《An outcast dropout, surviving on the frontier and rising to become an S-ranked counter-magician.》 1 - Episode 1 And the boy is abandoned I just wanted to be someone who could help others. Like my great father who fought to make this world a better place. I didn''t want to be a hero. I just wanted to be able to protect people. "Hey!¡¡Eureka!¡¡You draw the enemy to you! But there are so many of them! ''Forget it, you''re doing it!¡¡If we don''t, we''re all going to die! Uh-huh. We were hunting demons outside the Warding City. But we didn''t have to come this deep into the forest. But our leader, Dan, suggested that we come here, so we came. ''''Alright you two let''s just run away and leave Yulia behind. Are you sure?¡¡Are you going to die? I''m sorry to see you die, too, but... Come on. It''s okay. He''s got no parents and no one to worry about. And he''s too weak. With or without them, all the same. He should be thanking me for bringing him to Dusk. Besides, we can find another one. I''ve brought that underdog to this point. That should be enough for you. Yeah. Well I guess I can''t blame you. I thought I heard a voice like that. No, it must have been my imagination. He entrusted me with this place. Then I should do my duty well. But they never came back. ¡ó A beep-beep-beep sound echoed through the room. ''''Uuuuuuuuuuuuut I''m sleepy.'''' Early morning. I woke up as usual and hurriedly began to prepare for the day. When I open the window, twilight is spreading in the sky. Yes, this world is controlled by twilight. 150 years ago, the human race was defeated by the demon race and driven into a localized area. Therefore, they built a kekkai city and trained masters to fight against the demons. In order to bring back the light in the sky one day. Currently, there are seven Kekai City in the world, and I live in the third Kekai City. The Boundary Cities are also divided into five districts. The North Ward has a military base, the East, Central, and West Wards are where people live and work, and the South Ward is a place called Plant, where agricultural products and industrial products are produced through magic. And in the ward city, there is an organization to oppose the demon race. The anti-magic academy is a training institution and the anti-magic army is literally a place to actually use the trained opponents. I attend the academy for the training of these opponents. The academy is a six-year school, and I''m in my second year. I''m still weak, but I want to become a great counterpart like my father one day. I''m going to go, father. Mom. His father fought against the demons as an anti-magician and died when he was very young. My mother also passed away at about the same time due to illness. But I didn''t miss her. Because I have a noble mission to become a demon counterpart. ''''Then I''m off.'''' I said hello to the picture of the two of them and left the house. I headed to the academy. It''s already been two weeks since I became a second year student. I''m pretty nervous now that I''m starting my actual classes at the academy. Going to this outside world is really dangerous. There are a lot of demons out there, and if you''re a normal person, you''ll be killed in the blink of an eye. When I first left the warded city, the twilight was overwhelming. But by joining forces with my party members, I was able to hunt the designated demons. What, it was surprisingly easy. That was my impression and everyone else''s. Today, we''re going to hunt outside again. Dan, the leader of the group, said that he got official permission to go, so we all decided to go together. It''s okay, we''ll do it...I thought so. ''Hey, Julia!¡¡Today, please! Yeah, okay! We were outside after school. It''s the second time we''ve been here. The world outside seems to be more dense with twilight than the inside of the city, and the reddish-black light is overwhelming. But it doesn''t affect the human body, so it''s okay. You''re going to be able to get a good recovery, Julia, right? Yes, I''m counting on Julia! Dan, the leader, and Rebecca, the sub-leader, are the vanguard. Behind them is Aria, who will be playing the game. And I, aka Julia, will be the magical support at the back. I''m not good at attack magic, but I''m good at healing magic, so I''m relied upon in the party. It''s a good idea to have a good time. Are you sure it''s safe to come deep into the forest like this? Yeah. We''ll get it done. Dan doesn''t stop walking and keeps going. Rebecca and Aria followed suit. Am I the only one worried?¡¡But they''re all on a firm footing. Yeah. I have to get my feet wet too. And we''re about to run into a monster. "Show me a white wolf. Well.... It was a pack of white wolves there. The demons were originally from the cold region, but after the twilight covered them, the demons had rapidly become stronger and appeared everywhere. ''''Let''s go! Yeah...! We''re gonna fight. We''re gonna be okay. We''ll be okay. But I would later learn that it was just wishful thinking. "Huh ha ha ha ha... Well, there''s a lot of them... What are we going to do? And with Dan''s instructions, I was to hold the front line. I''ve heard that people are going to call for help. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make it work. It''s a good thing I''m happy to be told that I''m in charge of it. I''ve been in every party that I''ve been in, and I''ve always been looked down upon. But now it''s different. I can work together with everyone else and fight. ''''Ha... ha... ha... ha...'''' Has everyone been there yet?¡¡I think it''s already been an hour since I''ve been stuck here. No one''s come. That''s strange. I don''t think it''s strange that they should have come by now, but.... I was already a wreck. There are cuts all over my body, and even if I used my healing magic, it was all I could do to stop the blood. And my magic power was about to run out. Still, you have to fight. I''ve been entrusted with the task..... This is........the end........ I finally defeated the last white wolf. Somehow, I was able to defeat it on my own. All I did was force myself to use my healing magic and keep fighting. It doesn''t mean that I am strong. "Let''s go back... With a wobbly step I move forward. But something doesn''t feel right. ''Warding?¡¡And this place? Yes. For some reason, the wards have been put up and I can''t get out. As I recall, Rebecca was good at warding magic, but what the hell........ And I continued to wander through the forest. I kept walking and walking and walking. But I couldn''t get out. Instead, I seemed to be falling further into the depths of the forest. ''''U........I''m dizzy.......'''' The overuse of magic was causing me to have a deficiency. And I don''t have enough blood. Just by blocking it up, you can''t get back the blood that has been lost. I then decided to find a nearby watering hole and rest there for a while. That''s when I finally started to calm down and remembered what I had said. Words spoken in a whisper. I pretended not to hear them at that time because of the excitement of the battle... but when I remembered them, there was still only one conclusion. ''''Okay, both of you.......let''s leave Yulia and run away. Are you sure?¡¡Are you going to die? I''m sorry to see you die, too, but... All right. I don''t think so. He''s too weak. Either he''s there or he''s not. We''ll find another one. And you brought the underdog to this point. That''s good enough for me. Yeah. Well I guess I can''t blame you. Yes, they used me as bait to escape. That''s a fact. More than anything else, it was a definite fact. I was the lowest-ranked student at the academy and an underachiever. No one would let me into the party. I was just a dropout. But Dan and the others accepted me I thought. But the truth is, this is how I was left behind. I wanted to be like my great father. But I''m probably going to die soon. There''s no way I''m going to survive. But it''s time to see how far I can go. "I guess I''ll just have to go... I muttered to myself with empty eyes and continued on into the depths of the forest. 2 - Episode 2 the beginning of the world of twilight I was still wandering around the forest. I didn''t have the awareness that I could return to the ward city already. The only thing driving me was the awareness of not wanting to die. That''s the only thing that drives me now. ''''Haha... haha... haha...'''' Perhaps even in the twilight world, I am in a place that humanity has not stepped into for the last 150 years. I had already lost my sense of direction, and was just moving forward frantically. And with each step forward, the color of the burning twilight grew darker. I moan. My body was already screaming and I couldn''t even proceed. Oh.........this will kill me. No, I''m definitely going to die........ ''''Ah.........'''' I thought I just fell. But I was wrong. I had fallen off the cliff. There was no pain in my body as I rolled around. I just wanted to go on and feel better. The last time I wished that, I lost consciousness. I''m sure dying is like not waking up after you go to sleep. That''s what I thought. "U........this place........ When I woke up, I was at the riverside. Apparently, I had fallen into the river and been swept away, caught in a piece of driftwood on the way there. The cold water cooled my body mercilessly, but somehow I was still alive. ''''........'''' I''m still alive even though I''ve been exposed to this kind of haplessness. With that thought in mind, I crawl onto the land...and lie down on my back on the gravel. Then I light a fire in a large tree beside me. Magic is largely a matter of talent. I was only slightly better at magic than others. I can also use the four major attributes well. Then, with a final burst of power, I created that fire. The warm fire heals my cold body. At that moment, I suddenly felt tears coming out of my eyes. I sobbed. I was alive. I was alive in a twilight world where humanity is said not to survive for long. Perhaps a day had passed. But I was still clinging to life. I didn''t want to die yet. I was willing to die. But when I thought that I might be able to save myself, the relief brought tears to my eyes. How could I do this? I just wanted to be for someone else. Like my great father. But I didn''t want to be someone else''s pawn. I didn''t become a demon to be abandoned by Dan and the others. When I thought about it, I felt a black emotion take over my chest. But now ... this is not the time to think about such things. What do I have to do to live? Dazzling.... When I looked at the sky, I saw a twilight light that seemed to burn bright red. The view I had always seen from inside the warded city was now spread out ostentatiously in front of me. There is neither morning nor day in this world. There is only dusk and darkness. Dusk in the daytime and pitch black at night. This is the present day in the world ruled by the demon race. We need more.........fire......... In the Academy in the Warding City, there was a certain amount of survival training based on being left behind in the twilight world. But that was just knowledge that could be passed on, not something practical. Still, as an inferior student, I needed to learn everything, and I learned and remembered that knowledge as well. And with that in mind, we need fire first. People can go two weeks without food. And they don''t need to take water, if only for a couple of days. Fortunately, we''re close to a river and there''s fresh water here, so we don''t need to worry about water. The problem is that we''ll be attacked by monsters. Demons are afraid of fire. It must be an instinctual thing, and they don''t come close to fire. So I used my magic to make the fire bigger. ''''Ghohoho........'''' He coughed uncontrollably and his hands were soaked in blood. Maybe he had injured his internal organs. Or maybe he''s infected with some kind of germ?¡¡I have no knowledge of the twilight world. No, I would say that humanity has almost no knowledge of it. I go out there under the guise of training, but that''s only near the warded city. Like Dan, it''s crazy to go deep into the forest like that. ''''U...........................'''' Then my consciousness darkened again. "......... It hurts. My body hurts. The pain woke me up again. When I traced the pain, I saw what looked like a red-black crack running down my right arm. ''''What the hell is this...?'''' I think about it, but I can''t think of anything else. But it doesn''t matter now. There are no doctors here. No one. If this is what it takes to die, that''s it. And I was feeling a little more positive, thanks to a kind of reopening. Fortunately, there didn''t seem to be any demons around here, and this riverside was rather peaceful. But I needed to get some food soon. I haven''t eaten anything for a few days now. Although I''m drinking water, the feeling of hunger still comes over me without choice. ''I have to go...'' Dazed, I moved forward with a glazed look in my eyes. ''That was...'' As I was advancing through the forest, I saw a white wolf there. Perhaps this entire forest is White Wolf''s territory. I don''t know if I can defeat it with my current strength or not...I think so, but I can''t resist this feeling of hunger. I grab a small wooden stick and use it as a base point to activate my magic. My magic is just poor dexterity. That''s what I''ve been told. But in fact, there was one spell I was good at, and that was illusion magic. It''s the illusion magic. I''m not going to be able to get a good deal more than that. It''s what makes the world perceive something that doesn''t exist as something that exists. But it''s of no use. Even if you create an illusion, it is useless in the world of dusk. More practical technology is what is important. It was partly because of this idea that my reputation was the lowest in the academy. But for some reason, I felt like I could use it now with better ingenuity. I don''t know if it''s because I''m in a state of life or death that I can do this, but I''m going to use this wooden stick as one sword to trick the world. My illusion magic really establishes something that doesn''t exist in the world as something that exists. Normally, once illusion magic is exposed, it''s over. I''m not going to be able to get any more information on this. However, the one I used this time is not just an illusion magic. I''m not going to be able to get a good deal more than that. ''''........Good.'''' At first glance, it appears to be just a wooden stick. But there is an extension of this wooden stick that has a sharp blade. You can''t see it. But it''s there. That''s how I made it. With a bang, five white wolves took one look at me. At the same time, they consider me as an enemy and try to bite me. That speed is indeed a demon, and if it was me until now, I might have been scared away. But now.........if I don''t do this, I can''t live! Then my invisible sword decapitated the white wolf. Instantly, the tattoo-like thing on my dominant arm emitted red light, but I couldn''t care about that right now. ''''Haaaaah!!!! I let out all the yells I could muster. And my invisible sword decapitates every white wolf cleanly. This is the beginning. This was the beginning of me living as a new me. And it was also the beginning of a long life in the world of twilight. 3 - Episode 3 with twilight A year has passed since then. In case you''re wondering, I know that a day has passed when twilight is over and night has come and gone, and when it''s twilight again. And today, the twilight I wake up and see is exactly 365th. One year. It really flew by. I''ve wandered around a lot of places since then. I''ve hunted and devoured demons to survive. I carry around a canteen of water made from trees and other materials magically joined together. He also smoked the meat of demons so that it could be preserved, and so on. Despite the fact that I had gained that much vitality, I never settled down anywhere. I kept moving. It was because I wanted to return to the Boundary City again. I want to become a great antimagician again. That''s my driving force now. But the structure of the twilight world is still unknown to me even after a year. There are endless forests and wildernesses. And there was something like an underground canal. And the wreckage of a village. A place where people were thought to have lived. And there were also demons that spoke a language. It wasn''t a demon, it was a goblin among the demon race, but it suddenly attacked me when it saw me. ''''Don''t........................Oh, we were wrong. "...if I said that, would you guys listen to me? Yes of course! You''re lying. You should have slaughtered me. Not like this. .........gag! I stab the knife in my hand. However, I can''t reach the goblin''s brain from this place. The illusion magic I used a year ago. I''ve been growing my magic around that one. And the proper name of the magic I''m using now is "Invisible". It not only fixes invisible objects in this world, it can also erase them at will. The Invisible Blade that I''m using now is the Invisible Blade that I applied to my knife. I can''t deal with too much change right now, but this is the only one I can use now on the same level as breathing. Then, I gathered the swarm of attacking goblins into one place with the Invisible Wall, and then proceeded to cut off their heads one by one with the Invisible Sword Invisible Blade. In the past year, I''ve learned a lot. This twilight world is a world of the weak and the strong. The strong live and the weak die. That was the absolute rule. I think I''ve become reasonably strong in this world. But there was an upside. Six months ago I saw a dragon, and I saw a spider that was over 10 meters tall. They were all stronger than me, I was sure of it. So I didn''t fight them. I just got by quietly and tried to escape. And as I came to understand the rules of this world to some extent, I stopped showing any mercy to those weaker than me. Maybe someday I will be like this. My body seemed to constrict with fear at the thought of it. I still have the fear. Just because I lived for a year doesn''t guarantee that I''ll be alive tomorrow. So I killed them. I killed them all. If you show mercy to them, you might be next in line. So I kept killing out of fear. I killed them to survive and return to the Citadel. ''''This, you demon ah! I thought I was trapped in the walls of the Invisible, but apparently there were a few leaks, and five goblins are attacking me with daggers raised. But with that level of skill, I can''t kill them now. ''''.........'''' The air was exhaled from their lungs in one go, and in the next moment, the heads of all five goblins were flying in the air. Their expressions were as if they didn''t know how they had been decapitated. I had mastered not only the Invisible, but also the new inertia control magic. Inertia is a property that tries to keep repeating the same motion unless an external force is applied, in other words, it is impossible to stop suddenly. It is forcibly controlled by magic. Normally, if you swing a sword, it will flow with its momentum. Since the act of beheading a person''s head also requires a certain amount of power, the sword will naturally flow with more momentum. But the sword stops flowing after the beheading stage. From there, he cuts off the head of the next one, and then continues in the same way. In order to live, he needed to eliminate waste. For this reason, he trained and acquired the magic of inertial control to thoroughly eliminate the waste of sword fights. It was my life and death that was at stake. I practiced diligently, and it took me a year to finally master it. I was a little relieved to see that I could already use it at a real-world level. And when I tuck the knife into my breast pocket, I can''t help but talk to the person I''m talking to. Perhaps he was hungry to talk to someone. ''You had better think twice about who you''re going to fight with. I mean........are you already dead? Then I strip off what the goblins were wearing and just leave. It wasn''t pleasant. After all, I didn''t seem to be broken enough to truly enjoy killing. But, after all, people get used to it. Even if (even if) they are able to communicate with someone who can communicate with them, they can kill them without any emotion. I brushed back my hair, which had grown close to my chest, and walked on, wondering where I should go next. ¡ó A dungeon?¡¡I''ve heard the rumors, but... Further north, there was a hole that led to a large underground. This could be the dungeon that was rumored in the Boundary City as well. The inside is a den of demons, but there are dazzling treasures in the deepest part... I don''t believe in such eyebrow-raising stories, but I wanted to go there. And a dungeon is, in other words, a labyrinth. In other words, you could get lost and not be able to come back. But my curiosity got the better of me, and I went on. Don''t worry, if you feel in trouble, just go back. I would later learn that this was just hubris. ''It''s dim...'' When I walked in, the air was cold. And for some reason there was also a light on, which gave me the feeling that someone was there. No, technically speaking, it wasn''t someone, it was probably something... but I still sensed the presence of something. ''A human! Humans, humans! Hey, here come the humans! Moving further back, a large number of goblins were there. The goblins that I met outside earlier came out of here.......I don''t even understand the ecology of the demon race.......and as I was thinking about this, the goblins started to grin and smile. ''''Human meat, it''s been a long time........'''' Ahhh.........human meat is delicious. This will save you the trouble of kidnapping them. "Xishishishish!¡¡Human, eat! Each one of them was dancing madly. As I watched them with interest, there were already a large number of goblins behind them. They were probably hiding in the middle of the road. ''''Dying eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!¡¡Human!!!!!! Taking that voice as a cue, a large number of goblins, about 100 or so, rushed in in large numbers. I regret it now. In this small space, can I use the Invisible Invisible effectively?¡¡Although the Invisible Blade ¡¶Invisible Blade¡· is good because the length of the sword blade can be changed at will, I''m still not used to group combat. Up until now, I created my own situations so that I could win without fail. But now, it''s different. Right now, I''m at an overwhelming disadvantage. Geographically, escape is not an option. Without a doubt, these guys that inhabit this place know better than me how to escape. ''''.........Invisible Sword, Invisible Blade. At will, he activates his magic. I take out a knife from my breast pocket and extend the blade to any length of it. ''''Haaaaah!!!!! And then, a flash. With the current attack, he decapitated three goblins at once. But perhaps because the goblins here are well-trained, they are not frightened. The goblins behind us are generating a wall with Invisible ¡¶Invisible¡· to prevent them from coming towards us. We can hear the sound of thumping and banging on the invisible wall from behind, but right now we should focus on the frontal battle. ''''Humans, you''re strong! Strong man, yummy! Yum, yum! Maybe it''s because I was too focused on what was in front of me, but I''m slow to react to the glittering red object from further back. ''''d*mn!¡¡Arrows! Yes, it was a fire arrow that flew at me. He barely twisted his body to avoid it, but was hit in his left arm. The sensation of being slowly burned is accompanied by considerable pain. ''''Gu, goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Then I pull out the arrow that was stuck in it as hard as I can. I discard the missing arrow on the spot and activate my healing magic to stop the blood dripping from dripping. ''''Still!'''' No, do it! This demon race called goblins. They''re not to be underestimated. If you look at each individual, they''re not much. But they''re well-controlled. The timing of their attacks and their positioning to take advantage of the terrain are also very precise. They are not as intelligent as humans. I should have discarded my assumption that they would be fine. I had let my guard down. Surviving for a year in this twilight had become a useless conceit. Wrong. I had only lived for one year. But these guys should have already been in the twilight for many years, or even decades if they are not good enough. This is a world of the weak and the strong. Unlike humans, killing each other is normal even for the same species. In other words, we are living in a constant state of battle. When I realized again that I was living in such a world, I took a deep breath as hard as I could. And then another flash. From there, I used inertial control magic and another flash. Already my movements never stop. Accurately, I cut off the head from the one nearest me. There''s no aftermath, there''s no play. The moment he cuts off my head, he stops his inertia and moves on to the next attack. It''s as if it''s a dance, and he does it with precision. That''s right. This is what it means to live in the world of dusk. It''s done. In terms of battle time, it would be less than an hour. But he was even more powerful than that. They are stronger than any demon or demon race I''ve ever encountered. And once again, I was made painfully aware of the harshness of this world. 4 - Episode 4 Twilight It''s been a week since then. I dived to the deepest part of that dungeon, but there was nothing there, so I''m walking through the twilight world again. But still, what is the point of wandering for a year and not being able to return to one of the warded cities? As I was thinking about this, I felt something disturbing. ''''Hm?¡¡Is this...? Lately, perhaps my senses, which could be called a sixth sense, had become stronger, and I was able to sense a strange presence. ''''Warding........is it?'''' And as I continued on through the forest, I felt a ward being put up. The warding is also supported by humans. Maybe there are humans ahead of us. Thinking that, I cut through the warding with the Invisible Blade, the Invisible Blade. ''''........'''' I walked slowly into it, and what I found spread out was a village. The style was, as I recall.........was this kind of thing called Japanese style?¡¡It was a different city than the Boundary City, with several houses made of stone and wood instead of bricks and other materials. Judging from the level of development of this civilization, there are definitely humans there. Yes, I thought so, but my prediction turned out to be wrong. ''''The wards have been broken! "Enemy attack?¡¡The number! ''You''re going to break those wards!¡¡Don''t tell me it''s Maxwell''s! They begin to rustle and fuss. And the one running around looked like a human, but it wasn''t human. It was a demon tribe. By the way, although they are lumped together with the demon race, the beasts without intelligence are classified as demons, and the ones with intelligence are classified as demons. Based on that, this is definitely a demon race. And if you look at the horns growing on its head, it''s obvious. That''s an ogre. It has the same intelligence as a human being, yet has fairly high physical functions. It is particularly skilled in the ability to handle swords, and it''s too much for human hands.......I remember learning that at the academy. ''''You!¡¡What the hell is that?! A few ogres surround me. At the same time, I thought. Until now, if we met them, we were fighting immediately. They started killing each other. I was going to run away immediately, but they seemed to be willing to listen to me... or rather, I judged them to be someone I could talk to, so I quietly raised my hand and said my name. ''''My race is human. My name is Yulia. Hearing those words, the ogres around them were filled with astonishment. ''''Nah!¡¡A human being...?¡¡That''s impossible!¡¡Where do you think we are? But look. Isn''t that your right hand, the Twilight Man? ''It''s true ... that arm ...'' Just get the chief down here! I had my arms up, so my sleeves were just down, revealing my arms in full view. Come to think of it, this erosion of my right arm has grown longer and longer over time. It had been from my shoulder to my elbow, and now it stretched from my shoulder to my wrist in an intertwined red-black pattern. Did he suddenly react differently to this?¡¡And who are the twilight people? As I thought about it, an ogre with a distinctly different atmosphere appeared. The clothes he wears seem to be quite well groomed, and I could tell at a glance that he is a fairly high-ranking person. What''s even more notable is his muscles. Even on top of the clothing, you can see the muscularity of the man''s muscles. Without a doubt, that person is probably the strongest person in this village. I''m not sure if I''ll be able to find out what''s going on. I''m sure you''re not the only one. We''ll talk to him over here. You''re not going to attack me?¡¡Eating people and... ''''........You think all demonkind are the enemy of humans?¡¡Well, I''ll tell you about that, too. And if you are a twilight person, we will treat you gently. And I followed the person I thought was the chief. I was already trying to get away even as I was walking. But although the ogre around me was jittery, I didn''t see any intention to attack. Are they used to humans?¡¡But that''s when it hit me that such a ridiculous ... human being living in the twilight ... and that''s when it hit me. That''s right. This is how I am living. It''s not surprising that there are other people living in the twilight. Why hadn''t I thought of that before? ''Come on, sit down. I''ll at least get you some tea. Thank you very much. I sit down on the soft, square cloth I''ve been provided with and sit upright, as does my opponent. ''I am the head of this place, Edgar,'' he says. Now, Julia, or so it seems. What brings you here?¡¡From the looks of it, though, it doesn''t look like we''re here to attack. ''Well I don''t know if you''ll believe me, but I was thrown out into the twilight world a year ago and after getting lost, I''ve been wandering around for a year or so. ''My God!¡¡So you''ve been out of that warded city for a year alone, wandering around this twilight? Yes. But Mr. Edgar, do you know about the Warding City? Hmm you may not know this, but the ogre is neutral. ''What?¡¡Aren''t all demons hostile to humans! ''Sure, 80-90% of them would be. But the other ten or twenty percent are not. Some of them are friendly towards humans, like us. Besides, 150 years ago, humans saved my life in the Man-Monitorial War. The ogre said he would remain neutral, but the other races would not allow him to do so, and they attacked us. Since then, we have been very friendly to humans. As I recall, a few years ago ... three years ago, a human came here. Just like you, with a red and black mark on his arm. What do you know about this arm? ''That''s the proof of a twilight man. In other words, it''s proof of someone who has adapted to the twilight. ''Adapted to twilight?¡¡Is there anything in the twilight? Don''t you know?¡¡Twilight is poisonous to humans. However, it does not mean instant death. In the world of twilight, humans are slowed down and demons are strengthened. However, there are exceptional individuals who are also strengthened by humans. That is the Dusk People........ Well.... I gained a lot of heart when I heard that story. When I think about it, how could I, who had no talent, become so strong? It''s not like I had a sleeping talent or anything, I was forced to pry open my abilities by the twilight... I could understand it when I heard that. ''''So, what is the person who came three years ago doing here?'''' He says he''s a wanderer. He had nothing to say about it.... But he did leave some books behind. And he asked me to give them to him when the humans came. The book...? Hmm. But you, sir you seem to fit in quite well. Do you know? ''I can see how well Dusk fits in. You''re as familiar as, or even more familiar than, the man you were then. What is twilight in the first place?¡¡I heard that it occurred during the Man-Monster War, and that the humans were defeated by it. I don''t know. What? ''This twilight is an unknown entity. Where it originates from, or if it''s caused in the first place. Or is it naturally occurring, an unknown thing. Well the world out there is full of mysteries, isn''t it? More importantly, my dear sir. Do you want to return to the Walled City? "...I forgot about it!¡¡Yes, you know what I mean!¡¡Where am I?! Of course. We''re in the extreme east of the continent. A little further east, and from there, there''s only the sea. ''The Far East!¡¡Isn''t it the exact opposite! ''''That alone is amazing. To think that someone could come here from the Boundary City on foot in just a year...'''' I have a map of the world in my head. Humans are now in the west. The seven bounded cities exist vertically through the land in the west. No wonder we''ll never get there. I kept going in the opposite direction and ended up at the end of the continent. "Can I get a map? Can''t we have a game? What? "We are a warrior race, and the Gazans who came three years ago were strong. Did you win? ''No, we lost. It was an overwhelming defeat. And I''ve spent the last three years learning more from that defeat. What do you say, why don''t you give it a try? Are you offering me a map if I win? No, I don''t care if we win or lose. I just want to fight as hard as I can with you. When I''m done, I''ll give you a book, a map, and some clothes and a briefcase. You''ll get your clothes, your briefcase, whatever you want to bring. We can even give you food. ''This is everything ... thank you so much for everything. So, would you accept it? ''Of course!¡¡It''s nice to meet you too. Anyway, I was hungry for people now. And I''m glad that he''s following something like this practice. I also wanted to know how strong I was becoming in this world. And I was going to fight the ogre chief. 5 - Episode 5: A Year at Dusk Are you ready, Master Julia? Yes, sir. That''s fine. The rules are in effect, right? Hmm. We''re all set up with a referee. Let''s go as fast as we can. They were going to have a match, so we came to a place called the training ground outside. I heard that the ogre people are practicing here. And when we looked around, we saw a circle of onlookers. They were all looking at us happily. It''s true that this is what passes for warrior spirit. "Chief, please don''t lose to the humans! Good luck, chief! Humans need to struggle. Such a wildfire flew in, and then the mouth of the ogre who was the judge announced the start of the game. ''''Then let''s begin! A moment later, I heard a heavy kick on the ground with a thump. Right in front of me. Edgar''s sharp blade was aimed at me. From his stance, he might be trying to do a kesa-slash from his shoulder. Yes, when I calmly analyzed it, I backstepped and ducked the attack for now. A fairly fast attack with a high degree of skill. It''s probably one of the best demons I''ve encountered in the twilight. But I can keep up with them. My eyes were definitely catching the opponent''s movements, and my brain was able to firmly predict the next attack from those movements. The past year. Without this skill, I would be dead. Knowing what''s going on, and what to do next, is what this simple thinking is all about. That simple thought was the most important thing in this twilight. An inch away was death. Those who can do it will live and those who can''t will die. And I am still alive. I''ve been alive for a year in the twilight, where humanity''s survival is considered impossible. But I am no longer conceited. No, I won''t be arrogant in the future. I am a dwarf compared to this twilight. There are many stronger people in the world. And I will be stronger from now on to bring the world back to a brighter light for humanity. That''s tremendous technology. Now, here''s the other one... I pull out a knife from inside the raggedy homemade coat I''m wearing. ''You got a knife?¡¡Are you sure?¡¡The reach differential is overwhelming, though? Don''t worry about it. Come on in. Huh.... With a grin, Edgar-san smiles and approaches again. However, unlike before, he unleashes a sword strike at the very edge of the sword''s reach. This person will take any opponent seriously. Just knowing that, I understood that he''s a really good person. At the same time, I can''t afford to cut corners either. I''m going to give everything I''ve got......................and I''m going to repay him in the form of a victory. Wha........? The voice was Edgar-san''s. Yes, I was catching Edgar-san''s sword. However, from a physical point of view, the knife was not within reach. As usual, I activated the Invisible Blade and extended its blade to the same length as Edgar-san''s sword. Probably, it''s possible to extend it further than this, but I don''t have that skill yet. So I have no choice but to fight with this. ''An invisible ... sword. Oh, what a monster. I''ve never seen a spell like that before but it''s fascinating. And the inertial control is also very impressive the Twilight Man is very interesting. It''s really interesting. Edgar-san dropped backwards and grinned wryly again with a grin. At the present moment, I didn''t let his slight carelessness go unnoticed and immediately used inertial control to launch my next attack without pause. Nevertheless, Edgar-san not only grasped the length of my sword blade immediately, but also predicted my next attack based on the return of my wrist and my entire body''s movement. The continuous attacks by inertial control only cut the sky in vain. ''''........Strong.'''' It''s the same for you now let''s enjoy ourselves. Then 30 minutes. The duration of that sword fight seemed like an eternity. All of our hands were exposed to each other. Edgar-san was confronting me with his sword skills alone, without using magic in particular. I, on the other hand, was in a completely even battle, even though I was using magic to strengthen my body and the Invisible Blade, the Invisible Blade. And as if my concentration was broken, my knife flies in the air. As expected, the physical specs of the demon race are superior to those of humans. The difference was not in skill, but in pure physical strength. But........this was also within the calculation. The moment you let your guard down is to think inwardly that you''ve won. I''ve savored it badly. And I could see the slightest hint of color in Edgar-san''s calm eyes. That was the color of being sure of victory and letting my guard down. ''''Whoa!!!! With the last of his strength, Edgar-san swings his sword. There''s no way to prevent it from happening to me now that I''m defenseless. But there was no need to prevent it. I just need to hit the attack before he does. In the next moment, the referee calls for victory. "We have a winner, Lord Yulia. A small amount of blood was flowing from Mr. Edgar''s neck. And his sword was still in the process of being swung. Yes, my certain attack hit him first, and the judges decided that it could be a fatal wound. As a matter of fact, I could have killed him with my current attack.......but I''m sure Edgar-san knows that. ''''Lord Yulia,'''' Yes, sir. ''I admire it. Twilight people are special I''m tempted to say that, but that''s what you''ve built up more than anyone else in this harsh world of twilight, alone. Let''s honestly admire and respect you. Thank you very much. I felt like I was going to cry a little bit. I had never been praised like this before. Genuinely acknowledging the power of the other person. And then he would ask for a handshake and bow to such a child. It''s no ordinary personality. ''But you didn''t mean it, Mr. Edgar, did you? ''It''s the same for you. No, if you were serious about it, my head would have been flying off first. I didn''t think about that earlier technique at all. Oh no, the world is a big place. So, fun..... Thanks for your help. A grand banquet was held that night. All the Ogre people were friendly and very good to me. It must have been a great thing to have fought the chief and won. Then, after a night''s sleep, the next morning. I was already ready to leave. The new clothes I received. I had my raggedy coat repaired in one night to the point where it was almost new. I also received a map, compass, books, food and water, and some armor. I also got some armor. I was given 20 knives, which are apparently just disposable knives. I tucked them away in my coat and bowed my head. Thank you very much, everyone. Juliar, come back to me! That''s a tough one, Julia!¡¡See you later! Julia, you were awesome! Ha, ha, hi. Everyone calls out to each of us. Finally, Mr. Edgar comes forward to shake my hand. ''Yulia-dono. I''m sure we can return to the Boundary City. If you''re good enough. You will be able to cross this continent in a year again. ''''........Thank you. From everything.....really..... ''Good. I will show courtesy to a human being but that is only for good people, but you were a person. You''ve lived for a long time in this world of twilight, and even though you knew the despair, you never stopped walking forward and arrived here. There''s no way you can do that for nothing. It''s not just a matter of time before you''re in a fight with the dusk people. My heart was racing. "...also here. I had a great time. "There are too many strings attached to our side to cooperate fully with humanity. But I am confident that Lord Julia will be able to carve out a little light for us. This may sound like a clich¨¦, but I wish you the best of luck. Yes. I was crying. And this time I couldn''t stop it. It had been hard so far. No matter how strong I got, there were more days when I felt like my heart would break. Tomorrow would be the day I would die.¡¡If you fall asleep, you won''t be able to get up again.¡¡I was bound by these fears, but I went on, and on, and on, and onward. I didn''t give up, for one day I would return to the Boundary City, to my hometown. Then I met all of the ogres and I knew that there were times when I would be rewarded. I''m sure this is just good luck. I know that, but I couldn''t help but cry. Then I rubbed the tears away with my right arm and looked forward with a bang and said, "Thank you for your help. Thank you for your help!¡¡I will return to the World City of Wonders!¡¡I will never forget this favor! I didn''t look back anymore. 6 - Episode 6 Seventh Barrier City A year had passed again since they left the ogre village. When we left the Warding City, it took us a year to get to the ogre''s village. But I had a map and compass to get back, and I thought it would be faster considering my current abilities. But apparently, this map is a little out of sync with the world we live in now. I was a little worried about the old one, but my hunch was correct. Still, it was better than nothing. More than anything else, it''s a clear guide. Less fear of wandering somewhere like the first year. I was still going on in fear of death, but my steps were still not heavy. And as I was trudging along, a little tired, I saw what looked like a large building or a huge wall. ''No way, no way, no way, no way, no way, no way, no way, no way, no way, no way, no way, no way, no way, no way, no way, no way, no way, no way, no way, no way, no way, no way?¡¡That''s ... the Citadel. A vague view that slightly enters my vision. But there''s no way to mistake it........that''s a warded city!¡¡I''m... I''m back! ''Ugh, oooohhhh! Yaaaahhhhhh!¡¡Whoa!¡¡Whoa!¡¡Ugh, I''m miffed... I cringe at the sheer joy of it. But it''s right in front of me. I''ve spent two years in the twilight. And now I''ve come back. Abandoned by Dan and his friends, the wards that prevented me from coming back, the injustice that was done to me I was lost in the world of dusk. I''ve been living with fear for a long time. I may have gotten stronger. But the stronger I became, the more I realized the uniqueness of the twilight world. The existence, the demons, the demons, the demons were tremendously strong. There were times when I fought them, but there were also times when I had to flee for my life. They say that running away is winning, and that''s the truth. And after two years of repeating those days, I crossed the continent for the second time... and came back. ''''Wow........it''s a warded city.......ugh, I feel like crying.'''' So I said to myself, and as I was looking up at the big city, the guards outside approached me. ''Hey. I don''t think anyone should be out there at this time. Who are you? There''s a human ... a human! What? "Oops, excuse me... It''s been two years since I''ve seen someone. I couldn''t help but feel like a goblin at the time. That''s right. Let''s talk about it calmly. ''''I''ve been wandering around the ... twilight for two years and I''m back now. Huh? Oh, really?¡¡And I was originally a member of the Academy. If you could confirm that..... What''s your name? My name is Julia Curtis. I''ll just wait... Then the guard steps back. Hmm. ''''It''s Julia Curtis of the Third Warding City, isn''t it? However, this is the 7th Boundary City. It took me a bit of time to check.'''' ''What?¡¡Seventh? Yes. Seriously.... I looked at the map and thought I was aiming for the third ward city. But it seems I''ve arrived at the seventh ward city. Hmm. I don''t want to turn back here.......and there''s no reason for me to go back right away. We''ll take care of you here. "I looked at your mug shot and it looks like your hair color and length have changed. What''s the color, aside from the length?¡¡Did you dye your hair? This is a bit stressful... Yes, now I had changed from my original brown hair to pure white. I figured it was temporary, but looking at the roots didn''t change its whiteness. Perhaps it was stress. In that harsh world I was constantly aware of death. I think that''s why..... Besides, my hair was already growing below my chest after two years. Only the bangs were in the way, so I had to shave them off with a knife, but the rest was still there. But I didn''t think it was a good idea now. Because this is also proof that I''m alive. ''Huh ... well, that''s okay. Now, you''ll have to answer your birthday, your parents'' names, your grades at the academy, and other private matters. I understand. I thought I was being thorough, but I thought it was inevitable since I was certainly still a suspicious person, so I decided to answer. Then you can come in. First of all, you will have a talk with the headmaster at the institute. You are going to return to school, right? Yes! At last, I returned to the Citadel. ¡ó My impression of the Seventh Boundary City wasn''t that different........ Well, that''s probably true, I thought, as I gazed at the people around me. Ah........relief that I''m back fills my chest. ''Then please take a shower here. Your clothes and belongings will be inspected here. And.........I''ll wash your clothes here....... Thank you. I came to the academy. The third ward city is the same, but it''s still big. And I''m the teacher here - I think it''s Dr. Delia, right? The guy told me I smelled and led me to the shower. And although it''s called a luggage inspection, it''s actually over at the checkpoint. Perhaps they want to wash their clothes. ''''It''s refreshed, isn''t it? This is clothing. Please keep it on. When I finished my shower, my clothes were already packed up. Perhaps he had used some magic. ''Thank you.'' With that, I got dressed, reassembled my bags and was led to the dean''s office. ''''Then I''ll be right here,'''' Delia-sensei said that matter-of-factly and left. He was kind of cool....and now that''s not the point. I have to go inside. When I knocked on the door with a knock, a voice came from inside. ''You may come in.'' Excuse me. I opened the door with a clatter and walked in, and there were two blonde women there. One is at the desk and the other is standing in front of the desk. Probably the one in the back is the headmaster and the one in the front is wearing a uniform and is a student... or so I thought. ''Elsa Amis. That''s my name. Nice to meet you. It''s nice to meet you my name is Julia Curtis. I walked in and immediately said hello. But for what it''s worth, I feel like the female student is staring at me... no, she''s definitely staring at me. ''''Mother, is this the person who survived two years in the twilight?'''' I''m sorry. I''m sorry, I know this is highly classified, but my daughter asked me about it. By the way, the name is.... Sherry. Sherry Amis. But did you really live for two years?¡¡In the twilight. Isn''t he lying?¡¡You look kind of thin and weak. And you look kind of like a girl. ''Hahaha that''s harsh...'' Sherry Amis. She has blonde hair and blue eyes, and is a little shorter than I am. I guess she''s on the tall side for a woman. And most importantly, she''s beautiful. But this is a bit of a harsh beauty, or perhaps it''s just the eyes that are staring at me that give me an unpleasant impression. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about this. I''m going to have to ask you to transfer in, but do you mind?¡¡If you can get back to the Third Warded City, I don''t mind. No, I''m transferring in. There''s nothing in particular left behind. You can go to this place to be a counter-magician. So, boy do you have any money? "Well, uh... There is none. There is not a penny of such a thing. I used to have to scrape together all sorts of money to pay the entrance fee and tuition fees to the academy, but now I have nothing. Huh?¡¡Could this be a bad idea? So there''s a good story there. If you are accepted as a special student, you can pay the transfer fee, tuition and even live in the dormitory for free. Oh, really? ''But on one condition. I''d like you to have a mock fight with my daughter there. ...for what reason? For one reason. Because I''m suspicious of you. It''s unheard of for anyone to have lived for two years in the twilight. Besides, you''ve lived in that harsh world for two years, haven''t you?¡¡It''s not like you aren''t strong. Besides, on our side, we want to know what you''re capable of. Yeah? What''s wrong with your face? I''m a little baffled by Shelly''s sudden words. ''''Haha........Shelly-san, you are so harsh.......'''' Hmm. You can''t let this pugnacious man beat you at your own game. Actually, my daughter is a first-class demonologist. What do you think, there''s no shortage of opponents? ''A first class counter-magician!¡¡How old are you now? I just turned four years old this year. ''''Fourth year, first class counter-magician. That''s amazing.... I checked at the checkpoint, but it''s May, when the new school year has just started. And being a fourth year student, you''re the same age as me. When you think about it, it''s easy to see that being a first class counter-magician is an anomaly. There are ranks for an antimagician, 5th grade, 4th grade, 3rd grade, 2nd grade, 1st grade, and then special grade antimagician. Normally, at the graduation stage, a good place to be is a third-grade counterpart to a mage. It is said that the best people become 2nd level opponents at the graduation stage, but to become a 1st level opponents at the 4th year stage... I understand that Shelly is really strong. By the way, this rank is a guideline for graduating from the academy and becoming a military officer, although the special class anti-magician is kind of special. The higher the rank, the more one can advance their military career from the higher ranks. At the same time, I thought. How strong am I now as an anti-magician?¡¡I haven''t done anything like that against Mr. Edgar since I fought him. So I was curious. I wondered if I could be........a fine, fatherly antagonist. ''....Did you get scared? No, I''ll do it. I''ll do it. And I''m going to fight Mr. Shelley. But if I lose........what will I do with the money.... 7 - Episode 7 The essence of the invisible sword ''Hey, Julia. Did you really survive two years?¡¡In that twilight. ''Well Mr. Shelley is skeptical, but it''s true. ''Just Shelly, that''s fine. So ... I''m assuming you''re just a paranoid person who went out into the twilight and hit your head. From the way you behave, your expression, everything about you doesn''t speak to your strength. I can tell at a glance that the special class of anti-magicians I know are strong. But you don''t have that. I........I trust my own eyes. Besides, I have more than fifty hours of twilight combat time, you know? Before the game. Me and Sherry facing each other.......not Sherry, Sherry. Since it''s already nighttime, there aren''t many people in the exercise area. The only ones present are the headmaster and a few others. The money aspect of it, but in many ways I felt that I needed to show my power here. ''Shelly. I''ve been willing to die for the last two years. Every day I thought I was going to die tomorrow. But I''ve lived and lived and lived and lived and lived and came back. Not that I doubt your eyes, but I''m going to win this time. Hmm. You''re right. It''s not hubris. It''s a simple fact. I''m not going to lose. I don''t feel like losing, and I can''t afford to lose. Does that come from pride?¡¡Or is it the financial aspect? I ask myself, but I don''t get an answer. Then I face her. Then let the game begin! The Dean seemed to be the referee this time, and when she said that, we began to fight. ''''........'''' Instantly, I closed the distance between us in one fell swoop and thrust the knife at her. There was no need to use the Invisible Blade, just a normal attack and I won her. Perhaps she didn''t expect me to move so fast. ''''Sho, winner........Yulia.......'''' What...? She was stunned. What is this, why on earth?¡¡You have a look on your face. But I don''t know if he''s gradually regained his composure, but he suddenly raises his voice loudly. "Mo, once more! Are you going to fight again? I asked the headmaster. "...as long as you agree to it, that''s fine. I understand. After that, I fought her many times. But I was never defeated. ''........I got it! ..... The last game. She had already lost nine in a row and started the match by saying this was her last. As expected, she had gotten used to it, and she was able to handle my knife handling. But still........I didn''t think there was any need to use the Invisible Sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡· to attack. That Invisible Blade is imperceptible. Because if you use it, it will not only end the fight there, but at worst kill you. ''''........I got it! She aims for the slightest opening in me, but.......it''s still too late. But as expected, it''s too much trouble to avoid her, so I use the Invisible Blade, activated from my left hand, to pass it off, and the knife in my right hand faintly touches her body first. ''''Ha........ah........! ...Winner, Julia. The tenth call is announced. She''s flustered. It would be the same. Because she was suddenly swept away by a sword shot in an empty space. The truth of it is this. My Invisible Sword, the Invisible Blade, always needs a starting point. In other words, it''s impossible to create an invisible sword or blade in an empty space. It must have a hilt. It was possible to create a wall, but it was difficult to recreate elaborate things like swords and swords with Invisible. That''s why it''s a starting point. The starting point can be anything. I can activate the Invisible Blade as long as it''s a stick-shaped object. Wooden sticks, pencils, combs, and even hands, fingers, and feet can become my swords. ''''I''ve lost ... it''s a complete defeat ...'''' Shelly finally admits defeat. But well I thought that was the only thing that was amazing about that part of her that hated to lose. That spirit that keeps coming at you no matter what you lose. That''s something I''ve never had. I honestly admire that. The will to steal something from the overwhelming difference in ability... and grow. I was genuinely envious. Because I didn''t have that, and I still don''t have it. ''Yulia you''re really strong. Sherry then asks me to shake his hand. Of course, I comply. "Well, it''s the only thing I''ve got going for me. Humility. It''s really something to be proud of, being that strong. I didn''t even come close to being a step ahead of you... But Sherry was strong, too. I thought we were on the right track at the end. ''''Well don''t flatter me. It just made me realize how inexperienced I was. I''ll have to start all over again.... Sherry is strong. What, are you being sarcastic? No, not in a spiritual sense. Well, my competitive side is second to none. ''Haha you''re certainly a moderately competitive guy for ten matches. And so it was decided that as soon as I defeated Sherry, I would be enrolled in this academy as a special student. I''m glad that all the money is free. ''''Then, Yulia-kun. I''ll register you as a first-class antimagician, if that''s okay with you. What? ''''It would be strange if you won against a first-class demon, but you don''t become a first-class demon. There are many conditions to become a special class versus demon, but this time I''ll use my discretion to make you a first class versus demon. Can I just get your signature? Okay, yes. The boy who had wandered for two years in the twilight returned and defeated the strongest Sherry in the Academy of the Seventh Ward City and became a first class anti-magician. The news would spread throughout the academy the next day... I had no way of knowing that. 8 - Episode 8 Leave them alone Hi, I''m Julia. I returned from twilight, and for some reason when I defeated Shelly, I became a first class anti-magician. Yeah........kind of easily. Although my confidence in my ability to survive in that twilight world came out a bit............................I was, how dumb I was. I got a room in the dormitory and was looking forward to the next day. By the way, for some reason, I was next to Shelly in the dormitory. According to her, that was the only room available. Although it''s a corner of the girls'' dormitory, it''s a little distressing.... But from tomorrow, the bright academy life will begin...!¡¡Yeah, that''s what I thought. Hello. I''m Julia Curtis. I''ve just transferred in from the Third Field City. It''s nice to meet you! I bowed my head begrudgingly. So far, so good. ''So, gentlemen, do you have any questions for him? ''Yes, sir!¡¡Seriously! So, Miss Sophia, go ahead.... When the class teacher, Ms. Delia, said that, I believe it was Sophia?¡¡asks me a question. "Is it true that you''ve been living in the twilight for two years? No, that''s a lie. I came to this city for a few reasons. What is the truth of the rumor that you beat Miss Shelley? ''Sherry is the daughter of the headmaster, so I met her by chance when the paperwork was continuing. We didn''t win or lose or anything like that. Oh, you''re lying... I was told in advance to keep yesterday''s game a secret. That''s why I''ve thought about this in advance and prepared an answer. By the way, I don''t want to tell you about the first class vs. demons either. I don''t mind if they find out about it, but I don''t want to take unnecessary distances to fit in with everyone for a while. ''''........tch! When I glance over, Shelly, who happens to be in the same class as me, clicks her tongue and looks at me with an abhorrent expression. Wait!¡¡You''d think it was weird if you looked like that! I wanted to say that, but I let it pass with a casual look. If they find out that I''ve been living in the twilight for two years, it would be a lot of trouble, so I''d like to welcome them to graduation quietly as it is... As I was thinking about this, the question comes up again. ''''Can I ask you that hard-to-answer question?'''' ''Okay, but what is it?¡¡Ms. Sophia. You don''t think they''re going to pursue the twilight further?¡¡As I was poised, this time the question was in the direction of the day after tomorrow. ''Yulia-kun, Mr?¡¡What is it? What''s going on? I wonder if she''s that transgendered. It''s rumored that she lives in a girl''s dormitory. You''re sure about this?¡¡And her name sounds like a girl. ''''Well I mean I look like this but I''m a man I''m sorry. At that moment, I felt the class buzzing. ''''So the rumors about the girl''s dormitory were true! Looking like a girl like that, maybe you''re a carnivore? A man with that look?¡¡Rather good! Hey ... who or what''s waking up? Well, that''s not surprising. I hadn''t cut my hair since I came back. I wanted to keep my thoughts from the twilight as a warning, so I ended up keeping it the same. I''m putting it up in a ponytail now, but I don''t know if I have that much of a woman''s face... but when I walked into the men''s room in the morning, I got a guffaw... no, I''m sure it''s my hair!¡¡Yeah! ''Yes, yes. Silence. Now, Julia, you can sit behind Miss Shelley. Okay..... With that, I take a seat behind Shelly. Just in the corner by the window. Maybe the corner is my place of residence, but I felt strangely calm. ''Nice to meet you, Shelly,'' Nice to meet you. Looking at her as a bushy-haired woman, I wondered if I had overdone it yesterday........ ¡ó Located in the Kekkai City, the system of the Counter Demon Academy is different from that of a normal school. Ordinary schools have a set curriculum, but the academy has basic classes in the morning and elective classes in the afternoon. In the afternoon, it is an elective class. The basic class is the basic knowledge as an opposing magician. And basic physical strength, basic magic and fighting techniques. But as I said, each person has their own strengths and weaknesses, so in the afternoon, we have elective classes with the goal of developing our strengths and weaknesses. Now, while I was thinking about what elective class I''ll take in the afternoon.......the morning is over. It''s the lunch break. By the way, it''s not like people are gathered around me during recess. Everyone is whispering and whispering to each other, glancing at each other in a distant direction. But that may not be an unavoidable thing. In the first place, it is almost impossible for people to move into the Boundary City system. There is a means to move between the warded cities, but it is mandatory to be accompanied by a first class anti-magician or special class anti-magician. Moreover, there is almost no reason to move to the current ward city, and the only reason is the exchange matches and competitions that occur a few times a year. Moreover, he''s a top-secret special class antagonist who lived for two years in the twilight, beat Sherry, a first class antagonist, looks like a girl, lives in a girl''s dormitory, or maybe he''s actually transgender?¡¡The rumor that "I''m not going to be able to go to school," has been flying around the school. It seems that not only from other classes, but also people from other grades have come to see me. "....Are you free? I''m not busy but... Follow me. What... hey! I reluctantly followed Shelly as she said this. Yes, this is.......rice. "Oh... a rice ball!¡¡Thank you!¡¡Well it''s been a long time since I''ve had a cultural dinner... Rooftop. The two of us had come to the rooftop. I''ve heard that it''s not open to the public, but Shelly, the headmaster''s daughter, seems to have the key. It''s an abuse of power, but it''s not like she''s abusing it, so it''s safe.......the theory goes. ''''Homemade by Shelly?'''' Yeah, right!¡¡Bad! I haven''t had a meal made by someone else in two years................ Well can I ask you something outside? ''Mugging........hmm?¡¡Okay. What have you been doing for dinner? ''Hmm. Basically, he ate demons, I guess. They liked snakes, spiders, bees, and other things that were high in protein. And sometimes they ate fatty insects, too. Well, I think I got the basic food locally.¡¡The nutrients humans need are protein, carbohydrates, and fat, so I guess I was careful not to skew any of them... oh, but there were times when I didn''t eat for a week or so. I managed to stay connected with just water. Oh, and this is a top secret but we actually had this magical piece of wood outside that could store water and we used it as a water bottle... ...Hmmm, I''ll show Shelly next time. What a great vitality you have. It''s not nearly survival. No. What? Not nearly. It was all about survival. I literally did everything I could to survive. We killed, we took, we took, we sipped muddy water, we vomited blood, and we lived. Why are you... why are you out there? I was a little hesitant to say it. That event was traumatic for me. An abominable incident that saw the darker side of humanity. I don''t know if I hate those three people enough to want to kill them........... It''s been two years, and I''m back in the fives. But I thought I could talk to Shelly about it. ''Doesn''t the academy have a system of partying up and hunting in a safe zone?'' Yeah, well, I guess. But our leader was in the danger zone at one point. That''s not possible... So they used me as bait to get the other three out. I was even carefully warded so they couldn''t come back. That''s not... that''s a murderer! ''Yes. And that''s where my life in the twilight began, and that''s where we are now... I guess. Don''t you regret it? ''Well I kind of lost those thoughts. Walking through that wide, horrible twilight world, everything seems unimportant. You''re strong... No way. Two years ago, I was a fifth-grade anti-magician. And I was the lowest in my grade. Mainly because of my lack of actual fighting skills. What ... with all that technology, you''re at the bottom? ''That was all learned in the twilight. It''s a skill I learned to live by. ''Well you''re literally not ready for this. I kind of understand how strong you are. But just because you want to be strong doesn''t mean you want to go to the twilight... or anything, right? You''re right. You were going to make it to the danger zone tomorrow anyway, weren''t you? You know... You look like you''re in a hurry. It''s just like me two years ago. And that''s why I have to tell you, Shelly, you''re going to die now. Isn''t it enough? ''''It''s not enough. I have basic skills, but I''m still no match for the Dusk Demon and Demon Race. In particular, the further east you go, the stronger the demons become. I just got lucky and got my power by accident. You shouldn''t go over there on your own. I see... Schoon, Shelly is depressed. I felt a little sorry for her, like she was torturing me. There must be some special reason for wanting to be so strong. ''''I........'''' What? I''d be happy to train with you. If you''d like, Shelly, that is. ''Really?¡¡Actually, you know, I''ve been meaning to say that all day! Oh... oh. I''m surprised when she comes very close to me in a biting manner. Instantly, the fluffy scent of girlhood tickles my nostrils. ''After school!¡¡After school, I promised!¡¡Absolutely! Uh, yeah... ''''Honestly, your ability is as good as or better than that of a special grade anti-magician... How lucky I am to have someone like that to practice with me! Oh, God, what a character. No, no, no!¡¡Oh, I''m so excited! "Ha-ha-ha. Then we sat here for a while, chatting about random things. Peaceful days are not bad, I thought. 9 - Episode 9 Dusk Syndrome It''s cold. Water fell from above my head. Seeing the water dripping, I thought to myself, "Here we go again.... It''s been a week since I was admitted to this school. Apparently, I''m being bullied. I''m not sure if water-slinging is the rage these days, but water is sprayed on me everywhere and I can hear the giggles and laughter. I''m not going to be able to duck it, but I''m going to use my abilities to do so, and I''m going to stand out in the school, so I''m going to take a cold shower every day. Probably the cause is Sherry. I''ve been living here for a while now, and it seems that Sherry is treated as a bit of a princess. She''s the daughter of the dean of the school, and also a first class counter-magician at that age. She''s also outstanding in appearance. But now there''s no real harm that seems to be coming out of it, and it''s not like the world of the twilight where people are suddenly going to kill each other. Let''s just let it go. Time will tell. I thought so, but this cold water shower was going to make it even worse. Afternoon. I''m mainly choosing to sit in on my elective classes. Partly because I want to pursue my own strength, but also because now I need to make up for the knowledge I''ve been missing for two years. It''s because of those combat skills that I was able to transfer in from four years instead of two. In other words, in terms of knowledge, I''m completely lacking. I carry a book with me day and night, and I study a lot. I study during my breaks and lunch breaks. Shelly and I train together on occasion and then part ways. I''ve been living like this for a while now, and apparently I''ve gained a reputation for being a skinny dude who''s never been able to fight. When I was taking a cold shower, he said to me, "Don''t get carried away, skinny boy! I think this perception is certain because I was told The only thing more frightening than demons and more frightening than demons are humans. I''m going to the hospital where I have an appointment today, thinking again that the human creature is really helpless. ¡ó Hi. I''m Sheila. It''s a pleasure to meet you, Julia. Yes. Good day to you. I know it''s supposed to be a top secret patient, but if this is true, you have a tremendous history. Well, it''s a long story. The Central Hospital in the Seventh Citadel. I had come here. The reason is this right arm. It completely covers the entire right arm now, with a reddish-black pattern tangled around it, wrapping around it from shoulder to wrist. ''''So, the arm... it was the arm... right?'''' Yes, sir. Can I see it? I understand. Then I took off my jacket and stripped down to my top. Then I found Sheila-san gulping for breath. ''You''re that........Twilight Syndrome [Twilight Syndrome]. And it''s not level 5. No, it might be more than that....... "Twilight Syndrome, Level Five?¡¡What''s that? It''s the name of a new disease that was presented at a conference a year ago. Twilight is harmful to humans. That''s the hypothesis. It''s been proven and graded. Level 5, by the way, means you''re already on the verge of death. ''What?¡¡Am I going to die? ''No ... at level 5, a person can''t already maintain consciousness. They''re dying slowly and peacefully, like they''re sleeping. How long have you been in this state? ''At first it was just shoulder to elbow, but a year ago it came to this. ''Well actually I went to the Ogre''s village a year ago, and that''s where I learned that there was ''I''m curious about the ogre village but what have you heard?'' I hear people like me are called twilight people. The Twilight Man... ''''For everything, twilight is poisonous to people, but there are rare individuals who are enhanced in the same way as the demon race. That was the definition of a twilight person. In fact, in this book.... Then I show Edgar the book he gave me that time. "Actually, this book has detailed descriptions in it. It''s a bit too technical for me to understand, but... Can I borrow this? ''No problem. But don''t lose it, please don''t lose it as it''s very important. Okay. After that, I had to go back to my house after having a medical examination. I had no idea that the Twilight Syndrome had been solved while I was away...and that I, too, was an infected person. The question of who I have become never ceases to haunt me until I fall asleep. ¡ó Early morning. I wake up with a snap. There is no such thing as the morning sun, but the light of dusk wakes me up. This has become a habit over the past two years. I go to sleep at night and wake up when the light of dusk comes out. There is no way I can change this habit any longer. Then I took a shower, got ready and hurriedly went to the school. ''Eurya-kun!'' Hmm?¡¡Oh, this is Sophia. Good morning. You''re here early. You too, Sophia. I just woke up by accident today. I see. So, are you still studying? ''Well I guess so. I''m an idiot. ...I''ve always thought that Yulia-kun is not really just a grinder, right? How do you know that? It''s just that he''s a bit different from us. He''s just like his father, I guess. Dad? My dad''s a genius demon. ''What?¡¡That''s another ... amazing story. A special class of anti-magician. It is said to be the hope of mankind. In order to reach this status, it is said that one must be strong enough to defend a fortified city by himself.... In fact, there are only twelve special class anti-magicians in the current human race. They were literally different in rank from first-class counter-magicians and other counter-magicians. It was even said that a single Special Class Counter-Mage was worthy of being a strategic weapon. ''Yulia-kun''s vibe..............................looks like your father. What? ''It''s like he''s tense all the time, or something. Julia is carefree and has a very cute face, but she also has that sharp look in her eyes that comes out of nowhere. She looks like her father. Hey, you''re hiding something, right? No... no... nothing?¡¡I''m just the edge of an antagonist.... Really?¡¡I doubt it.... .... I''m in a sloppy, cold sweat. Sofia-san, it seems your intuition is quite good. I have to hide this one somehow. And in a moment, I feel a pressure on my face. ''.......... See, I knew it. I was right. I tilted my head slightly and ducked the flash from the sword that Sophia-san unleashed. As I recall, she''s a second class anti-magician, a pretty good human being. ''''What are you trying to do?'''' I knew it. Aren''t you strong, Julia-kun? It''s a coincidence. ''Lies. You were already in an evasive motion the moment you drew your sword. .... It''s seen through. I felt the slightest hint of killing air the moment her hand touched my waist. It was everyday in the twilight world, that killing air. I could have faked it by dropping a pencil or putting on a play at that moment. She could have done that too, before she made the motion. But on the spur of the moment, the movement was so ingrained in my body. ''If you want to hide it, Yulia-kun, I won''t tell you, but one day you''ll be exposed in the light of day. Your ability can be the hope for humanity, you can become the thirteenth special class anti-magician. .... That''s when our conversation was cut short because the other students began to arrive in droves. This is because other students are lurking in the classroom. I''ve been spotted by someone I didn''t like for some reason or another... and I shrug my shoulders a little. But from the next day, I would be involved in more turbulent days, but I never dreamed of that now. 10 - Episode 10 The Last Hope of Humanity With a bang, water is poured over my head again. I''ve gotten used to it by now, but I feel like its frequency is increasing. ''''Huh ... it''s cold ...'''' I continue on, walking through the courtyard. Apparently it''s the same members of the group doing this, and they''re grinning at me from a distance. Perhaps it''s escalating because they''re not rebelling in any way. I''d like to give him a little sermon around here, but I didn''t want to show off more than anything else. Maybe it''s egotism, but I''m pretty strong in this academy. That''s what living in the twilight for two years is all about. But I don''t want to show off that strength. That''s because I don''t want to be lonely. To be honest, the two years in the twilight were lonely. I was scared of death every day, and it was just a painful day. That''s why I want to be involved with someone right now. If I flaunt this power, people will stay away. I can see it in Shelly, but she''s used to being alone. But I am ultimately a weak person. After school. But it''s already night. It''s not twilight, it''s time for darkness to take over. There is moonlight, but it''s still dark. I''ve been studying at the library until late, but I thought it was time to go home, so I left. Am I being watched? It wasn''t my imagination that I felt that way. The feeling of being watched by a wild beast. A sense of deja vu. It''s the same as or even more than the demon race I met in the twilight. Don''t tell me that there are demons and demonic tribes within the ward city? I followed my gaze as I walked out, assuming the worst possible situation. ''''Well this place...'''' We came to a park. It''s a nondescript place. However, that gaze brought me here as if it were leading me to this place. I had the thought that it might be a trap, but I wasn''t so peaceful that I could ignore the gaze that was so full of murderous intent. Back in the warded city, I was enjoying a bit of peace, but then I remembered. I, we need to fight that twilight, reclaim our land and bring back the light. ''''.........! A killing atmosphere behind him. Rather, it appeared suddenly. It was a momentary event, but I rolled forward as it was as I rolled my body down and rolled forward, taking the distance for now. The sword streak that passed over my head was obviously unusually sharp. ''''........Hoho, let''s avoid that one. It''s as good as the information. Human...? Well, let''s see how good you are. The man in front of me. It was someone I didn''t know. But I could tell at a glance that he was strong. He had short black hair and a beard on his face, and he was probably in his thirties, to think. But what''s worth noting is his skill in wielding the great sword he carries with sharp speed on his body covered in thick muscle. There are demons with large swords. But the required skill level is unusually high. It''s true that the blow is heavy, but it''s too badly handled. Considering the continuous battles with demons, the broadsword is the most efficient. And yet, this man was wielding this great sword.......probably a bastard sword, but he wielded it as lightly as if it were a broadsword. ''''Who are you........?'''' ''I''ll tell you about that when I''m done, wow! In front of me. Again, the bastard sword is wielded. It''s too fast. I can only marvel at the physical performance and even more so at his sword skills to achieve this kind of speed. The Bastard Sword is a long sword that can be used with both hands or one hand, and is usually about 1.2 to 1.4 meters long. But this man''s was more than 1.5 meters long... no, that means it was a claymore?¡¡The reach is too long and the turnaround is too fast, perhaps using inertial control as well. ''''.........'''' With a click of my tongue, I take out the knife in my breast pocket and activate the Invisible Sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡·. And I catch that sword head-on. ''''Gu, ugh! My Invisible Blade, the Invisible Blade, is thin. It has a knife as its starting point, so it extends vertically but cannot change its width. More than anything else, it emphasized speed, which was the iron law of living in the twilight. That''s why there wasn''t much to take on such weight. Some of the demons were ridiculously large, and I''ve fought some of them, but they were as heavy as that. But even then I..........managed to take it head on. I pull my body strengthening up even more. My body screams, and my skin breaks down and rips apart. Strengthening beyond the limit would cause the body to disintegrate. But I can''t even say that right now. ''''Don''t........do it. You''re the second person to take my sword head on. Thank you for that... For some reason, I took the compliment in stride, but blood was flowing from both of my arms. The weight was too much for me to bear, and I felt like my arm was going to break, but I still accepted it. But that was just this once. Now I''m going to take it all in and take that head. This is a unique feeling when hunting. It''s that feeling you get when you''re in a life-and-death battle in the twilight, that feeling you get when you''re in the zone. Then I concentrate and measure the distance between me and my opponent. I''ll be able to measure the distance of about ten meters.......is the range of the Invisible Blade sufficient?¡¡We could stretch it out but let''s go with that one here. And then we''ll kick the ground out as hard as we can and run, run, run! You''re fast! I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make the most out of your time with the Invisible Blade, but I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make the most out of your time with the Invisible Blade. But it is blocked by the defense of the large sword. Then......... Thinking so, he activated the Invisible Blade from the little finger of his left hand. ''''d*mn it!¡¡You can even activate it from your fingertips! Do you see it?¡¡Can you trigger it?¡¡The former assumes that the opponent has some perceptual system ability. However, I''m not sure about the latter. Do you know about my Invisible Blade, the Invisible Blade?¡¡Where the hell did you get that? And it seems that my Invisible Sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡· is visible, and it ducks slightly. But even if I could see it, I was confident that I could get it next time. I''m going to use inertia control to cut back the Invisible Blade and swing it as if to slice through my arm, but the next moment a wall of ice was created in front of me. I couldn''t help but step back, but the killing spirit calmed down at once. I can feel the tense atmosphere easing. Who the hell is this person...? Come on, you two. That''s enough, Gil. You almost got us killed. ''Ha, not yet. I still have a few tricks up my sleeve. ''It''s the same with this girl, isn''t it? Obviously, now, one of your arms was flying off. ''''Gu ... well, it was bad, I''m sure...'''' Suddenly, a wall of ice appeared, and the one who appeared was a woman. She had scorching red hair, and her behavior was somewhat elegant. But somewhere in this person''s face........ ''''Ah.........I believe it''s the person who was watching the match with Shelly, right?'''' I asked as I applied a healing spell to myself. There''s no more killing now. That''s why I''ll go calmly as usual. ''Oh?¡¡You remembered it, Yulia-kun. Well what about you two? I''m Gil. I''m a master counter-magician. My name is Claudia. I''m also an extra-specialist demoness. Eh.... Poking around. Thinking back, that skill was not that of a mere anti-magician. I was almost going to kill each other for real too. But since I''ve beaten Shelly, a first-class anti-magician, the only serious opponent I can think of is a special-class anti-magician... When I think about it, it becomes a little clearer. Hey Claudia, how much combat time do you have? I mean it''s got to be over a thousand hours, right? ''''That''s about it for me too, but two years means this guy has been in the twilight for over 17,000 hours. As expected, I don''t think he''s more than ten times as strong as we are, but you were right. I told you. I told you I was strong. So be more specific. Because I wanted to see him for what he was really doing. What the hell? She''s just an old woman in her thirties. What?¡¡I''m only 27 years old! I stared at the exchange between the two of them in dismay and was approached again. ''Well, you''ve passed. I''ll let you meet that guy. But who is it for? Ms. Gil says so, but who''s that guy?¡¡Who the hell are you talking about...? "Exclusive-grade antagonist, number one on the pecking order. The most powerful man in humanity, Silas. And I was going to meet face-to-face with the strongest special class of demons in humanity. 11 - Episode 11: Special Class Anti-Magic: 1st Place The two of them brought me to a small house. It was outside the center of the city, more like a large wall that surrounded this warded city. ''''Then we''ll stay here.'''' Good luck, Yulia-kun. I''ll see you again when I see you? What the hell...? And I was the only one left behind. What, what am I supposed to do now?¡¡I brought him in without any particular explanation and left him there. What on earth am I supposed to do..... As I was thinking that, I hear a thumping sound from inside and the door opens with a clatter. Ahh........well, well, sorry to keep you waiting. Come on, Yulia-kun. I''d like you to come in. Well I''m sorry to trouble you. I walked in as I was told and found the place to be so simple that it was hard to believe people were living there. There was only a chair and a desk. And a bed in the corner. Nothing else. I didn''t feel like there was a person living there. Here''s your tea. Here''s your tea... Thank you. Who is the man who wore these glasses?¡¡He''s in the mid-170s, about the same height as me. His hair is long black hair pulled into one bun and braided into a braid. And he has a very kind face and a smile, and you can tell a certain amount about his personality just from his voice and behavior. But it''s just my subjective opinion that he is very gentle... or so I thought. ''''Sorry, I''m sorry you had to come on such short notice,'''' ''No, so I was told that Mr. Silas was here. I''m Silas. Nice to meet you, Julia. Uh ... are you Silas? Yeah. Surprised? ''Well... no disrespect, but I was imagining someone more forceful. ''Haha, I get told that a lot. I''ve been told a lot by other special-grade antimagicians to get cracking. ''Uh ... are you sure you''re number one in the pecking order, Silas? It''s an ostentatious position, but it is one thing. It''s nice to meet you, Julia. Yes..... He asks me to shake his hand across the table and we shake hands with a gusto. It''s a very thin, thin hand. It''s very hard to believe it''s from a special class anti-magician. But there''s no reason for this man to lie. A person''s strength cannot be measured by simply looking at them. I am very well aware of that. But I didn''t think he was the strongest person in this human race....... So much so that my impression of him was that he was just a gentle man........ ''Thin hands, right?'' Yeah, I guess so. ''Julia-kun is sturdy. And he''s got a lot of depth. I''m not a master at surviving the twilight for two years. Do you believe me? Normally, stories like this one about being in twilight for two years are a pipe dream. Or it''s just a fantasy. But this man looks me square in the eye and says so. ''''Sorry, but I looked you up. Two years ago, I was a student in the Third Warded City. Your grades were at the bottom of the list. No skills worth mentioning. Your written skills are so-so, but your fighting skills are devastating. I''d say it''s hopeless. In the party, he was mainly a healer. That will grow to the level of a special grade anti-magician in two years. There''s no way that''s possible. But I can believe it when I tell you that I lived two years in the twilight. And I''m just like you....... Saying that, Silas-san exposes her right arm. ''''Twilight Syndrome ¡¶Twilight Syndrome¡·, level 5........'''' ''''Yes, most of the special class antimagicians are affected by a disease called Twilight Syndrome. Some of them are not affected at all, but I''m just like you. Well......... So, what did you want me to do here? I''d like you to be the thirteenth extraordinaire anti-magician. Me? Yes, you. You''re that good. You know that, don''t you?¡¡As far as my own abilities are concerned. ...it''s And I know. I''ve gotten stronger, sure. But again, it''s only my fighting skills. My mind has not grown stronger. I''m just a man. I''m just a child who survived the twilight by accident. You don''t like it? I don''t think I have the qualifications... ''Hmm. But we can''t let a person as powerful as you play with them. So, my suggestion is, do you want to accompany me on this expedition to the First Knot City as my bodyguard?¡¡However, if you are a student, you need to remain in the student selection process to participate. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what to expect when you''re in the marketplace. There''s a lot of things to do from a physical standpoint. An expedition...? ''''Actually, the royal family is currently on a tour of each city. This seventh ward city is the last one, but we need a few more guards to return to the first ward city. We''re currently in the process of vetting the best people from each city. Besides, it''s very valuable to go to another ward city beyond the twilight to train the rest of us. If I''m going to live as a high-ranking anti-magician in the future, there will be even more travel between cities. Now, what do we do? .... Originally, I had the goal of becoming a great antagonist. But that was a distant goal, so I could keep dreaming about it. It felt good. Dreaming is a great thing. I can work hard for my dreams. I can move forward. You can stand up to any hardship. But I''m not. I just wanted to escape from reality by dreaming. Yes, I was running away. What am I missing? But even so, even if I was lost, I still wanted to........go on. Humanity hasn''t advanced anything since we were defeated in the Human and Demonic War. We haven''t retreated, nor have we moved forward. It''s still the same old situation. If there is something I can do to help in this situation I will try. It''s too late to do anything after you''re ready. While advancing, while hesitating, while confused, while suffering, I........ The following has grown up enough. Now is the time to fight back. It is time to reclaim the land and the light of this world. We need your help. Well I understand. Yes, sir. I''ll take care of the guards. Student selection starts the day after tomorrow, I believe. I''m not going to be able to just walk in and say, ''Hey, I''m going to be the examiner. By the way, I will be the examiner. I won''t give you any special treatment, but I''m sure you''ll be able to stay. I''ll do my best to live up to your expectations. I look forward to seeing you again. Me and Silas-san ended the conversation there and went back to the dormitory. ''''A.......special class anti-magician, huh? I didn''t feel like I had come this far. I just lived my life as a gumshoe, and when I came back, I was suddenly asked to become a special grade anti-magician. The confusion is greater than the joy. No, there is no joy. The only thing I have is a lack of confidence. Am I qualified to protect humanity with this kind of self-doubt? Do you have the personality to be called the last hope of mankind? The more I think about it, the more I feel like a tiny person. I''m just a child who was abandoned by my friends and spent two years in the twilight. That''s the only way I could evaluate myself now. ''''Youriar-kun!'''' Uh... so, Sofia?¡¡What''s going on here? What kind of place is this? This is a girl''s dormitory. ''Oh that''s true too. Sorry, I''ll be in my room in a minute. I wouldn''t want a guy wandering around. Dad.... What? Wasn''t he great, Dad? No way.... Yeah. I''ve been talking to my father about you for a bit. ''Mr. Gil is Sofia''s father.... ''But I''m not at home much, though. There''s a lot of travel between cities, and a lot of fighting in the twilight. I''m just back home now though. And I told her about Yulia-kun. Tehe........ Not "teh" or "teh" or "teh" or "teh". So you''re going to be a grade-level demon? I''ve been recruited. But I''m not sure. ''Lost?¡¡With all that power, what are you lost? "...Sophia? ''You have the power, you know?¡¡And why wouldn''t you wield it for the good of humanity?¡¡You have the power to kill all those people, the demons, right? ''''You can''t kill them all and besides, some of the demons are good people. No! What''s going on, Sofia? Apparently, she''s been acting strangely since a while ago. Why does she want to make me a special class antimagician? Is there some special reason? ''''I''m sorry I''m going to go now.'''' ''Yeah...'' All that remained there was the silence of the night. 12 - Episode 12 Preparedness Back to my room. I''m really tired today. I fought Gil-san, a special class anti-magician, and met Silas-san, who is first in the pecking order. There is no doubt that he is recognized by the person who is the strongest anti-magician of mankind. That''s why the pressure is so heavy. And the looming student selection battle. Many of the students in the academy were confident in themselves, for better or worse. Moreover, when it came to the student selection competition, there was no doubt that there would be people who were capable and confident in their abilities and confidence. I was anxious. I don''t mean in a competence sense. I mean in a mental sense. Looking back, I was struck by a sensation I didn''t quite understand when I came back from the twilight. The peace of that twilight life is a lie. There is nothing to fear. Just go to the academy, study, and go home. Even though that was enough for me, I felt a definite sense of frustration. ''''........tadaimaa.'''' I know no one else is here. But since I''ve been living in a dormitory in the Third Warded City, this is a habit. Even if I know they aren''t there, I want to say it. But this time it was different. There is someone in the room. ''''Eh........'''' ''Oh....'' So there it was, Shelly. And ... naked. No, technically, she was wearing a towel in front of her, so I couldn''t see everything. Still, the glossy skin and the drops dripping from her hair seemed very sensational. ''''Eh, what........ha! I look puzzled, but I quickly check the room. Yeah. It''s a room in the corner, and there''s no doubt that this is my room. The modest furniture in the room is also definitely familiar to me. Then why.........is there a naked Shelly in this room....... ''''It''s not.........! "Well, what? Well actually I forgot something here... "Oh, you''re next door and you left your stuff here? So..... ''Yeah...'' So I was just sweating to carry some stuff around and... ''Yeah...'' You can shower while you''re at it... No, you can bathe in your room. ''Cause...¡¡I wanted to get in right away! ''All right. All right but for now, I need you to get dressed. Please..... ''Oh....'' With that voice, the towel falls off with a crunch. I quickly looked away and waited at the front of the room as it was. ''''No, no! I never saw those ample breasts and supple limbs. Yeah, it wasn''t there at all. No ... really? ¡ó Sorry for the disturbance... ''No, that''s okay. I''m buying you dinner. I''m in Sherry''s room, and she''s treated me to a home-cooked meal. Apparently, Sherry is a self-catering person and cooks every day. "Is it good? Muguugu...............................it''s too good to be true! Yeah. Good, then. The menu consisted of hamburgers, corn soup and bread to accompany it. However, I was quite surprised to learn that the bread was also homemade. I just have a lot of respect for Shelly''s culinary skills. I think it''s purely amazing, because I can only do survivalist things in my case. When I was in the twilight, my only choice was to bake or boil, so it''s very helpful. ''Is Yulia going to be in the selection round the day after tomorrow? I''ll get it... I thought I''d be surprised. Well, it''s a lot of things. I didn''t really want to attend. There are a certain number of students who don''t participate in the selection round, but they still seem to come to watch, and it seems to be a kind of festival. It seems to be an annual event since two years ago, but I didn''t know that since I was just in the twilight since then. Every year, only a few people from each city can go to the First Boundary City. And it seems that while moving through the twilight, they train for real battles and finally get an audience with the royalty. Royalty. It''s someone with a special bloodline, but the details are not revealed. They, too, are said to be the hope for humanity, but we don''t know the details of that. The only people who know are probably those in their entourage and the special anti-magicians. That''s why the selection process is so exciting. Because being selected is like being told that you are worthy to carry this humanity on your back. ''''Come to think of it, has Shelly ever been selected for selection?'''' Not yet. ''That''s exactly what I''m surprised to hear. I knew that if Shelly was good enough, she would definitely be picked. It''s only been a year since I''ve been strong. You weren''t always strong, were you? Yeah. I didn''t have any outstanding skills. That''s why I worked so hard to become a first-class anti-magician. In that sense, you''re a lot like Julia. We have more in common than you might think. Yeah.... And after chatting for a while, we went back to talking about the selection game. ''Is Yulia going to show you that one?'' You mean the Invisible Blade? Yeah. You''ll be in a position to use it, I''m sure of it. ''''I''m not sure. I''m thinking of bringing in a normal broadsword the day after tomorrow, but........ ''Julia doesn''t want to show off, does she?¡¡Because I could have told you on my first day of transferring in that you had beaten me. And I wasn''t going to deny it either. But you''re quietly living your college life. Even though you''ve been bullied, you''ve accepted it. Did you notice that? Everybody knows. Do you know what they say about you?¡¡What''s with all the groping and cross-dressing? ''Oh that''s another great assessment. But it''s not wrong though, so........not exactly cross-dressing. Don''t you ever think about paying him back?¡¡I''m not telling you because you''re accepting, but honestly it''s disgusting. What''s the point of attacking the same people. We''re here to fight in the twilight and yet... ''I know that, but I still don''t have a real sense of reality, or perhaps that twilight world was too intense. For me, that world of wandering life and death was everything. So now I''m in a quandary again. And like the whole bullying thing, I''m afraid of people being afraid of me. That''s the kind of power I have I guess. Not all of them! What...? Shelly rises from her chair with a clatter. Her eyes were filled with rage. ''Your power is not an object of fear!¡¡Respectable stuff!¡¡I''ve lived in the twilight world for two years, and I''ve learned to live through those hellish days, and it''s more awesome than words can describe!¡¡So ... so don''t be so afraid of people ... at least I respect you. Sherry.... He squeezes my hand tightly. It conveys the warmth of a certain person and makes me realize that I am alive. I was just scared. I became a twilight person, and I became a far cry from a human being, having acquired the power of a different form. For normal humans, twilight becomes a poison. The demon race, on the other hand, twilight becomes power. But I........got my power through twilight. That''s why I think that I am no longer human. That''s why I think I''m no longer a human, but a being close to the demon race. Until now, I''ve pretended not to see it. I''ve been pretending not to know. Every time I looked at this right arm, I didn''t know who I was. But Sherry says. You have to respect my powers. I was happy. I felt like someone had finally recognized me. I was glad to be back... for the first time ever.... ''Shelly, I want you to look at my right arm. That means... Twilight Syndrome, level 5, or maybe even beyond that. I''ve been in this state for more than a year now. That''s why I thought I was no longer a human, but a foreign body. Sherry, am I still a human? Humanity is not something to be judged on the outside. A human being is a state of mind. If you have the will to stand up to the demon race, if you have the will to fight for humanity, if you have the heart of a human being, then you are definitely human. ''Well no, I guess I wanted someone to say that to me. But I think it''s time to move on. Are you sure you''re ready for this? Yeah. I''m human. I''m fighting for humanity. I know it sounds a little funny, but if you could be a light to us... a light to cut through the twilight... how a little poetic. I like it. The poem. What?¡¡You''re instantly embarrassed when you say "poem"!¡¡Stop it! ''Haha you''re a poemer. Do you actually keep a notebook or something? How did you know that?¡¡Did you see it! What ... really? You got a sicko! It was a trivial exchange. But it was somehow comforting. I''m ready to go. Let''s go, let''s go, beyond that. 13 - Episode 13 Student Selection Round, Start And the time has come. Today is the day to decide on the student selections for the expedition to the First Boundary City. As for the schedule, I thought it would be divided into several days, but they''re going to finish it in one day. Right now, there are about 50 or more students gathered in the training grounds. There are 100 students in one grade, and since it''s the sixth year, the total number of students is about 600. That''s about one-twelfth of the number, but that''s less than in previous years, apparently. It seems that the number of participants is getting smaller and smaller every year, or rather, the bar is getting higher and higher. It''s nice to meet you all. I will be in charge of the selection round this time. My name is Cyrus, a special class anti-magician, number one in the pecking order. The moment I heard that voice, a buzz spread around me. ''''That''s the first in the pecking order.......'''' The most powerful man in human history... That''s a dignified dignity, but it''s also a bit normal... My impressions of him were mixed, but today he had more of a vibe than I''d seen before. Maybe it''s the fact that he''s wearing a suit, but to me it''s like he''s expecting something........ ''''Well first of all yes there are a lot of them so let''s reduce them. By the way, the special class antimagician who comes every year seems to be different, and it seems that this time it was Silas-san by chance. Because of this, the test content is diverse. Even if we try to make a countermeasure, it''s determined by the person''s discretion, so for us, we''ll try to deal with everything.......that''s what Shelly told me. ''I''ll start when the top person runs about three-quarters of the way down this track. If you can finish ahead of me with that, you''ll pass the first test for now. Of course, you''re allowed to use enhancement magic. I''ll use it too. There was a buzz again. But this time it seemed that rather than the test participants, it was the onlookers who had come to watch this that were buzzing. ''''Hey, Julia. Isn''t this quite an advantage? ...no, you can''t be too careful. Yes, the track here is for 200 meters around. That means that when there are 50 meters to go, Mr. Silas will start. This would normally be impossible. There was no way we could catch him. But if they were going to reduce the number of people, there would be no doubt that some of them would drop out of the race. And each of us will get a starting position. The people who are disgustingly targeting me for bullying are huddled next to me. And since they''re looking at me with a grin it''s easy to imagine that they''re coming. But we''re not told not to sabotage them. But I''m not going to take it easy anymore. We need to stop being afraid of ourselves in the present situation. ''Yes. Then good. Let''s start. When Silas-san says that in a slightly distracted voice, they all kick the ground and run out of there. As expected, the guys next to me surround me and even try to pull my clothes and make me fall over...........................but that''s not enough to shake me. ''''Eh........ha! Hey, what''s going on? I don''t know ... isn''t he a grinder? Instantly, I turned on the switch as usual and strengthened my whole body as it was, and stepped on the earth. I was in the middle group earlier, but I''m almost in the top group... or maybe I''ll just blow it out of the water. I move up another gear and by the time I do half a lap, I''m already in the lead. The students around me and those who had come to watch were making some kind of noise, but I couldn''t hear anything right now. I don''t need the sound now. I just need to move my body and get to that goal before anyone else. And I''m just a few steps away from Silas'' starting position of a quarter. I''m probably raising the bar because of me, but going into the twilight would be impossible to talk about without this level of physical skill. ''''Then let''s get started, shall we?'''' Silas said and ran through the ground. Then, in just a few seconds, he''s already caught the rest of the field and he''s swallowing up the rest of them one by one. But in the meantime, I cross the finish line in plenty of time. I''m followed by Shelly and Sophia, who also crosses the finish line. "Whoa! The main male student who would be tormenting me. He was the only one left. He let out one last bullhorn, desperately running away from Mr. Silas, who was approaching from behind. By the way, the rest of the human beings have been pulled out and are sitting there with the appearance of something unbelievable on the spot. And the matter ¡¶camp¡· he managed to slip in and is safe. It doesn''t seem like he''s on a roll, and he''s got a certain amount of physical ability..........I thought. Silas, smiling at me, is not tired in the slightest. We had changed into comfortable combat gear, but he was in a suit. But he still managed to run through this track in just a few seconds. I don''t know if even I, a serious person, can go this fast.... I don''t know if it''s a good idea to judge him by his speed, but the impression I had before that he was just a nice guy is gone. ''''Hey, why is there a skinny guy left?'''' But that transvestite was number one, remember? ''''You finished well ahead of Shelly, the first class counterpart, right? People were looking at me and saying things, but I didn''t care anymore. I decided to move on. So it''s okay to move on. Even if others don''t frighten me, even if they scare me, I''ve decided.......to wield this power for someone else. ''''Huh.....................Julia, you''re fast. Well, it''s a necessary skill to have. And I''m not out of breath. Gosh, this is so frustrating... As the two of us were talking about this, it was Sophia-san who came over. ''''Hi, hi~. So you two survived. You too, Sophia. Geez, Sofia. Oh, God, Cheryl, don''t make that face. It''s just so depressing because he''s always so goofy. It''s a form of communication, that it is. What?¡¡Get away from me!¡¡I''m sweating right now! Oh dear. A girl... No....you''re not either... ''But still, Yulia-kun. Have you had a change of heart?¡¡We''re all looking at you, you know. I''m ready for it. Shelly has helped me with a lot of things. ''Hmm. Heh. Sophia stares at Shelly with a smirk. As if she misunderstood that, Sherry''s face turns red with a bobble. ''''Be!¡¡I''m not doing anything weird! Yeah I know you haven''t done that with your reaction, but... Hmm. In the midst of the buzzing and buzzing, someone approaches us. It was that main culprit. He was more than six feet tall with cropped hair. And even through the clothes, I could clearly see that he was covered in thick muscle. If it was me two years ago, I would have just shriveled up. ''Hey it was Yulia, wasn''t it?'' This has always been a great help to me. He bows his head in a bow. I do so, of course, with sarcasm and irony. I''m no longer the one giving in to him. I meet his irritated eyes squarely. ''My name is Keith. You should remember it. But by the way, you''re the only one who seems to be fast on the run. Yeah. More than you. You... have no attitude towards your elders. ''It''s great that you have a brain that can mistake greatness for age alone. Of course, I respect older people. For those whose inner life is accompanied by.... You''re a skinny little transvestite. No, it''s not a cross-dressing session. Shut up!¡¡You have hair and face like a woman! Haha you''re not very sharp with your swear words. You''ll see. Probably a real fight. You''re off and I''m not. See you later, grinder. Well I hope so. Tsk. I tried to stir it up to the max. It''s not that I don''t have feelings either. I had to repay him for all the cold water showers I''ve been having. And maybe it''s because I''ve been rebelling against him, but I could see a bit of agitation in his eyes. But well........I wouldn''t like it if the guy who has been torturing me up until now suddenly came at me with confidence. That is. ''''Then next........let''s have an all-out league. I''ll take the top three winners to the First Boundary City. What Mr. Silas tells us. It was the content of the final exam. A league competition in the form of a real battle. In other words, it was a round-robin tournament with 12 players left. And then our battle would begin. 14 - Episode 14 Show Your Value So we''ll start with Julia and Keith. Please go ahead. Mr. Silas tells me this as he looks at what looks like a roster, and I turn to face him, relative to him. We stare at each other, but for some reason I''m called out by Silas-san. ''Yulia-kun, do you have a minute?'' Yes, what is it? With that, I move closer to Silas-san. ''''Yes, sir. You''ll use this for this game. ''What?¡¡But this ... it''s a pencil. Yeah. That''s my backup. Here''s a little something for you. For the rest of the game? Yeah. Because if you used a normal knife, it would be over in a second, right?¡¡I''d like to see the other students'' powers, too. And among the out-of-system magic, the unattributed illusion magic is the original, right? ''Yes, I know, but...'' You''re just getting creative. Don''t use your fingers. Just the pencil. W.... okay... And I was given a freshly sharpened pencil. It''s just a piece of stick, thinner than a wooden stick. It was not supposed to be used for anything other than to write, but this time it became my weapon of choice. I''m sure the people around me can''t hear the conversation I''m having right now, but they look at me and cringe. Keith already has his claymore at the ready, and I''m just standing there with my tiny pencil. Normally it wouldn''t make sense to me. No, I don''t know what that means either but I still have to try. ''Then let''s get started.'' I decided to go for the first move this time. It''s probably impossible to catch that claymore with the invisible sword, the Invisible Blade, which is based on this pencil. That claymore had a blade length of about two meters, and the blade was wide. The sword''s overall shape is characterized by a slanting flange that slopes down toward the blade and the ornaments on both ends of it. And perhaps that was fine-tuned for personal use, and the blade seemed a little long. But considering his physique, that''s probably just fine. Looking at the test earlier, he seems to be good at single combat, one-hit kill rather than instantaneousness. ''''Ha, you''re coming at me with a pencil!¡¡I''m not going to fall for that bluff! Of course, not only him, but probably everyone other than Shelly and Silas-san would think this is just a decoy. But I can''t use magic of the four major attributes due to the influence of twilight, and my out-of-system magic is specialized in no attributes. So I have no choice but to use this pencil as my main tool and win with my other skills. If I could use my fingers, my tactics would be even more extensive, but the nasty pencil is the worst. I''d rather be bare-handed. Five fingertips, and I can also use my legs as a starting point. I can use that well and make a surprise attack, but with a pencil, my trajectory is in full view due to the swing of my arms and the return of my wrists, and most importantly, I''m thin. Getting attacked........is not an option. That''s why I''m on the offensive. The moment I go on the defensive, I lose. ''''Huh!'''' It''s not like me, but I let out a heroic cry and activated the Invisible Blade with the pencil as a starting point. And then a vertical flash as it was. ''''What.........?¡¡What happened? Hey, what''s the deal with that pencil? No I don''t see anything but... What''s going on here?¡¡Keith defended himself. Nothing but..... At this moment, Keith realizes that there is an invisible blade about a meter and a half of this pencil extension. Of course, I can''t visualize it, and I know it by feel. Was it wild intuition that made me notice it, or did it change my perception of me? ''''I don''t know why, but I''ve seen through it. I''ll take the next one! Are you coming.... Well, that''s probably true, too. As long as you can crack the seed, you can assume it''s just a thin sword and fight it. Even if it doesn''t look like it, you can figure out the blade to some extent by looking at the way you carry your body and the way you return your wrist. Normally I would like to respond by changing the length of the sword blade, but I can''t do that either. However, I won''t easily discard the advantages of this Invisible Blade. The fact that it is invisible is a great advantage in itself. Especially for intelligent creatures like humans. ''''Ora-ah!¡¡Gimme that! Uggggh! I took it off, but it succeeded in lightly tearing through the skin. More than anything else, this pencil has the disadvantage of being thin, but the attacks occur quickly and are easy to handle. And then the seemingly endless swordfight begins. ''''Gugugugugugug, gugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugug! .... Keith has managed to handle it. He seems to be a competent person in his own right and has managed to keep up with this sword fight. But as expected, it''s not a good match. At this close range, my Invisible Blade is faster than my Invisible Blade, and with its inertial control, its handling speed is quite high. I seem to have gotten used to it, and I''m starting to be able to perform attacks smoothly. ''''Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Isn''t he the ace of the bunch, second only to Shelly? ''But ... you''re overwhelmed. Julia is overwhelming you with that pencil invisible sword of hers. It''s amazing... I was already so into the game that I couldn''t hear the voices around me. This immersive sensation is even nostalgic. ''This guy!¡¡Don''t get too........carried away! In a fit of anguish, Keith activates his magic. And a wall of ice is created between me and Keith. But since I don''t specialize in magic, I leisurely smash it with the Invisible Blade and close the distance even further. ''''d*mn, d*mn, d*mn, d*mn, d*mn, impossible........impossible.......I''m going to lose?¡¡I''m a second-rate counter-magician, and I''m going to lose?¡¡You''re going to lose?¡¡Oh, shit!¡¡Don''t be silly!!!! Keith drops backwards, generating a wall of ice one after another. The claymore is already not wielding. Perhaps that''s why, as expected, the magic is generated so quickly. If he''s committed to running away to this extent, he can''t finish it off with the Invisible Sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡· that originated from this pencil. ''''........Is it unavoidable?'''' I mutter to myself, and I activate the singular ability ¡¶Extra¡·. The scientific name is Extra Sensory Perception which comes from magic. In other words, Extra Sensory Perception which comes from magic. It is said that some mages are influenced by magic to obtain special sensory abilities. And the peculiar ability ¡¶extra¡· that I have is the eye. Among them, I acquired what is called the magic eye when I was in the twilight world. ........Twilight Sight. It perceives this world in a different way. It is mainly used to perceive the "magic element" floating in this world as particles. The magic element is the particle that is floating in the air, which is the basis of magic, and by converting it, humans and demons activate their magic. I''m able to perceive it with my own eyes, something I''m not supposed to be able to see. With these burning eyes, you can see the flow of the magic element, and once you know where and how the magic is going to appear next, you can close the distance at once. ''''Hey.........! Then I anticipate the situation with Twilight Sight and avoid the ice wall, and I apply the Invisible Blade to his neck. With a twang, blood drips from his neck. ''''Defeat, you''ll admit it, won''t you? ''....I''m still, I''m still aaaaah! Of course, I know that I''m not the kind of person to admit defeat here, so I slam a spinning kick into the pigeon tail with all my might. With that last statement, he let go of his consciousness. ''The winner, Yulia-kun........'' Silas-san says that and writes my victory on the roster. ''Wow, wow, wow, wow!