Arc 6 – 85, 'Good Loser”

Arc 6 – Chapter 85, “Good Loser”

ーーThe『Greatest Knight』, to name himself so entailed courage.

He indeed took pride in being called so, extolled so by others.

However, never had there been even a single instance wherein he had labelled himself as the “Utmost” “Finest”.

He possessed the conceit of having lived days of stockpiling unsparing hard work, and diligent devotion to learning.

However, in his incompetent and inexperienced destiny, he was naught but surrounded by unending excelling pioneers, comrades commanding respect, and juniors worthy of admiration.

Though vexing, he considered that to be bliss.

To be acknowledged by someone, ought to be reward for strenuous efforts and diligence.

Much less, in the endeavour to be acknowledged by everyone, the strenuous efforts and diligence must be such devotion that they are regarded as extraordinary, that everybody is amazed by solely those.

ーーHad his self, truly worked hard enough to be worthy of that.

He certainly did possess the conceit of having lived days of stockpiling unsparing hard work, and diligent devotion to learning.

However, did he transcend boundaries? Did he polish and refine oneself every day until he had exhausted all of his strength? Inspired by the strenuous efforts of others, did he pledge further hard work to his ideals?

He shall answer his own question, by himself.

Julius Juukulius, had indeed accomplished that.

Transcending boundaries, polishing and refining oneself until he exhausted all of his strength, with inspiration from the strenuous efforts of others he pledged further hard work to his ideals.

ーーHence, before the existence who stood as the pinnacle of the『Sword』, he held his head high with confidence.

Julius: “ーーI am the『Greatest Knight』, Julius Juukulius. The sword of the kingdom, that shall slash you down.”

Reid: “ーーーー”

Grasping the hem of his mantle, Julius bowed, and ahead of him the『Sword Saint』stood silently.

He closed his other eye, which was not concealed by the eye patch, and did not look at Julius. But, silently bracing his bulky, burly arms, he pondered about something.

However, his pondering did not last for long. By simply their short fellowship until now, it was clear that he was the one to possess the disposition of being utmost unsuited to ponderation.

Thusーー,

Reid: “Ah, ah, a~a~a~a~h, aaaaaaaaaaaaahーー bloody hell!!”

With an intense scratch of his head, the『Sword Saint』Reid potently stomped the floor once.

Upon that singular blow, the clear floor of the second layer quaked as if fissuring. Though Echidna, who was watching over the confrontation of the two, drew her body back, Julius stood firm, unwavering.

Witnessing that, Reid clicked his tongue with a “Tch”.

Reid: “Appearances, appearances, appearances...... yeah, appearances aye. You really do be speakin’ shit like my follower. What an insufferable bastard ya’re, you.”

Julius: “Though unfortunately I am not acquainted with him, I must offer my sympathies to the man whom you say is your follower.”

Reid: “Hah? Who the hell said my follower’s a dude. Takin’ bastards ’round ain’t gonna be amusin’ in the first place. The follower I’m talkin’ ’bout’s a woman. She’s got a nice face, but damn’s her reasonin’ annoyin’.”

Julius: “A female...... then, what is the similitude between myself and her which you speak of?”

Reid: “Ah? Don’tcha make me say it ‘gain and ‘gain.”

As wrinkles appeared on his snout, Reid expressed a ferocious smile akin to a shark.

And, unfastening the locked fold of his arms and knocking his cheeks with his hands,

Reid: “Stenchy reasonin’, and havin’ a good face.”

Julius: “ーーーー”

Reid: “Hell, so ya won’t even get irritated. Damn uncute...... well, ‘s fine.”

Snorting his nose in response to Julius’ destitute reaction, Reid magnificently crackled the bones of his neck. Afterwards, through his blue eye, he observed Juliusーー no, not merely Julius, but his environs too.

The quivering fleeting lights seemingly encircling Julius, their brilliance had strengthened compared to what it was earlier.

Above all, this would be his first time making these girls debut before Reid this way.

Julius: “My buds...... no, my lovely maidens, do you perhaps have anything to object regarding them?”

