doing?"

Harley sighed, and a troublesome premonition filled the surroundings.

Everyone knew her style, and right now this troublesome premonition had become a detailed image, emerging in the minds of the spectators.

"She'll definitely charge out from somewhere."

"Not only that, but she might be on her way right now."

"The level of pollutants lowered already too, so we're probably not wrong."

"We knew it a long time ago, but our Captain is really impatient."

Everyone present nodded agreement with Sharnid's comment.

"So, we don't have any leisure to help the battle plans of Zuellni and the City Collective."

Felli said this. Layfon nodded his head along with Sharnid and Harley. The two of them had said something similar when they had run into Layfon, and they definitely wouldn't dissent.

Of course, Layfon didn't have any disagreement.

"We can confirm that Captain has run out to that monster. But even so, we can't brainlessly charge out."

"Why do you say that?"

Layfon raised a question to Felli's opinion.

"Because of the flames targeted here that the monster shoots out from its body. It seems that it's not releasing ordinary flames. You could call them filth monsters with a form of heat. The enemy is that kind of inexplicable being."

"Doesn't make sense."

Sharnid was confused.

"What's a 'form of heat', what does that mean in the first place."

"The meaning is, the flames given off from that monster's body choose what they want to burn themselves."

"Hah?"

"That monster's surroundings have already formed a sea of lava. But, the the sea of lava isn't spreading out in a circle, but continuously spreads towards here."

"Ehh?"

"In other words, while the heat that the monster gives off turns the ground into lava, it closes in on this City Collective. Moreover, this kind of thing is happening without any sort of special means guiding it here."

"Nnn."

"In that case, we can surmise that this heat has the consciousness to be able to choose its target to burn."

"It's not that beast manipulating it?"

"If it were truly like that, the situation would be easy."

"?"

Though everyone had doubts towards Felli's words, the expression on her face told the audience that she wouldn't give the answer.

"……In any case, our primary mission right now is to find Captain. Afterwards, we can make the next decisions……"

Just as Felli said these things.

"Ah……"

Noticing something, Layfon made a sound.

Something had suddenly appeared floating in front of them.

◇

Schneibel turned around, feeling that something had drawn close.

"So it was you."

Schneibel narrowed her eyes as she looked at the thing there. Such a relatively small existence used a solemn expression to look at its mother.

It was Zuellni.

"How incredible, to do this kind of thing while keeping it hidden from me."

"Surely you don't think that way, mother-sama."

Zuellni used a toneless voice to speak to the mother of all Electronic Fairies.

"Right now, my child, you only need to let me take care of everything. Those are my true thoughts."

"If I could, perhaps it would be fine to do as you say."

"Precisely. If ‘they’ have no way to seize Grendan, I've told you many times to just give up on them."

Schneibel's speech indicated Dix and Nelphilia.

"It's definitely not easy to do that in my position."

"The Academy City is to train personnel, a place to let people pursue their possibilities. In fact, it was the city that you chose, and I also expressed my complete approval for that. But, not everyone can obtain what they want. You should be able to understand this just by looking at your compatriots, right?"

"…………"

"How few many of the Electronic Fairies that were born with you became cities…… there's no way you wouldn't know that, right?"

The half-bird, half-man Schneibel had a strange, lonely feeling of beauty, and at the same time was a being who had experienced history, her body having a motherly dignity.

These all impressed themselves on the Electronic Fairy Zuellni.

But, she didn't succumb to this majesty, but rather endured the gaze of his mother from where she stood.

"Of course I know."

"Then humans are also the same. In the end, possibilities are only possibilities, and education cannot ensure the coming future. Not all humans will be able to grasp success."

"So there's no reason to protect all of humanity?"

Zuellni said Schneibel's words a step ahead of her.

"Precisely."

"I never thought of that."

As if to stop Schneibel who was nodding in satisfaction, Zuellni spoke.

"Nothing will happen in the future for sure, and regardless of what kind of possibility it is, success can't be guaranteed. Similarly, being defeated once won't doom a person's future. Everything about a person won't be decided because of one fact."

"What are you saying?"

"I believe in all possibilities. I believe that youths filled with desires will bridge the gaps to the possibilities in their heart, and I believe that the girl entrusted with my weapons will find herself again."

"…………"

"Moreover, I have a reason that I cannot forgive mother-sama."

"What is it?"

"You used the possibilities that I believe in."

In Zuellni's eyes as she said this was a sharp gaze completely different from her size. She glared at Schneibel.

"You used that young heart and tried to create this situation."

"You speak the truth."

Schneibel accepted without any appearance of disagreement.

"Beginning since the time that one appeared, my battle plans were decided. The plans that I decided on from the beginning were to use that person's heart, and then use the hearts of the people opposing her. I do not mean to say that I only made that kind of decision after he came to your city. It was only coincidence that it would happen in your city."

Schneibel didn't seem to be lying at all, and she only casually recounted the facts.

Even as an Electronic Fairy and a moving city, Zuellni felt that Schneibel didn't recognize her values at all.

Schneibel didn't mind a number of sacrifices to reach her goal. Regardless of whether human lives were sacrificed or the lives of her children.

And even if these sacrifices included Zuellni before her, her attitude wouldn't change at all.

She didn't have any doubts that her actions were right.

"Just let the Antalk girl die."

Schneibel said.