¡¡We won!¡¡To that Keith! And it''s a crushing defeat! Who is he? Could it be that he''s the strongest person in this academy? Maybe the rumors are true. Oh, my God. I knew the rumors were true! I didn''t expect a round of applause. I was stunned by the fact that my abilities were recognized. You see, I told you. Don''t worry about it. "...Shelly. ''''Your strength is worthy of respect. As a student at the Academy, I know what you are capable of. I know how tremendously hard you''ve worked to get that strength.... Yeah, I see. When I look at the sky, it''s a scorching red everywhere. It''s the usual twilight scene. But today it was somehow clearer..... 15 - Episode 15: Encounter with the royal family Yeah, I got it... or I won... ''No, I can''t........I can''t.......I can''t......I can''t.......use my fingers or.......seriously, I can''t.......haha............................ Last match. The match with Shelley was testy. The two sides won every match. Third place was already confirmed, and third place was Sophia. And the fight for first or second place was between me and Sherry. The truth was, I was already tired, so there was no need to do it, right?¡¡But I thought, "You''re running away! Finish it! Yulia, win! I was reluctantly forced to continue because of the wildfire. However, Silas told me not to use my magic eye after the first match, so I really had to fight with just a pencil. Even so, I was able to win so far, but as expected of Shelley, it was a tough match. The decision was my defeat. I was too fatigued to maintain the Invisible Blade, and in that moment I admitted my defeat. The match was too painful. I''ve never fought with this much restriction, so I learned a lot.......but I had a certain amount of frustration. ''''Gu........I lost.......d*mn........'''' ''Huh ... huh ... you''re a real monster for finally being able to beat a single pencil. I''m lying in a large figure on the ground, and the students gather around me. ''Hey Julia, you really are an amazing guy!¡¡I''m impressed! ''Me too...I mean it was kind of cool, but it was awesome! I''m proud to be your classmate! ''Huh ... hah ... precious ...'' In the midst of the buzzing, Mr. Silas comes up to us. ''So, Miss Shelley. Julia-kun. Sofia-san is the member of this selection. We''ll leave tomorrow. Also, the three of you will have a few things to do tonight, so please leave them open. Julia-kun, please bring them to the place. Let''s see.......around 8pm, please. Oh, yes. Okay. It was supposed to be dismissed.......but I was approached from behind. There was already no one here now, and the only ones here were me and........Keith. ''''Julia........'''' Keith, what can I do for you? Are they going to retaliate?¡¡But now I have no limitations. I have a knife, and I can use my magic eye. The next time they do something, I won''t show any mercy. With that in mind, I brace myself, but something different than I expected happens. "I''m sorry...! What...? I''ve been, um ... a terrible thing to do to you ... ''Well that''s enough. Why did you do that?¡¡It''s a strange halfway house to do it. I''m going to, uh... ? I like Sherry. Wow. So you''re saying you''re jealous?¡¡Me and Shelly, we used to practice sometimes. ''''I''m sorry. I''m aware that I''m a bit narrow-minded. But the thought of you coming in suddenly and possibly taking it away from me I couldn''t help but tell the guys around me to apologize, but I led the way. I hope you''ll forgive me for this one. Saying that, Keith tries to get into a kneeling position and I stop him in a hurry. ''Wait!¡¡It''s okay, it''s not...it''s okay. It''s all over. I''m sorry ... really sorry. And if I ever get a chance to train with Shelly in the future, I''ll invite Keith to join me. Are you sure? ''Well, that''s okay. I don''t want to get in the way of someone''s love life. I''ll support you. ''''Oh ... Julia was the one ... God ...'''' What?¡¡Don''t get down on your knees! She was so in love that she was jealous and harassed me. Perhaps he thought that if he did too much, he would be conspicuous and Shelly would hate him. Isn''t it a pretty thing. But at the same time, I was remembering that. I forgave him for this case, because this time it was just a daily dose of cold water. But ... what would I do if I had to meet those three people ... Dan, Rebecca and Aria in the future? ¡ó Yeah, this is it. It''s so small. Yeah, more than I thought. At night, I came to this house just like Silas-san said. Incidentally, we''ve become reasonably close, so Sophia and I are now calling each other by name. Anyway, what in the world is the errand? When I open the door with that in mind, Silas-san smiles and invites me in. I''m glad you''re here, all three of you. Come on in. ""Excuse me." I walked in with my voice together, and there was........a beautiful woman who completely stole my eyes. No, that was a doll........?¡¡But he''s staring at me, smiling at me. She''s human. But I''ve never seen a person with such a well-balanced face. There is no unevenness in the face, it''s a well-defined, symmetrical face. And the thin platinum hair that reaches to your shoulders is as smooth as silk. I''m going to be the first to tell you that I''m going to be the first to tell you that I''m going to be the first to tell you that I''m going to be the first to tell you that I''m going to be the first to tell you that I''m going to be the first to tell you that I''m going to be the first to tell you that I''m going to be the first to tell you that I''m going to be the first to tell you that I''m going to be the first to tell you that I''m going to be the first to tell you that I''m going to be the first to tell you that I''m going to be the first to tell you that I''m going to be the first to tell you that I''m going to be the first to tell you that I''m going to be the first to tell you that I''m going to be the first to tell you that I''m going to be the first to tell you that I''m going to be the first to tell you that I''m going to be the first to tell you. When I bottled up my hands in the air, Silas-san opened his mouth. ''Let me introduce you to the third princess, Princess Liane. This is the third princess, Princess Liane. Nice to meet you. My name is Riane... Dainty. I was completely transfixed and in a daze. Then, I suddenly feel a sharp pain in my leg. ''''........ouch!'''' You''re growing your nose too long... Shelly blackmailed me. But you''re right. We had to get cracking, and we said our hellos. Then Mr. Silas gets down to business. I''d like to ask three of you to be this man''s escort this time. I''ll lead the way, so I want you to protect her well in the twilight. But just ride in the carriage with me. If anything happens, protect her, even if you have to pay with your life. But, well, I think Yulia-kun alone will be enough, but just in case. So that''s what happened. Oh, I see. I understand. That seemed to be the only thing I had to tell them, and Sherry and Sophia left. I, on the other hand, have detention. They have something they want to discuss in private. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about this. It''s a kind of singular ability ¡¶extra¡· but would you like to examine it? Are you sure? She asked for it. You could be the best hope for humanity. ''Don''t worry, Miss Julia, it''s safe. It won''t hurt you. Okay, I understand. A moment later, Princess Liane''s surroundings glowed red. Then, as she stared at me, she spoke. ''''It''s ... darker than Silas. It''s too dense. It''s not like it''s clinging to my body. It''s a feeling of being completely integrated........that''s what it feels like......I''m amazed that humanity can be so one with the twilight to this extent. Normally, I would have been doomed long ago. ...am I going to die? ''No, you will live rather long. If anything, Silas and your body will be more like a demon race. ''I knew it........I see.......'' It wasn''t that much of a shock. It''s what I had originally expected. What''s important is that we know this and still move on. It means fighting the demon race for the sake of humanity. ''''Thank you. It''s good to know that.'''' This is how I came to understand my current situation. 16 - Episode 16 Again to the twilight The inorganic sound of beeping beeps echoed through the room. ''''Hmm........Morning.......'''' When I looked at the clock, it was 4:30 in the morning. Today, we will meet at 6:00 am and head to the First Boundary City via twilight. The Seventh Warding City and the First Warding City here are the furthest apart. The northernmost one is the Seventh Boundary City and the southernmost one is the First Boundary City. The distance is quite a bit, so it would probably take several days to get there, even with a carriage. They''re going to have to go through the other warded cities to resupply again. I don''t know where they''re going, but maybe.......there''s a possibility that they could go to the Third Boundary City. Dan, Rebecca, and Aria. Are those three still alive and enjoying life at the academy? I wonder if they don''t feel any guilt for sacrificing me? ''''........No, don''t worry about it now.'''' I tell myself, and I start to get ready. Let''s cut out the past. I''m not the Julia of my time anymore. I''m sure I''ll never see them again. But fate is a fickle thing and I would later find out. ''Hey. Shelly, are you awake? Knock on the door with a bang. It''s now five o''clock. We''d better get to the meeting place by now. It''s better to be at least 15 minutes early. But I haven''t heard any answer from inside. What should we do?¡¡You coming in? In fact, I was given a duplicate key to this room the day before. He said, "I''m a weak morning person, so if you don''t answer, come in and wake me up. I''m counting on you. ''I''m sorry to bother you.'' Then I walked into her room for the first time in a few days. When I went to the back, I found Shelly squirming in bed. ''Shelly, I''m going. It''s time to go. Hmm. Five minutes. It''s the one that goes on forever... It can''t be helped, I think, and I open all the curtains and turn on all the lights in the room. ''''Ummm ... it''s so bright ...'''' You''re up... and...? He forced himself to strip the covers off. Then, what appears is Shelly''s naked body. No, technically speaking, she has her shorts on. But she doesn''t seem to be wearing a bra, and she''s completely liberated. An overwhelming mass unlike the Princess Liane I saw yesterday. ''Hey ... what are you looking at?'' Ha... ha! Time was flying. I was completely in a world of nothingness. My eyes were drawn to the artistic work in front of me. Yes, but it can''t be helped. I am a man. It''s an instinctive interest, it''s not about me. I tried to explain that to her, but looking at her face, I decide that it''s already too late. ''''You........get out! It''s terrible. We did our best to wake you up, but..... Hey, what''s up, Yulia? You don''t need to put red leaves on your face. "Sofia, listen... And just as I''m waiting in front of Shelly''s room, Sophia comes in. And I explain the situation, but she starts nodding yes. ''That''s Julia''s fault. You shouldn''t stare at her. ''I see.... It would be uncomfortable if a guy you don''t like saw you.... ''No, probably more embarrassed than uncomfortable,'' Huh........I did it........ Sophia''s voice hadn''t been heard. It''s sad that we''re probably going to be together for a week or more from now on, and it''s awkward to be awkward about something like this. I think we''ve gotten along reasonably well, but I didn''t expect him to do it here. It''s not my lucky day either. ''Sorry to keep you waiting,'' It''s a little late for that, Shelly. I''m sorry. I''m sorry. .... Julia, I mean thank you for waking me up. Shelly says that as she blushes. Apparently it wasn''t as bad as I thought it was going to be. Then we head to the gate, the meeting place. ¡ó It''s nice to meet you. Princess Liane bows her head with a smile. Currently the three of us and Silas-san are here. The rest are first class anti-magicians. It seems that we will be heading to the first ward city with this. ''''Then I''ll lead the way, I''ll leave her in charge of Yuria-kun and the others. I understand. After being told that, we get into the carriage. The seats are just for four people, but as soon as I sit down first, Princess Liane sits next to me. ''''Uh.........'''' What is it? No, no. He''s smiling and smiling. What on earth is it........ ''How are you doing, Julia-san? No problem. And thank you for what you did yesterday. No. As I did so, Sherry and Sophia also came in and stared at us. ''''We''re kind of close, Julia........'''' Shelly stares at me and says that, and I hurriedly deny it. ''No, it''s not!¡¡I''ll do my duty to make sure the princess is safe! ''What?¡¡You''re so dull, Julia.... Shelly and Sophia were scowling at the unusual atmosphere, but after that, we were to leave without much chatter. To the twilight for the first time in a long time. Inside the swaying carriage, I stared at the scenery outside in a daze. It feels like it''s been a long time since I''ve seen anything like it. I''m in this endlessly dense twilight. By the way, we are wearing anti-dusk clothes in preparation for the twilight. It seems to be a special fiber woven into our usual uniform. It looks the same. However, the harm of dusk varies from person to person; some people are not affected at all, while others become worse after only a few hours. This outfit was only as effective as a so-called insurance policy, but it was still better than nothing. ''It''s been a long time since I''ve been out in the twilight, hasn''t it? ''Come to think of it, yes. But wasn''t Sherry rather alone in the house? ''Hmm. I''ve been through a lot lately, you know? She looks at me and looks like she wants to say something. No, I don''t want you to look at me with such accusing eyes...........................As I was thinking that, Princess Liane speaks to me. ''''Yulia-san has been in the twilight for two years, right? Yeah, it''s been a long time. We''re still within safe distance, but I think you said farther east. Interestingly, Sheri and Sophia are also looking at me. It''s not that I''m hiding anything from them, and Silas-san has asked me to report further details when I go to the First Boundary City. Besides, it''s not like I''m going to tell the three of us here. ''''I made it to the Far East within a year. I don''t remember much about it because I was struggling to survive at the time, but I kept going and going and going. Have you fought demons and demonkind as well? We fought mainly when we didn''t have food, and when we were attacked by it, when we had to. But basically, the priority was to escape. Some of the things we encountered were demons that I still don''t think we can win, large spiders over 10 meters tall, and fire-breathing dragons. Even I still don''t understand the ecology of twilight, even I still don''t understand it well. But........above all else, it''s a world of the weak and the strong and harsh. It was a place where one moment of carelessness could lead to death.... But there was a good thing too. Actually, there was an ogre village to the east... As he speaks, the carriage suddenly stops. At the same time, I hear a loud voice from outside. ''''Enemy attack!¡¡A demon has appeared! I thought it would come one day, but it''s too soon........ Thinking that, I jumped out of the carriage and found a demon called the giant spider ¡¶Huge Spider¡· there. It''s a danger level B demon, a nasty one in its own way. By the way, demons and demonkind are divided into levels of danger, E¡úD¡úC¡úB¡úA¡úS. The B rank is considered to be something that can only be dealt with by a 2nd level anti-magician or higher. But it''s strange. This demon shouldn''t be in the safe zone. I''m pretty sure it was inhabiting the far east. Why is it here?¡¡What''s happening to the ecosystem?¡¡Or...... But for now, we need to get it out of the way for now. There are a lot of them. But there''s nothing we can''t do. Julia-kun, can we go? Yes, sir. Silas-san comes over to me and stands in front of the giant spider, the Huge Spider, as if the two of us were confronting it. ''''We''ll take care of this part. The rest of you will be guarding the princess....... And we would start fighting in the twilight. 17 - Episode 17 Battle in the Dusk ''I''ll take care of the small fry, Uriah, you take care of the big one. You take the big one. I understand. He took out a knife from his pocket and activated the Invisible Blade ¡¶Invisible Blade¡·. Furthermore, the Twilight Eye ¡¶Twilight Sight¡· was also activated again, just in case. ''''........That magic eye, how long does it last?'''' ''I could go for three hours if I gave it my all. I used to keep it all day in the twilight. Good job. Let''s go! Yes! We run out of the ground. We both strengthen each other''s bodies and dive into the swarm of giant spiders, the Huge Spider, in front of us. Now how to proceed... I was left in charge of the individual that seemed to be the mother of the spider at the back. However, the giant spider "Huge Spider" is swarming around me. I''ve got to get rid of them for the time being. As I was thinking this, the giant spider in front of me, the Huge Spider, shifted diagonally in front of me. Then it spits out green body fluids and dies. Glancing sideways, I''m told to go with my eyes. That''s right, first in the pecking order. It won''t be serious, but it''s still just overwhelming. Silas''s weapons are not swords or swords. What he uses is a wire. He wears a thin glove-like object on both hands, from which he generates a wire and uses it to strengthen it with magic. Its sharpness is outstanding, and with a spurt, the giant spider ¡¶Huge Spider¡· is torn apart one by one. ''''........The mother body is that.......'''' We worked our way through them and I reached the front of the mother body. It was big. It must have been about seven meters long. It''s quite intimidating. But I can''t be intimidated here. In two years, I''ve fought this kind of animal. Remember the feeling I had at that time. And then, with a quick flip of a switch. When I felt an image like a cog in my mind, I wielded the invisible sword, the Invisible Blade. ''''Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!! A flash. I cut off four legs on the right side of the mother''s body at once. If this happens, I won''t be able to keep my balance and fall. The giant spider Huge Spider is a tricky opponent, but as long as I''m careful with the threads, it''s nothing to worry about. If I cut off its legs, it would be settled in the blink of an eye. However, this mother body did not fall. ''''Wha........regeneration.......? The moment it disconnected, it probably lasted less than a second. It regenerated in the blink of an eye. The moment it was cut, it had already grown a new leg. ''''........What is this individual.......'''' I couldn''t help but say it out loud. I must have met a good many demons and demonkind in this twilight. But I''ve never seen an individual like this. There are demons that use regeneration, but I''ve never seen the giant spider "Huge Spider" use regeneration. Dammit, I guess I''m naive in my perception.... In the twilight, the weak are the strongest of the weak. The weak become food, and the strong eat the weak and become even stronger. Is this another sign of the survival of the fittest?¡¡Is this a super-fast regeneration in response to the fact that cutting off a leg would be an easy way to settle the matter? A roar. Is it a threat or is he giving instructions to his companions? Other than the mother, Silas-san is taking care of the giant spiders [Huge Spider], but there are many of them. It will take a little longer. That''s why I need to take this thing down by myself. How will I deal with the regeneration? It''s bound to be one of those things. Just cut it up so small that it can''t be played back in time. That''s all. ...Invisible. The choice here is Invisible. I create an invisible wall around it. Placement is ... perfect. Okay, I have no choice but to do it........ Then I activate the Invisible Blade in both hands and charge at it. I cut off his leg in the same way as before. But if I''m going to regenerate again, then.......I avoided the thread that flew at me and kicked the invisible wall created by the Invisible, gaining more momentum and flashing it. Instantly, my brain cracks open, but it regenerates with a swooshing sound. Apparently, it''s not enough to crush the brain. From then on, he used Invisible ¡¶Invisible¡· to add a three-dimensional movement to his swordsmanship to create an overwhelming sword attack. His opponent''s attacks were perceived and avoided by using the Twilight Sight ¡¶twilight eyes¡·. After repeating this, almost to the point of shredding his entire body, he saw what looked like a red light at his belly. ''''A red object........?'''' It was a bright red crystal. It was the same scarlet color as this twilight. It seemed to be hiding deep in his belly, and he had to cut it into such small pieces to notice it. But the regeneration had already begun. I was curious and tried to destroy it..............and its crystal popped. At the same time, the regeneration stops. The mother collapses to the spot with a thud. I thought that was the end of it, but for now, I thrust the Invisible Blade into my brain to cleanly cut off only the head and flick it away, just to be sure. ''''Yulia-kun, is it over?'''' Yes. It took me a while. Regeneration... Have you ever seen this one before? No, I''ve never seen it before. I''ve never seen that before. And it''s fast. Even with your swordsmanship, you couldn''t match the regeneration speed. I mean, you''ve been watching me? Yeah. A long time ago. Behind Silas-san who said that, there was a large number of shredded giant spiders ¡¶Huge Spiders¡· lying behind him. There must have been several hundred of them. The bottom of that ability is still not visible. Although he is smiling and laughing with a good-natured face, he is without a doubt the strongest human being in the world. ''''Didn''t you see anything with your magic eye? ''No. ''Oh I couldn''t see it clearly from a distance, but that red one?'' ''Yes. It might have something to do with it. Let''s have a look. We approach the corpse, but all we find are the mother''s fluids and the spilled guts. That red crystal is gone. No, sir. Yeah. No. But perhaps that''s what was responsible for the super-speed regeneration. ''Rationally, yes. But did it occur naturally... or was it embedded in something else? You think there''s an outsider? ''As for the possibility...'' Hmm. Let''s put it on the agenda when we arrive at the First Boundary City. As a matter of fact, all the special class anti-magicians are going to have a meeting this time, which is rare. Julia-kun, you''ll have to attend. ''What?¡¡I''m not listening to you!¡¡No way! "And there''s also a party for the royals. ''What?¡¡I didn''t hear that either! Yeah. I''m telling you now. Seriously, are you sure... ''''Seriously. Also, I''m inviting the best people from the other citadel cities to the party, as well as some of the higher-ups in the military and such. Huh ... okay. Okay. As I trotted back to the carriage, the first class anti-magicians around me looked at me in disbelief. But it wasn''t from fear, it was more like envy. It''s more of an envy thing. I''m sure they were relieved. There are that many of them. A first-class anti-magician alone wouldn''t have been able to deal with them. ''''It''s still tremendous, Julia. ''Shelly. Did you see that? I was hunting a guy who leaked backwards too. Yeah, yeah. I''m impressed, too. That''s what I''m talking about. ''Thank you, Shelly, Sophia. But..... What''s going on? No, it''s nothing. This uncomfortable feeling would be unimportant. But a bad premonition often comes true..... 18 - Episode 18 Memory I Want to Forget We''ve progressed to this point with a moderate supply of supplies. Since the appearance of that giant spider, the Huge Spider, not many demons had appeared since the appearance of the Huge Spider. Rather, even if they did come out, they were only low-ranked demons. In the first place, the further east one went outside of this twilight, the more dangerous it was, and if one only moved north and south, it was within the safe zone. There are no high-risk demons like the ones we saw earlier. The twilight is still shrouded in mystery... if you say so, that''s true, but I definitely had an uncomfortable feeling about it. It''s a strange feeling that I understand because I''ve been in this twilight for two years. ''Yulia, Yulia, bah! I look up with a huff as Shelly''s voice finally reaches my ears. ''What''s wrong?'' We''ll be resupplying at the Third Warded City. Okay, okay. Shelly''s face looked complicated like that. I''m sure you''re aware that I have complicated feelings for this city. I''m not going to be able to say that I''m not going to be able to do anything about it. ¡ó Hey Julia, why don''t we have a party? What? Dan was one of the best anti-magicians in my grade at the time. I was in many different parties, but the fact that he was only able to heal himself in battle meant that he was in a state of limbo. I should give up on being an antagonist... Just as I was thinking that, Dan approached me. But I hadn''t heard any good things about him. I heard that he surrounded himself with women and built a harem, or something like that. But I was allowed to do so because of my ability. ''Is it okay with me...?'' You''re a good healer, aren''t you?¡¡My party doesn''t have a healer at the moment. What do you think?¡¡Would you like to try it? Behind them were Rebecca and Aria. They''re both excellent counter-magicians. Me in a party like that?¡¡You don''t mind if I come in? At the time, I was just genuinely happy. I thought someone had approved of me... but when I think about it, I was just a pawn... and I know that now. ''Hey, Yulia. Thanks for lunch. I have a caf¨¦ au lait. I''ll have ... tea! But the money... ''Oh?¡¡Do you know what you''re doing at this party? I''m sorry, I''m going to go... I was being used by everyone to do what they wanted. I paid for everyone''s lunch, and I, on the other hand, had almost no money to spend on food. I would die living like this, even though I didn''t have my parents for free... but if I went hunting in the twilight, I would get a good reward for it. We went out to the twilight quite often, and we were earning a lot of money. The amount I get is really tiny, but it still adds up to quite a bit. ''Julia, I''m going to go into the danger zone sometime. All right? But I don''t think it''s safe to... ''''But the rewards are good. Regardless of whether you''re a student or a first class versus a mage, if you can hunt those demons over there, the reward will be a lot of money. Alright? Yes but? Hey, we''re friends, right? Uh-huh. ''Who is it that you, who can''t join any party, are earning money in the twilight like this? Of course, it''s all thanks to Dan and the others... Then you know what I''m talking about, don''t you?¡¡Huh? Uh, yeah... I wasn''t allowed to object. I''m a slave. Just a slave. But that was the way it had to be. Dan said, "The world is weak and strong. This world is a world of the weak and the strong. It''s the same in human society. The strongest man on top of the strongest man on the bottom. It''s a perfectly natural thing to do, he said. I didn''t have any arguments against it either. Because...there was nothing for me.... And from there, what awaited me for the next two years in the twilight. A world far harsher than what Dan and his friends would have us believe. One step ahead is a direct line to death. And I....survived in that world. I survived. If I were to meet everyone what would I look like? ¡ó All right, we''ll meet in two hours. We can each have some free time. Silas said as they arrived at the Third Boundary City. ''We''re almost to the First Boundary City, I''m sure this is our last rest. ''''Shelly, come with me to do some shopping! Hey, I''m not! I don''t need it. I don''t need it! Shelly and Sophia, the only ones who could talk to each other, just went away. I......... What should I do.......I didn''t even have time to think about it, my feet subconsciously moved forward on their own. I headed for it. To the dormitory where I lived. "......... We reach the front of the room. The dormitory was easy to get into. Or rather, it was deserted and empty at this time. I miss it I thought. I hadn''t been here very long, but that made me feel nostalgic. ''Let''s go back...'' But you don''t have to go in there. From what I could tell, the name tag had a stranger''s name on it. This is not my place. My place is ... the room next to that Shelly. So I walked out and saw three familiar people walking around. Familiar?¡¡No, but it''s not impossible it''s possible. But those three guys........they''re heading to the same meeting place as us. As I recall, they said that they were going to meet up with the student selections from the Third Boundary City here and head to the First Citadel. But I didn''t think........how could this be happening....... As I stood there in a daze, staring at the three of them, they glanced at me. ''''You, you don''t look familiar. Don''t tell me you were selected from another city? Hey, Dan. This face is... I think I''ve seen him before. All three of them have grown up. They''ve grown taller, and their faces are more mature. And their voices have not changed. They sound exactly the same as they did back then. ''Dan, Rebecca, Aria........'' Wow, how do you know my name? What should I say? I can''t pretend I don''t know this. I have to deal with the past... and that d*mnable past. "Julia Curtis. That''s my name. Good to see you, guys. "......... The three of them gasp. And they stare intently at my face. "Seriously........that''s Julia''s face....... But Yulia.... ''Yeah ... that time ...'' They look awkward. But Dan doesn''t seem to mind at all and asks the usual questions. ''You''re alive?¡¡How?¡¡More importantly, if you''re alive, why don''t you come back? I''m in the Seventh Warded City now. So far. So how are you still alive? What''s in Dan''s eyes is impatience. You know, what Dan and the others have done is a murder of sorts. He''s probably just trying to get information out of me to save his own skin. "I was in the twilight for two years and I''ve only just gotten back into it. Ha, you''ll have to lie better than that if you''re going to lie. There''s no way you could survive in the twilight. And what''s with the hair? ''''Well this hair is all white from stress. The reason it''s long is because I haven''t cut it for almost two years now. Besides, I know you guys.... I''ve spoken. Things that could only be known between us. They were surprised, but gradually convinced that this was the return of Julia. Julia had come back. "Dan, this is not a good idea, this is... "Do we have to... We''ll be fine. Hey, Julia, we''re friends, okay? .... I had to do it. I made it back to the rescue afterwards, you know?¡¡But you weren''t there. Hey, I don''t blame you, huh?¡¡Huh? .... It''s a lie. I remember carefully warding them off so they couldn''t escape so that I could be the bait. All for the sake of self-preservation. Ahhhh.......how could there be such an ugly person? My heart is gradually being dominated by a black emotion. ''Huh Dan, you''re never going to change, are you? ''Oh?¡¡I''m sorry to hear you talk like that. You just got a little taller, and you''re starting to act like a man.¡¡I''m already a first class demon.¡¡Do you think you can win? ''''I''m still in the student selection for the Seventh Boundary City. And I''m going to become a special class anti-magician. I''ve already been recruited, so all that''s left is my response. Dan, Rebecca, Aria I am no longer the person I was then. ''''Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!'''' I said, staring at the ground. I still haven''t gotten rid of the bitterness. I haven''t completely broken free of the spell. I still had some ingrained habits from those days. ''Hey, did you hear that?¡¡Yulia says she''s an extra-grade anti-magician! I heard that''s not possible... Your hair turned white and you''re not gonna go crazy, are you? The three of them continued to laugh. But it doesn''t matter if they don''t believe me. We won''t have to get involved anymore........ ''''Hey Julia, those three are........'''' Just then, it was Sherry who came in. ''Sherry no, it''s nothing,'' What is it?¡¡What''s going on, Julia? ''Sophia doesn''t have to worry about it either. I just met someone I know for a bit. As I said that, Dan''s attention was already not on me. Those eyes were facing Zirori and Shelly and Sophia''s bodies. How lowly is this "ghastly"........ ''''You two are so cute~. Hey, which city are you from? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Sophia nodded and twined her arms around me. ''Let''s go Yulia. I''m not into other guys, sorry? What?¡¡You want Julia?¡¡This dull man? ''Dull...?¡¡¡¡You''re not even close to being that good. What... what?¡¡Hey, what do you mean........hey, Yulia! He glares at me menacingly with a snap. But I just wanted to walk away. ''''Well Dan, I''m going to go now. See you later. And so I left the place. At that time, I could never forget the murderous atmosphere I was feeling on my back. 19 - Episode 19 First Barrier City Since then, we''ve come to the first ward city. We''ve just arrived at the place where we''ll be staying now. The best thing about this is that they are the worst. They''re just regular criminals. Well, yeah. Since then, I''ve told Sophia everything. I told her how I ended up in the twilight for two years. But it seems that she knew from the exchange and that''s why she helped me out. I want to honestly thank her for her kindness. ''''Even so, it''s really disgusting to have those guys with me.......it sounds like we''re going to have a party or something from now on.......'''' ''Wouldn''t you agree, Sophia?¡¡That''s what I thought all along when Julia told me about it too! Shelly and Sophia were having a great time talking shit about them, but I kept getting depressed. If I hadn''t been so weak in the first place, none of that would have happened. If I had always been strong, if I''d had the courage to refuse their demands, maybe that wouldn''t have happened. When I thought about it, I hesitated to condemn Dan and his friends. There is certainly resentment. There is definitely a hatred that burns from deep within this body, but my conscience suppresses it. I, above all, did not want to be like them. I hated that ideology of oppressing the weak just because they were strong. Sure, in the twilight world, that was the truth. But it wasn''t always true in the human world either. I believe that strong people are there to protect the weak, because the weak are there to protect themselves. Because weak people cannot protect themselves. So if strong people don''t protect themselves, they will die. That''s what I thought. If I''m going to use this power, it should be for someone else. It''s the person like me in the past that I am now. ''''Hmph........'''' What''s going on, Julia? ''No, it''s nothing, Shelly. So, I think we''re having a party tonight, right? Yes. Then the three of us parted ways, deciding to meet here again in the evening. Sherry and Sophia both seem to have something to do. Fortunately, the party starts in the evening, so it should be fine, but I''m just not holding on to it. So let''s take a look around the bounded city. With that decision made, I set out for the city. ¡ó As its name suggests, the Kekkai City has a ward. It is said that the ward has the effect of repelling the demon race. It is harmless to humans and it exists in all cities. But this first ward city has a more special ward. It''s in the royal castle located in the center of the city. A royal castle. It is the place where the royalty lives. A royal family is a special being, a family that maintains this ward city. Thanks to them, the ward is maintained. However, it seems that the warding can only be maintained from the first ward city, although the logic behind this is unclear. Even if you are not directly in that city, all the ward cities are managed by the first ward city. That''s why this place is so special. ''''Hey, you...........What''s your attitude after bumping into him?¡¡Ah! As I was walking down the street, I heard such a voice coming from the back alley. And when I looked closely, I saw that it was a girl there. Her hair is tied up in twin-tails, and she has an innocent look on her face. But if anything, it was an appearance that should be described as beautiful rather than cute. Also, from the looks of it, she was probably younger...but she was surrounded by three large men. It seems to be a struggle. ''''Huh ... um, can you get out of my way?'''' Hey, hey, hey, hey. You bumped into me, didn''t you? Well you''re going to get a lot of jokes... The man then tries to draw the sword at his waist. Perhaps all three of them are anti-magicians, but attacking a human is a crime. And there''s no way that girl can handle these men. ''''Excuse me ... did this girl do something rude?'''' ''Oh?¡¡Who are you? He''s my brother. Well, my brother... No, I don''t believe it. I thought that was a pretty lousy argument, but can you understand it? This girl and I don''t look anything alike. First of all, the color of her hair is very different. I''ve got a very white hair color, while hers is a light pink color. And the face doesn''t resemble each other at all. We are complete strangers, but I guess men don''t care about that. At any rate, it seems that he wants to vent his frustation. Then it''s okay for me to be his partner. "You know how to make up for it, don''t you, brother? Hey, let''s do it. The usual? All three of these guys seem to be doing this on a regular basis. Apparently, we can''t let these guys off the hook. ''''Stay in the back I''ll take care of things here. ''Yeah!¡¡Thank you, big brother! Oh you''re a good swallowing boy. He''s getting along with my poor acting. And I stare at the three of them. Their weapons are all broadswords. But perhaps they are using magic as well. I immediately activate the Twilight Sight and check the flow of magic elements. The four major attributes..........................Ice? I see, it''s like generating ice at my feet to block my movements and then beating up the rest of the body.......but.... "Oraa, d*mn it! One of the men said that and activated the magic. But I didn''t allow it to happen. Closing the distance in just one step, I cut through the magic-building magic element as it is with the Invisible Blade ¡¶Invisible Blade¡·, starting from the index finger of my right hand. In order to activate the magic, the magic element must converge. That means that if you make that convergence dissipate, you can block the activation of magic. Normally, magical elements are not perceptible, so such a trick is impossible. But my Twilight Sight catches it. And then, a flash. ''''Huh...!¡¡The magic...! He''s panicking, but I''m already in front of him. Then he thrust the Invisible Blade into my neck. Furthermore, he also activated the Invisible Blade with the fingers of his left hand. He also snatches it at the necks of the remaining two. It cuts through the skin slightly so that it can be perceived, and furthermore, it makes the invisible blade bite into the wall. ''''........If you won''t do anything else, can you go away?¡¡I won''t hurt you anymore. Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. The three men leave, looking at each other as if they were monsters. After all, I don''t feel good doing this........ Thinking about that, I turn back to the girl. ''''You''re good. Very good. Is that illusionary magic?¡¡Out-of-system magic, and that''s a rare thing when it''s not healing. From the looks of it, it''s like an invisible sword?¡¡The length seems to be optional, but not yet flexible. It seems to specialize in spacing, which is his specialty. Now it was fingers, but that''s something other than fingers you can use for something stick-like, right?¡¡Apparently you have a starting point. What do you normally use? ''Well that''s the knife...'' The mood is different. He''s acting more confident than before. And for some reason I''ve been using respectful language. This girl is younger than me, but she''s strangely pressured. And the analysis is too accurate. How can you know that much in a moment?¡¡Who is this girl? ''Knife I see. It''s true that with a knife, it''s no wonder you were carrying yourself earlier. But I haven''t seen one as skilled as you........oh!¡¡Are you Yulia by any chance? ''''Well I am indeed Yulia, but how do you know that?'''' ''''I''m Eira from the First Citadel, the sixth year of the Anti-Magic Academy. My rank as an anti-magician is Special Grade. I''m Eira, a specialist anti-magician. It''s a pleasure to meet you, Julia. Ha....what? This is how I met another new and different, special class anti-magician. 20 - Episode 20 ''What?¡¡A special class anti-magician! This little one is a special class antagonist!¡¡More importantly, six years?¡¡That means he''s two years older than me!¡¡He''s such a little boy! How did you just think this Lori was a master class demon? No, no, sir, not at all. Hmm. It''s okay, it''s just that they''re small and... No, I like it.¡¡I think it''s very pretty. What ... a pedophile! Wait, that perception is misleading! That''s a lie. So how did Julia end up here? "No, I was just taking a walk and I saw a girl being attacked and I wanted to help... ''You have some good points. That said, if I had been with them, those guys would have been beaten to a pulp. Haha..... I could have done it. I had come to understand Eira''s personality in this short time. Free-spirited, she was a good fit for that word. "So how did you know about me? Oh. Gil and Claudia told me about it. They said there''s a monster that''s been in Twilight for two years. ''''Haha........A monster? It''s not that big of a deal, but........ Do you have a lot of time? ''Well yes. Until the party of the night. ''I''ll be in it, just fine. Follow me. Where are you going? My favorite cafe. I''ll buy you a drink. ''Thank you, senior Eira,'' ...Senior? Eira-senpai turns around to face me. Huh?¡¡Did I say something weird? Did you just say you''re a senior? ''Yes. I''m a senior and we''re in different cities, but we''re seniors, right? ''You are fine!¡¡Very nice!¡¡I like it, I''ll take care of Yulia for you! What?¡¡What''s going on, all of a sudden! ''I get made fun of a lot because of my appearance like this so I''m very sensitive to people''s stares and such. Oh, I can tell that this guy is making fun of me. But you give me a proper respectful look, and you have a good attitude!¡¡He calls me senior, and that''s good! Huh....I see. I don''t know why they liked me. But I''m going to be a special class of anti-magician too. It would be very nice to have someone who is close to me. And I don''t want to create any weird conflicts in relationships. Then let''s go! I understand. And I followed Eira''s seniors, who were advancing with such a light gait that they could almost skip. ¡ó So, is it true that you''ve been in the twilight for two years? It''s true. I''ve been through a lot. Then we came to a nearby cafe and talked about things. It''s not that she didn''t believe in me, but she wanted to know a lot of things about twilight as a genuine interest. ''''Heh... that''s amazing. Crossing the continent in one year. ''''I was fed up with my lack of direction, when I found that out...'''' So he''s been back for another year. ''This time we got a lot of support in the village of Ogre, but the map apparently wasn''t accurate and we got even more lost... and it took us another year to cross the street... well, that was a tough one...'' And you have one, right? "Do you have twilight syndrome? Yeah, I''m here. I''m here. Saying that, Eira-senpai unbuttoned her chest and glanced at the inside of it. ''''Wait!¡¡It''s a public place! ''That''s okay. I don''t have to show you everything. Here, look. I didn''t care about the modest breasts ... not at all ... well, never mind ... I looked at the engraving on her chest. ''''........Level 5?'''' With Julia, right? I''ll be here. Then he wraps his arm around me and I also show him the engraving on my arm. ''''Wow ... how far is that?'''' It''s up to his shoulders. Isn''t that a level 5 or higher? ''Perhaps. Besides, Princess Liane has examined me, and I seem to be completely at one with the twilight. I see..... It means you''ve been gone for two years. But more importantly, have you met Liane? ''''Yes, sir. I escorted them from the seventh boundary city. By the way, are you still good friends with Eira-senpai?¡¡With Princess Riane. Hmm?¡¡Oh my dear old friend. My family is a bit of an aristocrat. They''re a bunch of jerks. They''re idiots. They''re all trash who only take pride in their blood... He spits that out in a fed-up kind of way. The First Boundary City was a special place, not only were there royalty, but also nobles. There shouldn''t be so many of them, but it was obvious that they were more prestigious than ordinary humans. After that, we talked about other trivial matters and decided to disperse. ''''Well, let''s get going, shall we?'''' Yes, sir. Well, I''ll just go home and change. I''ll see you later, Julia. And I was walking back to the inn. It was just getting dark and I was walking in a less popular area for a shortcut. In the warded city, there is no crime by anti-magicians, so there are some security measures in place. For example, there is a set of magic detecting techniques, and when it is detected, it is reported........ However, it is not in the whole area and the one called blind spot exists. This place is just that blind spot. Although I have a slightly unpleasant feeling, I was continuing on. Just then.........I suddenly felt a fist swinging from behind me. ".........Hey, is it really Yuria? Dan why? The premonition was true. It was Dan who was there. He must have followed me from somewhere. ''''The woman I was with just now ... that''s Eira, the special class anti-magician, right?¡¡I knew right away because it''s so distinctive. So, you ... how did you flirt? ...nothing. We just met by chance. ''''That''s a lie. You''ve certainly improved your physical skills a bit, but there''s no way you can become a special grade anti-magician. "...we can''t do this, Dan. I''m not the guy I was then and I don''t want that to stop. You think you can look down on me like that? .... I don''t mean to be condescending. I''m just sad. He hasn''t changed. He''s always been the same. But maybe it''s the same for me. The only thing that''s changed between us is our combat skills. Dan was strong. I was strong. But I''m probably already ... stronger than Dan. That was evident in the attack just now. ''''Yuria!¡¡You!¡¡Don''t look at me like that! Dan pulls the broadsword from his waist and swings it at me. But it''s too late, Dan it''s too late. There''s no way you can survive in the depths of the twilight with that kind of speed. At best, I''ll be a little out of the safe zone. Dan''s attack, which was completely emotional, was too monotonous. If this was the case, there was no need to use his abilities separately. ''''........What? I grab the sword with just my fingertips, and just like that, I twist his wrist and knock the sword down to the spot. ''Dan, this is the reality I just want it to stop. ''Screw you, screw you, screw you, screw you!¡¡So you''re saying Julia is stronger than me?¡¡That''s not possible! This time it was magic. And when I looked behind me, I saw Rebecca and Aria there as well. The girls are trying to set up wards around them to exorcise people and even support Dan''s magic. Why, you guys are........why! I think we''re done here. I activate Twilight Sight, Twilight Sight. Then, when I perceive the element, I use Invisible to interfere with the element and activate it. Then the element is shattered. At the same time, the wards also disappear completely. All three of them were falling on their asses on the spot in reaction to the magic being erased. ''''Don''t get involved with me anymore........'''' Finally, he said that and I left. And there was no doubt that he was looking at me with a gaze that made me feel like I was going to kill someone. And yet........I ran away. I didn''t know what I should do in a situation like this. So I ran. I want nothing to do with it. They remind me of the man I used to be, and I hate it. I''ve been thinking about suing them for legal action, but I''ve been on the fence. To begin with, the only evidence is my testimony, and if you call it a lie, that''s all there is to it. There are people who believe that I was really in the twilight, but that is just circumstantial evidence. The fact that I was in the twilight is only in my memory. And even with that in mind, I may have to face Dan and the others someday. It''s not like we''re going to meet again here and end up like this. It''s fate. That''s why I need to say goodbye to the past..... 21 - Episode 21 Party After that, we came back to the inn and changed into formal wear. However, I only changed into a suit that was prepared separately. But Sofia seems to be strangely excited about it, and although I refrained from doing my face''s makeup, it seems that she will do my hair and makeup for me. ''''Hmm, I wonder how it will look like this? You didn''t have to. No!¡¡We''ve got to be properly cool! Is that how it works? Yes! So my hair was now a little rough and ready. But there it was shiny and slightly broken up because of the oil used, and it was slightly broken up. It certainly gave it a rough, masculine look rather than a pretty one. The tactile sensation next to the bangs was also lightly waved with a hair iron, and it''s kind of amazingly spirited. ''''Isn''t this.......weirdly noticeable?'''' I''m fine!¡¡Hmmm, I guess that''s perfect for me! And when my hair and makeup was done, Shelly came into the room. By the way, she was in my room now, having her hair and makeup done in my room. ''''........'''' ''What?¡¡Is that weird? You don''t look so different. I didn''t think I''d change this much... Is it that different? ''No, I''m not, or rather, I''m not!¡¡It''s like, "Oh, my God. Huh.........hair is a surprisingly important factor....... It''s different with a shaved head and hair. That''s extreme.... Sofia, who was listening to the conversation, nodded her head in some kind of oomph. ''''Yeah!¡¡It''s perfect!¡¡My work is the best! You know, the works? Yeah. The works!¡¡Hey Julia, look more closely. ''Yeah...'' I was handed a mirror and took another look at myself. The hair tied up in the back is broken up a bit roughly, and the bangs are also neatly flowing and lightly waved. And with the addition of a glossy look to it, this may indeed be a different person compared to what we''ve seen so far....... ''''Well, let''s go! Sofia is doing well. Of course!¡¡Are Julia and Shelly somewhat nervous? Yeah, that''s right!¡¡I can''t believe you''re coming to a party like this... ughhhh... By the way, Sophia and Shelly are dresses. It''s just that they''re both pretty sensational dresses that are puckered up at the back. Sherry is red and Sophia is blue. And her hair is up and very pretty...or maybe pretty is more appropriate. And so we headed to the party hall in the castle. ¡ó It''s big and wide... Well, Sherry and I have a few things to say. Saying that, Sophia and Sherry leave. Sherry is the daughter of the head of the academy, and Sophia is the daughter of a special class anti-magician, so apparently there''s a lot of greetings going on. Sophia seems to be used to it, but Sherry is not very good at this kind of thing, and was quite stiff and nervous. And once again, I''m alone. When I was thinking that I am, after all, alone in this kind of situation.......there was a little girl walking in from the other side. That''s..... ''''Eira-senpai, this is very nice.'''' He bows his head in a bow. ''Oh, dull. I''m seriously lazy. Who the hell decided to go around saying hello and all that...'' So complains she is also dressed in a dress. Right now, she has her peach-colored twin-tails pulled together in a twirl, and she''s holding them up on either side. But her breasts...yes, she doesn''t have breasts. There''s a faint bulge, but... well, this is, well, the future holds out! There may be no more hope......... ''''Senior, there is hope! "?¡¡Really? Well ... you should always pursue the possibility! Well, yeah. So, are you alone? ''My friends say hello or something, so now I''m all alone. I don''t even have anyone to say hello to. "...then come with me. Even Julia will be useful to you. "?¡¡What do you mean? ''There''s a lot of trouble at this party. Sometimes I get engaged and other times I get asked to marry you. ''What?¡¡Seriously?! It''s only natural that we have the best and brightest people in the city here. Besides, you want to cross your genes with the best ones, don''t you?¡¡For the future of humanity. It sounds like you have no idea what you''re talking about... ''But we can''t ignore genetics either. In fact, royalty does, and nobles have had strong counter-magicians for generations. It''s unfortunate, but it can''t be helped. Well it''s a tough world, isn''t it? ...Speaking of which, you look strangely chic. Did you do that yourself? No, my friend did. Hmm?¡¡Your friends are men, right? "...I don''t have any male friends. I only have two female friends... Wow you''re worse than me. ''Yes. I would have loved to hang out with my guy friends too... ''Well, sometimes life is like that. In Julia''s case, she was in the twilight for two years, so it can''t be helped. A hand is placed on my shoulder with a pop. Senpai is very small, but he''s a very big person. I''m really glad to have met this person. I''m so glad I met him. I''m going to follow you for the rest of my life! Yeah, well what''s up with you all of a sudden? ''I just realized how great my seniors are!¡¡Truly, senior Eira is a big person! Oh, yeah? Yes ... it''s very big! Yeah, heh. I guess so, huh? Of course! And as I was praising and praising my senior.......it was a strange man who came over. ''Eira, it''s very unusual for you to be in such a good mood. Gee, Derrick... He''s quite tall. He''s at least ten centimeters taller than me, so he''s in the upper six foot range. Her hair was short, and her face was more ... neutral than beautiful. He had a soft demeanor, but I could sense the grace of an adult in his manner. Who on earth was this person?¡¡You know Eira''s senior? I''m Derrick. Nice to meet you, Uriah... He asks me to shake his hand and I hold it. It''s thick. These hands are the hands of someone who has clutched the sword tens of thousands of times. How do you know my name? That''s what Eira told me. We''re so close. "f*ck you!¡¡I don''t like you! Hahaha Eira is cute as ever. ''Ki-iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! The senpai managed to try to hit her, but the difference in reach is too great and her head is completely held down. ''''I''m one of the special class anti-magicians too. It''s nice to meet you from now on. ''''............................Special Grade Anti-Magic! I lower my head even more carefully. Then Derrick-san makes a pouty face. ''Oh, by the way, did you hear about that? What are you talking about? It''s the main thing at this party, but again... "?¡¡Speaking of which, are you having a function? ''''Not really, usually. It''s just the royals, and Silas addressing them as a representative of the special class of anti-magicians. ''''Well the way you put it, what''s going on this time?'''' Oh, Julia. Didn''t you hear me?¡¡Well Silas always talks so slowly, you know. Oh, poor thing. You''re not prepared for anything. I''m kind of getting sympathy from both of you...?¡¡That''s about it, but it doesn''t make sense. What in the world is going on? ''''Well then, let''s have the star of this show, the thirteenth special class anti-magician, Yulia Curtis, come to us. On the stage, Silas-san is holding the microphone and telling him so. Eh.........is that what that stage is for?¡¡I thought someone would say hello, but I didn''t think........ By the way, I told them that I had already agreed to the matter of becoming a special class anti-magician. Based on the matter of Dan and the others, I''m not going to show them..............................but I thought a certain pose was necessary. And it''s also because I''m getting sick of them making fun of me any more. I''ll need to show them a lot of things as a form. Of course, that''s not the only reason, but I''ve decided to move on. I needed to clarify my past with them and my own position. But as expected, I didn''t expect it to turn out this way, so naturally I was confused. ''''Say, Yulia-kun. Go ahead.'''' This is how I officially became a special class anti-magician, but I never imagined it would turn out like this, and I headed for the stage with a lot of nervousness. 22 - Episode 22: 13th Special Class Anti-Magic Hey, Mr. Silas, you''re not listening to me! ''What?¡¡Didn''t I tell you that? I didn''t say that! ''Well, well, it''s just a quick hello. And you''re going to be one of humanity''s best hope. Can''t I be as ostentatious as this? Okay. Technically I''m still not convinced, but I take the microphone from Silas and stand in the middle of the stage and begin to greet him. ''Well, nice to meet you all. My name is Julia Curtis. I''m extremely happy to be chosen as the 13th special class anti-magician. From now on, I will do everything in my power for humanity with all my might.... A little stiff?¡¡But I tried to continue speaking, but........hmm?¡¡There''s some kind of mass of people in front of me, and for some reason they''re holding a microphone. Um.........could this be....... ''''Congratulations, the thirteenth special class anti-magician to be inaugurated, I''m sure all of humanity will be happy about it. Oh, thank you. It''s like a press conference!¡¡The media was there too!¡¡No wonder it''s so crowded!¡¡Eh ... maybe this is like answering all the questions? Now, I have a question for you... Oh, I knew I''d get the question. ''''The thirteenth special class anti-magician will be chosen. I''m sure many of you already knew this, but perhaps the most interesting thing is.......your background. Among them, is the rumor that you have been in Twilight for two years true? It''s leaked!¡¡Hey, what''s going on with your personal information?¡¡It''s totally leaked!¡¡I''m not trying to hide anything by any means, but it''s okay!¡¡I mean, everyone knew that the thirteenth special class antagonist was going to be chosen! That man.........it''s definitely Thad. There''s no doubt about it......... Now what is to be done? You can lie here, but after all........you should answer honestly. And I''m not being told to keep this a secret from anyone. I just thought it would be best not to tell anyone about it myself without permission. ''''It''s true. I''ve been in the twilight for two years. I''ve only recently returned to the Kekkai City. Does that mean the rumors are true...? I''m sure of it. At that moment, "Special news, special news! Saying that, I saw several people leaving this hall. Eh.........could this be an article already?¡¡Is this possibly....bad? I don''t want to show off too much. It''s probably in my nature. It''s hard to change my introverted nature. That''s why I''m a little intimidated by it, but I try not to show it on my face. Even though it''s sudden, I''m now officially a special class anti-magician. In that case, you should act resolutely. ''''What kind of life will you have in the twilight...?'''' It''s... From there, this press conference lasted for two hours.... ¡ó I''m tired... Well, you''ve done a good job. It was Eira-senpai who came down from the stage and came near me. Senpai is so kind to call out to me at a time like this. ''''Are you always like that, Silas-san?'''' ''Well, it''s a bit natural. But I guess I''m enjoying what happened with it too... Isn''t that the worst... Well, let''s go. You''re going? A meeting. It''s a special class of demons. It''s rare that all of them are here this time. But considering the other ward cities, it''s not a good idea to gather all the special class anti-magicians here. We''ll probably be done in less than an hour. Now, the meeting... Maybe they''ll make me introduce myself. And I''ve been there. Speaking of which, when did senior Eira become a special class anti-magician? A year and a half ago. ''Oh, no wonder you didn''t know that... oh, but the numbers haven''t changed since I knew them? I''m twelfth on the pecking order and the last one died. So I''m filling in. Can you replenish your supply with that? I can''t. It''s just a matter of timing for me. I see... Okay, let''s go. Yes, sir. I followed Eira-senpai. And just as I was leaving this venue, I saw Dan, Rebecca and Aria near the exit. They were all unbelievable.......I was sure they were more hostile to me than they were to me. Why him?¡¡How could he be a failure? That''s what he must be thinking. And at the press conference, why two years in the twilight?¡¡I left the question of "What do you think?" appropriately muddled. I could have condemned them here, but I felt I should talk to them directly. I am no longer the me of those days. I''m Yulia, a special class anti-magician. I''m going to take care of my past by myself...because I''ve made up my mind to do so. And I dare to ignore that look and leave the place. ¡ó We arrived at the conference room. There was a large round table placed in the center of the room. It seems that they sit on the right side of the table in order of rank. I''m 13th in the order, so I''m last for now. But I''m next to Eira, so I''m a little relieved. ''''Senpai, I''m.......glad to get to know you. I can really rely on you. It''s not like you''re suddenly... ''Ah!¡¡Eira, she''s so embarrassed. You and Julia have become friends?¡¡I love it... I love it! Gee, Claudia you''re moving too fast.... Julia''s coming!¡¡Well, it''s coming fast! The person there was Claudia-san, whom I met in the Seventh Boundary City. ''''Let''s introduce ourselves again. My name is Claudia. I''m seventh in the order, how do you do? Yes. It''s nice to meet you. The scent of her perfume tickles my nostrils as I approach her to shake her hand. A mature woman..... She''s a little taller than me (probably because she''s wearing heels) and has long blonde hair that''s curled up in a vertical bun. Most importantly, he''s soft-spoken and friendly. By the way, Eira-senpai has a lot of dislikes with Derrick-san and Claudia-san....... As I do so, yet another person approaches. ''''Yo, Yulia. ''This is Mr Gill. It''s been a while. I''m number three on the pecking order. Nice to meet you again. Yes! He bowed his head with a smile. Gil-san also seemed very dependable, like a big brother. It seems I''m being welcomed with open arms, I thought. ''Yes, yes. Everyone take your seats, we''re going to have a meeting. Then the rest of the members and Silas-san came in. But I didn''t greet the other special class anti-magician people. I tried to greet each and every one of them, but they said, "Don''t do it. You''re wasting your time. It''s no use wasting your time." Eira-senpai told me that special-grade demons are strong as monsters, but many of them are very peculiar, so I gave up. And 13 people, including me, are gathered at the round table. There are many unfamiliar faces, but even so, you can tell from the atmosphere alone that they are not just anyone. It''s as if they are wearing multiple layers of thick, deadly air like coats. The air in this room is somehow heavy. That''s what I was feeling intuitively. Then let''s have our new special class antimagician, Yulia-kun, say hello. Since it''s you guys anyway, it''s probably a few people who were at the party earlier. Well then, Yulia-kun, please. Yes! I stand up and introduce myself to them all with a brittle look in my eyes as they all price tag me. ''''My name is Julia Curtis. It''s an honor to be chosen as a Special Class Counter-Magician. I hope to contribute to humanity as much as you all do, so I look forward to working with you. As soon as I say that, I realize that a knife is flying in front of me. Fast.........rather than fast.......it feels like it was released as if it was sewing outside of my consciousness......but....... I immediately activated Invisibility ¡¶Invisible¡· as if it were a wall. Then I changed it to wrap around that wall and I killed the momentum of the knife and grabbed it. There was no intent to kill it, just a throw that was a test. Still, it was easy to see that I had considerable skill. ''I see. Silas, Gil, Claudia, and Eira are just guessing. It seems to be able to do so-so. By the way, I''m Roy, nice to meet you. It was the person in the fourth seat from Mr. Silas who made that statement. His hair stands up in a twirl, and his color is a bizarre mixture of blue, green and yellow itself. And he''s wearing sunglasses. I''ve always wondered if the fourth person in the pecking order is apparently quite belligerent and flamboyant. ''''So, is it for real that you''ve been in Dusk for two years? Yes, yes it''s true. What are the levels? "Do you have twilight syndrome? What else could it be? ''I''m level 5 but if you can see my arm...'' I expose my right arm completely. Then everyone stares at it intently. Hahahahahahaha. It''s a monster. You''re the first one to come up to this level. I''ll admit it, Julia. You will be fighting on the front line on a battlefield like hell, from now on, well ... good luck. And next, Mr. Silas opened his mouth. ''''Well, looks like the customary thing is over. And as everyone''s gaze gathers once again, I realize that I''ve been approved to become a special class anti-magician. I''ve been granted the right to become a special class counter-magician. I will become a member of the Special Class Counter-Magician, which is regarded as the last hope for humanity. 23 - Episode 23 The Beginning of Demise Now dismissed. Each of you will hold fast to your assigned cities. Silas said, and the day was dismissed. After that, there was nothing special, and the meeting just progressed unhurriedly. The red crystal was brought up on the agenda, but as it stands now, it was agreed that we need to be careful. And I left the conference room without even a bother to greet the rest of the special class antimagicians. I''m not going to be able to say a word. Let''s meet again sometime. Although, the special class versus demons travel a lot between cities, so we''ll see each other soon. ''Yes, sir. I''d like to thank senior Eira for all the help she''s given me. He smiles at me with a smile. I''m really grateful that you''ve been so kind to me, a newbie. Well, I''m going to say goodbye now. I''m really going to miss you, but........we''ll meet again someday. Until then, I will do my part. Eira, I''ve been waiting for you. Mother?¡¡Why are you here? Eira senior apparently had a family member waiting for her. Family, huh? It''s a word I''ve never been associated with. When I can remember, it was natural for me to be alone. And I was alone for two years in the twilight. This is how I came back, and although I''ve made new connections, I still hadn''t wiped out the perception that I was alone. ''I don''t want to interrupt you...let''s get going. ''''Huh?¡¡You''re Julia, aren''t you? ''Oh, yes I do, but...'' That''s what I thought, but he calls out to me. It''s not a good idea to be evil here, so I''ll just say hello. ''I''m Eira''s mother, my name is Lila. Henceforth, please get acquainted. ''This is very polite of you. I''m Julia. Hmm..... What''s going on? ''No, I haven''t seen my daughter talking so happily in a long time. What?¡¡You''ve been watching! Yes, that''s it. Julia, my daughter still has a lot of problems, but please be good to her, she has a good heart. She has a good heart. Of course!¡¡Besides, senior Eira has been a great help to me! ''Oh my goodness, well you''ve really met the right person, Eira. ''Hm ... it''s fine. It''s my friendship, so let it go........ The fact that my face was slightly reddening was probably........it wasn''t my imagination. I watched the exchange with a smile, thinking that seniors get embarrassed too. Then we parted ways. ¡ó It''s been put on.........................I sensed it the moment I left the royal castle. A look of clear hostility. But then, this is no different than a living animal instinctively. In the twilight, there was a technique of hiding hostility and killing intent to the very edge, only to bare it when it was time to kill. That was something even the less dangerous demons did. It must be very emotional to be spreading hostility like this...and I lured him into the alleyway. It won''t be that big of a mess here......I''m already prepared. "........Julia. ...Dan. And Rebecca and Aria. All three of them are staring at me. Of all of them, Dan''s eyes are the sharpest. It''s not surprising that he''ll be trying to kill me in the next moment. Of course, I can''t just let them kill me, either. In the worst case, I''m willing to use force. The time of separation has come. I''ve become a specialist anti-magician and there''s no need to be afraid anymore. You will have to behave accordingly. "You''re the thirteenth person to become a special class anti-magician?¡¡What a joke, dude. ''''It''s not a joke. I even attended a meeting of the Special Class Anti-Magicians earlier and officially became the thirteenth person to do so. ''''Well it doesn''t matter. Teme, what did you use? Do you want it? Don''t play dumb!¡¡You must be on some kind of medication! ''Yes!¡¡Otherwise, it wouldn''t be possible! ''''There''s no way Julia is a special class antimagician!¡¡There''s no way you''re ahead of us! The constant abuse. Oh I''m sure they can''t admit it. They can''t or don''t want to admit that the people they''ve mistreated in the past, the people they knew would die and abandoned, have returned only to find they''ve become a special-grade antimagician.... But the reality is different. I was banished to the twilight world by them, but I survived. And then I gained power and became a special grade anti-magician. This is the only other thing that is true. Dan, Rebecca, and Aria were talented, and they were indeed excellent. Hence, they can''t be recognized. So it was easy to see what they would do next. ''Yuliaaaaah! Dan pulls out his broadsword and also comes up with some physical enhancements and calls out to me. Rebecca and Aria are in support, setting up a wall of ice around me, and also wards to prevent me from escaping. The hostility I feel from the three of them. To the point of falling, I''ve fallen.............................Then I won''t hesitate anymore. I''ve been holding back until now. I thought they would understand one day, too. But people don''t change that easily. I''ve gotten stronger, but not much has changed in my character. And I''m sure Dan and his friends will never change. They look down on others and take pleasure in it. Their lowly thoughts and actions are directed at me. There is no more hesitation. That''s right, that''s enough. I''ve been patient too. Maybe one day we will be able to understand each other. But we''re stuck together forever. We can''t do this anymore. After our past, I thought about it a lot. But then again, that''s just the way they are. There''s no way to change their nature of being lowlifes. I''ve reached the end of my patience. I''ve always wanted to be a kind person. That''s partly due to my parents'' influence, but I''ve learned that there are good people in this world. There are good people in this world, and there are bad people. And in the twilight world, I learned about the weak and the strong. I don''t want to get involved anymore, I want to forget about them. That''s why I''ve been running away ever since I came back here. I''ve been running, running, running. I''ve grown strong, but my heart has remained weak. But I''m done with my indecision. I can''t be kind to everything. This ugly part of me is also part of being human. I missed it before, but not this time. Now ... they''re too late. And then ... the anger from that time is welling up in me. A black emotion surrounds me. Yes, they deserve what they deserve. No more hesitation, no more confusion. Pulling a knife from my pocket, I activate the Invisible Blade, the Invisible Blade. I catch Dan''s sword head-on. ''''Goooooooooooh!¡¡Yuliaaaaah! There is hostility in all three of them. But Dan''s hostility is special. Jealousy, envy, hatred, and a mix of emotions. All he wants to accomplish is to bring me to my knees. More than anything else, it''s what they''ve been saying. Human society is also weak and strong. But looking at the current situation, I''m a special class anti-magician and he''s a first class anti-magician. At a glance, their abilities seem to be close. But a special class counter-magician is the hope of humanity. It is also a symbol of humanity. It was obvious that they were different in rank. And even though he was stronger, Dan''s skills were clearly inferior to Shelley''s. He had said that hard work was something talentless trash did. The same goes for Rebecca and Aria. They were blessed with talent. That''s why they were much stronger. But ability is ... talent, hard work, and environment. It''s something that can only be established when those three are properly intertwined. It''s true that Dan and the others were full of talent, but talent alone has its limits. That''s where we are now. This is what happens to people who continue to look down on others and are drowning in talent. ''....Dan, Rebecca, Aria, let''s get this over with. I swung the Invisible Blade with all my might and flicked off Dan''s broadsword. Furthermore, the Invisible Blade extended from my fingertips also blocked Rebecca and Aria''s body movements. To put it bluntly, they are too weak. I can handle this degree no matter how much they bunch up. And I kick Dan''s pigeon tail as hard as I can and make him fall on his ass in front of me. Oh...?¡¡Eh...? I guess he hasn''t noticed. I thrust the Invisible Blade into Dan''s left leg. However, I didn''t do enough to penetrate it. It''s not enough to cause any aftereffects. It was just a light stab. ''''Waaaaaah!!!! Dang! ''You''re all right!¡¡Julia, this is a crime! It''s clearly self-defense, since the three of us came to you and attacked you. Well, I''m going to do it without being overly defensive but I need to adjust accordingly. "Yulia, you........you did it!¡¡My leg!¡¡Legs oooh! I''m sure he''s upset because he''s never been hurt properly before. I just looked at the scene with cold eyes. Clumsy. That''s all I can say. In the end, this is what happens to people who have grown up, become conceited, and looked down on others. And I''m going to thrust the Invisible Blade into Dan''s leg once more, but Dan''s fright becomes uncommon. And the magic from Rebecca and Aria isn''t flying either. What''s going on........? ''''Oh ... ah ... ah ... eh ... eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. ''No, no! Dan''s unvoiced voice. And Aria''s scream. I turned around to see that it was not just a matter of time. And there it is......... ".... There was the figure of Rebecca being preyed upon by the demon. The giant spider from that time, the Huge Spider ¡¶Huge Spider¡·. It had bound Rebecca with strings and was preying on her as it was. There was no longer an archetype there. Rebecca simply died. The bright red blood dripping on the ground........that speaks eloquently of it....... This is what the uncomfortable feeling at that time was like..........but....... Thus.........the worst hell in history begins. 24 - Episode 24 Attack ''Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....'' Help me!¡¡Julia, help me, eeeeeeeeeeee!¡¡Julia aaaaaaah!¡¡Oh no! Dan was too afraid to make his voice sound normal. Then Rebecca''s entire body was swallowed up. I quickly unleashed all of my abilities and ran across the land to save Aria, but...it was already too late. Although only slightly, I was stunned by the scene that was so unusual. Why is there a demon here? And what was that monster? Rebecca''s dead? It was too abrupt. Various thoughts ran through my brain and it took me a while to accept this reality. Because of that........Aria was also bound by the thread.......and became the food of that demon as it was. This is the reality that humanity is being ruled by demons. I''ve seen many scenes like this in the twilight. Even if they were of the same demon race, if they were of different species, they would kill each other. And yet, does the fact that the same person is the target of this cowering make me this cowering? And there is also the option of abandoning Dan here. But that would be........the same as them at that time. Only that........I didn''t want to do that. ''Dan!¡¡Let''s get out of here!¡¡Hurry up! ''Rebecca ... Aria ... ahhhhh ... ahhh ... ahhh ...'' Let''s go, come on! I raised my voice, but Dan seemed to be sitting up and unable to move. But where did that giant spider come from.......but now is not the time to analyze your opponent. We have to get out of here, quickly. Dan, on the other hand, isn''t moving at all. But that''s not unreasonable. The two people who were with you all the time, dying so cruelly like that, it''s not something you can endure unless there''s something extraordinary about it. It''s because I was in the twilight that I was able to respond quickly to this reality, but it''s only natural that I would normally be devastated. ''''........Hahahahahahahahahahaha! Dan suddenly starts laughing. Don''t you understand the urgency of this situation?¡¡And while we are doing so, we are surrounded in the blink of an eye. Then Dan suddenly stood up quickly and ran towards the huge spider, the Huge Spider, which appeared in large numbers. ''''Dan!¡¡I''m going to die! What are you thinking about?¡¡Are you trying to die?¡¡A moment after thinking that, I see an impossible sight. ''''Haha........haha.......I knew it. That man was right. Hahahahahaha, hahahahahahahahahaha!¡¡Yes, I did it!¡¡He did it!¡¡Now I can surpass you!¡¡I will be the strongest! What ... what are you ... what are you saying ... Dan? The scene was different. Yes, there were giant spiders, the Huge Spider, around him. They were there, but they weren''t attacking him or eating him. They were surrounding him as if they were protecting him. The actuality of the situation is that it''s not just a matter of time before you''ll be able to find out what''s going on, but it''s also a matter of time before you''ll be able to find out what''s going on. . I can do it.... "...what are you talking about? ''It''s all for this moment. I''m sorry about Rebecca and Aria, but I just thought they were going to be annoying. I''m glad they died for the sake of convenience. With this much magic in my body I could be the most powerful thing in the world. You''re not..... That''s right. I''m not human already. I''m with the demon race! You''ve sold out the human race. You''re crazy. Mankind is going to lose. So why shouldn''t we be on the winning side? How long have you been doing this... how long have you been doing this...! "Right before you came back from the dusk, I met someone. Because of that person, I was taught how to become strong. I''m even more than you are! The magic element that blows around. I know this because I''m deploying Twilight Sight. The magic element converged to envelop Dan........and what appeared there was the deformity itself. ''''Hahahahahahahahaha!¡¡Hey, Yulia!¡¡I''m stronger than you!¡¡I''m stronger than you, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah! Dan''s figure was already not human. His body was completely dominated by twilight, and red-black patterns invaded his entire body. I was only able to use my right arm, but Dan was completely integrated. His appearance was like........the demon race itself. Are you saying that the Twilight Syndrome is going to end up over there? And who is ''he''? What did you tell Dan? And just before I came back from twilight?¡¡So this ... this ... this was planned from then on?¡¡¡¡No way........is there another traitor to humanity.......besides him.......? When you think about it, it''s indeed hard to believe that Dan did it alone. Normally, a ward city has quite strong wards. It shouldn''t be able to be broken through by a giant spider ¡¶Huge Spider¡·. If that''s the case, what would be led from there....... "Die eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!¡¡Julia ah! Before you can even think about it, Dan runs across the earth and swings his broadsword. The sharpness of that flash is already unlike anything Dan has ever seen before. He''s definitely growing.......no, this isn''t that. It''s beyond human ... that''s what I thought was correct. Then I held the knife in my right hand and activated the Invisible Sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡·. I immediately duck that attack. ''''Yuliaaaaah!¡¡Don''t avoid it, eh, eh! The sanity is already gone. Only madness is there. It was the only thing holding him back. It''s my fault. It''s because I was too scared. I''ve been putting off because I was too afraid to get involved with them I should have told someone sooner. I shouldn''t have thought about settling things with them on my own...I shouldn''t have thought about that. I should have gone to the right people as soon as I got back. But I was afraid to do it, so I didn''t. Dan. I''m going to kill you. I''ll make it up to you, at least. It may be too late, but we can''t put this off any longer. Now is the time. It''s now or never! I activated the Invisible Blade, using my free right leg as a starting point, and activated the Invisible Blade. ''''U........ghoho.......Yu, Yuliaaah! ''''Wha.......how is that possible?! My Invisible Blade certainly pierced my heart. Nevertheless, Dan didn''t die. He attacked me with an even greater intent to kill me. "Come on, let''s have some fun!¡¡Hey, Yuliaaaaaaaaaaah!'''' And then the madness hit me. 25 - Episode 25 Cutting through the past Dan sold out the human race. And he killed Rebecca and Aria, and is also one of the reasons why this first ward city is being plunged into hell. The screams and rage never cease. A burning, searing rage rises within me as I see this scene. An emotion I''ve never felt before. But I''m sure this is what hatred, anger, is all about. I wish everyone could be mild-mannered and get along with each other. That''s what I thought. But that''s too kind and too sweet. Reality is heartless. And maybe that''s why I made Dan the way he is. The more I thought about it, the more I couldn''t just let him go. I''m going to kill him. I have to kill him. That''s my mission now. I have decided to wield this blade for the sake of the people who have died. "That''s good, Yulia!¡¡That hateful look in your eyes, you know that too! He continues to talk all the time, probably because of his still unusually excited state. I don''t answer it. There''s no point in talking about it, and I don''t want to waste my energy. And I had decided that I would give my all in this fight. The strength of my Invisible Blade, the Invisible Blade, lies in its ''invisibility''. It can change its length at will, and it has no limit to its starting point. You can activate the Invisible Blade with your right knife and free left hand, as well as with both feet. In addition, he can change his reach and has only the same amount of mass as the knife. This makes it overwhelmingly easy to handle. Also, it doesn''t feel heavy enough to launch from your fingers and feet. And even a knife is only trivial. If you make use of all the advantages of the Invisible Blade, you can overwhelm even a strengthened Dan. I was convinced of that. ''''Ha........Ah.......? Dan lets out a stunned voice. He doesn''t know the nature of my Invisible Sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡·. That''s why I haven''t been able to react at all. Since I have a knife, I was caught off guard by its short reach. Of course, I didn''t miss it and popped his left arm. I was actually going to take his head off, but it seems that he knew it was indeed bad, and that''s where he reacted. "Haha, you do it, don''t you Yulia.......but I, you know.......I can do this kind of thing too! A moment later, as the flesh rose from the severed part of his arm, it formed the shape of an arm.......and settled in place. No different than before, Dan''s arm regenerated. The regenerating body. When I looked at it, I suddenly remembered. Wait........as I recall, the giant spider ¡¶Huge Spider¡· that I met on the way here was the same. A regeneration ability that is impossible to have in the normal course of events. Based on that, I thought there must be one. I wondered if Dan also had a core like that red crystal. Deep breath. No more pauses from here on out. We''re gonna kill them all in one fell swoop. That''s all. ".... ''d*mn it!¡¡What the hell is this?! Then I overwhelmed Dan. A reach that changes at will. And even if I focus on the knife, I activate the Invisible Blade from the fingers of my left hand and also from both feet. My invisible sword fights, and even a reach that changes at will. I don''t let them grasp the distance. And it''s overwhelmingly fast. Because it has almost no mass, its swordfights are overwhelming. Dan wasn''t even able to keep up with me in terms of speed. Also, every attack changes its length every time so that it can''t be handled. He used his previous length as a feint as well, and I continued to carve up his body, toying with him, one long, the next short, and so on. And even though the knife was a decoy, he wasn''t able to react to the other attacks at all. Probably, he didn''t notice the fingers on his left hand and the invisible blade from his foot. He must be wondering where in the world something was in that knife from. ''''d*mn it, d*mn it, d*mn it, d*mn it! Dan continued to resist, but my Invisible Blade, the Invisible Blade, shredded Dan''s body. There was no more hesitation. No matter how much I screamed or called out, I was determined to kill Dan. I cut off his arms and then his legs. Where I shaved more limbs, I shred them even more. It seems to be regenerating, but it''s too late. Not being able to keep up with the speed of the Invisible Sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡·, I cut off Dan''s head as it was. Then the dismembered body collapsed and Dan was left with only his neck. The already shredded body disintegrated and finally disappeared as it evaporated. Even so, Dan, who was now only a head, was still alive. Then it would be obvious that that crystal was buried in his head. But still, it howls a lot. The only thing that''s left of its life force is its life force, and it still seems to be able to talk. But it was too clumsy. I was completely unscathed and contented, looking down from above, and Dan was lying on the ground, looking up at me. The contrast between them shows the overwhelming difference in their positions. I''m on top and you''re on the bottom. This was a fact that couldn''t be reversed. I stare at him with cold, completely condescending eyes and thrust the blade at him. Dan, with only his head on the floor, was truly pathetic and hapless. ''''Don''t look at me like that!¡¡Don''t look down on me!¡¡You''re kidding me! And I try to get the last bit of information I need. "Dan. In the end who is that guy? ''I can''t tell you ... I can''t tell you that ... it''s just the way it is! I see. I didn''t know you couldn''t say it even in this situation. Maybe it was some kind of brainwashing, or maybe he was just afraid of the person he was dealing with... Either way, there was definitely something to it. Now, it''s time to end it. It''s time to say goodbye to that past. I lived desperately in the twilight world and came back, and I''ve been perplexed for a long time. How should I wield this power...and what should I do about them? Even though I had the power, I was scared. If I saw them again, I would be reminded of my weakness. But I don''t need those spells anymore. I need to let myself go. It is my weakness that has led me here. I need a strong mind to go along with this power. I don''t need to be weak anymore. I need to face my past and get over it. I need to face it and get over it, so I''ll deal with it myself. That''s the least you can do. And I point the Invisible Blade at him. ''''No ... don''t ... stop ... Yulia, we ... are friends, aren''t we?¡¡I-I need help I don''t want to miss it I don''t want to die. I don''t want to die. I don''t want to die. No, no, no, no, no!¡¡I........I can''t just die here!¡¡No, no, no, no, no!¡¡Hey, I''ll do anything ... if you want me to apologize, I''ll apologize ... Hey Julia, you''re a sweetheart, aren''t you?¡¡Isn''t that right?¡¡Right?¡¡Please!¡¡You''re missing out! You know your death is imminent, as expected, and you imply such nonsense. Do you have any idea how much pain Rebecca and Aria went through and how much they died?¡¡It''s true that I hated those two men, too. But I didn''t hate them enough to die that cruelly ... alive and predatory. That''s how I felt about Dan, but he''d already crossed the line. He crossed the line that he shouldn''t have crossed with impunity. Besides, so many people were still screaming for help, and ... and ... dead. After creating this hell, my friend?¡¡Can you help me?¡¡Will you let me go?¡¡You don''t want to die?¡¡No?¡¡Apologize? Don''t be silly. You can''t do this. Even if you die, you can''t pay for your sins. But you must die. And that''s why I have to kill you. I''m going to wipe it from the world. ''Don''t do it, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!¡¡No, no, no, no, no!¡¡I''ll do anything!¡¡So, that''s why I''m asking you, Uri''ah!¡¡You have to help me!¡¡Don''t kill me don''t kill me!¡¡Hey, hey?¡¡Hey, why don''t you tell him and he can come over here and join us?¡¡So, you know what?¡¡You''d better let me live. I''ll tell the man. Well, I hope you do, and you''ll be stronger... hey, Uriah?¡¡I''m your friend, aren''t I?¡¡See?¡¡You''ll listen to your best friend...? "...I can''t bear to listen to this ...I want to die. ''No, no, no, no, no, no! Then I thrust the Invisible Blade into the remaining head, confirming the feel of the crystal in my brain, and put my strength into it as if to shatter it. At the same time a cracking sound was heard, Dan''s head also disappeared as if it were evaporating. It''s over ... I killed Dan. What was there was just nothingness. No guilt, no elation. I just did what I had to do. It was just done. There was no regret. "...Goodbye, Dan. I muttered to myself and went out into the burning city. I thought I heard something whispered at the end. But I don''t look back anymore. I''m moving forward into the future. 26 - Episode 26 Closed Hope ''Huh ... huh ... huh ... huh ...'' I was running hard through the city. Currently, instead of using a knife, I was activating the Invisible Sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡· with my 10 fingers and both feet, and using it dexterously to exterminate the demons. The only thing that existed was the giant spider ¡¶Huge Spider¡·, but there were too many of them. I''m using the maximum amount of firepower I have to reduce their numbers, but the demons continue to increase one after another. When I look at the outer wall of the city, more and more reinforcements are coming from there. d*mn.........there''s no end to it. This is the mother body that needs to be struck. That''s right, demons basically have a mother body that acts as a group and is a leader. But looking at this, the mother body is outside the city. Probably, they are definitely keeping their distance. This is because there is no sign of a large monster in the vicinity, even if you check it out with your twilight sight. And I was heading to the royal castle in order to understand the current situation. ''''........Wait.......'''' Suddenly, I think aloud. All the special class anti-magicians should be here. But there was no sign of them. The only people fighting are me and my military counter-magician. But many of the mages were already dead. The corpses of many people were piled up on the side of the road. And they were surrounded by burning flames. Besides, the demon this time is a special individual, or perhaps it is acting without a care in the flames. Is it a subspecies of existence...? While thinking this, I reach the royal castle while tearing through the demons in front of me. The anti-magicians there have managed to hold the front line, and they look relieved when they see me. ''''The situation is...! "...go inside. I was told to let you through when you came in. I get it! I walked in, not really knowing what to expect. And there were a lot of people inside. And I look for a special class antimagician somewhere. That''s how I found it........it was Eira-senpai. ''''Yuria! Eira-senpai, what''s the situation? The seniors were tending to the wounded. Many of the people in here were injured and filled with the smell of blood. Various voices were present there: sad voices, confused voices, angry voices. But why was senior Eira alone? Okay that should be okay. Julia, things are bad. Just follow me for now. Yes, sir. And where I followed her was in front of the conference room. What can be found here? Silas, I''ve brought Yulia to you. "...you''re alive. That''s good news. Now, let''s get straight to the point. You and Eira are the only two special-grade anti-magicians who can move now. ...Oh no! I raise my voice. That''s just as well. How are the other special class anti-magicians doing?¡¡And why are we talking through the door? ''Whoa, whoa, whoa!¡¡Why can''t I open it? Roy, you need to calm down. You''re just sapping my strength. Then I heard Roy-san and Claudia-san''s voices from inside. Don''t tell me.......is that what it is.......? I''m sorry, but we''re not going to be leaving this room for a while. We''re all trapped in here. It''s probably an ancient ward. It''s going to take some time to disarm them... ''''........A ward? It''s also so large that a special level anti-magician can''t disarm it immediately... ''You and Eira left soon after that meeting, but soon afterwards the wards were abruptly laid. We all tried to break through, but destruction is currently impossible. That means you two are the only ones who can break through the situation. It seems that the top brass in the military are still not ready to deal with this mess either, so you are the only ones who can move as the biggest force right now. No....no, no, no, no... Mixed thoughts. I thought Dan''s case was strange as well, but this case is even more foreign to me. The existence of a ward to contain the special class antimagician is one thing, but most of all, the fact that they intended to lock everyone in is surprising. This matter is still strange, after all. It''s too different........ I can''t help but feel that someone has an agenda. I''m sorry, but I can''t do anything about it. I''m sorry, but I''ll leave the rest to you........ Silas says that in a sad voice. He is probably full of the desire to go out and do something about it. And yet, we are in a situation where we can''t do anything, and that''s a situation that can only be left to the two people who have relatively recently become special-grade anti-magicians. But we have no choice. Me and Eira-senpai have to lead the way and break this situation. I am anxious, I am afraid. The fate of humanity itself hangs in the balance. Of course I''m afraid. I am strong. But it''s not a panacea. I have not acquired such overwhelming strength that I can surpass everything. Still, I had a certain feeling. When I saw that city that had been turned into hell, I couldn''t stop moving. As a special class anti-magician and the hope of humanity, I need to move. You can''t be lost, as was the case with Dan. I''ve decided........to move forward. When I thought of that, my voice came out naturally. ''''I understand........I''ll do my best. I won''t let you do any more. "...I''m going to go with Julia, Silas. If you can get out, join me as soon as you can. Okay, all right. We''ll do our best. Then Eira-senpai and I went downstairs to discuss the current situation. ''For now, we have to do something about the current situation. ''As for that, first we need to defeat the mother body outside after I and my senior staff have scraped as much as possible. The wards on the outer walls aren''t functioning, so there''s no limit to the amount of demons coming in. The individual''s name is the giant spider ¡¶Huge Spider¡·. That''s the only thing I''ve confirmed. There are just too many of them. To be honest, my combat skills are specialized in single combat. However, when it comes to a group battle like this one, I can''t help but lack the manpower. ''''Well that''s what you call being unlucky. I, on the contrary, specialize in mass warfare. Is that so? Do you know my second name? No, no, I don''t. I''m called the ''Freezing Witch''. Then Eira-senpai and I went out to the burning city. ¡ó ''Hah!!!!! I continued to slice through the demons with the Invisible Sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡·. On the other hand, my senior was overwhelming. She is not known as the Ice Witch. The ice attribute magic she unleashed froze everything. With a simple wave of her right and left hands, ice runs vertically in front of her in one fell swoop, stopping the demons'' life activities. Currently, we''re asking the other anti-magician people to save lives and fight off the demons we leaked. We, on the other hand, prioritize the eradication of the demons. However, the fact that my seniors and I are still maintaining the status quo speaks volumes. The demons that are pouring in are gaining more momentum. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make it happen. We still need to beat the mother body outside. I was perceiving it with my twilight sight. The flow of magical elements that continues on the outside. I''m sure that if I followed this, I could reach the mother body... d*mn it!¡¡More reinforcements, more reinforcements... As I think about it, I see two people I know in my vision. It''s a very good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. ''''........Senior! I know! I was already running out. And as Senpai''s ice realm spreads, I freeze the demon''s feet at once. This time, since the girls are nearby, senpai is only freezing the demon''s feet. In the blink of an eye, he cuts through the bodies of all the demons that were there. ''''........Shelly, Sophia. Are you okay? ''Julia you''re alive........'' Sigh ... thank God ... I was seriously prepared to die for a minute ... I looked behind them and saw the children there, shaking. How could this be happening........how could this be....... You think so, but there is no answer. The only thing to do now is to destroy the demon. But I can''t help but think that. And the hellish battlefield is still going to continue..... 27 - Episode 27 Further Threats Shelly, Sophia, and the kids, are they okay? Yes ... sort of. But the only ones I could protect were these girls... Shelly says that in a sad voice. Sophia also lowers her gaze to that and has a sad expression on her face. Both of them must have had lives that they couldn''t protect. But it''s the same for me. I''ve spilled a lot of lives that I couldn''t save, too. They are both shaking. And so it should be. No one is used to this kind of scene. We were in the center of the screaming inferno, and all we could do was be devastated. Even in such a situation, we have to advance as special class anti-magicians. And I left it up to the other anti-magicians to send Shelly, Sophia, and the children to the royal castle. And I had a feeling that the two of them were not just shaken by the situation, but something more than that, they were frightened. Perhaps there is something that I cannot enter........ ''''Senpai, what do you want to do now?¡¡And the anti-magic army isn''t working? ''The army is working on something, but in this case it''s a disaster. The situation is too chaotic, and they don''t have proper leadership. And it''s not designed to fight in a city. It''s going to take a long time for it to function properly and we have to somehow lead the way... The Counter-Magic Army. While the Counter-Magic Academy is a training organization, the Counter-Magic Army is an organization in which trained Counter-Magicians conduct actual battles. But in this case, due to the too sudden attack and this chaotic situation, the reality was that it wasn''t functioning right away. After all, this was the first time in their 150-year history that this had happened. And it hadn''t been that long since the raids had started. That''s also why it will take time for the army to function properly.......but we have to do what we can do....... ''''Senpai I think this is my chance to get out there. ''Well if we''re out here, the front line could collapse, right?¡¡We''ll have to wait until the army is a little more in place. But we''re still very poor at this rate. Even if it doesn''t collapse, there will be deaths. Definitely. We must be prepared. If we don''t, we''re going to die even more. If we don''t get out here, the situation will only get worse. Fortunately, we''ve already pinpointed the general location. I''m going to have to go... or... Or, worse, I''ll be on my own. Are you okay? You can''t be 100% sure. There is a risk of dying. However, I''m definitely the most suitable for the current strength. I''m sure my seniors also have quite a bit of time to fight in the twilight, but even so, I think I''m more accustomed to it in time....... May I? Yes, sir. All right. I''ll lead you through the city and I''ll take care of it. So, Julia you''re up for it. Okay. I''m determined. I decide to go out into the world alone, into the twilight, and I''m used to being alone. I''m used to being alone, but my hands are shaking. I would go to that dusk alone again. When I say I''m not afraid I''m lying. I think I know better than anyone else how scary that world can be. And in this case, it''s quite unusual. I might be dead more than likely to die but it''s going to be a lot worse if I don''t go. So, let''s go. In order to save everyone, I''ve decided to continue on. Julia......... Sherry and Sophia. As they were talking, two of them came up to us. It was Shelly who spoke up. Sophia, on the other hand, is staring down. ''Shelly, Sophia, I''m going to go. Go where? At dusk. The source is out there. If we don''t hit the mother, this situation won''t end. So I''ll go. Alone?¡¡Are you going alone? No one else can go. The only one who can come with me is my seniors, but we have the resources to defend the city. I''m on my own. ...Oh no. I, too.... ''No, Shelly. We''re not going to be able to hold you back... don''t you realize that? ''Well yes, you''re right. Sophia is right. We were helpless and helpless to do anything about it... There was no doubt about that point. If Sophia hadn''t said it, I would have said it; both of them were strong in their own right, and they seemed to have killed quite a few demons in this case, but even so, I still couldn''t take them to battle in the twilight.........................and that''s as good as it gets in the danger zone. They both agree with that and stare at me. "Yulia, I trust you. I''ll come back for sure. Okay, Shelly. ''''.........Julia, I.......I''m sorry, I''m sorry......because of my, my selfishness.......'''' "...Sophia. I was going to be a special class anti-magician eventually, I''m sure. It just got faster. And because of that, I''m here now ... fighting for someone else. I can prove those twilight days weren''t in vain. Julia.... Sophia was crying. I''m sure she has a lot of things going on. But.........let''s talk about that when I get back. ''''Senpai, I''m going to go. I''ve left the rest to you. I''ll take care of it. Julia, don''t you dare die. Yes. And I was going to fly out of the Citadel. But the situation is about to get worse. Yes, because.........the demons that seemed to be the mother body had already entered the city....... I''m stunned. Meaning, I don''t know what it means........ ''''U.........right........? No, what is that... This isn''t happening... ''Julia, you don''t have to go outside anymore...'' ''Well I guess so...'' I was ready to go outside ... into the twilight. And yet, they had already entered the city. Breaking down the outer walls and attracting yet another demon........ As if to say that this was a tome......... I didn''t notice it. I thought he was still outside. My twilight eyes ¡¶Twilight Sight¡· had indeed felt its presence in the distance. Why?¡¡Why didn''t you notice how close it was?¡¡If you''re sprinkling around so much magic, you should have noticed it. Why didn''t I notice it?¡¡Now, that presence was not far away. It was as if he had moved on in an instant. And, come to think of it, I think Dan had blurted out at the end of his life, "It''s too late.... ''''It''s too late........'''' At the time, I didn''t care, thinking it was just a delusional statement. But that word was like this? ''''This guy........'''' Besides, I''ve seen this guy before. Just before I reached the ogre village in the Far East, I had encountered a fairly dense twilight, though not as dense as this one. This individual was at the center of it all. It was not a giant spider ¡¶Huge Spider¡·. It was, as I recall, an ancient spider, the Ancient Spider, the Ancient Spider. Even as I returned to the Citadel, I was gathering information on demons and demonic beings even as I worked hard on my studies every day. Among them, I was reading a book that summarized the demon race that existed 150 years ago. Among the books I read was an ancient spider, the Ancient Spider, the Ancient Spider. It was more than 10 meters long, and it was also said to have an uncommon recovery function. And without a doubt, it was the highest S-ranked demon. At a glance, it was understandable that it was not even close to the strength of the Dan I fought just now. ''''This guy........this guy is the source of the problem? But it doesn''t add up. Is this guy really the cause of all this?¡¡Indeed, the demons in the city right now are definitely being strengthened by this guy. It''s probably also this individual who is in control. But I can''t explain the matter of Dan and the other special class anti-magician people trapped in it. No way?¡¡Dan was a decoy?¡¡Maybe he''s just a pawn in the plot to keep me back. I can''t help but think that there is someone behind it after all........ A human, or a fairly high-ranking demon race. I was beginning to think that it was definitely the work of something intelligent. A roar. It was an enormous pressure that made the earth tremble. Yikes! What''s that voice! ''''.........This is not good, dammit! Instantly, I felt a burning pain in the imprint on my right arm. I rolled up my sleeve, and there was a red luminescent imprint on it. Resonance...........?¡¡This ancient spider, the Ancient Spider?¡¡I had a feeling that my own abilities were improving....... A sensation that burned from the depths of my body. It''s hard to describe it, but if I had to say it, it was like that. ''''Senpai, Shelly, Sophia. Please take care of that little fish. I''ll take care of that guy on my own. "No way!¡¡There''s no way I''m going to be a match for that monster! Sherry. That''s not the point. Someone has to go. And we''ll need to deal with all those mooks. No doubt, there will be more deaths. That''s why I want to keep the force on hand. And I was originally going to go on my own. It won''t be any different. No..... ''Seniors, and Sophia, I think you two are cool with it, so you understand.¡¡What I''m talking about. Yes. ''''Well yes. That''s the most reasonable decision I can make. A non-negotiable question. Both of them understood and agreed to it. Then I have no choice but to respond to them. ''''Well then, I''m going to go. I''ve managed to hold them near the entrance, so please take care of the leaking miscellaneous fish. Holding the knife in both hands, he activated the Invisible Blade, the Invisible Blade. From here on out, it''s a race against time. If I don''t finish this quickly, more people might die in the First Citadel. I ran through the earth, and I was the only one to face the final battle as the hope of humanity. 28 - Episode 28 The End ''Ughhhhhhhh! Run, run. No, no, no, no!¡¡I don''t want to die!