Reid: “Hah, nothin’. Nice women ain’t of any regard to their race. Unfortunately, I ain’t interested in women I can’t sleep with. ーーYou, would’ve grown stronger had ya broken yer shell, ya know?”

Julius: “If you say so, then a path like that certainly may have existed.”

Something like offering advice to juniors, was fickleness unimaginable considering Reid’s personality.

For him to have done so, must be due to Reid’s own moodiness and him deeming Julius’ desperate form, who naught but clung to sword, to be wasteful.

If you are going to cling to the sword anyways, then take a stance paying no heed to appearances. ーーThat had been the attitude and resolve he sought for Julius, and that too had been a realizable path.

Howeverーー,

Julius: “I, decided to walk this path. Or possibly, instead baring what is my true self, as you say, may make me stronger.”

Julius was aware that should he himself not be powerfully conscious of it, he would naturally become that way.

A sudden instant, a narrow exchange of blows, should a solitary bit of his rind distinguish between life and death, that the face of the true Julius would come out.

However, that spoke of a scenario wherein he would not be powerfully conscious of it. ーーHe shall, no longer waver.

Julius: “Hereby I declare. I shall think through my self as a knight. Furthermore, instead of the path you tried to guide me to, I shall become myself who excels in all fronts.”

Reid: “Huh, the hell kinda reasonin’ makes ya say yer gonna be doin’ that, you.”

Julius: “It is obvious. ーーThe knight I lay my trust in, is the personification of ideals. He is noble, just, and stronger than any other. Then, it is inevitable that I, who name myself as a knight, must be that way as well.”

Reid: “ーーHah.”

Even by his own word, a ludicrous reasoning, an illogical line of argument and claims, high-handed arbitrariness a natural subject of ridicule.

However, even if Reid overtly expressed his rage upon hearing that, he simply displayed his sharp fangs and laughed, directing no disgust or disdain whatsoever.

Andーー,

Reid: “Gonna make ya cry.”

Articulating so, Reid tossed aside the chopstick he held, and before Julius, who was gazing in wonder, took a great leap towards the rear and stood back. Subsequently, he steadily extended his hand towards the side.

What his huge palm was gripping to, was the stipulated sword planted into the white layer.

Reid Astrea, originally supposed to have merely lent his existence as the trial taker of the watchtower.

By some twist of fate, he detached the arrangement of the tower through intense self-consciousness, and finally, by overwriting the flesh body of the raiding Sin Archbishop of『Gluttony』, had fulfilled even a psuedo-revival.

In this condition, in this position whereby he did not need to abide by the tower’s『Trial』, only then did Reid draw out the stipulated sword for the first time, abiding by his original role.

Namelyーー,

Julius: “ーーGain his forgiveness, by hand of the fool who has reached the heavenly sword.”

Reid: “That’s my line ya know...... well, though I totally forgot ’bout it.”

Julius: “I thought so, thus I stated it in your stead. ーーI challenge you.”

Reid: “Like hell I’d give ya forgiveness, ya dunce. Gonna make ya cry ugly.”

Before Julius, who had his knight sword braced in his front, Reid crudely pointed the sword he had drawn out.

No intervals, whatsoever. Assuming a relaxed stance, having reached the extremes, the ultimate swordsmanーー

ーーThe pinnacle of all who wielded the sword, the『Sword Saint』Reid Astrea.

Julius: “And nowーー”

Reid: “However ya’d like.”

Julius: “ーーHere I come!!”

Placing faith in the chivalry shaping oneself, Julius Juukulius tackled the『Sword Saint』with the entirety of his might.

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Both his body and heart, felt light.

In a non-figurative sense, that was the might of enhancement enveloping Julius, as he swung the knight sword.

Needless to say, the stability of mind had an immense influence in battle.

Upon consideration, to state Julius had been in an insecure condition ever since he had arrived at this Pleiades Watchtowerーー no, ever since he had gotten his self’s『Name』plundered in the Watergate City, would be unerring.

Of course, Julius admonished and restrained his own self as much as possible, forbidding it from showing on his face.

Self-control anyone would appraise as akin to rationality of steelーー however, it was not something that had been praised.

Furthermore, forbidding the inferior form of his self from showing on his face, the consequence of having deceived his comrades and even his own self, had led to the unsightly defeat of successive, consecutive losses ever since their arrival at this tower.