"Even if she is defeated, the group of Haikizokus inside her will choose to self-destruct, right?"

Zuellni asked this, and her voice shook.

"You are correct."

"You never considered her life or death from the beginning, did you?"

"It's up to the Antalk girl herself whether she lives or dies. But, there's nothing in those soldier's eyes that would let her think of a plan to live on. The moment it appeared, I had already prepared the greatest destructive power that I could, and had prepared the best method. This is all I can think of."

She was speaking of the flaming beast.

Grendan and Schneibel had always prepared to greet the battle, but there was truly far too little information on what kind of being the enemy was.

They only knew a small bit, which was that if they ever lost to that beast, this world's destruction would not be far.

In this kind of situation, what Grendan and Schneibel could do was gather as much fighting power as they could.

Grendan's way of thinking was to prepare strong, pure Military Artists.

However, Schneibel's target was to prepare a destructive weapon.

Those were the many Haikizokus inside Gildred Antalk, and Nina Antalk had been the one to succeed his mantle.

"Did you begin preparing everything from the beginning?"

"I knew long ago that Gildred's flesh was slowly approaching its limits. I was continually preparing the next successor for this. The Antalk family was something I prepared when that city was being created, a family that exists for this moment. Nina Antalk is only one of them."

"…………"

"Because she succeeded in merging with the Electronic Fairies, a new possibility appeared for her body - that is a fact. I also took some slight actions for her to come to you where she could run into those two people, after she left the city."

"You really……"

"But the developments afterwards were all up to the possibilities you speak of. Come to think of it, should our current situation be called fate?"

"You're guiding people to the possibility of death……"

That was why Zuellni used such a sharp gaze to stare at her mother.

"You used the people of my city. Even if only for this fact, I wouldn't trust you. And I will not hesitate to work as hard as I can to save the people of my city."

"……There's a limit to doing stupid things."

"I'm only protecting the possibilities of the people of my city. I won't forgive anyone who obstruct their possibilities, even if it's mother-sama."

"……Then what can you do about it?"

"…………"

"You who has dedicated all of your function as an Electronic Fairy to the city - what more can you do? The action of using En to move the city already surpasses the limits of your strength."

"I already did it."

"What did you say?"

"I said, I have already completed what I can do."

Though Schneibel showed a perplexed expression listening to Zuellni's repeated words, She also noticed a small change after it.

It was gone.

The Psychokinesis flake that had been blocked by her wing had disappeared.

"Zuellni, you-"

Of course Schneibel knew who owned that Psychokinesis flake. Zuellni definitely also knew.

When had that Psychokinesisis flake gotten free?

Starting from when had that flake been sending the conversation here to its master?

"A possible crisis will bring a new possibility."

Seeing Schneibel scowling, Zuellni spoke.

"But by now, can it still be in time?"

Nina had already rushed out. Though it was a long path to reach the flaming beast, the beast didn't seem to be moving from where it was. Then, Nina definitely would reach that place first. Even if there were someone who wanted to stop her, they wouldn't make it.

"What I can do is tell the existence of possibilities to others."

Zuellni, who said this, believed in the mentioned possibilities inside her heart without the slightest doubt.

◇

"What should I say, it seems funny because it's too much like something she would do."

Though Sharnid said this, of course he didn't laugh much. Not only this, but his expression was extremely solemn, and due to his tightly clenched teeth even his jaw looked warped.

Next to Sharnid, Layfon was running.

"I'm pretty annoyed, actually. If not for this situation I wouldn't have to be carrying Harley."

"Uwah!"

On Sharnid's back was Harley, desperately suffering through the extraordinarily high movement speed of Military Artists.

"Felli, what's the situation?"

Layfon asked Felli who was being carried in his arms.

(I've captured traces of Captain from the position of the flake. Her location of departure has already been determined. Right now it is very easy to predict her goal.)

Felli was also uncomfortable because of the high speed, and she buried her face in Layfon's chest. Using the flake to speak was because she wasn't able to open her mouth to talk.

Layfon and Sharnid were advancing at that fast of a speed to the place that Felli had just mentioned.

A Psychokinesis flake had appeared by Layfon and the others.

When they learned that it was one of Felli's flakes, she had spoken up.

The information obtained from this flake was the conversation between the Electronic Fairies Zuellni and Schneibel just now.

And now, Layfon and the others were running.

"I heard not long ago that the situation had become strange. But still, the situation develops worse and worse."

"You're right."

Though he didn't know what to say, Layfon still nodded his head.

"What 'Warriors Guided by Fate'? I don't like an ending where the hero doesn't come back alive."

"Same for me!"

Though Layfon hadn't read this story, he still had the same feeling.

"As I thought, isn't it more correct to put life and death more clearly, and then bring the hero back alive like a good supporting role?"

"I get what you mean!"

Layfon replied loudly back, and they came to the place that had been brought up in discussion before.

Grendan's outskirts. Though the city's interior had already crumbled and was as hazardous as a place could get, all of Grendan was currently already in that kind of state.

But even in this kind of condition, it still stood in the forefront of humankind.

If one charged straight at the flaming beast from here, it would undoubtedly be the shortest distance.

"Let's go!"

Sharnid put down Harley, restoring his Dite while shouting out.

"Yes!"

Putting down Felli, Layfon also replied to him.

Then, they charged onto the battlefield.