¡¡I don''t want to die! Immediately, I came to the side of the ancient spider ¡¶Enchemental Spider¡· near the entrance of the outer wall, and it was already an aha moment. It had turned into a dead place. There was no anti-magician to confront that monster. They were either already running away or dead. Even if you are a person from the anti-magic army it''s certainly not surprising that you would be scared of this monster. I managed to guide the remaining people to flee, and then I stood alone against that giant demon. Take a big deep breath. There is no one alive here anymore. The only people left are the corpses and me. The rest of the mooks were already heading towards the center of the city, as if they wanted a one-on-one battle. And then the battle began. ¡ó The battle was extremely frustrating. The attack of the Ancient Spider ¡¶Enchemental Spider¡· was more than he had expected. It was........the use of transference magic. Although there are records of it being used hundreds of years ago, transference does not exist in modern magic. And yet, the Ancient Spider ¡¶Enchemental Spider¡· would definitely use transference. This is the kind of entanglement that packed that long distance in one fell swoop...................but there''s nothing I can do about it. And this guy, when he spits out a thread from his buttocks, he transitions it through a magic circle floating in the air. Moreover, the thread is also unusual. It''s sharp as steel, and if it sticks, it will not be able to put an end to it. I''m not going to be able to get the same kind of results as you. ''''........d*mn it! I let out a gasp. I was having a hard time with too many moves. I couldn''t make use of the Invisible Blade''s advantage at all. I was completely on the defensive. However, the Ancient Spider''s Ancient Spider''s Ancient Spiders have a weakness. It''s mobility. The bigger it is, the stronger it is. Strength is not something as simple as being measured by size, but this ancient spider, the Ancient Spider "Ancient Ancient Spiders" was skillful. Perhaps it was experienced in combat, but it attacked from my blind spot and made sure to force me to respond in a difficult way. I won''t give them a chance to attack. In that case........I have no choice but to use that one. ''''......................Sanctuary. I activate the singular ability, Extra, which is derived from the Magic Eye. This is something that perceives the opponent''s magic element, and is comparable to predicting the future. In short, the reaction speed is twice as fast as before. Unlike Twilight Eye ¡¶Twilight Sight¡·, it would not be able to grasp the magic element overall, but this limited range was enough for now. Also, the activation limit was short, but that couldn''t be said for now. --Fresh blood. My body had already begun to destroy itself. The usage time of the Divine Realm ¡¶Sanctuary¡· is generally limited to 10 minutes. And yet, 15 minutes have already passed since it was activated. The amount of blood coming out of the eyeballs is already unusual, and the skin on my arm has also begun to tear. With this amount of blood loss, I would normally be dead long ago. However, the current me was still able to fight, as if I was activated. Besides, if we lose here, the First Warding City will be crushed. If that happens, the damage to humanity will be incalculable. This place is the very hope for all of humanity. If this place falls, the boundaries of the other cities will also cease to function. If that happens, that hell will happen again. I ... no, we were in peace. After the battle with the demon tribe calmed down, we built a ward city and thought we would be safe once we got in there. We vaguely dreamed of one day opposing the demons, one day we would lose the twilight and regain the bright light, one day we would regain the earth.... Human beings have been thinking this for 150 years. But the demon tribe had never been able to wait for them. ''''Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! I have regrets. If only I had done this then, if only I hadn''t done this then, those thoughts are mixed up. But now........for now, I have to focus on this moment. If I don''t defeat the Ancient Spider ¡¶Enchemental Spider¡·, I won''t be able to regret or reflect on it. It will only end up being overrun. I deployed the Invisible Invisible everywhere. And I also use inertia control magic on my own body. I stop the flowing movement and kick the invisible wall. And then..........and then a flash. Continue that attack. It runs around in every direction. In addition, he also activated the Invisible Blade from both knives and both feet. While changing his reach, he makes sure to attack. The Invisible Blade is not perceptible to the opponent as expected, and my attack was definitely effective. Both sides almost never defended against each other. It was just a fistfight. But I knew that was the best thing to do. Originally, there was no option to defend against the Invisible Sword Invisible Blade. I''m not going to be the only one who can do this. I''m not going to be the only one who can do this. They are also confident in their ability to attack with shifting magic, and the amount of attacks is increasing. And then they avoid the approaching strings and legs. Avoid. Avoid. Avoid. Avoid. Avoid! If he stopped, death would be right there for him. He didn''t care about the blood that was already flowing from his own body. Then the sound fades and most of the colors disappear. All I can see is a burning red color that burns bright red. If I could only perceive that, I could fight. I run through the space created by the invisible Invisible. My opponent also continues to chase me in this space. Moreover, at this time, I didn''t even care about gravity, even if I was unconscious. Just my legs are light, my arms are light, my body is....light. Faster, faster, faster, faster, faster, faster! He ducks all attacks, shaving off his legs and body. You regenerate, but you exceed it. You just have to be faster than your opponent. That''s all. That''s all I have to do. It roars again. But it wasn''t a threat. I knew intuitively that it was a tragic cry. There was already no idea in my mind what to do. But subconsciously, instinctively, I moved my body. The invisible sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡·, using the knives held in both hands as a starting point, the invisible sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡·, using the extra fingers, and the invisible sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡·, using the feet as a starting point, also switch on and off as they fight. In addition, they have dozens of knives in their pockets. I use that as well, and use the Invisible Blade, activated from the knives, for throwing. Each time it sticks out, the opponent lets out a cry of pain. Completely, I had begun to take control of this space. ''''.........'''' Then he exhales the air from his lungs in one go and draws out the Invisible Sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡·. The feeling of tearing flesh can certainly be felt. As it is, he cuts off the opponent''s leg in an instant and then cleaves his neck as it is. A moment later, the attack is swung down on his own brain. However, without catching it in sight, I ducked it by grasping space with the Divine Realm ¡¶Sanctuary¡· and flashed again at the opponent''s brain. The transfer seems to require a magic circle, but it''s sprinkled with quite a bit of magic element. If that''s the case, my perception in the divine realm of "Sanctuary" is far faster than being attacked. And once again, I continue to slice through my opponent''s body. ''''Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! The writhing ancient spider, the Ancient Spider [Ancient Spider], writhing. I, on the other hand, was no longer in pain. The damage from self-destruction was definitely there, but I had let go of even my sense of pain. I don''t feel anything. Just end it. Slaughter. Kill it. That''s what I have to do now. And my swordsmanship finally begins to surpass all of the ancient spiders, the Ancient Spider, the Ancient Spider. They probably can''t capture my figure perfectly anymore. It''s attacking in the direction of the day after tomorrow. I take the opportunity to cut off its legs, decapitate it, and shred its body into small pieces. The regeneration begins immediately, but it slowly catches up to me. The red crystal is what we need to find. Destroy that one and it''s over. My arm is calling to me. My arm is calling out to me, telling me where the crystal is and that it''s here. The blood flowed endlessly from the engraving, and my hand slipped as I held the knife. At that moment, I threw away the knife. I don''t need a weapon now - I don''t need a weapon. I activate the Invisible Blade using all four of my limbs as the starting point. I am a single blade. As I visualize this, I see a flicker of light in my field of vision. ''''That''s it........! No doubt. A crystal that exists as it bites into the flesh of the belly that is being shaved. But this one was a blue one but still, there''s no doubt it''s that one. If we can destroy that crystal, this battle will be over! ''Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! The other party may have sensed that their weaknesses have been discovered, and they will attack at an uncommon speed than before. I''ve been surrounded by a magical circle of shifting magicians for all 360 degrees. And it''s sure to track me. I''m not sure if I''ll be the first to destroy that blue crystal or if their attack will reach me first. Death is already in sight for both of us. I have one foot in front of me. But don''t be afraid, don''t be timid, don''t be intimidated, don''t hesitate. Don''t be conscious of death there is no death right now. I am still alive. I''m still working hard on this body. I''m still alive and I''m still alive--! .... .... Silence. The hustle and bustle of the past is now silent, as if it were a lie. And then the battle that seemed like an eternity came to an end. My Invisible Blade ¡¶Invisible Blade¡· had shattered the crystals. The attack of the Ancient Spider ¡¶Enchemental Spider¡· was only a few seconds away from reaching me. Perhaps the time difference is less than one second in this world. I was in a world of zero, and I had wrestled away the victory. Death was imminent. But the God of Death had not chosen me. The Goddess of Victory smiled at me. ''''Ki-iiiiii..........................'''' The body of the Ancient Spider ¡¶Enchemental Spider¡· disintegrates. It flutters in the sky with a flurry. It turns into particles and returns to the world. ''.........I won, I won, I won......'' I fall down on the spot with fatigue. All at once, exhaustion comes crashing down on me. I can''t move anymore. The blood flowing out of my body is warm...or so I thought. Was I able to do what I needed to do for humanity? That ineffective, incompetent, helpless me................could I be of any use to anyone? That last moment. As I was in the world of the dead, I faintly remembered everyone''s faces. If it''s for those people...if it''s for the sake of humanity, I can do what I have to do. At the moment I thought that, I was piercing the blue crystal. ''''Ah ... ah ... ah ... ah ...'''' My voice was already dying. I could feel the presence fading from my entire body. I was too reckless. He must have gone beyond the limit. My right arm was burning hot. That sensation was the only thing that dominated me now. When I think about it, it seems like it''s been a long time since I''ve been here. I was banished to the twilight, obsessed with living hard, learned skills to live, and returned to the Boundary City. And then he met a lot of people and became a special grade anti-magician. I thought my life was nothing, a helpless life with nothing to do, but I got an unexpected opportunity. Even though I''m lost in that thought I''m tired now. I just want to sleep. I just want to sleep. Even if death was waiting for me in the future, I couldn''t reason with it already. And even if this was my last hour, I had no regrets. I could not do anything about it, but I had come this far. That''s enough. I was able to do something for humanity, even though I was helpless. I have no regrets. If I could be a ray of light to cut through this twilight it would be enough. Uriar! I thought I heard such a voice at the end of the day - I thought I heard it. 29 - Episode 29 New beginning ''Ughhhhhhhh! Run, run. No, no, no, no!¡¡I don''t want to die!¡¡I don''t want to die! Immediately, I came to the side of the ancient spider ¡¶Enchemental Spider¡· near the entrance of the outer wall, and it was already an aha moment. It had turned into a dead place. There was no anti-magician to confront that monster. They were either already running away or dead. Even if you are a person from the anti-magic army it''s certainly not surprising that you would be scared of this monster. I managed to guide the remaining people to flee, and then I stood alone against that giant demon. Take a big deep breath. There is no one alive here anymore. The only people left are the corpses and me. The rest of the mooks were already heading towards the center of the city, as if they wanted a one-on-one battle. And then the battle began. ¡ó The battle was extremely frustrating. The attack of the Ancient Spider ¡¶Enchemental Spider¡· was more than he had expected. It was........the use of transference magic. Although there are records of it being used hundreds of years ago, transference does not exist in modern magic. And yet, the Ancient Spider ¡¶Enchemental Spider¡· would definitely use transference. This is the kind of entanglement that packed that long distance in one fell swoop...................but there''s nothing I can do about it. And this guy, when he spits out a thread from his buttocks, he transitions it through a magic circle floating in the air. Moreover, the thread is also unusual. It''s sharp as steel, and if it sticks, it will not be able to put an end to it. I''m not going to be able to get the same kind of results as you. ''''........d*mn it! I let out a gasp. I was having a hard time with too many moves. I couldn''t make use of the Invisible Blade''s advantage at all. I was completely on the defensive. However, the Ancient Spider''s Ancient Spider''s Ancient Spiders have a weakness. It''s mobility. The bigger it is, the stronger it is. Strength is not something as simple as being measured by size, but this ancient spider, the Ancient Spider "Ancient Ancient Spiders" was skillful. Perhaps it was experienced in combat, but it attacked from my blind spot and made sure to force me to respond in a difficult way. I won''t give them a chance to attack. In that case........I have no choice but to use that one. ''''......................Sanctuary. I activate the singular ability, Extra, which is derived from the Magic Eye. This is something that perceives the opponent''s magic element, and is comparable to predicting the future. In short, the reaction speed is twice as fast as before. Unlike Twilight Eye ¡¶Twilight Sight¡·, it would not be able to grasp the magic element overall, but this limited range was enough for now. Also, the activation limit was short, but that couldn''t be said for now. --Fresh blood. My body had already begun to destroy itself. The usage time of the Divine Realm ¡¶Sanctuary¡· is generally limited to 10 minutes. And yet, 15 minutes have already passed since it was activated. The amount of blood coming out of the eyeballs is already unusual, and the skin on my arm has also begun to tear. With this amount of blood loss, I would normally be dead long ago. However, the current me was still able to fight, as if I was activated. Besides, if we lose here, the First Warding City will be crushed. If that happens, the damage to humanity will be incalculable. This place is the very hope for all of humanity. If this place falls, the boundaries of the other cities will also cease to function. If that happens, that hell will happen again. I ... no, we were in peace. After the battle with the demon tribe calmed down, we built a ward city and thought we would be safe once we got in there. We vaguely dreamed of one day opposing the demons, one day we would lose the twilight and regain the bright light, one day we would regain the earth.... Human beings have been thinking this for 150 years. But the demon tribe had never been able to wait for them. ''''Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! I have regrets. If only I had done this then, if only I hadn''t done this then, those thoughts are mixed up. But now........for now, I have to focus on this moment. If I don''t defeat the Ancient Spider ¡¶Enchemental Spider¡·, I won''t be able to regret or reflect on it. It will only end up being overrun. I deployed the Invisible Invisible everywhere. And I also use inertia control magic on my own body. I stop the flowing movement and kick the invisible wall. And then..........and then a flash. Continue that attack. It runs around in every direction. In addition, he also activated the Invisible Blade from both knives and both feet. While changing his reach, he makes sure to attack. The Invisible Blade is not perceptible to the opponent as expected, and my attack was definitely effective. Both sides almost never defended against each other. It was just a fistfight. But I knew that was the best thing to do. Originally, there was no option to defend against the Invisible Sword Invisible Blade. I''m not going to be the only one who can do this. I''m not going to be the only one who can do this. They are also confident in their ability to attack with shifting magic, and the amount of attacks is increasing. And then they avoid the approaching strings and legs. Avoid. Avoid. Avoid. Avoid. Avoid! If he stopped, death would be right there for him. He didn''t care about the blood that was already flowing from his own body. Then the sound fades and most of the colors disappear. All I can see is a burning red color that burns bright red. If I could only perceive that, I could fight. I run through the space created by the invisible Invisible. My opponent also continues to chase me in this space. Moreover, at this time, I didn''t even care about gravity, even if I was unconscious. Just my legs are light, my arms are light, my body is....light. Faster, faster, faster, faster, faster, faster! He ducks all attacks, shaving off his legs and body. You regenerate, but you exceed it. You just have to be faster than your opponent. That''s all. That''s all I have to do. It roars again. But it wasn''t a threat. I knew intuitively that it was a tragic cry. There was already no idea in my mind what to do. But subconsciously, instinctively, I moved my body. The invisible sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡·, using the knives held in both hands as a starting point, the invisible sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡·, using the extra fingers, and the invisible sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡·, using the feet as a starting point, also switch on and off as they fight. In addition, they have dozens of knives in their pockets. I use that as well, and use the Invisible Blade, activated from the knives, for throwing. Each time it sticks out, the opponent lets out a cry of pain. Completely, I had begun to take control of this space. ''''.........'''' Then he exhales the air from his lungs in one go and draws out the Invisible Sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡·. The feeling of tearing flesh can certainly be felt. As it is, he cuts off the opponent''s leg in an instant and then cleaves his neck as it is. A moment later, the attack is swung down on his own brain. However, without catching it in sight, I ducked it by grasping space with the Divine Realm ¡¶Sanctuary¡· and flashed again at the opponent''s brain. The transfer seems to require a magic circle, but it''s sprinkled with quite a bit of magic element. If that''s the case, my perception in the divine realm of "Sanctuary" is far faster than being attacked. And once again, I continue to slice through my opponent''s body. ''''Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! The writhing ancient spider, the Ancient Spider [Ancient Spider], writhing. I, on the other hand, was no longer in pain. The damage from self-destruction was definitely there, but I had let go of even my sense of pain. I don''t feel anything. Just end it. Slaughter. Kill it. That''s what I have to do now. And my swordsmanship finally begins to surpass all of the ancient spiders, the Ancient Spider, the Ancient Spider. They probably can''t capture my figure perfectly anymore. It''s attacking in the direction of the day after tomorrow. I take the opportunity to cut off its legs, decapitate it, and shred its body into small pieces. The regeneration begins immediately, but it slowly catches up to me. The red crystal is what we need to find. Destroy that one and it''s over. My arm is calling to me. My arm is calling out to me, telling me where the crystal is and that it''s here. The blood flowed endlessly from the engraving, and my hand slipped as I held the knife. At that moment, I threw away the knife. I don''t need a weapon now - I don''t need a weapon. I activate the Invisible Blade using all four of my limbs as the starting point. I am a single blade. As I visualize this, I see a flicker of light in my field of vision. ''''That''s it........! No doubt. A crystal that exists as it bites into the flesh of the belly that is being shaved. But this one was a blue one but still, there''s no doubt it''s that one. If we can destroy that crystal, this battle will be over! ''Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! The other party may have sensed that their weaknesses have been discovered, and they will attack at an uncommon speed than before. I''ve been surrounded by a magical circle of shifting magicians for all 360 degrees. And it''s sure to track me. I''m not sure if I''ll be the first to destroy that blue crystal or if their attack will reach me first. Death is already in sight for both of us. I have one foot in front of me. But don''t be afraid, don''t be timid, don''t be intimidated, don''t hesitate. Don''t be conscious of death there is no death right now. I am still alive. I''m still working hard on this body. I''m still alive and I''m still alive--! .... .... Silence. The hustle and bustle of the past is now silent, as if it were a lie. And then the battle that seemed like an eternity came to an end. My Invisible Blade ¡¶Invisible Blade¡· had shattered the crystals. The attack of the Ancient Spider ¡¶Enchemental Spider¡· was only a few seconds away from reaching me. Perhaps the time difference is less than one second in this world. I was in a world of zero, and I had wrestled away the victory. Death was imminent. But the God of Death had not chosen me. The Goddess of Victory smiled at me. ''''Ki-iiiiii..........................'''' The body of the Ancient Spider ¡¶Enchemental Spider¡· disintegrates. It flutters in the sky with a flurry. It turns into particles and returns to the world. ''.........I won, I won, I won......'' I fall down on the spot with fatigue. All at once, exhaustion comes crashing down on me. I can''t move anymore. The blood flowing out of my body is warm...or so I thought. Was I able to do what I needed to do for humanity? That ineffective, incompetent, helpless me...............could I be of any use to anyone? That last moment. As I was in the world of the dead, I faintly remembered everyone''s faces. If it''s for those people...if it''s for the sake of humanity, I can do what I have to do. At the moment I thought that, I was piercing the blue crystal. ''''Ah ... ah ... ah ... ah ...'''' My voice was already dying. I could feel the presence fading from my entire body. I was too reckless. He must have gone beyond the limit. My right arm was burning hot. That sensation was the only thing that dominated me now. When I think about it, it seems like it''s been a long time since I''ve been here. I was banished to the twilight, obsessed with living hard, learned skills to live, and returned to the Boundary City. And then he met a lot of people and became a special grade anti-magician. I thought my life was nothing, a helpless life with nothing to do, but I got an unexpected opportunity. Even though I''m lost in that thought I''m tired now. I just want to sleep. I just want to sleep. Even if death was waiting for me in the future, I couldn''t reason with it already. And even if this was my last hour, I had no regrets. I could not do anything about it, but I had come this far. That''s enough. I was able to do something for humanity, even though I was helpless. I have no regrets. If I could be a ray of light to cut through this twilight it would be enough. Uriar! I thought I heard such a voice at the end of the day - I thought I heard it. 30 - Episode 30 Characters and Other Settings Main characters Julia (male) Age: 15 years old Personality: He is kind to everyone, but he is also indecisive. However, after the attack, he has become more ruthless than ever. Appearance: He is a little taller than 170cm. His hair is long and white, and he has long hair. Overall, she has a thin impression. Profile: The main character. Banished to twilight, he wanders there for two years, but somehow survives. As a result of his experience, he was chosen as the youngest special class antagonist. His Twilight Syndrome is level 5, but it is currently the highest level for humans. He specializes in melee combat. He also possesses a magical eye. He uses a knife extended with illusionary magic as a weapon. Its name is the Invisible Blade. Within a 5-meter radius, he is currently the strongest among the top-ranked mages. Sherry (Female) Age: 15 years old Personality: Cheerful, but also a bit bossy. But after meeting Yulia, her egotistical side has been alleviated. However, she can also be a bit of an eccentric character. Appearance: blonde hair and blue eyes. His height is in the late 160s. Her hair is long and basically in a bun. Proportions are quite good. Profile: He is quite skilled among first-class opponents. However, she was overly confident in her abilities until she met Yuria. However, after meeting Yulia, she learns to be humble. She respects and admires Yulia. Her weapon is a broadsword. Sophia (Female) Age: 15 years old Personality: A general and open-minded character. However, he is also a ruthless person who will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. Appearance: He is in the upper 160cm range of height. He has blueish hair. He has semi-long hair. Her proportions are average. Profile: She will stop at nothing to achieve her goals, including trying to force Yuria to become a special-grade antagonist. However, it has to do with her past... basically a cheerful mood-maker. Her weapon is a broadsword. However, she mainly uses magic. ¡óSpecial Grade Anti-Magic Master. Rank 1: Cyrus (male) Age: 29 years old Personality: A gentleman who is kind and attentive to everyone. However, he often forgets to say what he''s supposed to say. He''s firm about important things, but he''s not very good at doing small things. He seems to be a little happy when he sees people in trouble... Appearance: He is in the mid-170s in height. He has long black hair, which he wears in a braid. Her body is quite thin. Profile: First in the pecking order and the strongest man in humanity. His weapon is a wire. He is also very good at magic. His Twilight Syndrome is level 5. Rank #2 in the pecking order, currently unknown (female). Rank #3: Gill (male) Age: 40 years old Personality: He''s a generous and dependable older brother. He is also a caring person. Appearance£ºHe is in the upper half of 5''10" tall, with short black hair and a beard. He has short black hair and a beard. He is the most muscular of all the special class antagonists, as he believes that muscles are the strongest. Profile: Sophia''s father. Basically, he''s a generous man, but he''s ruthless towards demons and monsters. He is always worried about his daughter and daughter-in-law in the Seventh Knot City. But he''s always complaining in the army about being in charge of another city. His weapon is a bastard sword. His magic is mainly physical enhancement. He also has a unique ability called Extra, which focuses on sight. His Twilight Syndrome is level 5. Rank #4 - Roy (Male) Age: 20 years old Personality: Aggressive. He is very high-handed with everyone. However, he responds accordingly to those he recognizes. Appearance: He is in the upper 170s. He always wears sunglasses. He has bleached his hair and wears various colors on it. He says that''s what makes him rock. Profile: he''s aggressive to everyone, but his fighting ability is superb. He''s fourth in the pecking order, but at the young age of 20, this position is unusual. Lately, he''s been concerned about Julia in terms of strength. Twilight Syndrome ¡¶Twilight Syndrome¡· is level 5. Rank 5 Derrick (male) Age: 32 years old Personality: He appears to be calm, but likes to tease people. He often teases Eira, and even though she dislikes him, he enjoys it. Appearance£ºHe is in the upper half of 5''10" in height, with brown and short hair. Her hair is short and brown, and she has a neutral appearance. Profile: He is the most intelligent of all the special class demons. However, he is not lacking in fighting skills. Twilight Syndrome, Twilight Syndrome, is level 5. Rank 7: Claudia (female) Age: 27 years old. Personality: A self-proclaimed sister who is kind to everyone. However, she is merciless to demons and has a tendency to use bad language... Appearance£ºShe is in the upper 170cm range of height. She has blonde hair that reaches her chest in a vertical roll. Her proportions are the best in the story. Profile: Basically, she is a caring, caring older sister who is always looking for a marriage. However, she can''t marry because of her title as a special-grade demoness and the fact that her love is too heavy. Recently, she''s starting to think that she''d rather be younger than older...?¡¡Twilight Syndrome "Twilight Syndrome" is an unusual 0. It does not manifest at all, and is rare among special class anti-magicians. Rank 8 Unknown at the moment (female) 9th in the pecking order, unknown at this time (male) Rank #10 in the pecking order, unknown at this time (female) Ranked 11th in the pecking order, unknown at this time (male) Rank #12 Eira (female) Age: 17 years old Personality: good, bad, and double-sided. Appearance: he is in the upper 150''s. She wears her long peach-colored hair in twin tails. In particular, she''d like to have more breasts. Profile: sixth year student at the First Citadel''s Counter-Magic Academy. Recently, she''s happy to have a good junior colleague named Yulia. This is because Eira has almost no friends and has been ridiculed for her smallness by those around her. Becoming a Special Class Counter-Magician didn''t change that. For that reason, she''s very grateful to Yulia...but she doesn''t put it into words. He has a knife as a weapon, but it''s for self-defense. Basically, she uses magic. Her two names are ''The Frozen Witch''. Twilight Syndrome ¡¶Twilight Syndrome¡· is level 5. Rank 13 Julia (see above). Other Leanne (female) Age: 15 years old Personality: Gentle, but has a very clear message. Appearance: height is in the upper 150''s. Platinum hair, semi-long in length. She is well proportioned. Profile: She is the third princess. However, she does not maintain a ward among the royal family. She has the singular ability to sense the density of dusk, called Extra. However, unlike Julia, she perceives it with her senses, not with her eyes. About Magic. Magic is the embodiment of magic into the world through images. It can be roughly divided into two types. There are two main types of magic: the four major attribute magic and non-system magic. The four major attribute magic -> fire, ice, water and lightning. Out-of-system magic -> light, dark, no attributes (recovery, body strengthening, illusionary magic, warding, singular ability "extra" etc.) Aptitude for magic also varies with gender. Females tend to have a higher aptitude for magic (especially the four major attributes). Males tend to have a higher aptitude for things like physical strengthening. However, this is just a tendency, so there are exceptions. About Singularity Extras The scientific name is Extra Sensory Perception, which comes from magic. Under the influence of magic, some humans are able to acquire extra sensory abilities, but they are relatively rare. The special ability ¡¶extra¡· is basically derived from the five senses and a sixth sense one. What Julia has is a magic eye that specializes in sight. Riane has a sixth sense. ¡óAbout the World One hundred and fifty years ago, defeated in the Man-Monitorial War, mankind fled to the west and built the Seven Warding Cities. However, at the same time, the world was dominated by twilight, and the world was left with nothing but twilight and darkness. For the past 150 years, there was no major war with the demon race, but the world began to move again after this incident. ¡óAbout Dusk. A mysterious phenomenon that appeared 150 years ago after the demon race defeated them. It is said to be harmful to humans, but some humans are not harmed, and some humans adapt to it (e.g. the Twilight Syndrome). Also, there is a density of twilight, and the darker the density, the stronger the demons and monsters in the area become. Also, the further east you go, the more dense the concentration becomes. Furthermore, the seventh and first ward cities to the north and south are also areas where the twilight is relatively dense. Therefore, you can''t be too careful even in the safe areas compared to other cities. Dusk is divided into different levels depending on the area. It increases in level from level 1 to the east, and finally to level 10. Even in the danger zone level 1, there is a lot of danger, and humans have only advanced to level 5. However, Julia is the only human who has made it to level 10. Research on the twilight is currently underway, but there is no special remedy for the Twilight Syndrome. There is only a protective suit. Against the Demon Academy An institution that trains counter-magicians. It is similar to a training school or officer''s school before entering the military. It is a six-year system, and your rank in the military is determined by the rank of your opponent upon graduation. However, the best of the best are promoted to the military in the same way as the graduating class, earlier than the 6th grade. The ranks go in the following order: 5th grade counterinsurgent, 4th grade counterinsurgent, 3rd grade counterinsurgent, 2nd grade counterinsurgent, 1st grade counterinsurgent, and special grade counterinsurgent. The Demon Army An organization for trained anti-magicians to actually fight against the demon race. There is a Twilight Combat Department, Intelligence Department, Command Department, Technology Development Department, Research Department, Medical Department, Military Police Department, etc. In addition, the existence of a special class of anti-magicians is meant to show people that the human race has a special power to fight against demons. In terms of weapons, they stand like strategic and tactical weapons. The ranks of the military are as follows. Commander-in-Chief -> General. Officer -> General > Lieutenant General > Major General > Major General > Colonel > Lieutenant Colonel > Major > Captain > Lieutenant > Lieutenant > Second Lieutenant Associate Officer to Adjutant. Noncommissioned officer > Chief Petty Officer > Sergeant > Sergeant > Corporal Soldier to Captain > Corporal > Private > Private First Class > Private A special class counter-magician is the equivalent of a major. And a first-grade counter-magician is a second lieutenant. Second-grade counter-magician is an adjutant. A third-grade counterintelligence officer is a corporal. A fourth-grade demon is a captain, and a fifth-grade demon is a private. Of course, the higher the merit, the higher the rank. Also, the higher the rank, the higher the rank as an antagonist, with the exception of a special-grade antagonist. The Special Class Counter-Magician is required to have pure fighting ability above all else, so becoming a major does not mean you can become a Special Class Counter-Magician. And upon graduation from the academy, or if you are deemed eligible to graduate, your military career will begin to meet this standard. 31 - Episode 31 Return I think I''d better be going. Take care of the Seventh Warded City, Mr. Uriah. Yes! A few days have passed since then. We had to return to the Seventh Knot City. The security of the First Knot City has been strengthened considerably, and the placement of special class anti-magicians has been changed in various ways. There was the matter of the traitor, but it was because they needed to fulfill their duty of protecting the city as usual. Besides, it was originally not a good idea for the special class anti-magicians to be concentrated in one city. Also, since then, investigations have been made into the special class anti-magicians, royalty, and the upper echelons of the military, but as expected, there''s no way to find out with that, and the case of the traitor will continue to be investigated as is....... Furthermore, through this case, it was decided that me, Sherry and Sofia would be transferred from the Counter Demon Academy to the Counter Demon Army. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what to expect when you''re in your own home. By the way, it seems that Eira-senpai is also going to become a soldier because of this matter. Until now, he was a student for various reasons, but he said that was the end of that too. This time, the First Boundary City was in chaos and the anti-demonic army couldn''t function properly. There was no time to form a formation, just a chaotic battlefield. Even with that in mind, it''s clear that everyone, including me, was at a loss for peace. It''s because we had the belief that no battles occur within the Kekkai City. Based on that, a decision was made to further strengthen the military. I''ve heard that becoming a soldier is part of that policy. ''''Hey Julia, who''s the other special class anti-magician?'''' Well I haven''t been told about it yet either. It''s so late.......how much longer do we have to wait....... ''Sofia, you can''t blame them for waiting. I''ve heard they have a lot of preparations to make. Yes. And this time, it seems that another special class anti-magician is coming to the seventh ward city this time. I haven''t been told who it is, so I don''t know yet....... ''''Hey, Yulia. ''Eira-senpai!¡¡No way...! ''Yes. I''m in the Seventh Ward City too. It''s nice to meet you. ...I''m surprised. It''s a fate, isn''t it? ''Yes. So, see you soon, Julia. Yes! Finally, Silas-san came up to me and Eira-senpai and said ''''The matter of the traitor I want you to explore it over there as well. I asked. We''ll work on it, and the Intelligence Bureau will work on it, but I want you guys to be careful. Yes, sir. Okay, okay. We then climbed into the carriage and headed back to the Seventh Boundary City. ¡ó I shrank into a corner in the carriage and watched the scene outside in a daze. It was over. Those raging days really did seem like a moment. I became a special class anti-magician and then attacked him. He also fought Dan, and finally the ancient spider ¡¶Enchemental Spider¡·. Then the existence of the Betrayer was revealed. The days in the twilight were harsh, but the days in this bounded city were also extremely harsh. But now ... maybe I can take some rest. I have decided to say goodbye to the past and move on. Regardless of what lies ahead........I will....... And so, in the swinging carriage, I surrendered to sleep. "Yulia, Yulia........wake up! ...hmm? We''re here! ''What?¡¡Sherry, you''re joking again... It''s true! And when I looked outside, I saw a city that seemed familiar even though not that much time had passed there. I don''t know how long I''ve slept since then... I found myself back in the seventh ward city. ''''Everyone''s already gone. Let''s go too.'''' Yes. I got out of the carriage with my bags on my back. Looking at the streets, it was very peaceful here. The events in that first ward city still flicker in my mind. There are things I could have done better.... But even if I regret it, I need to use it in the future. I''ve decided that stopping is the end of it. ''Julia are you okay?'' Are you the one who''s done with it, Shelly? ''I didn''t fight that much, and Yulia was the only one who could help me. .... I want to be strong. I want to fight for humanity... but there are things I can''t do no matter how strong my feelings are. So that''s the kind of world Julia has been fighting for. ''Well it''s not as bad as that, but it''s close. I was on the verge of living or dying for a long time. To say I miss it isn''t a good word, but that feeling has always been there. I''ve decided!¡¡I''ll be stronger!¡¡Now I want to be able to protect more people so that I can protect more people... I want to be strong! A strong heart. I was honestly impressed. After all that has happened, he still has the will to move forward. It''s not surprising that his heart was shattered by the incident. In my case, it''s a little better because I had two years in the twilight... but I''m still not used to the death of people. But with that included, we should be strong. No we should be strong. After Dan, this attack, and the traitor, we need to get past all of that and achieve our goal of losing the twilight and reclaiming the earth. ''You''ll be training when we get back, Shelly. I''m going into the military, and I''m sure there will be grueling training ahead. Yeah. But Sherry will get over it. Thanks. Seeing her smiling at me with a smile, I thought to myself, "I haven''t abandoned humans yet....... ¡ó So, when I said I''d be living in a dormitory, my dad said... Yes. What is it?¡¡Even though I''m a special class anti-magician, I''m worried about going to another city or something... But Yulia is there too, so my mom agreed... Yes. So, yeah. The time was 11pm. After that, we were moved to the military''s dormitory, and while we were packing our bags and arranging our rooms, it was already this late. By the way, it''s a proper men''s dormitory this time. Sherry, Sophia and Eira seniors are in the women''s dormitory, but the buildings are next to each other, so the distance is close. I''m sure that''s why it''s easy to move around, but for some reason Eira has come to my room. No, it''s fine that she''s coming. She said she wanted to talk to me about her future plans and whatnot. Eh?¡¡That''s not alcohol, is it?¡¡I drink it too but it''s just juice. Like Claudia, bonk bon!¡¡I wish it was like... Huh, huh... But see, I''m pretty, aren''t I?¡¡Wouldn''t that cover it? I think she''s more beautiful than pretty, though. ''''f*ck it!¡¡You''re very flattering! Ouch! A bashin and a tap on my shoulder. No, it hurts............it''s just plain painful. You need to be careful with your strength......... "And now you''re nagging me to get married soon......... You''re early. Hmm. But he said that the genes of a high grade witch doctor are very important. I''m supposed to think about my feelings too! Well.... For the next two hours or so, the older man went on complaining. I discovered that women complain for a long time...and I discovered something new. And many things happened, but this is how we became soldiers and fought against the demon race in earnest. 32 - Episode 32: 71st Special Squad The next morning. I woke up as usual. "Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... The twilight light still dominates this world. Seeing this, I try to prepare to head to the academy as usual, but........ ''''I see........I''m done.......'''' Yes. My life as a soldier starts today. Me, Sherry, Sophia, and Eira-senpai will be assigned to the Twilight Task Force. The Dusk Task Force is a pretty tough unit that mainly fights in the dusk, even within the military. And suddenly Eira and I ended up being assigned to the seventh (Nana)-1 special squad. Basically, the battles in the twilight are conducted in squads. They almost never act on the same scale as platoons to battalions. You will be able to see that they have a great deal more to offer. A small number of elites, that''s the basis of the twilight. That''s also why even on the small scale of a squad, an officer or other person is the commander of the squad. In the past, the sergeant-at-arms had a much larger army in tow, but they almost never do so in modern warfare. This is because there are few large scale operations or anything like that. And basically, these roles (fighting in the twilight) used to be played by junior officers, but currently junior officers can''t survive the twilight... especially in dangerous areas. Therefore, they are basically part of the military police department, defending the city, plus fighting in safe areas. That''s why they are not allowed to fight in dangerous areas until they reach the level of lieutenant or platoon officer. Apparently it''s unthinkable in the past, but ironically, the higher the rank, the more battles you''ll have to fight in the twilight....... It''s almost impossible to just give orders in the rear anymore. Of course, that''s not the case in other units (Intelligence, Command, Technology Development, Research, etc.), but it''s especially noticeable in the Dusk Task Force. Incidentally, me and Eira-senpai start at the rank of Major in the military. This is a special measure because we are special grade anti-magicians. And although it''s easy to be misunderstood by the general public, a special grade anti-magician is proof of a remarkably high level of combat ability, and is not necessarily the highest rank in the military. The veterans are also quite high in military rank, but me and senior Eira are still rookies in the military, so they are the equivalent of majors. A high level of combat power is not enough to counter the demon race. It is only with the support of various people that we are able to show our strength. And this is where the fight against demons in the true sense of the word begins. We are no longer students........we need to keep in mind that we are no longer students. ''''Ah........speaking of which.......'''' But before that, I''m going to talk with Eira-senpai early in the morning about a matter. I get ready quickly, and then I go straight to meet up with my seniors. ''''And who do you think it is, Yulia?'''' ''''Hmm. I don''t know.......what do you think, senior? Of course, I''m talking about The Traitor. The traitor may be working in the dark even now. It''s business as usual, but we can''t ignore this matter. It''s not that I don''t trust the special class anti-magicians, royalty, and the upper echelons of the military in the First Boundary City......but there''s no doubt that someone is a traitor. By the way, this matter has already spread to the military, and it''s become a wind of caution. People don''t want to think about it, but we need to be suspicious of all sorts of people. ''''It won''t be me and Julia. Oh well, maybe. ''''If we were going to drop the first ward city, the special class antimagician and other excellent antimagicians were in the way. So locking them inside the ward.............................reasonable. But because Yulia and I happened to be out early, we were able to escape the warding and repel that attack. If it was true, they would have wanted to lock us all in, including us. But did you miss us on purpose? ''That''s just too much uncertainty. There''s no way of knowing who will be in that place first. The only thing I can''t figure out is why the timing is so important. ''Surely if you were going to be thorough, you should have done it the moment the meeting started. That way you could have locked them all in. ''A ward that can''t be lifted by a bunch of special class anti-magicians. Maybe the conditions for triggering it are quite harsh. Maybe that timing was just in the nick of time. Couldn''t we just prepare in advance? ''''Maybe it''s because they didn''t want to leave traces or something. But even so, the skill to break that ward without anyone noticing... if I were to think of a human, I''d say it''s either a special class anti-magician or someone from the royal family... that''s all I can think of. What about the third party? ''It''s not out of the question, but it''s a bit subtle. It''s not like the meeting was openly open to the public. There''s only going to be a limited number of people who knew that a special class of antimagician would be gathered in that place. I''m not saying that''s not possible. I am stunned. If they were among the special class of anti-magicians it would be a loss of valuable strength as well as a turn against them. I can''t find words to describe it except to say it sucks. But the opponent made a mistake. That is, they couldn''t keep me and senpai inside. And so, me and senpai took the lead in fighting off that attack. But still........if we had planned it before, we should have made sure that the matter of that ward was a success. But why were me and senpai the only ones able to get out?¡¡Is it a coincidence?¡¡Or is there something just between me and my seniors? I think about that, but I still don''t have an answer. We are still on the back foot. And I don''t think this is the end of the traitor''s actions here. Maybe we''re still dancing in his palms, just because his existence is recognized. ''''Well, Yulia, it''s time to go. You''re with the 1st Special Branch, right? Yeah. Well, that''s not going to change. Killing demons at dusk, that''s all. And we''re extraordinarily skilled anti-magicians. We don''t want to show any signs of slowing down. ¡ó They come to the meeting place. This is the Seventh Boundary City''s Dusk Task Force, the Seventy-first Special Detachment. The reason why it''s called a special squad is because this squad seems to do all kinds of things in the twilight. It also plays the role of a reconnaissance squad, as well as reducing the number of demons in the danger zone so that they don''t come to the Boundary City. Understanding the enemy''s situation, terrain reconnaissance, and power reconnaissance, all of which are done on the front lines. It''s the toughest squad that always fights in the dangerous areas of the twilight. For this reason, the Seventh Special Detachment requires quite a bit of skill. It''s only natural that it''s a first-class anti-magician. It seems that even among them, those closest to a special-grade counter-magician have been selected as much as possible. So they held a briefing in this conference room, figured out the operation, and went out into the twilight. And there were four of them inside. One woman and three men. And as soon as we walk in, they stare at us. ''You''re a child,'' It''s not as good as it sounds? But you know... ''But I''m sure these two were the main force that prevented the attack. I have no doubt about that. You guys shut up now let''s get to it. New troops. The leader of the group was a first-generation man who said so. He was nearly six feet tall, and he had a good build to boot. His hair was already gray and his beard was slightly white. Nevertheless, he did not look very old from his demeanor. ''''I''m Robert Abel. I''m the commander of this squad, in case you''re wondering. My rank is colonel. My name is Julia Curtis. It''s nice to meet you. It''s Eira Reese. ''''Before I go on, I''m not trying to discriminate against you based on your age, since both of you are excellent and became special class anti-magicians at that age. Welcome to the front line. I''m proud to fight alongside you. Are we welcome...? But I have a feeling that others, including this one, are looking at us with a bit of suspicion. ''''Well I don''t like it. Are you kids really so strong?¡¡It''s written on your face. Oh don''t you like it, Lady? Huh. Well you guys are strong in your own way. It''s a different atmosphere. There are many first-class demons, but you are as close as you can get to us. I see. I beg your pardon. I haven''t seen your abilities with my own eyes. I''m not so sure. We''re going into the danger zone again today, as soon as possible. But this is not the same as a student hunting in a safe zone with a party. I want you to brace yourself. ''I''m still young, so I don''t have a lot of real-world experience. I haven''t done enough fighting in the danger zone. But I won''t slow you down. I''m not a special-grade anti-magician. Neither is Yuria there. What do you want to swing it here?¡¡I responded with a resolute attitude as well, thinking to myself, "I''m going to be a member of the Dusk Task Force, the Seventy-first Special Detachment, the toughest unit of all. I''ve been assigned to the Twilight Task Force, the 7th Special Detachment, the toughest unit in the world. I need to be aware that I''m a member of that unit. ''''........I''ve been in the twilight for two years. I think I know the danger zone reasonably well. As I say this, the other members of the squad open their mouths. "This is the guy who lived for two years in that twilight.......doesn''t look like it. And he''s a major, so he''s higher in rank than me, huh? As expected of a special class anti-magician. Hey, Scott. Don''t try to pick a fight with me or anything. It''s too embarrassing. I''m not selling anything, Luna. ''That''s enough for both of you. It''s embarrassing in front of the kids. ... "As usual, Carl is very serious. I introduced myself after this, and here''s what the others looked like A man with a bit of a bad mouth. His name is Scott Bates, apparently. He''s about the same height as me, and he''s thin. He has cropped blonde hair and sharp eyes. The female person is said to be called Luna Gray. She has short black hair and is a little shorter than I am, maybe 5''7" or so. She is slender and very thin with no thickness to her body. The last man is Carl Hunt. He wears glasses and looks intelligent. He has brown hair, a little long for a man. He wears it in a seventy-three parted bun. He is nearly 5''10" tall, quite tall. Eira and I belonged to the 7th Special Detachment like this. 33 - Episode 33: Dusk: Danger Area Level 1 There is a concentration in the twilight. The further east you go, the more dense it becomes, and if the density exceeds a certain level, and the strength of the demon exceeds B rank, the area beyond that point is set as a danger zone. The place can only be dealt with by a 2nd level anti-magician or higher. Also, if they don''t hunt there regularly, dangerous demons may enter the safe area. For this reason, the Dusk Task Force is supposed to fight in that dangerous area almost every day. It was not unusual for deaths to occur. But still, someone has to do it. There are a good number of people who move through the safe zone. We have no choice but to act to protect those people and to eliminate this twilight. Furthermore, the danger zone is divided into ten levels. The further east you go, the higher the level goes, and finally the farthest east is level 10, where I once arrived at Ogre''s village, which is also level 10. And the density of twilight is also in the north and south, and it tends to get thicker the further you go to the end. In other words, the Seventh Warding City and First Warding City were also quite dangerous places. ''''Danger zone level 1?'''' ''We''re going there today. Maybe we''ll go up to level two. Have you been there after level 3? ''We''ve only been to level four. So, having gone to level 10, we''re counting on you. Okay. The colonel told me that and I nodded. But I didn''t know everything about twilight. I had fought, but I was more likely to run away. Especially the further east you go, the higher the density of the dusk and the strength of the demons become in proportion to the density of the dusk and the strength of the demons, so around level 10, I only lived my life on the run. Even so, my knowledge and actual battle skills were definitely valued as useful and here I am. I need to firmly fulfill my duty. Then the vanguard is Julia and Scott. The middle guard is me and Carl. The rear guard will be Eira and Luna. Copy that. When they all said that, we went out into the twilight. ¡ó We left the seventh ward city and scraped the demons at random in the safe area we came to the dangerous area. "......... What, do you miss it? Well that''s true, but you''re very clear, Lieutenant Bates. Ha-ha, well. I hope you''ll show some respect while you still can, Sergeant Major. Major.... He''s sarcastic, but that''s just as well. He is more than 10 years older than me. But he wasn''t being sarcastic to that extent, and I could sense some kind of gentleness in his voice. And since Lieutenant Bates and I are in the vanguard, we continue on our way. Then a familiar demon appears in front of us. ''''White Wolves it''s a pack. There''s a lot of them.'''' It looks like... And we hold up our swords. Then the lieutenant glances at me and makes a surprised sound. ''''I''ve heard rumors but seriously, it''s a knife?'''' Yeah, well. But it''s not just a knife. While I''m doing so, instructions come flying in from the colonel. ''Julia, Scott, cut down the enemy!¡¡We''ll help from the rear, and we''ll clean up the leaks too. Yes, sir! Taking that word as a cue, we try to pour the earth over it.... ''Yes, that should do it, right?'' That voice was senior Eira. The white wolves'' feet were completely frozen underneath them, unable to move. In the blink of an eye, Eira-senpai''s magic had frozen everything in place. After that, it was a simple matter of simply chopping off his head. Using the knives I held in both hands as a starting point, I activated the Invisible Blade to cut off the heads one after the other to annihilate them. After that is done, the lieutenant looks at me intently. ''''Hey........Major-dono. What''s going on with that? "Well, this is a type of illusionary magic. It''s my original, and it''s called the Invisible Sword, the Invisible Blade. "Wow, that''s some serious magic again... ''I see, an invisible blade.......that''s quite effective. The advantage of being invisible is stronger than you can imagine. Besides, with a starting point, multiple deployments are possible, right? ''Yes, but you know a lot about it. Captain Hunt is. ''''In the meantime, I''ve researched you guys beforehand. The information on the special class anti-magicians is reasonably public, you know. ''Hmm, isn''t it great? My Julia is amazing! Eira-senpai comes into the conversation saying that. Why is senpai so proud........ ''''Your ice magic just now was also brilliant. I see, after all, it seems that being a special class anti-magician is exceptional. With this, you might be able to make it to level 2 today. Colonel, how would you like to go? ''Well there''s certainly nothing wrong with that but wait a minute, I''ll get in touch with headquarters. When the colonel says this, he activates his magic and a spinning magic circle appears. He brings it around his ear and has some kind of conversation with it. ''''Eh, what is that thing?'''' It''s the latest in a long line of communication-capable wizards the engineering department has produced, Major Curtis. It''s still having some problems, but it does seem to be able to communicate. ''Well, Lieutenant Gray is that right? ''Yeah. They''re still having all sorts of problems, but they can talk to each other for quite a distance. It seems to be transmitting sound by tracing the magic element. I see... As I was so impressed, the call seemed to end. "Permission granted. You''re only allowed to go to level 2. We don''t want you to go to level 3. Is that clear? Copy that. Once again we are moving through the twilight. 34 - Episode 34: Dusk: Danger Area Level 2 Level 2 as expected it''s getting thicker. ''Yes. Perhaps it''s time to get out of the woods and into the wilderness. ''Sure it is but do you remember?'' ''Well yes. I have most of the terrain and so on still in my head. Ha, you''re very reliable. You''ve only been in the dark for two years, Mr. Major. ''''Please don''t do that, Mister Major. It''s not that big of a deal. What, you don''t like it? ''Well it''s not like you''re suddenly called a major,'' ''''There are all kinds of special class anti-magicians...'''' Have you ever met anyone else? ''Well. But some of them are high and mighty, while others, like you, are humble... or something. Well, they''re all different kinds of guys. Okay. So, should I call you Julia? Yes, sir. That''s all right, Lieutenant. Ha-ha, you''re a hard-assed guy, but I like you, you know, I like you. A guy like you. In fact, I wondered how bad you''d be since you became a special class anti-magician at a young age... Haha, I''m sorry... Well, it''s time for us to get together, you know. Let''s be brothers in arms. Yes! As the two of us talked about it, we passed through the danger zone level 1. I hadn''t felt this way in a long time. After all, the atmosphere changes as soon as you exit Level 1. The dark twilight is the same, but the smell of blood and other things seep into this place. The weak and the strong. That''s exactly what it is, to the letter. And then there was the wilderness. There are large rocks and other objects here and there, and ... demons are also wandering around. The one here was a Scorpion [Scorpion]. But of course, its body length was not normal. It was quite large, about 3-5 meters in size. It was also dyed a dusk color with a mixture of red and black. It''s probably an individual that''s been here for a long time. I''ve fought these guys before, but they''re quite nasty. Especially the poisonous tail. It may have strong acidity, or it melts when touched. It can easily turn human skin to mush. When I was in the twilight, I had seen the Scorpion hunting its prey with its poison many times. It''s not that difficult to defeat them, but it''s still quite troublesome to have them acting in packs. ''''Colonel, what do we do now?'''' When Lieutenant Bates asked him this, the colonel pondered for a moment before saying ''Yes, I suppose so. Let''s do a little hunting here. All hands, battle positions. Copy that. The vanguard will be in the vanguard, the middle guard will be in the ring, and the rear guard will be assisted by magic. Yes, sir! And me and Lieutenant Bates proceed to take the lead. Holding a knife in both hands, I activate the Invisible Blade. Then I lowered my posture and ran across the land. In front of me, a lone Scorpion ¡¶Scorpion¡· comes into view. ''''Hah! A flash. The Scorpion ¡¶Scorpion¡· recognized that the enemy had come, but it was unable to perceive the invisible blade, and instead it was cut in half. Paying close attention to the splattered body fluids, the lieutenant and I continue to scrape at the front line. I know this because I myself have been fighting in the twilight by myself for a long time.......after all, the efficiency is quite different when you have a companion. Myself and Lieutenant Bates scraped at the front lines, and the leaked demons were scraped by everyone in the middle and even rear guard. Furthermore, the rear guard has magical support from the rear guard, so it''s quite easy to fight. This is the seventh special squad. From its name, it was called Ichitoku ¡¶Ittoku¡·, and was called with awe and respect by those around it, but I was reminded again that it wasn''t a lie. ''''Don''t ... do it. Lieutenant Bates is a pretty good shot. Well, it''s the only thing I have. The weapon the lieutenant is using is a flamberge. The blade is about 1.5 meters long, and the handle is so long that it''s too long to hold in both hands. Above all, it is characterized by a wave-shaped blade that looks like a flickering flame. This has the effect of widening an opponent''s wounds when it is slashed. Therefore, the attacked opponent would not be able to take more than a mere blow. And so far, so good... but the problem is that it''s not very easy to handle. He''s as good as or even better than I am at handling inertia. I was frankly amazed at how skillfully he used his magic. And it''s not just the sword that he uses, he also uses it on his own body. In my case, I use it on my body in key places, but he uses it on every single move he makes. ''''.........hmm?'''' What? ...earthquake? It''s big. You guys, back up a little... Suddenly there is a big shake coming. And I remember this phenomenon. ''''........The demon is coming out!¡¡Prepare for battle! I say, and everyone is ready to fight again. And I know. This shaking of the earth and those big scissors. That''s the leader of this group of Scorpions. The individual''s name is the Huge Scorpion. When that thing crawled out of the ground, it let out a strange cry. "Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight! But at that moment I was running out of the earth. Of course, Lieutenant Scott is next to me. And the small fry that came out again around us, we leave it to the middle and rear guards. This is a tacit agreement. We had already decided what we would do in a situation like this. The two vanguards would hit the Huge Scorpion, the rear guard would hunt the small fry, and the middle guard would support both sides as needed. Without breaking that formation, I kicked the ground as hard as I could and wielded the Invisible Sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡· that was activated from the knives in both hands. ''''........Hard! Yes, my attack did not hurt the opponent''s body. The opponent''s outer shell was harder than the hardness of the Invisible Sword Invisible Blade. ''''Yuria, get away from me! When the senior''s voice comes, I immediately take a back step and step backwards. A moment later, the entire body of the giant scorpion, the Huge Scorpion ¡¶Huge Scorpion¡·, is engulfed in red lotus flames. A writhing voice. As expected, the outer shell isn''t thick enough to perfectly protect against heat, and the giant scorpion ¡¶Huge Scorpion¡· begins to wander around in agony as it is. ''''Yulia, focus on one point! Yes, sir! If it''s hard, then you can focus on that and break through. First of all, the lieutenant waves his flamberge at the brain. The burning flames have already weakened, but what''s hot is still hot. But we couldn''t let this opportunity pass us by. ''''Haaaaaaah! As I flew into the air, I launched the Invisible Blade from both feet as well. And then I thrust the Invisible Blade into the brain, and then the two knives of the Invisible Blade in both hands also thrust into the brain. Then the outer shell collapsed with a cracking sound.......my Invisible Blade pierced through the heavens. The giant scorpion, Huge Scorpion ¡¶Huge Scorpion¡·, deflated and prostrated to the earth as it was. Surprisingly, it was all over, and when I turned around, it seemed that the extermination of the miscellaneous fishes was finished. ''''Yo, Julia. You did it. ''Yes. You''ve managed it, haven''t you? But you don''t see the Huge Scorpion, the Huge Scorpion, very often. Surely, if there are any, they''d have to be at least level four... Yeah. This guy is a Level 4 hazardous waste area. Are you experiencing ecological changes? ''''Well that''s enough discussion, both of you. We''ll take this information to the research department. We''ll also recover some of the bodies. Copy that. The colonel said that, and we left the danger zone and left the place. Our mission is safely over, and we return to the warded city........ ''''.........?'''' What''s up, Julia? No, it''s nothing, lieutenant. That''s what I was thinking at the time. 35 - Episode 35: Baptism Hmmm... I''m tired. ''Aren''t you used to that, Julia?¡¡You''ve been there for two years, haven''t you? ''''Senpai says so... but the truth is, Dusk still leaves me nervous, or rather... afraid, after all...'''' ''''Well yeah. It''s been two years alone in that twilight. Back in the seventh ward city, we were having a meal when we came to the military quarters. The time was already close to night. Since it was dinner, my senior and I had come to the dining hall. Then Sherry and Sophia came from the other side. ''''Yoo-hoo, you two........'''' Sofia, you look tired. ''That''s what you need to hear, Julia. I''m already having a hard time training...seriously... But Sherry seems to be okay with it? ''Sherry is special!¡¡It''s kind of like I''m getting even stronger lately, or maybe I''m becoming a physical idiot. What?¡¡That''s what I thought! You''re still being a pain in the ass. The four of us eat as it is, chatting and laughing. By the way, it seems that Sherry and Sophia are now part of the 76th squad. However, it seems that neither of them are going out to the danger zone of twilight yet. According to them, after training a little more and seeing how things go.......but Sherry is in pretty good shape, and it seems that they''re judged to be able to go out to the danger zone right away. The talent was always there. I wonder if it is blossoming like this. The indomitable will to go on even after that attack. I can only admire her so much. ''''Come to think of it, Yulia and Eira-senpai are in the same squad, right? ''''It''s super gorgeous to have two special class anti-magicians or something like that! It''s kind of like an image that could go anywhere in the twilight. Not really.... Yeah. Actually, the danger zone takes on a different dimension from about level 4 onwards. So does the strength of the demons, and most of all the intelligent demons... goblins, orcs, ghouls, trolls, harpies, cyclops, undead, vampires, liches, demons, medusas... ...They''re all over the place. And above all, they are strong. They behave in an organized manner that normal demons don''t have, and they are as intelligent as humans. Sofia says so, and she is correct in her perception. Twilight has a different dimension, starting around level 4 in the danger zone. When I was wandering around too, I would basically run away from that place. There were times when I would fight, but even then I would run away as soon as I felt death. And I don''t know everything about Dusk either. What I do know is only a part of the whole. Which demon is in which place.......I don''t have a perfect grasp of such things. ''''Well, let''s get going now, shall we?'''' When the senior said that, we got up and went back to the dormitory to rest. We''ve already done what we have to do today. All we have to do now is sleep. And as we are walking back to our quarters, a group of large men appear in front of us. ''Hey hey. You have a good status with all the girls.........................Special Class Counter-Magician-dono. No, is it Major Curtis? A man with a large build. He is close to 5''9" tall and has quite a bit of muscle and a stocky body. His shoulders are broad and his belly is narrow, with a beautiful inverted triangle. His hair is cropped black, and his image is stern........ ''I''m Nick Bream. My rank is second lieutenant. Now, Mister Major may I have a moment of your time? ''Well...'' While I was saying this, a wall of people lurked around me and Ensign Briem, and a wall of people formed around me. Before I knew it, everyone else was gone. ''What?¡¡Hey! In the blink of an eye, it''s like he and I are facing off against each other. And the gathered onlookers shout in unison. ''Nick, don''t lose!'' "Even a child is a master class demon!¡¡Be careful! No, I''m going to bet on a master class antagonist. I''m Nick! Well, well, well, I bet, I bet! Oh, that thing you were talking about I don''t know what I''m gonna do. "I''ll call you, newbie. You''re so cute! For some reason, the betting has begun. Eh.........what is this?¡¡Maybe he''s here to bully me, a new guy, or something...?¡¡The atmosphere is kind of cheerful for that.........it''s a festive situation.... "Well, Ensign Briem. What''s this...? Hmm?¡¡Well, it''s called a contest of strength. Now, let''s see what an extra-grade anti-magician can do! Do you use a weapon or something? That''s dangerous. It''s just a hand-to-hand combat. Well, to say no, I mean. None. So, right? They have already been surrounded and even more mysterious bets have begun to be made. "There is physical strengthening. I will continue to fight until my opponent says he''s beaten me. ...eh... yes. When I looked closely, out of the corner of my eye, I saw that everyone from the 7th Special Squad was also taking part in the bet. Well.........let''s go! A moment later, he kicked the ground as hard as he could and the body of Ensign Briem loomed in front of him. As expected from being in a twilight combat unit, it seemed that his body was not an apparent one. But if it''s like this........ I quickly dodge and use my momentum to pay off his legs and knock him down to the ground as it is. Would you like to go on? Of course! For the next few minutes I kept throwing him around. He''s certainly good with his body and has good mobility. But he''s still slow. And his attacks are a bit monotonous. He seems to be feinting, but if you look at his gaze, it''s easy to see where he''s trying to attack. ''''Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Yikes. It''s a bak¨¦mon.... The moment Ensign Bream surrendered, the onlookers who were around him erupted into a boil. ''''Ooohhhhhhhh! Wow, you''re a f*cking genius! Yeah. I didn''t know that Nick was so out of shape. d*mn, I knew I shouldn''t have bet on Nick. I''m glad I took a chance on Yuria-kun. Each one is a mock battle this time?¡¡They are exchanging their thoughts on the ''''Major Julia Curtis. My apologies, I''m very sorry! Ensign Briem bows his head in a bang. ''Hey, that''s not so sudden. And respectful speech is fine. And this is something you do to help the newcomers get used to it, right? Haha, you got it right. Well, it''s more like a baptismal rite of passage. But I usually end up beating up the new guy and this time I''m the one who got beat up. Ensign Briem was pretty good, too, sir. Oh, I don''t want to be flattered. And you can call me Nick. Welcome to the Dusk Fighting Force. I''d like to see you in action. I''m fine with Julia, too, Mr. Nick. You don''t have to call me "sir. You can call me Nick, Major. Nick smiles with a toothy grin. At first I didn''t know what to expect, but apparently I''m welcome. Well, it''s good to see you, Nick. Yeah. It''s a pleasure to meet you, Julia. We would give each other a firm handshake. As a soldier, I worried not only about the mission, but also about these relationships. I was the youngest person ever to become a special-grade anti-magician, and since I became a soldier, my rank was major at the age of 15. Normally, you would be in your thirties at the earliest to become an officer. And yet, I reached that position in an unusually short period of time. That''s why I thought there would be a lot of difficulties, but.......everyone in the Seventh Boundary City''s Twilight Combat Unit seemed to welcome me regardless of my age. 36 - Episode 36 Unexpected Encounter ''Haaaaaaaahhhh! ...hmmm...I guess I''m still naive. I catch Shelly''s sword and easily pass it off. By the way, I''m using an ordinary broadsword instead of the Invisible Sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡· right now. ''''Huh........hah......what''s wrong with that.......'''' ''''Hmm. Something doesn''t feel right, but I can''t verbalize it... it''s hard to... ''''Well if even Yulia doesn''t understand, it''s no wonder. ''No, I''m kind of an amateur as a leader. My fighting style is a bit special too. I feel like I''m keeping up with Shelly''s training now. The training is over and I''m tired, but she wants me to stay with her on the ground to train. I''m exhausted from being out in the danger zone almost every day, but I can''t do her a favor. But things aren''t looking good. Sherry and I match swords, but I can''t really explain what to do about it. In the first place, my fighting style is mainly based on the Invisible Blade, the Invisible Blade. It''s not only the advantage of being invisible, but also the high speed sword strikes that take advantage of the fact that the only mass is the knife, as well as the overwhelming amount of material that comes out of multiple starting points. It''s not something that can be taught to an ordinary person by any means, nor can it be used as a reference. Even if it''s basic bodywork, Shelly is already not in that area. ''''Huh.......What should I do.......'''' ''Oh ... well ... I don''t think the broadsword is ... right for you ...'' "What?! Guffawing, he turned around to face the voice. Then I saw a woman with scorching red hair standing there. Her eyes are higher than mine, and she''s also slender. But as I recall, this person........somewhere........ ''''Ah........Yulia-kun.......it''s been a while......'''' ''Oh!¡¡Um, you''re the second person in the pecking order! ''''Ha ... yes ... well, my name is Bertina Wright, and I''ve been assigned to the Seventh Warded City, so ... You can call me Bell my name and I''m a colonel by the way and I''m 32 years old... ...and that''s nice, okay?¡¡Heh, heh........ Come to think of it, I had heard that the Seventh Boundary City was going to have another special-grade anti-magician coming to the Seventh Boundary City, but I wasn''t expecting someone from the second rank in the pecking order, so I''m a little surprised. ''''It''s nice to meet you too. Um, Belle-san...So why are you here?¡¡It''s almost bedtime now, but... Well I just arrived a little while ago and I saw you two in training, so I thought I''d say hello and... ...and a bit of ...oh, and some advice ...oh, I hope you''re not offended!¡¡I''m sorry! That''s all right!¡¡And it''s nice to see someone who''s second in the pecking order looking at you!¡¡Hey, Shelly? ''Yes!¡¡Of course it''s okay! Me and Shelly follow Mr. Bell to the max. It''s kind of hard to believe that I''m second in the pecking order, either because I''m not confident in myself or because I''m so humble. But it doesn''t matter what his personality is. This person is second in the pecking order among the special class anti-magicians. Her opinion will surely be helpful. With that thought in mind, I decided to delve into the conversation I had just had. ''''Well, Belle-san. What do you mean that the broadsword isn''t right for Shelly? ''Well this is a bit of a sensation, but I think Sherry-san is better suited to the sword...'' ...yes. He has long arms and a fast swing, so he''s better at it than a broadsword. ....Sen. A sword...a sword? There is a clear distinction between a sword and a sword. Swords are used to ''strike'' with their weight, while swords are designed to be ''cut'' with a sharp cutting edge. However, the slender nature of the sword makes it less durable and more prone to blade spills. Therefore, handling a sword requires considerable skill. Particularly when fighting a series of demons. In my case, the Invisible Sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡· is rather using the nature of the sword, but since it can be activated many times, there is no problem with its durability and there is no need to think about blade spills. But normally, most people don''t like that drawback and use a sword. But they say that the sword is suitable for Sherry. This would be an opinion that should be consulted. At the very least, it''s not bad to practice with a sword. ''''I see, a sword... a sword... what do you think Yulia?'''' ''I think it''s good. I don''t think it''s a bad idea to try a new weapon. Oh....would you like to see my sword dance? ''What?¡¡Are you sure?! Yes. I''m good.......... If you think about it, Bell''s weapon of the second place on the list is a tachi. It is a flexible curved curved curved sword, a tachi. The blade is over a meter long and very long. Then she pulls out the taiji hanging from her waist and traces the sword dance along the pattern. ''''Amazing........'''' Yeah, that''s........second in the pecking order........ I was just overwhelmed. Her every move, every step, is refined. From the way she moved her body to the way she swung her sword, it was clear that her movements were beyond the realm of ordinary people. And as we watch in stunned amazement, Belle''s sword dance comes to an end. The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that it''s not a good idea to have a good time. ''Great, great, great!¡¡I''ve decided!¡¡I''m going to be Mr. Bell''s apprentice! ''Well you''re my apprentice...?¡¡But I''m not very good at talking to you and I''m not very good at talking to you and I''m not very good at talking to you. I don''t know if I can teach ... well ... well ... I don''t know... Please!¡¡I want to be strong! Shelly lifts her head without regard to the pretense. I''m sure he found something in the sword dance just now. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea or not. That feeling is important. I also understood with my senses that the Invisible Blade was suitable for me, and I still think so. Thus, Shelly became the apprentice of Bertina Wright, the second in the pecking order. ¡ó Hmm. It was Belle who came. ''Yes. I ran into him last night. So, Sherry as an apprentice I wonder if Belle can do it? What do you mean? ''Cause I''m not a good talker, Belle. And I''m not very confident. I don''t think I''m the kind of person who can teach people anything. I can be a bit of a jerk. ''''Haha that''s harsh but you''re second in the pecking order, right? Have you seen how serious Julia is about Belle? No, we spoke for the first time yesterday. Belle is terrific. I heard that she has about 10 special sword skills, especially the secret sword, but I was shaken. The first time I saw it. Yeah, is that all right? Lunch break. Me and Eira-senpai were eating curry in the cafeteria, facing each other. It''s not like Bell-san is just second in the pecking order.......no, I''m not doubting that, but it''s hard to imagine that tremendous swordsmanship from that personality in any way. ''''Probably the strongest in combat within a 3 meter radius. I can''t imagine Belle losing at super close range ¡¶Cross Range¡· at all. ''''Is it that much of a stretch for you, senior...? ''Is Julia okay with it?¡¡I''m sure Bell''s swordplay would be helpful to you. ''Hmm. I don''t want to disturb Shelly right now. Because I''m sure she''ll grow up to be more. Hmm, sounds like a good time. ''Well I''ve met Shelly in a lot of special ways. I''d like to help her. "...Oh no!¡¡I''m ahead of you! Eira-senpai scraped the remaining curry in one go and then lowered the dishes as it was. ''''Eh........did I do something?'''' I continued to eat my curry slowly, but in the end it remained a mystery as to why my senpai was in a bad mood. 37 - Episode 37 Under the Starry Sky Hmm..... Midnight. I had a strange trouble falling asleep today and woke up. I looked at the clock and saw that it was past 2:00 a.m. I woke up at a very halfway point in the night. I woke up in the middle of the night, but I don''t know why I woke up so late. But for some reason my eyes are strangely bright. I wonder what''s going on........somehow, I decided to go outside to feel better. ''''........'''' I looked up at the night sky and saw the stars shining there. The only unchanging twinkling stars in a world dominated by twilight. Looking back, I had looked up at the night sky like this many times during the two years I had been in twilight. While I was indulging in such a past, a familiar person was there. ''''........Sophia?'''' ...Julia? Normally she wears her semi-long hair in a short ponytail, but now she seemed to be undoing it, which was refreshing. But that''s not the only thing that''s different from the usual. Tears were running down from her eyes. ''''.........Ah, hahaha! You''ve seen my embarrassing part. What''s going on? Sofia gingerly wipes her tears with her sleeve. I don''t know if I can step in.....................I''ve known there was something about her for a long time. The fact that she tested me, and I thought she was strangely frightened by that attack, but I also saw her happily killing demons. To put it bluntly.......Sophia is emotionally unstable. She is usually a bright girl. But when it comes to demons and twilight, her balance is strangely compromised. I was worried about her. It hasn''t been long since we met. And yet I still consider her........a dear friend. That''s why I decided to step in a bit today. ''''........nothing.......ugh......ugh.......'''' Sophia continued to cry. I watched it in silence next to her. No, technically I was looking at the sky. I''m not one to stare intently at a woman''s crying face. So I waited next to her for a long time until she stopped crying. "Are you settling in? ''Yeah ... thanks Julia ...'' Well, I''m going to go. Stand up. We all have things we don''t want to talk about. We all have things we don''t want to tell anyone in our lives, no matter how close we are to them. It happens to me, and it happens to Sofia. So I''m going to walk away. You can''t step into someone''s heart so easily, because it''s not something you can do. Aren''t you going to listen? Why are you crying? Yes. Can I ask you a question? I''ll let Julia... okay... I sat down next to her again and decided to listen to her in silence. ''Hey, why did you try to approach Yulia from the first time I met her do you know what I mean?'' No.... Indeed, Sophia was quick to close the distance. Unlike Shelly, we hadn''t met beforehand. Nevertheless, Sophia seemed strangely familiar to me... or rather, I felt like she was watching me the whole time. I remember the moment I entered the classroom, her eyes were wide open. ''Yulia, you know, you look like your brother... very, very much like him. Do you have a brother? Yeah. He was very kind, reliable, cool, and...a very strong brother. Julia and I have a similar face and that gentle personality. That''s why........from the first time we met, I couldn''t help but see Yulia as an older brother. She''s like my brother........well, I can understand the argument. But what does that have to do with why she wanted me to become a special class anti-magician? ''''I knew about Yulia.......originally. I came back from twilight and I was watching the match with Shelly. That''s when I thought. My brother is back. My brother had always dreamed of becoming an extra-specialist opponent. So.........I''ve always pictured Yulia as my brother. No.........yes, I wanted to believe that. I wanted to believe... that my brother... had come back... so when Yulia became a special class antagonist... ...I thought my brother''s dreams would come true too... and Yulia''s strong enough to kill a lot of the demons that took my brother away from me... and if I become a special class anti-magician, more, more, more, that guy. He''s going to kill them... haha, it''s perverse... but I could only hold myself together by thinking that anymore... .... The words made sense to me. Sophia''s brother was missing in the twilight. Every year, many people go missing in the twilight. Students are the same, but more often than not, it''s the military. It''s not uncommon for them to go to the danger zone and not come back. I was one of those who went missing but I did come back. I think she found hope in that. A classmate who looks like her brother. It''s also quite strong. She wanted to look at him and think of her brother and assume that he was there. Unfortunately, it''s not uncommon for people to suffer from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) due to someone who has gone to twilight, or someone they care about dying in twilight. Sofia may be one of those people.... ''But hey, Yulia was Yulia. The one who fought for everyone in that attack, fighting for humanity even though he was covered in blood.......wasn''t her brother. I know that. I understand with all my rational mind. That my brother is already dead I know that Yulia is special... ...But I can''t give up. That''s why I want to be strong enough to meet my brother someday and also to eliminate the demon tribe that took him away from me and the twilight. Oh no, that''s not like me. Hahahahahaha! Does that sound familiar?¡¡If you ask me, I''ll tell you that it is indeed true. In the world where Twilight was born, in a world ruled by the demon race, stories like this are commonplace. Your loved ones will be gone. That twilight will take them away from you. It''s a common story, and there are many victims. But still I had something to say. "A common story it may be, but the pain you feel is something only the person in question can understand. Sophia is in pain all the time the pain is real. It''s not something that can be dismissed out of hand. Besides, that doesn''t mean she''s not like you. She''s a bright and lively person, that''s for sure, but that doesn''t mean she can''t be sad about something. If people are sad, they''re sad. If they''re happy, they''re happy. Who they are depends on the moment. Julia.... I don''t know what words of encouragement are. As I said to myself, only the person in question can understand the pain. I''m not Sophia, and I don''t understand how it feels to lose your brother. But even so, to hear her grief I can accept it. That''s why I was there for her. I''m not Sophia''s brother. I''m not a substitute. Still, I wanted to be there for her as a friend. What do you mean? The next moment, Sophia lies down on the ground. Then, in a large figure, she looks up at this starry sky. ''''Ah, compared to this starry sky, I''m... well... the world is... small... compared to this starry sky. .... I''ve been thinking about it. I''ve been thinking about waiting for my brother to come back one day. That hasn''t changed. But maybe it''s time for me to move on too........Julia is not my brother. And I am........ I was the same as Sophia. I''ve been stagnant for a long time. I went into the twilight, and I came back stronger, but what happened to Dan and the others has lain dormant in the back of my mind. Now I''ve let go of all my ties and moved on, but it took me a while to get there. I''ve made up my mind. I''m going to try harder. I''ll try my best to be a great wizard when my brother comes back. And ... I''m going to do everything I can to make this twilight disappear ... Well yes. In the end, people can only follow what they decide to do. Regardless of what others may say, in the end it is necessary to move forward by one''s own will. ''''........Huh?'''' A moment later, I feel a raw, warm sensation on my cheeks. ''''Fufu, thank you!¡¡Well, good night! I stared at Sophia''s departing figure, dumbfounded... and then looked up at the sky again. The starry sky was still there. 38 - Episode 38 Crossdresser. It is the truth and the world. A girl in gothic loli clothing walks into the dining room. She is dressed in black and white with frills everywhere. But it''s not just a heaping helping of food. A gothic loli costume built on a wonderful balance that also takes into account proper subtraction. Furthermore, her hair is shoulder-length, but curled nicely and loosely. Her pure white hair is pure white, and it looks crystal clear to all intents and purposes. I''m not sure if she''s wearing make-up or not, but she has a definite coloring to her face, even though she''s a child. This girl is definitely going to be a beauty in the future. There was enough beauty there to make me think so. But I don''t know who this girl is. Every once in a while, a military family comes to the canteen. So it''s not that I''m making a big deal out of it, but the girl was just too beautiful. That''s why everyone''s eyes are drawn to her. I was watching that scene from a distance. But...................she looked familiar. ''Hey, Shelly. Have you seen that girl? Sophia comes up to me and talks to me. ''''Well it certainly looks like someone else...'''' ''Oh!¡¡It''s not Julia! What are you two talking about? As Sophia and I were talking like that, Eira-senpai came up to us. It looks like she just put the food on a tray and moved over. ''''Ah, Eira-senpai. Um, we''re talking about how that girl looks like Yulia. It''s Julia. What...? The voices overlap. Is that ... Julia?¡¡That''s not possible. It''s impossible. Because no matter how you look at it.......it looks like a woman. And this "crappy" woman comes up to me. "Oh, Sherry and Sophia. ''What?¡¡Wait!¡¡Seriously, it''s Julia! "Calm down, Sophia!¡¡At times like this, we count to prime numbers!¡¡2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31....... The world came to a halt. The voice was seriously Julia''s. A high, husky voice for a man. But how could I forget it? This voice is ... it''s Julia. There''s no doubt about it. I hear it almost every day. There is no mistaking it. And why Yulia is dressed as a woman.......that goes back several hours. ¡ó Okay. I wake up in a batch. Today is my first day off in a long time. And I''m planning to go shopping in town with Eira-senpai. As they say, "I have a lot to buy, will you come along? He said. Of course I agreed with him. I''m always indebted to my seniors. I was happy if I could use this opportunity to return the favor, even if only a little. Then I changed into my normal clothes. However, I don''t have any good clothes, so they are quite ordinary. Shirt and trousers. It''s simple, but well it''s all I have, so I can''t help it. It would be easier if it was the military uniform I always wear, but I wonder if I should do a lot of things for this kind of situation........ ''''.........oops, time.......'''' While I''m moping around, the time is already 15 minutes before the meeting. I hurriedly went outside and headed to the meeting place. You should have just met in front of the lodgings, but senpai specified a fountain in the city. I don''t know why he went to the trouble of designating such a place, but.......I''m sure he has some noble idea that I wouldn''t have thought of. ''''I''m sorry ... just in the nick of time ...'''' ''Okay. I''ve just arrived. .... Fascination. Yes, my senpai''s appearance was completely different from what I was expecting. It''s a good idea to have your hair in a ponytail, but it''s a little rough and tidy, and the bangs are made so that you can see your forehead. It''s what we call a see-through bang. Her hair is also curled in a nice way. She also looks whiter than usual, maybe because she is wearing a little bit of make-up, and her face is a little bit pinker than usual. What''s more notable is the clothes she''s wearing. It''s a simple one-piece with white as the base color. That was what brought out the charm of the seniors more than anything else. That, compared to that, I''m........ "Se-senpai........sorry. I''m............................! Wait, wait, what are you doing? ''''My seniors care so much about their appearance, yet they''re so pretty!¡¡I''m such a clich¨¦ looking ... I''m not worthy! What? Is she pretty? It''s not possible!¡¡And yet I.........! Hmmm. Yeah, he''s cute. She''s cute... Senpai wrapping her hair around her finger. Oh yeah. I''ve got an idea. !¡¡You''re going to punish me for my disappointment?¡¡And yet it is........you should accept it wholeheartedly.... Hmm, Yulia. Do you want to dress up? I followed him. After that........what was waiting for me was the unknown world. "This is........me?¡¡No, me? When I looked in the mirror, it wasn''t me there. It was me. It was Julia. ''Huh, I knew the material would be good for you. I''ve always been a neutral person. The clear skin and faintly dyed lips. And the pure white hair that reaches to your shoulders!¡¡There''s no way we can''t take advantage of this! Sir, that''s a good look for you. I, or rather I, was reborn by the seniors and the clerk. The size of the clothes that could only be considered to fit me. The gothic costume fits perfectly, plus a pair of black and white interwoven high socks and a pair of long boots layered over it. The pure white hair is applied with a protectant (treatment) and then neatly curled with a 25 mm iron. With utmost care, the curls should not be strong. It''s just a faint curl. From there, carefully twist in more weak hair wax and oil. The hair wax is used to shape the hair and the oil is used to give it just the right amount of shine. Spray more on to keep it perfectly in place. Minimal make-up is also a must. Let the ingredients come alive. Start with the base. Layer a little foundation and then swoosh on some more light pink lipstick. I cut the eyebrows a little and draw a beautiful shape with a pen. And what was born......my new appearance, which should be described as Julia-chan. That''s right........if I dress up, I can be able to stand next to my seniors! I was completely disappointed in myself at this time. I was a man, and normally I should be pursuing my masculinity. But now I was more impressed with my biggest fashionable self in my life than that. After all, the senior was right. According to her, "Yulia is a good material, you''ll be beautiful. Eh?¡¡Women''s?¡¡It doesn''t matter. It''s a good thing. They say that beauty transcends gender. If it is said so, it may be true. No, it''s what my senpai says. There''s no doubt about it! ''''Thank you, senior. Now I can stand next to my senior with confidence! ''Hmmm, yes!¡¡Come on, let''s go! Yes! So me and my seniors went into town to continue shopping and then headed back to our military quarters. Then, once we dropped our bags off, we headed to the mess hall. I could have changed my clothes, but it would have been a hassle, so I''d be fine with this for a while. When I received my meal and placed it on the tray, the senior was just talking to Shelly and Sophia. ''Oh, Shelly and Sophia,'' ''What?¡¡Wait!¡¡Seriously, it''s Julia! "Calm down, Sophia!¡¡At times like this, we count to prime numbers!¡¡2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31....... I don''t know what you''re talking about. I am me. I''m no one else, I''m Julia Curtis. It''s not anyone else, it''s Julia Curtis, so what is this reaction?¡¡Oh, well now that I''m dressed up I''m sure you''re surprised. Hmmm, even I can do it if I try! Hmmm........the curry here is delicious after all....... What?¡¡He doesn''t seem to mind eating curry.¡¡Julia is fully awake! ''Sophia, calm down. It''s times like these that I think about good food. ''Sherry''s broken too!¡¡Julia, what''s wrong, really! ''''Mugu Mugu ... after all, my senior taught me how to dress up. What do you think?¡¡I could do it, too, if I tried! Well I mean, did you want to be pretty? What? Julia is a man by gender identity, right? "?¡¡Yes, but.... Wasn''t your manhood ... necessary? ''Oh....'' The spoon spills out of my hand. There is a rattling sound and silence. So ... I am a man. Why, why ... why ... why ... why ... why ... why ... why!¡¡Hey, why didn''t I notice that!¡¡Oh, come to think of it........I feel like my senpai has a lot to say to me....... Cuteness is the ultimate in fashion that transcends everything, even gender, or something like that....... ''''I''m sorry Yulia........I really wanted to see you pretty.......I''m sorry! ''''Se-senpai-nii-nii-nii-nii! It was the moment when my black history was born. But I would later learn that this wasn''t the last time I would be dressed as a woman. Hohoho.......... 39 - Episode 39 Welcome to the Technology Development Department Hmmm... I''m tired. You''re a lot stronger today. Well you don''t want to spend a lot of time on level 3, as expected. I can''t wait to go to bed in the bath... Speaking of which, Uriah. Didn''t you get a call from the tech department? Oh ... come to think of it, that''s right. You better get going, man.¡¡Those guys are persistent. "?¡¡I understand. As usual, that''s what Lieutenant Bates told me when I came back after finishing my work with the 7th Special Detachment. So I decided to go there before taking a bath. The Technology Development Department. That''s where they''re developing various armaments and other things for fighting in the twilight. And not only armaments, they are also working on developing magic. It''s not necessary to have a fighting ability to join this department like we do. What you need is the technology to develop and the brains to make it possible. ''''Excuse me........'''' They come to the location of the Technology Development Department, which is located inside the military. As for the location, the Dusk Task Force is in the north, while the Technology Development Department is in the south. The distance is surprisingly long, but I walked over to it. And when I looked inside, I saw all sorts of people there. Some are experimenting with magic, others are doing what seems to be armament development. The room is also divided into several rooms, probably divided into two rooms, one for desk work and one for experimentation. ''''Oh, you''re the Julia-kun we''ve heard so much about. I''ve heard a lot about you. Oh ... hi. I''m Julia Curtis. "I''m the chief here, Abby Dane. Feel free to call me Dr. Abby. Okay, Dr. Abby. Good. A woman smiling at me. She seems to be the chief here. She has long brown hair pulled back into a ponytail and wears glasses. She seems to be of a decent height, about the same height as me. I don''t know his age, but I thought he was rather young. ''''Well you, the new special class anti-magician, your armament was a knife, as I recall. ''Yes. It''s more like.... I know what it is. It''s a form of illusionary magic, right?¡¡A magic that uses the Invisible Blade to transform it into a sword shape. It''s also called the Invisible Blade. Of course, the developers have already registered it as your name. ''Oh that''s what that sign was about, wasn''t it? It''s still fresh in my mind that just as I became a soldier, I signed the Invisible Sword, the Invisible Blade, for inclusion in the Magical Encyclopedia. ''''At a glance... it''s quite an interesting magic. It can change shape, and it''s also stretchable. What''s worth noting is that if you have a starting point, you can produce more than one. How much can you get out of it at most? So far, we''ve got a full run, maybe 12. The fingers of your hands and your feet? ''Yes, sir. I''m sure of that perception. I see... Dr. Abby takes notes as she listens to the story. ''How do you switch on and off?¡¡Does it have a duration? You can turn it on and off as you wish. There''s almost no time lag between turning it off and reactivating it, and it takes less than a second to activate. As for the duration........I''ve seen it last up to three hours. I haven''t measured it exactly, but if you reduce the output and use two starting points, I think you can get up to five hours. Yeah, well I''ll tell you what. "?¡¡Yes. The doctor puts his hand on my head. When I accept it meekly, the doctor furthermore takes a note. "Hmm................No, this is unmeasurable (level over). The amount of magic element is well above the average value. Can you measure the amount of magnesium? It''s my singular ability, called "Extras. Its proper name is the elemental sense, Decoding Sense. You don''t have to touch it, but you can figure out the amount of magic element in the target. However, you''ll know more accurately if you touch it. And in your case........if we set the upper limit at 100, the current amount of magic element is a little over 300? ''What?¡¡S-so, so much........or is it over the limit? ''''It''s common among special-grade anti-magicians, but most of them have improbable magical elements stored in them. Perhaps it''s a side effect of the Twilight Syndrome, or the evil effects of the Twilight Syndrome. Well then, I guess this is the one for you. I''ve already made a prototype. With that, Dr. Abby hands me two knives. It''s a weapon I made especially for you. It''s called the Multiple Knife. Look at the many little spikes on the knives, don''t you see? Yes, but no way. Can you make this a good starting point? I''ll try. A compound dagger, the Multiple Knife. At first glance, it looks like an ordinary knife. It''s no different from the one I always use. But if you look closely at this "Multiple Knives", you can see a small spike in this compound dagger. I used it as a starting point to activate the ultra-fine Invisible Blade, the Invisible Blade. Then, with all the spines as the starting point, the Invisible Blade ¡¶Invisible Blade¡· was successfully activated. ''''........It''s done. Besides, I have a feeling that the passage of the magic element is good. ''Oh, that''s because it''s made of a nice material. I''ve incorporated a metal material that allows for good penetration of the magic element. But still, are you activating it? Yes, sir. Then drive through this wood. After being told that, I pierced the wood that was given to me with the Invisible Blade. This is the reason why you can''t get a good deal more than a few of them. ''''Oh ... it''s amazing to see it in person.'''' ''I''m surprised too. I wasn''t thinking about the starting point in detail. This will give us more scope for combat. ''''The bottom line is that those thorns are imperceptible to the opponent. Your Invisible Sword Invisible Blade is invisible which is now a significant advantage in battle. However, if you can develop multiple starting points, there is no reason not to make use of them. I''m glad it worked. No ... thank you very much, too. It''s just that it''s not easy to make. No chance of mass production. You''ll just have to stick with those two knives for now. ''No ... that''s enough. Thank you so much. ''''Well, if you''re wondering what the new special class anti-magic magic is like, it''s a very crazy one. It''s a very exciting thing for us to develop. ... ha ha ha. Until now, I only used the knife as a starting point, but from now on, the countless small thorns that exist on this knife could also be the starting point for the Invisible Blade ¡¶Invisible Blade¡·. Cutting........might not be very effective, but it would be quite useful in terms of stabbing. Moreover, it''s an image that pops out of the knife as something several meters long. In addition to being invisible, with such a number of moves, I can no longer gain a significant advantage in close combat. Although it''s unclear whether the battle of that attack is the cause of the recent attack, the progression of Twilight Syndrome, or Twilight Syndrome, has been accelerating. Thanks to that, or perhaps because of that...........................I feel that my aptitude for magic has increased considerably. The same is true of my basic physical abilities, but my body is becoming less human in many ways. On top of that, it''s this weapon. I''m not going to go so far as to say that I don''t have any enemies.......but I don''t have an image of losing in close combat. Good. In the future, I want you to submit a report on your impressions of the weapon and your own analysis of it every time you fight. ...What? We''ll need proper feedback. And it''s still a prototype. You have to use it and figure out how to do more with it. You''re absolutely right, but isn''t every time a little too much? What do you mean? You should know, every time. That''s an order. I''m a colonel, by the way. You''re a major, right?¡¡Orders, sir. Do it. Yes. I remembered the words of Lieutenant Bates: "They''re persistent. I''m not sure I''ll ever forget the meaning of those words, but that''s another story. 40 - Episode 40 Discomfort Events are often sudden and unexpected. Every day is spent in peace and quiet. But even in those times, things happen when they do. That''s just the way it is. I don''t want to say anything instructive. But this story has given me a sense of destiny. "A strange death........incident? I know. How did he die? They say he died of shock due to excessive bleeding, but... But? There is none. What''s that? The scars and the organs. Was it removed? They did an autopsy on the body and found no evidence of organ removal. So how do you propose to do it? That''s why we have a weird death. The timing of this is... You had nothing to do with the whole thing with the traitor thing, right? Eira-senpai and I were discussing in the briefing room of the 7th Special Squadron. Right now it was just me and my senior and we were waiting for the other squad members. Just then, my senpai brought a story to me that was serious. A strange death case. In this bounded city, crime exists. Murder cases are not zero. But a case of strange deaths was rare, or rather.......this was the first time I heard of it. Even though it was a hemorrhagic shock death, there were no scars, and in addition, there were no organs. In other words, the killer didn''t just kill the person. It''s understandable that the killer used some special method to cause his death. While I was chatting with my seniors, the other members of the team came in. ''''Well we''re all here. This time, before we go to the twilight, we''re going to share information. As some of you may already know, a strange death incident occurred in the Seventh Boundary City. The cause of death is unknown. The corpse had no external injuries, but a lot of blood and organs were missing. There were no mutilated parts. The culprit is still unknown. ''Colonel, do you have any evidence of this? Lieutenant Bates asks that, but the colonel gives him a reluctant look. ''''........No, no. We don''t know anything........that''s the way it is. By the way, the estimated time of death was around 2 a.m. yesterday. So don''t go around at night. However, we may have a job to patrol the city. That''s the job of the Military Police, but if armed intervention is required, we''ll be there. Just be prepared. All right. Copy that. That''s the end of the story, and we went into the twilight as usual. ¡ó .... Today''s battle is going to be using a compound dagger, the Multiple Knife. I took it out of my breast pocket and activated the ordinary Invisible Blade first as usual. And then flash the monster in front of me. After all, the expression process was faster than ever before, and I thought it was easier to handle. The Invisible Sword Invisible Blade requires magical elements to maintain or change its shape. It doesn''t require a large amount, but it''s an image that is slowly diminishing. But this complex dagger is more efficient in transmitting the magic element, or perhaps it is able to activate the Invisible Blade with less magic element than usual, or even more than usual. And I release the true value of this knife. ''''-- Burst! Then, countless blades spread out as if they were spreading out to pierce the demon in front of me as if they were spreading out. I''m currently fighting a ghoul, a humanoid demon, and the effect is outstanding. When the invisible blades pierce several ghouls at once, they scream in pain. There''s no way I''m going to miss that opportunity, so I release my bursting "burst" state and charge straight into them. With the momentum, I cut off his head. Fufu......... Julia, you''re doing great. ''''Senior. Well, yes, my new weapon looks good. Is that what you got from the tech department? ''''Yes. It''s called a Compound Dagger, or Multiple Knife, and the knife has countless thornlike projections embedded in it. ''Oh that''s why there was a hole in the ground like that. Yes, As the two of us were talking about this, the Colonel said that was it for today, so we were going to return to the Seventh Warding City from the danger zone level 3. ''Hey, that''s Shelly and Miss Bell. I guess so. Safely, when I got back to the military base, I found Shelly and Mr. Bell training on the exercise field. However, neither of them moved slightly. I can''t help but look at them, wondering what they''re doing. ''''Haaaaaaah! .... A flash. Shelly pulled out the taijutsuji that she held in her waist and pulled out her sword. But in the next moment, she was caught by Bell-san''s tathagata. ''''Eh........Senpai, did you see that?'''' He doesn''t see you. Mr. Bell is a great guy. Well, without taking into account his personality and all, I''d say he''s second on the list. The current Mr. Bell doesn''t have the same lack of confidence that he had the last time we met. That said, if you ask me if she is full of confidence, it''s not so much that she is, on the contrary. He just has a quiet, serene appearance. There is no emotion in his eyes. A dark, blank stare, a unique atmosphere that seems to swallow everything. You could feel it even at this distance. I wonder how much pressure Sherry is facing. ''Well, I''ll be going. See you later, Julia. Yes. Thanks for your help. The older man seemed to walk away, but I was curious so I decided to watch some more. ''Well ... much ... much ... better ... Shelly ...'' ''''No, I''m not there yet... and I''m always easily beaten like this...'''' The.... well... fine... and the sword muscles are quite good. What''s going on? Oh, really? I''m not good at talking but I''m not going to lie to you... am I? It looks like the two of us are talking about something. I don''t want to interrupt them, so let''s get going. And I also left the place. ¡ó Hey, Julia! Nick. What a surprise. All right. Come on, let''s take a bath together. I like it. I was just about to break a sweat. Nick''s invitation was the best timing. I was getting used to living here, and I''d developed a certain amount of relationships with other people. And Nick often invites me to various places like this, as if he''s paying attention to me in some way. ''Huh ... where were you today?'' I''m on level 3. Well, it''s always the same. As expected of you. So level 3 is the same as usual... How far do Nick and his friends usually go? ''We''re a good level 2. I''ve been to 3 a few times, but I still don''t think we''re good enough. I feel like we''re not good enough, man. ''''I see.......it''s true that level 3 is pretty strong. Do you feel that way about Julia? ''''Hmm. There''s no chance of losing in one-on-one combat, but after all, most of the battles in the twilight are group battles. It''s a very good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. It''s a very good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. I''m pretty sure that''s a consequence of the Twilight Syndrome. ''Maybe. I''m not sure what caused it, but since I went to the twilight, it stopped working... maybe it did. ''''I see... no, I thought special class anti-magicians were invincible, but there''s a lot going on. ''Well, I''m only human. I have my limits. Ha, you''re not. Nick and I would sit next to each other in the large bathroom and discuss various aspects of our current situation. It had already become a habit to talk and laugh with him in this way. After that we talked about the strange death case. Did you hear about the strange deaths? Yeah. Maybe there''s a traitor involved. ''Right. I think so, but... ''It''s a bad idea to come out here and be out in the open... isn''t it? That''s right. Now is the time to hide. The whole army is scared to death of this place. It''s not a rational time to take action. Is it someone else, or did you dare to... Do I have to? Well, that''s a bit inconclusive at this point. Yes. We didn''t take this matter lightly. But this is the beginning. No.........it''s not over. The scars of that attack are still fresh in the minds of humanity. 41 - Episode 41 Erosion "A party of nobles is to be held in the Seventh Ward City. So, my mission this time is to escort someone in secret. Early morning. As usual, we came to the briefing room and the mission that came to us was different from the usual. As usual, I thought it was going to be a dusk mission, but I didn''t expect it to be a party escort. I thought that this might not be a simple matter. ''Who''s your escort target?'' Eira senior asked that. Then what came out of the colonel''s mouth was a familiar name. ''''The main target of the escort is the Third Princess Liane. The other humans, such as the Military Police Department, will also cooperate with them. ''''Whatever it is, it was originally going to be held in the First Boundary City, but this time it was to be held in the Seventh Boundary City. Probably because they want to keep it away from the First Boundary City. The First Boundary City. It''s been a while since the attack, but the scars of that time are still evident, and a traitor may still be behind the scenes. Moreover, a traitor may still be working in the dark. It is certainly a reasonable choice to leave that place. ''''Furthermore, it seems that from now on, the nobles are planning to settle here.... It seems that they''re going to move to each boundary city, but the seventh boundary city is a bit more numerous than the others. It seems that the reason for holding the party this time is to have a social gathering....... What is it, Colonel? ''''This time the nobles, and even the royals, are moving. This is the perfect opportunity for them to target. You''re going to be able to get a lot more than you think. That''s why we''ve been sent out here. I see... There would be an option of not holding a party in the first place...............................but apparently that''s also meant to appeal to the general public. We will not succumb to the demon tribe and so on," he said to Dusk. Even if that attack happens, we will continue to move forward. ''''Yet another special-grade anti-magician will come to replenish our ranks. ''What?¡¡That would mean there are four people in the Seventh Boundary City, right? I genuinely wondered. I wondered if it was okay to have four people concentrated in one city. ''But it''s only for one day. The top seems to have decided that''s fine. Incidentally, the one coming, by the way.... The colonel was about to say this when he heard the door open with all his might. ''Ta-da!¡¡It was me!¡¡How about that, are we all surprised? It''s not Claudia. Eira-senpai looked at her and muttered abominably. Yes, the one who came was Claudia-san, the seventh in the pecking order. ''''Huh?¡¡It''s not very responsive. It''s not just Julia-kun. The one with a nice face. Haha ... hello, long time no see... Therefore, Claudia-san was going to accompany him on this mission. ¡ó Long time no see, Julia. Oh, yes. Thank you..... ''What?¡¡What''s going on?¡¡It''s kind of tangential. "Well, you see... It''s not that I don''t like talking to Claudia-san, or that I''m nervous or anything. It''s true that she''s a beautiful woman and nervous about many things, but right now, more than anything else.......Eira-senpai is in a great mood. ''''What''s wrong, Eira?¡¡You''re in a terrible mood today. It''s your fault. Claudia, of all people, is coming to you... Oh, come on, don''t say that... you''re so cute... What?¡¡Get away from me! Saying that, senpai hates to hug you. What can I say, at first glance, it''s a funny sight but.......the way senpai dislikes it is quite serious and I only get the impression that they dislike it in general. Well it''s true that some people don''t like it when you''re too sticky about it. By the way, only three of us are left in the briefing room right now. The other members have moved away as soon as the meeting is over. It seems to be the consensus of the whole thing. And senpai and I were unlucky enough to get caught, so here we are. ''Hmm?¡¡Eira, is it possible ... progress? No, no, it''s just for a second. What are you talking about? It''s called Twilight Syndrome. Oh, you''re moving on, senior? .... Senior Eira looks away. Progress?¡¡But there''s no pretense of that at all.... ''''Eira and Yulia-kun are progressing exceptionally fast, aren''t they? Is that so? ''Normally when you get to a certain level 5, your progress stops. But you guys keep going. It''s already going to reach my chest. I hope it won''t do any harm. ''''I''m fine for now but come to think of it, Claudie, you''re level 0, aren''t you? Hmm?¡¡Oh, yeah. I don''t seem to be infected for some reason. I''ve been fighting in the twilight for some time now, but not at all. I''ve heard it''s rare. I''ve heard that there are uninfected individuals among humans. ''It seems so.......what is twilight really like? Despite going to twilight on a regular basis, there are people who don''t get infected. That''s not particularly unusual in the military. People who are making progress and people who are not. What is the difference between those who are advancing and those who are not? While he was talking like that, he remained silent. He kept looking down, as if he was avoiding the topic, as if he was turning away from it. ''''Well then, you two, I''ll see you tomorrow. Finally, with that, Claudia-san left. ¡ó ''Senior, wait a minute!'' What ... Julia. It may be none of my business, but...well...what''s the matter with you? It''s nothing ... nothing at all. Hey, hey! It''s been strange since a while ago. It''s a good idea to get away from my side as if you are running away, as if you are somehow frightened. If this is true, I should probably just let it go. But my intuition tells me that''s not a good idea. I can''t leave my seniors in this state of mind. ''''What, Yulia. Let me go! I''m not letting go. Senior, what''s going on? Nothing.... Is the Twilight Syndrome getting worse? .... He turns his face down again. Twilight Syndrome ¡¶Twilight Syndrome¡·. It is the fate of human beings. As long as we are out in the twilight, we have to face this phenomenon. Recently, I''ve been going to the hospital for regular checkups, but I don''t know what''s happening now. This is because there are no other similar cases. I''m proud to say that I probably have the highest level of Twilight Syndrome ¡¶Twilight Syndrome¡· among human beings. But is that........could it be that.......senpai is too? Julia, come here. What? If it''s Julia I''m fine. If you go that far, I''ll show you. I arrive at her room with my senpai taking me straight to her room. ''Wait, what?