Julius ought to have placed his trust in others, to begin with.

Losing his presence of mind due to the impact of having the existence of his self forgotten, whilst merely pitying his self who had been broken off from the other person’s world, he failed to notice what he should have placed faith in the utmost.

Were the people whom Julius cherished, whom he trusted in, whom he had pledged his loyalty to, whom he had entrusted his back to, such humans who would simply disregard Julius Juukulius, who had been broken off from their world without their notice.

ーーAbsolutely not, he could assert so.

Hence, what Julius ought to have done had been simply one thing.

Appealing with sincerity, he should have indicated his affection by his volition. ーーThe way he had done so, with his buds.

Julius: “I should have retied the severed bonds. One who is nobody, can become anybody...... for nobody but I myself, am I living witness to that!”

The child of a commoner who was nobody, had become even the utmost attractive and cool knight in this world.

Julius, who had become nobody, was supposed to have become somebody once again.

Andーー,

Julius: “No matter how many chances should I be given, I would surely still be charmed by the seemingly blazing young man that day, perceive ideals on the back of one who stood for the knight, and challenge you, the pinnacle of the『Sword』after allーー!”

Reid: “Blabberin’ ’bout shit, damn cheeky of ya, you!!”

Upon Julius’ decapitating slash, who had his determination set on the tip of his sword, Reid bellowed whilst matching in with the same sword strikes.

As the entirety of his body lay subject to those sword moves and sword might, Julius straitened his yellow hued eyes and felt wonder.

Restarts included, this would be the fourth time he was battling Reid this way.

The first challenge, and the immediately subsequent defeat. This time, with moreover the confinement of the narrowed watchtower’s entirety, and having successfully recontracted with his buds, was the fourth time.

Within all of this, Reid using a weapon aside from chopsticksーー though referring to chopsticks as a weapon had exceeding room for doubt, anyhow, him swinging something aside from chopsticks would be for the first time.

And in these moments, with the pinnacle of the『Sword』, the『Sword Saint』having wholly gripped the sword, he thought.

Julius: “Your sword power hasn’t changed, compared to the time you were using chopsticks......!”

Reid: “Li~ke I jus’ said, damn it. The reason I’m strong ain’t ’cause I swing the sword. The only reason I’m strong, is jus’ ’cause I’m strong.”

Defending against the sword strikes being casually swung down overhead, once his knees creaked, a pursuit aimed for him from directly below. Narrowly tiding over the attack he had borne witness to for the first time, Julius flew towards the rear upon the impact.

Reid trailed that, not by breaking into a pursuit, but by simply taking a few long steps.

Though one would grow to suspect his peculiar gait, there was nothing special about it.

By merely stepping forth upon the thought of catching up with the drawn back opponent, readily inventing and realizing a new form of gait unlike any of its previously existing schools was simply Reid’s ability.

Just as Reid himself had averred it, that was simply a matter of his norm exceeding『Existence』.

Reid: “Do ya wanna cry now?”

Julius: “ーー. No, the feeling of challenging a legend is livening up my chest!”

Not a bluff, Julius responded with truthfulness whilst being impelled.

Yes, that was true. The one before his eyes was Reid Astrea.

By his legends, simply how many times had Julius had gotten his heart throbbing, eyes twinkling, and had admired him, yearned for him.

Meeting that person in reality, though he had been precisely astonished by his personality, his strength had been the very ideals he admired and yearned for.

Henceforth, simply how wasteful had his self been in what he engaged in.

All whilst possessing the opportunity to exchange words, exchange swords, exchange beliefs and conviction with himーー,

Julius: “Hah.”

Whilst crossing swords with the『Genuine One』, Julius exhaled upon the arrival of an unforeseen thought.

Exceedingly out-of-place, however, the anticipation made his heart throb, truly delightful and piquant.

Reid: “The hell ya smilin’ ’bout?”

Julius: “Nothing, a thought simply dawned on me. ーーOnce I fulfill my objective here and return to the service of my lord, that I shall challenge my friend, Reinhardt.”

Julius pronounced his idea upon Reid’s inquiry.