¡¡If you want to change, I''ll go outside! ...just look at it. As soon as the senior entered the room, he took off his clothes. When he took off his upper body clothes, he took off his underwear as well. And what I saw was not the beautiful soft skin of my senior. If you see a woman naked, you have some idea of what she looks like. But right now I wasn''t thinking about that at all. ''''Senpai.......this is........'''' That''s how far we''ve come since the attack. No, because this is ... me and ... Yeah, about the same as Julia. What was there was a red-black imprint. But it wasn''t just on my senpai''s chest, it was invading it, spreading from his chest to his entire body. If you only look at the extent of it, it was about the same as mine. I''ve seen my Twilight Syndrome ¡¶Twilight Syndrome¡· before, but this is indeed........ ''''Is it okay?'''' Will Julia be okay? Yes, sir. ''It''s rather overflowing with power. Doesn''t it feel like that? It''s... I was feeling it faintly. I was aware that every time the symptoms of Twilight Syndrome ¡¶Twilight Syndrome¡· progressed, it was increasing in power. ''''Hey Julia ... aren''t you afraid of me?'''' I''m not going to be scared... Yes. We''re the same, we''re the same but.... The senior continues to walk slowly and snuggles up to me. ''''Hey Julia.......we........'''' I don''t really remember what happened after that. 42 - Episode 42 Escort Mission Princess Riane. This is the second time I''ve seen her like this, but no matter how many times I see her, I can''t help but think she''s far from human. Incidentally, it seems that Claudia and the others brought her here as their escort. And now that we have entered the party hall, our escort mission has already begun. ''''Julia, are you going to be able to use that magic formula? ''''Yes I''ve practiced it. The activation itself is no problem. Yeah, you''re right. I''m standing next to Eira-senpai, talking to her, but we never look at each other. We''ve been watching this venue the whole time.......especially Princess Liane. She seems to be chatting and laughing in her dress, and so far there''s nothing wrong with that. But more than that...........I was dragged into yesterday''s incident. Senpai also continues to suffer from the Twilight Syndrome. It''s to the same degree as mine. Even though he has been tested at the hospital, it is still a mystery. And there is no physical condition, in fact, the conditioning of the body has only increased. It would be a lie to say that I''m not confused. However, we still have to........face this twilight. ''''Well then, I''ll go back to my arrangement. Yes, sir. Saying that, me and senpai parted ways. What we were talking about earlier was about the communication magic technique. It is a new technology of communication magic that was newly introduced. It''s not just a matter of time before you get to the point where you can get a new job. It''s not that difficult, and even students can easily use it. But in my case, I was able to use it normally, although I was worried about it because I have a bias in my aptitude for magic. However, lately, there is a strange feeling of discomfort attached to me regarding magic. That''s not a bad thing, but rather a good sign. The feeling that all the condtions are in top shape. But I couldn''t even bring myself to rejoice in it. Because I can''t help but feel that my Twilight Syndrome ¡¶Twilight Syndrome¡· and its relation to it. ''''........'''' I stare at my surroundings. So far, it doesn''t look strange. By the way, right now, the magic circle is quite small and always deployed. I''m not going to be able to tell at a glance even from the surroundings. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about it. The outline remains the same. But be aware that something might happen. Copy that. Then I look through the hall again. All of us are wearing dresses, suits or tuxedos, and we''ve made it suitably glamorous. I''m sure you''ll be able to find the right one for you. The nobleman here, and Princess Liane, experienced an attack in the first ward city. And yet, all of us are behaving in a reasonable manner. I''m sure many of their relatives have died. But even if they are discouraged by a meeting like this one, they can''t move on. They may be aware of this and are acting as such. But that might be overthinking it......... ''''Well........are you Julia Curtis?'''' ... yes. Yes, but ... what can I do for you, Miss? The woman who approached me was about my age. She had beautiful, silky, long brown hair pulled up in one piece and was wearing a bright, pale pink dress. And maybe she''s wearing makeup, but she looks strangely mature. Especially me, Eira-senpai, Claudia-san, and Belle-san, there''s also the aspect of me, Eira-senpai, Claudia-san, and Belle-san showing a clear pose as special class anti-magicians, that since there are four special class anti-magicians, this place is safe. ''''That........you don''t remember me, do you?'''' ''I''m sorry. Have we met, by any chance, at some point? He saved us from a late escape in the First Warded City. Well we had our hands full in that situation, so we didn''t even remember his face, but I''m glad to hear you''re okay. Well Mr. Curtis is 15 years old, I believe, right? Yes, sir. ''''You''re the same age as me and yet... it''s amazing. To be a special class anti-magician and to be able to manage that attack so quickly as well. I admire you........really....... ''No, I was ... desperate at the time. And it wasn''t just me. It was with the help of many antimagicians that I was able to put things to rest. I love how humble you are... .... I know you came to say thank you. But is it just my imagination that her face is strangely lit, or is it the fact that she is looking at me with a hot look in her eyes? "Hey, you can''t interfere with your work, ...Mother. I''m sorry. This girl, I thought she had suddenly disappeared and now she''s here with the Special Class Anti-Magic Master. No, I don''t mind. After that, for some reason, the conversation got exciting and they said they wanted me to get their daughter or something. So this is how Eira-senpai feels fed up........I''m sure this is a painful one....... And when I managed to get through the situation, Belle-san had just come to check on me. "..........Yulia-kun.......are you okay.......? Miss Bell. I''m sorry, I''ll do my job well. ''No... not... but... but... Eira-chan is... staring at me... so much... and Shelly... and Sophia-chan... too...'' Well it looks like it. I knew. I knew that there was more than one look he was giving me, and that it was not a good one. I''m sure they want to tell me to do my job well. It''s not just my seniors, but Shelly and Sofia are also being sent on this mission. They are the same age as me, and they are giving me a hard time for being a military man. Certainly, you have to get your shit together. "?¡¡Yes, sir. I understand. What I''m supposed to be working on I''m supposed to be focusing on the task at hand. Hmmm........I''m not done yet either. With that in mind, I focused on this mission once again. 43 - Episode 43 Afterwards, this party ended with a final word from Princess Liane. We had been paying quite a bit of attention, but it looks like it''s going to go off without a hitch. That said, we can''t let up until the end. As I was making sure that everyone was leaving the hall, I saw someone approaching me. The person with lustrous white gold hair and golden eyes was Princess Liane. ''''Yuria-san, it''s been a while,'''' Princess Liane. It''s been a long time. How have you been? ''''Yes. I was in the royal castle all the time for the attack that time, so I was fine. But a lot of people died... Yes. ''I understand. Royalty is precious, and if it''s lost, you won''t be able to maintain your wards or anything else. Sooner or later I will have to turn to maintaining the wards. But when I know that my life will be the priority, and others will die because of it, I can''t help but feel a sense of helplessness. .... Indeed, the lives of the royal family should be protected as a top priority. He or she is also the hope of humanity, as well as the special class anti-magicians. It is because of the royalty that these seven ward cities are maintained because of the royalty. If I was faced with such a choice, I would give priority to the lives of the royalty. That''s because that is a rational, reasoned decision. I''m not saying that all life is precious. But even so, there are parts of humanity that cannot be divided by emotions. I''m sure that Princess Liane is worried about this. ''''I''m sorry. It was a little unnecessary. Julia, I''ll see you again. Now if you''ll excuse me....... With that, she leaves. But then I realized. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about this as well. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of things to do with your time and money. It''s a paper in her hand. I wonder if it''s written on something. Just as I was thinking that, Shelly approached me. ''Yulia, you seemed to be having fun talking about it. "...Shelly. I''m not really enjoying it. I was just responding to you because you spoke to me. ''Hmm. But you didn''t grow a nose at the princess this time. ...forget what happened before. The last time I met her for the first time, her beauty was so good that I had to stop thinking about it. But now I''m used to it.....I have so many things to think about that I can''t even do that. So this time I was able to treat her normally. I don''t have the luxury of time right now to act with ulterior motives. I''m not going to be able to say that it''s a good idea. I''m not going to be able to do anything about it. Let''s go home. You know what? Just go ahead. I have to run a few errands. "?¡¡Okay, but.... Sherry walks out of the hall. And I look through the paper I had tucked into my pocket earlier. I knew from that action that it was something I didn''t want others to see. ''Come to the park on the outskirts afterwards. I''d like to talk to you about something.'''' As soon as I saw those words, I walked out of the hall. ¡ó "...what?¡¡You''re early, Miss Julia. We can''t keep the princess waiting. What about the guards? I''m having Bell follow me. Here, over there. When I look closely, I see Belle standing there, as if to disappear into the darkness. When her eyes met mine, she bowed her head with a smile. Then, as we sat down side by side on the bench, she opened her mouth. ''I need to talk to you about a traitor. Do you have a clue?¡¡But why me? ''This matter has definitely reached the upper echelons of the military. We felt it was too risky to report it to the top, so we''re only talking to people we trust. Do you think you can trust me? ''''Yes. Currently, the only trusted special class antimagicians are Belle, Yulia-san, and Eira. Can we just three...? ''The rest of us don''t have enough information to trust. All of the remaining ten should be questioned. Well......... I don''t want to believe it. I don''t want to believe that there''s a traitor among the special-grade anti-magicians. But it''s not out of the realm of possibility. In fact, even if there is one, it might not be surprising. Still, I''m shocked. The fact that you can''t believe in a special class antimagician, the hope of humanity....... ''''Yuria-san. Perhaps, the traitor will act again. I have managed to find out, but the other party is also quite skilled. There is no evidence left at all. Even though we did such a large scale thing. ''''...I see. As I recall, Princess Liane is able to perceive magic elements with her Singularity Ability ¡¶Extras¡·, right? ''Yes. So I''m looking for all sorts of traces I can''t say I''ve found any at all. But this is counterintuitive. It''s gone too cleanly. That''s how I see it. ''It''s gone clean........I see.......'' It''s gone cleanly?¡¡It still doesn''t seem to be acting loose enough to leave any traces. ''''Yulia-san. You will be traveling to another city the day after tomorrow. Are you traveling for business? ''Yes. In a manner of speaking, it''s nominally true that other cities should know about it as well. Besides, it''s not particularly uncommon for special level anti-magicians to travel a lot, so it''s not particularly unusual. From the Sixth Boundary City, it''s enough to go around the First Boundary City in a few weeks. After that, they''ll be working in the Seventh Boundary City again. How did you get this information? ''I had Bell check it out. Bell isn''t very good at speaking, but he''s incredibly good at it. It''s all about strength, but she''s good enough to make it in the agency. ''That would surprise me but what''s going on with my business trip?'' "The traitor may be after you. You''re special. You''ve been in the twilight for two years and you are the only human being to have survived. Furthermore, you stopped that attack. To the other party, you would be a great eyesore. Besides, there''s a good amount of information about the other special class anti-magicians, but in your case, there will still be a lot of mysteries. I suppose from now on it would be best not to divulge any information about yourself. ''Yes. It''s fine to divulge in moderation, but it''s best to keep your absolute abilities and trump cards under wraps. I have several abilities that I haven''t used yet. The ones I acquired in that twilight are certainly still there.......should I hide them well? ''''During this trip, Yulia-san will probably meet all of the remaining special class anti-magicians and the upper echelons of the army. However, Tsutomu ¡¶Dreaming¡·, don''t forget about it. There are traitors out there. And it is possible that they are after you. This trip, the reason is plausible. Because Julia-san doesn''t know any other warded cities. It''s a natural behavior for a new special class anti-magician. However, this might be a ploy of the opponent. It''s possible that they could target you while you''re moving in the twilight. "...Okay, I understand. I''ll keep that in mind. That''s all I have to tell you. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me. Princess Riane says that and waves her hand at Belle-san. Then the wards that were around her are lifted. A soundproof and man-proofed ward. I had noticed it was there when I entered, but I was frankly impressed that Belle-san was able to do such a thing. ''''O........finished.......or is it Rihanne-sama?'''' ''Yes, sir. I''ve told you everything I have to tell you. As the two of them are talking, Belle-san turns to me and speaks to me. The actuality of this is a bit of a bad thing, but.... I''ll be with my... my... companion... to... accompany me... and... to... I did. On my recommendation.......nah, I managed to screw it up.......so.... "?¡¡Is someone coming with you on your business trip? And the special class anti-magician can''t be moved, so as of now I''m the one you have to trust, and I''m the one you have to trust. I chose someone who I thought was strong.... and strong... Is Shelly growing up there? Yeah, I''m a little surprised. I''m a bit surprised........me too. You may be... the... 14th... special wizard... to become... the... 14th... special wizard... For now I''ve taught you ... what I''m going to teach you ... and I''m sure you''ll be able to help me ... I think......... Yes, sir. Thank you for your help. I bowed my head and thanked the girls. 44 - Episode 44: The Flowering of Talent They held each other''s swords and measured their spacing. They jigged and jammed together, and it was Shelly who moved first. ''''Haaaaah!'''' She runs through the earth and uses her momentum to make a flash. However, Belle easily brushed it off and swung her own sword as if to flick her sword away as it was. ''''........do it.'''' Belle mumbles to herself in a blur. She is basically an introvert and is not very talkative. But in battle, for example, her tone of voice, despite her introverted nature, becomes quite normal. And when she spoke, it was more out of admiration than surprise. That''s because Sherry had so easily deflected Belle''s attack. It hadn''t been long since Sherry had held a sword. Nevertheless, the more she trained, the stronger she became. Like a sponge that had not absorbed anything, Shelly had absorbed all of Belle''s skills and made them her own. There was no such thing as stagnation in Sherry. And her ability was already at the top of the list of first-class anti-magicians. ''''Guh, ugh........'''' It was Belle who let out that voice. Pressured. Even though it was really a small gap, Shelly didn''t miss it. It wasn''t just Belle that was already reflected in her eyes. She sees something else. Belle couldn''t help but think that. Every move she made was being understood. All of our counters will be crushed as well. Shelley''s sword fire was already trying to reach Belle''s territory. (Terrible talent ... but ... you''re still so young.) Bell acknowledged Shelley''s tremendous talent, but didn''t see himself as a loser. Then Bell backsteps backwards in one fell swoop and gets out of range. Of course, it wasn''t Shelley who missed it. She immediately followed and swung her sword diagonally as if to tear her cesa. But that blow never reached Bell. ''''--The Eighth Secret Sword, Shiden Issen! As soon as Belle dropped backwards, she delivered her sword. And when he perceived that Shelly was firmly packed in, he activated his secret sword over her sword. ''''Wha...? Shelley is surprised. At this moment, I thought I had won. I was the one who had been oppressed. I could see the path to victory. He thought that Belle had fled backwards in anguish...but then he realized that it was in fact an invitation from Belle. Belle had invited Sherry to run away in order to activate her secret sword. By the time Shelly found out, she knew it was too late. Because her sword had been cut cleanly from the base. One of Belle''s ten secret swords was one of the ten secret swords, the Purple Electric Flash. It is a super-fast electromagnetic battling technique, it is a fast sword technique that can take the first move even if you are behind. ''''Huh.......I was almost able to beat my teacher.......'''' ''''Hmm. I still can''t........lose to Shelly........ Belle delivers the sword she holds and approaches Sherry. By the way, Shelly calls Belle her teacher. According to her, Belle offered to use Sensei because it was too exaggerated to be a master. ''''That........was very good.......right?¡¡I''m a little bit too serious about it... Is that last one a secret sword?¡¡It''s tremendous. There are ten secret swords in all, but I never thought I''d be able to bring out one of them...? Am I growing up? Yeah. It''s amazing ... it''s growing. But I don''t feel like I can beat the doctor yet. ''''Hmm. That''s........ten years early........ Shelly was definitely getting stronger. But that was already reaching its ceiling. The basic skills are almost perfect now. So what makes her different from Belle? It''s the presence or absence of sword skills. Belle possesses a secret sword as her absolute power. Sherry, on the other hand, has no swordsmanship to call it. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make it work. It may be time for this to happen. Belle thought about that and opened her mouth. ''''Maybe it''s time for Shelly-chan to have her own sword skills........'''' Your sword skills...? ''''Yeah........I.......have grown so much since I became able to use the secret sword.......so.......I''ve grown up......'''' I''ll give it some thought. Yeah I get it. Bell knew at this point that the next few months were going to take a long time. If it was bad, it would be years. And yet, within a few days, Shelly had created the prototype of her sword technique. ''''How do you feel?'''' ''Huh ... hah ... hah ... um ... well ... well, I think it''s fine ...'' Since then, Belle had been working with Shelly again. Shelly wanted to get an idea of her sword skills, so she took her sword skills.......but it was more than she expected. It was frightening to see that this was still a work in progress. No...........................who the hell is Shelly really? Such a degree of growth. It''s also not that she had always been talented, but a sudden flowering in recent times. To say that a talent that had been sleeping has awakened, that would be true, but................................but Belle had a different premonition in her head. ''''.........Its proper name is Rikka, the Six Flowers. I''m going to use this sword technique in six different ways. Well I''m sure you can make it happen, Shelly. Smiling, Belle patted Shelly''s head. She had a lot on her mind, but it was only natural to be pleased with her apprentice''s growth. And she was so far with Belle, who was not very good at talking and socializing, that she was willing to go along with him. There were times when she couldn''t say what she wanted to say. Still, Sherry did her best to deal with Belle. Belle wasn''t so emotionless as to disrespect it. ¡ó "Senpai, have you been eating a lot lately? Munching ... is that right? Shelly had finished her training and had come to the dining room. And what comes into view is the sight of Yulia and Eira. Lately, I''ve seen those two together a lot. Sherry also wanted to be in that one...............................but she held it in. She wasn''t strong enough for herself yet. The only person who can stay in there is a special class anti-magician. Somewhere along the line, that thought had grown in Shelly. Julia and Eira. The two of them are the hope of this humanity, the Special Class Counter-Magician. To stand side by side with such two people.............I would never be able to do it. They have meals and conversations together as an association. Even so, Sherry had a definite coiled feeling. ''''Huh?¡¡What''s up, Shelly? Sofia. I turned around when I was approached from behind, and there was Sophia. She''s always smiling and laughing, a cheerful friend. We''ve known each other for a good while now, but Sophia has helped me in any way she can. ''Aren''t you going to Yuria and the others?'' I can''t go. What''s up? I''m still too weak. Oh dear. This is a bit sulky. What do you mean? Maybe you think you''re not strong enough to stand by them? ...Ug. It''s a figurehead. It''s that obvious........Shelly thought. It''s always a good idea to be able to see right through it. If it''s off the mark, there''s still an argument to be made, but it''s hard to say because it''s right on target every time. ''''Well, Shelly should sort it out herself, right? Well you''re right. ''I want to be stronger. It''s the same for me. We''ve got to work hard so that one day we can stand next to those two. "...Sofia, is that unusual? Hmm?¡¡Well it''s been a lot of things. Later, Shelly and Sophia ate their meals side by side. 45 - Episode 45 Eve Okay, that''s all for today. Yes. Thank you for everything. It doesn''t change your health, does it? Yeah. In fact, it''s almost too good to be true. I see..... I had been coming to the hospital. These regular visits were necessary in order to study the Twilight Syndrome, and I was cooperating with them. There were no abnormalities in the current examination. In fact, I''ve been told that I''m too healthy for that. "Oh, by the way, I have this book. I''m going to return this book. What did you find out? A lot of things. But we still don''t know what the fundamentals are. I''ve learned a lot, but it seems that we just have to continue our research steadily. ...I see. I pick up the book I''ve lent you before. This is the end of the checkup, so I head back to the military quarters. I was getting ready for tomorrow''s business trip. ¡ó Shelly, are you ready to go? ''Well ... well ...'' The usual diner. Me and Shelly were ordered to travel yesterday, as Princess Liane said. The main reason for this is that as a special class anti-magician, I have to keep track of each city. I''m sure you''re not going to be able to find out what''s going on in the world. ''''.........?¡¡It''s been kind of crunchy lately... what''s going on? Well, nothing really... just I''m a little worried that I''m right for the job. ''Shelly is growing up well. Mr. Bell said the same thing. Really? ''Yeah. The sword was a good fit for Shelly, and Belle''s teaching is good. And I''m working hard on it, and it''s paying off. Well I hope you''re right. I knew it was crunchy. Is he unsure of himself?¡¡But even if I were to ask you to be confident here I know there is nothing I can do about it. So I decided to offer up a different topic. ''How do you feel about joining the army, Shelly?¡¡I haven''t seen you much lately. ''''There''s nothing of note here. I''m reasonably used to fighting in the twilight... oh, but there''s one little thing that bothers me. What''s bothering you? "Twilight Syndrome. It''s getting better. The doctor told me I''m a Level 5. So ... level 5 ... is everything all right? "For now. Just like all the other special-grade demons. It''s going on. It''s all clear. .... As I listened to her words, I was thinking. What exactly is the Twilight Syndrome? It''s definitely eating away at my body, but in my case, the more it progresses, the stronger it seems to get. The same might be true for Sherry........maybe it''s the same for her. After that, we talked about other trivial things and I headed to my room. ''''Julia, do you have a minute?'''' Senior, what''s going on? You''ll be out of town for a while tomorrow. I just wanted to talk to you. Okay. Come on. Excuse me. I let the older man in as I come in. The truth is, it is forbidden to let a woman into a man''s room. But it''s a formality, not an absolute one. Senior students sometimes visit my room like this. According to him, it''s comfortable......... ''Are you ready for a business trip?'' Yes, sir. Just that backpack? Well ... yes. You''re a minimum. ''Yes. I don''t have that many things to take with me. So.... Silence. Normally, she was quicker to tell me what she was doing here, but today''s senior seemed strangely tangential. ''Yuria.'' Yes, sir. Well make sure you come home. Of course. I can''t help but feel that there''s something dangerous about this trip. ''You''ve traveled to other cities before, haven''t you, senior? ''Yes. As soon as I became a special-grade anti-magician, I went to every city I could find. But this time, the timing is just right. Is this about the case? ''Yeah. Julia is being targeted I have a feeling that she''s a target. Because you''re special. Special...? You know what I mean?¡¡The only survivor. And the first person to be in the twilight for two years. And fought off that attack. I knew you were special. ''No ... no ... no ... I''m not ...'' I wanted to deny it. I''m not special. I''m just a small person. But I''m still ... considering my background, I''m sure I''m not normal. I was the youngest person ever to become a special class anti-magician, and I lived for two years in the twilight. And the Twilight Syndrome, or Twilight Syndrome, which invades one''s body, remains a mystery. I couldn''t help but feel that this, which is even called "unmeasurable" (level over), was making me a deformed person. ''''I really want to follow you, but it''s not possible due to orders from above. Shelly has been working hard lately, and Belle was very complimentary of her work, and I''m sure she''ll be fine, but.......make sure you come back, for sure. I''ll be waiting for you. I understand. The older man said and walked out of my room. When I saw him, I headed to my usual place. ¡ó Sofia, we''re here. ''Huh?¡¡You''ll be away tomorrow.¡¡Shouldn''t you go to bed early? I just wanted to say hi to Sophia. Haha, you''re so disciplined... The bank behind the military quarters. Like the one we met here before, Sophia is often in this place. Especially at night, she seems to be in this place because she''s thinking about something. I thought she''d be here today, but I''m just glad the timing was right. ''Have you been out long?'' ''No, just a few weeks. I guess I''ll mostly be looking at other cities. In some cases, I might even get involved in combat. I see. Well, say hi to your dad when you see him. Oh I''ll probably see you there. Okay, I''ll say hello. Yeah. But still, Sherry is a useful tool. I''m not sure what I''m thinking up there. Perks?¡¡To meet other special class antagonists? ''Hmm. I guess it''s a little different... well, if you don''t know, that''s okay. That''s one of the good things about Julia, and one of the bad things about her. "?¡¡Really? ''Yeah ... yeah. West. Sophia smiles while showing her teeth. When we talk like this, I can''t help but feel that we''ve been friends for a long time now. It''s probably because of her personality, after all. She''s cheerful and friendly. Even though she lost her family, her willingness to fight the demon race, even to become a soldier, is truly worthy of respect, just like Sherry. ''''Huh... it''s still beautiful.'''' ''Yes. This view is the only thing that won''t change. We lay down and stared at the stars shining in the sky. There was not a cloud in the sky today, and the sky was full of twinkling stars. Do you ever feel scared or anything, Yulia? ...at dusk? Doesn''t it break your heart to include it? ''Yes. When I was in the twilight, I was just struggling to live. That''s what I was afraid of, I felt crushed by fear every day. Ever since I came back to the Warding City, I''ve been afraid of the past. I overcame all of that and now I''m here... but still, I''m afraid of the things I''m afraid of. But I want to be strong with that fear in mind. I don''t want to deny my fears, I want to affirm them and move forward with them. ''''Well that''s great, Julia. I''ll be one of those someday. You will. You''ll be okay, Sofia. Ha, that makes me feel a little better about myself, don''t you think? Well, I''m going to go. Yeah. Tell me all about it when you get back. All right. With that last statement, I stand up. Then I lightly waved to Sophia and went straight back to my quarters. 46 - Episode 46 Sixth Barrier City I''m almost there. That was quicker than I expected. ''''Well it''s just the two of us traveling together, and besides, we didn''t get many demons. Currently, Sherry and I had left the seventh ward city and were heading to the sixth ward city. It was a safe area to move to, of course, but there were only a few demons, so the two of them were in the process of destroying them as they moved. In the midst of it all, they saw Shelly''s sword strike, but it wasn''t her previous one. Indeed, it was probably just a recommendation from Belle-san. ''''........Oh, I see it.'''' I caught the Sixth Warding City in my vision. And me and Shelly were entering the Sixth Warding City. ''''Well there''s no substitute for it.'''' Well, it''s the same ward city. The only difference is the first ward city with the royal castle. While we''re talking about that, we try to move to the military base. The basic structure is no different. That''s why I thought I would know where the base was right away, but someone suddenly appeared in front of me. Eh, who do you say........when.......? Ta-da!¡¡I''m surprised!¡¡Hey, hey, are you surprised? "...and... Me and Shelly, stunned. Yes, it was all too abrupt. We were walking towards the base. There was nowhere in particular to hide, and we were walking along the open road. But then a woman appeared in front of us. "Huh?¡¡Did I scare you too much?¡¡Maybe? ''Oh....'' I remembered. As I recall, this person is........ ''Yulia-chan, it''s been a while. ''''Oh, um... you''re the sixth in the pecking order... right? ''How!¡¡I''m Sheila, sixth in the pecking order!¡¡Feel free to call me Shee or Sheila! He was cheerful, or maybe it was Noukei - his manner of speaking was quite friendly. He had blonde hair that was almost orange in color, which had grown to just over his shoulders, and at a quick glance he was probably in his early twenties.......well, it''s not good to ask a woman how old she is, so I won''t mention it, as expected....... ... And that''s Cherie, right? Oh yes. Sherry Amis. My rank is second lieutenant. It''s so cute, isn''t it? You can''t even put Julia in the corner, can you? And then he pokes me with his elbow - what do you mean you can''t put it in the corner?¡¡Shelly''s blushing a little but I can''t quite tell.... ''Well, you two have come a long way. You can go ahead and leave your luggage in your quarters. Of course, I''ll show you around! Nice to meet you. Me and Sherry greeted Sheila and headed straight to our quarters. ¡ó ''Is Sheila-san the only one in the Sixth Warding City? No, Kurochi will join us later. Um, are you Claudia? Yeah, yeah. It''s tough on Julia, too. A business trip at a time like this. Well it can''t be helped. It''s an order from above. ''''And yet........I didn''t expect the girl Belchy recommended to be so cute~'''' Uh ... well, I''m sorry ... Sherry is a sweetie. Currently, the three of us are in the middle of a conversation in the dining room. Sherry and I are scheduled to accompany the twilight expedition in the afternoon, but since we arrived earlier than expected, we''re just killing time here for a little while. ''''........Who do you think it is, Yulia?'''' What? It''s about... .... Until now, she had been speaking in a cheerful mood, but Sheila-san''s tone becomes sharp. After all.........everyone is probably concerned about that matter. ''''I have no idea.......I''ve only just come back and I don''t know much about the army or the special class anti-magicians. Yes......... It''s a heavy burden for Julia, isn''t it~ Do you have an idea, Sheila? Nope. Not at all. It''s been quite a while since I became a special class anti-magician, but I never thought of having a traitor among us. Besides, I''ve fought with all the others in the twilight together, so I trusted them to a certain extent. I can''t believe that I''m doubting it like this~. Oh, what do you think, Shelly? ''What?¡¡Is it me? ''''Yeah. And the opinions of people other than the special class antagonists are important, too. ''''Well I only know roughly, but the idea is that they''re either special class versus mages or royalty or in the upper echelons of the military, but I think the special class versus mages have the best chance.'''' What makes you think that? ''''A ward that trapped a special class anti-magician and other first class anti-magicians. It would probably require a great deal of skill. ... ''Oh, no, Shelly, you didn''t do anything wrong. I''m sorry to hear that, but my sister had a very scary tone. That''s all right. .... Shelly''s face is slightly reddened as Sheila sits next to her, patting her head. I''ve thought about Shelly''s story too. Sure, it''s reasonable to think of her as being in a special class of anti-magicians. But that''s something anyone could come up with. Furthermore, the possibility that he''s not in the same class as the others.......cannot be discarded. Besides I''m also curious about the case. ''''Sheila-san, you''ve heard about the strange deaths, right? ''Yeah I''m listening! It''s weird, though. It''s totally intact and there''s no blood and no organs. Is it the traitor''s fault? It''s the best way to think of it. The timing is perfect. But now is the time to hide. I don''t know if I''m daring to do so or if I had to... haha... it''s disgusting. ''Well...'' Even as we speak, I need to question Sheila as well. To take it to the extreme, I''m in a situation where I can''t trust anyone but myself. Eira-senpai, Shelly, Sophia, and Princess Liane, Belle-san, etc... I think they are all different, but that''s just my own belief. There is no proof that they are not all traitors. Princess Riane seems to be exploring things on her own, but I don''t have anyone I can truly and truly trust. Because I''ve only recently returned, and my current relationship was only established later. It''s also possible that a traitor has been lurking around for some time and has been approaching me. I''m really ... disgusted. I want to be close to him and believe him with all my heart, but I don''t know if I need to doubt him.... ''''Oh, it''s about time. Are you two ready to go? Yes, sir. Sheila told me that, and me and Sherry headed to the briefing room. In the end, it seems we have no choice but to move on without knowing what to expect. 47 - 47.Beyond talent Huh ... huh ... This is it?¡¡I''d like to see you stick around a little longer. ''Huh ... hah ... still ... still good ...'' Yeah. Then try harder. Yes! The seventh ward city, a training ground. There were two girls there. One was Sophia and the other was Eira. Sophia had been taught many things about magic by Eira for a long time now, but lately, she was getting especially strict with her. Isn''t that too much for the people around her to see?¡¡I was so worried about it. But it''s something Sophia wants to do. For that reason, Eira had no hesitation in the harshness of the training either. Sophia had always thought. She thought that she was being left behind........ She had a definite sense of frustration. Until now, she had been in the position of an honor student who could do well in the academy without graduation. She had also been good at it, and tolerated it. Sophia knew that she was the daughter of a special class anti-magician, and she knew she was talented. But even though she had talent, she had neglected this thing called hard work. She didn''t have the guts to die for it like Shelly did. In addition, Sophia had lost her brother and harbored a fierce hatred for this world and yet she couldn''t take it seriously. Even if she got serious, could she still resist this world?¡¡Can you do something about it?¡¡Even his brother, who was far superior to himself, could not resist the twilight. Then what could she do? That thought had been holding her back until now. ''Sophia, you''re talented. I can feel it, after all, when I''m facing you like this. I especially like the fire attribute among the four major attributes.'''' ''Huh ... huh ... is that so?'' Do you understand the characteristics of each of these attributes? ''Huh ... well ... just in case ...'' Water, ice, fire, and lightning, but water and ice are matter, and fire and lightning ... or strictly speaking, electricity. These are phenomena. Are you sure about that part? ...I''m sorry, I wasn''t really aware of it. ''''Well even in the academy, I''m not too picky. There are geniuses among the special class anti-magicians who are sensoryists, but I am a theorist by heart. Eve, who is ranked 11th on the list, is a genius of the sensory school. And you, Sophia, you''re not a sensoryist like me. So understand. What theories are at work to create magic. Yes! Water and ice, for starters. These two are substances. Matter can be divided into four main components: liquid, solid, gas and plasma. Liquid, solid, gas and plasma. Plasma is ionized gas, but that''s okay for now. In other words, water is liquid and ice is solid. It doesn''t take much effort to magically create matter. It''s just a matter of fixing an image into this world through magic. The problem is fire and electricity. Do you understand what those two are? There''s a phenomenon, isn''t there? Yeah. Fire and electricity aren''t matter, they''re phenomena. Fire Strictly speaking, it''s combustion. There are two conditions for combustion. Oxygen and fuel. Oxygen adds to what''s already there and increases the amount of magic by converting it into oxygen. In addition, an oxidation reaction occurs to produce light and heat, which are the conditions for combustion. We do this process unconsciously, but have we ever been firmly aware of it? No I''m sorry I was just kind of doing it. ''Then fix it. I''m not saying there''s anything wrong with doing things by feel, but it''s important to understand the process. In the meantime, develop the fire attribute. I understand. It''s not that the stories that Eira said are not learned at the academy. And it doesn''t mean that they are neglected. But if you ask whether understanding the theory will improve your magic, that can only be said to depend on the person. Still, Eira tells Sophia to avoid doing things by feel. It comes from her experience. Eira has not always been gifted, either. She is roughly not as talented as other special-grade anti-magicians. Nor did she have an unusual magical aptitude compared to other female Special Class Counter-Magicians. So how did Eira reach the status of being described as an ''Ice Witch''? That''s exactly what it meant to pursue theory and logic. She decided to visualize all the magical processes that she was doing unconsciously through theory. Why is this matter created, why does this phenomenon occur?¡¡She spent an enormous amount of effort until she was able to get to the bottom of it and reduce the entire process to unconsciousness, and she had achieved the status of a special grade anti-magician. It wasn''t that she wasn''t talented by any means, but she was also a genius at hard work. ''''Eira-senpai can use the Wide Area Interference System ¡¶Sphere¡·, right? Well, that''s two names for it. Can I see it? Yeah it''s a pain in the ass... Please!¡¡Senior! ''Well that''s okay. Then get behind me, it''s not safe for you to come behind me. I understand! You''re looking really good. Eira meditates and thrusts her hands crossed in front of her. And then a few dozen seconds later. A huge magic circle appeared in the center of the training ground, and suddenly it seemed to shine.........and then an icy world spread out. ''''Amazing........this is.......'''' The Frostsphere. Well, it''s going to take a while. Eira said and cleaved her right hand. Then the ice that had existed returned to the particles at once. Glittering, it was a fantastic sight, too. ''''So this is the pinnacle of magic, isn''t it?'''' I''m not sure if it''s practical but if you can activate it, it''s useful in its own way. There is a type of magic called the "Sphere", which is a wide area interference system. This is a magic with an interference range of 30 meters or more in radius. Eira possesses the Frost Sphere, a frozen area that specializes in ice. She can also manipulate the ice at will within this icy world. It takes some time to activate it, but if you can activate it, it is quite powerful. This is called the pinnacle of magic, the wide area interference system ¡¶Sphere¡·. There are some special class anti-magicians who can use it, but Eira''s has a great deal of skill among them. This is the part that can be called her talent. ''''Huh.......That''s amazing~. Will I be able to go this far too? It depends on how hard you work. It takes talent, but I think Sophia has a certain amount of talent. Now it''s just a matter of how much effort you can put in without being corrupted. Did senior Eira make an effort, too? ''''I''m not a genius in the true sense of the word. Only a few of the special class anti-magicians are true geniuses. I can still rise to the top. I''ve proven that to myself. So hang in there. Unless you don''t want to be left behind by those two. Haha.....do you understand... Sophia scratches her head and smiles affectionately. Yes, how did she get serious now? It''s partly because of that attack, but most of all it''s because of the influence of Yulia and Shelly. Humans are creatures that are unknowingly influenced by others. It''s the same for the people we associate with. They say that like begets like, and that''s a truth of sorts. In order for a person to develop his or her abilities to the fullest, talent alone is not enough. It takes more than just effort. Talent, effort, and environment are necessary. When these three elements are properly combined, a person can develop his or her abilities to the fullest. Sofia is at a critical point in her life where they all overlap. Although he himself is not aware of it. ''''To be clear, Julia and Sherry are true geniuses. Unlike us, those two are mainly involved in melee combat.............but in the case of those two, it''s beyond the scope of what can be explained by theory and logic. Julia saw it with her own eyes and Shelly said that that Belle was a genius. Still, do you want to stand by those two?¡¡This is going to be hard for you. If you don''t want to let your talents destroy you both, you have the option to give up. I''ve seen plenty of them. A counter-magician who was crushed when he saw his limitations. ''''I know. I know that those two are the real geniuses and I''m a bit of an ordinary person with talent. But still, that''s not an excuse. I''ll try to push myself to the limit, and if that doesn''t work, I''ll give up. It''s cold out there, isn''t it? Well, gut feelings alone won''t help. Still, no one knows what the future holds. That''s no matter who you are. So I''m going to make this effort. Just now, Yulia and Shelly aren''t around either. You''re a big shot, honey. Nishishi. That''s the only thing I''m good at! It wasn''t long before Sophia''s efforts would blossom. 48 - Episode 48: The Girl Hoarlessly Fresh blood. ''Hahaha, all the small fry. Haha, haha, haha! The girl smirked as she cleaved the sword she was holding. Her face was sticky with blood, and without wiping it off, she continued to swing her sword. Cut it off. Cut off. Humping. It had happened at night, but she could see it clearly thanks to the moonlight. And again, fresh blood. Blood everywhere. The girl slashes and cleaves at the many opponents that come at her. A number of squashed and large bodies fall down. Since it was raining, the sound of it sounded good to my ears. However, I can''t pay attention to such sounds now. All we have to do is to kill the enemy. That''s all. ''''Ahahahahahahaha! With a sneer, the girl swings her sword out. You can certainly feel it ripping through flesh and crushing bone as well. She severed all of her opponent''s limbs in an instant and then cleaved her neck as it was. And then a flash is swung down into his own brain. However, if you don''t catch it in sight and engage it with your senses only, you stab your opponent''s heart. When the movement is stopped by it, the head is cut off. I''m not going to be able to pay attention to the head that rolls around and kills the opponent in the same way. With only one sword, he can cut down dozens of opponents like a demon god. It''s breathtaking. You won''t be able to speak. That''s how refined his movements were. Even to the untrained eye, her movements were so proficient that they could be understood. ''''Oh no. Really, they''re all small fry. Hey ... are you guys really that ogre? .... It was Edgar who was confronting him. The ogre in the village has already been almost killed. And that too........by this girl alone. When she broke through the wards with ease and entered, she beheaded them one after another as if they were breathing. And Edgar, the head of the village, managed to escape the woman, the child, and dealt with her with the rest of them..........................but that was in vain, and finally Edgar was left alone. ''''Hey.... You''re entertaining me, aren''t you? .... There is nothing to talk about. No, we can''t talk about it. Edgar understood. This girl''s strength was as good as or better than her own. It was not impossible. A lot of things happen in this twilight. Everything is not an exception. She licks her lips with a periwinkle and lightly brushes away the blood on her face. Then the girl begins to grin and laugh again. Edgar was desperate not to be consumed by that madness. A girl who single-handedly brings this village to the brink of destruction. Her long hair, up to her waist, is also stained red from the blood that spatters on her body, but she doesn''t seem to care about that. I just want to kill them all. In her eyes, that''s all she can see. ''''Shh!'''' The distance that was a few meters shortens in an instant. Of course, Edgar reacts to it. The girl''s weapon is a broadsword, and Edgar holds a tachi sword. The compatibility in close combat is not that bad, but for some reason it is hard to take the option of guarding with a tai-sword. For that reason, Edgar ducks the attack, and even more so, he continues to deal with the girl''s sword fire while receiving it off with his taijutsu. ''''Fufu........'''' He wasn''t caught off guard. Edgar''s eyes had firmly caught the girl''s sword. Nevertheless, his right arm was flying in the air. ''''The ... well, the technique ... ''Huh, how could you react? I was going to take your head off. ''.........Why, why is a higher level demon race, a demon, even a demon, here in this place....... "?¡¡You don''t know?¡¡The war of unification was won by demons, remember? Well I understand. A high level demon race. It is an individual that possesses intelligence among the demon race and has a strength that is distinct from the demons. Ogre is also a type of upper demon race, but demons are different. As an even higher level of existence among the higher level demon race, it''s not an exaggeration to say that they are near the top of this twilight. But Edgar was also one of the ogres of the past war. In the past wars, he has a solid strength, having faced hundreds of demons and monsters by himself and killed them all by himself. Still.........even if he was that strong, he couldn''t reach this girl. Edgar had realized this through the sword fights up to now. That this demon was abnormal. At the same time, he remembered. She was similar. It was a few years ago, that she looked a lot like him. ''''Well let''s have some more fun, shall we?¡¡Right? From that point on, it was just an overrun. ¡ó ''Huh ... hah ... hah ... hah ... hah ... hah ...'' It''s pretty tenacious. But it''s over, isn''t it? Thirty minutes since then. For Edgar, it had been an eternity. He was defensive. But he was still dealing with the girl with all his might to buy time for the others to escape. He was already missing both arms. His left leg was also cut off and he crawled to the ground. Her right eye had also been flashed vertically, and all she could see was her left eye. He has wounds all over his body. Edgar was already on the verge of death. The girl, on the other hand, is completely unharmed. There was no wound on her, except for a splash of returning blood. ''Bye. That was pretty fun, huh? The moment the sword is about to be pierced through his own head, Edgar tries to bite her throat as he engages her sword with his last bit of energy. No matter how much of a demon he is, if it is a surprise attack at this distance....... That''s what Edgar thought. However, the reality is not that simple. Hmm. I never thought I''d have to use it. You were very powerful. ''This ... this technique ...'' Edgar''s heart was pierced by a blade. But it was invisible to the eye. Nevertheless, the blade was definitely piercing his body and a large amount of blood was pouring out of his chest. This amount was too late.......Edgar realized that it was time to end it. In his final moments, Edgar came to the truth. An unexpected fact. But when you think about it, it all makes sense. Demons and humans. What a deep karma........Edgar thought that and stared at the girl''s eyes. ''''Hmph, hmph, hahaha!¡¡Hey, how do you feel now?¡¡Hey, how does it feel to have one person lay waste to everything?¡¡Hey. Hey?¡¡How''s that? I look at the girl who raises the corners of her mouth with a ny, and I wonder if it''s anger, resentment, or....... ''''.........I resent you, girl. Yeah. Suit yourself?¡¡So, bye bye this time. The girl then cleaved the Invisible Blade, the Invisible Blade, starting from her own hand instead of the sword she was holding, right beside her. ''''........'''' And the neatly severed head flies through the air. As it dances around, Edgar''s head tries to fall to the ground according to gravity, but the girl stabs it in the air. ''''Hm. It''s like this........ Claire, are you done? Yeah. It was surprisingly worth playing with. "...Right. If you''re done, we''re leaving. Okay. The girl dumped Edgar''s head on the spot and set this entire village on fire. There was nothing left of the burning village. Everything was overrun, trampled down, and lives were lost. The weak and the strong. That is the truth of this world. The strong survive and the weak die. This time, the girl was strong. That''s all. "Hey, what do we do with the humans?¡¡You''ve been undercover for a few years now, haven''t you?¡¡I can''t do anything about it. The man responds to the girl''s question. ''It''s more complicated than I thought. Just as we are not a monolith, neither are we humans. Yeah. Is it going to take longer?¡¡Hey, can''t we see that guy yet? You will. I''ll see you soon. Reportedly, it''s almost over. Well, I don''t really care which way it goes. You''re too cautious upstairs to begin with. Hmm. Well, that''s okay. I''ll save the fun for last! The girl was still sneering. 49 - Episode 49: Fifth Barrier City Now, if you''ll excuse me. Yeah. I''ll see you later. I''ll see you later, Shelly! Yes. Now, if you''ll excuse me. Sherry and I bowed our heads and left the Sixth Knot City. Since then, nothing happened in the Sixth Warding City, and we had to leave here with our duties as usual. Although Sheila-san had done a lot of work for us, there was still no proof that this person was not a traitor. I''m really getting sick of the fact that I need to doubt him when he''s been so good to me and so good-natured. Then, as I walked out into the twilight again, I headed to the fifth ward city next. I''m already used to this twilight world, but I can''t relax just because it''s a safe zone. ''''Come to think of it, Shelly was much more adept with the sword. Yeah? ''Yeah. I don''t think it''s as good as it used to be. I hope you''re right. In the battle in the sixth ward city, me and Shelly fought together for the first time in a long time. And I was astonished. I didn''t know that she had become so strong in such a short period of time. Shelly had become a completely different person than before. Her ability was one of the best among first-class anti-magicians. I''m fighting in the seventh special squad, and I''m on par with the members in that squad. It may have been the change to the weapon of a sword, but even more than that, Shelly''s growth was remarkable. Not that I didn''t believe Bell''s words, but it was far more than I expected. But Shelly didn''t seem to be that happy with herself. ''I think I''m really getting stronger, don''t you?'' ''Hmmm ... what can I say, since it''s the strength of the teacher or Yulia that I''m using as a role model ... maybe I''m not satisfied. If you ask me if Shelly can currently reach the special class antagonist, I would say that I can''t yet. Although there is no absolute standard, I still had an intuitive feeling that it was not yet. It would be the same for Shelly. That''s the kind of strength she wants. But I didn''t try to comfort her any further. This is her own problem, and it''s something that Shelly needs to face. ¡ó Hey. Julia, it''s been a while. Mr. Gil. It''s been a while. We arrived at the fifth ward city. The one who greeted me there was Gil-san. It seems that he was just off duty today, so his timing was good. I shook Gil-san''s big hand and we exchanged greetings. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about this. You''ve grown up a lot since I last saw you. Well it''s been a while. I will. Keep up the good work for my daughter. Yes, sir. Shelly also seemed to be acquainted with Gil. Sherry and I greeted each other and were led directly to the base''s quarters. Along the way, Gil asked me about Sophia. ''How is she?¡¡Is he doing well? ''I think she''s doing it right. But Shelly''s in the same squad with me, so I think she knows more about it than I do. Well I think Sophia is doing a good job of that. But ... maybe she''s still dragging that thing out a bit. "...about Raul. Is Julia listening too? Are you talking about your brother, by any chance? Ah. Sophia''s brother, his name is Raul, and he disappeared in the twilight... Sofia is trying to get over it. She''s dealing with her past. I see. We didn''t talk about it any more. I''ve left my luggage behind. For now, Julia, go to the research department. He''s calling you. Sherry, you''ll be training with me. Who is that guy? By the way, Shelly looked surprised, "What?! He said, "Well, if you say so, I can''t blame you. ''The research department, right?¡¡What''s his name? Special Grade Anti-Magician, 10th in the pecking order. Her name is Ellie. I understand. Well, let''s see how good Sherry is, who Bell is pushing so hard. Now go easy on me. Shelly is completely deflated, but I''m sure it will be a good experience. With that in mind, I left the two of them and headed to the research department by myself. ¡ó ''Excuse me, I''m here to see Miss Ellie...'' When I walked into the research department, there were people everywhere doing desk work and research. But when I told them the name, they all gave me a blatantly bitter look. What''s going on? Those stairs lead down to her lab. A woman nearby told me that, so I thanked her and went down those stairs. ''''It''s ... long.'''' I wonder how far down I''ve already gone. The stairs seem to be longer than I thought, but I''m relieved when a door appears in front of me. Then I knock on the door, but there is no response. I wonder if he''s not there...? Now if you''ll excuse me. It might not be a good idea to enter without permission, but since it wasn''t even locked, I opened the door anyway. I opened the door and found a messy room. A large amount of documents were scattered on the desk, but the experimental equipment was apparently well placed. Looking at it, one could somehow predict the character of the other party...where is Ellie-san? ''''Uh ... uh ... um ... um ...'''' What? Yes. The voice came from underneath the papers. Her long blonde hair was spread out on the desk, and her beauty could be seen through her long, though closed-eyed, eyelashes. ''''Um.........'''' ''What?¡¡What time is it? ...and it''s not even 10:00. Well that''s good. I didn''t oversleep. Who the f*ck are you? She wakes up with a bang, adjusts her white coat lightly, and looks at me closely. ''Um, I''m Julia Curtis. Well, we''ve met before, haven''t we?¡¡In the First Warded City. ''Ah!¡¡You''re Julia!¡¡My name is Ellie!¡¡Nice to meet you!¡¡Oh, and by the way, she''s a young lady of 24!¡¡You''re so young! Yes? He suddenly grabbed my hand with a gasp and shook my hand with a buzz. No, it was no longer one-sided........but if they are welcoming me, it should be good....... ''''Hmmm. Hmmm.........well, that''s interesting........ Well, what is it? Actually, I''ve been wanting to talk to you for a while now just lie there for a minute. ''What?¡¡Huh? Come on, come on. Yes..... I''m swallowed up by her nonchalant attitude, and I lie down on what looks like a bed for now. Then, as she holds her hand over my body, she senses something. I''m sure. Hmmm. Ellie says, and then makes a note on a piece of paper. It''s also very fast. ''Ehhh, can I go now?'' Yeah. Good. I get off the bed and look at her hand. ''What are you doing?'' A study of Twilight Syndrome. My major is the study of Twilight Syndrome. But still, it''s not like I''ve been there for two years. The concentration of twilight is outrageous. The other special class anti-magicians are the same, but you are special. If you were a normal human, you''d be at the level of death. "...What is it about me? "...there are several possibilities. A theory I''ve been working on recently that fits. But, well, I''ll tell you about that some other time. For now, there''s the whole traitor thing. Okay. I see. After that, Ellie and I talked about twilight for a while. 50 - Episode 50 As a Dream Fresh blood. Running through the earth and advancing through this twilight world. It feels like a long time ago now. But I was indeed in that twilight for two years. "....die. I pierced the goblin''s head with the Invisible Blade, and I continued on my way. But the further I went, the more I felt as if I was trapped by something. And the tingling in my right arm never stopped. The more time passed, the more the imprint on my right arm proceeded to erode. I felt as if I was ceasing to be human. Now that I think about it, I''ve been progressing in such a state for a long time. ''''........'''' I hear someone''s voice. But I don''t know who it is. What in the world am I......... "....U........or a dream....... I wake up. I think I was dreaming of something. But now I can''t remember it clearly. But if I can''t remember it, then it''s probably not that important. I''ll be getting ready soon. By the way, I''m planning to visit Ellie again today. Sherry is planning to go hunting with Gil-san at dusk, but he''s going to stay at the base this time because he''s afraid of becoming overpowered if I''m there. I''m not sure if it''s on the way, but I''m supposed to accompany Ellie-san''s research for a bit. ''Excuse me. ''''Um ... yeah ... no, no, that''s not food ...'''' What a goofy sleeper.....................and now I have to wake up Ellie. She says, "I think she''s probably asleep, so you can wake her up on your own". So I shake her shoulder. As usual, she''s not sleeping in her bed, she''s propped up on her desk...............but I''m sure she''s sleeping soundly. ''....Five more minutes. No, that''s the one that goes on forever. ...coffee. What? I want to make coffee... Okay. When I was told that, I poured instant coffee powder into a cup in the room and poured boiling water into it. For some reason, there seems to be a large stock of coffee in this room, and I can clearly see that they are always drinking it. ''''Yes, I brewed it,'''' Yeah, thanks. Still in a daze, Ellie''s eyes are still not fully focused. Even so, perhaps because of the smell of coffee, she manages to raise her body and drink the freshly brewed coffee with Zuzu. ''''........Yulia-kun, you''re good at brewing. No. You just put in the flour and pour hot water, so anyone can do it. ''Well, that''s true, too. It''s a different feeling when someone lets you in. He''s finally awake, and is starting to be able to talk properly. ''Well, I''m going to go take a bath then,'' There''s your underwear and a change of clothes in there, so bring them all together. What, wait... Ms. Ellie took off all her clothes, and her underwear on the spot and put them in the throw away basket, and then went straight to the next room. As I had guessed from yesterday''s incident, she seems to live here completely. No, depending on how you look at it, it may seem like she''s isolated...but now is not the time to think about that. I took out my underwear and clothes at random from the place I was instructed to go and put them in front of the bathroom. I know I shouldn''t be looking at a lot of things, but I still knew I''d get in a lot of trouble if I didn''t, so I had no choice but to do as I was told. Then we talked about Dusk again. ''So, about the twilight, are you on to something? It''s all in my submission, but... ''Of course I read it. But I want to hear it in your own words. Actually, there are things I may have forgotten. ''Although...'' When did the Twilight Syndrome erosion begin? ''It''s been a few days since we went out into the twilight. You don''t see any signs until then? ''Yes. That was the first time. Yeah. So, what else... I then told Ellie more about the events at Twilight. She takes notes as she listens to it. Incidentally, Ellie-san is a special class anti-magician, but her main focus is on research. It seems that her combat skills are also quite high, but it seems that her own personality makes it more suitable for her nature to stay indoors and study. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about this in the article. And when I was talking with Ellie-san, several hours had already passed. ''''........Okay. So that''s what it''s like. Thank you, for keeping up with the long story. No, you''ve been very helpful to me. Speaking of which, you''re going to another city tomorrow, right? Yes, sir. Yeah. Well, I''ll see you later. We shook hands for the last time and I said goodbye to Ellie. ¡ó Hey, Julia! Gil, hi. When I come to the dining room, I just run into Gil. ''You''ve been to Ellie''s?'' ''Yes. I was called in. Isn''t he the same guy?¡¡I''ve been cooped up in my study for years. Haha but, well, it''s important to study about twilight. That''s true. Well, it''s kind of pissing me off that I''m fighting in the twilight for that guy, too. After receiving our meals, we sat down at a nearby table and chatted. By the way, I have a steady curry and Gil has a daily set meal. I''m not going to be able to get it right. I''m not going to be able to get it right. ''What?¡¡Is that so? He looked nervous at first, but he was the strongest of our group. I tried to support you, but you were totally fine on your own. I was doing just fine at level three. ''''I see. Even at level 3, it''s normal.... I know Shelly has gotten stronger, but I haven''t seen the bottom of it yet. But Gil''s praise of her must be considerable. ''I wondered what it would be like to be Bell''s apprentice, but that''s a monster. Is it a monster? Oh. You look just like Belle. Honestly, I don''t think I can beat Belle, only in combat within a three-meter radius. But Sherry felt the same way as Belle. That spacing strength is uncommon. Maybe, just maybe. ''You mean Sherry is a special class anti-magician...? ''Well, yeah. There are more and more special class anti-magicians who are young these days, but I''m not against it. Even if they do. Well.... Sherry will be a special class of anti-magician. I''m sure that would be a delight. But I''m sure that if that happens, we''ll be stepping into something more dangerous. Special Class Counter-Magicians are indeed strong. It is a realm that only the strongest of humanity can reach. However, the Special Class Counter-Magician is not invincible. In the past, many special-grade demons have died in battles. Some of them have been killed by demons. It would be superfluous to worry here, but I couldn''t rejoice with my hands. ''''Come to think of it, did Yuria ever meet with a higher level demon race when she was in the twilight? ''''Well I have encountered intelligent demons before, just in case. What about the demons? Are you a demon? No, I haven''t seen her in those two years. ''It''s funny to think about it. I haven''t encountered any demons in the past few years. Especially at level 4 or 5, I''ve encountered demons. When it comes to a special level versus a mage losing, it''s almost always against a demon. But.........after all, there hasn''t been any movement in the past few years......what''s going on...... The last part of the article was like talking to myself, but I''ve never met a demon race called demons. In the documents, they have an appearance close to humans, but they are ranked high among the demon race, and there are individuals whose abilities surpass those of special-grade anti-magicians.... I''ve fought a high-level demon race with high intelligence in those two years, but I don''t know about the existence of demons. What does that have to do with anything........ 51 - Episode 51: Eiras Days I wake up. Eira is not a fan of mornings, she always struggles to get up. ''''Ugh ... I''m sleepy ...'''' I''m in a daze, but I still can''t sleep in. Today, the battle in the twilight is waiting for us as usual. And I''ve never slept in before. Eira has always been a meticulous person, and she was always very punctual about meeting times. That''s why he never wastes his morning time, no matter how much trouble he''s in. ''''Good........ When she gets out of bed, the first thing she does is head to take a shower. She has a weak morning, so it''s important for her to take a shower to wake up. Then she takes off her clothes and puts them in the basket. ''No change...'' Eira blurts out, but this is always the case. She checks her growth in the mirror every morning to see how she has grown. But she hasn''t grown in height, nor has she grown in breasts. She knows she''s not as attractive as a woman. Still, Eira believes that one day that day will come. ''Huh ... how come all my family is so big ...'' With that said, I start showering. Eira''s family, especially the women, are large in many ways. It''s in all of their height and proportions. They are close to men in height, etc., and their breasts are well above average. Eira had been wondering about it ever since she hit puberty, but she couldn''t help but think that way, and lately she was beginning to feel a little resigned. ''....Okay. After finishing the shower, I change into my military uniform and tie my hair up. This is Eira''s usual style. After she finishes her preparations, she heads straight to the dining room for a light breakfast. ''''........Mugu Mugu.'''' Of course, he was alone. Eira had never made anyone close to her when she became a soldier. No, she couldn''t make them. But there was an exception to everything. That was Yulia, Shelly, and Sophia. Those three were the only people who were special to Eira. He couldn''t remember much anymore about when they became that way, but he found himself getting along with them in a certain way. ''Senpai. Good morning. "Oh, Sofia. Morning. I''m usually alone for breakfast, but sometimes Sophia comes over like this. She has a wide range of faces and seems to have a rather large number of friends, and you can find her with various people. It''s not necessary to come all the way to your place.......that''s what Eira thinks, but there''s no reason to disrespect her, so she doesn''t say anything. ''''Is it dusk today?'''' Yeah. Speaking of which, I wonder how Yulia and Shelly are doing. .... I don''t know, it''s pretty amazing. ''''Well those two won''t be. Especially Yulia, you know. Yes, sir. It''s a trapped world, and that''s why humans have to procreate. For this reason, there are no restrictions on falling in love, especially when it comes to love. There are a certain number of people in the military who are married to each other. However, however, Sophia and Eira had noticed. That Julia didn''t have the slightest idea about such things. As expected, this kind of topic is something that women are easily interested in, but Shelly was clumsy or clueless. Julia''s side is the master of Park Nenin. They both concluded that there was no way to move the situation. ''''Well, I''ll go then.'''' ''Yes. I know it''s a clich¨¦, but good luck with that. Eira said, and then headed off into the twilight. ¡ó Hmm.... As usual, I finished the battle in the 7th Special Squad, as usual. Since Yulia isn''t currently there, it doesn''t go that deep. It''s because even if I try to fill in, there''s no replacement for Yulia. When today''s battle was over and it was time to go home, Lieutenant Luna Grey, who was next to her, spoke to her. ''You''re awesome as always, Major Reese,'' ''Well I didn''t mean to tell you before, but you don''t have to call me Major. I''m a lot younger than you are. Luna had always called her by her rank, both to Julia and to Eira. It was more out of genuine respect than a desire to keep a distance. Luna had always prided herself on being a good person. She had become a second level anti-magician when she was a student and went straight into the military. And she had progressed well in her career, currently holding the rank of Lieutenant. It would take her a little while to become an officer, but I wouldn''t dream of becoming a special class anti-magician if I were you. That''s what I thought........ Just then, Yulia and Eira came in to fill in. It was the first time she had met a special class antimagician. Fortunately or unfortunately, they had never been in the same squad until now. And then she found out. Even though she was almost ten years younger than herself, she knew that there was an existence that surpassed her by far. In Julia''s case, she mainly fought in close quarters combat, so it''s hard to make a general comparison, but I was simply stunned by Eira using magic to support her in the same rear. Is this the same person?¡¡Luna thought that when she first saw Eira''s magic. Even though she was a special class anti-magician, she was still a teenager. Even I should still be able to keep up with it.......shallowly, she thought, and her heart was broken. But Luna didn''t give up there. She recognized Eira as a superior being to herself and decided to steal what she could steal. ''''But.........'''' ''You don''t want to call this little kid younger than you, do you?¡¡It''s hard for me to say, but I don''t mind. .... At first glance, she saw Eira''s face turn a little red, though she seemed to be pushing away. At that moment, Luna realized. Even though she was a special class anti-magician, she was still a teenage child. It''s true that his strength is one of the strongest in this human race, but it doesn''t necessarily mean that his mind has grown up as well. No, I guess that''s where they''re at in their age. Eira in particular is clumsy. When I started to think about it, I felt like she was close to me, even though she was somehow distant. ''So, can I call you Eira?'' ''Okay. I''ll call you Luna. Hmm..... What''s going on? No, no, it''s just... Luna looked at Eira, who was still blushing, and felt a smile on her face. ¡ó Eira, come take a bath with us. Yes.... Luna told Eira as they returned to the base. Naked socializing is another way to close the distance. By the way, Eira always gets it done in the small shower room in her room.......but she agreed, thinking that it would be bad to refuse here before she had just closed the distance. "...................... What? .... Hey, what are you looking at? I thought you were supposed to be slim but you have breasts. ...though it''s rather a hindrance in battle. ''Yes. Yes, that''s what everyone who has one says. Hmmm..... .... Luna is in the large bathhouse next to Eira, but as soon as she sees her human side and realizes many things about Eira, she decides to change the subject. ''Speaking of which, are you on good terms with Major Curtis?'' ''Well, yes. We''ve only known each other for a short time since we met in the First Boundary City, but that''s about it. Does that mean... that''s what it means...? Luna also has the sensitivity of a normal woman. It''s obvious at a glance that Eira and Yulia get along well with each other. Maybe this might be the case. She had hoped so, but the story was not so simple. ''''.......I wonder. At any rate, I''m sure Yulia is a Park Nenin but.............because we have this. "Twilight Syndrome.... Luna also suffers from Twilight Syndrome, or Twilight Syndrome, but not as much as Eira. When I saw her breasts, I was quite surprised. ''''Since I have this, I don''t know what will happen in the future. I don''t have much time to think about that right now.'''' Not much, you mean, do you ever think about it? .... He''s right. ''''f*ck it!¡¡Shut up, shut up! Once again, Luna realized how cute Eira was. 52 - Episode 52: Fourth Barrier City Since then, we had left Gil and Ellie, and we had come to the fourth ward city. Nothing has happened so far. Everything is fine. But that''s why we mustn''t let our guard down. Well. Sherry, let''s go. Yeah. Just as I walked into the city, I noticed someone standing to my right. "...Eve, 11th in the pecking order. Nice to meet you. It''s Yulia. It''s Sherry.... We answered the abrupt greeting and followed her. Eve is 11th in the pecking order. She is about the same height as me and her hair is long enough to cover her chest. Also, her color is lightly pigmented, but I can see the faintest hint of green in it. And I thought from the greeting earlier, he seems to be a taciturn person. Then we put our bags in our quarters and head to the briefing room. This time it seems that we''re going to twilight as soon as we arrive, so me and Shelly get ready right away. ''Hi, Julia-kun. It''s nice to meet you," she says. I''m Leo. My name is Leo, and I''m 8th in the pecking order. Nice to meet you. Mr. Leo. It''s nice to meet you too. When I entered the briefing room, a man was there. He had short black hair and a youthful face. Maybe he wasn''t that much older than me. He was shorter than me in height, but his body had a definite thickness to it. ''Have you met Eve?'' Yes, sir. ''Eve''s a quiet girl, but she''s a good girl, so I hope they get along. Yes. I hope we can have a good relationship here as well. Oh ... and I''m just wondering, by the way you''re talking, are you young too, Eve? Eve''s 19. I''m 25. For someone so young, Eve is very strong. One of our most promising opponents. I see. ''''I have high hopes for you, Yulia-kun. All the subsequent special class anti-magicians are strong, so I''m not too worried about them, haha. As I was talking to them, Shelly and Eve came over. ''You''re all here. Okay, let''s talk about this mission. ¡ó Hey, don''t we need to communicate properly? Well let''s see what happens with Sherry. ''Err, wouldn''t it be better to go with Yulia, who is also a special-grade antagonist? ''No, it''s the female Shelly here. She''s the same s*x. I don''t blame you. This time they were going to hunt in the twilight danger zone, level 2. I heard that some soldiers had died in the fourth ward city and there aren''t enough of them to fill the void. It seems that Sherry and I will be filling in for them while they are replenished. But for now, it''s just me, Sherry and Eve. It''s true that if it''s only level 2 or so, these three are more than enough to fight, but the question was how we should interact with Eve-san. By the way, Leo-san remained in the Boundary City just in case. Of course, we''ve shared all the outlines of our strategy, and we''ve also decided that Sherry and I will be the vanguard and Eve-san will be the rear guard in our formation. She seems to be an anti-magician who specializes in magic, and Leo-san told me that she would definitely be useful to us. But I''m not sure if it''s a good idea for the three of us to follow behind her silently the whole time we''re advancing, so we try to communicate with her. Then, when we''re done talking, Shelly comes back to me. ''How did it go?'' He wants to talk to Julia. Eh.... ''It''s not like you''re going to be mad at me, you should go now. You gave me to you.... Shelly stares at me intently. She''s a bit like Belle-san, but she''s not so much a taciturn person as she''s not good at talking. Eve-san, on the other hand, is completely taciturn. She doesn''t seem to talk more than she needs to. That''s why I don''t know how to talk to her.... I step back a little to the back and talk to her. ''Well, Eve, I mean...'' ''''........Julia-kun, don''t worry about it. I''ll do fine. ''Oh, yes. Well ... nice to meet you. When Eve said that, she held up her thumb gingerly with a blank expression and showed it to me. ''''Well it''s nice to meet you too. She''s a bit of a strange person, but she seems to be communicating with me in her own way. ''''You two!¡¡Enemy! As soon as Shelly said that, we were in a battle position. In front of us was a pack of wolves, probably waiting to ambush us. They were probably waiting for us in ambush. Compared to the white wolf, this one''s flesh is harder. For that reason, it is troublesome in its own way if it comes in a group........ ''''........Leave it to me.......'''' The moment Sherry and I, the vanguard, and Sherry were about to jump out of the way, Eve-san stepped forward and she spread her hands out...............and cleaved it at once. And then.........the pack of nearly a hundred Wolves in front of her exploded. Blasting, blasting, blasting. The scene was truly overwhelming. I''ve seen antimagicians specializing in magic, such as Eira-senpai, but I knew that Eve was also superior in a different direction than her seniors. And I was a bit curious about that phenomenon, so I deployed Twilight Sight. Then I perceived an interesting phenomenon happening inside the body of the exploding individual. ''''Wow........so much with fire attribute magic.......'''' ''No ... this is ...'' Me and Shelly didn''t have time to get out, we just stared at the scene. ''....It''s done. Chest out, pimply face?¡¡Eve, who is doing the Apparently, I''ve got everything taken care of. I decided to boldly ask her about her current magic. ''That magic right now, it''s a fire attribute but it''s a little different, right?'' You are well aware. ''''You''re vaporizing the liquid all at once and making it explode with that pressure... but you''re mixing the fire attribute only at the last moment? ''Yeah well the creature has blood, so I''m vaporizing it. But that''s not enough to be lethal on its own so I''ve added an explosion at the end. Actually, I''m good at all things magical. Eh-hem. Well that''s great. From what you just said, I understood that this was a magic that mixed fire-attribute and non-attribute magic. It''s not just a matter of time before you get to the point where you''ll be able to get your hands on it. ¡ó Good night. No, Eve made it a lot easier for me. We had been hunting for a while since then, though we had almost exterminated them with Eve''s magic, but they had returned to the base. Eve-san and Shelly had gone to the big bathhouse together, and I was reporting back to them about this time. ''That''s great, Eve-san,'' Oh, you saw it. Eve''s two names are Almighty ¡¶All Mighty¡·. It''s limited to magic, but all her magic is special. Of course, she''s not as good as Eira or any other antimagician who specializes in ice, but that versatility made Eve a special class antimagician at that young age. ''I knew it was information, but you use a wide variety of magic. What have you seen? It was liquid manipulation magic. We used it mixed with the fire attribute. Oh, that one with the loud bursts, right? ''Yes. It was exploding with tremendous force. But that magic requires intervention in the Intrinsic Realm [Personal Field], right? ''''Yeah. But Eve is able to make all of her magic work directly on the target, including interventions in her personal field. That''s what makes her a genius. ''It''s tremendous that such a thing is possible........'' The Personal Field, a unique area. It''s like a defensive wall that organisms develop unconsciously. Of course, it can''t be perceived. Even with my Twilight Sight, I can''t see it, nor can I sense it. But the way magic works is different for inanimate objects and living things. To be specific, it''s difficult for magic to work on living things because of their personal field. For this reason, the magic used by Eve is usually quite difficult to use. Or rather, it is unlikely that she can use it continuously due to its nature. This is because it is necessary to incorporate a magic formula to break through the Intrinsic Domain ¡¶Personal Field¡· for all creatures. Even Eira-senpai doesn''t break through the "Personal Field" intrinsic area. It''s because he creates magic and physically hits the demons with it. That''s why I understand. That Eve-san is probably one of the best magic users among the anti-magicians. I once again understood the meaning of the phrase "seeing is believing". ''''So.........'''' Yes, sir. After that, I continued to have discussions with Leo. 53 - Episode 53 Consideration The Seventh Boundary City. There, Riane was working with Belle to sort out the current situation. Currently, Riane and Belle are acting together. It has a strong sense of protection, but more than that, it''s because Riane trusts Belle. Riane has always had Belle by her side since she was a child. And Belle has also been watching Riane for a long time. It''s difficult to define in words just how much they trust each other. That''s how much they trust each other. And what they are working on at the moment is the matter of the traitor. Riane has a special singular ability, Extra, to perceive magic elements. Belle, on the other hand, is good at espionage. Due to her status as a special class anti-magician, Belle''s strength is all that stands out, but because her original personality fits, she was good at collecting people''s actions, gestures, and traces. It would be a steady process, but still, Belle continued to do what Riane asked her to do all the time. Because she knew that was exactly what she could do. ''Belle, this is ... different. How about this one? Well no, I don''t see any sign of him. In the room of the house where they currently live together, Liane is examining the items and other items collected by Belle using her singular ability, the Elemental Senses, the "Extra", the "Dicordungsense". Elemental Sense ¡¶Dicordance Sense¡·. It is the singular ability to perceive the magic element that exists in this world, called "Extra". Magnesium is not only used for magic, it is also one of the elements that make up this world. Julia''s Twilight Sight, which she possesses, perceives magic elements visually, but her elemental sense, the Discordant Sense, is different from its essence. It is perceived by what should be called the sixth sense. It is not the five senses, but a completely different sense. It might be called an intuition. Liane knows intuitively. She can even tell what kind of magic element is there and from whom it originated. If the magic element is passed through a living organism, it leaves a unique mark. You''ll be able to find out what the core of the matter is, although Rihanna is searching for it closely. ''''Hmmm.......for now, that''s it for today. Thank you for everything, Belle. No.... Saying that, Riane drank the tea Belle poured and rested her body on the back of the chair. Thinking back, there are many reasons why I came to the seventh ward city like this, but the most important one was to escape. I had a premonition that I was being targeted..... That had nothing to do with the Singularity Ability ¡¶Extras¡·. It was just a hunch. I asked Bell to investigate, but there was no movement to harm Liane. Even so, he shouldn''t stay in the First Warding City. Right now, the job of maintaining the wards wasn''t even available to her yet, and Liane had come to this Seventh Warding City on the condition that she was escorted by Belle. ''''Special class anti-magician, have you checked them all?'''' ''Yes ... but ...'' They''re all clean. ''I''m sorry...'' ''It''s okay. I know it''s not an easy thing to figure out. You saved the First Warded City? I think it could be some kind of match pump... ''Well, there''s no denying it. It''s true that I''ve been in the twilight for two years, and I''m coming back as a minion of the demon race. The timing is just right. It''s not impossible. If he''s faking everything to win our trust that''s a chilling thought. The main reason I trust Yulia-san and Eira is because I fought off that attack.......I should still be more vigilant....... ''''The reason they are sending Yulia-kun on a business trip this time....is also to see how he is doing. And although not always, he''ll be under surveillance........ So the most suspicious special-grade antagonist is Yulia-san. ''The top thinks so. But..... Do you think Bell is different? ''''I have no proof. It might be possible to bring that demon back, but I don''t think it''s possible for him to break the wards after being out there for two years....... ''Maybe he went out and became a pawn of the demon race and originally communicated with the traitors in the Warding City? ''''He didn''t have that kind of time............I followed that action after Yulia-kun came back, but it was too short. After she returned, she joined up with the traitors inside and caused an attack. Yeah. But it sounds like your superiors want to keep someone on target. There''s so much information out there. But I''m on the verge of getting a clue... and I know it... Liane was certain. That was because she was perceiving faint traces of magick in the place called the sanctuary where she maintained her wards. It was a coincidence. The traces were about to disappear at any moment. Previously, Liane would not have stopped to look at it. However, her singular ability ¡¶Extras¡· had evolved. Now, she really wouldn''t miss even the slightest trace of it. And relying on the magic element from that time, she was proceeding with the investigation on her own. And her hand was definitely close to the traitor''s nearness. But no one knows that yet........ 54 - Episode 54: Third Barrier City After leaving the fourth ward city, we had come to the third ward city next. This is the place where I grew up, and also.... where I spent time with them. It''s not that I don''t think about it, but I came here on business. I shouldn''t drag the emotions of that time into it now. ''So no one''s here this time. Well, it''s just good timing so far. After passing through the checkpoint, me and Sherry had entered the third warded city. But this time, there is no one to greet us like before. Besides, it''s late at night now. We should go to our quarters quickly and get some rest. ''''Eh?¡¡No room? ''I''m sorry we''ve had a lot of visitors today...'' When we arrived at our lodgings, the soldier who was guiding us to our quarters told us that he couldn''t prepare a room for us. We had just had a visitor, and it seemed that there were no rooms available for the two of us. We could have stayed at some other lodgings, but the guy said he could prepare a room for us. I''ve been told that there is no problem to sleep in a room with two beds, but.... That''s what I thought, but what Shelly said was different from what I expected. ''No thanks, I don''t mind. Can I have Julia too? Yeah but it''s okay. Shelly responded in a resolute manner. And me and Shelly will be staying in the same room in the third ward city. There are many things to think about, but it''s too much trouble to get a place to stay outside now, and if it''s okay with Shelly, I don''t mind, either. ''''Well why don''t you take a shower first?'''' I''ll take Julia first. Yeah?¡¡Then I''ll take you up on your offer. It''s late, and the large bathroom is already closed. So I have to use the showers in my room, but they seem to be giving me the go ahead. I''m going to take off my clothes and take a shower. ''''........'''' I''m taking a hotter than usual shower. So far, there''s nothing wrong with that. We''ve made it this far in good shape. We''re getting along well with the special-grade counter-magicians. Still, I don''t like to think of anyone being hostile to humanity. But it''s an escape from reality. We need to look at reality and find the traitor. Then I finish showering and go back to my room to tell Sherry that I''m up. I''m up. ...Yeah. Then I''ll go in. Shelly blushes a little and leaves quickly, looking down. Is she not feeling well? ¡ó Julia, are you awake? Yeah ... what''s going on? Although the beds are far apart, they are still reasonably close together. They are forced to put two beds in a room that was originally intended for one person. It''s only natural to feel a little cramped. And I respond to Shelly''s words. ''What do you think, Julia?'' Is this about the traitor? Yes. ''''I don''t know ... I was in the twilight for two years. I don''t know about the special class anti-magicians, and the higher-ups in the military, much to my chagrin.... ''Well it''s me, I never thought about the possibility of a traitor until I was in this situation. I want to do this someday. Someday I''ll be strong. It''s what I''ve always wanted. And so when I got to this point in my life, I kept trying to make that someday into the present... next to Julia. But am I ... strong enough to be next to Yulia? .... Are you strong enough to be next to me?¡¡It doesn''t matter how strong you are when you''re next to me...I''d like to say that, but I don''t think that''s what she''s talking about. I think she''s talking about me as a target. Are you strong enough to rival me?¡¡If you ask me that I don''t know. I''ve never seen her for real. But I''m proud to say that I''m stronger than Shelly........ I have some idea of how strong I am. That''s why the words I should say to her are........ ''''When it comes to strength, I don''t know........that''s my opinion. And that''s up for you to judge. It''s possible that one day we will be in different cities. Shelly doesn''t have to be tied up next to me. ''''But I ... but I ... I have Julia as my target...'''' Targeting is fine. But Sherry is not me. I can''t be Sherry, just as you can''t be me. If I may say so I think you should be on the right track. Not to be someone else, but to be someone you can admit to being. .... I know I''m not the kind of person who would tell someone what to do, no matter what I say, it''s abstract. Still, I think I''ve told her what I can say to myself right now. I hope this will lead to something........ ''''........Julia is an adult after all. He''s a child, he''s not ready. ''Huh but I know what you mean, Julia. I''ve been chasing someone for a long time. Someone you can''t see in front of you, but someone who is definitely there. I used to see that as Julia, but... Beyond that, we chatted lightly and then went to bed. Sherry is also a work in progress. And I''m also a work in progress. I''m hoping that we''ll be able to make each other better... I think about this as I surrender to sleep. 55 - Episode 55 Sudden Event The next morning. I woke up feeling refreshed. "...good. I said, and got out of bed. I glanced next to her and saw that Shelly was still sleeping. There was still plenty of time to spare, so I left her alone. ''....Huh. I''ll take a hot shower to further awaken my consciousness. Today, I''m going to meet up with the special class anti-magician in this city, and from there, I''m going to hunt in the twilight. And as I''m preparing myself to some extent, Shelly, who was sleeping next to me, wakes up. ''''........What time is it?'''' It''s not even 6:00. You might want to get up now. ''Yeah...'' Shelly scrambles out of bed, rubbing her sleepy eyes. Her hair is disheveled and her clothes are also disheveled. But I didn''t think it was a good idea to point it out here, so I just averted my gaze. ''''I''m going to go take a bath.'''' Yes. And so she, too, was awakened to consciousness by taking a hot shower. ''Alright, let''s get going,'' Yes, sir. Shelly gets ready too, and we head to the briefing room, our meeting point. The structure of the military base is basically the same, so we walk straight ahead without hesitation. The time was just before 7:00 a.m., and we had to meet at 7:00. We were supposed to meet at 7:00 a.m., so we got into the room 10 minutes before. We entered the room 10 minutes before 7:00 a.m., so we entered the room and found a man inside. As I recall, this man is...." "Oh, it''s Yuria! Oh, it''s Yuria-kun. Oh, hi. Uh, you know, hi. He bows his head and I introduce myself. ''I''m Julia Curtis.'' I''m Johan. You''re number nine on the list. Nice to meet you. What can I say, he looks like a light person...that was my impression. His hair is long, and it''s tied up in a single bun with a hair elastic, revealing a faintly cropped section. He''s much taller than I am; he''s at least six feet tall. And very, very stylish, and I thought he was the complete opposite of me. Her face is well-groomed and her eyebrows are probably well-groomed as well. Overall, she looks beautiful. ''Oh, you must be Shelly, young lady. It''s nice to meet you.'''' Well, it''s nice to meet you. After quickly closing the distance, Johan grabs Shelly''s hand and greets her. He also winks casually, and it''s clear that he''s used to women. ''Woo-hoo. We''ll do it again today! The next person to walk in was Roy. His hair stood up in a twisted way, just like when we met before, and his hair was like a rainbow color. I wondered if he had dyed his hair even more. Furthermore, he or she seems to be wearing the same sunglasses as usual. I''m sure you''re not the only one. I was told you were coming soon. Mr. Roy, it''s been a long time. Oh. You owe me a debt in the First Walled City, you know. If you have any problems, you can tell me. I''ll help you. Thank you. When I first met him, I thought he was an aggressive person, but he seemed to have a surprisingly gentle side to him... at this time, I thought so. ''''Ah?¡¡Who is this guy?¡¡Johan, are you listening to me? ''This is Shelly. Ms. Bell recommended me to accompany Julia on her business trip. "...Haha, I see.... Um, it''s Sherri Amis. You''re going to come up against me. What? ''''Yulia has a proven track record in the First Boundary City. Johan has seen his abilities with his own eyes many times. But you don''t know that. You said it yourself, Shelly. I only believe what I see with my own eyes. And if that''s Bell''s recommendation, I''ll do my best not to crush the guy''s crew. All right, let''s go. Hey, hey!¡¡Huh? Shelly was forced to take her hand and leave without it. ''Erm, is that okay?'' Hmm?¡¡It''s okay. Roy, you''re always like that. Really.... Yeah, seriously. Johan-san, on the other hand, was talking with me as he sharpened his nails with a file. Is it something to talk about in such a one-sided manner........ I''ve been following the two of them while worrying about whether Sherry is okay. ¡ó Johan and I follow the two of them and we reach the exercise area. We often do outdoor drills here, but there was no one here, perhaps because it was just empty. That''s what I thought, but gradually, people started to come around. ''What is it?'' Roy''s guy said he''d do it. Long time no see. Who''s the guy? ''A first-class anti-magician from the Seventh Ward City. You look like a girl. Wow, you''re young. You okay? Well I hope Roy''s guy doesn''t beat me to a pulp. He doesn''t even take kindly to women. He doesn''t give a shit about women or men!¡¡You said it. And then I heard such a voice from around me. Huh?¡¡Do you have no tolerance for women? I''m not really a feminist, but I still can''t come out strongly against women. Roy-san, on the other hand, doesn''t seem to be like that. Well..........from the way he said and did things, I thought he was, but...... ''''Johan-san, are you okay? ''Hmm, well, I''ll stop you at the worst. I''ve known Roy for a long time and I''ve stopped him a few times~ Well.... But you''re Mr. Bell''s disciple, aren''t you?¡¡I expect a lot of things from you. I hope you''re struggling, but... And then the battle between Shelly and Mr. Roy begins. It''s kind of like seeing my old self.... 56 - Episode 56 Trials Shelly was facing Roy. She put her hand on the sword hanging at her hip and calmed her own rising heart. In the past, she and Gil had been hand-to-hand, but it hadn''t felt like a serious match. However, I can only sense a hint of seriousness from Roy, who is now facing me like this. According to him, he only believes in what he sees, but Shelly also thinks so. That''s why I need to show him that I am here. That''s what Shelly thought. It hadn''t been very long since that attack, and even shorter since he changed weapons to swords. Even so, Shelly had done his utmost effort and had also trained with Belle, Gil, and even Yulia. ''Hoho ... there''s a vibe. Are you saying there''s a reason for the Belle''s guy to recommend it? .... That being said, Shelly did not respond. No, her consciousness was already becoming immersed in the battle. ''Well, let''s go. Don''t worry, I won''t kill you. But it may hurt a little bit! Roy kicks the ground as hard as he can and closes the distance. At the same time, Shelly grips the sword that is hanging from her waist. This time he had decided to start this fight with an iai-less. For that reason, he doesn''t pull out his sword right away. He sees the opponent''s movements to the end and attacks. ''''Oraaaaahhhh! Roy carries a broadsword. It''s a common weapon that even students handle. Of course, his original weapon is separate, but he thinks that he should be able to kill his enemies with any weapon he wants to use separately. Therefore, unlike other special class anti-magicians, he is not particular about weapons. Weapons are only consumables. He couldn''t rely on them. He would use everything in this world to kill the demons. That was his creed. And now, he borrowed two broadswords from a nearby soldier before the match and used them as two swords to face Shelly. He lowered his stance and used his momentum to run across the land. Then, he raised both hands and swung down with all his might as it was. ''''........'''' Shelly saw through it and ducked by shifting her body slightly backwards, and then drew her sword. A sharp flash of her release strikes Roy. ''''.........! Of course, Roy also knew that Shelley was going to pull out an iaido from her stance. This time, he dared to allow it to happen, as well as to see how it went. But that was beyond Roy''s expectations. (Seriously, this woman, she''s just like Belle herself........) Roy had picked a fight with Belle before and fought her. At the time, there was no way he could lose to such a frightened woman. That''s what I thought........ Roy was a genius. His academy ended early and he soon became a soldier. With his momentum, he reached the rank of a special class anti-magician. There, he met some of the best anti-magicians in the human race. Of course, he planned to fight them from one side to the other. The first of these was Belle. From then on, Bell was second in the pecking order, and he thought that if he defeated this guy and defeated the first in the pecking order, he could prove that he was the strongest in this human race. A mistake due to his youth. I look back on it now, but at the time Roy was completely defeated by Bell. I was keenly aware of the fact that he had lost a hand and a leg. All of her attacks were ducked and counterattacks were thrown in. I was completely unable to keep up with the sword handling she was handling. Belle was older and more experienced than him, and her experience was different. Still, Roy was confident. I''m a genius. No one had ever beaten him. Even as a student, I had gone to a danger zone level 3 and hunted demons. All in all, I am blessed with talent. I will be the savior of humanity. So I thought..... But after Bell had knocked the pillar of his nose off, he had learned to humble himself. Of course, his aggressive nature still remained the same, but still, he no longer overestimated his own abilities. He understood that he and others were still in a lower position among the special class anti-magicians. Since then, he developed his abilities even more. This time, the reason he fought with Shelly was more for the reason that he didn''t believe in hearsay, but he genuinely wanted to know what that Bell disciple was like. For information, he also knew that she used a sword, just like Belle, and had established a fighting style that was very similar to hers. But what was this woman?¡¡I had to think so. The current offense and defense. Roy was at a distance that he could certainly avoid. He was far enough away. Nevertheless, Shelley''s iaidu had torn through Roy''s military uniform to the side. A few inches later, the attack had reached his skin. At the same time, Roy grasped her attack. Shelly knew beforehand that Roy''s attack was an invitation. That''s why she had packed forward at the same time as she avoided Roy''s attack. It was really a slight body movement, but it was very similar to Bell. A movement that seems to sneak into a person''s unconsciousness. He freely manipulates the sense of distance and uses the attack of his sword in the most effective way. The same as Bell, or perhaps........ ''''........shall we go for real? Roy figured out what Shelly was capable of with the current offense and defense. No, he knew that it was something he couldn''t exactly measure accurately. That''s why he was also trying to get serious. (........................The mood has changed?¡¡(Are you serious about coming?) Shelly, on the other hand, had also sensed the change in Roy. Her own blade could reach the special class anti-magician. She had gained confidence in that, but they were still not serious about each other. Then.......... But their fight would end there. Yes, yes, yes. It''s over, it''s over. Roy, that''s enough. One moment now is enough. She''s strong. And it''s as close to our side as you can get. It was Johan who suddenly appeared between the two of them as if he was watering down. ''''Johan, teme........'''' You know that. You know it''s going to be a real fight. Tutti... hey, you said Sherry. Yes, sir. I''ll give you that. You''re strong. And you''re a true disciple of Belle. I''m sorry, sir. Feeling the atmosphere of the place relax, Shelly put her sword back into its scabbard. It''s surprising that he would be recognized for just the current offense and defense, but he certainly needed to get serious if he did any more. Maybe it''s just the right end. Just as I was thinking that, Yulia approached. ''''Shelly, good job.'''' Well, it''s just a blow to the head. That''s good enough for me. Yeah. Well, that would have been nice, but... As they were talking about this, Roy came up to me and told me ''Okay, the four of us are going to level 3 today. Is that okay? Copy that. Julia and Sherry nodded at those words. Thus, Shelly was also recognized by Roy. However, however, this is only the beginning. Shelly would become one of the strongest among the anti-magicians in the future.......and this was just the beginning. 57 - Episode 57 Drinking Oh, I love this stuff! The hour of twilight''s reign was over and it was night. From then on, the four of us went to the twilight and hunted as usual. And now, at Roy''s suggestion, we were going to eat out. Me and maybe Shelly too, but we don''t particularly eat out. The cafeteria in the base is good enough for us, and we don''t find any particular pleasure in food. In my case, when I was in the twilight for two years, I didn''t enjoy eating, I just ate for the sake of living. Because of this, I''m not interested in food. To be honest, as long as I have curry, that''s all I need. Curry is a mixture of many things, and the taste is consistent everywhere. I wouldn''t say that curry is an all-around food, but for me, it''s the same thing. However, there are a number of sumptuous meals lined up in front of me like this. Some of them I''m not sure what they are. It''s the kind where you put a lot of cheese in a pot and eat it with bread, sausages, potatoes and other things. Roy and Johan were drinking while eating them. ''I knew it was this one...'' Mr. Roy, I''m going to be a Gochi. I''d like to say you''re on your own but I''m buying for all of us today. Yes! We are both very excited and me and Sherry are left a little behind. We''re not old enough to drink, so of course we don''t consume alcohol. In the Warding City, there is nothing to worry about when it comes to food and beverages. Plants, or "plants," have been set up in each city, and the amount of production there exceeds the demand. A stable supply of food and drink is the norm nowadays. That''s why we can enjoy food as a pastime. But that''s only in the last 50 years or so, and apparently there have been a lot of problems with food in the past... but we''ll never know that. I really want to thank people for their efforts so far. ''Mr. Roy, is it a good thing?'' I decided to ask him that somehow. "....well, the juniors are growing up. As a senior, it''s only natural to buy them a drink. ''Uriah, that''s called tactlessness! Roy likes you and Shelly, you know. "What? Me and Sherry are blown away. And that too. I''ve never had any pretense of that before. Even when we were fighting in the twilight, I was being ordered around in a strong tone of voice.... ''Hey, Johan. You, don''t say anything unnecessary! So you don''t like it? I didn''t say that... well, this is just a parting gift. You can look forward to the future. .... Looking at the exchange between the two of them, Johan-san''s words seemed to be correct. I felt a sudden weight on my shoulders as I thought that Roy-san also has a lot of clumsy aspects. And there''s also the sensation of a finger tapping against your cheek. ''''Yulia~, hahaha, there are two Yulia~'''' What? When I looked at her, I saw that Shelly was acting strangely. Her face became red and strangely s*xy. Eh.........this can''t be....... I''m sorry, Yulia-kun. I passed the alcohol around to Shelly-chan~ Hey, Mr. Roy! Yulia~ Hey, Yulia~ Look at me, Yulia~ Look at me, hey~ Help me, please!¡¡Mr. Roy!¡¡Mr. Johan! I don''t know who the girls are. Come on, come on, come on, I want to see your manhood, Julia!¡¡Hahaha! I want to see it too!¡¡Hahahahahahahaha! .... Hell. Roy doesn''t seem to be so bad, but Johan and Shelly are terrible. No, I think Johan-san is rather well within the bounds of common sense. But Sherry has been leaning on me the whole time. The distance between the chairs is almost zero. Plus, she''s got her arms intertwined with me, and, well...her breasts are hitting me. I coyly tell her that in her ear. "...Shelly, you''re hitting it. Hmm?¡¡What? He squeezes even closer and presses his bountiful it against me. ''Oh, you two youngsters are so nice!¡¡You''re so bold, Shelly! ''''Heh heh heh heh, it''s getting fun!¡¡Give me more! All right, here you go. It''s got like 30% alcohol content. Mr. Johan, it''s not looking good! And in the absence of my restraint, Sherry poured more liquor down the drain. ''''Puhaha........!¡¡Yum!¡¡Hey, Yulia, have a drink too! No, I''ll pass on... ''What!¡¡You can''t drink my booze! ''You''re losing your temper all of a sudden!¡¡You''re too emotionally unstable! I''m not unstable. I''m stable! ''No, that''s a drunken argument...'' ''What!¡¡You have a problem with that! I want to go home... Later, I came to know the true meaning of dealing with a drunkard... ¡ó Soooooooooo.... I was returning to my quarters with Sherry on my back. By the way, Roy and Johan seemed to be still drinking and had gone to another restaurant. I, on the other hand, am walking slowly with a crushed Sherry on my back. I can hear her faint sleep from her back, as if she is sleeping perfectly soundly. ''Huh... what a day...'' I blurted out. After that, Shelly clung to my arms for the rest of the day and went on a tyrannical rampage. It was a truly heartbreaking experience for me. I''m not even afraid to say it. Hopefully, Shelly has lost this memory completely. And so I walked on, feeling a definite weight on my back. 58 - Episode 58 her hypothesis Ellie was immersed in her research. She has been doing research in this city for many years. Of course, she became a Special Class Counter-Magician because of her abilities, but in her case, she got her position because she wanted to continue her research in a better environment. For this reason, Ellie doesn''t do much combat in the twilight compared to other special-grade counter-magicians. As a special exception, she is allowed to devote herself to her research in this basement because her research is recognized as meaningful. ''''As I thought.......this is.......'''' Hypothesis. She had a certain hypothesis. It was that Twilight Syndrome doesn''t turn people into demons. This was a question that had existed since the official recognition of the existence of the Twilight Syndrome disease. Does this turn people into the demon race? The higher the level of Twilight Syndrome, the less the differences between them and the demonic race became. In particular, the form of the magic element and the inherent domain ¡¶Personal Field¡· were as close as possible to the demon race. It was the same when examining other special class anti-magicians. With that, Ellie thought, the hypothesis might be proven........ Normally, the symptoms of Twilight Syndrome ¡¶Twilight Syndrome¡· would subside once it reached level 5. The progression of the disease would suddenly stop. That had been a definite phenomenon until now. However, an exception had emerged here. Yulia, Eira and Shelly''s progress was advancing. Their bodies are still human, but their magical elements and their personal fields ¡¶Personal Field¡· are even closer to those of the demon race. In particular, the amount of magic element they possessed was showing an extraordinary figure. All the data from the regular medical examinations of the anti-mages in other cities are sent to this underground facility. Ellie looked at it and began to think that there might be something about these three........ That became even clearer by directly examining Yulia''s body. ''But I still think..........no, this can''t be it. A different phenomenon than the hypothesis. Then is Ellie''s hypothesis wrong?¡¡No, she thought, that was unlikely. We already have more than enough data to prove this hypothesis. Then, assuming the hypothesis was correct we should assume that the truth lies in another direction. Especially since Ellie knew because she had seen Yulia in person. She trawled through a vast amount of past data to find evidence of this, but she found nothing. Still, she had heard rumors in the past. No way, no way, no way, was that rumor true?¡¡As she thought about it, a chill ran down her spine. Connected. All the things that had been dots intersected and drew an organic line. A phenomenon that had no connection to anything before. But now they are connected with a definite meaning and Ellie has arrived at the truth. No, I''ve arrived at it. The truth is now known. Still, Ellie wasn''t just abducted. In order to find out the truth, I have to go to the first ward city. Everything must be there. As she hurriedly got ready, she heard a knock on the door. ''Ellie-san, it''s Yulia.'' ''What?¡¡What''s going on? It was Yulia who came over. She should have left a few days ago, but what do you want?¡¡With that thought, Ellie opened the door. ''....What? The moment I opened the door, what jumped in was a silver flash of light. There was no time to perceive it. That''s right........a knife was thrust into her left chest. Wow, your timing was perfect. Watch out, watch out. Yulia comes into the room while still sneering. That appearance was definitely Yulia. Even in the midst of her fuzzy consciousness, Ellie invoked her singular ability ¡¶Extra¡·, the elemental sense ¡¶Decoding Sense¡·, to expose its existence. But.........it was still Julia herself. The magic elemental form, the unique domain ¡¶Personal Field¡·, it was the same person in all respects. But Ellie knew. This was not Julia, she knew. That wasn''t an objective fact. It was her subjective intuition. Ellie is a researcher, but she values her intuition. Her intuition tells her that this is not Yulia..... Who is that...? Who? It''s Yulia. Didn''t we just meet the other day? "That''s a lie..............It''s definitely Yulia-kun himself on the outside. But.........the inside is different.........Ugh, gosh......no, this is...... ''''Heh........you understand. After all, that singular ability ¡¶Extras¡· is dangerous. It really seems to have come at just the right time. .... I can''t hear my voice well anymore. Ellie collapses to the spot. It doesn''t mean she was caught off guard. Just because it''s Julia doesn''t mean she trusts anyone who walks into this lab unconditionally. She is watching her opponent''s every move, considering the possibility that this will happen. And I have a few traps and other things in place. If I was in danger, I would also fill this room with poison gas if I was in danger. But nothing happened. On top of that, the skill to stab the knife into her chest as it sneaked into her consciousness. It''s not that Ellie is weak by any means. It''s because she doesn''t have the status of an italicized anti-magician. Even so, there are people with skills that surpass that........and after all, the traitor....... That''s what he thought, but it was too late for Ellie. It''s clear by the incessant bleeding from her chest. The blood that poured out of his chest was pouring out of his chest, and as if he had planted some kind of paralyzing poison, his body became numb and unable to move. It''s a good idea to try to activate the magic with all the energy she can muster. ''Oops, I won''t let you send me a message. A moment later, her wrist flies through the air. It was cut off and fell into the room in a blur. I''ve been trying to use communication magic, but the other party is still better at it than I am. It''s a good idea to have a good time. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make it work. "U.........ghoho........ More blood comes pouring out. The blood she spits out turns her face crimson. Ah.........this is where I''m going to end up......Ellie thought about that for the last time. I''ve been fighting for humanity until now. And I''ve continued my research to do something about this world ruled by the twilight. And yet, the end comes so easily. It''s not that she wasn''t prepared to die. But she had thought that if she was going to die, it would be in the twilight. She had never dreamed that it would end with her being stabbed in the chest in her laboratory. Reality is ruthless and cruel, after all. In the end, Ellie let go of her consciousness as she thought about that. ''''Ellie, thank you for your hard work. You can go back to sleep now.'''' That was certainly Julia''s tone until the end. It was Yulia herself, in appearance, personality, and tone of voice. But it was different. This is not him........this is....... Ellie got to the truth at the end, and also the identity of the traitor. But it all becomes meaningless. Her death..........puts everything back to square one. (I''m not quite there yet...) It was going to happen........ But the situation is already intricately intertwined. Ellie''s research, and what the traitor has done, are all connected. This is the beginning. The time has come for humanity to truly face the twilight. Moreover, Ellie''s death was never in vain. What she has done is indeed bringing hope to humanity. No one knows that fact yet. Not even she herself, and not even the traitor knows it. Goodbye, Ellie. The words were Julia''s. But it sounded a lot like the voice she had heard so many times before. Yes, Ellie had discovered its true identity at the very end. As her life was threatened, her singular ability (extra) improved. It allowed her to see through its contents. Already dead. No, she''s already on the verge of death. But Ellie summons her last bit of energy and activates her magic. It is so small that it is imperceptible to her opponent. But it''s also the secret technique she had put to sleep as a last resort. Its name was the Forbidden Sacrament, Sacrament. The forbidden sacrament in magic. No, it is said to have been lost long ago, and no one uses it in the present day, and few know about it. But Ellie had used that magic as a trigger for her own death. This was the opponent''s miscalculation. It would later be a big stab at the opponent. (Yulia-kun........I asked you to take care of the rest.......yo.... Ellie''s breathing and pulse stopped. And her pupils are dilated. "......... The person who looks like Julia confirms Ellie''s death and then leaves the room. The fresh blood flowing out of the room does not stop. Ellie ended her short life here while lying on her back. Special class anti-magician, 12 people left--. 59 - Episode 59: First Barrier City Since then, we''ve been to the Second Boundary City, and our business trip is finally coming to an end. The last one we visited was the First Kizuna City. It hasn''t been that long since the attack, but the repairs inside the city are well underway, and it seems to be recovering to some extent. The Boundary City is divided into the central, northern, southern, eastern and western wards, but the northern and central wards are the ones that were badly damaged. Other than those two areas, there was little damage, so they seemed to be able to manage their lives. Military bases and facilities were not so badly damaged. The worst areas were the civilian areas in the central district and the vicinity of Wangcheng, but even that seemed to be slowly recovering. ''''........'''' Shelly, be strong. Because.... That night. The night Shelly got drunk, to be exact, but the next morning she remembered the whole thing well. She even remembered exactly what she had done to me. I said I didn''t care, but somehow Shelly still couldn''t seem to break it off and was still tugging at it. ''Well, you''ll have to moderate your drinking once you''ve learned from that. ''Ummm ... well ... I guess we''ll just have to........ And so we left our bags in our quarters as usual, and then went to the twilight. A flash. I cleaved the Invisible Sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡· to the side and cut off the last demon''s head as it was. Right now, I had joined the First Boundary City''s squad and was hunting at level 2. Shelly and I, plus three other members of the squad, came together. This time, I was the only special class anti-magician, but things still went smoothly. ''''Oh no, it''s a big help. It''s a lot different when you have a special class antimagician. No. Thanks for everything, too. But then again, you''re also incredibly strong. You''re both young, but you''re amazing. I''m sorry, sir. We then chatted for a bit and went straight back to the military base. ''''...?'''' What''s going on, Julia? No, it''s not... Again. I have the feeling that someone is watching me. I took a precaution and activated the Twilight Sight, the Twilight Eye, a singular ability ¡¶extra¡·. I perceive the magic element that exists in this world with my own eyes, but there was no sign of anyone there. ''''Nothing, huh?'''' Julia, they''re already on the move. Okay, I''ll be right there. I had a feeling that something was up, but I just went back to the warded city. ¡ó ...Gone? He''s gone. ''Claire, don''t be overconfident in your abilities. It''s possible that your opponent also holds abilities we don''t know about. As usual, Clyde is very careful. ''You are too careless. However, I was too careless to run into you here. So, are we going into the city? No, we''ll be here for a while. Uh, I''m busy. It''s no use. There is no profit in entering the city without permission. And I''m not going into the city. Oh, I see. I''m the only one who can. That''s a bad idea. Are you smart enough to know that? ''''Honestly, I can do a lot of things on my own but it''s tough to deal with multiple special class anti-magicians. Besides, it seems like that guy is around right now. ''Looks like you''re finally able to think straight, too. You still have that old boorishness, though. Well after that war, you learn to pull back, even if you don''t like it. And I also learned that there are always superiors. That''s right. Even demons die when they die. That''s why we do what''s best for the best. Dusk, Level 2 of the danger zone, where there are two demons. One was a girl called Claire. The other was a man called Clyde. Both of them were dressed in long black coats and were staring in the direction that Julia and the others had left. After overrunning the ogre village that existed on level 10 of the Twilight Danger Zone, the two had gone to the First Warding City. It was to do a certain thing, but the two of them had been forced to stay here. However, perhaps by coincidence, they had just discovered Yulia and the others hunting. The moment Claire perceived Yulia, the two of them hid their presence. It was really just in time. Although there were only a few traces of their magic element, it barely caught Julia''s perception. However, Claire''s side was willing to go into battle separately. ''''Do you think we would have won if we had gotten into a battle?'''' ''''I''d like to assure you that we can win, but he, and the other woman who was there, were quite formidable. I think they might have struggled. Speaking of which, is she a special-grade anti-magician too? I don''t see that on this one. It wouldn''t be a special grade anti-magician. So that makes you a first-rate demon? Probably. Wow.... humans are pretty high level too. Hey, hide the bloodlust. You don''t know if he''s coming back. Ha-ha, sorry, sorry. Claire was focused on Yulia, but she was just as focused on Shelly, if not more so. That woman was strong. She couldn''t hold back the killing spirit that was flooding out of herself as she discerned that. ''''Huh ... can''t we fight soon?'''' ''Well I don''t know. If things go the way we want them to, we won''t have to fight. ''But you missed it last time, didn''t you?¡¡Besides, it looks like we''re running out of time. I wonder if it will work... Well, that''s up to them. And the two demons would remain in place. It wasn''t long before both Julia and Shelly would meet the demonesses. 60 - Episode 60 Audience The next day. I had come to the royal castle. I heard that Shelly has a mission, but I was ordered to come to the castle. I''ve been there since early in the morning, and I''ve come to the castle to do it. I thought that if I came here, I might be able to meet other special class antimagicians...but it looks like that''s not the case this time. ''''I''m Julia Curtis, 13th in the special class anti-magician order. Thank you for inviting me here today. "The Queen is waiting for you, Your Majesty. Please follow me.... When I enter, I am guided by an attendant who tells me so. I heard that I was given an opportunity to see her, but what in the world does she want from me? While I was thinking about this, I had an audience with the queen, who is also the key figure in protecting this city. Currently, it is the queen who maintains the boundaries of the seven warded cities. It is said that women have always been better suited to guard these warded cities, so women often become kings and assume the role of guarding these warded cities. This is why queens have become a common presence in this city. However, she rarely appears in front of the people, and is more like a symbol, really just a symbol. Nevertheless, there are many people who believe in royalty as divine messengers. The reason for this is that it is the people of royalty who maintain this ward, which is none other than the royal family. ''''Then please........'''' The maid of honor opens a large door, and at the end of the red carpeting is a person who looks like a queen there. She was sitting in a chair, but her eyes were fixed firmly on me. And, although I didn''t notice it at first, there were wards in place here. I perceive it, but since I''m told to go in, I decide to continue on. Then, the ward did not refuse me to enter, I was able to go inside. It''s a solemn atmosphere. Stained glass windows are scattered everywhere, and the faint twilight light shines in, creating an even more mysterious atmosphere. ''''Julia Curtis-san. It''s nice to meet you........ And I arrived in front of Her Majesty. My first thought was the resemblance........ I''m not sure if the blood is thicker, or if the resemblance to the third princess of Liane is very strong, but her beauty has never diminished. The fact that you have given birth to Princess Liane means that you must be relatively old. And yet, that beauty is in her early 20s. No, you might even look like a teenager. She has long platinum hair, a smooth nose and thin lips. Her eyes also look very large with long eyelashes. And after all, they are evenly distributed and seem to transcend human existence. Certainly, the claim that it''s a divine messenger is understandable to some extent. ''''I''m pleased to meet you for the first time, Your Majesty. My name is Julia Curtis, 13th in the order of special class anti-magicians. I knelt there and bowed my head. I don''t know much about the etiquette of such a situation, but I understand that this is someone I should bow to. Then we exchange greetings and the queen opens her mouth. ''''The previous attack. Thanks to you, we were able to prevent it. On behalf of the royal family, I thank you...'''' No, sir, not at all. Just doing what I do, that''s all. I replied, still in a low posture, but I felt the air relax a little bit. ''''Hmph........'''' What do you want? ''You''re exactly what Liane told me you were. I hope what you''re hearing is good. Liane is very fond of you, and I trust you. Also, I wanted to make sure that you were here for me. Confirmation? "Yes. We owe a lot to the Special Class Demonologist. We wanted to see what you look like, and also your personality. Was it bad? No, sir. No, sir, not at all. His Majesty, who tilted his head slightly and said so, thought it was a bit cute, though when he said this, he thought it was a bit cute. However, now is not the time to think about such inappropriate things. ''''One question, if you don''t mind.'''' Yes, that''s fine. ...about the wards in the event of an attack. ''''........That matter is still a mystery. There are only a few people in the royal family who know about the structure of this ward. Right now, I''m mainly maintaining the warding of the Warding City. As usual that day, I was trying to maintain the warding with my magic power. However, the sanctuary to maintain the warding.......there was no one there. Besides, I would know if someone broke in, and I''m the only one who knows how to enter the sanctuary. And yet........ "Deactivated"? ''Yes, sir. I was discussing with the military at that time in the conference room about our future plans. However, we were trapped inside the wards, and the warding of the warding city was lifted... which led to the tragedy of that time... Well.... At that time, I heard that the special class antagonists were held captive, but I heard that other humans were also held captive. That included Her Majesty the Queen. The only person who could disarm them was the Queen. But Her Majesty has a legitimate alibi. That''s why it''s still a third party to consider..... I was reminded again that this case is not a simple matter. I''m not going to be able to get a good idea of what to do with it. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make it work. I''m going to have to say goodbye to this. I hope you and Liane continue to be friends. Yes. With those last words, I left. But at this point, the situation had already begun to move in a big way. I didn''t know that, but I just slowly walked on. 61 - Episode 61 Lamentation Sherry was currently stationed in front of the base, along with the other first class anti-magicians. The orders were abstract, don''t let anyone out........ An order she couldn''t understand, yet she couldn''t disobey the instructions from above. And she felt uncomfortable about it. It was the concentration of too strong magic element in this first ward city. Until now, she hadn''t been able to sense something like this. And yet, the current Shelly had that feeling, albeit vaguely. ''''Hey, what are today''s orders...'''' I wonder... I wonder... The anti-magicians around him were talking about such things too. It wasn''t just Shelly. Other humans were also feeling uncomfortable. Besides, there was another concern. That was the fact that the anti-magicians gathered in this place were only second level anti-magicians and first level anti-magicians. And all of them were from the Dusk Task Force. But Sherry just had to wait here. (Julia, I wonder what she''s doing now.) Shelly hasn''t seen him since he broke up with Julia the other day. He''s not particularly anxious about it. Reasonably, they''re just separated by another mission. Even though he thinks so, he feels an uncomfortable intermingling of the current situation and Julia''s current situation. Such thoughts, which could be called Shelly''s premonition, sadly became reality later on. ¡ó I was ordered to come to the base conference room today. But the mystery is that we weren''t given an overview. There was no advance information at all about going to twilight, meeting with someone, etc. To be honest, I''ve never had anything like this happen before. And yet, I received a mysterious summons. But I can''t just go there just because it''s so creepy here. And I opened the door to the conference room. "...Huh? The people I''ve been with, all of them together...?¡¡No, Ellie''s not there. Anyway, it''s unusual that almost all of the special class anti-magician people are here as well. ''''Well, Julia-kun, I''d like you to take a seat. We''ll start the meeting right away. At that prompting, I take a seat. And then I talk to the senior who is next to me for a moment. ''Senpai, what are you doing here? I haven''t gotten the gist of it yet but, well, it sounds like a bad idea. And I hear you''ve found out a lot of things. Otherwise, there would be no way this call would have happened. I see..... We''ve learned a lot. Could it be that they had found out about the traitor? Besides, I wondered, would it be good for the special class anti-magicians to gather again in one room like this? Like before, they might all be trapped in the wards. Aren''t they being a little too careless? But that turned out to be unfounded. ''''Well, special class anti-magicians. Thank you for responding to my urgent summons. Also, about that ward, I have already finished analyzing it. That''s a magic that was used hundreds of years ago, but it takes quite a bit of time to activate. That''s right ... years of time. The amount of magic element is the same, but it''s still quite difficult to construct a magic form. We already have the means to counter that, too. So, we''ve asked you to gather again this time, but that''s not the main issue. Suddenly, Silas-san''s gaze sharpened. And in the next moment, the words that came out were largely unbelievable. The cause of death was hemorrhagic shock death. There were no signs of resistance and a single stab to the heart with a knife. She died a few minutes later. He has now been sent for an autopsy to further determine the cause of death. "...Wha...? I''m not the only one. The other special class anti-magicians also shouted in surprise. ''''Hey, hey, hey, Silas.......are you kidding me?¡¡Ellie was definitely a research mainstay, but that guy was a pretty do-able guy. His combat skills aren''t low either. And that was a stab to the heart without resistance?¡¡How could that be so ridiculous? Roy that''s a fact. And that murder, we''ve identified the killer. The voice didn''t rise next. They''ve already identified the culprit, which means they''ve got a clue that leads to the traitor but I couldn''t be honestly happy about it. Ellie''s dead?¡¡I had only spoken to her a few days ago. I had only met Ellie for a short time, but I still respected her. I just admired her attitude towards studying twilight. That''s why I told her everything I know. Surely, Ellie-san might be able to solve the mystery of this twilight...I thought so...and then...she was killed?¡¡Oh no, that''s ridiculous........ I clenched my fists as tightly as I could. Already I was almost able to do something with my anger. Causing that attack and killing more special class anti-magicians?¡¡It wasn''t that I was particularly careless. But that was only in regards to myself and self-defense. Since the Intelligence Bureau and other special-grade anti-magician people are working on it, there is no way for me to get out of it... I thought so, but there was no way I would ever be able to tolerate this kind of thing. However, the situation has turned out to be the worst, despite such thoughts. I''m not going to be able to say that I''m not the only one. The time of the murder coincides with the time of Ellie''s arrival and departure from the laboratory. And the other researchers have caught sight of you do you have a story to tell? ...What? 62 - Episode 62 Conflict Did I kill Miss Ellie?¡¡It couldn''t be that ridiculous. I was moving through the twilight at the estimated time of the murder. I know that more than anyone, myself and Shelly know that. There''s no way I''m in the lab. We had left the Third Field City a long time ago. I was moving through the twilight at the estimated time of the murder!¡¡I have an alibi! You think Sherry Amis can prove that to me? ...Yes. What if she was part of it? .... ''The time between killing Ellie and moving on to the next warded city. You guys could do it if you''re serious about it, right?¡¡That satisfies that requirement. And most importantly, there was a faint trace of your magic element at the scene. That''s solid information. .... Silas-san tells me that. Certainly, if I get serious about moving from the estimated time of death to the next ward city, I won''t have to wait too long to get there. There is no one else who can prove my innocence except Sherry. But if they say that Shelley is also an accomplice, there is no way for me to prove my innocence. The situation is so bad you can''t even tell me that my magic is still in the field.¡¡That''s ridiculous I''ve never activated magic in that room and there''s no way I''m staying. Besides, the magic element fades over time. The magic element enough to identify an individual doesn''t remain for a long time after the magic is activated. I''m not going to be able to get a good idea of what I''m talking about. I''m not going to be able to get it right. I''m not sure if this is a crime that is being committed while we are on the move.¡¡To set me up?¡¡But the sightings and the matter of the magic element are tricky. I definitely wasn''t in that place at that time of day...what the hell is going on........ ''Hey, Silas. Isn''t that funny? A traitor who has never given us a tail is going to make a simple mistake like this?¡¡It''s too poorly done to make witnesses to the killing. And even if he really did kill Ellie, I don''t think he would have bothered to come to this summons. It was Claudia who said that. She''s defending me. But that defense is emphatically drowned out. ''Perhaps there were unstoppable circumstances. Ellie''s area of expertise is the study of twilight. Maybe he knew she was on to something true and had to take hasty action. Besides, he''d been in Dusk for two years. No wonder he was a pawn of the demon tribe. At any rate, whether he''s the culprit or not, we need to listen to him. Yulia-kun, I would like you to be honest with me, but it would be troublesome if you resist. I''m going to have to restrain you. That''s why I''ve summoned the other special-grade antagonists as well. We don''t know what kind of power you have in you. When Silas-san says that, he deploys his weapon, the wire, and tries to restrain me. Shit.........what do I do......what the hell do I do!¡¡Do you really want to be locked up in a box like this?¡¡I don''t know what to do... A moment later, what appeared in front of me was .........Bell. ''''........I won''t let you do it. I won''t let you take Julia-kun......... Miss Bell, why? ''Yulia-kun ... run away. The situation is already so bad we''re completely trapped. And if you are trapped here, I''m sure that if you are trapped here the situation will end there. You are our last hope but if we can just find Lady Liane we can make it work. ... ''''Do I just have to find Princess Liane?¡¡But.... ''Yeah I''ll hold them off here ... run ...'' She pulls her sword from her waist and it''s not just Silas-san. She points that blade at the other special class anti-magicians as well. ''''Hey, Belle. Are you a traitor too? It can''t be......... Roy is still....stupid.... What the hell are you... Everyone goes into combat position. It''s a battle between two special class mages. The battle would be fierce but I had a mission. That is, to see Princess Liane. Maybe seeing her will change things. The only thing I believe now is what Belle said. I don''t know why, but I''m slowly coming to grips with the situation. I was being set up by a traitor. If I had killed Miss Ellie, he was going to capture me and do something about it. But I still believed his words that if I found Princess Liane, I would be able to handle it, and I ran out of here. ¡ó Hey, Juliette! Huh I didn''t expect Bell to be on that side of the line... how do you explain it? "...no. No........I can''t say. And the situation is already complicated... but I''m sure... Yulia-kun is not a traitor... and the real culprit is in here. ..... The other special class anti-magicians don''t listen to such words and try to follow Yulia, who has already jumped out of the room. But in the next moment, everyone''s presence is flung out of the conference room. ''''Spatial transition........'''' Bell blurts out a blur. Yes they had all moved outside the conference room, and that too to the military exercise area. ''''I want to go after Yuria-kun. But Belle is in the way. Then we''ll have to fight each other, but not in that place, right?¡¡So I had to move it. It was Claudia who told me that. She''s good at spatial transfer magic, a rare thing among anti-magicians. That''s why all of them were able to quickly grasp the situation but.......they were outnumbered by quicksilver. There was no way Belle alone could manage the rest of the special class anti-magicians. I thought so, but..............................There were four figures advancing beside Belle. ''''I trust Yulia,'''' Me too.... As I said before, that''s weird. I''m on your side. I''m on this side too. That logic is unreasonable, isn''t it? I can only think that he did it to set up Julia-kun. Well, either way, it seems that the traitor can''t hide anymore. Yes. It was Eira, Eve, Claudia, and Johan. The four of them also didn''t believe that Yulia was the culprit. Eira was a part of the emotional side of things, because of the relationship she had been having with him, but the other three were not. It was because they objectively thought it was wrong to declare Yulia a traitor to a situation that was so different. And they determined that this case was a trap for the enemy. Of course, that wasn''t the only thing to judge, but they had been completely convinced for some time that Yulia wasn''t the culprit. ''I don''t want to doubt him either. But the evidence is there. We should talk about it. ''.........Silas, it''s a trap. I don''t know what the military brass ... what they told you ... but this ... this is just too foreign to me... ...Perhaps... waiting for you after... restraining you... is not a good thing. ..... Bell. There is no evidence for your statement. There are no objective facts. And neither are the special-grade anti-magicians who are on Bell''s side. I certainly don''t think this is right, either. It''s too poorly done for a traitor. But since we have evidence that he killed them, we should listen to them first, but.......it''s a shame. It''s very disappointing. I never thought the day would come when we''d have to fight each other as special class versus demons... Things are already unstoppable. All of them are on a killing spree. They have already reached a point where each of them can put their hands on their weapons and start fighting immediately as well. Silas, Gil, Roy, Derrick, Sheila, and Leo believe that Julia should be restrained. Meanwhile, Belle, Claudia, Eve, Johan and Eira think this is a trap for the enemy. This conflict can no longer be discussed. At the very least, Bel and the others believe that they should buy time for Yulia to escape, but on the other hand, Silas and the others cannot let Yulia escape. Then they no longer need words. All that is needed is obedience through violence. This is how the battle between the special class versus the mages will be fought--. 63 - Episode 63: Strongest to stand up Run. Ride. Run. I was running around the base, and trying to get out anyway. I don''t know what Mr. Bell meant by that. And I don''t know where Princess Liane is. There are so many things I don''t know. Miss Ellie is dead, and I''m the one who''s going to be condemned as the guilty party or rather, the traitor. If this is the scenario described by a true traitor, then perhaps if I''m trapped I''m unlikely to see what''s waiting for me from there on out, which is approximately a good thing. If I''m trapped, there''s little action I can take. No, perhaps I was stuck in a jam when I went to that place. But even so, Mr. Bell let me go. He believed in me. Then I need to repay that. And besides I need to settle this here for Ellie-san, who is dead. Perhaps, but I believe that Ellie-san was killed because she was closer to the truth. From the research she is doing, she may have found something about the traitor. Even when she was talking to me, she said there were a lot of things that didn''t feel right and that there was a good chance she would find them because of the traces. ''''........d*mn! I can''t help but say so. The reason why Ellie-san came so close to the truth might be because of me. The content of the conversation with me is the cause........when I think about it, I feel even more despondent. But now is not the time to indulge in such sentiments. It''s not too late to wait until after everything is over. Right now, anyway, we should look for Princess Liane. ''''Shouldn''t we get out of the front...? Assuming that I''m being set up, they must be thinking about the possibility of me escaping. ''There he is!¡¡It''s Julia Curtis! Restrain him! When I turned around, multiple antimagicians were already closing in on me. The fact that I''ve already escaped, and that I''m a suspect, has spread...this may be more difficult than I expected. I decide that I have no choice but to force my way through and walk out. ''''They''re coming out! Get him!¡¡That''s a lot of people!¡¡No matter how much of an expert opponent you are, you can''t match the sheer volume! d*mn there''s a lot of people. What''s thirty people?¡¡I''m not sure how many opponents are here... when I came here, there were almost no opponents... the situation seems more serious than I thought. ''''Hey, what''s going on?¡¡Ugh........ What... haha! And in the blink of an eye, the demons there were falling down. I looked at them to see what was going on, and at the center of it all was a familiar face. ''''Shelly........'''' Julia. Thank God you''re okay. ''Yeah but Shelly could be charged with treason too. ''It''s too late. And there''s no way Yulia is a traitor. I have faith in her. Speaking of which, how did you know about it? I just received a transmission from the doctor, and he just gave me the gist of it. He wants me to work with Julia to find Princess Liane. Did you give us the location of the princess? ...in the basement. They say it''s underneath the castle. Underground? ''''I don''t know what to make of it since I was on the edge of communicating with the doctor, but I heard that the royal castle has a basement. I see... Underground. It''s no surprise that it''s there, but the question is where do I go underground? For now, I deployed the Twilight Sight. I perceive the magic element around me, hoping to find some clues. ''''Hm?'''' What''s going on?¡¡Julia. ''Traces........it seems to be going on........'' I followed the traces all the way to the inside of the castle, the traces of the magic element continued into the castle. The traces are so thick that you would think they were left behind on purpose. Could this be a message for you to follow me?¡¡It is true that this is something that can only be understood with the singular ability ¡¶extra¡· that can perceive the magic element. It might be possible that this might be the case. You''re going to be able to find the entrance to the basement. I think I can find the entrance to the basement. Okay. And so we entered the castle. There were a few guards, but we had no choice but to get them to pass out. We need to act quickly because we''re running out of time. Following the magic element, we came to the storeroom. But this is where we lost all traces of it. ''''Julia, what''s in the storeroom? No I don''t know. But the magic element is cut off here. Maybe we can get underground from here. We both searched the stacks. We found what looked like scuff marks. "Sherry, here. Looks like he scraped something off. Can you shift it? Shall I try? We both shifted the bookcase. But what was there was just hard-poured concrete. Although it was completely unchanged, my eyes perceived a definite trace of it. ''''It''s ... a magic circle. Can you see? It''s cleverly concealed, but I can see it. Useful, those eyes. Well well.......... I drowned out the magic circle there. Then what looked like a square cut was drawn on the ground and with a gurgling sound, the stairs to the basement opened up. ''''It''s open.'''' Could it be a trap? It is. But it''s the only clue we have right now. Let''s move on. Well.... Sherry and I go straight down the stairs to the basement. Maybe it''s because it''s underground, but it''s a little cold. And there was no light at all. But my twilight sight was able to grasp the structure of the surroundings. Magnesium is not only found in living creatures, but also inorganic substances to a greater or lesser extent. Because of this, my vision firmly reflected the surroundings. Shelly, on the other hand, had no such abilities, so I pulled back and led the way. Then we went down quite a ways and came out into an open area. The lights were on there, and the path led further in. At the same time, I was perceiving an even denser magical element. ''''U........'''' Are you okay, Julia? No, it''s a bit too much information. Don''t worry, you''ll get used to it. Yeah. But still, this whole thing... it was so sudden. ''My guess is that it''s because Ellie arrived at the truth... or maybe the other person didn''t have time left in the first place. What do you mean? They were preparing for a major attack. I''m sure it was entirely intended to bring down the warded city, but it was prevented. The only option left is to run away, but we need to get rid of the remaining evidence, or maybe there''s something else going on, but one thing is for sure, we''ve got it cornered. Even if they want to frame me as a traitor, the arrangements are too poorly arranged. They probably didn''t have as much time as they did during the raid. And now that Ms. Ellie had gotten to the truth, it needed to go away. So she figured it was just in time for me to make contact with her, and then she falsely accused me of something... I guess. Well, that''s just speculation. I''m pretty sure I''m on top of it, too. As we were talking about it, we came to an even bigger place. It''s a circular area, but we found someone standing there. ''Mr. Silas....'' ''You''ve come this far, Julia, haven''t you? Now, traitor, what are you going to do from here on out? I''m not a traitor. We''ll hear about it later. I guess this is the only way to tell the story now. .... However, the one who came out in front of me was Shelly. ''Yulia, go. I''ll hold them off here. ''Shelly but...'' ''Time is running out. We could deal with both of you, but time is running out. Reach the princess. Okay..... Shelly''s words, already drawn out, were serious. She was going to challenge Silas-san, the strongest of the human race, all by herself. ''''You think I''m going to let her get away?'''' But Silas-san''s wires were already ejected towards me and Shelly. Fast!¡¡Even though I was deploying Twilight Sight, even if I was deploying Twilight Sight, to catch its trajectory... or so I thought, but Shelly''s sword was cutting both sides of the wire. ''Yulia, go!¡¡Quickly! Shelly, please! I put my body strengthening on full blast and walk past Silas-san. I don''t even think about defending myself this time. It''s a matter of trusting Shelly''s skills. Then I pass by Silas-san in an instant and continue on to the back--. ¡ó You missed it........you''re good, Shelly Amis. .... A momentary attack and defense. Silas''s wires were definitely trying to entangle Julia''s body. However, however, Shelly''s sword strike was right in front of Silas. Therefore, Silas was forced to go on the defensive. Silas had inwardly licked Shelly. It wasn''t conceit or pride, it was pure fact. He was the first rank in the special class anti-magician order, and Shelly, a first class anti-magician. Their strength is as clear as fire. Nevertheless, Shelly still stood up to them. Her courage alone is worthy of admiration, but what should be noted is her skill. That behavior that reminds me of Belle. No, this could be......... ''''After all, that factor was great........'''' .... He said something vaguely to himself, but Shelly''s consciousness had already detached itself from the unnecessary sounds. All I need now is the awareness to stand up to the strongest man in humanity. Consciously, let out a breath. Are you afraid?¡¡If you ask me, I can only be afraid. Shelly has fought the demon race to a certain extent. Even in twilight, she has already gone to level 3 many times. And yet, she intuitively sensed that the man in front of her was more.......threatening than any demon she had ever encountered before. ''Well, Shelly Amis. Am I right in thinking you''re a traitor too? .... "I take your silence as an affirmation? Shh! Close the distance in an instant. Bell''s teaching was to take control of the other person''s consciousness. Always look at your opponent, read their thoughts, and dive into their consciousness. Then, with overwhelming speed, twist it down. That was her swordsmanship. ''''I see ... it''s like Belle herself. Let''s raise the alert level on this one. If truth be told, I''d like to scout you as a special class anti-magician here, but I''ll have you prepared for some pain. G................... Yes, Shelly''s sword had not reached Silas. It had been caught by the wire. I don''t understand. ''''Well, let''s get this over with. And she takes on the strongest. 64 - Episode 64 Sherrys perspective Impatience. Confusion. Conflict. Shelly had been dominated by them all along. Thinking back, how could she have tried to become a strong counter-magician? Going back to its origins, it still comes down to the fact that her own father had fought and died in the twilight. My father and I were very close. So was my mother, but most of all, my father was very affectionate with Shelly. ''Shelly, be a good girl, okay? ''Yeah!¡¡I''ll be waiting for you. Daddy, come home early too, okay? Of course. An exchange they had exchanged many times. ''...... Rain. And it''s just raining incessantly. Shelley is dressed in mourning clothes and holding up a small umbrella. Her mother is next to her, in tears. So were the other relatives. Everyone is in tears. And yet, Shelly just stared blankly at her father''s gravestone. The rain was hitting him in the face and it looked as if he was also crying. Lamentation. Everyone is wailing. But Sherry was the only one who couldn''t fully accept this reality. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make it work. (Why?)¡¡Why did my dad die? No. Shelly was firmly aware of her father''s death. But it wasn''t just grief that dominated her mind. It was the pure question. How could people fight and die in this twilight world? It was taught as knowledge. That they had been defeated in the human-demons battle hundreds of years ago, and that this world was ruled by the twilight. But that didn''t ring a bell with Shelly inside the warded city. Just enjoy every day as long as it was fun. I want to enjoy these pleasant days forever. That was her only modest wish. She didn''t know the outside world and lived in the warded city, so that place was all she had to live for. ''''Well Shelly, you''re not going to disappear. My mother hugs me as I cry. Gone?¡¡Yes.................I don''t have a father anymore. Shelly finally burst into tears as she realized that again. I''ll never see that kind father again. I''ll never see him again. Besides, the only thing that came back was his left arm. Although, Shelly would never know that fact. Shelly''s father was quite skilled among first-class anti-magicians. As such, he had gone to level 4 on this mission. However, it was there that he met a demon. Fighting with a higher level demon race would be impossible to talk about unless he was at the special level anti-magician level. And he fought through the battle alone to escape his friends... and died. ''Papa.........'' Gently tracing the photo. Nearly ten years have passed since then. Sherry had just gone on selfishly. Her mother had also turned to the side of organizing the anti-magic academy to support her. At first, she was against it. Maybe her daughter would also die........I can''t put her in such a situation. That''s what she thought, but her mother couldn''t deny Shelly''s path to the end. She just saw her daughter behaving stoutly and decided to be the one to support her. And then.........Shelly became a first class anti-magician at only 15 years old, which was unusual for her talent. Fighting for her father........she didn''t have the guts to do so. It wasn''t that I had a strong hatred for this world. I just wanted to go to the world my father had seen....maybe that was my motivation at first. Then Shelly met Yulia. ''Hey, why do you fight, Yulia?'' "I just want to help someone else. I want to reduce the number of people who are sad in this world as much as possible, and that''s a beautiful thing. Haha..... The words Julia spoke were just dazzling. He has a strength that he doesn''t have. I was attracted not only to that strength of his, but also to his heart. But surely it wasn''t just meant to be a love affair. Julia was the version of herself that Shelly had dreamed of. Shelly had moved on in the wake of her great father. She was moving through the darkness with a vague thought that one day she, too... would become an antimage like her father. It was at that time that Julia appeared. Sherry had always wanted to become something. The frustration that she has always held. Who am I, and how can I become someone like my father and Julia? After the attack, I was even more confused. I am still weak. I need to become stronger, even stronger. If I don''t, I can''t become my father. I can''t become Julia. But Julia reminds me. One cannot become someone else..... (Then who the hell am I?)¡¡(I''m not...) But she knows. But she knows who she is and what she needs to do. ¡ó .... .... Facing him is a special class anti-magician, first in the pecking order. He measures his spacing with jittery. Cyrus'' weapon is a wire. Although he had never fought with a wire user before, he still thought that he could win if he came within the range of the sword.............if it was at super close range ¡¶Cross Range¡·. However, Shelly changed her perception. There is no gap. I can''t see anything. I''m just standing there. At first glance, it appears to be full of gaps but instincts are sounding the alarm bells. If you jump in carelessly you will be killed. ''Hmm?¡¡Are you not coming? .... You''re inviting me to join you?¡¡Cyrus spreads his hands out and says so in a leisurely manner. Of course, it''s not Sherry who gets in on it. Once again, I measure the distance. What we should do now is how we should fight Silas......... Everything else is just a trivial matter. ''Shh! A moment later, Shelly was kicking the earth and running out. She hadn''t drawn her sword yet. With the delivered sword still in place, she went towards Silas. And then........a flash. Shelly launched the fastest sword strike she could have. ''''Wha........? But it was caught by an invisible wire. I don''t understand what kind of trickery it was, but Shelly''s sword couldn''t cut through Silas'' wires. But not everything is uncuttable. It was divided into two categories: those that could and those that couldn''t. ''''........Huh, I''ll do it. But..... Shelley perceived. Definitely, he thought, the wire was ejected at him. This was not the time to leave it out. Thinking that, Shelly activated her recently acquired singular ability, Extra. ''''--The Absolute Realm [Fortis Territory]. It''s a unique ability of the sensory system, Extra. It is similar to Julia''s divine realm, Sanctuary, but the perceptible range is narrower than that. Using all five senses to the fullest extent, rather than sight, he brings everything within a one-meter radius under his control. When Sherry perceives a wire being released as it is, she ducks everything. Right now she had a firm awareness of what order of action would allow her to duck the attacks. No ... strictly speaking, that wasn''t a conscious action. Instinct. That was what was driving her. It was already beyond the realm of an ordinary person. That talent has entered the realm of a special grade anti-magician.......but it wasn''t just a talent.......it wasn''t just a talent either. ''''Brilliant........after all, a successful body is so different.......'''' ...? It was a soliloquy. But this time, Shelly''s ears did not miss the words. (...........Successful body?¡¡(What the hell does that mean?) I can''t help but think that way now. There''s no way to check the answer to that question, because there''s no way to check the answer to that question. Once she exhaled and calmed down she turned to face Silas again. ''''Oh no, Sherry Amis. That skill to be admired. I''m simply in awe of it. There are only a few special-grade anti-magicians who can do this much in melee combat.......but not good. Yeah, not very good. A man who talks a lot... Sherry thought, but at the same time she sensed a change in the quality of the air. And she also activates the strongest trump card she can have. ''''--Rokuhana, Rikka.'''' The battle rages on - and on. 65 - Episode 65: Special-grade Anti-Magician VS Special-grade Anti-Magician Okay. Gil, can you handle this? All right. You want to go ahead? Oh. We need to track down Mr. Julia. Fortunately, we''ve already found his trail. I agree. Well, we''ll hold them off. Silas tells Gil that and turns to leave the place. Originally, they are all special class anti-magicians who have been transferred into space, but that''s because they don''t defy Claudia''s magic, and that''s why they''re all here. All of them understood her intention to activate her magic and came here on that basis. This is because if we fight on that spot, the damage would be enormous. For the sake of this ward city, we can''t fight inside the base. However, once they came outside, there would be no more restraint. All of them have already entered a battle position. ''''........I won''t let you go. Next to Silas was Bell, who had already pulled out his sword. It might look like a spatial transfer from the side. But it was a pure physical skill that increased physical movement speed to the limit. Such a bell''s two names were Kenki, the Sword Princess. It is also double-meaning double-meaning and also means sword demon. Her behavior is exactly like a demon who has mastered the sword. It''s almost impossible to believe that she exists in the human realm. Probably, if one were to speak only of pure combat skills without the use of magic, Belle is the strongest of all human beings. If she used magic and strengthened her body, it would not be possible to talk to a mere mortal. But what she was facing right now was the strongest man in humanity.......but her sword was being received by Gil''s Claymore. ''Then I''ll leave it to you,'' With that last statement, Silas disappeared from the scene. Of course, the Special Class Counter-Magicians tried to follow it, but that was not allowed. The special class opponents facing each other. The die has already been cast. Belle, calm down. How do you know it''s not Julia?¡¡It would be strange to not even agree to a hearing in the first place. You refuse to do that and run away. And you, who are complicit in that escape, deserve to be considered a traitor too. ''''This is a trap.........Gil, the situation is already too late......so we have to fight......I need to bring Yulia-kun and Princess Liane together...........'''' Bell. If you know what you''re doing, tell me why. If you don''t, I''ll have to cut you down. I can''t talk about it here........and phew....... Belle sneers wryly. Seeing that, Gil is horrified. He remembered that this is exactly the face of that sword princess. ''.........Gil can I cut? Pressure. It arose from directly above Gil. Even though they were discussing, Bell''s sword shot attacked Gil without mercy. As if to say no questions asked. Seeing that action, a fight was already inevitable. ''''Thank you for stalling for time, Belle. Eira-chan are you going to be able to do this? ''I can''t afford not to do it in this emergency...'' And the world will be ruled by ice. The Frostsphere. What emerges is a world of ice as far as the eye can see. All the ground freezes over and everything is ready to go. So. The current offense and defense, and even the conversation is a decoy. All of this was just stalling for time in order to activate Eira''s frozen realm ¡¶Frost Sphere¡·. Of course, other than Gil, Roy, Derrick, Sheila, and Leo had sensed it, but they had been swallowed up by Bell''s overwhelming killing spirit. That''s why they allowed the Wide Area Interference System ¡¶Sphere¡· to be activated. ''''Eve, you should use the Wide Area Interference System ¡¶Sphere¡· too! Enough with Eira. Of course not. You''re dealing with an extra-grade demon. Take it seriously. I''m not allowed to kill her, am I? ''I wouldn''t be a specialist anti-magician if it was so easy to die. Okay. When Eira urged Eve to do so, she also activated the wide area interference system ¡¶Sphere¡·. But for once, we can''t let her activate it. Sheila was the one who moved to obstruct Eve. The weapon she held was a scythe. When Sheila appeared above Eve''s head, she wielded the scythe as it was... but this ice world was under Eira''s control. Her attack is blocked by the wall of ice generated by Eira. ''''Guh........! When I blurted out that, Eve''s Wide Area Interference System ¡¶Sphere¡· had already been activated. However, even without that interference, Eve was able to activate the Wide Area Interference System ¡¶Sphere¡·. Unlike Eira, her wide area interference system "Sphere" does not require much time to activate. The reason for this was still that Eve was a genius. Eira admits it. No, it''s not just Eira who admits it. It''s not just a matter of time before you''ll be able to get your hands on a new one. "--The Decadent Realm [Gothic Sphere] When Eve puts her hands on the ground, doll after doll is generated from the already frozen ground. But that''s not the real value. Eve activated Eira''s frozen area, the Frost Sphere, by superimposing her own decadent area, the Gothic Sphere. The Decadent Realm ¡¶Gosic Sphere¡·. It is a spell that creates a space that deprives an arbitrary target of magical elements. Furthermore, the puppets that were created one after another, when they bite into the target, squeeze out the magic element. Moreover, there are more than a thousand of them. It could be said that this space, which specializes in thoroughly weakening the opponent, is a natural enemy for the opponents. However, this time, he constructed his magic in such a way that it was superimposed on Eira''s frozen realm, the Frost Sphere. In order to prevent their magic from repelling each other, Eve analyzed Eira''s magic formula before activating it. Eira, as expected, could only be amazed at this skill. ''''You........are seriously crazy.......'''' Thank you for the compliment. Even as the two of them exchanged those words, they were already in a standoff. They were jittery and confrontational, measuring the distance between them. Then the battle between the two special-grade opponents began. 66 - Episode 66: The Track of Bertina Wright Bertina Wright. She is called Belle by those who are close to her. Such is the origin of Belle, there is nothing special about her. The ability of an antimagician is inherited to some extent. For this reason, marriage between excellent opponents is recommended, but Belle''s parents were neither opponents nor anything else. They were just ordinary citizens. The parents also never dreamed that a child would be born to become a counter-magician. ''''Bel.......you can use magic?'''' ''Yeah...'' When he was a child, his father discovered something he could hardly believe. Magic. There are many things that can use it. Or so it seemed. Certainly Belle had talent. Still, it was her own choice in life. Her parents didn''t encourage her to do anything in particular, but when Belle was old enough to enter the Counter-Magic Academy, she spontaneously began to follow the path of becoming a Counter-Magician. ''''........'''' She is a quiet person and is not very good at communicating with people. As a result, she has no friends at the school and is isolated. But her abilities are already well-documented. After only three years at the school, Belle became a soldier. Her parents congratulated Belle''s talent with open arms. Besides, she had already reached the rank of first class anti-magician. Her parents were so proud of her. ''''Belle, that''s amazing.'''' Yeah. Your father''s right. You''ve become a great wizard. "...Yeah. I''m going to work even harder. I want to work harder and harder, not just for my mom and dad, but for humanity... Then Belle became a soldier, and that''s where she saw hell. ''Belle, run.........!¡¡I''m done! They had come with their superiors to the Dusk Danger Zone Level 3. There, they had the misfortune to encounter a demon. The troops were almost completely destroyed. The only survivors are Belle and her superiors. But even so, Belle doesn''t take the option of running away. ''''--The Eighth Secret Sword, the Shiden Issen. It was one of the ten secret swords that Bell had developed. At this time, he hadn''t yet used it in actual battle. Just one day, it should be a trump card when opposing the demon race. Then she drew her sword of flashing light. When the dazzling light was released from its sheath, the next moment the demon''s arms were flying in the air. ''''Gu........that skill.......d*mn it, I''m going to have to pull back here! The demon man finally said that and disappeared. Demons are not that different in appearance from humans. But its scarlet eyes are its most distinctive feature. Besides, individuals with tails and horns have been confirmed to exist as well. This time, the demon that I met was one with a tail, but its strength could not reach the strength of a human being. Even so, Belle was still comparable to its strength. After that, Bell didn''t particularly chase after it. Right now, he had to give first aid to his superiors who were still alive. The first priority is that one. ''Major!¡¡Please get a grip! Bells are all right. I''m still okay........! Already his superior officer''s left arm and right leg had been severed, and blood had not stopped flowing from his stomach. It was obvious to everyone that he was already a dead man. Belle had long understood that. But he would not stop the healing magic. No, he couldn''t stop it. ''''Belle you''re a vessel that can become a special class anti-magician...'''' What, what are you talking about...? ''The blow you just delivered. Major.... He hadn''t already cast a healing spell. Belle finally grasped his hand firmly and locked eyes with her superiors, tears streaming down her face. ''''Belle, I''m begging you ... the world, humanity ... please, please ...'''' Major..... Then the hand drops slackly. His pupils gradually dissipate, and he puts his hand to his neck. His pulse has stopped. Death. The person who had been fighting next to him all this time was dying. Thus, for the first time, Belle experienced the death of her companion. ¡ó Bertina Wright. I''m appointing you as my new special-grade antagonist. I respectfully accept.... Bell reached the rank of Special Class Anti-Magician when he fought off a demon. Since then, she had seen even more of her companions die. Beyond the corpses of her companions that piled up, she swallowed even her sorrow and went further. The other special class anti-magicians also died one by one. It was because of the rise of the demons. For some reason, the demons began to appear near the level 3 of the twilight danger zone, and the special class anti-magicians ended up dealing with them. Belle survived among them. The number of demons she slaughtered was also one of the highest in the human race. And before she knew it, she had become the second in the special class anti-magician pecking order. The strongest swordsman who had survived the deaths of many anti-magicians and reigned over that mountain of corpses. Belle''s mind was already frayed. What was it that was still supporting her? Even she herself doesn''t know that. And the turning point in Belle''s life was her encounter with Princess Liane. ''''You are ... who are you?'''' My name is Bertina Wright. I am going to be your escort for the remainder of the evening, and I will be your escort for the remainder of the evening, please. Please, Belle please call me Belle. Bell? Yes, sir. Will Belle protect me? Yes. Until the end of this life I will protect you.... Well it''s nice to meet you, Belle. "Yes. Lady Riane. The reason why she was ordered to guard the young girl was because Princess Liane was a special person among the royal family. Her peculiar ability ¡¶Extras¡·. It could be a trump card for humanity. In order to protect it, Belle, who was ranked second in the special class anti-magician rankings, was sent out to defend it. He was the strongest of the human race in battle within a three-meter radius. Because of this ability, Belle began her mission of guarding Rihanu. How many months have passed since then? They were always together. Whenever and wherever they were together, they were always there. But a turning point would come. It was the time of the attack. Riane''s talents were coming to fruition. It is a unique ability, Extra, that exposes this world. The time for it to be unleashed is near. That was known by Belle, who was at her side more than anyone else. She followed Liane''s instructions and searched for evidence. To find the traitor. Belle, who was also a good at espionage, looked for every possible trace and then proceeded with Liane. Then the call came. At the same time, Liane''s abilities were released. Normally, an outline would have been told in advance. That being the case, the only order was to come to the first ward city because it was an emergency. In terms of timing, I can''t help but think it''s odd. ''''Rihanne-sama. A summons has been issued........ ''Yes. But I should also go to the First Boundary City again. The traitor I''ve narrowed down the identity of the traitor approximately. But I''m not sure yet. Who is it? Gulping and swallowing raw spit. Then Belle heard the name. ''I understand...'' Do not reveal this information to anyone. I don''t want my ability to be exposed. Then I will head underground as soon as I arrive at the First Boundary City. Once there, I will know everything. Me too.... ''Belle must join the convocation. I''ll be fine on my own. But.... Belle. We need to work apart to hunt down the traitor. I understand. Okay. It was a difficult decision. If it were true, Belle would also want to be by Liane''s side. I think so, but the situation is already in motion. This summons is probably also the result of a traitor''s move. And Belle and Liane will go their separate ways. To ensure that the traitor is exposed. 67 - Episode 67 World Reduction Confrontation. It is Belle and Gil who naturally face each other. The other special class antagonists naturally anticipate these two to fight, and they are now keeping their distance from Belle and Gil. Second place in the rankings and third place in the rankings. Now that Silas was gone, it was practically a summit battle. The two of them had pointed their swords at each other many times like this. But that was in training. It''s a good thing that you''re not going to be able to find a way to get a job. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make it work. I''m not a fan of this. They both know the characteristics of their weapons and their fighting styles. It''s a good idea to be able to have a good time with your friends. ''''Guh........! Gil can''t cut me up. Bell had already overwhelmingly dominated the battle at super close range ¡¶Cross Range¡·. Closing in further from Gil''s spacing, Bell was demonstrating the speed he was capable of exerting without regret. Gil managed to respond to the continuous attacks, but it was slowly becoming impossible to deceive him. (Is it unavoidable........) Gil thought about that and activated his singular ability ¡¶Extras¡·. ''''That eye........'''' Belle muttering in a blur. It wasn''t a common singular ability ¡¶extra¡·, but I knew about it. Because it was........the same as the Singularity Ability ¡¶Extras¡· that Yuria possessed. Twilight Sight ¡¶Twilight Sight¡·. It was the Singular Ability ¡¶Extras¡· that Yulia was expressing, but Gil also had exactly the same ability. However, Gil''s skill level is overwhelmingly higher than his. In the past, he fought Yulia''s Invisible Blade as if he could see it, but it was because of this ability. The Twilight Sight perceives the magic element that exists in this world, but in Gil''s case, he uses it as an infinitely more accurate prediction. In other words, he knows the flow of magical elements flowing from his opponent and predicts his next attack. Actions are always accompanied by magical elements. This is especially noticeable during a battle. He could read that flow and anticipate the opponent''s attack. That was Gil''s strength. ''''Kuh........! It was Belle who raised her voice that way. I am definitely pressuring myself. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make it work. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a great deal more to say about it. Until now, Gil had been on the defensive. Now it''s different. You''ll be able to find out that those scarlet eyes are definitely catching your movements. To be clear, he doesn''t have that much experience in fighting against people. Therefore, Belle changes her thoughts. I should assume that I''m fighting a demon. Demons also have abilities that are similar to humans. And they fight each other while trying to find out what abilities they have. However, Belle was not an anti-magician who would do such probing. ''''What''s the matter Belle, I don''t think I can cut you?'''' .... I certainly thought so, but I still realize that it was a delicacy. The other party is also a special class anti-magician who has been protecting humanity on the front lines for many years. With a further change in perception, Bell sheathes his sword. Then he lowers his stance and puts his hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist. This stance is a secret sword that is synonymous with Bell. Gil knows it, too. It''s because he has witnessed Bell unleashing it many times when they are fighting each other. ''''A.......secret sword. Alright. Gil also raised the output of the Twilight Eye ¡¶Twilight Sight¡· to the maximum and confronted Belle. Even though blood was flowing slightly from those twin eyes, he wasn''t already paying attention to it. Belle is not a sweet opponent. If you think of it as a demon race, it''s probably one of the best in the upper demon race. Bells boast one of the best fighting power, including humans and demons. If you want to face them, we have no choice but to take it seriously. "--The Eighth Secret Sword, the flash of lightning. Bell closes the distance and then pulls out his sword the moment he gets in between. It shines, and it exceeds human perception. Of course, Gil also can''t perceive that secret sword with his mere five senses. However, the Twilight Sight catches the magic element that Bell sprinkles around in large quantities. Both sides have less than a second to attack and defend each other. Gil aims for a counter. The weakness of Shiden Issen''s weakness is the stiffness immediately after the attack. A sword strike that is too fast, even Bell cannot completely suppress its recoil. As a result, the Shideng Flash cannot be connected to a continuous attack with inertia-controlled magic after it is activated. If Bell''s Shi-Den Flash is activated, it can win. That''s because it''s never been ducked before. An indisputable fact. But that of Belle...............................will be ducked by Gil. ''''........What? That''s right. Gill had ducked the Purple Flash with the Twilight Sight. And it was complete. Gil''s was as close as possible to future prediction. Because of that, he could see the trajectory of Bell''s attack. He was able to perceive it. Then all that was left to do was to raise his physical abilities to the limit and duck. Nothing special is needed. Once you understand that a single flash of shiden is just an infinitely fast battling technique. And Gil tries to hit a counter........ ''''--The Fourth Secret Sword, the Snow Calyx Frost School [Setsugaku Soha]. I was completely caught off guard. Bell''s flash of purple electricity should have been followed by a stiffness. I''ve seen it many times before. And yet, what is this?¡¡Gil had to agree. There was no such thing as rigidity. Moreover, it was a secret sword to use continuously. Belle now flashes a flash as she cuts vertically through the air. Instantly, a sword strike of ice runs through the ground. It doesn''t matter what you perceive in the Twilight Sight, the Twilight Eye. Belle''s it succeeded in turning Gil into a complete defense. Then she closes the distance at once and puts her sword on Gil''s neck. ''''Still........do.......? No. It''s a total loss for me. They are not killing each other. Therefore, it wasn''t completely serious, but it was obvious that Belle was better at it. And Gil slowly lowered the claymore he had to the ground. ¡ó The anti-magicians who were around understood that the battle between Gil and Belle was over. Still, this battle would not stop. The battle was already in a quagmire, as a double wide area interference system ¡¶Sphere¡· was currently being deployed. Combined with Eira''s Frozen Realm ¡¶Frost Sphere¡· and the Decadent Realm ¡¶Gothic Sphere¡·, the offensive and defensive forces were at odds with each other. Sheila, Derrick, Roy, and Leo were all close-combat types. On the other hand, Eve, Claudia, Eira, and Johan, except for Johan, were magic-specialized antimagicians. Normally, the close-combat type would have the advantage, but with the spread of the Sphere of Interference, they are now completely competitive. It is especially painful that the flow of magic elements is obstructed by the Decadent Realm ¡¶Gossic Sphere¡·. Therefore, none of the four of them were able to escape the struggle. ''''Hey, you guys.......Can''t you do something about that thing on Eve? ''''........I guess that''s impossible. Moreover, Eira''s Frozen Domain, the Frost Sphere, is a perfect defense. To tell the truth, the moment you deploy the double-layered "Sphere" of the wide-area interference system, you''re out of luck. Gil-san also lost to Belle-san. Well it''s not like we''re going to get serious here. What?¡¡Derrick, are you good?¡¡If we don''t, Julia is going to escape. ''''Hmm. Apparently this whole thing has become quite distorted and as for me, I''d like to see what''s going on for a bit. Hey. Do you admit defeat, you... And at those words, Derrick responded. ''Roy, Sheila and Leo, it looks like we''d better pull out of this one. That doesn''t mean they''ll let us get away with it but we''ll lose. If Gil-san had stayed, we would still have a chance to win, but we''re screwed. Just like Sheila said, the moment they deployed the Wide Area Interference System ¡¶Sphere¡· double deployment, we''re dead in the water. ''Hey!¡¡We can''t allow that to happen!¡¡It could reach the traitor! That''s why. Are we cool here...? What''s the matter...? No, what''s that? And so the four of them looked, no, not just the four of them. All of them were focused on one person. ''''...?¡¡Claudia, what are you doing...? What? You have an unusually high concentration of magnesium. Oh I see... no, this isn''t anything. It''s nothing... there''s no way... Eira, get back! ...What? The voice was Eve''s. Eve quickly covered up as if to protect her. And a dazzling light appeared from Claudia''s fingertips. At the same time, it enveloped this world. Finally, she muttered this. ''''--The world shrinking ¡¶Pycnosis¡·'''' In a moment, the world went dark - and then the world went dark. 68 - Episode 68 Rokka The six flowers are to be released. It is an ability equivalent to the secret sword that Shelly created. It''s not a sword technique, but magic. A magic that makes her sword skills as easy to use as possible. It is also a kind of polarity. Although it wasn''t as good as the Wide Area Interference System ¡¶Sphere¡·, its limited ability was definitely a perfect fit for Sherry. ''''Ichinoha, White Lily--'''' When Sherry announced that, fluffy white lilies appeared out of nowhere around them. Of course, Silas doesn''t attack them carelessly. If you don''t know what kind of ability it is, there''s no need to jump in yourself. And the flowers that appeared in large numbers exploded. At the same time, a large amount of flashes of light are created. Silas''s reaction is slow, though slightly. Currently, he has discarded his vision and is predicting his opponent''s attack using only his intuition. It wasn''t a singular ability ¡¶extra¡·, but he was able to predict Shelly''s attack from his years of experience. ''''........Oh no, that was a close call. ............... Just as his eyes were getting used to it, he saw Shelly swinging her sword in front of him. But her sword strike was caught by Silas'' wire. It is filled with the maximum amount of magical elements, and it will not break easily. It''s because its strength can be manipulated at will. And when Silas diffuses the magic element it contains at once, it loosens the strength of the wire at once. Shelly uses her momentum on the spur of the moment to swing her sword stupidly head-on. Silas, of course, reads the monotonous attack. He tries to insert his hand sword into Shelly''s empty side, but she has a bright red flower planted in her belly. ''''--The Fourth Flower, Boxwood,'''' Then, with a dull bong, Silas and Shelly rolled away from each other, blown away as it was. Shelly blew herself up to prevent Silas from attacking her. It was a matter of letting him cut the flesh and severing the bones. As it was, he had definitely received a fatal wound. For this reason, he had planted a boxwood, the Fourth Flower, in his own belly. The boxwood was a blast inducer and its power was quite powerful. However, Shelly did not suppress its power. She just solidified a defensive wall with magic element in her own belly and let it explode as it was. ''''Ugh, ugh........'''' A pota, pota, pota, and blood drips out. I guess I hit my head from the current impact, and blood is pouring out of my forehead. Even if the head injury is minor, there is a lot of blood flowing out. At first glance, it may seem like a flashy injury, but in reality, it''s a minor injury. The abdomen was more serious than that. Shelly''s abdomen was completely burnt out, and it was completely blue, as if she was also bleeding internally. She lightly cast a healing spell on herself and quickly stood up and stared at the one Silas had flown over. Then, Silas gets up and stares at Shelly as well. ''''........Dangerous. Watch out. That was just in the nick of time.'''' Shelley swears in her mind that he is a monster, as she watches him slap his military uniform with a pang and let the dust fly. It was just as well. Silas was not hurt at all. He was just blown up by the current explosion, but he didn''t have any wounds. Shelly hadn''t expected much, but when he was handled so perfectly, she couldn''t help but laugh at the opposite. There is no glimpse of the strongest man in humanity at all. Nevertheless, Silas was still looking at Shelly with a grin. ''''Oh no, I''m really sorry but it''s just the right time. I''d like to try a few things. ...? What do you mean, try ...?¡¡The moment Shelly wondered that, what unfolded in front of her was a world of ice. The ground freezing all at once. She perceived it and fled into the sky. ''Good reaction. But...'''' Ggh................. The moment she flies upwards, she is knocked down by Silas, who was ahead of her. His leg kick hits her back beautifully and knocks her directly to the ground. ''Shinohana, boxwood! Shelly fills all of the area except for where she is with boxwood. Then it explodes. She puts up a defensive wall around herself. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. Probably the ice right now is.............................The Frozen Realm ¡¶Frost Sphere¡·. I didn''t think that if I reached the first level of the special class anti-magician rankings, I would be able to use the Wide Area Interference System ¡¶Sphere¡·. This is because I was under the impression that those were used by magic-specialized anti-magicians. For information, he knew that Eira was good at it. However, I never dreamed that Silas, a close combat type, would use the Frozen Realm ¡¶Frost Sphere¡·. Close quarters combat, and magic. The best of humanity in both of them. Sensing the fearfulness of this, Shelly launched a carpet bombing. ''''.........What.......is this.......'''' The world in front of us was still an icy world. Yes, Shelly''s attack didn''t make any sense. And Shelly sensed the foreign object invading the complete realm of the unfolding Fortis Territoriality, which was unfolding. ''''Hmm.......this is quite difficult to handle.......'''' Sword attack. It was indeed a sword attack. Yet there is no indication that Silas is holding it. What he is holding is a small knife. It is a knife, but its range is undoubtedly long enough to rival a sword. I know this magic. ''''Invisible Sword, Invisible Blade, I didn''t know there were other users of it...'''' Are there others?¡¡Oh that''s a little different. Strictly speaking. And what''s more, the unbelievable happens. Yes, there were white lilies floating around. A sudden event. Shelly hadn''t activated the white lilies. And yet, what was in front of him was definitely the six flowers that Shelly possessed itself. ''''........Like this?'''' Bursting. A dazzling light filled this space at the same time as the white lilies exploded. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about this. And at the same time, she seemed to be kicked in the abdomen and rolled backwards as it was. ''''Gaha...! Combined with her earlier injuries, she felt intense pain. Plus, she was vomiting blood, as if her internal organs had been hit. Still, her heart was not broken. She was able to fight for Julia, for this humanity, too. She would prove that her efforts up to now were not in vain. That thought sustained her heart. It''s not about winning or not winning. It was only whether she would stand up to it or not. ''''Your gallantry, brilliant... but it''s time to run out of time...'''' Silas stared into the void. There was nothing there. Yet he was staring at it. Shelly was slowly regaining her sight and was finally able to stand up. But still Silas did not attack. ''''Rokka, back no flower........'''' A moment later, Shelly is caught in a strange sense of discomfort. It is true that she is here. And yet, the feeling that I am not here. At the same time, the imprint of Twilight Syndrome ¡¶Twilight Syndrome¡· hurts as if it were burning. The pain is so intense that she drops the sword in her hand. ''''The World Shrinkage [Pycnosis] has been activated? It''s about time.'''' "...what, what are you talking about? Sherry Amis. You''ll have to come. You guys have someplace to go. Don''t worry, I''ll take you there. What ... what in the ... what in the world ... I began to feel dazed. I didn''t even know where I was or what I was doing anymore. ''Come on, it''s time to start,'' I thought that was the last time I heard Shelly''s voice say those words. 69 - Episode 69 The Nature of Truth ''Huh ... huh ... huh ... huh ...'' Liane was running through the basement of the royal castle. Once her abilities were truly released, she realized she had a place to go. She left Belle and then found the entrance to the basement alone. By the time she got there, she had left a trail behind. Just in case someone could come to the rescue in this basement. Perhaps with Julia''s Twilight Sight, she would be fine, but Riane didn''t know if it would be for the better or for the worse. Still, she chose to leave a trace of magic element at the entrance of this underground. And she was the only one running. This vast expanse of underground space. She had never heard of a place like this before. But now she knew. The basement of this royal castle was filled with an uncommon amount of magical elements. She hadn''t noticed it because the singular ability ¡¶Extra¡· she had possessed until now hadn''t reached it. It was the same with Yulia''s Singular Ability ¡¶Extras¡·. After noticing it, which was cleverly hidden, Liane was running towards the place. Maybe it was already too late. Still, she had no choice but to run. And when she finally arrived there, it was just a dark, sprawling space. It was pitch black and she couldn''t see anything. As she thought that, there were lights around her, or maybe they were lights, shining one after another. And you recognize it as a circular space. Moreover, there is a door in front of you. There must be something beyond this. Riane is convinced of this and puts her hand on the door, but she is called out from behind. ''''Princess, you can''t go any further. I knew it was you. Turning around. And there he was, just as Liane had expected him to be. ''Claudia you are the traitor....'' ''Hmm. It''s not exactly the same, but, well, yeah. Why... why are you doing this...? "...why?¡¡That''s the way it''s supposed to be. Claudia smirked and continued to speak. ''''It''s to expose this world. Besides, you already know that, don''t you?¡¡I don''t know what''s going on inside me... ''''.........Twilight Syndrome [Twilight Syndrome], level 0......that''s right, but it''s not. Because your body is the demon race itself.......There is no such thing as being affected by twilight in the first place, is there? Well, thank you..... Liane knew. No, she knew. By the Celestial Eye, the Celestial Eye, which was a released singular ability ¡¶Extra¡·. It was an ability that far surpassed the elemental sense ¡¶Decoding Sense¡· that she had. It was said in the lore that there were those among the royal family who could manifest this Celestial Eye, the Celestial Eye. However, the last time it was expressed was during the human demon battle. Since then, in other words, no one had possessed the Celestial Eye for nearly 150 years. However, this was how Liane had obtained the Celestial Eye. That fearless ability. The Celestial Eye exposes everything in the world. It is not a metaphorical expression. Twilight Sight, Elemental Sense, and Decoding Sense, they are also abilities to perceive this world, but they are only partial. They only understand the surface of the world. On the other hand, the Celestial Eye can perceive the interior of the world. As far as humans are concerned, it can accurately understand their internal structure. The elemental form and the unique domain of the "Parnal Field" can also be perceived with their eyes. And Liane looks at Claudia again with the Celestial Eye. What is reflected there........was not that of a human being. No, strictly speaking, it was a human. But.........it''s also a demon race. A state where the two are mixed together. And she had an idea about that. ''''That rumor.......was true, wasn''t it?'''' "Huh, you know? Humans are no match for the demon race. That''s because human beings are too fragile. If that''s the case... let''s create a human being who isn''t vulnerable... I didn''t think that such worldly rumors were... But hey, I''m not a total success. Hey, you know that, right? .... Leanne bit her lip. She had already obtained the answer to that question. No, her Celestial Eye ¡¶Celestial Eye¡· had already obtained all the information. ''''Well........I guess it''s about time. Claudia looked up into the void, and a magic circle unfolded there. And there were humans being spat out of it. ''''Gu........! This is.... ...What? Falling out were Yulia, Eira, and Shelly. And the last one to come out was Silas. ''Silas, what''s the situation?'' Well, not bad. So, what about the other special class antimagicians? Come on. You''re probably wandering around in the twilight by now, aren''t you?¡¡Still, we''ll keep the time, a few hours. That''s all we need. Now let''s see if you four are willing to be sacrificed. ¡ó The world is shrinking. As soon as Claudia activated her magic, everyone in the place was enveloped in a dazzling light. There was an alien presence among them. It was Eira. The other special class anti-magicians had already been sent to the Dusk Danger Area Level 5. The World Shrinkage ¡¶Pycnosis¡· is a type of transference magic, a magic that can connect parts of the world to the world. However, it requires intervention in the opponent''s personal field. As a result, the target can be transferred to any position. And this time, for those with a human''s personal field, fly to the danger zone level 5. And those that have the same existence as her will fly to the basement of the royal castle. That was the way it was set up. Also at the same time. Julia, who was already about to reach the deepest part of the underground, and Shelly, who was fighting Silas, were also being consumed by the light of the World Shrinking Pycnosis. The area of effect was not separately limited to Claudia''s side. As long as the magic element is hammered into the target in advance, the connection with the World Shrinkage ¡¶Pycnosis¡· will be possible. Of course, it can only be activated once by hitting the element once. It''s not something that can be used consecutively. But that was enough. Claudia''s objective was to call those four people out to the basement. That''s how it would all end. The end. And so the situation moves into its final phase. ¡ó G........................... Before I knew it, I found myself crawling on the ground. What am I doing here...? I''m sure I was running after Princess Liane. But suddenly, I thought my eyes were brightening, and then I was swallowed by a magic circle... and sent here. ''''Senpai, Shelly, Princess Liane.......'''' And I noticed the people near me. But most of all, I was concerned about Claudia and Silas. Why are you two standing there at a distance?¡¡It''s almost as if it''s........against us.... Well, we''ve got our actors here. Silas, can you hold them? Yeah. And the four of us are bound by wires. We are suspended in the air and our freedom is taken away. What........what''s going on.......why, why is this happening.... ''''Senpai, Shelly, Princess Liane!¡¡Are you okay? Ugh.......... Ugh.... ''Yulia, run ... please run ... ugh ... ugh ... ugh ...'' The senior and Shelley were already unconscious. Princess Liane, on the other hand, seemed to be able to speak, but her voice was thin. Is she injured in some way........ For now, we have to do something about this situation for now........ ''''Yulia-kun. Because of you, our plans have changed drastically. But, you know, I''ll be satisfied if I can do this in the end. So just be quiet, okay? When I heard those words, I understood. These two.........were the traitors........ ''''So you were the traitors!¡¡Two of us, both of us, have been fooling humanity all along, throwing us into chaos and killing humans, until now!!! Anger. I was consumed by rage. This situation. There was already no excuse for the situation. The traitors were Claudia and Silas. No, I have no respect for these two men anymore. Claudia and Silas were the ones who caused the attack on humanity and the death of so many people. Keep it down. I''ve got to get ready. Silas, why don''t you talk to the Texan about it? There''s nothing more to say. Claudia is drawing a magic circle on the ground, as if she''s preparing for something. While doing so, Silas approaches us. ''''.......It''s okay. You will become a part of the Sefirot tree. You won''t die completely. ''You, you, you killed humanity... and you killed Miss Ellie...'' Ellie?¡¡Yeah, he got to the truth. So I killed him. Why would you.... why would you do that? ''It''s a foolish question. No one should know the truth. They are a hindrance to our plans. Obstacles must be removed. Don''t you agree? ''''No...no...no...no...that''s not allowed! "Forgive me or not? It''s not that simple anymore. We''ll do what we must, that''s all. ''What ... what are you ... what are you saying ... and you ... and you ... you humans ...'' ...And Dan........and that guy was you guys! Dan''s last words to me. I was remembering that too. "Dan?¡¡Ah........that human? It was a good experimental body, but still a human couldn''t become a demon race. It turned out that the Twilight Syndrome ¡¶Twilight Syndrome¡· was only a disease and not something that could lead to the demon race. That alone was worth it to him. Don''t you think so?¡¡And he was very helpful in banishing you to the twilight. I left it up to his discretion at the time, but it worked out. Besides, it''s easy to work with money. Well, I carved the Curse, and at the very least, I tried not to divulge any information, but he was a good pawn. Was it helpful in expelling...? Wasn''t that Dan''s idea?¡¡Didn''t he just abandon me to help them survive? "Hmm. I''ll tell you what I have in mind for you. I released you into the twilight in order to encourage you to awaken. I have made many arrangements for you to go deeper into the dusk. Didn''t you notice?¡¡He said that the wards at that time were not at the student level. Wards that disrupt your sense of direction are impossible to generate unless you''re at the level of a first-class anti-magician. No way, no way, no way, no way, no way. Worst-case scenario passes in my brain. ''Yes. You were deliberately banished to Twilight, and now you are. However, that ability was unexpected on our part, but thanks to that, the first ward city attack failed. You and Eira also slipped through the wards at that time. I''ve learned that an awakened person encourages further awakening, after all.......but, well, this is how we''ve achieved our main mission. I don''t hold a grudge against you for that failure. In fact, I''m grateful to you. I''ve learned a lot of things too. ''What ... what are you ... what are you saying ...'' I don''t get it. Are you saying that the whole process that led me to this point was in their hands? ''''Hmm?¡¡Claudia, did you call that guy? No ... is it possible that he''s here? Yeah. We''re getting close. Well, it''s okay if you come. Besides, it''s your last breath, so why not see them?¡¡And he was eager to meet you, Julia. ''So that''s it. Well ... let''s get it over with. I caught the figure from above as I hung in midair. He has long, pure white hair and is wearing a black coat. He looks tall, but that might be because of the boots he''s wearing. But right now........there was something else that bothered me more than that. That was ... I know. No, it''s funny that I know. I see that face every day. That''s right, every day.........no, always, that face I''ve seen since I was a little girl....... ''Hahaha........here I am.... Claire. I thought you had a standby order. Silas is such a big deal. What''s wrong with that?¡¡Besides, I''ve been wanting to meet this guy. Isn''t that nice? Okay. Claudia, do you mind? Hmm?¡¡It''s fine. Because you two.... I shudder when I hear those words. What did I just say, now.... No, I didn''t miss it. Without a doubt, my ears recognized the sound as words I could understand. But the words were so outlandish that I had let go of my understanding. ''''...Huh, nice to meet you. My name is Claire. Yeah, I''m sure. Hey, how do you feel now?¡¡Hey, hey, how do you feel?¡¡Hey ... big brother. Hearing those words, Claudia''s words replayed again. ''''Hmm?¡¡That''s fine. Because they''re twins.'' Twins. Me and the girl here are twins. I had no reason to doubt it. Because this face is exactly the same as the one I''ve seen in the mirror all my life. The situation is complicated. And then I was going to face this world in the true sense of the word. 70 - Episode 70: The Forbidden Curse "Ha-ha-ha, big brother, you''re hanging in the air! Hahahaha~ What are you... Hmm?¡¡Don''t you get it?¡¡Twins. Twins. I''m her sister and you''re her brother. You can see that, can''t you?¡¡Because we''re so much alike... A girl smiling at me. Hearing those words, I couldn''t think of any words of denial. The resemblance is not in the realm of resemblance. No, it''s not a dimension of resemblance. It''s the same. Exactly the same face and hair color. And we''re almost the same height. Really, this guy and I are twins...but when I think about it, who the hell am I? I thought this hair had turned white under stress. But the girl in front of me also has white hair. Pure white hair stretched all the way to her waist. Does that mean that this state of affairs is not abnormal, but normal?¡¡And the size of the magic element that you can feel just by being in this vicinity. It''s definitely a mage. But I''m a mage and a twin?¡¡In other words.........I am....... "Claire. That''s enough. Let''s get started. Okay. Bye, brother. Claudia has already finished drawing the magic circle and is walking towards us. The only people who are currently restrained are me and Princess Liane, the only ones who are conscious. But Princess Liane''s only moaned and seemed unable to speak properly. I''m also far from perfect. Something must have been done to me during the transition. We were already close to having wounds all over us. ''''.........Zero [Ein], Zero Zero [Ein Soph], Zero Zero [Ein Soph Owl]'' Claudia starts spinning those words. Then our four bodies begin to glow and our consciousness fades away. ''Ketel, Kokmar, Binar, Kesed, Gebler, Tipherent, Netzak, Hod, Yesod, Malkuth, and Da''at.'' The voice was no longer out of my consciousness. I am nowhere in this world. I am now ... the center of the world. I realize that I am in a place to call it that. And I''m looking at this world objectively........such a feeling. I look down and see everything. The pure white world. I was there. I was standing there alone. I was definitely in that basement. But is it only consciousness.......I was now in an uncertain space for sure. "Yulia-kun. ...What? When I turned around, I saw........Ellie-san there. Why..........Ellie-san should have been killed....... ''''Why.........why are you here.......'''' The Sacrament of Forbidden Sacrament. I used it. I made a little modification to your body, just in case. The Sacrament of Sacramentality? ''One extreme of magic. In my case, it was to transcribe consciousness but we don''t have much time left. I''ll be blunt. Now I''m going to unleash your abilities. Liberation?¡¡No way.... Oh, yes. You''re ability is still dormant. It''s not that you can only use non-attribute magic. You''ve put a seal on yourself to make it so. You didn''t want to break yourself ... subconsciously. Mr. Ellie, after all, I am.... I was hesitant to say anything else from there. Still, I needed to face reality. ''''........Yes. You''re a human, but you''re also a demon. Strictly speaking, you''re half human and half demon. A perfect body with the blood of those two. ''''Well I see........that''s why my Twilight Syndrome [Twilight Syndrome] is.......'''' At that time, I remembered the words of my senior. I remembered what my senpai said at that time. The way he came to my room, took off his clothes and showed me the way he did. And at the end, she said this. I''m not going to be able to get rid of it. "Senpai... ...are we human? I couldn''t take those words head on at the time. I wouldn''t go so far as to call it senior''s nonsense, but I thought I was overthinking it.... So I decided to forget about it. And I dare to forget it, too. The reason is that I didn''t want to face that reality. I am not a human being. It''s impossible and unacceptable. But as time goes by, it becomes more and more certain... and now. That''s why I was able to readily accept Ellie''s words. I had originally had that concern in mind. I''m still not a human being in the strict sense of the word........ ''In your case, you''re not under the influence of a disease. On the contrary, you are returning to your normal state. So the Twilight Syndrome was just a function of undoing everything in your case. Well, and. We don''t have much time left. ''Mr. Ellie..................'' "I''m dead. Silas killed me. He''s got a unique ability to mimic, called Extra. It doesn''t just affect his elemental form. He can even copy his personal field. And he is ... a demon. A mimic of a human named Silas, a mage. And lastly, their goal is to free the Sefirot Tree. That''s why they needed four mediums. It was all for that purpose. What do you mean...? ''''We don''t have much time left. Julia, Princess Liane knows where to go from here. No, you will know now. All I can do is to unleash your abilities. Now, off you go. Humanity, the world, I asked for you... Yes.................. And my consciousness fades away again. Is this a dream, an illusion or an actuality? But I didn''t look back any longer. I couldn''t let Ellie''s death, the deaths of all human beings, go to waste. ¡ó .... I had returned my consciousness completely to that basement. And I could feel my own abilities being released for real. The wire that already restrained me was cut through. And it also seems to have the ability to absorb the target''s magic element. It''s well done, but that''s not something I can understand at the moment. When I release all of the captives, I lay them down on the spot. Then I cover the three of them with a ward to create a protective area. Magic is already functioning normally. It''s not just unattributed magic. I can use all kinds of magic now. I understood that instinctively. Furthermore, the imprint was completely gone from my body. Twilight Syndrome ¡¶Twilight Syndrome¡·. It wasn''t a disease that made me a demon race. It was the process of making me complete. All of this was only a halfway point to this point. ''''Julia..........'''' Princess Liane, she''s unconscious. Are you okay? Well lastly, last thing I''m going to do is to... When I understood what she had overheard me saying, I slowly stood up and confronted the three people who were stunned. ''''What... what''s that...?'''' .... There are already no words to exchange. I am fully awake. I know what I mean. Why I am here, why I was created. The child born of a human and a demon. That was me...no, that was us. Not one of us here is human. Shelly, my seniors, Princess Liane, and Claudia, Silas and me the twins. We are all here with a destiny. A cursed fate. We are living with the karma of combining humans and demons. Perhaps, I might have been on that side too. But now I''m standing here to protect humanity. And now I''m not so sure. I know my origins. It is indeed an abomination. A curse, if you will. Still, I have to ... fight it. The many people who died in that attack. And for the sake of Ellie, who entrusted her thoughts to me........ ''Claudia!¡¡It''s a perfect specimen!¡¡Get back! Silas said that, but I had already flicked off his left arm with the Invisible Blade. I see, so this is what the ability to surpass humans is like... I freeze the cut wound while immersed in such a feeling. They will probably use regeneration magic, but this will buy us some time. A demon''s regeneration ability is tricky. In that case, it''s limited to taking countermeasures from the beginning. ''''........Oh no......why.......'''' I ran to the ground to look at the strangely flustered Claudia. I already had a number of ideas in my brain for how to kill her. But I can''t kill her here. I have to capture him alive so that he can give me information. And I activated the Invisible Sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡· from the knife in both hands and pounced on it, but.......there was that girl between my eyes. ''''Fufufu, hahahahahaha!¡¡I''m so glad I came!¡¡I knew my brother was like that, too, didn''t I!¡¡We''re still brother and sister!¡¡Hahahahaha! It''s a pain in the ass. And so it is my twin sister who confronts me. There''s no doubt about it. I can understand this well because I''m in this state. The form of the magic element, and the personal field, all of which match mine. What is reflected in this Twilight Sight is the fact that this girl is the same existence as me. ''''Claudia!¡¡What about the retrieval of the Sefirot Tree? It''s over ... somehow ... All right. I''m out. I''m a little tired of dealing with full individuals. Claire, can you take care of him? Okay. You two can leave now. I''ll keep my brother company. I don''t mind killing him. Yeah, I hope so. It''s a bit of a stretch. Worst case scenario you know what I mean? Hmm?¡¡Oh yes, yes, yes. I know. Then do it. They try to run away, but I can''t let them escape. I ignore her in front of me and try to cut off their legs, but the Invisible Sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡· is caught by Claire. ''''.....You''re interfering, you''re going to die. Hmm. Good. Very nice. Oh it''s great, dude! The moment we exchange swords, Princess Liane, who was behind us, releases her powers. And Claudia''s scream echoes through this basement. The attack and defense so far. It was all just a stall for time. All of this was for the full use of Princess Liane''s abilities. ''''Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! He seemed to have succeeded. Something like a scarlet line was connected between Princess Riane and Claudia through her eyes. It was ........Princess Liane''s peculiar ability ¡¶Extras¡·. It''s an ability to expose this world, an ability that exposes this world. ''''........Don''t look away! Right in front of her. When she catches the two swords that come down on her, she also ducks the invisible sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡· that originated from her feet. Perhaps because they are twins, the magic they use is very similar. And when I perceive it with the Twilight Sight, I continue to duck even more with plenty of time to spare. He attacked continuously in time. Catching it head-on, Claire was blown backwards. I see........even with this kind of power, it''s still not enough....... Thinking about that, I immediately head towards Princess Liane who is behind me. ''''Yulia-san.......I succeeded.......haha........'''' How much information do you have? Her eyes were bleeding profusely. Perhaps she has exceeded the limits of her abilities. Her body is already screaming and beginning to destroy itself. I understand. Please leave the rest to me. Please.... Princess Liane then falls to the spot. I once again set up a ward in the space where Shelly, my senior, and Princess Liane are and walk towards Claire. ''''You''re not going to attack me?'''' Hmm. You wanna play fair, right? I don''t understand but it''s okay, you''re not running away. They got away, okay? Yes. Silas and Claudia had already left together. I want to chase after them, but I''ve already got the information. And now........I realize that I can''t ignore this guy and chase him. Probably, his ability could be comparable to........or even exceed a special class anti-magician. There is no room for somewhat of a gap from the current Claire. Even if I''m completely freed, it''s an opponent I can''t let my guard down....................I decided that. ''''Hmm, hmm. Hahahahahahaha!¡¡There''s no reason not to kill each other when you have such a great big brother!¡¡Fill me up now!¡¡Satisfy my thirst!¡¡Come on, with that strength! I don''t understand it, but I have no choice. That''s the way it should be! And so I confronted my twin sister, Claire. There was no way to stop now..... 71- Episode 71: My Brother I Love More Than Anyone "Ha-ha-ha, big brother, you''re hanging in the air! Hahahaha~ What are you... Hmm?¡¡Don''t you get it?¡¡Twins. Twins. I''m her sister and you''re her brother. You can see that, can''t you?¡¡Because we''re so much alike... A girl smiling at me. Hearing those words, I couldn''t think of any words of denial. The resemblance is not in the realm of resemblance. No, it''s not a dimension of resemblance. It''s the same. Exactly the same face and hair color. And we''re almost the same height. Really, this guy and I are twins...but when I think about it, who the hell am I? I thought this hair had turned white under stress. But the girl in front of me also has white hair. Pure white hair stretched all the way to her waist. Does that mean that this state of affairs is not abnormal, but normal?¡¡And the size of the magic element that you can feel just by being in this vicinity. There''s no doubt about it, I''m a mage. But I''m a mage and a twin?¡¡In other words.........I am....... "Claire. That''s enough. Let''s get started. Okay. Bye, brother. Claudia has already finished drawing the magic circle and is walking towards us. The only people who are currently restrained are me and Princess Liane, the only ones who are conscious. But Princess Liane''s only moaned and seemed unable to speak properly. I''m also far from perfect. Something must have been done to me during the transition. We were already close to having wounds all over us. ''''.........Zero [Ein], Zero Zero [Ein Soph], Zero Zero [Ein Soph Owl]'' Claudia starts spinning those words. Then our four bodies begin to glow and our consciousness fades away. ''Ketel, Kokmar, Binar, Kesed, Gebler, Tipherent, Netzak, Hod, Yesod, Malkuth, and Da''at.'' The voice was no longer out of my consciousness. I am nowhere in this world. I am now ... the center of the world. I realize that I am in a place to call it that. And I''m looking at this world objectively........such a feeling. I look down and see everything. The pure white world. I was there. I was standing there alone. I was definitely in that basement. But is it only consciousness.......I was now in an uncertain space for sure. "Yulia-kun. ...What? When I turned around, I saw........Ellie-san there. Why..........Ellie-san should have been killed....... ''''Why.........why are you here.......'''' The Sacrament of Forbidden Sacrament. I used it. I made a little modification to your body, just in case. The Sacrament of Sacramentality? ''One extreme of magic. In my case, it was to transcribe consciousness but we don''t have much time left. I''ll be blunt. Now I''m going to unleash your abilities. Liberation?¡¡No way.... Oh, yes. You''re ability is still dormant. It''s not that you can only use non-attribute magic. You''ve put a seal on yourself to make it so. You didn''t want to break yourself ... subconsciously. Mr. Ellie, after all, I am.... I was hesitant to say anything else from there. Still, I needed to face reality. ''''........Yes. You''re a human, but you''re also a demon. Strictly speaking, you''re half human and half demon. A perfect body with the blood of those two. ''''Well I see........that''s why my Twilight Syndrome [Twilight Syndrome] is.......'''' At that time, I remembered the words of my senior. I remembered what my senpai said at that time. The way he came to my room, took off his clothes and showed me the way he did. And at the end, she said this. I''m not going to be able to get rid of it. "Senpai... ...are we human? I couldn''t take those words head on at the time. I wouldn''t go so far as to call it senior''s nonsense, but I thought I was overthinking it.... So I decided to forget about it. And I dare to forget it, too. The reason is that I didn''t want to face that reality. I am not a human being. It''s impossible and unacceptable. But as time goes by, it becomes more and more certain... and now. That''s why I was able to readily accept Ellie''s words. I had originally had that concern in mind. I''m still not a human being in the strict sense of the word........ ''In your case, you''re not under the influence of a disease. On the contrary, you are returning to your normal state. So the Twilight Syndrome was just a function of undoing everything in your case. Well, and. We don''t have much time left. ''Mr. Ellie..................'' "I''m dead. Silas killed me. He''s got a unique ability to mimic, called Extra. It doesn''t just affect his elemental form. He can even copy his personal field. And he is ... a demon. A mimic of a human named Silas, a mage. And lastly, their goal is to free the Sefirot Tree. That''s why they needed four mediums. It was all for that purpose. What do you mean...? ''''We don''t have much time left. Julia, Princess Liane knows where to go from here. No, you will know now. All I can do is to unleash your abilities. Now, off you go. Humanity, the world, I asked for you... Yes.................. And my consciousness fades away again. Is this a dream, an illusion or an actuality? But I didn''t look back any longer. I couldn''t let Ellie''s death, the deaths of all human beings, go to waste. ¡ó .... I had returned my consciousness completely to that basement. And I could feel my own abilities being released for real. The wire that already restrained me was cut through. And it also seems to have the ability to absorb the target''s magic element. It''s well done, but that''s not something I can understand at the moment. When I release all of the captives, I lay them down on the spot. Then I cover the three of them with a ward to create a protective area. Magic is already functioning normally. It''s not just unattributed magic. I can use all kinds of magic now. I understood that instinctively. Furthermore, the imprint was completely gone from my body. Twilight Syndrome ¡¶Twilight Syndrome¡·. It wasn''t a disease that made me a demon race. It was the process of making me complete. All of this was only a halfway point to this point. ''''Julia..........'''' Princess Liane, she''s unconscious. Are you okay? Well lastly, last thing I''m going to do is to... When I understood what she had overheard me saying, I slowly stood up and confronted the three people who were stunned. ''''What... what''s that...?'''' .... There are already no words to exchange. I am fully awake. I know what I mean. Why am I here, why was I created? The child born of a human and a demon. That was me...no, that was us. Not one of us here is human. Shelly, my seniors, Princess Liane, and Claudia, Silas and me the twins. We are all here with a destiny. A cursed fate. We are living with the karma of combining humans and demons. Perhaps, I might have been on that side too. But now I''m standing here to protect humanity. And now I''m not so sure. I know my origins. It is indeed an abomination. A curse, if you will. Still, I have to ... fight it. The many people who died in that attack. And for the sake of Ellie, who entrusted her thoughts to me........ ''Claudia!¡¡It''s a perfect specimen!¡¡Get back! Silas said that, but I had already flicked off his left arm with the Invisible Blade. I see, so this is what the ability to surpass humans is like... I freeze the cut wound while immersed in such a feeling. They will probably use regeneration magic, but this will buy us some time. A demon''s regeneration ability is tricky. In that case, it''s limited to taking countermeasures from the beginning. ''''........Oh no......why.......'''' I ran to the ground to look at the strangely flustered Claudia. I already had a number of ideas in my brain for how to kill her. But I can''t kill her here. I have to capture him alive so that he can give me information. And I activated the Invisible Sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡· from the knife in both hands and pounced on it, but.......there was that girl between my eyes. ''''Fufufu, hahahahahaha!¡¡I''m so glad I came!¡¡I knew my brother was like that, too, didn''t I!¡¡We''re still brother and sister!¡¡Hahahahaha! It''s a pain in the ass. And so it is my twin sister who confronts me. There''s no doubt about it. I can understand this well because I''m in this state. The form of the magic element, and the personal field, all of which match mine. What is reflected in this Twilight Sight is the fact that this girl is the same existence as me. ''''Claudia!¡¡What about the retrieval of the Sefirot Tree? It''s over ... somehow ... All right. I''m out. I''m a little tired of dealing with full individuals. Claire, can you take care of him? Okay. You two can leave now. I''ll keep my brother company. I don''t mind killing him. Yeah, I hope so. It''s a bit of a stretch. Worst case scenario you know what I mean? Hmm?¡¡Oh yes, yes, yes. I know. Then do it. They try to run away, but I can''t let them escape. I ignore her in front of me and try to cut off their legs, but the Invisible Sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡· is caught by Claire. ''''.....You''re interfering, you''re going to die. Hmm. Good. Very nice. Oh it''s great, dude! The moment we exchange swords, Princess Liane, who was behind us, releases her powers. And Claudia''s scream echoes through this basement. The attack and defense so far. It was all just a stall for time. All of this was for the full use of Princess Liane''s abilities. ''''Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! He seemed to have succeeded. Something like a scarlet line was connected between Princess Riane and Claudia through her eyes. It was ........Princess Liane''s peculiar ability ¡¶Extras¡·. It''s an ability to expose this world, an ability that exposes this world. ''''........Don''t look away! Right in front of her. When she catches the two swords that come down on her, she also ducks the invisible sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡· that originated from her feet. Perhaps because they are twins, the magic they use is very similar. And when I perceive it with the Twilight Sight, I continue to duck even more with plenty of time to spare. He attacked continuously in time. Catching it head-on, Claire was blown backwards. I see........even with this kind of power, it''s still not enough....... Thinking about that, I immediately head towards Princess Liane who is behind me. ''''Yulia-san.......I succeeded.......haha........'''' How much information do you have? Her eyes were bleeding profusely. Perhaps she has exceeded the limits of her abilities. Her body is already screaming and beginning to destroy itself. I understand. Please leave the rest to me. Please.... Princess Liane then falls to the spot. I once again set up a ward in the space where Shelly, my senior, and Princess Liane are, and walk towards Claire. ''''You''re not going to attack me?'''' Hmm. You wanna play fair, right? I don''t understand but it''s okay, you''re not running away. They got away, okay? Yes. Silas and Claudia had already left together. I want to chase after them, but I''ve already got the information. And now........I realize that I can''t ignore this guy and chase him. Probably, his ability could be comparable to........or even exceed a special class anti-magician. There is no room for somewhat of a gap from the current Claire. Even if I''m completely freed, it''s an opponent I can''t let my guard down.....................I decided that. ''''Hmm, hmm. Hahahahahahaha!¡¡There''s no reason not to kill each other when you have such a great big brother!¡¡Fill me up now!¡¡Satisfy my thirst!¡¡Come on, with that strength! I don''t understand it, but I have no choice. That''s the way it should be! And so I confronted my twin sister, Claire. There was no way to stop now..... 72 - Episode 72 Death Drive How much time had passed? I had already forgotten my sense of time. The only thing facing me is the girl in front of me. Claire. My sister. Their appearance is very similar, and even their fighting styles are similar. It''s as if they were intentionally designed to be so, and we continue to launch the same attacks. We combine the Invisible Blade, which is activating the Divine Sanctuary with each other, and the Invisible Blade. Their swordsmanship has already surpassed the realm of humans. They were both human, but they were also demons. Particularly noticeable are our combat skills. We twins had been enhancing each other. It was an instinctive sense of awareness. With each swing, we felt our growth. The speed at which magic is constructed increases. What is this visible world all about? No, I don''t already rely on sight alone. A sixth sense, I should call it the sixth sense, urges me to go faster, stronger, more. Faster, stronger, higher.... That was the only sense I had right now. ''''Hahahahaha!¡¡I love it!¡¡It''s great!¡¡I knew my brother would fill me up!¡¡That war filled my unfulfilled heart!¡¡Hahahahahaha!¡¡I''m about to come!¡¡Hey, brother! Claire''s highs were unstoppable. The more she let her emotions explode, the more her basic abilities improved, or perhaps she was expressing her pleasure with her entire body. The attacks they unleashed on each other. They were all caused by the Invisible Sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡·, but they didn''t perceive each other with their vision. When I caught the Invisible Blade''s trajectory in the Sanctuary, my body reacted in a world of less than a second. I was still fighting with the Compound Dagger ¡¶Multiple Knives¡·, but Claire had already discarded the knife. She was a single sword ¡¶Vine¡·. That attack, which is unleashed with all four limbs, is tough just to receive it. It''s also extremely difficult to avoid them. Even so, I was still dealing with it. Unlike before, I hadn''t yet destroyed myself. Rather, my condition is rising even higher. I''m climbing to greater heights. There is no ceiling in sight. How far will the true value of that liberation take me? At this moment, a magical image instinctively appears in my brain. It''s called Diffusion. It''s a magic that temporarily disables the opponent''s personal field. It''s a type of non-attribute magic, but this is completely original to me. I only used it because I thought I could do it. If you can peel off that personal field, you can certainly kill Claire. This was the magic that I activated from that thought. And when it''s peeled away from Claire''s cover, I pile on more magic without pause. ''''--Explosive Four-Splash [Full Burst]. It''s an attack fired from the compound dagger ¡¶Multiple Knives¡·, but its trajectory is already not a straight line. I can already use magic. The meaning of use here is not limited to non-attribute magic. I am already able to use all kinds of magic after awakening. And the accuracy of the magic that used to be able to use it without any problems has also increased. It''s a good idea to be able to use the same amount of magic that was previously impossible to do. I''m going to be able to have a look at a few of the things that I''ve seen in the past. It''s a good idea to have a good time with a good friend. Furthermore, I''m going to launch my final attack as if to say that it''s time to call it a shot. Meteor ¡¶Mitia¡·. It''s just a straight line of attack from my finger. However, the speed of the attack surpasses not only humans, but also the superhuman perception of the demon race. It''s just an attack that has reached the ultimate in physical speed. It is as fast as light. As light magic, it''s almost comparable to the speed of light, even if it''s pseudo. As a kind of laser beam, it increases in brilliance as it is, and then it goes straight ahead at once. All the magic elements in this place are already under my control. The many magics created in my brain one after another attacked her without mercy. ''''Hahahahaha!