Never even once had Julius competed against Reinhardt in their sword skills until now. On the contrary, before it was determined that they would be in differing camps in the Royal Election, the idea of vying with each other over anything at all had never occurred to him.

ーーThe regret of never having attempted to gain an equal standing.

That too, had been one of the reasons why Julius served Anastasia, and faced in the Royal Election.

However, even had he not possessed those sentiments, Julius still would have been enchanted by Anastasia’s immense talent, wished to see the same dreams as her, and stood at the same place.

Thus, from the very beginning, never had he been in need of dull excuses or roundabout stances.

From the very beginning, he simply should have taken two wooden swords and headed over to Reinhardt.

Once in the past, Reinhardt and the strongest swordsman of the Vollachia Empire had crossed swords.

That day, when everyone in the parade ground had possessed wild enthusiasm toward the atmosphere of the sword, Julius too felt warmth in his chest.

For that had been, the answerーー.

Reid: “Hah, that’s a name I ain’t ever heard of. Who the hell’s this nobody?”

Julius: “He is your descendant. And, along with being the present day『Sword Saint』, my friend.”

Reid: “Kah! The kid of my kid, jus’ an outsider by that point god damn. I ain’t gonna notice him even if I see him by some roadside.”

Intertwining sword moves and kicking moves, Reid elucidated his irresponsibility whilst snorting his nose.

Finding faint refutation in that dissertation, Julius attempted to open his mouth whilst exchanging swordsーー,

Reid: “I’m startin’ to get fed up of talkin’ ’bout outsiders. You, do ya wanna have a damn chat with me?”

Julius: “ーー. Though I will not deny that, I shall deny.”

Reid: “ーーーー”

Julius: “If only there was the time, I would have liked to exchange words with you, let it be for two days or for three days. However, at present the time for that purpose, regrettably, does not exist. Telling me to make haste, my back is being pushed. Thusーー”

With distance opened in between, Reid lifted his cheeks whilst viewing Julius. In Reid’s blue eye was Julius’ form, augmenting its luminosity.

The swirling six coloured lights intermingled, gently commencing to paint an aurora, a rainbow.

Andーー,

Julius: “ーーAl Clauseria!!”

The radiance of the emitted rainbow, sweeped a conquering white world towards Reid.

△▼△▼△▼△

Julius himself widened his eyes as well, upon the emitted aurora’s span and might.

As of now, that was maximal spirit arts transformed to a magic of extraordinary scope, with it being treated the same as before now inviting discourtesyーー,

‘ーーーー’

Budsーー no, he shall not refer to those girls, who had verbatim made their occluded gift and talent bloom, as buds.

Those girls, who had achieved growth capable of being perceived as sublime, with beauty, with charm, with heroism, with dignity, vividly, were not buds but maidens.

To monopolize those girls entirely to himself, as all six of them exhibited their respective glamour, may have made him a sinner greater than the Sin Archbishops.

Howeverーー,

Julius: “Even if you all forget me, I love you all.”

Was that onus not a task of vital significance.

Was that not of such vital significance, that she could smile musing this had been the purpose of her birth.

Thusーー,

Echidna: “ーーTo not even see your knight be at his coolest, a deed so wasteful, is it not unbecoming of your miserly self.”

△▼△▼△▼△

ーーThe white light, hunted the aurora down as though to paint it out.

Furthermore he pressed, with the entirety of his soul, and having borrowed the might of the six Spirits he had reforged his contract with.

He had gambled upon and unveiled a secret amongst secrets, whilst the opponent had merely swung the sword earnestly, solemnly. ーーIndeed, he was utterly astounded by that absurd exceeding of norms.

Simultaneously, since he also possessed the emotions enunciating this is how it must be overflowing within his chest, he found his own self to be irredeemable as well.

With a swing of the sword, the world fissured.

That was, the special move of the『Sword Saint』which transpired when Reinhardt swung the sword as well.

Suddenly, in the midst of a rivalry between a life and a life, Julius contemplated.

Reinhardt and Reid, should they battle each other, simply who would prevail as more powerful.

A legend and a legend, a『Sword Saint』and a『Sword Saint』, in the unattainable battle, who would be declared victorious.