¡¡I love it!¡¡Nice, nice, nice! Even though she has been stripped of her inherent domain and her magic''s effects are now direct, Claire still stands boldly against it. There was no fear visible in that action. The light from the Meteor ¡¶Meetia¡· landed on her opponent the moment she perceived its brilliance. However, when Claire catches that light with her twin eyes, she ducks it with only a slight tilt of her head. As if her intuition was excellent, she was able to see through the Meteor ¡¶Meetia¡·. But these attacks are a foothold to distract her. You can also have a look at the fact that it is a good idea to have a good idea of what you are looking for. And the offensive and defense that seemed like an eternity came to an abrupt end. ''''It''s.......over. At this moment, I cut off her left arm. Although I didn''t manage to decapitate her, she still wasn''t able to dodge my attack, and Claire''s left arm was flying in the air. The severed arm fell to the ground with a botfly, already gone from the elbow. I knew. If this continues, my reaction time will be faster than yours. It''s not just magic. It''s not just magic. And the competencies that are in competition with each other will suddenly collapse. Claire is certainly strong as well. If it was me before, I would have barely been able to keep up with her. But now that I''ve also released my demon''s ability, I''m on top of her. It''s a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. ''''........'''' Decapitation. That''s not what I did with the Invisible Blade, Invisible Blade. The Four Explosive Bursts ¡¶Full Bursts¡· were still lingering here. Claire continued to duck it, but that deadly blade that continued to track her was mercilessly cutting off its head. There was no regret. I just did what I had to do. That was all. Even if they were flesh and blood, they were demons and enemies. Then there was no reason to condone it. I''m sure you''ll be able to find the best way to get the best out of it. Okay, here we go!¡¡That''s my brother, taking off my arm and my head, too!¡¡I wasn''t fulfilled in that ogre village, but now it''s different. It''s so much more fun now!¡¡Yeah, it''s fun! "...alive?¡¡No, this is..... Yeah, I know. Claire''s laughing. She''s laughing. Her head certainly flew in the air. But she is alive. And in a state of five bodies. Meaning, I don''t know what it means ... what does it mean?¡¡At the same time, a thought had flashed through my brain. Don''t tell me this guy........is he the one who used that ability?¡¡Well I was beginning to expect it. And I was now wondering what this guy had said. ''An ogre village?¡¡No way.... Do you want to know? Did you kill him? Judging from the way she spoke, Claire wondered if she had done something in that village. Then, she begins to speak with a grin and sneer, as she had done before. ''''I killed them. Of course, I killed them all!¡¡Hahahahaha!¡¡Well, they were all small fry, but there was one guy who was strong...................He was the head of that village, but it took him 10 minutes to kill him. I had to kill him... You''re the one who killed Mr. Edgar... I suppress my emotions. The people I''ve been a part of have died. And when I find out that it''s the woman in front of me who did it, I almost explode with killing intent. No, that''s not all. The tragedy of that attack. And then there''s Ellie''s case. I''m not saying that Claire is connected to everything, but still, this guy is also a demon and an avenger to humans. This black emotion that fills my heart. The clear killing intent of wanting to kill fills my heart. But........if I become emotional here, I will lose myself. I will be driven by the urge to destroy everything. I had to restrain that much. I''m awake now, but I''m still unstable. If it''s only Claire who''s here, but there''s also Shelly, Senpai, and Princess Liane. If I were to let them all go, the whole place would collapse. That''s why I keep pushing them to death. I suppress this big, blackening killing intent with reason. I clench my fists, and blood is flowing from my lips. How far and how far do I have to go to taunt people to make them feel better.... This kind of unreasonableness must end quickly. ''''Fufu................ My brother is a human after all, isn''t he? Its constituent elements are human and demon. But his heart is still human. Unlike me, he''s not a demon. That''s why........this is what happens! A moment later, Claire''s right eye emits light. I can''t look directly at it............but it was already too late. I''m not fast enough to resist the speed of light. "--Death''s greed (Thanatos). What was waiting for me when I looked directly at it was a completely different world. ¡ó This is.... Earlier, I was downstairs. I was in that place fighting with Claire. And yet, I''m in a completely blank world. When I was stunned, Claire appeared out of nowhere. Of course, I will continue to fight no matter where I am. I immediately try to activate the Invisible Blade, but it doesn''t work...? Hmm. Welcome to my world. Claire had regained her composure and muttered that in a more calm voice than before. We''re alone in an empty, blank world. I only have a bad feeling about this. And what in the world is it that magic doesn''t activate........ I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about this. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one. That''s why I can''t catch up with you. But.........what I have is my essence here. It''s this world. A singular ability called Extra, a form of mental interference... "...correct. Now, can your brother stand it? When Claire quickly disappeared, I was strapped into a chair. If this is her mental world, then it''s no wonder that anything is happening. But.........no way........ An unpleasant premonition flashed through my mind. Then I noticed that the bottom of the chair was on fire. It''s hot. I can definitely feel it. The sensation is still dull. But the sense of pain was definitely present. This was definitely the pain ... itself. ''''Ahhhhhh!!!!! Scream. I scream in too much pain. And then, without a doubt, it was death itself that attacked me. Death caused by all kinds of torture. Skewering, crucifixion, burning at the stake, Iron Maiden, guillotine, stretching, inquisitorial chair, all of these images assault me. How far painful death is. An image of death that could make me lose my mind. No, it''s not an image. It was not at all comparable to reality. Rather, this pain is the only thing that is no different from reality. This is the ability to trample on a person''s dignity. I was taking it head on. The vicious and fearless peculiar ability ¡¶Extra¡· to all intents and purposes. Ordinary humans can''t and won''t experience death. It is because dying is to cease to exist. Experience, experience is something that is possible only because it exists. But I do indeed experience death. I continue to receive that contradiction in my body. I don''t know why........can I endure this pain, when in the world will it end.... It gives the other party an overwhelming fear that one cannot fundamentally resist. Is this what Claire''s true value was........ The next thing I knew, I was back in that underground space. I put my hands on the ground and wiped the sweat from my body. Without a doubt, I was dead. No, I had experienced death. And between my eyes, Claire, who was covered in sweat all over, just like me, was smiling at me with a smile. ''''........How do you feel?¡¡Did you have a good time? You''re not.....you''re not.... ''Of course, brother. The pain in that world is reflected in me. At that moment, my brother and I had met many deaths together. But I knew you were special, big brother!¡¡I''m so proud of you for being alive under the influence of death''s desire (Thanatos)...........oh my God. I love you so much, I love you, brother........ This is insane. No ... they are no longer in their right mind. We are living in a world of madness. And is it the same for me as well? Even though I have just experienced death, this body moves. Despite the mental damage, I still had the will to fight. I was confronted with the fact that I was a monster just like her. ''''Haha, no.............................'''' I mutter to myself. I am a monster. I am not sane enough to possess this deformity. I''m human at heart, so I''m fine. I thought so. But then I realized that my heart is also a monster. I almost lose sight of my own existence. But still, I didn''t forget my mission. I can''t fall down here for the sake of those who have died. No matter how much death I have to go through, I will continue to move forward. I will kill my family members. That is the role I was created to play. "Claire, it''s time to end this. Then I wielded the deadly blade again. 73 - Episode 73 Someday, that blue sky How much time had passed? I had already forgotten my sense of time. The only thing facing me is the girl in front of me. Claire. My sister. Their appearance is very similar, and even their fighting styles are similar. It''s as if they were intentionally designed to be so, and we continue to launch the same attacks. We combine the Invisible Blade, which is activating the Divine Sanctuary with each other, and the Invisible Blade. Their swordsmanship has already surpassed the realm of humans. They were both human, but they were also demons. Particularly noticeable are our combat skills. We twins had been enhancing each other. It was an instinctive sense of awareness. With each swing, we felt our growth. The speed at which magic is constructed increases. What is this visible world all about? No, I don''t already rely on sight alone. A sixth sense, I should call it the sixth sense, urges me to go faster, stronger, more. Faster, stronger, higher.... That was the only sense I had right now. ''''Hahahahaha!¡¡I love it!¡¡It''s great!¡¡I knew my brother would fill me up!¡¡That war filled my unfulfilled heart!¡¡Hahahahahaha!¡¡I''m about to come!¡¡Hey, brother! Claire''s highs were unstoppable. The more she let her emotions explode, the more her basic abilities improved, or perhaps she was expressing her pleasure with her entire body. The attacks they unleashed on each other. They were all caused by the Invisible Sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡·, but they didn''t perceive each other with their vision. When I caught the Invisible Blade''s trajectory in the Sanctuary, my body reacted in a world of less than a second. I was still fighting with the Compound Dagger ¡¶Multiple Knives¡·, but Claire had already discarded the knife. She was a single sword ¡¶Vine¡·. That attack, which is unleashed with all four limbs, is tough just to receive it. It''s also extremely difficult to avoid them. Even so, I was still dealing with it. Unlike before, I hadn''t yet destroyed myself. Rather, my condition is rising even higher. I''m climbing to greater heights. There is no ceiling in sight. How far will the true value of that liberation take me? At this moment, a magical image instinctively appears in my brain. It''s called Diffusion. It''s a magic that temporarily disables the opponent''s personal field. It''s a type of non-attribute magic, but this is completely original to me. I only used it because I thought I could do it. If you can peel off that personal field, you can certainly kill Claire. This was the magic that I activated from that thought. And when it''s peeled away from Claire''s cover, I pile on more magic without pause. ''''--Explosive Four-Splash [Full Burst]. It''s an attack fired from the compound dagger ¡¶Multiple Knives¡·, but its trajectory is already not a straight line. I can already use magic. The meaning of use here is not limited to non-attribute magic. I am already able to use all kinds of magic after awakening. And the accuracy of the magic that was used without any problems before has also increased. It''s a good idea to be able to use the same amount of magic that was previously impossible to do. I''m going to be able to have a look at a few of the things that I''ve seen in the past. It''s a good idea to have a good time with a good friend. Furthermore, I''m going to launch my final attack as if to say that it''s time to call it a shot. Meteor ¡¶Mitia¡·. It''s just a straight line of attack from my finger. However, the speed of the attack surpasses not only humans, but also the superhuman perception of the demon race. It''s just an attack that has reached the ultimate in physical speed. It is as fast as light. As light magic, it''s almost comparable to the speed of light, even if it''s pseudo. As a kind of laser beam, it increases in brilliance as it is, and then it goes straight ahead at once. All the magic elements in this place are already under my control. The many magics created in my brain one after another attacked her without mercy. ''''Hahahahaha!¡¡I love it!¡¡Nice, nice, nice! Even though she has been stripped of her inherent domain and her magic''s effects are now direct, Claire still stands boldly against it. There was no fear visible in that action. The light from the Meteor ¡¶Meetia¡· landed on her opponent the moment she perceived its brilliance. However, when Claire catches that light with her twin eyes, she ducks it with only a slight tilt of her head. As if her intuition was excellent, she was able to see through the Meteor ¡¶Meetia¡·. But these attacks are a foothold to distract her. I''m not going to be able to get to the point where I''m going to be able to get to the point where I''m going to be able to get to the point where I''m going to be able to get to it. And the offensive and defense that seemed like an eternity came to an abrupt end. ''''It''s.......over. At this moment, I cut off her left arm. Although I didn''t manage to decapitate her, she still wasn''t able to dodge my attack, and Claire''s left arm was flying in the air. The severed arm fell to the ground with a botfly, already gone from the elbow. I knew. If this continues, my reaction time will be faster than yours. It''s not just magic. It''s not just magic. And the competencies that are in competition with each other will suddenly collapse. Claire is certainly strong as well. If it was me before, I would have barely been able to keep up with her. But now that I''ve also released my demon''s ability, I''m on top of her. It''s a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. ''''........'''' Decapitation. That''s not what I did with the Invisible Blade, Invisible Blade. The Four Explosive Bursts ¡¶Full Bursts¡· were still lingering here. Claire continued to duck it, but that deadly blade that continued to track her was mercilessly cutting off its head. There was no regret. I just did what I had to do. That was all. Even if they were flesh and blood, they were demons and enemies. Then there was no reason to condone it. I''m sure you''ll be able to find the best way to get the best out of it. Okay, here we go!¡¡That''s my brother, taking off my arm and my head, too!¡¡I wasn''t fulfilled in that ogre village, but now it''s different. It''s so much more fun now!¡¡Yeah, it''s fun! "...alive?¡¡No, this is..... Yeah, I know. Claire''s laughing. She''s laughing. Her head certainly flew in the air. But she is alive. And in a state of five bodies. Meaning, I don''t know what it means ... what does it mean?¡¡At the same time, a thought had flashed through my brain. Don''t tell me this guy........is he the one who used that ability?¡¡Well I was beginning to expect it. And I was now wondering what this guy had said. ''An ogre village?¡¡No way.... Do you want to know? Did you kill him? Judging from the way she spoke, Claire wondered if she had done something in that village. Then, she begins to speak with a grin and sneer, as she had done before. ''''I killed them. Of course, I killed them all!¡¡Hahahahaha!¡¡Well, they were all small fry, but there was one guy who was strong...................He was the head of that village, but it took him 10 minutes to kill him. I had to kill him... You''re the one who killed Mr. Edgar... I suppress my emotions. The people I''ve been a part of have died. And when I find out that it''s the woman in front of me who did it, I almost explode with killing intent. No, that''s not all. The tragedy of that attack. And then there''s Ellie''s case. I''m not saying that Claire is connected to everything, but still, this guy is also a demon and an avenger to humans. This black emotion that fills my heart. The clear killing intent of wanting to kill fills my heart. But........if I become emotional here, I will lose myself. I will be driven by the urge to destroy everything. I had to restrain that much. I''m awake now, but I''m still unstable. If it''s only Claire who''s here, but there''s also Shelly, Senpai, and Princess Liane. If I were to let them all go, the whole place would collapse. That''s why I keep pushing them to death. I suppress this big, blackening killing intent with reason. I clench my fists, and blood is flowing from my lips. How far and how far do I have to go to taunt people to make them feel better.... This kind of unreasonableness must end quickly. ''''Fufu................ My brother is a human after all, isn''t he? Its constituent elements are human and demon. But his heart is still human. Unlike me, he''s not a demon. That''s why........this is what happens! A moment later, Claire''s right eye emits light. I can''t look directly at it...........but it was already too late. I''m not fast enough to resist the speed of light. "--Death''s greed (Thanatos). What was waiting for me when I looked directly at it was a completely different world. ¡ó This is.... Earlier, I was downstairs. I was in that place fighting with Claire. And yet, I''m in a completely blank world. When I was stunned, Claire appeared out of nowhere. Of course, I will continue to fight no matter where I am. I immediately try to activate the Invisible Blade, but it doesn''t work...? Hmm. Welcome to my world. Claire had regained her composure and muttered that in a more calm voice than before. We''re alone in an empty, blank world. I only have a bad feeling about this. And what in the world is it that magic doesn''t activate........ I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about this. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one. That''s why I can''t catch up with you. But.........what I have is my essence here. It''s this world. A singular ability called Extra, a form of mental interference... "...correct. Now, can your brother stand it? When Claire quickly disappeared, I was strapped into a chair. If this is her mental world, then it''s no wonder that anything is happening. But.........no way........ An unpleasant premonition flashed through my mind. Then I noticed that the bottom of the chair was on fire. It''s hot. I can definitely feel it. The sensation is still dull. But the sense of pain was definitely present. This was definitely the pain ... itself. ''''Ahhhhhh!!!!! Scream. I scream in too much pain. And then, without a doubt, it was death itself that attacked me. Death caused by all kinds of torture. Skewering, crucifixion, burning at the stake, Iron Maiden, guillotine, stretching, inquisitorial chair, all of these images assault me. How far painful death is. An image of death that could make me lose my mind. No, it''s not an image. It was not at all comparable to reality. Rather, this pain is the only thing that is no different from reality. This is the ability to trample on a person''s dignity. I was taking it head on. The vicious and fearless peculiar ability ¡¶Extra¡· to all intents and purposes. Ordinary humans can''t and won''t experience death. It is because dying is to cease to exist. Experience, experience is something that is possible only because it exists. But I do indeed experience death. I continue to receive that contradiction in my body. I don''t know why........can I endure this pain, when in the world will it end.... It gives the other party an overwhelming fear that one cannot fundamentally resist. Is this what Claire''s true value was........ The next thing I knew, I was back in that underground space. I put my hands on the ground and wiped the sweat from my body. Without a doubt, I was dead. No, I had experienced death. And between my eyes, Claire, who was covered in sweat all over, just like me, was smiling at me with a smile. ''''........How do you feel?¡¡Did you have a good time? You''re not.....you''re not.... ''Of course, brother. The pain in that world is reflected in me. At that moment, my brother and I had met many deaths together. But I knew you were special, big brother!¡¡I''m so proud of you for being alive under the influence of death''s desire (Thanatos)...........oh my God. I love you so much, I love you, brother........ This is insane. No ... they are no longer in their right mind. We are living in a world of madness. And is it the same for me as well? Even though I have just experienced death, this body moves. Despite the mental damage, I still had the will to fight. I was confronted with the fact that I was a monster just like her. ''''Haha, no.............................'''' I mutter to myself. I am a monster. I am not sane enough to possess this deformity. I''m human at heart, so I''m fine. I thought so. But then I realized that my heart is also a monster. I almost lose sight of my own existence. But still, I didn''t forget my mission. I can''t fall down here for the sake of those who died. No matter how much death I have to go through, I will continue to move forward. I will kill my family members. That is the role I was created to play. "Claire, it''s time to end this. Then I wielded the deadly blade again. 74-Episode 74: Remembrance 1 Since then I had come to the hospital room with Princess Liane. Incidentally, senior and Shelly haven''t regained consciousness yet, but I heard that it''s only a matter of time before they both wake up. In such a situation, Princess Liane seemed to have awakened to consciousness as quickly as possible. How are you doing? ''''It''s okay now. Exhaustion from excessive use of the Special Ability ¡¶Extras¡·. That''s the main symptom I''m experiencing, so I''ll be fine as long as I get some rest. So, Belle. Any sign of the two of you? ''I''m sorry I''ve completely lost it...'' ''Well that''s fine. Since this one was able to get most of the information Claudia had,'''' At that moment, Princess Liane took away the other person''s information ... strictly speaking, her memory, just by making eye contact. And it''s in her brain. Why did Claudia become a traitor? And why did she cause the events to happen the way they did? All of that mystery will be revealed. ''Well where shall we begin? I pretend to think about it for a bit. Currently, Belle-san and I are at the side of the princess who is raising her body from the bed. I''ve heard that Belle-san will listen to the information, compile it and then submit it to the upper echelons of the military, but I was also called in. I predicted that this was probably because I, as an existence, was heavily involved in this matter. ''''First of all, regarding me and Yuria-san, I''m a saint and you are.......a demon. However, I am a complete saint. Yuria-san, on the other hand, is a mixture of a human and a demon. Should I call you a half-magician? ...Oh, I see. Once again, I am made aware of this. After all, this body is not completely human. After all, Claire and I are twins, and we must be exactly the same being. But what does it mean that Princess Liane is a saint? ''Well, let''s get to the point. Why did she betray and need a saint and a half-magician...'''' Thus, the truth is told from her mouth.... ¡ó Freesia Rosenkreuz. Not many people know that name. He lived his life as a researcher in the Boundary City. Why did he become a researcher? It was by accident and he had no passion for anything. He was a smart man. If I had to name a reason, that was it. There was no other way to make a living, so he went straight to being a researcher. ''....Haha, another lazy day. Freesia muttered that and headed to the research center in the first ward city. It''s attached to the military, it''s quite large, and research has been flourishing recently. In particular, research on the effects of twilight on humans is being conducted. But that was not what was of interest to him at the moment. Freesia had married his childhood friend and finally had a child. Then it didn''t take long for her to give birth, and now the child was two and a half years old. No matter how much she was loved, it wasn''t enough. He was completely captivated by his daughter. I wouldn''t say that research is unimportant, as expected, but I don''t really get into it either. His priority now is to spend time with his wife and child. Or so I thought. If you ask the name of Freesia Rosenkreuz, the answer is a normal researcher. That''s all. But he didn''t know that. He was the one who would be the one who would leave a huge claw mark on this twilight. ''Well, I''ll be off then. You. Yeah, I''ll be there. ''Hmm. She''s happy to see you. First Containment City, before the checkpoint. They had said their goodbyes here. They had come to the First Boundary City, their parents'' home was in the Third Boundary City for Freesia''s convenience. This time they were supposed to move through the twilight to show their children to their two parents. However, Freesia couldn''t go because of her work. So they are saying goodbye in front of this checkpoint. And this was exactly how it all started. ''''...Huh?'''' He was certainly looking at his wife and daughter. He touched their hands and certainly felt their warmth. But it was too abrupt. Yes ... his wife''s body was ripped open vertically. Furthermore, the child she was holding was also cut cleanly into lengthwise slices. After that, the one that appeared was the Scorpion ¡¶Scorpion¡·. On rare occasions, demons would appear near the Boundary City. That timing was now. It was really just a coincidence. Because he happened to be there, his wife and child were killed and he survived. Blood and guts splattered in front of his eyes. Incomprehensible he gave up all understanding. After that, the anti-magicians who were nearby slaughtered the Scorpion ¡¶Scorpion¡· and the matter was over. From the point of view of the anti-magicians, this was not a particularly unusual event. Sometimes sacrifices were made. This time it was Freesia''s wife and child. That''s all. There was nothing fatal about it. It just happened. That''s all I can say. But his wailing could not be limited to that. ''''Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Gather. Raking. He scrapes up the pieces of the two men that have become mere chunks of flesh. He doesn''t care about the blood that sticks to him. I don''t care about the blood that smells like iron. I just have to get it back, and fast. He did so, and he scraped up what was once a human but a human is not a puzzle. If the pieces fit together, they don''t come back to life. They are dead. By the time he realized that...he had lost his mind. ''''........'''' How much time had passed since then? Staring at the calendar, I saw that it had only been a week. The funeral was held in the Third Conclusion City. This kind of thing was commonplace. There would always be casualties in the twilight. I don''t even want to count how many casualties there are every year. It was only his turn to do so. Oddly enough, it wasn''t himself, but everything he loved.... During the funeral, he did not cry. He just stared at the tombstone in amazement. If you ask him the name of Freesia Rosenkreuz, he will tell you that he is an ordinary researcher. But that changes with this. Most people who have lost a loved one suffer from PTSD or commit suicide. That is a statistically obvious fact. So which one did Freesia become? No. He is a human being who has gone on to the third possibility. And he will be the one who has achieved that result. He will take revenge on the demon race. Thoroughly, he would inflict the same suffering on the demon race that he had been deprived of. What he had in him was hatred. An overwhelming hatred. An emotion that far exceeds the love he had for his wife and daughter. It was a hatred that could rewrite this world........ "..... He devoted himself to his research. People around him learned about his situation. That''s why he didn''t think he would ever come to work again. Nevertheless, he threw himself into his work like a man possessed. Even in his sleep, he continued to stay and study in his lab. How could he confront the demon race and its overwhelming presence? The first thing he thought of was to strengthen his weapons. However, he realized that this was impossible. To begin with, their physical specs were vastly different. That''s when a revelation came. ''''The physical specs are different...?'''' That''s right. Humans are fragile. On the other hand, some demons can regenerate, and they don''t die to the extent of popping off their limbs. Their bodies are overwhelmingly stronger than humans. Then.............................There was only one thing to think about. ''''We can evolve a human........'''' What he had in mind was a fusion of human and demon race. Of course, there were already humans who tried to carry out such an attempt. But it was never executed. It was more of a technical problem than an ethical one. In the first place, it was considered impossible to combine conflicting species. But Freesia was a genius. He had the most genius mind since this bound city was born. The combination of his brain and hatred would change the situation drastically. He would thus........turn his hand to inhumane experiments. That is not something to be admired. But it would have a profound effect on humanity later on, for better or worse. And a few decades after that idea, his plan would begin to work in a big way. 75-Episode 75: Remembrance 2 Freesia recruited her friends. To accomplish her plan, she couldn''t do anything alone. This was going to be a big project. With that in mind, he secretly sought sponsors and collaborators. There was still a faint conscience in his mind that he couldn''t do this publicly. But that didn''t stop him anymore. For his hatred grew with each passing year. ''I wish you success, Doctor,'' Thank you very much. I shook hands with the nobleman who sponsored me. Their laboratory was in the basement of the royal castle. It was natural for them to conduct their activities in the basement for secrecy, but this place was better for the passage of magic elements than anything else. And they had created this underground facility by deceiving the eyes of the upper echelons of the military, the royalty, and even the special class anti-magicians. How had he managed to get to this point?¡¡Could that be due to his charisma? No. Because it was a symbol of the hatred of humanity. There are plenty of people in his situation. It exists everywhere, in the nobility, in the military, in researchers, and everywhere else. Everywhere there were people who had their loved ones killed by the demon tribe, but were unable to do anything about it. That''s why this was only a matter of time. Humans would get involved in inhumane experiments. It wasn''t even something that happened because of Freesia Rosenkreuz. Someone had to get there eventually. But oddly enough, Freesia was a genius. When that genius and insanity mingled together humanity would gain a mighty power. Congratulations, Doctor! Finally. I''m so glad I followed you. Underground facilities. Commonly known as "Hakoniwa", several decades have passed. There were many researchers in the Hakoniwa. Here, those who felt hatred for the demon race were diligent in their research. It was different in pure heat from those researching in the world above. Rather than the motive of saving this world, the motive of taking revenge on this world was the first result. The finished product was a prototype. A creature based on a human, but with the demon form of the demon race and the personal field ¡¶Personal Field¡·. Without a doubt, it is capable of becoming the strongest of mankind. And for sure, it will get its revenge. Until I came here, the past few decades had been a series of failures. There were times when I thought my research might be over. But still, they continued. Their persistence was unbelievable. The belief that they would absolutely succeed. It stemmed from hatred, but that didn''t matter to them. And the completed individual drifted off, filled with the solution. ''Her name is Claudia. I''ll take that as her individual name. Claudia. That was the name of the daughter he had lost decades ago. Freesia had given her the same name. Though artificially created, she was definitely his daughter. He felt the same affection for her as he did back then. But the hatred was never drowned out... ¡ó Dad, why can''t I leave this place? Just a few more minutes and we''ll be out of here. Until then, why don''t you go study with Dad? ''Yeah...'' Claudia was growing up fast. And most importantly, she was highly intelligent and she could handle transference magic. Transitional magic was said to have been lost in the Human Demon War hundreds of years ago, and it was even described as a legendary level of magic. On top of that, she could also handle modern magic without any discomfort. Without a doubt, her research had been successful. She had worked on numerous humans in the past. Of course, she had used it as much as possible on sinners and other people for research, but even so, she had sometimes kidnapped innocent civilians. But the sacrifices made made her complete. Freesia has already gone insane. Any sacrifice for her, and even more so for the sake of the successful body that would be born in the future, would be affirmed. He thought of that. ''''........'''' Another few years have passed since then. Claudia was alone in her bed, staring into the void. All she can think about these days is the question of where am I and who am I? Claudia was intelligent. She could learn anything and apply it quickly. Researchers were eager to educate her. And before she was ten years old, she had already acquired the knowledge of a researcher. Her high level of intelligence is evident in her behavior. Every move she made, and every conversation she had, was remarkable. Such was her question. It would never clear up. Rather, her desire grows stronger by the day. (Outside, I want to go outside.) I want to go outside. I''ve learned my lesson in this dimly lit underground facility. She was also curious. Such as she was, she was tired of doing things in this place. She wanted to go outside ... and Claudia was determined. She would go out into the outside world........ ''''Wow.............................'''' Claudia managed to get outside. Her access to the lab was controlled by magic, but she broke through it without difficulty. And for the first time, she came out to the outside world. ''....Red? My first thought was that it was red. This world is red. Strictly speaking, it is red and black. Proof that it was ruled by twilight. She knew that fact. Because she had learned that in that underground. Hundreds of years ago, humans were defeated in the Human-Magic War. Then the world was ruled by a mysterious phenomenon, twilight. What is twilight and what on earth is going on outside? This further piqued her curiosity. And then she knew. This is what the world is actually like. This reddish-black light is what controls the world, she realized instinctively. At the same time, Claudia thought. I want to know more, I want to know more. Why is this world ruled by the twilight? Why, she wondered, has twilight been lighting up the world for hundreds of years.... ''Let''s go... we have to go...'' When I thought that, my feet were naturally headed outside. The outside world out of the underground facility was still inside the First Boundary City. But this world is much larger. A bigger world awaits outside this one. The humans have designated it as the Dusk Danger Zone, but to her it was an unknown world, a place full of charm. I want to know. Why was I born and how in the world is this world made up? And Claudia used her transference magic to move her feet forward into the twilight. ''''There are ... many demons.'''' Dusk danger zone, level 2, it was full of demons. It was just as I''d heard. Dusk is full of demons. And people, such as humans, were only powerless in front of those demons.... However, Claudia advanced through this twilight effortlessly. Not even an hour has passed since she left the boxyard. And yet, she had already come to the danger zone level 3. There was nothing to be afraid of. Rather, she was enjoying the moment more than anything else, as she felt like she could satisfy this dry desire. It made her feel alive. This wide world, not that cramped boxy garden, was where I belonged. Claudia thought to herself. And as she walked further, she found a human. But already it had all been reduced to a corpse. Looking at the dismembered chunk of flesh, all I could think about was how the inside of a human was like this.... There was no fear in it. ''''........A survivor?'''' It seemed to be a human being that was there. But seeing the blood dripping from the swords in both hands, and even more so, seeing the overflowing magic element, I realized.......this is the demon race. Claudia immediately understood that it was a demon, a high level demon race among them. ''''Demon?'''' You''re not wearing a military uniform why is the child here? I''m not a child. I''m Claudia. Okay. Okay, Claudia. Why are you here? The demoness originally intended to cut off the child without mercy. But he didn''t do so. It was because I was interested in the magic element that Claudia emitted. ''''Well I came because I wanted to come. Is it bad? Are you alone? Yes. After all ... no, that figure ... What''s going on? Are you human? What? And she knows. Why she was born, why she was born.... 76-Episode 76: Remembrance 3 Am I not human? ...a mixture of human and demon blood. Human and demon blood. Really? Yeah, I''m sure. I see... When she heard those words, she understood. Why she was in that place, and what kind of place that research facility was. When she thought about it, she didn''t have a mother in her life. She had a father, but not a mother. No, perhaps that father was not really a father either. Claudia, being brilliant, pieced together the situation in that box garden and her current words and understood most of what she was saying. That she was an artificially created being. Knowing that fact, she realized that she wasn''t as shocked as she thought she was. Rather, she was satisfied in many ways that the mystery had been solved. What was it that she was born for? Even if he knew part of the reason for it, it made sense to go out there. While Claudia indulged in such contemplation, the other demoness was staring at her intently. (This child........maybe........) The demon was thinking. I''m not sure what this child is, but it could be used for that thing. Rather, this is a good opportunity. That''s what he was thinking. There are many circumstances on the demon''s side as well. This world ruled by the twilight is not completely dominated by the demon race in any way. The demons were part of the demon race, and each species of demon race had its own conflicts. Hundreds of years ago, the demons began to confront each other when they started fighting each other. From there, the forces were divided into three main groups: demons, sub-humans, and demons. Demons, sub-humans and demons. These three forces have been fighting each other for nearly 100 years now. Among them, this child might be the key to breaking the current situation. The demon thought to himself. ''''It''s Claudia. Hmm? "Don''t you want to know about this world? ''You''re going to teach me?¡¡We don''t kill them, like these people. Claudia points to the corpses scattered around. If it were a normal human being, it would be something that would scream and run away. On the other hand, Claudia on the other hand is not afraid of such things. She just tells them her guesses in a matter-of-fact manner. Seeing this, the demon liked her even more. It was just at the time when the demoness was thinking about intervening in humans. Because of that, the demon spoke. About the current state of this twilight world. Claudia was going to get information that humanity could never know. ¡ó Not even two hours would have passed in time. Claudia was already back in the boxyard and was in her room as usual. No one had found out that she had slipped out of this lab. ''Well, let''s study again today, Claudia. Yeah! Then, without a care in the world, she began her studies with Freesia. She went to the twilight, and then she met the demon. What they talked about there was more exciting to her than anything else. She couldn''t end up in this tiny world. She thought so, and decided to betray humanity. No, that might be a strange thing to call it betrayal. That was the deal. Claudia didn''t take the side of the demons because she hated humanity. She joined the side of the demons because she had something to do. There was no hesitation. That''s all she cares about, everything else is just a trivial matter. Of course, Freesia and the others educated her. It was mainly about the demon race being the enemy of humanity and how evil they were. But Claudia wasn''t simple enough to be carried away by such things. She just wanted to know. The truth of this world. The origins of this world. She defined it herself as the meaning of her birth. Then there was no more ... no more of this box garden. And she will continue to play the clown for a few years in order to fulfill a plan. Just an innocent girl. She tried to be reasonably smart and reasonably stupid without questioning anything. She listens to adults and gets results in magical experiments. The ideal child they wanted. He continued to play it up. After a while ... the time came. ''Claudia how could you........how could you.......'' It was Freesia in front of me. It had been a few years since then. Claudia had already grown up enough to be an almost complete being. And just as they were about to unleash her into the twilight, it happened. Claudia was relentless, killing every human in this box garden without mercy. Popping the heads off of them all. It was as cartoony as breathing. Her magical skills had already surpassed the Special Grade Anti-Magic Master by a long shot. ''''Why?¡¡By all means, nothing, I just don''t want to be a tool for you guys here. ''Oh no... no... but... well...'' Already the companion she had studied with for years had been killed by Claudia. But Freesia did not harbor such hatred for her. She didn''t know why she had acted this way. He was only confused. But other feelings were slowly growing in his mind. Claudia had grown up to be a fine young woman and was thus trying to move forward of her own accord. He didn''t know what lay beyond that bloody world, but he was relieved. He wouldn''t have to be confused by those visions any longer. Besides, he would be killed by his beloved daughter. It''s more than enough of an end for me, who had accumulated a mountain of sins. That was the last thing I thought to myself. "Bye, Daddy. Claudia. My beloved daughter, be good. Claudia beheaded him without mercy. Without any hesitation, without any guilt. This was work. Not carnage. A prep for the plan that was to come. She licked off the spattered blood and stared at the devastation nonchalantly. What is she seeing in her eyes...? And so her life begins. 77-Chapter 77: Remembrance 4 Is it over? Yeah, I''m done. There was a large amount of blood caked on her body. The fresh blood still dripping tells you that this horrific scene is still fresh. Claudia then licks the blood from her lips with a peroration. The bewitching figure was no longer human. ''What about the aftermath?'' Well, I''ll play it straight. Besides, I want to keep using this facility. Roger that. Speaking of which, what''s your name? It was the demon she was talking about at that time. It seems that he is good at nature-changing magic of all kinds, and now he is in this box garden in a fully human form. He had just come because Claudia was going to make things happen. He had sneaked into the Boundary City a few times before, but this time he was fully dressed as a human since it was going to be a long shot. And the two of them once again tell each other their names. ''I am Silas. You can call me whatever you want to call me. Silas. I''m Claudia. It''s nice to meet you. And so their long, long, plan drew to a close. ¡ó First of all, he needed to reach a reasonable position to make it easier to act in the army. If possible, a special grade anti-magician would be a good idea. They concluded that, but the question was how to get there. To put it bluntly, if it was in its current state, it was strong enough to become a special class anti-magician, but if two such beings suddenly appeared out of the blue, it would be suspicious. The existence of Hakoniwa is also thought to be completely concealed, but even so, there is a possibility that their whereabouts could be discovered from rumors and other sources. So the two of them started by disguising their household registration and entering the Counter-Magic Academy. This means a very long term plan. They would enter the Counter-Magic Academy, where they would gradually rise to prominence and enter the Special Class Counter-Magic Academy. The two of them also had other things to do. It was the presence of three people other than Claudia. A survivor in that research facility. It was not a researcher, but a being just like her. An artificially created human. No, I don''t know if I can call it a human, but for now, its successful body will have to wait for awakening. Then Claudia and Silas left those three in an orphanage. What kind of life those three would lead from now on they started to monitor their movements all the time as well. ''.........Hey, can Silas be placed in a normal home? Hmm?¡¡Oh I''m special. Ordinary demons can''t do this. Above all, this human-created warding is extremely excellent. It''s impossible for an ordinary demon race to penetrate them. Huh but you need to break through these wards, right? ''As far as the future goes, yes,'' The two of them were talking about their plans in the box garden. What they needed to accomplish was to free the Sefirot Tree. But there are conditions for that. In order to meet them, they also need to meet a number of additional factors. The fact that the two of them are hiding in the Counter Demon Academy as students is part of that. And the biggest factor, those three......The two of them were pondering what to do with him in particular. ''''Well come to think of it, can''t we use the other one?¡¡Those are twins, right? After analyzing it, we found out that her sister can''t be used in the Sefirot Tree, but we couldn''t bear to lose her, so we sent her home. But we didn''t want to keep it, so we sent it home. Hmm. You''re going to raise me as a witch? Yeah. You''re half-human, right? Well, if it''s going to kill you, that''s all that matters. Okay. Life is not precious to both of us. Everything is just a tool to fulfill a purpose. And so they began to move. In order to fulfill their purpose.... And so a few years passed--. ''Claudia-chan........well.......congratulations......on becoming a special class anti-magician.... ...Wow, I''m happy too? ''Ha, Belle, you''re the same as always! But thank you. I''ll continue to do my best for the sake of humanity! Well that''s good to hear, that''s good to hear, so... Yes! Military Quarters. Claudia and Silas both became soldiers, and Silas quickly became the strongest of the human race. He ranked first in the hierarchy of special class anti-magicians. But that''s as it should be. It''s obvious that he is a witch, so he is no match for a human being. Besides, being ranked number one in the hierarchy would expand the range of things he could do. Claudia, on the other hand, did not show much of her true value. Even so, she was still able to reach the position of a special class anti-magician. She also possessed the blood of the demon race in her body, so she was normally more powerful than humans in every way. However, she would never fully show it. Furthermore, for the day to come she would do whatever it took. Right now she''s talking to Belle, but this personality is an acquired one. Originally Claudia was a cool, calm and intelligent woman, but she put on the mask of being a bright woman. To ensure that everything is in order, Silas and Claudia do their best to make sure everything is in order. And then the day came. Yes, the day to banish Julia to the twilight. "...and the money will be in hand. Are you sure you want to do this? Of course. In advance. So, are we all set? ''Ha, yes. So I should just pretend to be separated from Julia? Oh. I''ll leave it up to you to decide what to do in that situation, but don''t let anyone else find out. Okay, I understand. Silas had changed his own appearance, voice quality, and everything else that brought him into contact with Dan. He understands Julia''s environment. A fallen counter-magician. And she grew up with a gentle nature. But it''s not enough. He needs a harsher environment to encourage his awakening. And so Silas made contact with Dan and completed all the arrangements. Thus, Julia is banished to the twilight. 78-Chapter 78: Remembrance 5 Claudia and Silas understood that four sacrifices were needed to free the Sephiroth Tree ¡¶Tree¡·. That meant that no matter if it was a demon or a saint, they needed a creature that possessed a vast amount of magic elements to be aligned anyway. And they had three humans who were the legacy left behind by Freesia Rosenkreuz. They were Yulia, Shelly, and Eira. Julia was born as a backup after Claudia was created. Furthermore, Sherry and Eira were implanted with the remaining Twilight Factor in Julia. Strictly speaking, Claudia and Yulia are the original individuals. Claudia is 70% demon race and 30% human. But that''s still not what we should call complete. And Freesia and the others created the ultimate individual, Yulia. Julia was even called a divine creature, with a perfect ratio of five to five. Her twin sister, Claire, on the other hand, was incomplete, with 60 percent demon race and 40 percent human. The fact that they were twins but had different components surprised researchers, but they were still filled with the joy of fulfilling their desires. Then Freesia and her team implanted a special factor they called the Twilight factor in Julia in a human child. They were going to achieve greatness in their future research, no doubt. But in anticipation of this, Claudia took that research away from them and killed them all. Then, in order to encourage awakening, she released Yulia into the twilight. ''What about you, Yulia, what about you?'' You''re in a Dusk Hazard Area, level 6. So far, so-so awake. Hmm. So, how''s Shelly and Eira? ''The two of them are close to awakening. What''s most interesting is that the individual implanted with the factor has a faster awakening. Speaking of which, it sounds like Eira is going to be a special grade anti-magician soon. ''''Oh. Without a doubt, she''s a gem who can be a special grade anti-magician. And Sherry Amis is also showing glimpses of it. ''I see........oh, and what about Claire?¡¡How are you doing back home? ''I heard he''s playing the lion''s share of the unification war. I knew it was a good idea to send that guy home. "A unity war........so Silas won''t have to participate? ''I''m more interested in our plan. Besides, I''m personally interested in Uriah Curtis. She''s the ultimate in human karma. I can''t wait to see how much she grows. ''Yes. And we''re almost there, almost there... Oh. Our prayers are answered. It''s been a long time. ''Fiends have a longer lifespan than humans; about ten years, which to me is a short one. That''s it? Was Claudia long? Yeah. It''s been a very, very long, long road... They were talking as usual in the box garden. How many times had they been here in the basement of the royal castle already? Claudia then looked back at the path they had taken so far. It had been a long time. That''s all she could think of. It had taken a long time to inaugurate the plan, as well as the time to wait for the four of them to awaken, but it had also taken time to build up the groundwork to make it all happen. Besides, even though the three of them were watching over here, Princess Liane''s presence was quite troublesome. She''s had a bell on her all along. And when she awakens as a saint, her singular ability ¡¶Extras¡· will be troublesome. If she awakened as a saint too soon, her plans would have to be greatly modified. This is a gamble, so to speak. There was no denying that there was an element of it. ''''........I wonder if it will succeed. Only God knows what to do. Ironic, coming from an atheist. ''I don''t remember being an atheist in any way. There may or may not be a God. No species, not just demons and humans, has the means to prove the existence of God. And a means that does not exist. But if there is a being called God.........................maybe he knows. I just thought so. You''re being weird. Well, don''t listen to me. ''Hmmm, so that''s what Cyrus would say. ''Well I''ve known you a long time. Besides, you haven''t changed much for me since you were a kid back then. You''ve grown up, though? It''s all the same inside. You''re alive for a purpose. Am I right? ''Well ... well ... I''ve got work to do, so let''s go. ''Oh...'' They get up and leave the box yard. Maybe this is the time to talk to each other like this and discuss the future.......maybe we''re almost there. Claudia''s heart couldn''t control her deviating heartbeat. She just wanted to know. How this world works. I want to uncover this world. That curiosity would always control her. The emotions that humans, demons, and even other demonkind possessed did not exist in her. Strictly speaking, there is, but it is too rare. But it is too weak. It''s impossible to understand other people''s emotions. She can pretend to understand them, but she cannot agree with them from the bottom of her heart. It was missing from her when she was in the academy and even now in the military. Everything, such as joy, anger and sorrow, is meaningless before this purpose. That was what she had always thought. And she did not question it. Was the anomaly inborn or acquired? If the Freesia Rosenkreutzes are at fault, it is that they did not look into the minds of the objects they produced. Of course, they had conducted a type of brainwashing under the guise of education. Still, Claudia had not been consumed by that brainwashing. She had already become an independent being from the time her ego had sprouted. A demon and a human. That complex might be alien to her mind as well as her body. Her innermost wish is almost there. No matter what means it takes, I will accomplish it. That is what Claudia was all about. ''''I will arrive ... to that place.'''' It was all because of that day. I was a young boy when I met the demon, and I made a vow. One day I would see the brilliant blue sky. 79-Chapter 79: Remembrance 6 Two years had passed since then. Both Claudia and Silas had continued to monitor Julia with a lot of help. And his awakening had almost certainly begun. She has the same white hair as Claire, and the magic she uses for it is also the same as Claire''s. She has completely awakened her abilities as a demon, so Yulia will reach it in a short time. And so they moved as soon as they knew that Yulia was coming back to the Boundary City. ''''What do you think?'''' It''s fine. Your combat skills are pretty good. So, are we still on schedule? Yeah. They watched Shelly and Yulia fight. It was to see the degree of Yuria''s awakening. And the two concluded. If it''s in its current state, it''s possible........ The two then took further action. Claudia suppressed her deviating mind and came face to face with Julia. ''''Ah........you''re the one who watched the match with Shelly, as I recall? ''What?¡¡You remembered it, Yulia-kun. Well what about you two? I''m Gil. I''m a master counter-magician. My name is Claudia. I''m also an extra-specialist demoness. Eh.... "Living for two years in the twilight it''s hard to believe, but this looks like a real thing to me, seeing how good you are. Hey Claudia, how much combat time are you getting? I mean it''s got to be over a thousand hours, right? ''''That''s about it for me too, but two years means this guy has been in the twilight for over 17,000 hours. As expected, I don''t think he''s more than ten times as strong as we are, but you were right. I told you. I told you I was strong. So be more specific. Because I wanted to see him for what he was really doing. What the hell? She''s just an old woman in her thirties. What?¡¡I''m only 27 years old! Despite the exchange, Claudia''s gaze never left Julia''s. She could certainly feel it. The blood of a witch that lies deep within him. It wasn''t a singular ability ¡¶extra¡· or magic. It was just a hunch. But it definitely showed that Claudia and Julia were of the same quality. I couldn''t help but smile. To be clear, banishing them to twilight was also a gamble. He knew that driving him into the twilight would hasten his awakening, and he knew that with Claire. Claire''s awakening was quicker because she continued to stay in the thick of the twilight. That''s why she thought Yulia should do the same, but it wasn''t like she was observing Yulia at all hours of the day. There was a chance that she would die at some point. However, Yulia came back with a certain strength. Claudia and the others didn''t particularly help her. They just watched. That trail of his. At the same time, Claudia believed in him. He was a more perfect individual than he was, and he couldn''t die here. And if he was going to die here, that was it. She thought that the plan could be replaced by someone else, but she realized that he was still special. And after that, Silas will meet Julia. Without a doubt, their mission had begun. ¡ó ''Oh well, well, sorry for the wait. Come on, Yulia. I''d like you to come in. Well I''m sorry to trouble you. Silas smiled smugly and invited Julia in. ''Come on, here''s your tea. Here you go........ Thank you. And although he was usually hospitable to Julia, there was only a calculating feeling. First, he had to make a good impression. In the first place, Silas, the number one in the special class anti-magician order, is that kind of man. He has used his ability to transform into hundreds of millions of people using his ability to transform. He already can''t remember his former self. All he has is who he is now. He has memories of the past, of course, but that is only a minor detail. To Silas, appearances are nothing more than decorations and symbols. ''I''m sorry, I''m sorry you had to come in on such short notice. ''No, so I was told that Mr. Silas was here. I''m Silas. Nice to meet you, Julia. Uh ... are you Silas? Yeah. Surprised? ''Well... no disrespect, but I was imagining someone more forceful. ''Haha, I get told that a lot. I''ve been told a lot by other special-grade antimagicians to get cracking. ''Uh ... are you sure you''re number one in the pecking order, Silas? It''s an ostentatious position, but it is one thing. It''s nice to meet you, Julia. Yes..... Then Silas shakes hands with Julia. At the same time, Silas feels it. That there is indeed a demon''s blood flowing within him. It was something he could understand instinctively as well as Claudia. ''Thin hands, right?'' Yeah, I guess so. ''Julia-kun is sturdy. And he''s got a lot of depth. I''m not a master at surviving the twilight for two years. Do you believe me? Silas laughs heartily. Believe it or not, Silas and his friends set it all up. That is an undoubted fact. There was no way he would ever doubt it. ''I''m sorry, but I''ve looked into you. Two years ago, I was a student in the Third Field City. Your grades are the lowest in the world. No skills to speak of. Your written work was so-so, but your fighting skills were devastating. I''d say it''s hopeless. In the party, he was mainly a healer. That will grow to the level of a special grade anti-magician in two years. There''s no way that''s possible. But I can believe it when I tell you that I lived two years in the twilight. And it''s just like you and me.... It''s not appropriate to say that I''ve looked into it. I''ve traced everything about Julia. There is nothing that you do not know. Then Silas shows his right arm to Julia. "Twilight Syndrome, level 5........ ''''Yes, most of the special class antimagicians are affected by a disease called Twilight Syndrome. Some of them are not affected at all, but I''m just like you. Well......... So, what did you want me to do here? I''d like you to be the thirteenth extraordinaire anti-magician. Me? Yes, you. You''re that good. You know that, don''t you?¡¡As far as my own abilities are concerned. ...it''s The engraving on your arm. It''s a trick. He''s just making it look that way. As a demon, Silas is not affected by the Twilight Syndrome, or any other kind of twilight syndrome, to begin with. But in order to mimic a human, that imprint is firmly engraved on his arm. And Silas recruits Julia. That is not the meaning of the word. For the sake of the future, it would be more convenient to have Julia become a special class anti-magician. That was all. His ability or lack of ability was in fact only a trivial matter. ''''You don''t like it?'''' I don''t think I have the qualifications... ''Hmm. But we can''t let a person as powerful as you play with them. So, my suggestion is, do you want to accompany me on this expedition to the First Knot City as my bodyguard?¡¡But if you''re a student, you need to remain in the student selection process to participate. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what to expect when you''re in the marketplace. There''s a lot of things to do from a physical standpoint. An expedition...? ''''Actually, the royal family is currently on a tour of each city. This seventh ward city is the last one, but we need a few more guards to return to the first ward city. We''re currently in the process of vetting the best people from each city. Besides, it''s very valuable to go to another ward city beyond the twilight to train the rest of us. If I''m going to live as a high-ranking anti-magician in the future, there will be even more travel between cities. Now, what do we do? .... The most obvious thing to say. Even this expedition was all part of the plan. And he knew it. Julia''s personality hadn''t essentially changed. And there was probably some trauma from the past. He didn''t expect an easy nod. But surely Yulia would move on. He''s a man with a sense of justice. That''s the way it''s supposed to be. ''''Well it''s time for humanity to move on. The followers have grown up enough. Now is the time to fight back. It is time to reclaim the land and the light of this world. We need your help. Well I understand. Yes, sir. I''ll take care of the guards. Student selection starts the day after tomorrow, I believe. I''m not going to be able to just walk in and say, ''Hey, I''m going to be the examiner. By the way, I will be the examiner. I won''t give you any special treatment, but I''m sure you''ll be able to stay. I''ll do my best to live up to your expectations. I look forward to seeing you again. Then I see Julia leave, and Claudia comes out from behind. ''Are you done?'' Yeah. It''s another great performance, as usual. Acting?¡¡Well, that''s something I''m used to. I wonder if he''ll do it. ''I will. We''ll set it up, of course, but he''s made to do it. ''''Well yes. Now, it''s time to start in earnest. Yeah. And so their plans are further accelerated. 80-Chapter 80: Remembrance 7 Oh my God, I didn''t know you were home. Yeah. Home country won at least once. Was it the Unity War? ''Yes, but it''s a token victory. The war will still go on. Don''t you need to add to your team?¡¡Silas could be an asset, right? The first priority for me is our activities. And I''m a lower level person than the rest of the demons. In terms of strength, I''m just a small army. ''''Well it''s outrageous that the strongest of mankind is a mongrel soldier,'''' ''To begin with, the specifics of the body, and whether or not it can adapt to the twilight, are important. Humans can''t adapt to the twilight. There are all sorts of experimental bodies, but it''s a fine line. Yeah. The Box Garden. Claudia was experimenting as usual, but just as she was about to do so, Silas had arrived. He occasionally returns to his home country like this. When I first heard that the demon race also has a country, Claudia thought it was surprising, but to begin with, there is not that much difference between them and humans. It''s no wonder that they have a country. Although Claudia has only heard the outline, the current situation in the twilight seems to be like this. The demon race is divided into three forces. Demons, sub-humans, and demons. The battle for power there is constantly taking place. It has been going on for a hundred years now. In the past, they joined their forces to fight humans, but afterwards, it became a question of which species would rule the world and went straight to war. That war continues to this day with no decisive outcome. Surprisingly, no one seems to know where the twilight phenomenon came from. The twilight that suddenly arose after winning the battle against the humans and driving them to the poles. The demons have been studying it as well. But it is still unknown. However, there is no doubt that they are strengthening the demon race, so all three forces have left it alone regarding the twilight. In the meantime, the demons are taking various actions to break this situation. This plan against the humans is one part of it, but it''s not the main one. As a demon, it''s just something that will hopefully work. That''s why there is only one helper, Silas. Claudia didn''t think anything in particular when she was told about it. The demons would only do the same if they were using her as well. It was just a matter of interest, but that was fine. She didn''t need anything else as long as she could achieve her goal. That''s what she thought. ''Oh, by the way, was it a pet?¡¡How''s the preparation going? The Ancient Spider, the Ancient Spider, is already in position. As soon as I give the signal, I can fly it in transition. ''I thought, I always use wire, but that means...'' This is not a wire. Strictly speaking, it''s the thread of the Ancient Spider, the Ancient Spiders. It''s the only thing that can be used because it incorporates his abilities. And most importantly, it''s easy to use, and there''s no way for him to realize his abilities without being detected. Hmm, that''s why. Well, enough chit-chat. Let''s go. Okay. They did so and left the place. ¡ó ''I''ll take care of the small fry, Uriah, you take care of the big one. You take the big one. I understand. ...How long does that magic eye last? ''I could go for three hours if I gave it my all. I used to keep it all day in the twilight. Good job. Let''s go! Yes! On the move in the twilight. Silas had dared to lure the giant spider ¡¶Huge Spider¡· to measure Julia''s ability. The ancient spider ¡¶Enchemental Spider¡· was completely under Silas'' control and could give orders no matter how far away it was. This time, he had ordered the appropriate amount of giant spiders, the Huge Spider, to come to this perimeter. Then Silas observed Julia while pretending to fight in the rear. This time, one of the individuals has a red crystal. It was the result of a certain experiment, but........ And as Silas thinks about it, the situation is quickly settled. ''''Yulia-kun, are you done?'''' Yes. It took me a while. Regeneration... Have you ever seen this one before? No, I''ve never seen it before. I''ve never seen that before. And it''s fast. Even with all your sword fights, you couldn''t match the playback speed. Did you see that? Yeah. A long time ago. I''m not telling a lie, but I''m not telling the truth either. Silas once again changes his perception of Julia. He thought about that, but his mouth said something else entirely. ''No, sir.'' Yeah. No. But perhaps that''s what was responsible for the super-speed regeneration. ''Rationally, yes. But did it occur naturally... or was it embedded in something else? You think there''s an outsider? ''As for the possibility...'' Hmm. Let''s put it on the agenda when we arrive at the First Boundary City. As a matter of fact, all the special class anti-magicians are going to have a meeting this time, which is rare. Julia-kun, you''ll have to attend. ''What?¡¡I''m not listening to you!¡¡No way! "And there''s also a party for the royals. ''What?¡¡I didn''t hear that either! Yeah. I''m telling you now. Seriously, are you sure... ''''Seriously. Also, I''m inviting the best people from the other citadel cities to the party, as well as some of the higher-ups in the military and such. Huh ... okay. Okay. The crystal that controls superspeed regeneration. It was the legacy of Freesia Rosenkreuz. This time, I embedded it in the giant spider ¡¶Huge Spider¡·, and Silas was relieved that it seemed to work reasonably well. It seems that the plan is going to go smoothly......... 81-Chapter 81: Remembrance 8 Third Boundary City. They planned to take a temporary break here, but that wasn''t Silas'' purpose. His purpose was to meet a certain person. And at the place where they met up, Silas would change his appearance into another person to meet him. ''It''s been a while. How have you been? Yes yes, so what can I do for you? ''Yes. Where do I start? They are in an alleyway. There, Silas and ... and Dan were having a conversation. Dan hadn''t seen Silas since it happened two years ago. It''s surprising that he suddenly contacted me. Dan was guilty of many things. At the time, I was certainly dazzled by the money, but I had a lot of thoughts for him, thinking that Yulia was definitely dead. That said, he''d heard that Silas had erased all the evidence and stuff, so Dan wasn''t worried about that. The question was, was there something else........ Honestly, I don''t want to go through that again. Right now, he had some of the money he had received back then. Besides, he''s almost at the stage where he could become a soldier. "...Julia Curtis, but he''s coming back alive. What... wait!¡¡Julia said she''s dead! ''''Even for us, it''s unexpected, but he survived for two years in the twilight and gained power. And that''s as good as a special grade anti-magician. ''Oh, no!¡¡How could that be possible! Do you doubt me? Ugh.... ''Well, I figured you''d say that, so I pulled out the mug shot and the information from the database. Take a look. Hi. Dan then looked through the documents. First of all, he looked at the mug shot, but Dan was sure of it. The hair color and also the face has changed, but there is no doubt that it is Yulia. Besides, I heard that she''s currently a student in the Seventh Knot City. What''s even more remarkable.......it says that she''s ranked 13th in the special class anti-magician pecking order. ''''Thirteenth in the rankings of an extra-grade counter-magician?'''' ''''Oh it''s still unofficial, but there will be a ceremony in the First Warding City you''re heading to from now on where he''ll be appointed as a special class anti-magician. Dan covers his face with his right hand. It''s not that Dan wants to do anything in particular to Yulia, either. It''s true that it''s not good to have Yulia tell you what happened back then, but...........................but I can''t lay hands on her. And pink particles streamed in from behind. Dan inhales it decently, and at the same time his consciousness fades away. ''Yulia Curtis, you hate me, don''t you?'' No I''m not... Do you hate it? Yes. You want more power than he has, don''t you? Yes. And the human race is over. Don''t you think it''s a good idea to be on our side? This side...? I''m a demon. I am a demon. The demon attack is about to begin. Then you will arrest him and put him in front of me. Do you understand? Yes. Dan''s consciousness is already vague. He wasn''t sure what he was saying to himself. Still, there was a thought ruminating in his head. I hate Julia. I hate her. Hate. Hate. Hate. I hate. I hate you. I hate you. I hate you. I hate you. And we must act for him. Yes, we must. ''Then I will give you this. Thank you very much. Silas takes out a crystal and holds it out in front of Dan''s forehead. The crystal is then embedded in his head. ''''........'''' No rejection. Very good. Now all that''s left is the curse. Silas carves a curse, the Curse, on Dan, whose eyes are already unfocused. It is a type of curse, a spell that controls thoughts and actions at will. In order to be sure, Silas carves the curse, Curses, on Dan. ''''Good. Then take care of the rest. Yes..... Then Dan''s wobbly gait gradually became more solid and he walked on. ''Sounds like it worked.'' It was Claudia who came out of the shadows. The particle that clouded his consciousness earlier was the magic Claudia used. Just in case, she had also prepared her backup. However, it was originally something that Silas could do alone, but he had a big job ahead of him in the First Boundary City. He didn''t want to devote so much effort to it right now. ''''Ah. There would be some muddled memories, though. You won''t remember most of this exchange either.'''' Is that thing still functional? It''s just an experiment. It won''t interfere with the plan. Can humans be born a demon, right? What would you do with the Twilight Syndrome, if you know what it is? I''m just curious. Don''t worry about it. Hmm. Silas and Claudia are working together out of mutual interest, not because they truly trust each other. She doesn''t really understand the experiments that Silas sometimes conducts. But that''s okay. It''s a good thing that this is the case, because in just a few short months.......... 82-Episode 82: Remembrance 9 The First Boundary City. Silas was making his final preparations. The purpose of attacking the Warding City was its magic element. Releasing the Sefirot Tree would require a huge amount of magical elements. It would require many human sacrifices. This is the final stage of the plan. It is necessary to confine a special class anti-magician, or a first class anti-magician with comparable power, but that is Claudia''s role. The generation of wards is her domain. What, then, does Silas accomplish? It is to break the warding that is the keystone of this ward city. Warding is something that has existed ever since humans built this city hundreds of years ago, and it is an absolute defense. Only humans are allowed inside these walls. Strictly speaking, if you don''t possess even a small amount of human''s magical form and unique domain, the Personal Field, you will be blocked by the warding. Although many humans don''t know it, these wards are truly protecting humans from the demon race. When Silas realized this fact, he was astonished. He wondered if such an elaborate ward existed in this world. Even on the demon''s side, it is impossible for them to create wards of this scale, and of this high quality. And seven of them unfolded and kept it up. It was no mean feat. He was currently transforming his existence into a human being. It was because of his ability to manipulate the magic element and the Personal Field ¡¶Personal Field¡· at will that Silas was able to hide in this ward city, but now he was in the guise of a completely different person. It was a security anti-magician. At first glance, it was nothing out of the ordinary. Then he reaches the front of the sanctuary after making sure there are no humans around. ''''........here?'''' Silas came to the door of the sanctuary. He knew that a function existed beyond this to maintain the wards. In the first place, he had rarely entered the sanctuary, even now that he was ranked first in the special class anti-magician order. Only once had he entered the sanctuary with Her Majesty the Queen. Even though he was ranked first in the Special Class Counter-Magician Order, he didn''t know everything about humans. And he had an answer to the question of what to do with this ward. It was impossible to destroy them from the outside in the first place. If it could be easily destroyed, humans would have been destroyed long ago. Yes, he concluded. And this answer is only possible because of him. No, strictly speaking, there was no need to change the figure itself. What the sanctuary is aware of is the magical form and the inherent domain ¡¶Personal Field¡·. They were unique to royalty, and even only the queen could possess them, and even Silas took the time to copy them. That''s how long it took him nearly ten years....... He used the small amount of time he had spent in audience with Her Majesty to scrounge up the building blocks. Little by little, little by little, he continued to scrounge them up. Of course, there weren''t many times when he would come to the royal castle and have an audience with her. So whenever Silas brought her into view, he continued to stare at her as if he could see through her essence. His ability is both an alteration and a copy of it. But its essence is the rewriting of its components. Therefore, you cannot transform without understanding those of your opponent. After many years, he fully understood Her Majesty''s Magical Form and Unique Domain ¡¶Personal Field¡·.............and brought it under his control. ''''It''s.......open. He held up his hand with a swoosh and the sanctuary opened its doors. There was uncertainty. There was no certainty in his mind that he would succeed completely. There was even the possibility of a trap or the door not opening. Nevertheless, Silas had won the bet. ''''........'''' When I walked in, there was a blank space. At first glance, there seemed to be nothing there. But his gaze was directed to the bright red sphere in the center. (Is this the one controlling it...?) Soon you will understand what you are controlling. It''s a type of holy relic ¡¶Relic¡·. There are relics ¡¶relic¡· on the demon''s side as well, but I''ve never seen anything as elaborate as this one. (Now let''s destroy it...) You may think so, but you will soon realize that it is impossible to destroy this Relic. In the first place, the Relic is not only for humans. It is a substitute that all living things cannot understand. Considering this possibility, he touched the sphere. (Disarming........can it work........) As soon as he touches it, he cuts off the flow of magic element that is connected to the Relic and the outside. Then he senses that the ward has been lifted, but he realizes that this is only a matter of time. ''''I see........I see.......Even if it is cancelled, the specification will automatically return after a few hours......What kind of structure is that?'''' Silas immediately sensed that magic element was flowing from that Relic, the Holy Relic. If this continued, this magic element would generate wards again. Of course, if he obstructed it all the way here, he could prevent the ward from regenerating, but he would now have to gather at the meeting as the first in the special class anti-magic master order. Moreover, he also plans to lock up all the special class anti-magicians there through Claudia''s magic. He couldn''t just stand on his feet here. Fortunately, we can break the wards for a few hours. That''s enough. As soon as the warding is lifted, the demons have already been called in. Perhaps some individuals may have already invaded the interior. ''''Hahaha... no, we haven''t succeeded yet. I can''t help but smile. It is indeed funny when things go so well. The plan goes smoothly, as if someone told me to do so. Then Silas leaves the sanctuary. There was no more time to wait until the attack on the Warding City. 83-Episode 83: Remembrance 10 The party in the First Boundary City was over. Yulia officially became a special class anti-magician there, and then the meeting was waiting for her. In theory, it was supposed to be a meeting.......and Julia''s introduction, but the situation has already begun to move significantly. ''''Senpai, I''m.......glad to get to know you. I can really rely on you. It''s not like you''re suddenly... ''Ah!¡¡Eira, she''s so embarrassed. You and Julia have become friends?¡¡I love it... I love it! Gee, Claudia you''re moving too fast.... Julia''s coming!¡¡Well, it''s coming fast! Inside the conference room, Claudia waited. For Julia to come in. And as soon as she saw that she and Eira were alone, she went to talk to her. ''Let me introduce myself again. I''m Claudia. I''m seventh in the pecking order, how do you do? Yes. It''s nice to meet you. A light handshake is exchanged, and she senses it. She instinctively realizes that she and Yulia are the same being, after all. It''s about time for Eira to awaken again. Claudia laughs in her mind and takes a seat at the round table as it is. ''''Then let''s have our new special class anti-magician, Yulia-kun, say hello. Since it''s you guys anyway, it''s probably a few people who were at the party earlier. Well then, Yulia-kun, please. Yes! Taking that word as a cue, Claudia began to generate a ward. ''''My name is Julia Curtis. I am honored to be chosen as a special class anti-magician. I would like to contribute to humanity just like all of you, so I look forward to working with you. The warding of the first ward city has already been lifted. Only Silas and Claudia are currently the only people who know that information. And so she begins. She executes the plan that has taken decades of time. (..............Alright, at this rate, we can do it. Claudia is a being who is particularly skilled in ancient magic due to Freesia''s development. She can use shifting magic, but she can also use powerful warding magic. When she banished Julia to Dusk, she threw her sense of direction off and made him head for Dusk, but that was by Claudia. This time, he put up a super-powerful ward that even a special-grade anti-magician could not disarm. The constituent elements are confirmed, and lastly, the person with a specific unique area ¡¶Personal Field¡· is prevented from leaving this area. Furthermore, it''s not just in this place. Right now, there are other places in the conference room where the antimages and the queen are also having meetings. We already know the schedule for today. Claudia specifies the coordinates and activates the wards as it is. At first glance, Claudia looks like she''s just smiling and laughing, but she succeeds in generating a ward without being perceived by anyone but Silas. This place has already become a space from which it is impossible to escape easily. A bird in a cage indeed. The rest of the arrangement is to have the demons raid this city and fill this place with magical elements. When the magical element is full, I will use the Pycnosis technique to move to the courtyard and retrieve Shelly and Princess Liane. All I have to do now is release the Sefirot Tree. (Silas, it''s over...) A glance tells him so, and that''s where he ends the meeting. ''Then we are now dismissed. Each of you will hold fast to your assigned cities. Julia and Eira were the first to leave when he said that. Of course, Claudia and Silas know that. They both know that it is not possible for them to leave this place. But the two of them walk out without difficulty. It''s as if they don''t care about the wards. (....We''ve been let out!¡¡(The wards are supposed to be working! Without expressing her surprise at all, Claudia checked the process of creating the wards again. What she found was that the wards she had activated were still being maintained. And if the other members tried to go out, their actions would be prevented. ''''........Hey, that''s a ward, isn''t it?'''' It was Roy who muttered that. He was about to leave this conference room. Nevertheless, he was unable to proceed due to the generation of an invisible wall in front of him. Of course, he has a short temper, so he immediately tried to destroy it but... it was impossible. ''''Hey, hey, hey, what''s the meaning of this?¡¡This warding........is bad....... You soon realize. You will never be able to break the wards with your own skills. And the other members who noticed Roy''s condition also approached near the door to check its wards. ''''........This is a component I don''t even know about. Claudia says this with a look of surprise on her face. And next came Eve. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about it. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about this as well. ''''Impossible........'''' The special class anti-magicians shuddered at his words. Warding can be broken physically, but it is better to use magic interference to destroy it. In such a situation, a special-grade counterpart who is skilled in magic said it was impossible. No wonder they are surprised. ''''What about........Yuria-kun and Eira?'''' It is Silas who asks that. I ask the others to check the situation first. ''They''re out.......soon........'' Belle, you can''t do it either? ''''Maybe even with a secret sword, it''s tough... my swordsmanship is physics-specific... if there''s any chance, I think it''s Claudia-chan or Eve-chan...'''' You don''t think that means he''s locked in? After hearing Silas'' words, we all understand. That they have been isolated in this room. At the same time, an explosion exploded within the warded city. The battlefield of hell had begun. 84-Episode 84 Clares perspective Cutting down. How long had it been since he had continued to slaughter the only thing standing in his way in front of him? Claire was bathed in fresh blood, but did not stop. Already the coagulated blood covered her body. She shook it off and moved forward. ''''Hahahahaha!¡¡f*ck you!¡¡You''re dead!¡¡Haha! As a demoness, she had demonstrated her abilities without regret. No, the term "demoness" is not correct. She is an individual with human elements mixed in. It''s been several decades since she came to her home country, where demons live. A country with demons is not as numerous as the human race. Although their lifespan is long, their reproductive capacity is not that high, plus a good number of them have died in the last hundred years of war. Unlike the other demons, they are proud of their extraordinary fighting abilities, but even so, there are times when they are no match for the other demons. It''s truly a back-and-forth battle. While the human race has created a ward city and is inside it, battles between demons have been going on in the twilight world. ''''........Huh, it''s over. Shame........ He licks off the blood on his cheeks with a periwinkle. Currently, they are in the middle of fighting the sub-humans. Claire was fighting in a formation, but only one person was too far ahead of her and she was completely isolated and continued to fight on the front lines. However, she was able to annihilate the enemy all by herself. Her ability is already one of the best among the demons. Even so, there is still a superior one. Claire would learn that in the future.... ''''Claire, you''re getting too far ahead of yourself.'''' Well, they''re all late! ''''Don''t underestimate the other demons. That''s why so many demons have been killed before now. For this little fish? As she says this, Claire plunges her sword into the corpse and guts it out. Seeing it dripping with a flop, she laughs with a grin. The one who came to the spot was a demon named Clyde. It''s a good idea to be able to have a good time with them. However, even though he takes care of them, the only thing that can be given to him is.......combat skills. The only thing I can give him is how to kill an opponent. Ever since I can remember, Claire has held a sword in her hand. And she continued to kill demons. No, it''s not just demons, even sub-humans have been put on his hands. She could no longer remember the number of times she had been begging for her life. She ignored all of them and continued to lay waste to them. The law of the weak and the strong. That is the law of this twilight. I know that. The more I hate it, the more I imprint it on its heart. Furthermore, Claire knew it, even though she expresses that pleasure with her entire body every time she fights. I am not yet the strongest in this world. Even though I''m in the upper echelon of demons, I''m not the top. While chewing on that fact, she repeated the carnage today. ''Even though they are small fry, they overwhelmingly surpass the demons in terms of quantity. You''ve seen your comrades who have been beaten by their sheer numbers, haven''t you? That''s just because they were small fry, right? Well you could say that, but just in case. Okay. Claire listens to Clyde quietly, but of course there is a reason for that. The reason being that Claire has never defeated Clyde before. Even if he seriously challenged her, he was easily brushed aside. Even with her age included, and considering her experience, Claire is certainly strong. Still, that doesn''t matter to her. She''s not concerned with being strong for her age, but with her strength in this current world. Age is only a trivial matter. Because of this, Claire only listens to what Clyde says a lot. But it is only listening, not knowing. These questions and answers have already been repeated. The first time Claire went to the battlefield was when she was seven years old. At that time, her abilities as a demon had already awakened, and she went to the battlefield at the decision of the higher ups. Unlike humans, even his friends do not show mercy. If they can''t use it, they will just die. That''s all. A number of demons also thought that Claire would soon lose her life...or so it seemed. But instead of surviving, she had achieved the greatest battle result on that battlefield. While the other demons were dying, the little girl was a lioness. Since then, she has grown up remarkably, and is now in a reasonable post among the demons. She''s not just a mere miscellaneous soldier, but a member of the cadre, and although she''s currently active, all she does is kill them all. That was her only reason for living. ''Well. What''s next, Clyde? "...well, what should we do? We could head north, but the battle situation here is not that good. We could retreat here, but.... What a bore! We can''t let your emotions dictate your progress in the battlefield. I know, but... it''s still possible, right? Well that''s one thing. What about the guys in the back? We''re currently engaged with another demon race. If we''re going to continue on from here, it''ll be the two of us. Hmm. That''s easy, huh? Don''t let your guard down. Whoa! Then Claire smiles and walks on, smiling. She doesn''t even wipe the dripping blood off her face as she proceeds. ''''Even so, it''s a big place, isn''t it?'''' It''s a bit late for that. ''But I always wondered why there was a twilight in this underground space. I wonder how it is that there is a twilight in this underground space. We''ll see what happens with Twilight when it''s all over. Okay. Yes. The two of them are now in a huge underground space. The unification war of the demon tribe isn''t being waged above ground. Rather, this huge underground space is the habitat of the demon tribe. The ones on the ground are nothing more than a bunch of intellectually inept people. Even the demons that humans suffer from are nothing more than small fry. Compared to this place. At the moment, it''s like the twilight danger zone level 10 over. But it would be a long time before humanity would advance to this place.... 85-Chapter 85: Remembrance 11 The plan seemed to work. Until Julia, and then Eira, walked out of this conference room. Claudia''s wards were perfect. But that was on top of her estimate...in the sense that.... In fact, Yulia and Eira slipped through that ward...............and went straight to the city that had been turned into a hellish battlefield. There was no way to stop it now. And with Julia''s defeat of the Ancient Spider, the Ancient Spider, the Ancient Spiders, the girls'' plans were put to a halt. Even so, they would not give up on such a matter. With the deaths of so many humans, only enough magical elements were gathered. All that''s left is to get the four people who will be the medium to open the Sefirot Tree, the Tree. There''s still plenty of opportunity. It''s not a failure. That''s right, but Claudia was stunned by herself as she looked at the streets that still had large claw marks on them. ''''........'''' From the terrace on the top floor of the royal castle, I look at the overrun city. There was a burned out building and a place that could be called hell, stained with a large amount of blood, had been born. The place, which had only been extinguished for a few hours, had left a definite claw mark. ''Claudia, you''re here. Silas. It was Silas who came to the spot. When she saw him coming, she set up a ward on the spot. It was created to block out the audio. ''What''s the matter, do you have any regrets?'' No way. I see. Well, to cut to the chase, that individual seemed to be dead. He had killed it. You got it? Only the wreckage. But as it turns out, humans can''t be demons in the full sense of the word. We can get as close as we can, but I don''t think we''re going to be able to create a body to replace those four. So.... What they are referring to is Dan. The plan to turn humans into the demon race. It was a backup plan to see if it was possible to create a medium other than Julia and the others, but.......after all, as the hypothesis goes, humans cannot become the demon race. They were trying to find something in the Twilight Syndrome ¡¶Twilight Syndrome¡·, but it was still only a disease. Just finding out that fact was fortuitous. Now we just need to think about when to gather those four people and take action. That''s what we were talking about, but Claudia was above it. She had spoken firmly with Silas, and she remembered the content of the conversation. But it was the emptiness that dominated her mind. She suppressed her wandering mind and made it this far. And now that it was being carried out, and even more so, the next one was in sight she didn''t feel anything. ''I wonder what I want to do...'' Ask yourself. Silas was already gone. After he left, Claudia was still staring at the cityscape and then at the twilight. A reddish-black light that covers this sky. It still continues to illuminate the world. No matter how much of this could happen to humanity, only the twilight would remain the same. It seemed as if she was mocking the current state of humanity, but she was genuinely doubtful. What is the end of her own deeds.......she wondered. ''Hey, what do I want to do?'' I put my hands to my face. And think. When it comes to thinking, I was meant to see the blue sky beyond the twilight. I want to know the truth of this world. It is a fundamental desire. But what will be beyond the truth of this world and the blue sky, after I have achieved my goal of knowing the truth of this world and seeing the blue sky? No, I''m sure there will be nothing. I realize that it''s pointless to have such expectations. To begin with, humans and demons. That''s not all. The creatures that live in this world have no significant meaning. The only thing that keeps them alive is what their genes tell them to do. Instincts only encourage survival and the preservation of the species. That''s why she has gone so far in defining for herself the meaning of her life. What should she do from now on? Did the sacrifice of so much in front of you scare you off? It was my own childhood self who asked that question. Claudia answers her own question. ''No way. I just do what I want to do.'' ''Then why do you keep stopping here? It''s... Hey, I think you''re feeling sorry for yourself. I think you feel guilty for killing so many people. No, of course not. The person asking me questions was her as a child. It''s an illusion. It was only a kind of hallucination. Still, she couldn''t help but see it as the real thing. She wondered if her deep psychology was creating this, but right now ... she just wanted to uncover her own mind. ''Then why are you standing still. Claudia, you''ve decided to move on, haven''t you?¡¡No matter how great the cost. Didn''t you swear an oath when you killed him?¡¡Hey..... Doctor, it''s been a long time. That being said, I remember. His occasional hatred was real. He truly had the desire to kill the demon race. But at the same time, it was also true that he truly loved her. Claudia killed him without any hesitation. Thus, the existence that she had forgotten until now. It doesn''t matter to her. It''s no different than any of the mere mortals out there. So........I thought. I''m going. I''m going to make it happen. Good luck, me. I said goodbye to my young self. I decided not to think about the feelings that had grown in my mind. 86-Chapter 86: Remembrance 12 The plan had to be drastically revised, but they still had the advantage of being traitors. Rather, that raid wasn''t necessarily a failure, since all they had to do was use the four people who were the medium for the rest. But it''s also true that during that raid, things could have been easily carried out. In the midst of that chaos, it would have been easy to leave.......and there was no point in doing that process. Currently, Silas and Claudia were slightly impatient as the sample they were using for the experiment was found outside. And in the midst of all this, Silas had a concern. ''About Ellie, what do you think?'' Ellie?¡¡I''m sure he''s brilliant, but no way. Oh. I''ve made contact with Julia Curtis. Maybe she''s found out. Well that doesn''t sound impossible, does it? They both thought that the most troublesome person to deal with was Ellie. That researcher was not only brilliant, but she had a keen instinct. Even though she was a researcher, she also respected her intuition. Such a nature is more troubling than anything else. It''s because she tries to apply her thoughts to even the slightest discomfort. ''''You''re going to ... kill me?'''' I''m going to have to kill him. In the circumstances, if they find out here, it''s all over. It''s a pretty big risk, but we have to do it here. ''If Silas is going to do it, who do you blame for it?'' Julia Curtis. ''''Well you''re doing something drastic again. Are you going to end it all in one fell swoop? Yeah. We don''t have much time. For our part, the situation is not the worst, but it''s as close to it as possible. It''s already only a matter of time before we''re in the Warding City. Furthermore, Princess Liane is awakening as a complete saint. Once that happens, our identity will be discovered. The die has already been cast. We have no choice but to do it here. "Well yes. Okay well let''s kill Ellie. There was no hesitation. It was just a rational decision. It was time to kill him, so I''m going to kill him. The plan to kill Ellie had always existed in the first place. It was only now that the time to do it was now, that''s all. And in anticipation of the situation after Yulia, who was traveling by Silas'' hand, left the ward city where Ellie was.......they took action. ¡ó Miss Ellie, it''s Julia. ''What?¡¡What''s going on? It was Silas in the guise of Yulia. He had already taken control of Yulia Curtis''s magical form and unique domain, the Personal Field. It was easy for the current Silas to make that form look exactly like him, or even entirely the same quality as him. ''''........Huh?'''' The moment the door opens, he doesn''t pause and pierces his chest with the knife at hand. It''s also coated with a fast-acting poison, and death is inevitable when you touch it. And Cyrus just grins as it is, and looks at Ellie''s figure as she backslides backwards. No chase. Because I was already convinced of it. Already.........Ellie is going to die. Wow, your timing was perfect. Watch out, watch out. Yes. Ellie was still aware of it. The existence of Julia, and ourselves who were working in the dark behind it. The timing was just about right, but it still worked. Ellie''s death was already confirmed. Without a doubt, she would be dead in a few minutes. That was an unmistakable fact. Who........who? Who? It''s Yulia. Didn''t we just meet the other day? "That''s a lie........it''s true that on the outside, you''re the very same Yuria-kun. But.........the inside is different........ ''''Heh........you understand. After all, that singular ability ¡¶Extras¡· is dangerous. It really seems to have come at just the right time. .... Elemental Senses, "Decoding Sense". It is a high-level singular ability ¡¶Extras¡· that perceives magic elements. Its owners include Ellie and Princess Liane, but among them, Ellie was the only one that was troublesome. When combined with her intelligence and her ability, it was easy to see through her opponent''s essence. Silas was surprised and relieved that she could see through his essence. After all........they were lucky, he thought. ''Goodbye, Ellie,'' His last words were as Silas. It wasn''t that he didn''t think anything of her. His ability to do so was commendable in the eyes of a demon. It was because he felt that way that he would pay her the utmost respect. However, there is no such thing as getting emotional at the sight of that corpse. After confirming Ellie''s death, Silas leaves the scene in Yulia''s form. He proceeds at leisure to dare to leave the evidence of it. The plan works. Everything is going our way. Silas smiles. Everything that is waiting for us is in our hands again. With that thought, he proceeds, but he didn''t realize it. To the last magic she had invoked. At the pinnacle of magic, it still has only Ellie as its user. She also hadn''t revealed it to anyone for this kind of situation. The Forbidden Sacrament ¡¶Sacrament¡·. Their plans would be greatly disrupted by that magic. No one, including Silas........yet had no way of knowing that. 87-Episode 87: Beyond Recollection Everything was ready. Then the two of them took action. First, they gathered the special class anti-magician in one place and then denounced Yulia. Then they would fold up and lead them there. It was probably expected by both of them that the opinions of the special class versus the demons would be divided. Then Silas called an emergency meeting, and everyone gathered in the conference room as before. ''''Well, gentlemen of the special class anti-magicians. Thank you for agreeing to the sudden summons. Also, about that warding, I have already finished analyzing it. That''s a magic that was used hundreds of years ago, but it takes quite a bit of time to activate. That''s right ... years of time. The amount of magic element is the same, but it''s still quite difficult to construct a magic form. We already have the means to counter that, too. So, we''ve asked you to gather again this time, but that''s not the main issue. It''s all very plausible, but it was all set up by them. Silas continues to speak while hiding that fact. The cause of death was hemorrhagic shock death. There were no signs of resistance and a single stab to the heart. She died a few minutes later. The body has now been sent for an autopsy to determine further cause of death. "...Wha...? All of them have a look of astonishment on their faces. Claudia also brings her hand to her mouth with a look of disbelief, but it''s an act. She already knows that she killed Ellie because she has shared information with Silas. ''Yulia-kun you are a suspect in Ellie''s murder. The time of the murder coincides with the time of Ellie''s arrival and departure from the lab. And the other researcher who also caught sight of you can you tell us your story? ...What? Julia makes a pouting face. That''s as it should be. He was moving through the twilight at the time of the incident. It''s only natural that he looks uncomprehending after being told something he has absolutely no idea about. ''I was moving through the twilight at the estimated time of the murder!¡¡I have an alibi! You think Sherry Amis can prove that to me? ...Yes. What if she was part of it? .... ''The time between killing Ellie and moving on to the next warded city. You guys could do it if you''re serious about it, right?¡¡That satisfies that requirement. And most importantly, there was a faint trace of your magic element at the scene. That''s solid information. .... You already know what they have to say and so on. All that''s left is to have a conversation as I expected. And here''s where the spear from Claudia comes in, but it was all being done in a dismissed manner. ''''Hey, Silas. Isn''t it funny. A traitor who hasn''t even let us have our tails up until now makes such a simple mistake?¡¡It''s too poorly done to make witnesses to the killing. And even if he really did kill Ellie, I don''t think he would have bothered to come to this summons. ''There may have been unstoppable circumstances. Ellie''s area of expertise is the study of twilight. Maybe he knew she was on to something true and had to take some hasty action. Besides, he''d been in Dusk for two years. No wonder he was a pawn of the demon tribe. At any rate, whether he''s the culprit or not, we need to listen to him. Yulia-kun, I would like you to be honest with me, but it would be troublesome if you resist. I''m going to have to restrain you. That''s why I''ve invited the other special-grade antagonists to join us. We don''t know what kind of power you have in you. This exchange was something we both had been thinking about from the beginning. A ploy to ensure that Julia was cornered. ''''Well I won''t let you do it. Miss Bell, why? ''Yulia-kun ... run away. The situation is already so bad we''re completely trapped. And if you are trapped here, I''m sure that if you are trapped here the situation will end there. You are our last hope but if we can just find Lady Liane we can make it work. ... ''''Do I just have to find Princess Liane?¡¡But.... ''Yeah I''ll hold them off here ... run ...'' It was expected that Belle would come. She has been working with Princess Liane for many years, and she is also good at espionage, and it''s only a matter of time before the identity of the traitor is discovered......Silas and Claudia thought that it''s only a matter of time before the traitor is discovered. Also, this is just a hunch, but perhaps........Princess Liane is awakening as a saint. They concluded that because they had sensed one strange magical element stirring in this city. And she would be heading to the box garden. It would not be possible to completely block out the magic element that leaked out of there. But that was convenient. What was more important than the revelation of the secret was the release of the Sephiroth Tree. We can no longer pretend to be something we''re not. It will be your last days in this city. You can''t fail to succeed and end that final time. And then Yulia left this place with Belle''s support. I won''t chase after him. I''m not sure if this is a good idea. He met up with Shelly and chased after the princess. That meant that the three of them would be heading to the box garden. Now all we need to do is get the rest of them, Eira, to that place and we''re done. (Claudia, as arranged.) Okay, okay... After exchanging only a glance, Claudia activated the transition. Then the battle between the special class versus the mages begins, but Silas quickly leaves. The rest of the members of the team will fight, but Claudia measures the timing while showing the pretense of seriousness in the fight. (I wonder if it''s about time...) The battle was already in a climax........or rather, the timing was now or never. Then she gathered a large amount of magical elements around her and activated her magic as it was. ''''-- World Shrinkage [Pycnosis]. As soon as she said those words, everyone in this place was swallowed by the magic circle that appeared on the ground. She then set the humans to fly out of the twilight, and those mixed with the blood of the demon race to fly to the front of the box garden. This process is relatively easy to do since it''s just a matter of allocating the unique area ¡¶Personal Field¡·... but the problem is the magic element used for the world reduction ¡¶Pycnosis¡·. The amount of magic element is not so necessary if you just want to open it, but the amount of magic element used to make the transition is extraordinary. That''s why we supplemented that amount of magic element with Yuria, Shelly and Eira. When the magic element taken from them is used to make a path, all of them will be knocked to the ground as it is. ''''Well, the actors are all here. Silas, can you restrain them? Yeah. I''m convinced, looking at the members assembled here, that it''s going to work. We''re going to do well. If we''ve come this far, we have nothing to fear. There is nothing to fear. I have succeeded I will reach the truth of this world. On the way there, Claire had come, but it didn''t matter. Rather, since they were twins, it would be fine to meet separately at least at the end. That''s the extent of my thinking. Then Claudia opens up. ''''It''s ... open, but what is this?'''' The pure white world in front of you. The bright red substance that lies beyond. It''s probably a type of Relic, but it''s strange. Is this what the Sefirot Tree is like?¡¡Silas, Claudia, and Claire were too distracted by something so stupefying to notice. To the mutation that was happening inside Julia. It was definitely a mutation. Claudia didn''t know. She had no idea that he would awaken at the last minute like this. That is the legacy that Ellie left behind. The Sacrament of Forbidden Sacrament ¡¶Sacrament¡· that frees Julia. The girls were conceited. They never thought that on the side of humanity there was a magic user that surpassed them. I am a kind of ultimate being. That idea led to this situation. And the one who appeared........was Julia Curtis, who had awakened as a full individual. ''''What........what the hell is that......'''' Claudia was transfixed by the alien being that had appeared before her. Even her thoughts were taken away. She had never seen such ... such an individual. Even demons had never seen an existence like that. Awe. Pure fear. Do you think that was the same being as you?¡¡Is that the true individual that Dr. Wells was looking for?¡¡The information is mixed up in my brain. There are no straight thoughts already. I just kept searching. I kept searching for an answer, an answer I couldn''t find. But there was no way to find it. Julia had already become a being beyond human knowledge. ''Claudia!¡¡It''s a perfect specimen!¡¡Get back! Silas steps forward to protect a stunned Claudia, who is stunned. A moment later, his left arm is flung off. I couldn''t perceive it at all. When I noticed, Silas''s arm was waiting in the air. ''''........Oh no......why........'''' I don''t understand. Was it this much, or was this what the doctor''s ideal was... then I... what was the existence of the individual Claudia? ...Are you saying that it was all a process that led up to him? She was losing her significance. It was just denial. She was just a defective person and he was the finished product. Then she was shocked to the point of thinking that she was........for what....... ''Claudia!¡¡What about the retrieval of the Sefirot Tree? It''s over ... somehow ... All right. I''m out. I''m a little tired of dealing with full individuals. Claire, can you take care of him? Okay. You two can leave now. I''ll keep my brother company. I don''t mind killing him. Yeah, I hope so. It''s a bit of a stretch. Worst case scenario you know what I mean? Hmm?¡¡Oh yes, yes, yes. I know. Then do it. Leave. I was relieved to hear those words, relieved to hear them. I can''t face that existence. I''m going to lose my mind any more. No, just as she thought that, she saw it. It was an accident. It was just in her line of sight. But her twin eyes looked directly into Liane''s glowing orbs. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. She tried to hold both eyes, but she couldn''t remove her gaze. The scarlet line connected, and she felt That she, as an existence, was being looked into. The moment she realized this, she tried to force her gaze away from it to avoid unconsciously taking the information. The sensation that her eyeballs are about to be torn off, and even more painful, as if her brain is on fire. It''s a pain that an ordinary person would never be able to endure, but Claudia still manages to escape from Liane''s spell. The last thing she saw was Liane collapsing on the spot and Julia leaning against it. It was taken from her, but still not all of it. It''s not the end yet. ¡ó That''s all. Her memory of what I saw, I''ve told you all about it. .... .... Me and Belle have heard all about Princess Liane. It''s hard to believe, but I''m the same as Claudia.......it seems. And she seems to be acting to expose this world. Certainly, that goal is an individual''s choice, but it''s not a reason to be allowed to kill many people. I clench my fists again. This has to end. Absolutely ... absolutely. ''''Yulia-san, I''m sure you''ll be called back in a few days. Probably about the matter in the future. Until then, please give it a good thought. Thank you very much. Princess Riane says such things with my heart in mind. I can certainly understand it as a fact. I also know that what she is saying is not a lie. Still, I was shaken by this fact. I have hatred for the demons, but I feel like I''m losing the purpose of my existence. What qualifications do I have to protect humanity? A creature that has both human and demon characteristics. That''s me. What should I do in the future? And what will I accomplish in the future? Well I''ll be leaving now. Yes, sir. Yulia-kun I''ll see you later... I bowed politely to them both and left the hospital room. What lies ahead is an even harsher battlefield. In order to face it, I have to be even more prepared to face it. In order to face it, I will have to face it with myself. I used to run away from it, but I still faced it, but that was in the past. But now, it''s time to face the person we are. Strictly speaking, I''m not a human being, but that''s not the point. As a way of being, not as a component, I want to choose a human being rather than a magician. Claire chose a witch and I chose a human. As the way of being. But why... why are we so... why are we being played by fate? This world is ugly. As much as I want to lament, as much as I want to wail, the world is full of tragedy and lament, and twilight to it. It is true that the weak and the strong is the way of this world and the truth of it. But I want to build a peaceful world under the blue sky some day, instead of just oppressing and violating others. That''s what I thought. After all this, I would hold up such an ideal. But what would be the point of a world without ideals? It is impossible to decide the future of the world without being able to decide my own way of life. Let''s go. I just keep going. I will bring a blue sky to this world beyond the billions of corpses. I vowed again that I would bring the blue sky to this world. 88-Episode 88: Our Whereabouts Everything was ready. Then the two of them took action. First, they gathered the special class anti-magician in one place and then denounced Yulia. Then they would fold up and lead them there. It was probably expected by both of them that the opinions of the special class versus the demons would be divided. Then Silas called an emergency meeting, and everyone gathered in the conference room as before. ''''Well, gentlemen of the special class anti-magicians. Thank you for agreeing to the sudden summons. Also, about that warding, I have already finished analyzing it. That''s a magic that was used hundreds of years ago, but it takes quite a bit of time to activate. That''s right ... years of time. The amount of magic element is the same, but it''s still quite difficult to construct a magic form. We already have the means to counter that, too. So, we''ve asked you to gather again this time, but that''s not the main issue. It''s all very plausible, but it was all set up by them. Silas continues to speak while hiding that fact. The cause of death was hemorrhagic shock death. There were no signs of resistance and a single stab to the heart. She died a few minutes later. The body has now been sent for an autopsy to determine further cause of death. "...Wha...? All of them have a look of astonishment on their faces. Claudia also brings her hand to her mouth with a look of disbelief, but it''s an act. She already knows that she killed Ellie because she has shared information with Silas. ''Yulia-kun you are a suspect in Ellie''s murder. The time of the murder coincides with the time of Ellie''s arrival and departure from the lab. And the other researcher who also caught sight of you can you tell us your story? ...What? Julia makes a pouting face. That''s as it should be. He was moving through the twilight at the time of the incident. It''s only natural that he looks uncomprehending after being told something he has absolutely no idea about. ''I was moving through the twilight at the estimated time of the murder!¡¡I have an alibi! You think Sherry Amis can prove that to me? ...Yes. What if she was part of it? .... ''The time between killing Ellie and moving on to the next warded city. You guys could do it if you''re serious about it, right?¡¡That satisfies that requirement. And most importantly, there was a faint trace of your magic element at the scene. That''s solid information. .... You already know what they have to say and so on. All that''s left is to have a conversation as I expected. And here''s where the spear from Claudia comes in, but it was all being done in a dismissed manner. ''Hey, Silas. Isn''t it funny. A traitor who hasn''t even let us have our tails up until now makes such a simple mistake?¡¡It''s too poorly done to make witnesses to the killing. And even if he really did kill Ellie, I don''t think he would have bothered to come to this summons. ''There may have been unstoppable circumstances. Ellie''s area of expertise is the study of twilight. Maybe he knew she was on to something true and had to take some hasty action. Besides, he''d been in Dusk for two years. No wonder he was a pawn of the demon tribe. At any rate, whether he''s the culprit or not, we need to listen to him. Yulia-kun, I would like you to be honest with me, but it would be troublesome if you resist. I''m going to have to restrain you. That''s why I''ve summoned the other special-grade antagonists as well. We don''t know what kind of power you have in you. This exchange was something we both had been thinking about from the beginning. A ploy to ensure that Julia was cornered. ''''Well I won''t let you do it. Miss Bell, why? ''Yulia-kun ... run away. The situation is already so bad we''re completely trapped. And if you are trapped here, I''m sure that if you are trapped here the situation will end there. You are our last hope but if we can just find Lady Liane we can make it work. ... ''''Do I just have to find Princess Liane?¡¡But.... ''Yeah I''ll hold them off here ... run ...'' It was expected that Belle would come. She has been working with Princess Liane for many years, and she is also good at espionage, and it''s only a matter of time before the identity of the traitor is discovered......Silas and Claudia thought that it''s only a matter of time before the traitor is discovered. Also, this is just a hunch, but perhaps........Princess Liane is awakening as a saint. They concluded that because they had sensed one strange magical element stirring in this city. And she would be heading to the box garden. It would not be possible to completely block out the magic element that leaked out of there. But that was convenient. What was more important than the revelation of the secret was the release of the Sephiroth Tree. We can no longer pretend to be something we''re not. It will be your last days in this city. You can''t fail to succeed and end that final time. And then Yulia left this place with Belle''s support. I won''t chase after him. I''m not sure if this is a good idea. He met up with Shelly and chased after the princess. In other words, the three of them would head for the box garden. Now all we need to do is get the rest of them, Eira, to that place and we''re done. (Claudia, as arranged.) Okay, okay... After exchanging only a glance, Claudia activated the transition. Then the battle between the special class versus the mages begins, but Silas quickly leaves. The rest of the members will fight, but Claudia timed her timing while showing the pretense of fighting seriously. (I wonder if it''s about time...) The battle was already in a climax........or rather, the timing was now or never. Then she gathered a large amount of magical elements around her and activated her magic as it was. ''''-- World Shrinkage [Pycnosis]. As soon as she said those words, everyone in this place was swallowed by the magic circle that appeared on the ground. She then set the humans to fly out of the twilight, and those mixed with the blood of the demon race to fly to the front of the box garden. This process is relatively easy to do since it''s just a matter of allocating the unique area ¡¶Personal Field¡·... but the problem is the magic element used for the world reduction ¡¶Pycnosis¡·. The amount of magic element is not so necessary if you just want to open it, but the amount of magic element used to make the transition is extraordinary. That''s why we supplemented that amount of magic element with Yuria, Shelly and Eira. When the magic element taken from them is used to make a path, all of them will be knocked to the ground as it is. ''''Well, the actors are all here. Silas, can you restrain them? Yeah. I''m convinced, looking at the members assembled here, that it''s going to work. We''re going to do well. If we''ve come this far, we have nothing to fear. There is nothing to fear. I have succeeded I will reach the truth of this world. On the way there, Claire had come, but it didn''t matter. Rather, since they were twins, it would be fine to meet separately at least at the end. That''s the extent of my thinking. Then Claudia opens up. ''''It''s ... open, but what is this?'''' The pure white world in front of you. The bright red substance that lies beyond. It''s probably a type of Relic, but it''s strange. Is this what the Sefirot Tree is like?¡¡Silas, Claudia, and Claire were too distracted by something so stupefying to notice. To the mutation that was happening inside Julia. It was definitely a mutation. Claudia didn''t know. She had no idea that he would awaken at the last minute like this. That is the legacy that Ellie left behind. The Sacrament of Forbidden Sacrament ¡¶Sacrament¡· that frees Julia. The girls were conceited. They never thought that on the side of humanity there was a magic user that surpassed them. I am a kind of ultimate being. That idea led to this situation. And the one who appeared........was Julia Curtis, who had awakened as a full individual. ''''What........what the hell is that......'''' Claudia was transfixed by the alien being that had appeared before her. Even her thoughts were taken away. She had never seen such ... such an individual. Even demons had never seen an existence like that. Awe. Pure fear. Do you think that was the same being as you?¡¡Is that the true individual that Dr. Wells was looking for?¡¡The information is mixed up in my brain. There are no straight thoughts already. I just kept searching. I kept searching for an answer, an answer I couldn''t find. But there was no way to find it. Julia had already become a being beyond human knowledge. ''Claudia!¡¡It''s a perfect specimen!¡¡Get back! Silas steps forward to protect a stunned Claudia, who is stunned. A moment later, his left arm is flung off. I couldn''t perceive it at all. When I noticed, Silas''s arm was waiting in the air. ''''........Oh no......why........'''' I don''t understand. Was it this much, or was this what the doctor''s ideal was... then I... what was the existence of the individual Claudia? ...Are you saying that it was all a process that led up to him? She was losing her significance. It was just denial. She was just a defective person and he was the finished product. Then she was shocked to the point of thinking that she was........for what....... ''Claudia!¡¡What about the retrieval of the Sefirot Tree? It''s over ... somehow ... All right. I''m out. I''m a little tired of dealing with full individuals. Claire, can you take care of him? Okay. You two can leave now. I''ll keep my brother company. I don''t mind killing him. Yeah, I hope so. It''s a bit of a stretch. Worst case scenario you know what I mean? Hmm?¡¡Oh yes, yes, yes. I know. Then do it. Leave. I was relieved to hear those words, relieved to hear them. I can''t face that existence. I''m going to lose my mind any more. No, just as she thought that, she saw it. It was an accident. It was just in her line of sight. But her twin eyes looked directly into Liane''s glowing orbs. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. She tried to hold both eyes, but she couldn''t remove her gaze. The scarlet line connected, and she felt That she, as an existence, was being looked into. The moment she realized this, she tried to force her gaze away from it to avoid unconsciously taking the information. The sensation that her eyeballs are about to be torn off, and even more painful, as if her brain is on fire. It''s a pain that an ordinary person would never be able to endure, but Claudia still manages to escape from Liane''s spell. The last thing she saw was Liane collapsing on the spot and Julia leaning against it. It was taken from her, but still not all of it. It''s not the end yet. ¡ó That''s all. Her memory of what I saw, I''ve told you all about it. .... .... Me and Belle have heard all about Princess Liane. It''s hard to believe, but I''m the same as Claudia.......it seems. And she seems to be acting to expose this world. Certainly, that goal is an individual''s choice, but it''s not a reason to be allowed to kill many people. I clench my fists again. This has to end. Absolutely ... absolutely. ''''Yulia-san, I''m sure you''ll be called back in a few days. Probably about the matter in the future. Until then, please give it a good thought. Thank you very much. Princess Riane says such things with my heart in mind. I can certainly understand it as a fact. I also know that what she is saying is not a lie. Still, I was shaken by this fact. I have hatred for the demons, but I feel like I''m losing the purpose of my existence. What qualifications do I have to protect humanity? A creature that has both human and demon characteristics. That''s me. What should I do in the future? And what will I accomplish in the future? Well I''ll be leaving now. Yes, sir. Yulia-kun I''ll see you later... I bowed politely to them both and left the hospital room. What lies ahead is an even harsher battlefield. In order to face it, I have to be even more prepared to face it. In order to face it, I will have to face up to myself. I used to run away from it, but I still faced it, but that was in the past. But now, it''s time to face the person that we are. Strictly speaking, I''m not a human being, but that''s not the point. As a way of being, not as a component, I want to choose a human being rather than a magician. Claire chose a witch and I chose a human. As the way of being. But why... why are we so... why are we being played by fate? This world is ugly. As much as I want to lament, as much as I want to wail, the world is full of tragedy and lament, and twilight to it. It is true that the weak and the strong is the way of this world and the truth of it. But I want to build a peaceful world under the blue sky some day, instead of just oppressing and violating others. That''s what I thought. After all this, I would hold up such an ideal. But what would be the point of a world without ideals? It is impossible to decide the future of the world without being able to decide my own way of life. Let''s go. I just keep going. I will bring a blue sky to this world beyond the billions of corpses. I vowed again that I would bring the blue sky to this world. 89-Chapter 89 Zero Since then, the upper echelons of the special class anti-magicians and the military, including me, have been investigated by Princess Liane. I don''t know the details of her abilities as a saint, but she has been able to look into the memories of others. Therefore, everyone was able to see the memories of Princess Liane. Of course, there are some memories they don''t want others to know about, but we can''t afford to talk about that any longer. The reason is that we all need to work together and this time we need to face this twilight head on. "...Morning... I wake up as usual. It was decided last night that we would meet in the conference room at the King''s Castle, and today we were going to wake up earlier than usual. Although it was only about an hour early, I still had a feeling that today would be the start of a new day for me. Besides, I was given a leave of absence, but that ended yesterday, and from today, I would be fighting in this world as a soldier as before... but what would be the treatment of me, my senior, and Shelly? Maybe the other two have been told about it, but I myself have not heard anything about it yet. Having both demon and human characteristics, I wonder what will happen now, but for now I have to get ready for now. I''m going to take a shower. The usual routine, but I don''t have that long hair anymore. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make the most of your time in the city. It''s a long time since you''ve been here, Julia.¡¡And, you know... that''s... much clearer. ''Shelly, I haven''t seen you since then. Well, yeah I saw a good opportunity and I snapped it off. ''Yes, I do. I think your short hair looks very good on you. But still, I''m a bit nervous about it... Ha ha, well I was nervous the first time, too. On the road in front of the King''s Castle, I met Sherry on foot. Since then, she''s been released from the hospital immediately and seems to be feeling much better. It seems that she has already recovered to the extent that she can fight as normal. ''''Come to think of it, what will happen to the pecking order?'''' Hmm, I don''t know. If things go in order, they''ll just move up, right? Hmm. So you think I''m beneath Julia? Yeah. As we talk to each other, we walk into the castle. Everyday life begins again, as if the battle of that time was a lie. But what I didn''t know is that our life is going to change dramatically from today. But I didn''t know that from today, our lives would change even more. ¡ó Nobody''s home. I hope I''m not coming too soon. We came to the conference room and took our places at the round table. There seemed to be no one there now, and silence hung in the room. And as we sat down next to each other, the special class antimagicians came in one by one. ''''Hey, Yulia. And Shelly too. Hi. Eira-senpai, it''s nice to meet you. Yeah. Nice to meet you, Shelly. As the three of us were talking about it, the special class anti-magicians around us seemed to be staring at it. I''m sure they already ... know. That the three of us are deformed. ''''Well gentlemen, please take your seats. I will tell you all about it this time. The one who came in saying that was Princess Liane. She is more than a human being and knows the memories of everyone here. Then it''s only natural that you''re here. ''''Well, I have looked into the memories of everyone here, all of them. And let me assure you that there are no traitors. There are already no traitors here. Traitor. First place in the special class vs. magician pecking order, Silas. The seventh place in the ranking of the Special Class Counter-Magician, Claudia. Not only were these two traitors, but Ellie, who was ranked tenth on the special-grade wizard list, was killed. I didn''t see her last moments, but I had a conversation with her in her last moments. It was in a magic called the Sacrament of Forbidden Sacrament, but.... ''''First, let''s start with the announcement of our new special class antimagician. Sherry-san, go ahead. Yes, sir. Sherry, sitting next to me, stands up and she greets me as she is. ''''I''m Shelly Amis. I am truly grateful that I have been appointed to the position of Special Class Anti-Magician and Honorable Status, and I will do my best for this humanity as sincerely as you all do. I look forward to working with you. Finally, he bowed his head and sat down. This time, no one pointed out anything in particular. I guess she admitted it. She was to fight as the new special class anti-magician. ''Well then I''m sure you know, but I will share the information with you again. The two traitors are Silas and Claudia. The purpose was to free the Sefirot Tree ¡¶Tree¡·, but I don''t know the details of that, either. And Silas''s true identity is that of a demon. A special individual that can freely control the demonic form and the unique domain ¡¶Personal Field¡·. And Claudia is an artificially created life form that has two components: a demon and a human. The developer is Freesia Rosenkreuz. It seems that she was born at the end of a large-scale human experiment in the basement of this royal castle. And.........here, Yuria-san, Sherry-san and Eira are also.......similar beings. The truth that is once again told. I''m no longer upset about that. I just swallow the facts as facts. ''Now let me ask you a question here. Do you guys think these three need special treatment? .... A quiet room. Yes, the three of us have a demonic element built into us as well. We have no intention of rebelling against humanity at all, but some people may feel uncomfortable if they are asked if they can trust us completely. This is a perfectly legitimate question. And to that answer, I''ll take it head on. I''m not going to argue with you.......................... No matter what you are born.... what your body is... you can''t choose your birth, but... I think the three of us are human beings and the fact that all three of us fought so hard together should be known to everyone... ... It was Mr. Bell who opened his mouth first. And the one who followed was Roy. I don''t mind. I don''t think these three will betray humanity at this point in time. You can''t argue with that, can you?¡¡Huh? I told them all and they all nodded. It didn''t look like there was anything in it for us. ''It''s nice to hear you say that. Now let''s move on to the next story. I looked at Claudia''s memories, but the wards in this city are still quite effective against the demon race. Rather, although we were late in this case, the warding is still perfect, as it has been protecting humanity for hundreds of years. I found it completely impossible to destroy it from the outside. It seems that no one on the demon''s side has that kind of power either. Therefore, although it has already been discussed in the upper echelons of the military, it has been decided that humanity will begin a full-fledged campaign to attack the twilight. .... Dusk danger zone, capture mission. It''s an operation that has been done in the past, but it''s all ended in failure. The last one was probably thirty years ago. Humanity still hasn''t advanced. The reality is that even the Twilight Danger Zone Level 1 has not been able to take complete control of it. ''''Up until now, we''ve had at least one special class anti-magician in each of the seven cities. To deal with the worst case scenario, specifically the invasion of the demon race. But there was no need to worry about that. As long as they don''t invade the sanctuary, the city is perfectly protected. So, in this operation, all special class anti-magicians will be obliged to fight on the front lines. Alright, I''ll say it again. All special class anti-magicians will fight on the front lines. ''''With all due respect, sir. That would be too reckless, wouldn''t it? It was Gill, the oldest person to interject that. But that point is also valid. Like Silas, there might be another person who will invade the sanctuary and break the wards. ''''Indeed, there''s no chance of something like this happening. But we have no choice but to do it here. A saint is born again, and even though it''s a coincidence, there are three beings on our side who are more than human. In terms of strength, this is probably the best time in the history of humanity. And if we don''t advance here, when will we advance?¡¡If we stomp our feet, we might be able to save our feet from the demon race again. Besides, the demon tribe''s side seems to be a bit busy with the war over there. Considering all the circumstances, this time we''re going to use our maximum strength to carry out the operation. Of course, I''ll be joining the command. No one would be able to say anything about her leisurely behavior. There was no objection, no counter-argument. Humanity, which has been forced to lick its teeth, should not be cowed here. We should not sit and wait. We can''t sit around and wait. We must continue on. There is no turning back now, for there is no going back. And now, last but not least, a short notice about the reorganization of the hierarchy. Basically, the pecking order is just going up as some of us are out of it. The new first place in the pecking order will be Bell. But there is one exception... The exception?¡¡What are we talking about?¡¡As I think about it, Princess Liane looks at me. ''''Yulia-san. You are already the best fighting force that humanity can have. You are probably the strongest anti-magician in the history of humanity so far. It was decided in the meeting above, where it was decided that you would be ranked at the rank of zero in the pecking order. You will be placed in a unique, unchanging pecking order. From now on, you will play an active role as humanity''s greatest hope. Is that alright? Rank zero? Yes. You know what I mean.¡¡As for my abilities. ''Of course I''m aware of that,'' ''''I also know your characteristics, and all of your abilities, when I see your memories. Based on that, you are already .....beyond the realm of humanity. Perhaps there is no other existence that can compete with you, not even in the demon race. Will you guide us as the new humanity''s strongest anti-magician? I understand. I will serve until my life is burned to the ground. Yes. It''s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Julia. This is how I became the Zeroth rank in the rankings of the special class anti-magician. A new hope for humanity. It''s too heavy a title for me right now, but I will become someone who deserves it. I''ve already thrown the dice. 90-Episode 90: Modest Daily Life Since then, more details were to be told, and the attack operation was to begin in earnest next week. In the history of the past, there had never been a time when the special class anti-magicians were gathered in one place. At most, there were only three of them in one city, but this time, all the members would be made up of special class anti-magicians to fight on the front lines. In addition, it seems that people who are first class anti-magicians close to the special class anti-magicians have also been summoned. Even with this alone, you can tell that this strategy is quite serious. Until now, they''ve just been fighting to protect the ward city. Of course, that is very important, but if I had to say it, it had become an old-fashioned thing. I wouldn''t say that it has become a mere formality, but still, we are fine with the current environment..............................maybe somewhere in our hearts we thought so. Maybe that''s why Princess Liane........and even more so why the upper echelons of the military decided to carry out this operation. To show humanity that it''s no longer time to stand still. ''''Julia, do you have a minute?'''' Senior. Can I help you with something? Just as I was about to leave the conference room after that and get a meal alone in town, senior Eira spoke to me. By the way, Shelly was taken somewhere by Belle-san and went away. Probably because he became a special class anti-magician, he''ll be explaining and training in various ways. ''''Why don''t you trim that hair a little more?'''' ''Oh that''s true too,'' I cut that long hair myself. It was meant to be a break with the past, but I didn''t care much about how it looked, so I left it cut. The cut surface was clearly visible and it looked like an amateur had done it himself. ''''I''ll set it up for you. Oh, you''re sure? ''Actually, I cut my own hair regularly. Just let me handle it. So... please. He bows his head with a smile. I don''t have any plans from now on, so it doesn''t matter. Let''s eat later. I don''t feel so hungry right now. And so I followed him. ¡ó I''m sorry to trouble you. I''m gonna put the chair down over there, so you can have a seat. I understand. Military quarters. It was a room that had been given to him temporarily, but it had a bit of a lived-in feel to it. It had probably been used by someone before. ''Yes. Put this on. Eira-senpai pokes a hole in a large piece of plastic and urges me to put my head through it. I obeyed and put it on and sat down in the chair as it was. She brings out a pair of scissors and makes a chopping sound. "Put the paper underneath. Okay, I''ll cut it off then. Thank you for your help. You don''t really have a haircut requirement, do you? ''Well it''s all mussed up, so if you can make it look more natural,'' That''s fine. Okay, I''m going to hang up then. I don''t know why my tone is a little odd, but it''s not worth pointing out. Then Senpai puts the scissors in my hair. When I saw my hair falling down in a crunch, I felt something fresh. When I think about it, when was the last time I had someone cut my hair like this? ''Yulia, you had beautiful, long hair, why did you cut it?¡¡And that too by myself. A break with the past, huh? Why the questioning? Ha ha, it was an impulse thing I did. Hmm. I''m not exactly heartbroken. What? You see? You see, they say when your heart is broken, you cut off your hair. Well, that''s... Right?¡¡Well, but I knew it would be something like that. Yes. Silence. Suddenly, that kind of talk makes me shut up. A kiss from my senior a few days ago. Is it right to take it in that sense? Or was it simply a sign of affection? The current me did not yet have the courage to ask the answer to that question. ''Okay, that sounds good. Now we just need to adjust the volume.'' Quantity? Yeah, yeah. I used to use a pair of scissors, but now I''m going to use a pair of scissors to take a small amount. ''........Are you a professional senior? ''It''s not that big of a deal. I just had to cut myself a lot. When he said that, senpai took out a pair of scissors and put them in my hair, just like he did before. A sound comes from the scissors in a constant rhythm of crunching, crunching. I glance down and see that my hair has accumulated a lot. ''Hey, don''t look down,'' Excuse me, I''m just curious. ''''Well Yulia could have had long hair, but she looks good with short hair too. Is that so? Yeah. I''m sure you''ll be more popular from now on.¡¡He''s got a neutral face, but now that he''s got short hair, he''s starting to look more masculine. You know?¡¡There''s a fan club for you in the military, you know? ''What?¡¡What is that........ ''''It''s not limited to Yulia, but the special class anti-magician has, well... a kind of fan. I''ve heard that Yulia is the most popular among the older women. She''s famous for being pretty. ''....Is she pretty? I''ve heard that you can''t rely on a woman''s cuteness, but.... ''Hmm. It''s true that everyone says everything is cute. When I ask them if it''s cute, they all say it''s cute. I don''t know... but I guess I can kind of understand why Yulia says it''s cute. Not even my senior... ''See, that''s what I''m talking about. But maybe from now on, your masculinity will be more prominent than your cuteness. Ha, I hope you''re right. Afterwards, we chatted about random things. The conversation with the older students was so enjoyable that I lost track of time. ''How''s it going, Julia?'' You look great. You are very good at it. Uh-huh. Right? I checked my hair in the hand mirror and there I was, with my hair styled in the right way. It wasn''t a buzz cut, it looked natural and I honestly didn''t expect it to go this far. ''Well, you owe me this one! What?¡¡I''m not listening to you! I don''t mind. I''m not going to ask for anything. I''ll get it back to you one day. That''s not fair. ''You''ve already done it! You can''t give it back, okay? Well, it''s impossible to replay what was cut... So that''s what I''m talking about. ''Yes, yes....'' "Nishishi! She smiles at me. Oh........I wish this kind of everyday life was always there, I thought. But that''s why I........we will continue to fight for such a modest daily life in the future. 91-Episode 91: Short Life, Love Me Eira Humans have managed to maintain their population in the harsh world ruled by twilight. At the time of the end of the human-devil conflict, the population had plummeted by about forty percent, but now the infrastructure is stable and the population has recovered in its own way. Even in such a world, people fall in love, marry, and give birth to children. The reason for living beings, not just humans, is to survive and prosper. There is no other great reason for living. And no one, not even mages, is an exception. In order to leave behind superior genes, mages are encouraged to marry each other, but it is still free love. And among the special class opponents, there is one who is very much in love. That''s right ........Eira. (Funny I can''t sleep.........) After being discharged from the hospital, Eira moved to her quarters in the First Boundary City. She still doesn''t have all of her belongings, but she still has the bare minimum. She''s trying to sleep in such a situation, but she can''t get to sleep. It''s not that I can''t sleep because my pillow has been changed. Eira is not that nervous. So why is she unable to sleep? It''s because Yulia''s face has always remained in her brain. (Yulia........) It was at that moment that I think of. He came to the hospital room and they had a conversation together. Of course, Eira was upset by the fact that he told her, but the feeling of "I knew it......." was greater. It was in the midst of all this that she learned of his feelings. Julia had become strong again after that battle. At first glance, he seemed to be a bit of a timid boy. But it''s different now. He had gained a lot of experience and his spirit had hardened and his face looked different. The signs had been there before. Yulia and I talk well together, and we have a good relationship with each other. She has a tragic look to her eyes, but her eyes have a definite will. As soon as she was attracted to it, she knew the name of the emotion that had been smoldering in her chest. This is........love, she said. (Ugh, what do I look like starting tomorrow...) Tomorrow is the day of the convocation. All of the special class anti-magicians will be gathered, so of course they will have to meet face to face with Yulia. But what kind of face should I make now? Besides, what did she think in the sick room.......Eira kissed Yulia. (Why, why did I kiss her? It wasn''t a strategic move. I just genuinely found him endearing and kissed him on impulse. Until now, there had never been a heteros*xual who was so close in age and talked to each other so well. And since he''s a special class antimagician, this is not the time to overtake the present for romance. I''ve been thinking that, but........after all, human emotions are hard to control. Eira was in agony, thinking about Yulia the whole time. ''''I didn''t get much sleep.'''' Waking up. The thing is, Eira couldn''t get enough sleep. Still, the morning came and she needed to fight as a soldier, as usual. Fortunately, today was only a meeting, so there wasn''t much of a problem with lack of sleep. (Eh........what''s that?) On her way to work. Eira sees Shelly and tries to talk to her, but she doesn''t recognize the white-haired boy standing next to her. (Does Shelly know him?¡¡(But still, somewhere...) There was a sense of deja vu. More than the strangely mussed hair, he was now familiar with that back....especially his height and behavior. A moment later, the boy looked at Shelly and his face was faintly visible. And it was definitely one that Eira knew. ''''....What?'''' I can''t help but think out loud. That too. (..........or did you cut your hair! Astonished. This time, however, he manages to keep his voice down. As I cower in place, Eira begins to shake and shake. ''''Hmm?¡¡Is that you, Eira?¡¡What''s going on?¡¡Does it hurt in your stomach? ..... What? It was Sheila who had just arrived. The two of them are rather close, so Sheila spoke to Eira normally. Then the words that came back were something Sheila didn''t expect. ''Yulia''s cutting my hair! What, really? ''Seriously, seriously!¡¡Look at that! Eira, whose tension is rising to the point where she can almost shake it off, bounces around and points forward. It''s a good thing that you''re a bastard.............................and it looks like you cut it off yourself. Isn''t that cool? What? ''Oh shit....Julia, short hair, cool...'' Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, it''s Eira. Jesus, Sheila. Is that... is that... is that the case? Speak up! Do you like Julia-chan? Yeah? No, what are you scowling at?¡¡You said in the past that love is unnecessary. You talked about how it''s the right thing to do as a special class anti-magician. ''It can''t be helped. Love is a function of the human gene pool and is instinctive. It''s not something you can completely resist by reason. ''''Well no, I do, but the previous Eira-chan said something else entirely...'''' People are always changing. It means I have new values too. Do you understand? I''m sorry, my head hurts a little bit. She keeps her head down on the spot. Sheila is older and more experienced than Eira. She has fallen in love with men. She is such a person, but looking at Eira now.......... ''''........Love is blind, isn''t it? What, you got a problem with that?¡¡Maybe ... you''re going to get Julia too ... ''How about it. I''m scared, because I''m not interested in Yulia. Rather, I''d rather be a girl right now. Well, you could do both, as I recall. Yeah, yeah. So what do we do now? Sheila is also a woman. Of course, she is not averse to this kind of topic. In fact, it''s a disposition ¡¶them¡· to intervene willingly. ''''U.......What do I do?'''' Speaking of which, Eira, you cut your own hair, right? "?¡¡Yes, but what does that have to do with anything? Why don''t you cut him loose after the meeting? That''s it!¡¡Sheila!¡¡You''re a genius! The years are numbered.......... All right, we''ll do it. Oh! And before the meeting, there was a completely different speculation going on. ¡ó Of course, Eira and Sheila attended the meeting diligently and figured out the future strategy. Still, it''s important to move forward with this love affair for now. We don''t know when we are going to die for each other. We can''t wait forever... I don''t know if you''re thinking that we can''t wait forever... but Eira immediately took action. (Eira, go for it!) I''ll take care of it. After exchanging only eye contact, Eira went straight to her room, inviting Yulia to join her. There, she cut her hair for her. Although she handled the situation with an unconcerned look on the spot, she remained impatient on the inside. Nevertheless, he gradually calmed down and the atmosphere gradually became more and more normal. It''s both a burning love and a calm love. Eira found it fulfilling to just have a relaxed conversation with Julia like this. So after he left and said it, she sat down on the bed. At the same time, there is a knock on the door. ''You can come in.'' How did it go? Sheila came here as soon as she saw Yulia leave. ''It''s perfect. I put my arm around it and cut it off.'' Well, that''s true. Yeah. You''re a beautiful, neutral-looking girl, Yulia. Now she''s got short hair and has become a seriously handsome man. ..... But you were in a good mood, weren''t you? ''Well, that''s true, but...'' What''s going on? Well, actually... when you came to visit me the other day, I kissed you... ''What?¡¡It really is! Cheek to cheek, but... ''Seriously I didn''t know it was that far along...'' As we both get so excited, the door opens with a bang. ''''It''s ... loud.'''' It was Eve. It just so happened that Eve''s room was next to Eira''s. She had been enjoying her nap and woke up to too much noise. Eve is the quiet one, but when she says it, she says it. And with that, Eve was about to leave, but Sheila caught her. Eve Eve, come here too! He''s not coming... I don''t care. .... Eve, knowing Sheila''s stubbornness, gives up and is dragged straight into the room. Thus, a mysterious strategy meeting is held by the women of the Special Class Counter-Magicians... but that''s another story. 92-Episode 92: Short Life, Love Me Sherry (...this world is the same today, isn''t it?) Shelly is in her hospital room, looking through the window at a world dominated by twilight. Shelly''s memory is interrupted in the middle of her fight with Silas. Then she wakes up and finds herself in bed. Of course, she was appalled by this, but next to her was Belle. ''Sir, I.........'' ''Shelly. Hold on ... tightly ... as a matter of fact ... And she knew. How this all came about. And moreover, her own roots. "I have demon blood in my veins? ''''Yes....the details are called the Twilight Factor...'''' ''''I see.......and so does Eira-senpai, and Yulia is a complete individual.......'''' ''''Well that''s what I remember seeing from Lady Liane, but I think I''m right. Shelly-chan''s growth rate was........................tremendous. Well, I see. I understand, doctor. Well I guess so. But I think Shelly, no matter what she was ... born ... she''s still Shelly, right? Thank you very much. He bowed his head begrudgingly. I see, I wasn''t human... I was shocked the moment I heard that, but I slowly came to accept it. Indeed, my rate of growth improved significantly after a certain day. In recent times, especially after meeting Yulia, the speed was extraordinary. Shelly pretended not to see it. This was the result of hard work. There would be talent, but her own previous efforts had blossomed. She decided to believe that, but she felt herself getting stronger with each deepening of the eroding Twilight Syndrome ¡¶Twilight Syndrome¡·. And now........there was no more traces of the Twilight Syndrome ¡¶Twilight Syndrome¡·. She was just sad, even though she wondered if she had finished her true awakening in a sense. She couldn''t help but feel sad that her origins were from human malice.... Suddenly, she remembered her father. His father who had died. He may not be related by blood now, but that doesn''t change the fact that he was my father. And the sadness he felt at that time was real. Yes ... that grief is overflowing in this twilight world. Every day someone important to someone else is dying. It has accumulated, and a person''s vengeance has gone beyond ethics to create something that is not human. There was no change in that will. I''m sure Julia will also know this fact and will go further on that basis. He would surely do so. Then there is no reason ¡¶excuse me¡· why I should be the only one to stop. Are you sure? ''Yeah I''m recommending it too ... didn''t you like it?'' ''No, it''s not. But is it okay with me? Don''t worry. I understand. I''ll be a special grade anti-magician. Sherry, who was aiming to become a special class anti-magician. It''s a very different path from the one I had in mind, and I''ve arrived at that point. But that''s fine with me. I''m not afraid of the fact that I''ll be able to wield the blade again for the sake of humanity. Even if it is in any environment. She, too, will proceed. With a sure will, she will face this twilight. ¡ó Then a few days. Shelly was at work when the call came up. To be honest, she was nervous. Although she was acquainted with the people of the Special Class Counter-Magician, the position was still too heavy. As she was soaking up the tension, she was spoken to from behind. ''''Shelly, good morning.'''' ''Julia, it''s been a while, hasn''t it?¡¡And, you know... that''s... much clearer. ''Shelly, I haven''t seen you since then. Well, yeah I saw a good opportunity and I snapped it off. ''Yes, I do. I think your short hair looks very good on you. But still, I''m a bit nervous about it... Ha ha, well I was nervous the first time, too. It was a casual conversation, but as a matter of fact........Shelly remained calm. Yes, her inner heart was in a state of panic. (Ha!¡¡You''re cutting your hair!¡¡Huh?¡¡What do you mean?¡¡(Huh?!) At the top, the upper portion only lightly touches Yulia''s hair. Still, I''m inwardly impatient. I don''t understand. When I met her the other day she had long hair, but now she has short hair. And there are many parts of it that are mussed up, whether they were cut by themselves or not. Still, the current Yulia........ (.........eh?¡¡(It''s so cool!) Yeah. Shelly was a short-haired handsome guy who was very striking. Until now, Yulia has a neutral face and long hair. To be honest, there wasn''t much that I was particularly aware of, since I hadn''t tried to see her as a man for all intents and purposes. But now it''s different. Short-haired Yulia has a definite masculinity to her. And perhaps because she''s awakened as a witch, she seems to have grown a bit taller, and her body is quite stocky. Yulia, with her simple masculinity, seemed to shine for Shelly. (Oh, calm down.......this is just palpitations......there''s nothing unusual about it.......) So she calmed herself down and went straight to the meeting. ¡ó Hmmm, so you cut Julia''s hair. I want to see it. You''re going to freak me out because you''re really cool. Well is it so much to ask of Shelly? After the meeting since then, Shelly had come to the cafeteria after her training with Belle. Just then, she met Sophia for the first time in a long time. Sofia seemed to be participating in this mission as well, and Sherry was somewhat relieved to see a familiar face. The two of them sat down at the same table and conversed with each other while taking their meals as usual. ''''No, yeah. Maybe it''s a little seriously bad...'''' Did you notice that? For what? I''m in love with Julia. What? No, anyone can see it from the side. Everyone knows that the only people who aren''t aware of it are the ones in charge. Wait a minute... who is everybody? Squad. And it''s a famous rumor in the army. You can''t help but fall in love with a special class anti-magician or something... ...Really? ''Yeah. But now that Shelly is a new special-grade anti-magician, I think it''s balanced. It''s just.... It''s just... what? You''re senior Eira, right, your rival. ''What?¡¡Eira-senpai, is that right? ''Oh, you don''t even notice that?¡¡This is why brainiacs.... ''Don''t cuss now, tell me about it! ''No, Eira-senpai likes Yulia too. I mean, Yulia is the only one who hasn''t noticed it yet. Really? Seriously. Shelly put the spoon she was scooping up the curry on the spot and became lost in contemplation. It never occurred to her that the situation was going on in a way that she was completely unaware of. But then Sofia told me and I realized. It''s true that I am attracted to Julia. ''What do you think I should do?'' Well it''s normal to admit that I like Julia. Well, well...I had a vague feeling that it was.... ''Well yeah yeah, no, I think it''s good. I think it''s very good to fall in love, yes. ''Who''s to say who''s to blame but I''ve got an important mission ahead of me and I''ll be able to get it done when it''s over...'' Sweet!¡¡That''s sweet!¡¡Senior Eira may already be on the move!¡¡And there''s no chance that the operation will cost us our lives. That''s why we have to make the approach now! Oh, really? I''m sure of it! Okay, okay I''ll try and do my best... Thus, Shelley also becomes aware of her own feelings and begins to move on... but that''s another story. 93-Episode 93: Eve Eve Day Since then, we have been preparing for the approaching day of operations in a week''s time. To some extent, we have already decided who we will team up with, and I looked at the profiles of all the special class anti-magicians again. There was a description of each person''s abilities and fighting style on it. I stare at it and think about my behavior. (I''m a close-combat type... probably the composition of the squad will be made up of close-type and long-range type people...) As I thought about it, I focused on one person''s ability. It was Eve. Even though our ages are close, she has an overwhelming amount of talent. Me, my seniors and Shelly are exceptions to this rule because we have demon blood mixed in, but even though Eve-san is purely human, she became a special class anti-magician at such a young age... and she has magical talent that surpasses her seniors. Of course she can use the magic of the Wide Area Interference System ¡¶Sphere¡·, but as far as her profile is concerned, she has covered all the existing Wide Area Interference System ¡¶Sphere¡· and there are various original spells that only she can use. (Awesome.........) And with all the other people''s profiles in my head, I''m starting to get a little tired and think about going for a walk outside. Right now it''s called a preparation period, but it''s also meant to be a vacation. Probably once the operation starts, we won''t be able to return to the warded city much...and there''s a chance we''ll die. The twilight world is that dangerous. It''s because even if they''re surrounded by special class anti-magicians, there''s no telling what will happen. ''''........Good. Then I took out only my own wallet and left the dormitory as it was. ¡ó So, what shall I do? Walking around the city. The recovery has been pretty good, and not much has changed since before. It''s probably because of the magic, but I was honestly impressed. The reason is that all the magic I have is specialized for combat. My magic is only for improving my combat skills or having a high killing power. But the magic that restored this city is not. Magic that is used to enhance people''s lives. Essentially, that might be the true form of magic. It seems that in the world before the twilight took over, magic was mainly used for that purpose. But now, it''s more of a technology used to kill to fight the demon race. Even in such a situation, people are still trying to use magic in this way to improve their lives. Not only the various infrastructures, but also the bare minimum for living a cultural life - mainly, food, clothing and shelter - all of which are provided by a large factory called the Plant in the city''s southern district. It''s only in the last few decades that humanity has been able to maintain such a stable lifestyle. Once again, we should be grateful to the people who have worked so hard for us. And for all the people who still run the city, I''ll fight for all the people who still run the city. And while I was thinking like this, I saw a familiar face. ''''........Eve-san?'''' Perhaps that''s........Eve. Her long, pale greenish hair is tied up in a ponytail and her clothes look quite stylish. It''s just a simple style of hot pants and a T-shirt, but it still looks pretty good. Her arms and legs were long and her face was of the beautiful lineage, so everything about it seemed to fit her perfectly. And the sunglasses and hat she was wearing for some reason, well I think it looked good on her. But what is she doing in that store........ If you look closely, you''ll see that it''s a children''s store, selling stuffed animals and toys. This type of store seems to have just opened recently, but I wonder if Yves is giving a gift to someone. I didn''t want to stare at her too closely, so I went to talk to her. It''s rude to meet someone outside and pretend you don''t know them, so you should at least say hello. ''Hello, Eve-san,'' ...! When I called out to her from behind, she freaked out, Eve. Eh.........could it have been the wrong person? ''....Hi, you''re not the right person...'' No, I''m pretty sure that''s the voice. It''s Yves. I don''t mean to brag, but I''m good at grasping people''s faces and, for that matter, their voices. Also, the eyes that I could see through the sunglasses were definitely hers. ''''Um ... well, could it have been wrong to talk to you?'''' ''Well no, I mean it''s fine but it''s just that...'' "?¡¡Perhaps I''ve interrupted you from buying a gift? A present? It''s that stuffed animal you''re holding. This isn''t a gift, but... Are you sure it''s yours? ''Well ... no ... I mean ... well ... yeah, but what''s your beef with me! No, no..... ''I know...I know...it''s weird that a woman like me likes these pretty things...but I like them! ''........well, I mean.......I don''t think it has anything to do with a person''s looks or personality to fall in love with something. Besides, it suits you very well, Eve. He suddenly raises his voice and I try to calm him down. Maybe he said some things to me in the past. But I don''t see it that way. The fact that I like stuffed animals is just a person''s preference. It''s a funny thing that this is perverted by your appearance and personality. Do you really think that...? ''Yes. They look great together. "...even if there are actually ...a lot of stuffed animals ...hidden in my room? It shouldn''t be a problem. It might be a little bulky. "...even if I were to bring my favorite stuffed animal to this mission? ''We were free to bring our own, weren''t we?¡¡I hope that''s not a problem. ".........Julia-kun. You seem to be a capable person after all................. Oh, really? '' ... yes. I''m in a very, very ... well ... very good mood, so I''ll treat you to a cup of tea. Are you sure? "...I''ll take care of it. I''m in a very, very good mood......hmmm. With a wry smile, Eve said so. I thought it was a perfectly natural thing for me to say, but I was glad to see her in a better mood. And then I walked alongside Eve and went straight into a nearby coffee shop. ''.........this shop makes a good cake set. Okay, I''ll do the same. Okay. You place your order and your cake and tea arrive immediately. It was a simple shortcake, but it looked very delicious. When I think about it, when was the last time I ate something sweet? Basically, I only eat curry. Even in the military cafeteria, I eat curry. Even when I occasionally eat out, I eat curry. There is no dessert. I only ate curry. Maybe it''s because of the influence of living in the twilight, but I no longer think that everything is mixed together and as long as it''s good, it''s good enough, but the cake I haven''t seen in a long time looks even more appealing. ''''Hmm, it''s delicious!'''' ...right?¡¡My favorite. ''Do you like pretty things and sweet things, Eve?'' ''''Yes, but I also know they''re making fun of me....'''' I don''t think it''s all that strange. A long time ago, I was told that there was a woman like you and all that. I don''t see anything different about it, though, do I? Really? Yes, sir. I don''t know if it''s a good idea to be such a dark-hearted woman... It has nothing to do with being gutted or anything. ''I see... yeah, you''re right...'' Eve takes her meal as she smiles even more. Yeah. You have to take a good meal after all. But still, who would say such a thing? But I know people''s bad intentions. Perhaps, but the words were spoken out of jealousy for Eve-san. She''s talented enough to become a special class anti-magician, and besides, she has a beautiful appearance. ''''Come to think of it, you cut your hair..... Oh, yes. I needed to freshen up a bit. It looks good on you. And people said it was a great look for you. Thanks for that... who are you guys? It''s a secret............................ Eve has an index finger over her mouth and a soft smile spread across her face. I usually thought she was so quiet that I didn''t know what she was thinking, but now that we''re talking, she''s a very attractive and cheerful woman, isn''t she? I genuinely thought so. We had a nice chat for a while. 94-Episode 94: Sophia Day Oh, it''s not Julia!¡¡Long time no see! ''Sofia, it''s odd, isn''t it? And it feels like it''s been a really long time. ''Hey. But we haven''t seen each other for that long, though... Sure, well... It''s a good thing you got your hair cut. Oh yeah. I had a few thoughts. Okay. Yes. After that, I left Eve and was hanging out in the city, and next I ran into Sophia by chance. I wonder if everyone wants to shop for things before the mission. I''ve heard that women especially like that sort of thing. And I continue to walk alongside Sophia. ''Is Julia okay?'' ...about that? Yeah. The first-grade demons have been informed. That''s okay. I''m still the same person. ''I see. No you''re right. Julia has always been. Information about the traitor has already been spread throughout the army, but information about me, Shelly, and my seniors has been restricted. It seems that even among the first class anti-magicians, only those participating in this operation have been informed of the details. I know that fact, but Sofia treats me like she always does. I''m really grateful for this kind of friend. It''s not needlessly distant, nor is it familiar. I''m glad I got to know Sophia again. Well, I don''t want you to be so overrated. What?¡¡Totally, you''re already humble in a disgusting way. You''re an extra-grade anti-magician now, rank zero in the pecking order, right?¡¡You should have been more imposing~ ''''Ummm but I can''t change my behavior that quickly...'''' Is that possible? Not for me. Wow. ''Oh, by the way, Sophia became a first class anti-magician. Congratulations. ''Thank you!¡¡Oh no, Eira-senpai trained me for it. If you don''t mind me saying so, but it sounds like you''re in for a rough ride. That was amazing. All we did was just the basics, but they didn''t tell us what to do. But they didn''t tell me what to do or how to do it by gut. They taught me the theory. Like a senior citizen. Yeah. What did Sophia do, by the way? Shopping. What''s the plan for the upcoming mission and, well, the rest is just a hobby? You want me to go out with you?¡¡I''ll at least carry your stuff. ''Oh!¡¡Really!¡¡Ah ... but hey ... to Shelly ... What''s wrong with Sherry? ''What?¡¡No, it''s nothing!¡¡Then follow me!¡¡Let''s shop together! I don''t like the way you''re talking all of a sudden. I don''t care, I don''t care ... let''s go. Yes, sir. ¡ó It''s heavy. Haha, sorry. I bought too much. After that, we went shopping in town for the next two hours, and we had a lot of luggage in our hands. Sophia''s purchase motivation is tremendous, and she buys this and that one thing after another. Even if Sophia and I split up the purchase, it''s still pretty full. I don''t need to use my body enhancement, I can usually take this kind of weight home with me, but.......it''s kind of visually heavy. Just lowering this amount of weight into my hands made me feel heavy....................it was like that. ''Yulia, let''s go by there for a bit. Where are you going? Look, there. Then she points to a place. ''The river?'' Yeah ... let''s cool off a bit. All right. Me and Sophia carry our bags as we approach the nearby river. A small river runs near the military quarters. When we reach the riverside, we drop our bags off as we go. I decide to sit there, but Sophia is staring at the ground for something. ''Are you looking for something?'' Stone! A rock? Yeah. It''s been a while since I''ve had a chance to drain the water. It''s been so long. Can''t we compete? Okay, but I''m probably not very good at it. ''No, it''s fine. We do these things together, so it makes sense. I often look for a stone that seems to run out of water as I am prompted to do so. I remember doing this often when I was young, but I''m so bad at it that I don''t think I did it more than 10 times. Then I''ll go. Let''s see how good you are. Bye! Sophia threw the stone in a beautiful underthrow, and the stone bounced over the water. It bounced once, twice, three times.............After about 15 bounces, the stone sank into the water. ''Hmmm... I thought I could make it twenty times...'' You''re good, Sofia. Well, yeah. Okay, now it''s Julia''s turn. "O-kay. I throw the thin stone I found, underthrowing it as well as Sophia, and the stone runs across the water. I used to be bad at it, but I guess I''m more adept at many things now... because the stone bounced and sank about 20 times. ''''Ah, I''ve lost...'''' Well it used to be that you couldn''t do it ten times, but it works. What, you''re being sarcastic? ''I mean, no, I''m not saying that, but I guess I''ve kind of grown up. But it''s just a drain. ''Well I used to do that with my brother. Your brother... I was remembering the story of Sophia''s brother who was missing. ''Yeah. He''s been gone for a long time now, but sometimes I''m draining him like this by myself... and I''m remembering him. ...Yeah, I see. ''''Yeah I''m sure this mission, this will be a big step for humanity. I will continue to fight for my brother in the twilight as well. Besides, Yulia and the others will be with us. It''s a little awkward to say, but I''ll do my best. ''It sounds kind of awesome to hear that Julia''s at her best right now. ''''I hope you''re right, but I''m sure the demons are still going to be riddled with guys like me. ''Scary but I''ve decided to fight in a world like that. Huh........it''s a lot of work for a lot of things.... Well, let''s get on with it. Yeah. Good!¡¡One more round! I wish! And so Sophia and I played for a while at the drainage, not worthy of our age. 95-Episode 95: The Twelve Apostles: A Gathering of Devil ''Huh ... huh ... huh ... huh ...'' Holding her arms down, Claire was taking her steps. She had pretended to be completely unfazed when she left Julia. However, in reality, she was wounded in the body. In particular, the singular ability she invoked, Extra, was a problem. Death Lust (Thanatos). It was one of Claire''s trump cards. It is indeed quite powerful. Because if it is activated, the opponent will almost certainly die. Still.........there was a reasonable price to pay. Death''s Appetite (Thanatos) is a type of peculiar ability ¡¶extra¡· that can directly transfer the image of death it has to the opponent. However........it causes the same pain to me. In other words, a battle between myself and my opponent with mental power. Claire is used to the repercussions because she has already activated it many times..............but it doesn''t mean that she doesn''t take damage at all. Furthermore, in the earlier fight, Yulia is otherwise a threat again, even in pure close combat. She thought she was an expert in a hundred battles, but as expected of a fully awakened Yulia''s opponent was quite bone-jarring. You''re back, Claire. Clyde, you''ve been waiting for me? Yeah. We thought we''d get you back. Silas and Claudia have already returned to the home country. And, although incomplete, I heard that the Sefirot Tree was recovered. ''I see... well, in that case I guess it was worth the effort...'' Whoa, you okay? Sorry I can''t walk anymore. Clyde holds Claire as she tries to fall to the spot. He had expected this to happen and was waiting at the meeting place beforehand. It''s a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you''re looking for when you''re in the market. His physique was also quite large, standing well over six feet tall. He supported Claire with his body and carried her up as it was. ''''........Haha, I miss it. This way of holding it. Yes. But still, were you that strong to get to that point.......after all, were you that strong? Clyde starts walking towards a certain point as it is. He can also use transference magic, but there is a place in this twilight where he can do transference magic directly to lead to the home country. I''m in the middle of walking towards it now. ''''You''re strong. If it''s only close combat, I don''t think it''s an enemy. Probably a class above the third rank in the pecking order?'''' As good as me? ''Yeah ... maybe he''s stronger than Clyde ...'' ...I see. You''ve worked hard. ".........I got too excited and used that one too....... I''m really tired.... "Thanatos. It''s not effective on its own, it''s more suitable for a group fight, and it''s especially dangerous when you''re fighting alone. It''s a good choice for group battles, and it''s especially dangerous when you''re fighting alone. You''re not going to be able to get away with it. Because I want to use it! Is that right? Who do you think raised him? ''Hmmm, so that makes Clyde my dad? ''Talk about a fool but, well, he''s a father figure, I''m sure. People say things like, ''What''s wrong with my daughter?'' ''Hmm. Yeah. Claire smiles at me. That smile isn''t as wicked as it has been in the past. It was purely a smile directed at something close. ''So how does it feel to be with your immediate family? ''''Hmm........well, it''s obvious when you look at them with the Twilight Sight ¡¶Twilight Sight¡· that they have the same components. And more than anything else, they were identical twins, so they looked a lot alike.......but after all, my brother is a human. His thoughts are completely human. Roughly speaking, it''s incompatible with me, who grew up among the demons. Can you kill him next time you see him?¡¡You don''t have any feelings for him? Do you think I''m like that? No you''re not. You''d be happy to kill him. That''s right. My brother and I will meet again. And until one of us dies, I''m sure we''ll be incompatible. ''Well but here''s the unfortunate news. I hear we have to destroy the demons thoroughly. What?¡¡Did they finally do that?¡¡That''s silly.......no, it''s really silly. Do you think you can win if you get the numbers out? But to tell the truth, if sub-humans and demons team up, it''s tricky. However, we already have the Sefirot Tree, albeit unfinished, here. It might take some time, but there''s no chance of losing. I don''t know much about it, but is the Sefirot Tree so amazing? ''''Ah, it was used during the Great War of Human Demons 150 years ago, but that was terrific. Back then, there were more than a dozen beings, including saints, who could be called non-humans. We were pretty much cornered by them, but with the temporary release of the Sefirot Tree, we were able to eradicate them. We succeeded in driving the humans into a localized area. Hmm. Well, whatever works, I guess. Well I guess we''re getting close. Clyde packs magic element into the magic circle embedded in the ground. Then it generates a shifting magic circle in front of him, scattering golden particles. ''''Let''s go back.'''' Yes. And so the two of them were sucked into that magic circle and moved on. ¡ó Welcome back. The two of you. Aurille. What are you doing here? They''ve got you. They''ve got you. Aurille!¡¡Hi! Well, well, Miss Claire it''s been a while. A demon dressed in a pitch black suit. Her hair is neatly pulled back all the way back, as if she''s using hairdressing materials to keep it in place. Also, a pitch-black tail extends from his waist. And it''s not just his appearance, but his behavior is also polite. He bows nicely, even though he''s older than Clyde and Claire. That said, there''s no idea of seniority for a demon, but Auriel still values courtesy as a way of life. ''''I''ll take care of Claire-san,'''' Thank God. I''m sorry. I''m sorry you had to go through all this trouble. ''No, no. It''s proof that you''ve been working hard, isn''t it, Claire? Now, I''ll treat you right away. Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Then he lightly waves his right hand from side to side. ''''........finished. How is it done?'''' It''s perfect. That''s Auriel!¡¡That always helps! No. Let me know if you need anything else. Well you two Mr. Claudia and Mr. Silas are already at that place. Is the call coming up? ''Yes, sir. A coalition of sub-humans and demons. And we have recovered the Sefirot Tree, albeit imperfectly. An emergency meeting will be held. All right. Let''s head out. Conference - It''s so annoying... Miss Claire. Please, I won''t take up any of your time. ''''Hmm. Aurir has always been a great help to me, and I can''t help it....... Thank you. And so the three of them walked through the huge castle. At the far eastern end of the continent, in that underground space, the home country of the demons exists. The three of them climbed the stairs of the castle, illuminated by the twilight. The twilight, which also exists in the underground space, continues to illuminate all of this world, as it always has. And when Aureel opened the door, there were already seated faces at the long, vertical desk. ''''I''ve brought you two here. Forgive me, Auriel. So, we''re all here now ... all of the Twelve Holy Apostles. The twelve Holy Twelve Apostles ¡¶Seijyuu Nihito¡·. That was the general term for the twelve people who stood at the top of the demon race. Thus, the demon side also began to move in a big way, just like the humans. 96-Episode 96: Two Dark Maidens I think I''ll go shopping today. A week before the big operation. Eira was thinking of going into town to do some shopping. Of course, there are some items provided by the military, but there are some things that she would like to keep with her personally. Plus there would be night camps and night battles. At such times, there is a possibility that you will be with the men of the special class anti-magician, especially Yulia. At the very least, I want to make sure I''m well groomed at that time. Eira thought about that and went out to the city. ''''........'''' Eira stared at a point. That''s right, on this day, many of the anti-magicians participating in the operation happened to be out in the city. Eira was in the midst of it all, and what a surprise.......she had found Yulia. This was the best chance she''d ever had!¡¡But the situation was already too late. Because Yulia was calling out to Eve. ''''Huh?¡¡Are you Eira-senpai, by any chance? It was Shelly who called out to me from behind. She had come to town for the same reason as the other antagonists, but she found Eira looking ahead, halfway through the wall. The situation wasn''t great, but Sherry decided to talk to Eira. ''''........Shhh!¡¡Quiet...! Hey, what''s going on? Whoa.... When she said that in a whisper, Eira pointed to where they were. ''Is that Yulia and........is that Eve, perhaps?'' I guess so. You''re not going to talk to him? What? Seeing her reaction, Eira is convinced. That Shelly also had a thing for Yulia. She was dimly aware of that, and she had concluded that in her conversation with Sheila. Also, it''s not that she hated Shelly, but Eira had no intention of giving up Yulia easily. Therefore, she used this moment to plan her strategy. (Letting Shelly go like this is a bad idea.......then it''s better to keep her on hand.......) Cheryl, let''s put on the Uriah. "...Well, why is that?¡¡Why not just talk to him like a normal person? Don''t you want to know?¡¡On Julia''s relationships with women. ...! Look closely at Julia''s hair. ''Oh it''s amazingly neat and tidy,'' I did it. ''What!¡¡That''s amazing! Thank you. Shelly was on the pure side of many things, so she had no idea of the tactics that were going on under the surface. Eira felt a little sad, but continued on with her story. ''Isn''t that cool?'' I mean, it''s true, but... Nowadays, Julia would eat a woman in her sleep. I don''t know if you''re going to eat in... Yeah. That''s why we need to keep an eye on them to make sure they''re not having an overly-loving relationship. I''m not a fan of this, but I''m not a fan of this. They are expected to behave accordingly. ''''....I see. That''s certainly true!¡¡Then there''s no way to monitor it. Yeah, yeah, it can''t be helped! Hmm. I love a sensible boy. So, after rounding up Sherry with some unintelligible logic that sounded like it, the two of them immediately started stalking Julia. ¡ó This is delicious! Shh, shh, I''m hearing voices. "?¡¡Can you hear me at this distance? I just try to pick up Julia and Eve''s voices. Is it magic? Yes. Well, it was originally intended to be used for something else. Wow. You''re an amazing senior. While Sherry was biting into a piece of cake with her bakery, Eira was eavesdropping on their conversation. How lowly of her to do this. I don''t think so, but I''m still wondering what Yulia is talking about with Eve. Despite appearing quiet and dark, Eve is quite beautiful. She''s also rather tall and has long limbs. Today, her hair is also put up in an updo and she''s attractive even to the same s*x. I''m just worried that Yulia will bond with such an older, more colorful woman. ''''Heh, so Eve-san likes curry too?'''' Yeah. We eat a lot of curry in the army mess hall. And I even make my own... "Do you buy the spices and stuff to make it yourself? "So do you want to get some? Are you sure? ''It''s good. I ... feel ... very, very ... good ... hmm. "Oh, I''m looking forward to it. Instantly, the tea that Eira has in her possession freezes in a piquant way. ''''Wait, it''s frozen! ''Oops I''m sorry, I''m sorry. I''m just a little annoyed. What''s going on?¡¡Were you talking about something great? No, it''s nothing, okay? It is a lie. It''s a serious, yes serious thing for her. It sounds like you''re leaving. I''m going, Shelly. ''Mugging ... oh, wait a minute! Sherry threw the remaining cake into her mouth in one go and followed it without a moment to swallow it. ''''Well Julia, you have a lot of female friends, don''t you?'''' ''Well, yes. I sometimes blurt out that I want a male friend. ''''........and yet this time with Sophia. And what a stroke of luck to meet her the moment she left Eve.................. Eira was about to call out to Yulia as soon as she saw that she had left Eve, but in the meantime, Sophia bumped into Yulia. Since they don''t even know what Sophia is doing today, Eira and Sherry decide to keep an eye on her for now. ''''Senpai. I''m hungry........ Go get it from the store over there. I''ll watch you both. Thank you! Eira continued to stare at Julia, fed up with Shelly''s bottomless appetite. But this time it was quite tricky. Sofia shopped a lot, going into various stores at a dizzying pace to buy something. Yulia would hold it, and then Sofia would hold it too. Then, when their hands were full, they moved to the military quarters. Although she had heard all the conversations, Eira was relieved to find that it was completely unfounded, with no indication of any approach from Sophia to Yuria. ''Well, I guess that''s enough for today... or rather, I have to do some shopping of my own. ''''Mogu ... are you shopping for Eira-senpai?¡¡I''ll go out with you. Hey you''re eating all the time. ''''Ummm........maybe it''s because of the incident that I went through, but my mileage is strangely low. Isn''t that the case with your seniors? I haven''t seen any changes so far. It''s just that my magnesium levels have increased. ''''That''s nice.......maybe it''s because I''m a close-combat type and I''m very athletic. What if I get fat........ ''You won''t get fat. Besides, you won''t be able to get enough food down your throat any time soon. That too, I suppose. The two of them are referring to a major operation. We''ll probably be in the twilight for quite a while. I''ve also heard that they''re going to build a simple base inside the danger zone, and it could be a hell of a battlefield. ''''Senpai, let''s go.'''' Yeah. Shelly walked ahead of her, smiling and smiling. Seeing that, Eira thought. I certainly have some feelings for Shelly as a love interest. But still, Sherry is still a very nice girl. She adores me like this, and besides, Shelly was supportive of me, even though she was concerned about Julia. She followed all of Eira''s reckless behavior. However, Shelly had been chewing on something the whole time.... ''Hey Shelly,'' What is it? Thank you. "?¡¡What is it against? Nay-sho! And Eira, too, ran out of the place to follow Shelly. 97-Episode 97: Who Challenges Beyond People ..... She let her voice trail off. Shelly has the blood of the demon race built into her, and after the events of that time, the Twilight Syndrome ¡¶Twilight Syndrome¡· has completely disappeared. Like Julia, she is in a completely awakened form. And the two of them are training hard like this for the coming day of operations. Belle voices that inwardly. It''s not like she''s being out of touch like she has been. She was already a serious opponent against Shelly. Their abilities are completely equal. Exactly evenly. Bell is said to be the strongest of all of mankind in melee combat. Perhaps somewhere in her heart she thought that she could catch up with Shelly, who is still less than 20 years old, much less be defeated. But her swordsmanship is definitely pushing Bell in. If you''re not careful for even a moment, you will lose. Of course, although they weren''t seriously killing each other.......there was no doubt that they were exchanging sword fights with all their might with each other. ''''........Sensei, let''s end it here.'''' ''Yeah well you''re right...'' Then ten minutes later. The two of them lowered their swords as a signal for Shelly to do so. In pure melee combat alone, Shelly was already on par with Belle. Once she clearly recognized that fact, Belle spun certain words with determination. ''''Shelly-chan.......your strength is already.......comparable to mine......so........ ...to teach you. You ... all of my secret swords... ''Sir, but that''s not...'' It''s okay. It''s just that the technology has to be... passed on to someone else... ...I understand. I respectfully accept. Belle had decided. When he passed the secret sword on to someone else, it would be when he retired to the front lines. But it was different now. She had no intention of retiring from the front line at all. What she had in mind was under the condition that someone would come along who was skilled enough to take over her technique, and if she was declining at that time.... She hasn''t shown any signs of decline yet. Sure, her reaction time may not be as fast as it was in her twenties heyday, but she''s still good enough to fight. Belle herself is more aware of that than anyone else. What''s more, Bell was inspired by Shelly. Shelly''s existence is, to say the least, a bundle of talent. No, that''s what I should call a talent........to begin with, the specifics of her physical body are significantly different when she''s taking in the blood of the demon race. It''s natural for there to be a difference there. If Belle was just a proud anti-magician, she might have decided to retire after the current offensive and defense with Shelly. But Belle still thought that she could still do it. And she vowed. She said that she would surpass humans. That did not mean that she too would take in the blood of the demon race. It''s just a matter of making an effort to reach the realm of demons, beyond humanity. An unprecedented land. This is Belle''s vow to continue to fight. ¡ó ''Ha ... ha ... ha ... ha ...'' Early morning. This is the season when my breath is white. There are no definite seasons in this world dominated by twilight. There are only alternating hot and cold seasons. We are now on the verge of winter, and the temperature is quite low. In such a situation, there was one person who was working out at the military training ground before anyone else. ''''Belle, it''s rare to see you running so early in the morning. ''Gil you are the one who is unusual...'' Two of the oldest of the special class anti-magicians meet up with each other. In the first place, both of them hadn''t been training in the morning for the past few years. They had already reached the peak of their skills and were past their prime. As for Gil, he was even thinking of retiring due to the rise of his successor. These two men met. There was one answer to that question. ''''You''re in a hurry, aren''t you? ''....I can''t let teenagers take it on their shoulders....not yet....so.... What, you think like that? Oh.........speaking of which, I heard that my daughter Sophia-chan.......has become a first class anti-magician and will be participating in this mission. .... excellent... your children... "...this world dies with the strongest people. My son was strong. That''s why ... he died in the twilight and that one in Sophia was strong too. That''s why we have to lead them. ''''Since I... since I was in school, Gil has already been a... special-grade anti-magician...'''' Yeah. But you''re completely better at melee combat than I am. It''s a disgrace. ''It''s ... well it can''t be helped ... because I''m stronger than you ... it''s a fact. Pull it out, girl. Ouch..... Gil said and lightly patted Belle on the head. Although they are far apart in age, they''ve known each other for a long time, so Belle speaks rather well when she''s with Gil. ''So, are you still going to do it?'' ''Of course ... rather, my prime is yet to come ...'' Are you... are you still trying to move up? ''Probably won''t be able to compete with Yulia-kun, and Shelly-chan... no, I don''t think Yulia-kun will be able to reach you anymore... but I will...'' "...I see. You''ve changed, Belle. Yeah? Oh. So you''ve got something to carry on your back. I''m not sure what you mean by that. I know. You''ll get it. Hmmm ... you sound like an old man. Well, just keep your ears open for the older guy. I will.... Gil had noticed. Already, Bell was one of the top reigning anti-magicians of humanity. The meaning of daring to declare that such an anti-magician will go to the top. It is saying that she, too, will reach a destination beyond the acquired man. There is no such thing as a thorny path. What awaits beyond that is hell itself. The two men knew this. The Twilight Syndrome still has a long way to go. The research paper Ellie left behind. It was someone who showed that one could not reach the Twilight Syndrome, but at the same time, one possibility was suggested. The special class anti-magicians might be able to reach beyond the Twilight Syndrome........ Silas and Claudia had also concluded after their research that humans would never reach the end of the Twilight Syndrome. On the other hand, it was still completely uncertain what would happen to a human who had been bathed in twilight for decades. Bell hung on to that possibility. I can reach beyond the human. That the imprint that binds this body together will take her to greater heights. Up until now, not only Belle, but Gil had also suppressed that ability at some point. That was because Ellie had warned him about it. If he continued on like this, there was a possibility that the Twilight Syndrome, or Twilight Syndrome, would invade his body and cause him to die. Even though she knew that possibility, Belle decided to move on. Seeing her like that, Gil was also not unmoved by the thought. ''''Bel........is it okay?¡¡Perhaps, beyond that, death may be the only thing waiting for you. ''It doesn''t matter ... I''ve lived long enough ...'' .... ''My friends ... in their twenties ... most of them died. I''m one of them ... surviving ... still fighting on the front lines ... and that''s why I have to move on, too. .... when it''s okay to stagnate... it''s over... ''Well no I guess so. We''ve been too focused on the status quo, haven''t we? ''But I don''t think I''m going to impose these values on ... Gil ...'' "Why shouldn''t I be the one to fight you? Come on, Belle, let''s go together. Beyond that. They stared into each other''s eyes. I''m getting old.......but there was still a burning will in them. And the two of them continued to train hard after that. They, too, decided to proceed with a certain resolve. 98-Chapter 98: Inheritance of the Throne Okay, that''s about it. Organize the rooms in the quarters. Since then, my base of operations has been moved to the First Boundary City. Once I went to the Seventh Knot City and brought my luggage here. At that time, the people of the Seventh Boundary City''s Dusk Task Force held a small pick-up and drop-off party for me. This time we''re moving this time, me, senpai, and Shelly are special class anti-magician, so of course, the first class anti-magician people are also coming to the first boundary city. Among them is Sophia. She has already become a first class anti-magician and was recommended especially by Eira-senpai to participate in this operation with her strong recommendation. ''''Hmmm.......I''m a bit tired.'''' I take a breath. As usual, there are few things in the room. My possessions are nothing of note. What I would have to say is a book. The book Edgar gave me, a book about dusk. I gently trace the cover. It doesn''t exactly maintain the appearance of a book. It''s nothing more than layers of paper held together with string. (Edgar-san....) What happened then is still firmly in my memory. I remember the time when I was banished to the twilight, and especially.......that ogre village is deeply etched in my memory. Even among the demon race, there are those that are not hostile to humanity. And they have been very good to me. I''m going to be able to say that the village has already been destroyed. I''m sure that''s true. There''s no need to lie right then and there. They are dying again. The people who are involved with me are dying one by one. Before I went to the twilight, I was just a student and didn''t know much about this world. The twilight is a harsh place. That''s the extent of my understanding. But now I know. Dusk mercilessly drains the life out of living things and is built on the truth of the weak and the strong. "......... I suddenly look up at the sky through the window. I look at the reddish-black light and think of the trajectory I''ve been on. I''ve parted from the weak me back then. From now on, as the Zeroth rank in the special class anti-magician hierarchy, as the hope of humanity, I will proceed on my way. ''''Alright........'''' After finishing all preparations, I left the quarters. For the next week, there will be strategy meetings and troop formations to be decided. I will be attending some of these meetings. My job as Rank Zero is not only to fight. ¡ó You don''t mind? Yes. Can I help you with something? On the way to the conference room, I am suddenly spoken to. The outfit she wears, and moreover, I''ve seen her face before. She is as tall as I am and has long blonde hair that is curled vertically. She also wears make-up, and I''m sure everyone would love to see her look. In fact, she had attracted a lot of attention at that party. ''''You''re the second princess, Grete-sama, right? Yes, I am. You''re the new rank-zero Julia Curtis. You''re a lot different than you were before. I used to have long hair, but I''ve had it cut recently. Hmm. I guess that''s okay, isn''t it? I''m sorry, sir. The second princess. It''s well known that she doesn''t get along with the third princess, Princess Liane. She''s a bit rough around the edges, but because of her beauty and charisma, she''s been touted as the queen of the season. The first saint to be born in hundreds of years. There is no reason not to install her as the king. But Princess Grete''s eyes still seemed to be full of ambition. ''''I hear you''re on good terms with Liane?'''' It''s been a pleasure. ''I''ll be blunt. Julia Curtis. Be mine. I don''t know what you mean. You know what the succession to the throne is, don''t you? You want me to help you? You''re not very good at talking, are you? But that''s all right. I''d love to have a pawn of rank 0. Of course you''d like that, wouldn''t you? .... Quite frankly, she''s licking this world. I''m not saying that the succession to the throne is completely useless, but right now it''s more important to know how to fight in the twilight....... It''s clear that they are only obsessed with their own status. These types of people are the ones who are tied to it with people in power. Royalty, aristocracy, and the upper echelons of the military, it''s not hard to see why they are so fixated on that power. When you have power, you can live freely in this city. And you can live your life the way you want to live with your surplus of money. I''d be lying if I said I didn''t yearn for such a life, but I have a mission now. That''s why I can''t give in to such a joke of a request. ''''With all due respect, I have no desire to be involved in the succession to the throne. Besides, with all due respect, the Third Princess Liane has awakened as a saint. I didn''t see any room for you to intervene. Do you have any idea who you''re talking to? The power play is yours to handle. We have our hands full with the Dusk campaign. Are you sure?¡¡You and your operation, we can interfere with it, okay? "...are you serious? The upcoming operation will be a big step forward for humanity. And yet, you''re being so selfish.... ''Personal feelings?¡¡You think I can''t listen to my new queen? Just so we''re clear, it''s not acceptable. They''re all so hard-headed, really. Now, excuse me. I end the conversation with that and leave. We are now going to fight in the twilight. I don''t have time to worry about the succession of the throne. Besides, Princess Liane will be the next in line for the throne. Yes, or so I thought, but I''m about to find out what a foolish creature humans are. 99-Episode 99: Mysterious Genius Finally, the mission starts tomorrow. I''ve been preparing for it for a while now, and I''m already prepared to leave. The battle in the twilight. It''s going to be the toughest thing that has ever happened to me. And.........there would surely be deaths. This time it was a strategy where only at least a second level anti-magician or above could participate, but even so, there would be deaths. Even a special class anti-magician cannot be said to be safe. I was so pensive in my room. Even though I had been in the twilight for two years, apparently I had been arbitrarily made to do so, so there were probably a lot of things I didn''t know. What I''m seeing isn''t all there is to it. And since I have nothing to do for the rest of the day, just as I was thinking about reading a book.......there is a knock at the door. ''Yes yes. Who is it? Julia-kun....do you have...time...? Miss Bell. What can I do for you? It was Miss Bell who came in. And then she said something she hadn''t expected. ''There''s someone I want you to meet..........'' "?¡¡Well, I don''t mind, I''ve got some time today. I quickly slip into my military uniform and leave the room without further ado. I''m in the form of walking behind Belle. I suddenly stare out through the window. Twilight is still present, of course, but winter is about to arrive in earnest. The world outside, which is already getting quite cold, seemed somewhat clearer. ''....here. Conference room? Are you waiting for someone? Once you get in you''ll understand... I understand. I open the door to the conference room as it prompts me to enter, and then.... And then........it''s a child inside. It''s a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you''re looking for when you see me. ''''Ah!¡¡You''re here!¡¡Wow it''s real ... it''s real ... it''s the real Julia Curtis ... Well, you know what? ''My name is Noah Bileschmidt!¡¡Nice to meet you! Well, yes I do. A young boy. The body that will not yet be less than 10 years old. The hair is pure white, just like mine, and the haircut looks like it was cut by itself, with mussed hair everywhere. I''m not sure........is this the individual who inherits the blood of the new demon race?¡¡Just like me..... Mr. Bell, you''re not going to.... ''''I know what you''re thinking, Yulia-kun... but that boy is different... he''s a normal human being... because I''ve already had a look at him, Liane-sama... his demonic form, his personal field, doesn''t lack any elements of the demonic race.'''' Then why me?¡¡Are you a relative of Mr. Bell''s or something? ...he''ll be a part of tomorrow''s mission. ''What?¡¡Jeez, you''re kidding me! This is not a joke. That boy is a genius. A true genius, perhaps the greatest genius in the history of mankind. It''s not just his brain, but his practical skills as well. From the way I see everything with my own eyes........ But that doesn''t mean that I''m not going to take a child this young and... In fact, he''s threatening me in reverse.......he''s threatening me with a violent attack if I don''t take him with me.... That''s a lot to ask for, isn''t it? When I mutter that, Noah smiles and enters the conversation with a smile. "Yulia-san. I, you know, I solved one of the three most difficult problems, you know? What?¡¡What are the three biggest conundrums? Yeah. I''ve solved a perpetual motion engine. It''s a permanent energy supply, but well, not strictly speaking, it''s not perfect, but it''s a pseudo-success. "...Mr. Bell, are you sure about this? "...true. The boy was ... in an orphanage, and there was a roundup of people in each city about the betrayal. That''s when they found Noah. He''s been conducting research on his own for some time now. Without any equipment other than his own magic. And then, when the military discovered his work he created a pseudo-permanent engine and here we are... ''I see. But I didn''t know there was someone who could solve the three most difficult problems... The Three Great Conundrums. It is an unsolved conundrum that will be made possible by magic. Flight (gravity manipulation) Transposition (quantum teleportation technology) Perpetual energy supply These three are collectively referred to as the three major magic conundrums, but we already know that transference is feasible. That can be seen in Claudia and other demons. But the flight and the perpetual motion engine are the ones that are said to be forever unsolvable because even years of research have not produced any results. Did this child solve that?¡¡And when it becomes a permanent institution, that''s a real feat. It will put an end to the energy problems of the future. So here''s the thing... I have a pretty good idea of what to expect, but... I need you to take care of her during the mission. "...are you insane?¡¡That kind of thing is approved by the higher-ups in the military, isn''t it? Of course. There''s movement too... "...after the performance of this operation, you think you''ll do that? ........I see. I see. I agree on the surface. It is true that the more strength the better. Even if they are 10 years old, if we can use them, we should use them. Normally, I think it''s an unusual situation for young people to rise to this level. If you look at the members of the current special class of anti-magicians, they''re made up of mostly young people. But that''s because of one sad fact. Yes........many of the older generation have already died. That means that we are so trapped that the youth must rise. So we should just swallow this kind of situation.... So, with that in mind, I speak to Noah again. "Noah, is that right? ''Yes!¡¡I''ve always had a crush on Julia-san.... Have we met? ''Nope. But you know, it''s beautiful inside. I think, you know, the most beautiful creature in the world is Julia. You''re not looking at it. It''s called twilight-sight, right? Yes, but you don''t think you can see clearly what''s inside? ''Yes!¡¡I can see it! ''I see... no, that''s not...'' It''s tremendous. I also have the Twilight Sight, but it wasn''t until after I awakened that I was able to see what''s inside my opponent. Until then, I could only perceive the movement of the magic element. My impression is that the current Twilight Sight is similar to Princess Liane''s Celestial Eye. This means that the ability is still beyond the bounds of humanity. But why does Noah have that ability?¡¡I also look at him with my twilight sight, but he is completely human. He''s not a demon, nor is he a saint. What on earth is he? I was becoming dominated by that question. ''''........Wow, I knew it!¡¡Julia, you''re a sighted person too! Yeah. I''m just like you. I''ve always been a bit of a creep. People tease me when I say I can see things they can''t see. They say it''s creepy but I can see you, Julia!¡¡And I can see the Princess Liane from before.¡¡This place is awesome!¡¡I can''t believe there are people like me! Well I''m a lot like you. ''Haha!¡¡I''m so glad.......there''s someone like me.... Perhaps Noah was lonely. He spent his days in an orphanage. But that ability can already reach the special class antimagician. If that''s the case, then his place is probably the only place for him to be. It''s a sad reality, but I....well, we''ll be his place. I don''t know what the cause is, but we accept that this is fate. Thus, we add a new genius to the mix and go about our mission. 100-Episode 100: Dusk Hazardous Area: Strategy and Start The day has finally come. The day has come when mankind is going to attack the twilight in earnest. Up until now, all of these operations have ended in failure, but this time the level of commitment is the best in the history of mankind. More than anything else, the forces in this operation are overwhelmingly different. Even in the past, the number of second grade anti-magicians and above is the highest. On top of that, the special grade opponents also had a considerable amount of strength. What''s even more notable is the presence of four of them. Me, Shelly, Eira-senpai, and even Princess Liane. Three of them, including me, have taken in the blood of the demon race, and Princess Liane has awakened as a saint, which is rare among the royal family. We were urged to fight in the twilight, as if the situation told us to do so. ''''Julia, good morning.'''' Morning. Did Sherry sleep well? ''Well I haven''t actually slept much. I''m so nervous... Me too. But you seem to be in good spirits. I''m so uptight...? Why the questioning? Hmm. I have to admit that I don''t really understand it. I think the nervousness and excitement is blowing away my sleepiness. ''''But yes....this battle will determine the fate of humanity from now on...'''' It''s depressing just to think about whether this strategy will be remembered as a success or a failure for future generations, but we have to do it. Besides, we''re already special-grade anti-magicians and representatives of humanity. I don''t think we should show our friends that we''re worried... ''''As expected of Yulia, your spirit is different. Come to think of it, as I recall, Yulia will also be speaking on the stage this time, right? "...um, yeah. I''m going to come out and talk to you after the Commander-in-Chief. Ugh ... the thought of me doing this makes me want to throw up ... oh. No, stop!¡¡I''m nervous too! As the two of us are fussing over each other, a familiar figure comes up behind us. "You guys........are in good spirits even on a day like this. ''No, it''s not that, sir!¡¡Because Shelly is going to scare me! Hey!¡¡Are you trying to say it''s my fault! "Quiet, both of you. It''s almost time for the pre-service speech. Besides, the city people will be there this time. "Yes I''m sorry. We deeply reflect on the situation with both of us, and then we gather at the meeting place. After a while, a huge number of opponents will be gathered there. All of them are second class demons or higher, and are the people who will be participating in this mission. I genuinely respect them. It may sound irreverent, but the probability of a special-grade counter-magician dying is low. On the other hand, first- and second-class counter-magicians have a higher chance of dying compared to us. Rather, no one is optimistic enough to think that there won''t be a single casualty in this operation. They are all here knowing that they are going to die. Of course, I feel the same way. In order to reach that blue sky, we must be prepared to die and still go on.... This is because we are living in such a world. And we special class antimagicians line up in the front row. The new special class anti-magicians lined up beside us. We must show that we are the hope of humanity. We can''t afford to expose our clumsy appearance. "Gentlemen, I thank you all for being here. The speech began. Speaking on the stage in front of me was the Commander-in-Chief. He was the supreme commander in this operation. Although he is not as strong as a high-level anti-magician, he is a great man who has saved humanity many times with his ability to read the big picture. 150 years have already passed since the twilight took over this world. In that time, humanity has shed much blood in this region. Many of us here will have experienced the deaths of family and friends. And we have overcome those deaths to stand here. Counter-Magicians. I''m proud of you. Now, you are headed to the twilight. It is the twilight that mankind has yet to find a clue to capture. You have already seen the threat first hand. Some of you have loved ones, families, and would like to escape. But it is because of people like you that we are alive today. The sacrifices we have made have been many. All those sacrifices have become the foundation, and we will inherit them. The will to liberate humanity from the twilight will be handed down to us even in death. I will say this once again, gentlemen. I am proud of you all. And let me tell you once and for all that the time has come to liberate us from this dusk!¡¡Humanity must stand up to them now!¡¡To seize a solid tomorrow! A moment later, the voices of the counter-magicians spring up. All of them raise their voices and then vow. We will definitely, without fail, destroy the twilight that rules the world.... ''''Now then, let me ask you to speak on behalf of the antimagicians here. I''m Julia Curtis, ranking zero in the hierarchy of special class anti-magicians. Here. Yes, sir. He speaks in a dignified voice. I''ve already made up my mind what I''m going to say. The only thing left to do is to spin it into an emotion. I take the stage slowly, and as I take the stage, I speak my thoughts. My hands are trembling with nervousness, but I suppressed it well and looked straight at everyone and spun my words. ''''I have been appointed to the rank of zero in the order of special class anti-magician. My name is Julia Curtis. Now, as most of you know, I''ve been in the Twilight for two years. I was once in a danger zone level 10. From that experience, I can tell you that the twilight world is, as you all know, a world of the weak and the strong. The strong ones survive and the weak ones die. That''s all. That''s the only simple rule this world is made up of. In this operation, we plan to progress to level 5 of the twilight danger zone, which is unheard of. Of course, we, the special class anti-magicians, will be ahead of you... but to be honest, I don''t know what will happen there. It could work, but it could also fail. This is because in the past, there have been instances of encounters with demons at level 4. Still, we need to move on, even in such harsh conditions. As it is now, the status quo was the same as the old status quo, and nothing was going to change. But for us, having been able to stabilize the Boundary City, we were able to turn our attention to the outside world, little by little. Humans have a definite power. They have the power to oppose the demon race as well. And........after overcoming the deaths of hundreds of millions of people so far, we will reach the blue sky at the end of this twilight. Once again, let us swear as a rank zero in the Order of Special Grade Anti-Magician. No matter how much hell awaits us in the future, I will continue to fight on the front lines as the hope for humanity, and I will surely bring the blue sky to humanity. I don''t remember what I said after that. I told you what I had been thinking about, but it wasn''t enough. I''ve been going through these thoughts, thinking about what I could do to free humanity from the twilight. A few years ago, I was just a little boy. That''s how I came to this point. I have reached the highest position in the hope of humanity. Of course, I didn''t reach it through my efforts alone. I know long ago that much of it is inborn, etc. I already know that this existence was born out of malice. But even so, what will I accomplish in the future? It''s up to me now to decide. The footprints to the future will be decided by us now. Even if this mission fails, humanity will stand up again and again. It has been like that for a long time now. Then I will be the light that cuts through this twilight. I will be the best light to illuminate humanity. Go for it! I''m counting on you! You take care of humanity and the world from here on out! And then the operation began. We began our march. At the front of the march were the special class anti-magicians. And on both sides of the road were many people. Although people from other bounded cities may not all be here as well, this amount of people must be coming from outside the first bounded city. We responded to their voices while raising our hands. Everyone is hoping. We wish to be freed from the twilight and live freely in this world. Let''s put an end to the days of living in fear in this place. That role belongs to us mages. Then let''s do our duty. It''s a good idea to have a solid tomorrow in your hands. Julia, you''re very popular. "Senior, don''t make fun of me. I liked your speech. Well that would be good. Hey, Julia. What is it? When this mission is over, I need to talk to you about something important. Will you listen to me? ''''........Senpai, please don''t say that. That''s........a dangerous one. It''s okay. Because Julia will protect you, won''t she? ''''Well yes. I will protect you. I won''t let a single life overflow from my hands. That''s the spirit. Let''s go. Yes, sir. We move forward. We move forward with a definite will and heart. We are made up of hundreds of millions of corpses. And then, looking at that reality, we step on the corpses and go forward. This is how the battle for the fate of humanity has begun. 101-Episode 101: Pseudo Permanent Organization March. We''ve left the first ward city since then, and we''ve come to level 1 of the twilight danger zone. However, we haven''t encountered any demons yet, but we can''t let our guard down. We can''t afford to be careless, because we don''t have time to be careless at any time and place. "...Dusk... I blurted out. We are currently divided into platoons. I''m in the first platoon, and I''m at the head of the platoon. Formation has not changed since the time of the squad. The vanguard is an antimagician who specializes in proximity, and the rear guard is an antimagician who specializes in magic. And now I''m moving forward with Noah, that and Belle-san. ''''Hey, Yulia-san. What''s the twilight like? Is this your first time with Noah? Yes. ''Well you shouldn''t be too careful. This world is a world of the weak and the strong. Anything is possible. Hmm. Right. Noah doesn''t have any fear, he just walks next to me. Even the troops behind him are looking at him quizzically. And so it is. And so is the fact that a child is walking next to me, just a child. This usually raises a question in everyone''s mind. The content of the notice is that they want to introduce a talented antimagician on an experimental basis, but.......what is his presence really? An existence that appeared suddenly. He is said to have solved the perpetual motion engine, which is considered to be the most difficult of the three major problems. I''ve heard that Mr. Bell has confirmed this with his own eyes, but after all, a picture is worth a thousand words. Until I see it with my own eyes, I doubt his abilities. ''''Mr. Bell....um....'''' I sneakily talk to Belle-san. Speaking of Noah, on the other hand, he''s talking to the other members of the squad right now, so the timing is just right. Right now we are still level 1, so the overall tension is not that high. In the first place, all the special level anti-magicians are participating in this operation. Up to twilight level 3, roughly, it could be considered okay. ''''Are you sure it''s okay?'''' Noah''s... thing...? Yes, sir. ''''I ... saw it with my own eyes and I''m sure of it ... that girl''s abilities could reach the level of a special class anti-magician ... only the main thing is like magic ... but ...'''' Have you seen the perpetual motion engine? "...yeah. He says it''s called the PMC theory... PMC theory. I''ve never heard the word before. I wonder what the hell it stands for, and as soon as I think about it, Mr. Bell tells me. "PMC theory (Theory) stands for Perpetual Motion of Code which is apparently a theory that is necessary to form a perpetual motion engine, but look at this. Is this ... a paper? Well it seems he put it together. Let''s see. As I walked, I examined its contents. What I found out was that, theoretically, perpetual motion is possible. Here''s what it says in detail. This is a theory that allows you to use magic infinitely, and if it comes true, you can use magic forever. However, this is a difficult problem because of the nature of magic. Whenever you use magic, you need magical elements. When you use magic, the magic element will disappear. That''s right, it disappears from the world. And the more you use it, the more it is used, the more biased it becomes, and if you continue to use large-scale magic in the same space, it will disappear at some point. Although it rarely happens to the extent that the magic element disappears, there is no doubt that it is still finite. That''s why it was assumed that it was impossible to develop a permanent engine. However, if you look at what we have here, he is able to execute that perpetual engine, albeit in a pseudo-permanent way. It was only within the limited space that Noah created. The name of that space is ....................World Shrinkage, Pycnosis. But that, as I recall, was the name of the transition magic Claudia was using..............but what the hell? ''''Mr. Bell, the name "Pycnosis," the World Shrinkage, is........'''' I''ve confirmed that with Lady Liane, but I''ve also heard that the World Shrinkage Pyknosis refers to a unique spatial region, and that it exists in literature... the question is what the user uses the space for... and for what purpose... in Claudia''s case, it''s transference... and in Noah''s case, it''s a pseudo-permanent engine, or PEEMC... Oh, I see.... Once again, I take a quick look at the paper. I''m not a researcher, so I don''t know more about it, but........a pseudo-permanent engine ¡¶PMC¡·. It seems that it''s definitely a magic that can realize a permanent engine. ''I understand it in theory. So what did you think when you saw it in action? Is that enough...? I think we should give it a little more time... Agreed. I nodded strongly. In this world, it is not enough to just be strong. This is because the state of one''s mind, one''s mental state, also has a great deal to do with one''s strength. How will the young man fight with his mind? At only ten years old, he has little awareness of this world. There are very few children who go out into the twilight. I went on with Noah''s presence on my mind. I had a premonition that his presence would be the key to this battle. I had a premonition that he would be the key to this battle. 102-Episode 102: Abnormal There''s nothing to it. Well yeah, I guess. Currently, we are building a base on level 1 of the twilight danger zone, and we, the first platoon, have been on a perimeter alert for that purpose. In this operation, we''re planning to create a base every time the level of the danger zone increases. Among them, we are planning to place the operational command center on level 1 of the danger zone, so we will carefully investigate the surroundings. However, there are no demons in the surroundings. It is well known that demons often appear in this area, but right now there is no sign of them either. Also, the special class antimagician in this first platoon is me, Belle and my seniors. The vanguard will be pushed by me and Bell-san, and the rear guard will be supported by Eira-senpai and the others'' magic. Besides, the other counter-magicians in this platoon are also excellent. Like the first class anti-magicians, the second class anti-magicians also have a lot of experience fighting in the twilight. The first platoon is always made up of anti-magicians with high fighting ability to fight on the front lines. There may be some changes in the formation in the future, but this is how we plan to proceed at present. ''''Julia, do you feel anything?'''' It was Eira-senpai who approached me saying that. ''''No, not particularly ... no, this ...'''' Instantly, I feel something tugging at my senses. Then I immediately deployed the Twilight Sight. Then I perceived a swarm of demons approaching us at a great speed from a few kilometers away. ...and how many? About 500. From what I can perceive, yes. What do you think, Belle? The senior officer speaks to Mr. Bell. The captain of this platoon is Bell-san. Even though my seniors and I are specially-ranked anti-magicians, we are still inexperienced. I''m also at the rank of Zero, but I''m still not used to group combat. That''s why Bell, the oldest of the group, will be leading this platoon. Saying that, Bell-san deploys her communication magic. While we start the conversation as it is, me and my seniors immediately tell the other members of the squad to prepare for battle. There are a hundred battle-hardened antimagicians here. There''s no way they could lose. But even so, the call came so quickly.... or so I thought. Even with my Twilight Sight, I could only perceive them at this distance; if they were more than 10 kilometers away, it might have been tough. But even so, the fact that we received a message from the operations command center in the rear of the building.......perhaps Princess Liane perceived it. With her Celestial Eye, she could perceive this abnormal flow of magical elements even from 10 kilometers away. And when Bell-san finished communicating, she told us. ''''........The demons are about 500 Scorpions, and the individuals are not mutants, they are normal individuals. This time it''s decided that the first platoon will be the only one to deal with them. Let''s go, the enemy is close....... Copy that. Everyone in the room told us that, and we continued onward. ¡ó It''s over. ''Yeah...'' In its place was a large number of corpses. The corpses of the Scorpion, torn into pieces, were scattered on the ground. I stood on those corpses and looked around. ''''Yulia-kun.......are you still there?'''' No, they''re gone. No demons within a ten kilometer radius. Copy that. But still ... that went smoothly. ''Yes. I''m glad you all worked so well together. As he spoke, he could hear the anti-magicians around him whispering something. ''''So that''s the strongest of the human race...'''' As expected of a rank zero and a rank one.... I didn''t expect it to be that bad, honestly. Yeah, that might work. They are talking excitedly about it. But that may be so. In this battle, not only were there no deaths, there were no injuries. That''s because Belle-san and I killed 90% of the Scorpions. The rest of the team dealt with the leaked Scorpions, but we killed them in a matter of seconds. The Scorpion also knows who is the strongest in this squad, and they came rushing in, mainly targeting me and Belle, which is what we wanted. Belle-san overwhelms everything with her overwhelming sword fights with her sword. Every time she swung her sword, dozens of Scorpions were killed at once. Speaking of me on the other hand, I deployed my compound dagger, the Multiple Knife, in a full burst of explosive four-scatter. I also activated it with it as multiple branches and leaves split apart. My invisible blade was still intact, drawing a random trajectory and piercing the brain of the Scorpion one after another. In a group battle like this, this Full Burst of Explosive Four-Splatter is the most suitable. And then I continue to chip away at the remaining enemies...and that''s it. So here we are now. "Hey, aren''t you two enough? It''s not.... no... we need a backup... That''s right. Even with the two of us, I think we could have done it, but.... You never know what could happen. ''Yes, but it''s a bit too awesome, you know. Julia has really gotten stronger. She''s like a different person than she was before. Well I''m special in more ways than one. Well.... I won''t say that it''s because I''m waking up as a demon. It''s because I know that''s long overdue. ''''Well ... now that it''s over ... let''s go back ...'''' Copy that. After finishing the first round of this operation without incident, we headed back to our base. Julia-san, are you okay? Princess Liane, hi. So she is told. The time is already night, and darkness has already taken over the world. I can''t sleep soundly, even if I want to, so we take turns being vigilant about our surroundings, but I was strangely bright-eyed even though it was time for me to sleep. When I returned to the base of operations after that, I found that the tents and other equipment had already been set up, and many layers of wards had been deployed, turning it into a complete fortress. Breaking through this is probably a painstaking task even for me. Even a demon would find it difficult to break through. We came back to the base that was turned into such a strong fortress and immediately went to the headquarters to report on this battle. After that, we paused our march because the sun had set. Then we ate and prepared for tomorrow. I couldn''t sleep, even if I wanted to, so I just hovered around the place. It was a clear day, and I could see the stars clearly. I''m going to have to make sure that I have a good time. She''s wearing a military uniform and her hair is neatly arranged...but that''s not appropriate for this place. In the first place, it''s impossible for royalty to come to the front lines like this. But she''s a saint. I haven''t heard the details, but she''s an existence outside of humanity. She must have sensed the existence of the enemy earlier than I did in the battle just now. That ability is a threat. It''s essential to the operation. That''s why she knows that, and that''s why she''s here. ''''Can''t you sleep?'''' I''ve been strangely blind lately... ''''You realize.... You don''t need much sleep for yourself anymore. Because I don''t either. ...and Princess Liane, too? ''Yes. I awoke as a saint, but I haven''t been able to get much sleep since. If I do sleep, I wake up after about an hour or so. And even after that mere hour or so, my day-to-day performance doesn''t suffer. Perhaps it''s different for Shelly and Eira but I''m sure you and I have grown to the point where we don''t even need sleep anymore. Growth, sir? Would it be better to describe him as an outsider? ''It''s ... well ... but yes, it is. Growth is a better word for it. I''ve noticed. I don''t need sleep anymore. Not only that. My three major cravings are becoming infinitesimal. Emotions are also scarce. I was a little afraid of myself. So I hid it and smiled. But is it the same with Princess Liane.... ''''The days when I couldn''t sleep made me feel more anxious. I can''t help but think about what to do if the mission fails. I thought I could handle my head when I was alone. So why don''t we have a little talk? Is this a story? Yes. What do you want to do when you get this world back, and that''s the story of your dreams. I like that. Right? She grinned a little and looked like a girl her age. And so we will talk about those little dream stories until this night is over. 103-Episode 103: The Future Dream is a Cake Shop We continue our conversation as we sit down on a large rock in the vicinity. ''Did you have any dreams for the future, Julia?'' ''Well my father was an anti-magician, so I''ve always wanted to be the same anti-magician as him. Father. He may not be my father by blood now, but I still consider him to be my real father. He was the one who influenced me so much, because he was the only one. ''''I see. So Yulia-san has always been an admirable person.'''' ''No it wasn''t. What about Princess Leanne? My dream is to be a baker. What? Hmmm... are you surprised? That''s, well, yes. She smiled and tried to look into my face with a smile. There was something mischievous there, and I could see that I was doing just that in her expression. Still, I was surprised. I didn''t know that that was what she wanted to do in the future. It''s not that I''m making light of it. Childhood dreams vary from person to person, but from the current Princess Liane, it was completely unimaginable. She had always assumed that she was trying to fulfill her duties as royalty. ''I thought the cakes I ate when I was a little girl were very good. At that time, sweet and other products were finally being mass-produced, and cakes and other products were born. When I ate it, I thought to myself, ''I''ll never stop making this. I definitely want to work in the business of making these things.... Of course, when I told my mother about it, she gently persuaded me to do so. But my dream has not changed. But I haven''t decided whether I want to run a business selling cakes or be a patissier who bakes cakes... .... Julia-san. Your mouth is free. ''Ha!