Unfortunately, the opportunity to make certain of that shan’t pay a call.

Julius: “Then I have no choice, but to confirm it with this body of mine.”

The opportunity to exchange swords with Reinhardt van Astrea withal Reid Astrea, befell only upon ones who reached this tower.

Moreover, the possibility existed solely for Julius, and the young girl named Emilia, who had head towards the upper stratum. ーーHe bore no intention to concede that duty to anyone else.

Thus, what remained for him was to simply triumph.

To jostle this white light, and slay Reid Astrea with the radiance of rainbow.

For that purpose, the entirety of his soul, and his sword power, requiring a single step furtherーー,

Should a scintilla of pride and might, dwell upon the tip of the『Greatest Knight’s』swordーー,

Echidna: “ーーJulius.”

A call improbable to reach.

Within impact rendering the passage of time indistinct, however, the time necessary for each convergence of swords was less than a fraction of a second. This was, the offence and defence of this momentary world.

In that space, much less, in the midst of a battle being fought at the risk of life and death, nobody’s voice could possibly reach.

Julius: “ーーーー”

However, the voice certainly swinged Julius.

Perhaps not his eardrums, but it instead had reached something far deeper within, the innermost depths of his chest.

Given he had resolved in his heart to wear the shell named knight, he must respond to it without fail.

That is why, hearing the voice he could not possibly have heard, Julius turned towards the one whom could not possibly have viewed, and exchanged gazes with those pale cerulean eyes.

The luminescence dwelling in those large, spherical eyes, had distinctly changed from what it had been just beforeーー,

“ーーGo get ’em, my knight.”

ーーIn that singular sentence, dwelled the one final push of sword power he required.

Julius: “Ia! Kua! Aro! Ik! In! Ness!”

Requesting for one final push, he called to the Spirits with whom he had become a part of the aurora with.

In order to surmount the white light, beyond which present was the form of the enemy he ought to defeat, directly before him.

In order to make the tip of the sword, reach beyond the white lightーー,

Julius: “O~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~hーー ~hk!!”

Opening his mouth to an extent unbefitting of him, he raised his voice to the extent of vomiting blood.

With an expression possessing the preparedness to die, discarding elegance into the wind, merely ensuring the bones supporting his self did not fracture, with his paramount dedication towards it, Julius stepped forth.

Reid: “ーーーー”

And, receiving the rainbow’s aurora intensifying its brilliance, the ambushing white light too escalated its vigour.

Furthermore, furthermore, strengthening their might, the radiance of rainbow and the white light collided vehementlyーー,

Julius: “ーーAh.”

That which seemed as though it would subsist for eternity, was met by an unforeseen fall of curtains.

△▼△▼△▼△

Julius: “ーーAh.”

Dumbfounded, Julius noticed the feeble voice spill from his throat.

The mutual clash of their maximal powers, its abrupt fall of curtains. However, without halting its vigour, his sword, embellished with the aurora, had directly stabbed through the opponent’s vitals.

Julius: “Why......”

Reid: “Tch, ah, shit, if this ain’t a borin’ endin’.”

Julius plunged into turmoil, being the one to be blamed for the stab, whilst on the other hand Reid, who had been stabbed, remained calm.

Heedless of the stab in his chest, he did not even express a frown.

Was that a deed of his tenacious force of will, and if not so, was the anomaly which transpired on the flesh body of that great man the cause.

Disparate from the penetration of Julius’ sword, a woundーー no, a crevice had been yielded in the chest of Reid Astrea.

And, that was not confined to merely his chest. His arms and legs, neck and cheeks, throughout profuse sections of his body stretched wounds akin to cracked glass.

Intuitively, Julius comprehended what it was.

Originally inconceivable distortion stood corrected. This was, a phenomenon of that mechanism.

Reid: “Ultimately, it’s ’bout that. The human named me ain’t fittin’ in any vessel other than myself.”

Whilst gazing at the palm of his fissuring self, the insight Reid grumbled was correct.

Captured due to the Authority of『Gluttony』, in the form of pillaging the right of control over that flesh body, Reid Astrea had acquired substanceーー however, the truth that until the bitter end, this body belonged to the Sin Archbishop of『Gluttony』, Roy Alphard, who had become the foundation, shan’t change.

In other words, the receptacle named Roy Alphard was unable to endure the workings of the norm exceeding soul named Reid Astrea.

Its failure materialised in the final phase of the battle against Julius.

Julius: “Then, I’d much rather if you might as well!”

Reid: “Well, if I didn’t get eaten by this guy, I may’ve punctually gone at it till the end. In that case, it would’ve ended at the point you felled the eye patch after all, ya know?”

Julius: “Kh......”

Reid: “Kahaha. Everythin’ ain’t gonna go the way ya want, for weak folks. Do ya wanna cry now?”

Tossing the stipulated sword aside, Reid mean-spiritedly laughed whilst revealing his teeth.

How come, could he laugh that way. As is, his disappearance now was a future set in stone.

Instead, had he defeated Julius, he may have possibly been able to once again walk his lifeline which had terminated once. Even though he had let that possibility slip through his hands.

Reid: “Are ya a fool, you. Somethin’ like livin’ once ‘gain, who the hell’s gonna do somethin’ that troublesome. First of all, the hell’s gonna happen if I run into me somewhere, aye.”

Julius: “......I’m sorry to say, but you have already passed away due to old age multiple centuries ago. Even if your present self were to walk around, for your former self that would be.”

Reid: “Hah! Then, are ya worshippin’ the mug of my kid’s kid who’s like an outsider or somethin’? Bullshit.”

Treating his own descendants as outsiders, his recent remark seemed to be his true sentiments.

Appearing to earnestly not possess any interest in a second lifeline, Reid crackled the bones of his neck.

Reid: “First of all, the hell’re ya tellin’ me to do after comin’ back to life, hey you. Like, playin’ ’round with the fiercely frizzlin’ who passed by earlier, though the hottie over there’s pretty nice too. Then there’s also that woman with an erotic look......”

Julius: “Oh, so do you truly possess no lingering attachment......?”

Reid: “Nah damn it. Doin’ what I wanna do when I think I wanna do it ‘s my style. You too, would’ve it much easier should ya do that.”

Julius: “......My gratitude for the advice. However, that would instead be much more of a thorny path for me.”

His self, chose to willingly wear the shell.

Deceiving himself, or acting as though a part of his foundation was a separate article, would also be apt labels.

Having realised that choice was befitting of his self, that it aligned with his wishes, even if Julius perceived Reid’s extravagance to be dazzling, he shan’t opt for it.

Hearing that response of Julius’, Reid snorted his nose in annoyance.

Subsequently, the wound on his chestーー the crevices born as a result of transcending bounds, the solitary wound differing from those, he touched with his fingers,

Reid: “You, don’tcha misunderstand ‘kay? Yer sword reachin’ was a fluke. Had this been my body, somethin’ like you wouldn’t even be left able to rub snot onto others.”

Julius: “I would not do such a thing in the first place, though......”

Reid: “Hah! How borin’!”

Spitting out, Reid knocked Julius’ shoulder with the hand he had touched his chest with.

Whilst stiffening his body upon that impact, Julius took in a deep inhale.

Not yet, had he accepted or reacted to everything.

However, he deemed letting these moments free by merely losing his presence of mind upon the occurrences before his eyes and experiencing turmoil, to be far more unendurable.

The crevices dilated, the end was already visible.

Hence, Julius hoisted his own knight sword he had unsheathed, before his visageーー,

Julius: “From the bottom of my heart, I revere your sword power.”

Reid: “I ain’t needin’ a bastard’s admiration. ーーI take my leave with my victory, Julius.”

Julius: “ーーーー”

With his name vocalised in his final pronouncements, Julius gazed in wonder.

However, as per the resolve in his heart to not be flustered, he concealed that astonishment behind a smile, and bowed.

Just as he had confidently named himself, before this legendary being, as the utmost finest knight.

Just as the ideals of Julius Juukulius, were moulded to not bring shame to his admiration.

Julius: “Yes, until the very end. ーーIt is your victory, Reid Astrea.”

Reid: “Hah, now that’s a nice face, damn dejected loser.”

With those words marking the end, the crevices of Reid Astrea dilatedーー,

△▼△▼△▼△

???: “ーーーー”

Unlike their visual impression, the crevices which dilated until the very end, were not accompanied by sound.

Unlike the shattering of glass, the great man of red hair was extirpated like diminishing lightーー in his stead, collapsed onto the clear floor was a young boy of a petite build, with distended cold eyes.

One who ate the『Memories』and『Names』of others and handled them per his will,『Bizarre Eating』and a blasphemer.

The Sin Archbishop of『Gluttony』, Roy Alphard had collapsed, scuppered.

Roy: “ーーーー”

Indistinct whether he was alive or dead,『Gluttony』remained immobile with not a single twitch.

However, identical to Reid, he merely had the deep gash on the left side of his chest, its fatality incontestable.

Ascertaining merely so with his eyes, Julius lowered the knight sword he had hoisted as a demonstration of honour, sheathing it into the scabbard he wielded, and turned backward.

The aurora unfettered, in Julius’ environs were six Spirits with augmented brilliance.

Without the strength of these girls, who had bloomed into maidens from buds, the one to be lying on the clear floor this way surely would have been his self, rather than the opponent.

For that, he must convey his gratitude and appreciation conscientiously.

However, with apologies to those girls, he must defer that demonstration of gratitude.

Steadily, Julius advanced.

Ahead in the direction he was headed, intently watching Julius was a gorgeous, slender, petite female with pale cerulean eyes. Undulating light purple hair, the personage adorned with a white outfit unfitting for the sand dunes.

By her feet, was a white fox, with the pupils of its eyes wavering in suspense.

The form of her, who had always been miming as a scarf, the significance of its presence there.

Once again letting himself be aware of that, Julius closed his eyes.

Andーー,

Julius: “ーーPleased to meet you.”

The statement he had conveyed to the『Sword Saint』as a challenger heretofore, he expressed once again.

But, the sensation deep within his chest in these moments, differed from the enhancement preceding battling.

However, there also existed something, which remained the same.

As though the opening of a new page in a tale of adventure, the adventurous heart of a youth yearning for the knight.

???: “I am.”

Kneeling at that spot, Julius articulated the first words and the other person responded.

His stance remaining lowered, Julius awaited the upcoming words. He reckoned, he could wait for however long a duration.

What felicity this was, to have faith that should he wait, he would assuredly hear her words.

Anastasia: “ーーI am, Anastasia Hoshin.”

Julius: “ーーーー”

Anastasia: “I, want everythin’ in this world...... So, great n’ cool onii-san, what’s yer name?”

With elegance, she smiled, and he could perceive exactly how she must have tilted her head afterwards.

Remaining knelt down and his face lowered and concealed, saying “Ha” Julius took a short inhale, and,

Julius: “I am Julius Juukulius. ーーYour, one and only knight.”

Anastasia: “ーーーー”

Julius: “You may have forgotten. However, I am one who has devoted the sword to you. One who dedicates the entirety of his strength for you, and aids your will.”

A respectful bow with the knight sword placed on the floor, forbye, Julius at last raised his countenance.

Before him, no matter what gaze should his lord have, he shan’t regret.

It is unbefitting of a knight, to lose his presence of mind, be confounded, face downward.

For the very existence who put up appearances the utmost, and sought to possess a cool and charming air, was whom Julius admired and yearned for.

And looking down upon that Julius, the young girl narrowed her spherical eyes,

Anastasia: “Really? I don’t remember though...... but.”

Julius: “ーーーー”

Anastasia: “At the first glance, I thought. ーーThat I gotta make this onii-san mine.”

At such proximity, were the blazing, sparkling eyes of his eternally craving lord, revealing the intent to not relinquish anything and everything.

To the『Greed』seeking to obtain everything, Julius Juukulius devoted his sword once again.

A sublime play, like the tale of a lord and knight in fictionーー,

The restoration of the plundered bond of『Lord and Retainer』, was realized in the second layer of『Electra』.

That was, the accomplishment of eliminating one of the five obstacles set forth by Natsuki Subaru.

Great library Pleiades, the second『Trial』ーー hereby concludes.