¡¡Oh, um....sorry, I''m sorry....I didn''t expect that... "Surprised? With all due respect, I''ve always thought that Princess Liane was more concerned with the mission of the royal family, even at an early age. ''Hmm. I hope so, but after all, sweetness is what women like. That means I was an ordinary woman too. Are you a normal woman? ''Oh?¡¡Do you have any objections? Well it''s, well it''s not exactly normal. Isn''t that true, Julia? Ha, that must be it. We, who are special beings, a saint and a demon, exchange such light words with each other. When we first met, I thought she was a mystical being who transcended humanity because of her beauty and her behavior. This perception has never changed, but when I talked to her again, I realized that Princess Liane is a woman of her age. If she were to start such a business, she would surely make a lot of money. After all, Princess Liane is very popular. Although the existence of royalty, especially in terms of looks, is not well known to the city people, there are not a few opportunities to meet them when it comes to the military. In such a situation, Princess Liane''s popularity in the military is tremendous. She is friendly to everyone and speaks kindly to even a mere soldier. It''s not just her appearance, but her personality is also a factor in her popularity. That I want to live like a normal person. Wouldn''t it be wonderful to be able to think about cake all hours of the day? Is that so? ''Yes, sir!¡¡It''s so wonderful! Well ... well ... isn''t it? Oops. I''m sorry. I just got carried away. ... ha ha ha. So, on the other hand, what about you, Miss Julia? What do you mean? It''s about the world beyond the twilight. ''The world beyond... I can''t imagine it, not at all... Maybe this strategy will work and people will reach the end of the twilight. But it might fail again and they might end up holed up in the warded city for hundreds of years. I don''t know what the future holds for me. There is nothing I want to do in the future. But if such a world will come in my lifetime, then yes I would like to travel........ Are you traveling? Yes, sir. Where are you going? I don''t know where to go. Is it called a journey?¡¡Isn''t it only possible to have a purpose? ...to find yourself, I guess. ''Eh ... is that so?¡¡I think I''m a supremely straight-thinking person, but... Well, that''s a bias, isn''t it? Surprisingly, you''re going to chop it up... You can''t have any of us, can you? I''m trying to be careful, though. ''Oh my God!¡¡Really! What''s wrong with your dramatic voice and facial expressions? Couldn''t you be a performer? ''That''s a bit of a stickler. But everything is a practice, practice. Hmm, Yulia-san is getting pretty good at this too. ''To tell you the truth, I no longer feel like a girl my age. Was that rude? ''That''s not true. I don''t have a lot of people with whom I can have honest conversations. And I''ve never had a conversation like this with a boy of my age, so it''s refreshing. He smiles again and tells this story. After listening to the story further, it seems that he has never had any friends his own age around him all his life. Growing up among adults, and being aware of people''s bad intentions from an early age, it is said that she was always aware of people''s malice. It is said that there was no end to the number of aristocratic adults who approached her with calculations. It was through these circumstances that she learned the art of living and other skills, and also came to know more about this world. The adults had been telling her what to do about Dusk all along. And her mother, the Queen, was said to have been busy all the time. As a mother of a person, there is roughly no such thing as motherly behavior. And yet, she said, she respected such a mother. A mother who dedicates herself to the cause of humanity. Maintaining the ward and running the ward city. There are too many things to do, but the queen has still managed to do them. Seeing her like that, she naturally recognized what she needed to do as royalty. But not all royalty is like that. I told her what had happened before. ''I heard that you and the Second Princess Grete don''t get along very well with each other. ''''........Oh. It''s correct to say that Grete-sama is not a bad friend, but rather that her sister is the enemy of me. To put it simply, jealousy. Besides, since I awakened as a saint, I haven''t heard a single word from her. He asked me to join him before the mission. ''''Huh........You''re still doing that, huh? It''s well known that you''re telling the special class anti-magicians to join your camp. Most of all, though, there is no such person. The only people around your sister are dirty adults who are blinded by power. Perhaps they are in a hurry because I am likely to awaken as a saint and become the next queen. He is truly a fool. It''s hard to believe that we have the same blood in our veins. Should we leave it alone? ''''In the meantime, our mother seems to be suppressing a lot of things.......I don''t know. But to bring the topic of the succession to the throne to Yulia-san at a time like this, you should apologize on behalf of your sister... No, no!¡¡No, sir!¡¡Princess Riane has absolutely nothing to apologize for. Yeah. Well, then, I hope... After that we continued to chat. We talked about what we liked and what we didn''t like, and all sorts of things. Finally, she made an unexpected suggestion. ''''Hey, Yulia-san. Why don''t we call you by your name when it''s just the two of us? It''s just... ''Just when we''re alone, that''s all. Can''t I? Uh ... wow, okay, Liane. Hey, is this okay? Yes. Keep up the good work, Julia. He''s a cunning man in many ways I think, but I felt good about it somehow. 104-Episode 104: Me and the Princess If you''re with Julia-kun it''s going to be okay. Belle watched from a distance as Julia and Liane conversed with each other. Originally, Belle was a member of Liane''s entourage. But currently, that duty did not particularly exist. Belle has to fight on the front lines at Belle, and Riane has to command operations in the rear at Riane. And already........Riane has awakened as a saint. Belle had been by her side for a long time, perhaps as a child, but maybe she didn''t need her anymore...she was beginning to think so. And then her eyes met slightly with Julia''s. Even though they were quite far apart, Yulia realized that someone was watching her. At the same time, she thought. He would be able to leave Liane in charge. Originally, Belle had become her confidant because of his fighting ability. ''Hey, Belle. It''s about time for me to take over... It was Gil who came to me when I was stunned. He had just taken a nap and had come here to switch places with Belle. Currently, they had built a base of operations and the antimages were in the process of resting in a simple tent. There is a faint light around them, slightly illuminating Belle''s face. Seeing that expression, Gil felt a pang. ''''What is it?¡¡Are you lonely? "...Do you miss me?¡¡That''s why... or maybe it is... That''s weird. You''re very straightforward. I''m always so straightforward, you know? I''m sorry. So, what''s up? Don''t stare at those two so thoughtfully. Gil also perceived that Yulia and Riane were having a pleasant conversation together. Riane''s side was completely oblivious, but Yulia''s side immediately noticed her gaze and lightly bowed her head towards Gil. ''''I........may have already done my part.......'''' Is this the princess''s good luck charm? ''I''m not a good luck charm, but... to put it simply, yes...'' You''re just like your parents. ''Gil is ... what''s going on? In my case, the older one died before that happened. The younger daughter, well she was a disobedient person. After all, people only follow what they decide for themselves. It''s useless for parents to tell them what to do or how to do it. That''s why I respected his will........ Surprisingly decent. What do you mean "unexpected"? But, well, maybe it''s time you did too. But if you don''t need me for that happiness, then I''m going to step aside quietly... Huh ... you''re an idiot. ? The princess means a lot to you, but I''m sure they do too. ...the same? ''I''ve been around long enough to know that Princess Liane trusts and respects you more than anyone else. Haven''t you noticed? ...Is that so? Huh ... that''s a serious problem, man. Anyway, just because we started the operation and we''re separated doesn''t mean we don''t need you. ...is that how it works? Well, there''s that. I see ... that was instructive. So you get some rest. Okay. With that, Belle leaves the scene. When I glanced behind me, I saw Liane smiling happily again. That expression I''ve seen many times. Normally she doesn''t smile much because she''s uptight about many things, but she often smiles in front of someone she trusts. Belle has also seen that smile since she was a child. Then she remembers. How she met Riane and how she got to this point in her life. ¡ó Me? Yeah. I''ll leave you to it. No more missions at Dusk for a while. But..... This is an absolute. It will not be overturned. Yes, sir. He closes the door a little too roughly in frustration. And just like that, Belle walks on. Bertina Wright; 24 years old. Just a few days ago she became a special class anti-magician, a genius. At that time, it was unheard of for a person of Belle''s age to become a special class anti-magician. She was regarded as the greatest genius ever in the army. Such was Belle, but at that time, there was no doubt about her talent. It was a kind of conceit, but it was also a fact. The order given to Belle was to be the third princess. It was to take care of Liane, the third princess. She has the potential to become a saint who is said to have existed 150 years ago...so she was taught in secret. Only a handful of people, including royalty and the military, know of this fact. In order to protect her absolutely, she is assigned an exclusive bodyguard. So Belle was chosen based on age, strength and even gender. But the military brass did not take her character into account. Belle was withdrawn and even now, at the age of 24, she was not good at talking to people. Adults were still better, but most of all, she was not good with children. It boils down to not knowing what to talk about. Even if the subject was a princess who could lead to sainthood, I didn''t think I could care for her in a decent way. (Not me ... but someone more ... suitable ... for sure.) I swear in my mind. Why do I have to be such a good luck charm? I am a genius who became a special grade anti-magician at a young age. The place to fight is that twilight, and this is not the time to be babysitting in the warded city. The anger was evident in her attitude. The sound of kicking on the floor grew louder and louder, and although she managed to control her emotions... it was still not acceptable. Just a few days ago, her trusted superior officer had died. I even attended the funeral and swore an oath. I will never let your death be in vain, she said. And she was selected as a special class anti-magician for her achievements in defeating the demon at that time. Honestly, she wanted to go to the twilight and kill the demons right away.......she was driven by such feelings. But when she met Liane, she was going to change a lot. ''''You are........who are you?'''' My name is Bertina Wright. I am going to be Liane''s personal bodyguard for the remainder of the evening. Please, Belle please call me Bell. Bell? Yes, sir. Will Belle protect me? Yes. Until the end of this life I will protect you.... Well it''s nice to meet you, Belle. "Yes. Lady Riane. That''s just a decorative word. As a matter of fact, Belle wanted to leave this talisman to someone else for some random reason. It didn''t have to be a special class anti-magician, or even a first class anti-magician. In the first place, there was no such thing as an existence that would harm the royal family. Demons don''t enter the ward city, and the nobles can''t think of doing anything to the princess, either. (Waste of time....) That''s all I can say. Belle thought so, but when she looked closely........she realized that Liane''s appearance was outstanding. As expected of a candidate for sainthood, or should I say a candidate for sainthood, I am once again astonished at her appearance, which far exceeds that of a human being. What is most notable is the symmetry of its parts. There is always a distortion in the human body. I''m sure you''ve seen it all before. But even at a glance, Rihanna''s figure was well-balanced and perfect. "What is it? No, it''s not... I was staring at him, which made him look suspicious. But then it''s convenient. Let''s get them to quickly hate me and change me to another person. Even at a moment like this, there are people fighting in the twilight. There is no reason for me to stomp my feet in this place. Thinking this way, Riane says something unexpected. ''Waste of time, you think so, don''t you?'' Eh.... I am stunned. And then Belle found out. The harsh fate of a girl named Riane.... 105-Episode 105: Me and the Princess 2 How did you know about... She didn''t try to mend it. She was simply amazed. What she had been thinking about earlier had been guessed, word for word. If they had done this to her, anyone would think. This person.........can read people''s minds, I thought. You have such an expression on your face as to why you can read minds. Belle. Excuse me but are you sure you can... read? I was genuinely curious. I wondered if a person who was trying to reach sainthood would also have this kind of ability... but the reply that came back wasn''t like that. ''''No, I was just saying it in a random way. What? ''But ... your expression speaks eloquently. I thought so. I see..... So, yeah. It was just so much attitude that a young child could see it. That''s how much I dislike this job. I''m aware of that, but I had no intention of changing it. That''s why Belle speaks candidly. Riane is five years old and yet she is intelligent. That can be seen just from the short conversations we''ve had so far. Then Belle made a suggestion. ''I ... need to ... fight in the twilight ... to spend the same ... time ... with you ... I don''t have time ...'' ...you''re going to tell me in no uncertain terms. The other day, my esteemed superior officer died. And in order to avenge him I must go on my way. No, sir. How could I...? Bells like that with a little more verbiage. She didn''t want to do this to a child, and to royalty, but she would gladly be the bad guy if she could give up this role, she thought. ''You will die if you continue to fight in the twilight. .... You know that, don''t you?¡¡About that mark. Yeah I know. Twilight Syndrome ¡¶Twilight Syndrome¡·. At the time, the name wasn''t yet in use, but it was also called twilight disease by the people. And it was a disease that could kill a person.......especially in the military. Belle had noticed that her imprint was growing even more. When his superior officer died and he fought the demon, Bell broke through the wall. It was a breakthrough of sorts. It was also the fact that humanity had reached an even higher realm, but he was also aware of it. That this ability was a dangerous one. I was fighting while cutting down my own lifespan. I had that feeling. But such things are only trivial if you''re an anti-magician. Everyone was fighting for their lives. If that''s the case, then all of the opponents are equivalent to diminishing their lifespans. I''m not afraid of the Twilight Syndrome [Twilight Syndrome] now. What I''m afraid of is that this leg will stop. ''''But........so what is it?¡¡You don''t........have anything to do with.......you know. No, it''s relevant. Not to me, but to mankind as a whole. Bertina Wright. You were discovered at an early age, and you became the first person in the history of mankind to become a special-grade anti-magician, and we can''t afford to lose you. Besides, I could see it. Can you see it? Yes. You''re dead in the future. Can you... use... the future vision...? ''I''m not perfect, and as I get older my ability to see into the future is diminishing but you will die soon. And that too in the twilight. I''ll have you by my side to help you avoid that. Do you think that if I''m around you I can change the future? ''Yes. I can, for whatever reason, apparently change the future somewhat. It''s something I''ve been doing for a long time. .... A young girl. Not even ten years old yet. And yet, her story was logical and logical. I wondered if this was the kind of person who would lead to sainthood, and at the same time, I became a little curious. Who on earth was she........ And if she told me she was going to die, I would hesitate a little. Even though her superior officer had just died, she couldn''t just die too. And Belle reluctantly accepted Liane''s proposal. ''Okay then I''ll stay by your side for a while. It''s a pleasure to work with you, Belle. Yes. ¡ó ''''Ugh ... ugh ... ugh ... ugh ...'''' Are you ... are you okay? ''..................Yes. As usual......... The usual...? ''I probably have not allowed my body to catch up with its own ability to sleep. This is how I occasionally have these sort of seizures. Well......... Riane was weak. Or should that be called weak? She often tingled in this way, often trying to keep her breasts down. Bel felt sorry for Liane as she tried to hold back the pain and became smaller. How could such a young girl always be tormented by this kind of pain? That''s what being a saint is all about. That being said, Belle was slowly beginning to understand Riane. She worked hard at her studies, acted like royalty in social circles, and endured the pain that came her way every day. There was no time for her to play. It would be the same day after day forever. It just seemed like an empty day. Just then, Belle asked. Why do you do that? ''Why do you.........work so hard.......?'' ''Why, I don''t know ... well ... Maybe because I wanted to be like my mother, that''s what I thought. The queen...? ''Yes, sir. My mother is the sole keeper of the wards for humanity. She also works in the management of the city. Seeing my mother like that, I naturally decided what I wanted to be. Is that...? He said he would devote himself to the cause of humanity. ''''Are you sure that''s what you want...?¡¡Something I really want to do or... ''I may be able to do what I want to do in the future. But I''ve decided to dedicate my body to humanity until the day I am freed from the twilight. ...Oh, I see. Too young. How could she be so determined to be so young? When Belle was her age, she didn''t think about it and just lived her life in a daze. And yet, Liane is already prepared for it at that age. I had a genuine respect for her. Respect is not only for older people, but also for the way they are as people. If a person''s way of being a person is worthy of respect, it doesn''t matter what age they are. It was the first time Belle had ever respected a younger person, even a little girl. How much determination resides in that little body. She endured suffering every day, not having time to play, but just going through the motions. I want to repay him. That''s what I was beginning to think. And after that time, Belle lost her arrogance towards herself. She had become a special class anti-magician, and she was conceited. But as she watched Liane every day, she began to look at herself as well, and wondered what she could do now. ''Lady Liane,'' What''s wrong, Belle? ''I ... misunderstood ... you ... I''m sorry ...'' With that, Belle bowed her head. At this moment, she thought she should serve this person. I want to support her. Belle also decided to give her devotion to him. ''It''s not ... it''s the ravings of a child. Never mind...... ''No ... that''s not how it works. Lady Liane, I ... serve you. Well ... Yes..... Until now, she had been forced to take it because it was just a mission, but now it was different. She decided of her own volition to stay by this young girl''s side. A little girl who has no friends and her parents don''t care for her. She has to endure pain and suffering every day, and she wants to be her support. After vowing to be there for her, they develop an affinity that is deeper than a blood relationship. 106-Chapter 106: Encounter Wake up. I wake up with a snap and leave the simple tent. I have less than two hours of sleep, but my brain doesn''t show any signs of fatigue. But my brain doesn''t show any signs of fatigue. My physical performance is normal. As I was getting ready to march again today, I met a guy from the same squad. I decided to take this opportunity to talk to him. ''Good morning,'' "....!¡¡Good morning, Commander! Good morning, Commander Curtis! When I greet them, they respond to me with a salute. Even though they are more than a year older than I am, they respond to me in a manner that is completely superior to their superiors. After that incident, not only was my rank in the rank of zero, but my rank was changed to lieutenant colonel. However, I don''t feel that way. The only thing that I have is a solid will to fight in this world. But that doesn''t mean I''m not aware of my rank. It''s because I''m a superior officer that I have to deal with it in a certain way. ''''We''re going to go to level 3 today. Make sure you''re well prepared. Ha! That''s all we talk about, and they just leave. Apparently there is still a rift between me and the rest of the squad. It''s not that I want to be friends with them, but it''s a little depressing to feel like I''m being avoided like this. When I was so depressed, I was able to put all my weight on it from behind. ''''Oops........'''' I handled it lightly and glanced at my opponent''s face. ''''Yo, Yulia. It''s been a long time. Nick? Oh. Growing up?¡¡You''ve grown taller. Yes. We haven''t seen each other in years. Ensign Nick Bream. He was one of the few anti-magicians who treated me normally in the Seventh Ward City. He wasn''t in my platoon, so I didn''t notice him, but he seemed to be taking part in this operation. ''''I didn''t expect Yulia to reach the rank of zero in the special class anti-magician hierarchy. Everyone in the squad was surprised, huh? Ha ha, well, it''s a long story. Nick smirks. I kind of miss this exchange as well. ''''Lieutenant Colonel, well I don''t really feel it, but...'''' Don''t be so sure. There are people who want to be an officer, but they can''t. Right. Speaking of which, what platoon is Nick in? I''m with the Fourth Platoon. Gil''s with the captain, isn''t he? Yeah. It''s a lot of fun to be around. As the two of us were talking about it, it was almost time to meet. ''''Time........'''' Yes. So long, Julia. Next time we meet, let''s get something to eat. With all the guys from the last squad. Yeah. I''m looking forward to it. With that, we split up and headed to our respective platoon assembly points. ¡ó It''s funny... ''Well that''s funny...'' What''s so funny? Me and Mr. Bell felt uncomfortable. Noah, on the other hand, questioned his words. To him, who was new to twilight, he wouldn''t know anything about it, but we, who had a lot of experience in this place, had sensed a definite change. ''''No demons........'''' ''''Yeah ... not at all ... Yulia-kun, how is the search for the enemy with the Twilight Sight?'''' ''No response. But if you''re not here so far, that''s strange... Yeah I don''t know what''s going on. Yes. We had come all the way to the danger zone level 2, but there were none. There are no monsters left in the danger zone. Normally, when you get to level 2, there are always more demons lurking around. But now there aren''t any demons left. Come to think of it, yesterday''s Scorpion was also strange. It was as if it was running away from something and was coming towards us. Could this be......... ''''Hey, Julia-san. I''m not going to be able to get to know you. What is this? "...?¡¡This...? What is it, Noah? Noah is staring into the void. And the other members of the squad also stopped and looked in the direction that Noah was pointing at, but........there was nothing to be seen. I tried to search for the enemy with the Twilight Eye ¡¶Twilight Sight¡·, but there was nothing. Is it just my imagination........ ''I see........everyone can''t see me.......'' What are you seeing, Noah? I''ve decided to trust his senses. I don''t trust him completely yet, but his talent is well-documented. Maybe his perceptual abilities are even better than mine when I awakened as a demon. ''''Here, there''s a ward.'''' Warding?¡¡Mr. Bell, can you perceive it? No I don''t know, I don''t know... As I''m talking to him, the older man comes from behind and joins him. ''What are you doing?'' Noah says they have a ward. Do you understand, senior? ''No I don''t see anything but...'' ''I see.....can I try to tear it up? ''Just a minute I''m going to ask command and...'' I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make it work. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to get permission right away, but I''m going to tell Noah. It''s a good idea. I''m not going to be able to say that I''m not going to be able to do anything about it. Okay. I''ll give it a try, then. Then Noah uses magic. Then the warding appears in my perception as well. I''m not sure if it''s a wield. But something so big that I can''t perceive it........what is there? I don''t know ... but I don''t think it''s a good one ... guys, get ready for battle ... And 10 minutes later. Noah succeeds in breaking the wards. ''''Huh........it''s done. Well I see, it''s not as straightforward as it sounds. Mr. Bell and I continued onward with me at the top of the list. Then my eyes caught a life force reaction. Mr. Bell, he''s a demon... but what''s this reaction? Is the enemy a demon? No, this is a subhuman. ''Subhuman?¡¡Do you even know your species? Yes. This is probably an elf.... ''Elves?¡¡Here in this place...? Yes. Definitely. The information I got from Twilight Sight. That was that the opponent was a sub-human. Furthermore, it was that it was an elf. The information about the subhuman was clear from looking at the elemental form and the Personal Field. On top of that, I could even recognize the shape of the opponent. Long ears and greenish hair. It was close to human, but never human...it was definitely an elf. This is a race that has had no contact with humans since the Human-Magic War 150 years ago. However, they had not been enemies since that time. The elves have always proclaimed their neutrality since the past, but when they were caught up in the Man-Monitorial War their existence became unknown. They were either alive or dead in a world ruled by twilight, and it was impossible to tell which was which. He hadn''t expected it to be so close to him. ''Shall we go?'' Yeah. If the chief is here, he wants you to go talk to him. You''re early. Princess Riane? Yeah ... okay, let''s go ... The first platoon continued on, and there was a simple village. It was not wealthy, but there were several small houses there, and the one waiting for me with a weapon at the ready was still.......an elf. ''''Humans!'''' Not a witch? People, take up arms! ''''You guys, put down your weapons. Don''t use magic either. Eira-senpai cleaves her right hand to the side and releases the magic that was about to be activated. ''''Wha........?'''' What is it, she''s a witch? No, quick, quick, get the chief in here! Although they are in a great deal of panic, they have sensed that we are not trying to kill them, and are gradually calming down. "Humans........I never thought the time would come for us to see each other....... And an old elf coming from the back. That is probably the chief of this village.... We encounter the sub-humans, but this is the first time for us. Interaction with other races.........will it work or not? 107-Episode 107: Elven Village Well I don''t know where I''m going with this. We entered the village of the elves and came to the largest house in the village. When we entered, we thought it was a small village, but when we looked closer, we realized that it was a decent sized village with many houses all the way to the back. And now, me, Belle-san and my seniors are in the middle of sitting and listening to the conversation. The other anti-magicians are on guard outside, and by the way, Noah is helping to regenerate the wards with the other elves. By the way, I''ve already introduced myself. The chief''s name is Lester. His age is over 200 years old, and he is apparently one of the oldest of the elves. However, his appearance does not show any decline at all. If converted to a human, he looks like he''s in his 40s. This is what an elf looks like... and at the same time I was remembering. I remembered that ogre village. Not all demon races are hostile to humanity. That word was correct. The elves are not explicitly hostile to humanity, either. It was clear from the way they treated us. ''''Excuse me, but are the humans who experienced the Human Demon War still alive?'''' ''''No, humans.......have a life span of about 80 years at most. And........because of this twilight, the early mortality rate is.......high. What we''ve experienced in humans ... is no more. Mr. Bell replies. As a slight aside, Mr. Bell speaks more clearly now than before. I don''t have the same wandering impression that I had when we first met. This is the best proof that she is able to respond firmly even to people she has never met before. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out what''s going on in the world. Now, to the point, how did you discover this village? One of my squad was very good at magic, so I deactivated it... and got it. You think he was able to perceive these wards? ''Yes ... although I could only perceive one of them...'' ''I thought these wards were imperceptible even to demons. We have put all of our technology into this ward. It is not only strong, of course, but above all, it is a warding that focuses on secrecy. It hadn''t been revealed to the other demon clans for nearly a hundred years now, but I never expected it to be exposed in this way... oh my, that person must be a very famous person. Thank you very much. As expected, it''s hard to say that a 10 year old child has released it. For now, Bell-san seemed to bow her head and continue talking. ''''My God. A twilight attack.... If you have any...information...if you know of anything...I can provide a reward... I was neutral at that time, but we were attacked by other demons. Just then, the world was suddenly taken over by twilight. As I recall it was in the morning. When I woke up, the usual blue sky was gone. I looked up and saw a red-black light pouring down from the heavens. Ever since then, and all the way up to now, twilight has existed.......this is all I know. Well thank you for letting me know. Twilight. A phenomenon that even those of us who have experienced the Human and Demonic Wars do not understand. Why this world was covered by twilight in the first place is still a mystery, but we are here to get over it. Even though we didn''t get any information, it''s still not time to despair. On the other hand, it should be good to know that paradoxically, no one may know what this phenomenon is. ''So, have you guys been living here all this time?'' It was Eira-senpai who asked that. ''''Yes........The only thing we can use is magic. Since we don''t have advanced combat power like other races, we had to hide....... Over a hundred years? ''Yes, sir. We''ve been living our lives only in this village. To avoid being seen by other species. I see... With that, the senior brings his hand to his mouth and starts to think about something. ''We''ve been living in this place for a long time and it''s the same with being in bondage. All the elves in this village would think. This old situation must be broken......... I know that the humans have stood against the twilight for the last 150 years. And that they have failed until now......... Isn''t that why you guys are so determined to make it this time? That''s right ... sir. Although we''ve been up against it we''ve still been focused on our internal stability day to day... but when we get back up... Well no, it''s fate, too. Would you be willing to let us help you? I''ll get in touch with my superiors... What happened next happened very quickly. An agreement was made between elves and humans to fight together. In the future, there might be the possibility of creating an elven living quarters in the warded city. In return, the elves would be taught advanced magical skills. He, they are a race famous for being good at magic. Although their combat prowess does not match that of humans, their skills can be used as a reference for humans as well. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make the most of your time here. It seems that there are still some empty houses, and we were allowed to stay there. As for me, I don''t need to sleep, so I went out to watch the stars this evening as well. ''It''s beautiful...'' I love the starry sky. It''s the only thing that hasn''t changed since the beginning of time in this twilight dominated world. And when I stand in front of these stars, I realize how diminutive I am. I am both a human and a demon, but I am not special in that existence. I''m just another life form in this world. To put it bluntly, in terms of life, I''m no different from any other living being. And as usual, as I was looking up at the starry sky, I heard a sound from the back. ''''...?'''' I wonder what it is. As I walk forward, I hear the sound of water. I wonder if it''s a river flowing, and the sound gradually grows louder. I push forward through the bushes and find a woman illuminated by the light of the stars. She was naked, but I was more attracted to her pure beauty. Her lustrous figure, as if she were a complete work of art, caught my attention. ''''Eh........'''' ''Oh....'' A moment later, their gazes crossed. Yes, it must be the elven woman of this village. When she looks at me, not only her face, but her entire body is dyed vermilion in color. ''''Kyaaaaaaaaaah! ''I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry! That''s right, you got down on your knees right there. Yeah...... I''m very sorry... I mean, no....well, that was a little embarrassing, but....well, look up, please! I looked up when he said that. She was already dressed and her hair was already dry, as if it had been magically dried. According to her, it is customary to bathe in this place away from the village. I came to peek at it normally (with no other intentions, but...) I was just a pervert. I was a pervert. But fortunately, she was as kind as a saint. She would not punish me in spite of the fact that I had looked in on her, but she would not punish me in any way. And in the moonlight, her figure was still ... beautiful. Big eyes and a high nose that came through smoothly. Moreover, her lips were not too thick or too thin, and she maintained a perfect balance. The proportions of not only that part of her body, but her entire body were also well proportioned. Also worth noting is its thin green hair and long ears. I''m not sure if this is what it means to be an elf. ''''Well, my name is Aries. I''m Julia. I''m Julia Curtis. Aries wants to shake my hand, so I extend my hand again. This is how I meet the elven girl, Aries. 108-Episode 108: Transient Girl Well, I mean, you''re the human one, aren''t you? Yes. ''Oh!¡¡Um, well, not that it''s any good, but I think it''s an unfortunate accident... I''m really sorry. I''ll be more careful from now on... I''d appreciate it if you would. I apologize to Aries again. She accepts it too, and then gives me a faint smile. ''''Well I''m sorry to be so abrupt, but...'''' How can I help you? She looks down and mutters something in a small voice. I wonder what the hell it is. ''Shall I ask you a question?'' Yes. I don''t mind. What''s going on in the human village? A village? Yes, sir. ...well... He stagnates. Because the place we live in isn''t a village. It''s not a village that these people live in. It''s a warded city. ''The Warding City?¡¡What does it look like? ''''Ummm ... a place that is dozens of times larger than the village here, and protected by wards.'''' Dozens of times more than the village! Yes. There are seven of them. Seven?¡¡Ya, I knew humans were amazing... What do you mean "still"? ''The thing is, I was only sixteen years old and very young, but I had heard from other elves that humans are very intelligent and amazing. I had no idea what life was like now, but I was really surprised... Maybe you''ll be able to come over here when you get a chance? Oh, really? I don''t think I''ll be able to walk openly, but I''m sure it will be possible in the near future. ''Well I''m looking forward to it...'' Staring somewhere in the void, Aries-san reminisces. Is she that interested in human life........ ''''Are you interested in that human?'''' ''Well, um... yes. I''m interested in this world itself, as well as the humans, but I''m also interested in this world itself. How far this wide world extends, and what lies at the end of the twilight... my interest is boundless. ...If you''d like, we can talk about the outside world? ''What?¡¡I''ve heard that humans live in a localized area? Actually, I''m crossing this continent for a reason. Crossing!¡¡So you know it from one end to the other! Well, just in case... I''d love to talk to you!¡¡Oh, I live alone now, so I''d love to come home! Saying that, he firmly grabs both of my hands. ¡ó A simple house.... or so I thought. It has fewer necessities than a human, or maybe it''s just a desk and chair, and a bed in the corner. But it''s a bit large for a person of this size. I sat down in the chair that was provided and decided to ask Aries-san, who sat across from me. ''It''s a big house for someone who lives alone, isn''t it? "...a year ago, I had my father and mother... Maybe.... ''Yes. He went out into the twilight and died.... ''''Well I''m sorry, I''m sorry to ask you something so unnecessary...'''' No. That''s okay. I''ve already got it all sorted out. So, about that... I then avoided the core of the story and talked about life in the twilight. What kind of creatures are in the twilight and what kind of ecosystem has been built there? Every time she talked about those things, a smile broke out on her face. She must really be genuinely interested in the outside world...I could see it in her hands. She also told me that elves sometimes go to the twilight to hunt. But basically, they live in this village inside the wards all the time. No one ever thinks of going outside. They know they can''t resist the dusk. ''''It''s been a very pleasant time...'''' I hope you enjoyed it, too. I think it lasted about an hour. My story ended there. I talked about my life in the twilight, and since Aries-san''s reaction was good, I couldn''t help but get into it too. ''''Then I''ll take my leave...'''' Well....well... How can I help you? He''s looking down, moping, as if he wants to say something. Is there something she forgot to say? As I think about it, she says something unexpected. ''Eh, and!¡¡Well, would you like to stay at our house! ''What?¡¡What does that mean...? I mean, it''s not like I have any ulterior motive.¡¡I mean.........can''t I just genuinely want to talk to Yulia-san more......? .... What should we do? If I don''t return, it doesn''t matter. Because everyone was already on the floor by the time I left. But even though I''m an elf, I''m a woman. It''s a good idea for a human being to suddenly stay in the house of a woman close to her age who lives alone. But if he refuses here, then I feel sorry for him.......yes. Besides, thinking about the future, it''s important to establish a friendship with the elves. Including such a calculated meaning, I decided to accept the proposal. ''''........I understand. Thank you for your help. Yes! She is so pleased. But I didn''t miss the faint shadow on her face. It''s as if she has some other intention, and she''s sorry about it.......that expression. What is that expression? I would later find out what it meant. 109-Episode 109 Shuraba Hey. ''''Uhhhhhhhhhhhh...'''' Hey. Uh..... It feels like a gothic punch to the head. But it''s a dream. Because I''m eating such a large amount of curry now. Today is a special day, they say it''s called curry day. I kept eating the curry that was in front of me. It was delicious, delicious........... I can''t stop eating such a delicious potato. ''.........Enough, wake up! A moment later, I was rolling on the ground. Rumbling and rolling just like that, and then, boom!¡¡And then I hit the wall. ''Uh ... there was ... that?'' When I open my eyes, there''s nothing but walls. Oh, where''s my curry?¡¡I was enjoying a dry curry now, why...? You want a curry? What''s with the curry? ''Oh... well, this is...'' I remembered. We had a blast after that and talked all night. Of course, I was totally fine with that, as I didn''t need to sleep nearly as much as I should have. But it''s not that I don''t need to sleep at all, I need about an hour or two. And then I realize where I''ve been sleeping. Were we sleeping in one bed........? Yes, it was my senior. Of course I try desperately to explain myself. ''Yulia. Hey, why are you sleeping here?¡¡Hey? Uh, well, I mean... Hey, why is there an elf girl next to you? No, it''s not! Hey, why isn''t this woman wearing clothes? What? ''Hey, what was Yulia doing?¡¡Hey..... When I looked closely, I could see Aries-san''s back in full view. And rather than not having clothes on, how did we get to this point.......now I have to do something about this senior who is full of smiles rather than that. At first glance, it seems like he''s just smiling and asking questions. It''s not that I can tell that he''s not angry, even the tone of his voice. But her eyes are not completely smiling. The eyes, which seem to be looking at me intently, continue to catch me in their depths. Let''s get it straight. I''m scared. I may be the first time in my life that I''ve been this scared. If I make a wrong choice here, I will die. With that resolve, I continue my conversation with him. ''''Well!¡¡A few things have come up and we''re staying here! Yeah. Yeah. ''All right, I''ll take a hundred steps to stay over. But why are you sleeping with me and there''s a naked elf sleeping next to me. And a woman. Hey I don''t know why, Yulia. ''''Well that''s actually, I don''t remember much...'''' Oh, I don''t remember, you know. The next thing I knew, senpai was holding something like a whip in her hand and cracking it with her hand, bashing it with her hand. Eh.........what is that.......no way, I''m that...... No, no, it''s not confirmed yet. It''s not too late, not yet......... The only thing that''s important is that you can''t do it. Ehehe......... Oh, he''s dead. I''m sorry, too!¡¡In fact, I had a few drinks last night!¡¡Miss Julia is innocent!¡¡Please have mercy on the flat!¡¡I don''t care what happens to me, but please, Julia, please forgive him. .... Down on my knees. Aries-san woke up and apologized while immediately getting down on her knees, as if she had grasped everything just by looking at me and my seniors'' situation. I watched it in a daze. ''What are you doing Yulia. You should sit on your knees too.'''' Oh, yes. I also sit upright next to Aries. Bow my head. To be honest, do we have to go this far?¡¡I think. But you shouldn''t talk about it. At any rate, only apologize to an angry woman. Even if the reason is not clear, the apology itself is important. "Senpai, I''m sorry too... Hmm. So, what''s the excuse? If I don''t say it in no time, death is inevitable. Of course I know why my seniors are mad at me. Then you can say it. ''''That I just slipped out and caused trouble for the elves...? Hmm. I see...heh...yeah...hmmm... And did you fail?¡¡But he doesn''t ask me any more questions. He stares at me intently and intently. Well, it''s okay. It seems like nothing happened. But, Yulia, don''t do anything rash. I''m on a mission right now. You can''t let your guard down even though you are in the village. I have no words for you... I wasn''t caught off guard. I always deploy the Twilight Eye ¡¶Twilight Sight¡· at all times and have a complete grasp of the magic element within a 10 kilometer radius. Even if I''m asleep, I''m still able to react immediately. However, I guess the senior is talking about preparedness. I felt my own cheeks painfully bang!¡¡I beat him. ''Good. I''m awake. "Good. All right, let''s go. We have some work to do today to build a base. I understand. I thank Aries for the last time. ''''Aries-san. I''m really sorry for this time. And thank you very much. For letting me stay here. No, no, thank you for everything. We parted there, but it was really scary how sharp the senior''s gaze was until the end.... Don''t make your senpai angry. Such a word was added to my dictionary. 110-Episode 110: Green Hey, Julia. Yes.......................... As always, the senior''s smile remains the same. But it speaks eloquently of one truth. That is ... that senpai is still angry. ''''It really didn''t happen, did it?'''' ''It''s true. She wanted to hear about the outside world, so we just talked all night. Well well, you know, there was a bit of a buzz about it... Hmm. So why did that elf want to know about the outside world? The elves have apparently lived in a fairly enclosed space, just like humans. ''Well it would be, especially since the elves were neutral. ''''Yes. But I think it would be mutually beneficial for both of us to form an alliance at this time. Does that mean I can learn magic over there? ''''That''s right. I''m sure that their magic skills are better than ours, if you only look at the boundaries. Although the level of the special class antimagician is not the average, the overall average is probably higher than theirs. So, what''s this place got to do with the infrastructure and stuff? In the future, we might be able to live together in a warded city. It is well known that elves are not hostile to humans. Well, maybe. We talk as we go. The current plan is to build a base of operations in this danger zone level 2, but before that, we need to discuss how we should deal with the elves. The first thing we need to discuss is whether or not we should build it right next to the elven village. If we build it close to the village, it will be easier to interact with them, but there is a possibility that other demons will find out. But that doesn''t make it any less convenient to build it at a remote location. The question is how much concessions can be made to each other. This is what we call a diplomatic issue. This is the first interaction since humanity was confined to the warded city. And if it''s an elf, I want to maintain my friendships. That would be the opinion of not only me, but also those above. And so we act as guards for the elves participating in the meeting. However, the number of elves participating in the meeting is small, and there are no demons at all. We will only act as a form of bodyguard. Then we return to the first base of operations, which is located on Level 1 of the danger zone. ¡ó Hey, Julia. How''s it going? You''re not bad. How''s Sherry? I was uptight, but now that the demons aren''t there, it''s kind of like I''m shrugging it off, you know? Yeah, I guess so. Participating in this meeting will be Bell-san and Gil-san in the Special Class Counter-Magician. And a few people from the operations command center, that''s how it''s supposed to be. I still don''t know what they''re talking about with the elves inside the tent. I was just looking at the skies in a daze, thinking that I would get the notice soon anyway. By the way, I tried to guard the perimeter because I was bored, but the other antimagicians stopped me, saying there was no need for a rank zero person to do such chores. It seems like I''m wielding my power and making it easy for them, but well... that''s what they say. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to find the time to do this, but Sherry has just arrived. ''Sherry''s in the third platoon, right?'' Yeah. Now it''s just time to take a break from the rest of the platoon. But you''ve discovered something amazing. I didn''t know you were an elf. ''I was surprised too. Noah found it, and I didn''t realize there were sub-humans this close. Noah, you mean the genius. Yeah. Its existence is a mystery to me, but, well I guess it''s true. Even I uncovered a ward that I couldn''t perceive and disarmed it. ''Well what about the elves?'' What do you mean? Ummm, well, you know...belligerent or friendly? ''They''re friendly, I suppose. I was pretty wary of them at first, but they weren''t hostile to the elves, even among the sub-humans to begin with. Even during the past wars. ''Hmm. What was the village like? ''It was a small, simple village. It was... What''s the matter, stagnant? Nothing. I''ve been reminded of something. I''ve encountered a similar situation in the past. An ogre village. I met Edgar and his friends, and they were very kind to me. I''ll never forget the people who treated me so generously despite the fact that these incomprehensible people came here. But that village is probably already........overrun by Claire. They must have killed everyone. Because with Claire''s strength, such a thing would be easy to do. I don''t think it''s insolent to say that I couldn''t protect you....... It was just bad luck, I can only describe it as such. But if one day I meet a survivor of theirs, it will be my turn to help them, I thought. But for now, I have to deal with the elves at the moment. Even if we were to form an alliance, does the Elf side have the will to try to capture the twilight? It was true that they were lamenting the old status quo, but are there enough people among the elves to rival the special grade anti-magicians? That kind of question was never-ending. ''''Are elves strong?'''' ''''Well, what do you think? Even if you specialize in magic, I still think that if you just think of it in terms of survival rate, then I think the proximity specialization is stronger. Yeah. You''re not going to be a part of the mission, are you? Isn''t it?¡¡It''s hard to put it this way, but humans are well educated. How to fight in the twilight is something I hate to say. You could say it''s ingrained in them. But I don''t think elves have that kind of education system, and... Well, I guess we''ll just have to take our own people on this one. We finish talking around there and go back to our platoons. But when I return, I find an unexpected person in the platoon. ''Ah!¡¡Yulia, Miss Yulia! What? It was Aries who came fluttering up to me. ''How did you get here?'' More importantly, why are they mixed in with the people of the first platoon? ''''Well, I''ll be joining the first platoon, so I''m counting on you! Well what does that mean? The summary was this. First of all, there seemed to be no doubt that the elves and the humans had become an alliance. That''s where the discussion came in to what they could offer each other. On the human side, the supply of food and the development of infrastructure. On the elven side, the disclosure of magical technology. It''s not just that the human side has more work to do, it''s that the magic of the elves is called a mystery, and it''s well known that it''s highly secretive. I''m sure the human side should be happy to have that disclosed. But the elves felt sorry for that, and they were willing to share a bit of their strength with us. And apparently a few elves were sent to each platoon, but Aries-san was to come to the first platoon. But since the first platoon would be advancing on the front lines, it was obvious that there would be the most fighting and the probability of dying would be high. In other words, it takes a lot of skill to come here, but........no way, Aries-san is the most skilled among the elves? When I asked her about it, she answered shyly. Apparently, Aries-san''s magical talent is the best in the history of elves........ To be clear, I didn''t feel that way at all. My impression is that she is very humble and the most beautiful elf of all. It''s hard to believe that she has abilities comparable to or greater than that of a special class antimagician, but I''ll find out from now on how naive that perception is. ''''I will do my best with all my heart and soul, so I''m looking forward to seeing you again! Yes, her face was somewhat clean. I accepted Aries-san without knowing that it was a mask that had been affixed to her. 111-Episode 111 Bertinas perspective 1: Lonely Girl Looking back, I''ve always been alone. I can''t speak well, and I''m not very good at interacting with people. In my mind, the words come out as smoothly as they do now, but when the time comes to talk to someone, I can''t help but get stuck. I get so nervous that I can''t speak. I shake and get scared. That''s an innate trait, I thought. ''You''re creepy,'' Get out of my way, you idiot! She''s so creepy, isn''t she? While everyone else was playing, I was alone in a pothole away. As such, I was able to use my magic, so I played with it. I was lonely I thought so at first, but gradually I got used to it. I was rather more comfortable being alone. Everyone else was playing idly in the bright sunshine except me. I, on the other hand, am a shadow. I don''t want anyone to see me, I just stay in the shadows. I didn''t care if I was called a gloomy person, or if I was slandered. Because that''s who I am. "How was the Bell School? Was that fun? Okay. Yes. I lied to my parents. Looking back, if I had accepted my loneliness, I should have told my parents about it, but I was too embarrassed to do so. I guess there was a feeling of shame somewhere in my heart, after all. But still, I had magic. A magic that none of the children around me could use.......magic. And I was discovered for my talent, and I was soon enrolled in the Counter-Magic Academy. ''''Hey that........'''' You''re still a kid... But I hear you''re a genius. Are you sure? The environment may have changed, but my existence remains the same. Bertina Wright. It had already come to be described as a genius. She has skillfully manipulated magic from an early age, and is especially good at melee combat. So it seems I am rumored to be. And although I still had no friends, I did have one person close to me. ''''You''re strong.'''' "...?¡¡Is that so...? Hm ... maybe you could teach him a thing or two. What...? It''s a secret sword. Hiken...? While I was alone in the academy''s exercise area, a man came over to me as I was swinging my sword bare in the academy''s exercise area. His appearance was somewhat suspicious. His beard was all over his face, his hair was completely black and stretched to his waist, and he held a long, black sword in his right hand. If you look closely, only the blade is a scorching vermilion color. It''s clearly suspicious........but the fact that he''s in this academy means he''s probably a teacher or something. I decided to ask only me for now. ''''You, what''s your name?'''' Bertina Wright.... Ho.........that genius. But it''s more than I expected. Well, Bertina no, Belle. You want to be strong? Strong...? Yeah. You are capable of being the greatest of all human beings. But, you see, it takes a strong will to get there. You had better be clear on whether you want to be or not. .... It bothers me. Honestly, I just came in here because I''m talented. I didn''t have some lofty goal in mind. But maybe being able to be strong means being able to change from the person I am now to a different person. Why have I been training alone ever since I entered the academy? When I think about it again.......I still wanted to change my current self. There must be something beyond this training... I spent every day thinking, even as a child, that there must be something beyond this training. That''s why I didn''t have any doubts about it. I want to be strong.... Well said. So you''ll call me Master from now on. You understand? "Master? That''s right. I''ll give you all my swordsmanship. ...Okay.... This is how I proceeded. And later on, I would grow up to become the swordswoman who would be known as the strongest of the human race.... ¡ó Hey!¡¡Belch!¡¡You think that''s how you''re going to be able to handle a secret sword! ''G........................'' Then it was hell. For some reason, my entire curriculum at the academy had been completed, and the only thing left to learn was to train with my master. Even though I was very young, I understood that. ''''.........Ha, ha, ha, ha.... His ribs are broken. And his left arm was bent in a strange direction, and it was probably broken as well. It may be bleeding internally as well, or it''s a blue bruise in places. Even though I could be healed later with healing magic, my master was relentless. It didn''t matter at all that I was a young child, and that I was a woman. The first few months of my life were spent incessantly being beaten to a pulp. But I didn''t let that break me. My bones may have been broken, but my heart remained unbroken. Whether it was the lack of sensitivity or another factor, all I could focus on was moving forward. My mentor later told me that he was actually terrified of me at the time. If it were true, he would have broken his heart long ago. No, he had originally planned to break it. The plan was to build up my mental strength first, but I stood up. He said that no matter how much he was hurt, he didn''t think I was human for continuing to stand up. But that''s about it, or else I wouldn''t be able to reach the status of a special grade anti-magician. And after two years passed since I met my master I was twelve years old. ''''You''ve finally become a thing.'''' Well done, Master! That said, it''s still one of the Ten Secret Swords. Can you do nine more? Yes! The Secret Sword. It took me a year to get to that realm. And a year to master one of those ten secret swords. At this rate, it might take ten years. But I didn''t think so. I stared at the hand that held my sword. I''m getting stronger....that''s how I felt. The moment I mastered the secret sword, it was as if a heavenly destiny had descended on me. It''s not that I believe in God, but if I had to say........I could only describe it as such a feeling. It was as if he had another sense organ that was not in the human realm. And it took me another three years to master all the remaining secret swords. I was already fifteen years old. ''''........Huh, mastering all the secret swords at the age of 15?'''' "Thank you for everything you''ve done for me... I bobbed my head. My second s*x drive was over and my body was much larger than it had been when I was a child. It could rival my master''s. Perhaps because of this, it only took me five years to learn the secret sword. According to my master, even if it took ten years, it was still a fast one. Now, Belle. You are a full-fledged swordsman now. That means you can no longer be a student. From next month, you''ll be a soldier. And you''ll be under my command. ...Was your master a soldier? Yeah. A major, actually. From now on, you''ll call me Major. The Master''s days are numbered. ...Okay, Master I''m not talking about you, Major. Ha, ha. Well, I''ll start next month. Well, it''s a happy day. What do you want? ...with meat. ''I like you too. You''re always that way. ''Well that''s ... yes ...'' Well, I''ll take you someplace fancy. ...Yes! It''s not like me and I''m flabbergasted. The days of training with my mentor were hard. It was like hell. I can''t even remember how much I hurt my body and my mind. Still, these days were full of life. Most of all, they were beautiful and full of peace. And I would become a soldier. That''s where I would come to know. Even after all this effort, the twilight ruthlessly reaps the lives of human beings. There is no dignity in it. It''s just a world of being overrun or being overrun. That''s all there is to it. And so I will throw myself into such a world. 112-Episode 112: Bertinas perspective 2: Ozy Moonlight So that''s my boyfriend from today. It''s a pleasure to meet you, Belle. Yes, sir. Major..... I had become a soldier, and my master had called me to his private room. I heard that when you become a sergeant, you are given a private room, but my master was stomping around in that room like a big man. But that was just a pose, and he wanted to show me a good time or something unintelligible. Since then I''ve learned who my mentor really is. Lawrence Acton. I heard that he was second in the special class anti-magician order and was famous for being a swordsman who dealt with sword techniques passed down from the past....... To say that he is said to be famous is to say that I didn''t pay much attention to the existence of the Special Class Counter-Magician at the time, or perhaps it is correct to say that I was so dedicated to training that I didn''t have time to pay attention to it. Anyway, he knew that his master was no ordinary person, but he never dreamed that he was a special class anti-magician and second in the rankings among them. In other words, he was the second strongest person in humanity. That was probably why he was able to manipulate that many secret swords at will. I''m not sure I''ve ever seen such a thing. How do you feel about being a soldier? Well it''s no different. Major..... You don''t have any friends? I''m not much of a people person, by any means, so... That''s right. You''re a very talented guy, but you''re not a very good talker. .... ''Yeeeeeee!¡¡Don''t kick me under the desk! During the meal, the Major said something like that to me. I wanted him to stop pointing out things like that, because I was actually surprisingly concerned about it. And I''m pretty sure this guy is about 20 years older than me, and I''m pretty sure he said that when I turned 20 I think he was ... 37 years old or something. Maybe that''s why he treats me like a daughter...or maybe that''s why he''s always talking to me like he cares about his children. It''s the same when we have dinner, and even on holidays, he calls out to me, "Let''s go somewhere. Well, I didn''t have any plans, so I just went along with it. Every time he would buy me things, but to be honest, I didn''t have any. I didn''t hate it though. According to him, he was doing so because he had no use for his paycheck.... ''Hey, Belle. Wouldn''t this outfit be nice? Yeah? Oh. I think it looks good on you. Well let''s try it on. What the major shows me is a pure white dress. To be clear, I have no confidence in my appearance. Her body is well-muscled, with muscles that aren''t feminine, her abdominal muscles are nicely split, and her calves and other parts of her body are covered in muscle. She''s tall and roughly the opposite of what men like in a woman. And I''m stronger than most men out there. That fact, more than anything else, refused to let me be recognized as a woman. But maybe I too.......could have had a life of living like a woman. With such faint hopes, I decided to try on the clothes that the Major recommended. ''''I wonder if it would look good on me. I go into the fitting room and take off the clothes I''m wearing now. Then I try to revise my appearance. After all, it''s not feminine. Because I''m going to show the Major......... I mean, this makes it sound as if I want the Major to think I''m, well, pretty.................. I shake my head with a buzz and change my mind. This is just what I''m doing because the major told me to wear it. I don''t have any other intentions. Then I completely pull the dress over my head, lightly adjust my hair and open the fitting room. ''.........How do you feel? ''Oh!¡¡That''s what you call a costume, even for a horse boy!¡¡Holy shit, you look great! I''m an idiot. Shamelessly and quickly close it. When I looked in the mirror, I saw myself there, my face turning red. At this time, I hadn''t yet learned the meaning of this emotion. ¡ó Oh, I''m so tired today. "Major you didn''t do anything.... ''Oh?¡¡What did you say? I didn''t do... anything... You''ve got a real sense of humor, Belle. Normally, this is where I get smacked in the head. Of course I anticipate it, so I duck that attack with plenty of time to spare. ''d*mn, you''ve only grown up with that kind of cunning. Ha. You''re not nearly as good as me. Well what is half as good as I am? ''It''s ... too much. In a cursory glance, I think I''m already pretty...close...to the Major.... f*ck you! If you can hit me I''ll catch you up... and you can try... We had such an exchange on the way back from our trip to the twilight together. I''ve lost count of the number of times the two of us have gone to twilight together. The cooperation with the Major has become extreme, and if I may say so myself... I think I''m as close to a special grade anti-magician as possible. To begin with, I became a first-class anti-magician at the age of 19. I know that I''ve been told that I have a promising future. Still, the reason I wasn''t proud of myself was because of the Major. The one who was stronger than anyone else and looked down on me. It was annoying at times, but no it was pretty much the same, but I actually think it made me stronger. And I celebrated my 20th birthday. And then poof!¡¡And then there is a sound. Apparently it was waiting for me to open the door. The stuff inside that pops out of the cracker lands on my head without mercy....... ''''What is this.........'''' The birth!¡¡Happy 20th birthday!¡¡Bell! And then he hides it behind his back and takes out the thing, Major. The moment I see it, my eyes widen. It''s because it''s a sword that the major has carried with him for a long time. ''''Demon sword, Oboro Tsukiyo, it''s a celebration of my 20th birthday. Let''s do it. But this is.... You know what I''m talking about. I can''t handle this sword anymore... ..... He knew. That the Major''s heyday was long gone, and that the sword was becoming more and more difficult to handle. Oborozuki Yoru, a distinctive sword with a pitch-black blade but a scorching red color on the blade. It seems to have been handed down from generation to generation, but when you say you''re entrusting them with it, that means....... ''''Oh, did you perhaps think I was retiring? Isn''t that why I gave it to you...? I can''t handle it anymore, so I gave it to you, but I''m not retiring it, okay?¡¡But more importantly, there''s no way I''m retiring when you haven''t taken one yet. You''re an idiot, man. ...! Oh, shit!¡¡Don''t hit me all of a sudden. If it wasn''t for me, you''d have been hit by a moron. Major takes an uppercut to the jaw but it''s all over. He avoided it easily. We were having such a light exchange now, but I knew it. Indeed, he''s still strong. He''s stronger than I am but I knew that his life span might be close to being over. The other day when I happened to look at his change of clothes his body was covered in a red-black imprint. Twilight disease. It''s a disease that can kill a person. It occurs when a person is in the twilight for a long period of time, but even though I hadn''t yet contracted it Major''s entire body was dominated by that imprint. Surely the decline in his physical abilities could also be due to that. The Major doesn''t say such things and continues to treat me the same way. But it''s okay. It''s because he''s always been strong since the day I met him. He''s not trained in such a wretched way to succumb to the disease. His mind is always strong, his body is always strong, and he''s even been described as the strongest of the human race. It is said that no one is better than him in melee combat. So he''ll be fine. I''ll be with him from now on, and my days will always be the same...or so I thought. However, I would later learn the hard way that reality is cruel and cold-hearted. 113-Chapter 113: Ability We had marched into the twilight danger zone, level 3. Level 1 and 2 had been nothing special so far. That''s right, there was nothing. The only thing that happened was a swarm of Scorpions attacking, but other than that we didn''t encounter any other demons. Those who have been to the twilight many times would have noticed this strange feeling. I heard there was a meeting at the command center about it as well, but the only conclusion they came to was to give strict attention to it. But that would be true too. The only thing we can do is to pay attention to our surroundings, which is a very natural thing for us to do. ''This is the twilight...'' It was Aries-san, or rather Aries, who muttered that. After this incident, she had asked me to call her by her name. That''s why I decided to do so, but the way she called me is still ''san''. According to her, we''ve been doing this for a long time, so it feels strange to change it now.... ''Dusk is just a land ruled by demons, mainly demons, though. No well I''m just happy to be out there. There''s a chance you could die. ''But still. Because I''m not going to be able to.... The front line of the first platoon. The battle is Belle-san walking, and behind her is me and Aries. From there, the first- and second-grade anti-magician people go inside, and in the back are Noah and senpai....... Normally, I don''t want the magic-using anti-magician to happen on the front line, but with her strong wishes, it''s in this form now. Well, if it''s level 3 or so, it''s possible to protect her.......but still, I''m worried about what I''m worried about. This is a completely unknown ability. The information said that it has magic that rivals that of a special class anti-magician, but a picture is worth a thousand words. I was conscious of being able to protect her, just in case. ''''........What''s the matter, Yulia-san?'''' ........This is the enemy. Mr. Bell! Copy that, sir. Everyone get ready for battle... I perceived the existence of the demon through my constantly deployed twilight eye, Twilight Sight. They were lined up side by side, as if they were waiting for us. At a distance........roughly, about 5 kilometers. The demon''s proper name is the giant spider ¡¶Huge Spider¡·. He is an opponent with many fates, but he already knows how to fight. Cut off its legs, crush its head, or use fire as an effective magic attack. In addition, there were spider webs everywhere, as if they were spitting threads around him. Its stickiness was quite strong and once caught, it would be quite difficult to escape on its own....... Then, after sharing information with everyone in the first platoon, we prepared for battle.......and then we all ran across the land. Of course, Belle and I are leading the way. With the wind knocked out of us, we ran across the land at an uncommon speed. The Invisible Blade has already been activated from the Multiple Knife, a compound dagger held in both hands. As it is, me and Belle-san raise their blades at each other in an attempt to cut the individual in front of us.......but in the next moment, the unbelievable thing happened. ''Explosion...?'' It''s gonna blow up. It''s gonna blow up. It explodes. There were roughly nearly two hundred giant spiders, the Huge Spider, but all of them exploded one after another. Even after they explode, their remnants continue to burn. I was stunned to see them continue to burn, as if there was no need to leave anything on the spot. No way, senpai, or was it Noah who did this? Thinking that, I turned around and saw that the person who was activating the magic was.......Aries. With her right hand thrust out in front of her, she continued to activate her magic without wiping the sweat that was flowing out. And.........it would have lasted less than three minutes. The swarm of giant spiders ¡¶Huge Spider¡· was drowned out by its presence. Nothing, not even a piece of it, remained. There was only something that had burned out. That was all. ''''Ah........I......well, perhaps I did something unnecessary?'''' No, no... Just as I was about to formulate those words, the counter-magicians around her surround her. ''''Wow, wow!'''' Elves are still amazing! I''ve never seen magic like that before. ''Mr Aries?¡¡Was it?¡¡You''re amazing! She was enclosed and seemed happy, though she was somewhat bitterly smiling. Seeing this, Belle-san, Senpai and Noah approached around me. ''''Senpai, Noah. That........can you reproduce it? It''s impossible. ''I can do the explosion itself. We can vaporize the liquid inside the demon and add some magic to make it explode a bit, but that''s a problem. But the problem is its personal field. ''''Hmmm. I''m not sure if it''s possible for me to do that either.......just like Eira-san said, the personal field is still a problem. It''s a bit of work to break through that, and even if you use a permanent engine, it''s probably impossible to recreate that. Well... Now magic. I''ve seen Eve-san use it before, so I know the logic. But the problem is that, as the two of them said, the intrusion of the "personal field" is tremendous. I''m sure you''ll be able to use a magic called "Diffusion" to disable the personal field, but to do that many at once is impossible. To begin with, my realm diffusion is to diffuse my personal field. If I had to say it, it would be more accurate to say that I physically intervene and use force to pry it open. But while this is effective in one-on-one combat, it''s next to impossible in a group battle like the one we''re having now. In other words, Aries''s magic is not at the level of being comparable to a special class anti-magician. It''s a level that exceeds the Special Class Counter-Magician by a long shot. ''''Mr. Bell you should probably report to the top. I''m going to ... this is just not what I was expecting, you know? So we worked with the platoon that came after us to create another base of operations in the danger zone level 3. So far, so good, as we expected. If we can get to level 3, we can do just fine. That insight was probably shared not only by the command center, but also among the antimagicians. But the problem starts at level 4. From here on out, the twilight gets even thicker. In my case, the influence of dusk is no longer equal to that of dusk. Rather, it seems like the darker the twilight gets, the more optimized my body becomes. But the others...normal humans. I don''t know what kind of effect it will have on me. Besides.........what about the elves'' resistance to twilight? Since they are sub-humans, they probably have more resistance than humans, but whether they will really be strengthened like other demonkind or raped, it''s still unknown. Besides........I was still curious. Aries. Who is she? Her proficient magic skills. I heard that she was one of the best wizards among the elves, but I didn''t expect her to be this good.......................Elves are skilled in magic. So there''s nothing strange about it. Yes, maybe it''s rather obvious. But I had a strange feeling that something was wrong........ ''''Ah, Julia-san. I''m glad to see that I was able to help you earlier. Aries is ... good at magic, isn''t he? ''''Well ... yes. By nature, I''m very good at magic, even among the elves, and I''ve been practicing it for a long time! I see. He doesn''t seem to be lying. She''s probably a truly gifted elf. And despite the fact that she might be anxious to be among humans, she''s acting like she''s in good spirits. I... well, even though we met at the beginning by chance, we''re in the same squad. Maybe we should talk a bit more so that I can get used to being one of the humans in many ways. Of course, that has a calculating connotation. I''m also curious about that magic........ ''''What did you do with that magic just now, what did you do with the inherent domain [personal field]?'''' A personal field?¡¡I''m sorry ... that''s a little unfamiliar to me. It''s not like he was just using normal magic or anything. ''''Ha, yes. As for me, I thought I used normal magic as usual, but... Is that the usual and normal...? I realize once again that this world is much bigger than I thought. This world is much bigger than I thought it was. 114-Episode 114 Emergency Meeting We''ve also established a base in the danger zone level 3, and the first stage of the operation has been completed for now. Even if we fight, we can''t just fight in the dark. Even if you''re a human or a demon, you can''t fight forever. And now we have come back to the first base to have another meeting. At each of the bases in each area, anti-magicians are already in place. In addition, the first base, the second base, and the third base, all of which have generated wards so that they cannot be easily destroyed. This time, the elves and Noah did that role for me. Frankly speaking, those wards are a pain in the ass to break, even for me. It''s not something that can simply be destroyed physically. ''''But then again, is this an emergency meeting? Isn''t that the case? I think....I think.... Me, Senpai, and Belle-san were walking to the command center at the first base. And what we''re talking about now is that there are no demons....... Strictly speaking, there were Scorpions and Huge Spiders, but compared to the twilight danger zone we''ve been in, they''re as good as gone. The danger zone level 1 to 3 is a place where a special level anti-magician would have no problem fighting, but the problem with this place is its mass. No matter where you go, the monsters are always there. But now, they are hiding their existence as if someone is doing it intentionally. No, maybe it''s not hiding........maybe something else is happening. ''We''re here. Now, let''s get going. As the senior said that and went into the tent first, me and Belle followed. When we entered, the special class anti-magician faces were already there. There was a large vertical desk in the room, and furthermore, they were probably using projection magic, but in the back of the room, it was mapped out to level 5 of the twilight danger zone. And it even revealed the location of the bases and how many anti-magicians there were in each base. ''''So now we''re all here, right?'''' It was Princess Liane who told me this. She is now wearing a military uniform as well, but she also wears glasses and even longer hair in an updo. Her appearance clearly exudes intelligence. However, everyone knows that Princess Liane''s intelligence is not only based on her looks. Furthermore, there was one person here who was not a special grade anti-magician. His name was Abraham Allston. His rank was Grand Marshal. He was the supreme commander of this operation, and a hero who had saved humanity many times by his leadership. Originally, he was an antimagician who fought on the front lines, but after losing his left arm and his right eye, he was selected to be the commander of operations in the rear. Since then, he has used his overwhelming intelligence to achieve solid results on many battlefields. Although I have yet to speak to him directly, I feel as if I''m going to be swallowed up by his overwhelming atmosphere. His fully grown hair is pulled back in a single bun, and coupled with the eye patch he wears, he looks quite oppressive. He''s also quite tall, in the upper half of six feet tall. Then I lined up like everyone else at the desk where they are all attached, and Princess Liane began to explain. ''''Then please look here. Let me explain the current situation. With projected magic, a three-dimensional geographic area, and even a stronghold, is shown on the table with a red dot of life signs. ''As of now, we have zero injuries and zero deaths. The base was also set up ahead of schedule. The second base has been set up next to the elven village to extend their wards. Furthermore, their warding magic technology has already been applied to the other bases. Of course, to this first base as well. And the demon in question, but the first platoon, of which Belle is the captain, has only made a close encounter. The individual names of the demons are the Scorpion "Scorpion" and the Huge Spider "Huge Spider". Both of them are common demons up to level 3, but as others have noticed, there are too few of them. I''d say it''s about a tenth of the usual number....... And when Princess Liane announced this, Grand Marshal Allston opened his mouth. ''''........Now, gentlemen of the special class anti-magicians. How do you see the current situation?'''' Do you have an opinion? I don''t mind. That kind of person is Derrick-san. Although he has the status of 5th in the special class anti-magic order, he is also an anti-magic who also works as a researcher, just like Ellie-san. However, despite the fact that he is busy managing his research facility after Ellie''s death, he is still firmly participating in this operation. He is probably the most intelligent among the current special class of anti-magicians. That''s why he listens to Derrick-san''s opinion without anyone interrupting him. ''''Based on what Princess Liane said before.......aren''t the demons being driven into a unification war or something like that? ''''It''s true ... it was in Claudia''s memory, but I heard that ended in a victory for the demon''s side. ''Perhaps they''ve gathered their remaining troops and it''s turning into an even more boggy battle?¡¡With that in mind, the situation is understandable. However, as the current situation, it''s not good to be optimistic about it. This time, we were able to get help from the elves unexpectedly. I think it''s a good idea to take the plunge and expand our base to level 4. Hmmm maybe Derrick is right. Now let''s hear one more person''s opinion here. Julia Curtis, what do you think? That''s what Marshal Allston talked to me about, but that''s to be expected. The most perceptive of these people are me and Princess Liane. I''m sure she''s already given me her opinion. Besides, I''ve been on the front lines collecting information with this Twilight Sight. And based on the information I''ve gathered so far and my own thoughts, I begin to talk about it. ''''I agree with the march. Even at the back of level 3, the demons were not trapped in the perception of the Twilight Sight ¡¶Twilight Sight¡·. Perhaps it''s as Derrick-san pointed out, or maybe it''s another reason, but there may be some circumstances on the demon''s side as well. I do have one concern, however. What''s going on? The Scorpion, the one we first encountered, I could not help but notice that it seemed to have escaped. Well that''s what it says in the report. Let''s hear the details. That pack of Scorpions. Even though they attacked us, they weren''t well led. We had fought several times when I was wandering around in the twilight, and at that time, we were pretty well coordinated. But that time, there was no coordination, it was disjointed. We just had no choice but to fight because the enemy appeared in front of us. That was the impression I got. I see.........as I thought, the demons have something on their side as well. However, we also don''t have the time to understand their situation. We''re going to set up our base on level 4 as is. After that, we''ll go to level 5 to see how it goes. That''s good. Copy that. And so the meeting continued for a little while, and we were dismissed there. ¡ó Julia, can I have a word with you? Princess Liane, is there something wrong? When I walked out, it was Princess Liane who came in. ''What do you think of the elves, Miss Julia?'' ''Nothing in particular it wasn''t really raised on the agenda earlier. The meeting went on further after that, but mainly it was about interacting with the elves. However, it wasn''t that important to this operation, so I listened to half the conversation. I''ve already given a report on her case and Aries and shared it with the whole group. ''''........I have a bad feeling about this. Did you feel something? ''No, this is just a hunch but please be careful. I don''t think you should let yourself off the hook completely. ''''Thank you for your advice. At the very least, I''ll try to remember to be suspicious. Please. So we parted ways. 115-Episode 115: Maliciousness That Progresses A knocking, knocking, knocking sound reverberates. The person''s appearance can only be described as fine in every respect. His hair is pulled back in an all-black bun, and he is wearing a fine suit with no dust or wrinkles on it. The shoes are all black to match the color of the suit, but they are slightly tinted with brown to accentuate it. Her face is suitably neat and tidy. She has a high nose and her eyes are also set like a glass ball. At first glance, she looks like a human. But he''s not human. He''s not human. You can tell that by looking at those burning eyes, and the amount of magic element that covers him. This.........is a demon. ''''It''s been........a long time since I''ve been here. His name is Aurir as he mutters that. The Holy Twelve Apostles, fourth in the pecking order. He was walking in a place. A space where there is no light at all. He just walked straight through that space. From the echoing sound, he could tell that it was like a tunnel. However, to Auriel, a place without light or sound is just a trivial matter. This is because all of the Demons of the Holy Twelve Apostles possess the Twilight Eye ¡¶Twilight Sight¡·. Not only him, but also the perception of the magic element is everything to become a true strong man in this world. ''''Aurir-sama, our schedule is a bit tight today. Thank you for everything, Rina. No. I''m merely a pawn in the service of Auriel-sama. ''Humility. I understand that I have always had your help. Well I guess it''s about time. The name of the demon next to Auriel was Lina. She also wears a suit with her long hair pulled up in an up-do, just like him, out of respect for him. It was out of respect for him. Lina respects Aurir with all her heart, and it is her supreme pleasure to serve him. It was self-evident that she would dress in a similar way to him. Then the two of them exited the passage and came out into an open space. A circular space. A streetlight was lit there, allowing them to grasp the situation around them by sight as well as by magic element. ''''What........are you........'''' The voice is low to the ground. It''s hard to believe that its vocal organs are the same as those of humans and even demons. In the first place, no human, demon and subhuman can produce a voice this low because they have the same base. In other words, what we have in front of us is not any of those three species. It has a large physique and huge scissors in both hands. Its tail is also slithering, extending to the heavens. At a cursory glance, its body length was well over 10 meters. That individual with the same reddish-black color as the twilight is not just a scorpion, a scorpion. It was the Ancient Scorpion, the Ancient Scorpion. That is the individual name of this demon. It is one of the oldest demons among the demons that have lived for hundreds of years and have experienced the Human Demon War. Such an ancient scorpion, the Ancient Scorpion, the one that comes to the Ancient Scorpion''s nest is usually absent. No, it hadn''t been there for the past few decades. There is no room for guests. They are nothing more than bait. The bones of all sorts of creatures are lying here. I''m sure you''ll find a lot of demons, sub-humans, and human bones lying around as well. ''''To interrupt me in the middle of a meal you do understand, don''t you? That kind of ancient scorpion [Ancient Scorpion] in an even lower voice. In the scissors in his right hand, yes........there was a human. It was also a woman. It was the moment when she was stripped naked and about to be preyed upon as it was. The woman is relieved to see Aurir and Lina. Help, the help they had been looking for all along, had finally arrived. Every human who was brought here was preyed upon before her eyes. And she was the last. Of course, she immediately raised her voice to call for help. ''''........tha, help! Oh, you''re in the middle of dinner. I beg your pardon. Aurir reverently and neatly curtsies so as not to displease the other party. Along with that, Lina also gives a bow. ''''It begins and ends with a bow. I will thank the other party. You may talk to them after the meal. Please, please continue. He looks up and smiles at her. Aureel brings her eyes to the woman. At that moment, the woman realized. Ah.........I''m going to die here....... ''''.........I don''t hate the smart ones.'''' In those moments, the woman was swallowed up by her head. There was no time to scream. The sound of crushing bone, the sound of biting through flesh, all of them combined.......a few minutes passed. The woman''s blood was dripping from the Ancient Scorpion ¡¶Enchemental Scorpion¡·''s mouth. Seeing that, Aurir had no thoughts. Ah, I can finally talk to her. That''s just the extent of it. That''s the extent of human existence for him. ''''May I talk to you? All right. Demon. I''ll be blunt. Would you be willing to help us? ...I heard that the war of unification was won by demons? The situation is changing now. Demons and subhumans have joined forces and formed a coalition army. We are in the middle of a battle against the demons. We will not participate in this united front. No matter who is inviting us. No, no. This is not a war. So what is this all about? Humans. They''re launching what I think is called a dusk attack. "Oh... I want you to stop the human progress there. No, we could just delay it. We don''t have the luxury of dealing with humans at the moment. What do I get in return? No, sir. You are out of it. Do you want to get yourself killed? When the Ancient Scorpion, the Ancient Scorpion, gave the signal, the Scorpions came out one after another. Of course, they weren''t just any Scorpions. They are the elite guardians of the Ancient Scorpion. They are different from those demons. But something is wrong with him. The Ancient Scorpion, Ancient Scorpion, has already given orders to attack the demons. The same goes for interrupting their meals, but they came asking for incomprehensible demands without any reward. They are already angry enough to kill. They have reason, but it''s still more of an instinctual part of them. Besides, even though the demons are strong, if there are this many of them.......I thought so, but the bodies of the Scorpion ¡¶Scorpion¡· and the others were torn apart vertically. Slowly and neatly they opened up and sank down, sprinkling their body fluids as it was. That''s also at the same time. There are about 30 Scorpions here, but I killed 5 of them as an example. And the other Scorpions understood the opponent''s skill, or perhaps the other Scorpions understood the skill of the opponent and moved backward bit by bit. It''s pure fear. These demons are stronger than they are. That fact had instilled fear in the Scorpion ¡¶Scorpion¡· and the others. ''''Well, do you still refuse?'''' All right. I''ll give you what you want. The Ancient Scorpion [Ancient Scorpion] understood. This demon, he said, was the highest of all the demons. He had seen demons before, but he had never thought that they were completely unbeatable. Yes, until this moment. However, Aurir''s skill is not only the Ancient Scorpion, Ancient Scorpion [Ancient Scorpion], but also all of the Scorpion [Scorpion] in this place cannot reach him even with all of them. He would be killed in the blink of an eye and that would be the end of it. He immediately understood this and chose to give in. ''''I like the smart ones. Me too. Can we slow down human progress? Yes, sir. "...it''s okay to kill humans? Of course. Whether you want to kill them or prey on them, please feel free to do so. ...then we''ll use these. What''s that? .... Listen to the story. I see, Aureel thought, that seems to be useful. The demons could use it too. That''s what he thought. Until now, I thought they were just low intelligence insects, but after all, there are exceptions to everything. He wouldn''t have prepared it for this time, but it was just as well. He thought, and ended the conversation there. ''''....I see. That''s an odd idea. Then we will be excused from this.'''' Aureel left without even wiping the fluid splattered on his own body. Everywhere he went, gracefully and brilliantly, he returned the way he had come. 116-Episode 116: Frightening Facts The meeting was over and I was going to spend the night at the first base today. I was just heading to the simple shower room to take a shower. This was built just a few days ago, and is made by filtering water from a nearby river and letting it flow directly out of the shower. Of course, this is maintained by magic, but I can''t use magic like this, so I''m honestly impressed. ''Huh, Noah?'' Miss Julia. Hi. Noah bows his head in a bow. Although he has no parents, no friends, and is a lifelong loner, he still has adapted to this life, but for now there is no problem. It''s not only that, it''s that his magical skills are so solid that some people are even suggesting that he should be selected as a full-fledged special class anti-magician. It''s just fine. It''s just as well. But it''s a private room, so we''ll be right next to each other. "Well, you see... I''m hesitant. There''s probably nothing wrong with that, but that''s just how I feel, and maybe Noah is still at an embarrassing age. ''''Well, well, I don''t mind. Yeah........ Yeah?¡¡Then let''s go. We go straight to the changing room with a change of clothes, take off our clothes and go into the private shower room. Noah seemed to have some trouble taking off his clothes for some strange reason, but when I got to the shower room I start War and he walks into the next private room. ''Is Noah used to it yet?'' Yeah. Well, it''s more fulfilling than when I was in the orphanage. Life in the twilight isn''t too bad. Okay. Well, that would have been nice, but... ''I was alone all the time at the orphanage, but now I have Yulia, and the other members of the squad have been kind to me... I''m full enough. .... The only place to be is in the army. Besides, Noah is needed because of his magical skills. If he had no skills whatsoever, he''d probably stay in the orphanage forever. Even though food production was much improved now, not all humans were satisfied. After all, the military will have more of that supply, and the higher the rank of the people, the more food they will be able to get. No, it''s not just food. There are really very few people who are completely satisfied with everything, food, clothing and shelter. In the midst of all this, Noah has found his place in this army. I''m sure that''s a good thing. But it makes me a little sad to think that he, and I, are the same way. I can''t speak for other people either, but at such a young age, the fact that I have no choice but to fight is probably still an empty thing. I know that I have no choice but to fight, and I''ve already carried that resolve with me. I''ve been touched by so many deaths, and my heart has almost broken each time, but I''ve stood up for myself. Of course, it''s not just me. We were able to come this far because we had our friends. If that''s the case, I want to help Noah in a small way, too. ''It''s time for us to go up there. Yes. We then left the shower room as it was. Even though there aren''t many people in the room right now, it''s not a good idea to occupy it too much. Then we went back to the changing room and tried to put on our underwear and clothes... but I noticed something. ''''.........'''' What''s going on, Miss Julia? There is none. No, it''s not. No, I''ve seen it wrong but no matter how many times I look at it, it''s not there. Yes, there is something that should be there, but it isn''t. Maybe I''ve made a terrible mistake.... "Hey, Noah. "?¡¡What''s going on, look at my bottom half. I know it''s rude to ask this, but... You can ask me anything you want, okay? Are you a.... woman...? Yeah, but... So ... it was a woman. No too boyish looking and the tone of voice said me, so I assumed he was completely male. And I thought my voice was normal for a boy before the voice change. But I saw it. What should be there, was not there. So that means I''ve forcibly invited him into the shower room next to me, even though he''s very young.... What''s up, hold your head. No I was just despairing of my own stupidity. Did you think I was a man? I''m sorry I was thinking. Well, people often misunderstand me, but I''m a girl. Okay. Yeah. Noah, should I call you Noah? Yeah. Now, that''s not very nice. Then you''ll always be the same... ''Yes!¡¡I don''t think we need to change the way we treat each other just because we''re women in the first place. Well you''re right. Yeah, you''re absolutely right. I look around while chatting with Noah. Normally, I would run into someone I know around here, but...they don''t seem to be around. I quickly changed into my clothes and Noah did the same and quickly changed his clothes as well. I''ve been talking to Yuria-san about something. Do you have time? I don''t mind, but what''s the big deal? ''Yes. The elf thing, if you can call it that. Well in that case, let''s talk about it over there. Yes. I saw Noah''s face sharpen a bit, and I realized that I was not alone. I''m not the only one after all. Princess Leanne and Noah also sense something. 117-Episode 117: Question and Answer So what''s on your mind? ''Well...'' We had come some distance away so that no other humans could hear us. The area around us is covered with trees, but it hides our appearance just fine. And, just in case, I''ll deploy the Twilight Sight ¡¶Twilight Sight¡·. --Okay, I don''t see any signs of people nearby. As soon as I confirm that, I''ll hear from Noah. ''''About the elven wards, I think those things are beyond the realm of humans after all. Well, I suppose that''s true, but... what else? ''''Well I don''t know about this kind of thing, but I think the elves are hiding something. "You''re hiding it... ''Yeah. Not some magical, technical thing, but something more fundamental. How did you come up with that? ''As you know, I was working with the elves to repair the wards. I talked to the elves about a lot of things at the time, but I mean, it was hard to do anything about it. I think they were staring at me. Like they were probing me... Did he have some kind of magical eye? ''I don''t think there''s any chance of that happening. That said, I tried to be perceptive at the time, but I didn''t really understand it either. ''I see. Preconceptions. It is the assumption that elves are not hostile to humans. But there is no proof that they are not hostile to humans. There is no proof that they are not hostile to humans. We were even deceived by the humans on the inside. After that incident, it''s never a bad thing to be sensitive to interactions with other species. We need to always assume the worst case scenario. And like the Noah case, it seems to be moving strangely fast. Since meeting the elves, they have been interacting smoothly with humans, as if they knew that. That''s a sign of friendship........that''s how I interpreted it, but after all, Princess Liane and Noah''s testimony, and the uncomfortable feeling in my mind. That expression on Aries'' face. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. If it weren''t for the incident with Princess Liane and Noah, I would have ignored this story. But it''s not just me, the fact that other people also feel uncomfortable is probably not a matter that can be ignored. Based on the betrayal of the elves......................we should take care of it first. Just in case. It''s better to be prepared. Besides, we can''t expose ourselves to blunders like we did with Silas and Claudia. ''Noah, we''ll take this to the top. Okay but will you be able to do it in a pinch, Julia? You can do it. That''s what I''m here for. I see. I haven''t killed a demon or anything yet, but I''ll do it when I have to. Don''t be too hard on yourself. Okay. Noah nods his head with a cockle. Seeing that small gesture, I remind myself that she is still a young child, but I can''t continue to treat her like a child. Because there will surely come a time when I need her strength. ¡ó ''....That''s all. If you could report back to the top. Okay. I''ll tell you what. Nice to meet you. Yulia bows her head on the spot and leaves. Belle had heard the story from Julia. The content was suddenly hard to believe. It was the possibility that the elves were betraying him. But I have full trust in Yulia and since he said it, there was no way I could ignore it. As soon as Belle heard that, she headed to the operations command center. When she entered, she saw the current situation monitored and illuminated on a wall in the back with projection magic. She then spoke to a familiar face there. ''''Lianne-sama........'''' Bell. I think it''s time for bedtime. It''s urgent....we need to talk. Where''s the Commander-in-Chief? He''s not here. Let me talk to him. Please do ... please. So.........the story is about the elf. It''s still that one... I knew it... you were aware of that? Yes. I''ve already spoken to the Commander-in-Chief, but where did Bell get that story? ''''Just now........I asked Yulia-kun about it. According to him, even with the totality of his talk with Noah, it doesn''t feel right.... Strange? Belle spoke. All the details of what was told to Julia. Liane then put her hand to her chin and pretended to be thoughtful. ''''Well the matter of Noah, and the matter of Yulia-san, it''s a personal experience, but it''s probably not something you can ignore. I thought it was strange on our end as well. It''s that meeting after all? ''You can tell because Belle was in on it too, but the other side is responding too quickly. That''s what has always bothered me. Do you think ... you''re being lured in? ''We are already looking at that possibility. Also, I''ve already put some surveillance on the elves in our army, but Belle you know when it''s time to go, don''t you? Of course. I''m prepared to cut it down.... Good. That''s enough for today. Tomorrow I''ll notify all my opponents. Okay, I understand. Excuse me. Belle leaves the operations command center as it is. Looking at the current appearance of Riane, I still think that she is the same person.......and at the same time, I am truly impressed that she has become a dependable person. At first, some people said that it was premature to participate in this operation, but it seems that the fears were completely unfounded. --But even so, the betrayal of the elves........ Belle had said earlier that if they were betraying us, if they were opposing humanity, she was prepared to cut them down and throw them away. But that''s not strictly speaking, I''m not prepared to do that. It''s just that I don''t already feel hesitant about killing them. That''s all I can say about that as a resolve... but I believe that resolve is based on some kind of conflict. But there is no such thing in Belle. Gently, I put my hand on the sword at my waist. How many enemies have I slaughtered with this demon sword, Oboro Moonlight Night, until now? If it''s the number of demonic tribes they''ve defeated, it''s already the highest among humanity. No, it''s not just Bel. If it was only this Oborozuki Yoru alone, it probably killed the most enemies out of all the weapons in existence. The bearer has been taking over this for a long time. Bell had also received this from his master. Oboro Moonlight Night. The pitch-black blade, with a scorching scarlet blade, was completely familiar to Belle. She looks at it again and draws the sword. ''''........'''' He silently raises it to the sky. The moonlight, plus the light of the stars, reveals the sword''s blade. Oborozukiyo doesn''t need to sharpen it. No matter how many enemies it slays, its blade will not be broken. According to the now-deceased Major, this was a type of demonic sword created during the Great Battle of Man and Demon. A magical sword. It is a type of lost technology that cannot be reproduced with modern technology. There are a number of products in this world that are known as Lost Technology. The Major told me that the Oborozuki Yoru that Bell has is one of them. And he says that this sword still has a hidden ability. He said it was instinctively obvious, but Bell had recently begun to feel it too. There is something sleeping in this sword. Without a doubt......... She remembered thinking that she had arrived at the same realm as him. ''''........Major, am I doing well?'''' Ten years. It had been ten years already. But the will he had spun still lay dormant in Bell. Bell remembers his past self at that time. That time, his past self. And the glorious days he had spent with the Major. 118-Episode 118: Bertinas perspective 3: Scatter that chastity .... .... We take our positions and jiggle away from each other. I came to the exercise area because the Major was going to assign me training... but I haven''t felt this airiness in a long time. I don''t know how much time has already passed. Whether it was seconds, minutes, or hours... I was so immersed in this situation that my sense of time had disappeared. What they have for each other is seriousness. What the Major holds is just a sword. A nondescript, broadsword. I, on the other hand, am the Oborozuki Yoru. In terms of sword performance alone, I''m better than him. But even so, I couldn''t possibly believe that I was superior. Once again I think...I''m horrified by the Major''s seriousness. The training I''ve done so far has not only trained me technically, but also mentally. Whether my arm or my leg is cut off, I have enough energy to stand up to my opponent. I''m not afraid of death. I''m not afraid of pain either. Consciously, I am. But even so, the major said that it is impossible to completely erase the instinctive fear. The important thing is to embrace that fear. It''s not about running away. I''ve learned the hard way that that spirit of confrontation is the source of strength. Shh! It was the Major who moved first. A flash of a thrust. It was a brain shot, but when I perceived it, I shifted my head slightly to the left and ducked and swung my sword as if to reap the benefits of a kesa. Of course, the major had read the action and his figure was already not there. ''''Don''t ... do it, Belle.'''' Hi. I didn''t look backwards to catch the sword. I had noticed that there was a presence behind me. When I used my Singularity Ability ¡¶Extra¡· to grasp my opponent''s movements in even more detail, I just turned my sword behind me to catch the attack. Probably, if it''s only in terms of physical ability, I''m better than you. The Major''s physical body is already long past its peak. I, on the other hand, am just at the peak of my peak. I had the pride that I could defeat any opponent now. However, I was going to be uncomfortably imprinted with the fact that my perception was still naive. ''''But I''m still a chick. What? Yes. Just as he was about to move on to his next attack, the Major''s figure disappeared. In the next moment, I understood that a blade was being thrust at my throat. If this had been a battlefield, the blade would have pierced my throat and I would have been doomed. The major lowers his sword and settles it directly into the scabbard at his waist. Are you being sarcastic? ''Sarcasm?¡¡No, it''s true. You know that, too, don''t you? ''''Well if you''re just talking about physical ability alone.......maybe.......but if you can''t win, then it''s useless.......'''' Well, my skills haven''t declined enough to lose yet. If your physical skills are inferior, you can use this place. I get a little pissed off when I see the Major banging his head with a thump. Because that''s like saying I don''t have the brains to think. ''''What.......are you making fun of me.......'''' Ha-ha. That''s like you, but in this case, experience is all that matters. I''m sure that a little work on my part is not going to be enough to defeat you in a year''s time. ''I want to win now and I want to win now...'' Your competitive nature is still the same. I get smacked on the head with a pat on the head. I''ve always been unable to speak back when someone does that to me. Even though I''m already past 20 years old, this makes me a child...I thought so, but I was somehow comfortable with it. I was filled with this relationship. I had no friends and I was isolated in the military, but the Major had always been there for me. I''m sure I''m blushing red right now. But I''m sure that feeling is.... ''''What is it?¡¡Turn red in the face. Are you that frustrated? ''''Yes!¡¡I''m so frustrated! What the hell, don''t lose your temper all of a sudden. It''s not that I''m frustrated. I''m ranting because I''m trying to put a lid on an emotion that''s laying dormant in my mind. Because this is something that should not be held. The Major had a wife and a child, apparently. But they both died of illness. They went into the thick of the twilight slightly when they were traveling between cities. That''s all it took, and they both passed away soon afterwards from twilight disease. When I heard that story in the past, I knew that the Major still loved his child...and his wife. He would never turn around on me. I''m sure he thinks of me as nothing more than a child. But I''m glad for that. I have no desire to force the relationship. The relationship between teacher and student will always remain the same. However, I hadn''t yet realized that the time to say goodbye was drawing nearer and nearer by the minute. ¡ó U....haha! Major, what''s going on? As I''m in his private room listening to the details of his next mission, I suddenly think I''m coughing up blood.... A large amount of blood splatters on his desk. ''''Soooo, we need to get you to the hospital right away...! No. Don''t go... How could I...?¡¡Because there''s so much blood...! "Oh, shit. I''ve finally done it... He looks into my eyes as he wipes his mouth and looks into my eyes. I''m sure I look like I''m about to cry right now. Because my master, who is stronger than anyone else, wouldn''t die.......for something like this. Never, never, never will he be the only one to die. With that strength, he could survive in this harsh world. ''Belle I''m going to be honest with you. My body can''t hold on much longer......... No! ''It''s twilight disease. I''ve already.......fought in the thick of the twilight for quite a long time too. Well, it''s the fate of an anti-magician. The fate of the counter-magician. That is to say, it refers to a short life span, but there are two main causes of death. One is to be killed in a daze by the demon tribe in the twilight. The other is that even though he had the ability to resist the demon tribe, his fate would never be the same. That is the twilight disease. No one can defeat that disease. Most of the special-grade anti-magicians who had been there before had died of the twilight disease. Even if they knew. The Major might eventually do so too...but why, why this timing...I can''t help but curse this fate. ''Major, how much more ... how much more ... time ...'' I couldn''t see in front of me anymore because of the tears. But I still needed to know. I needed to be ready to say goodbye. ''They say it won''t last a year...'' Not even a year....no way.... Gulp and nod. I can''t expect him, stronger than anyone else, nobler than anyone else, to die. Why ... why ... why ... I know that there is no point in wailing like that. So there''s only one thing I have to do now. "........Major. What....? Please hold me. ...What? I''ve never seen his expression like this before. To be honest, it was a bit of a surprise. "Hey, do you know what that means? I know. And besides, my feelings ... you know how I feel, don''t you? "Well that''s because I''m the only man close to you. There are other men closer to your age and more suitable for you. .... I knew that there was color in the way I was staring at him. I was aware of that, too. But if the end was coming, I didn''t want to regret it. ''Just for today,'' But you... Are you going to run away?¡¡Or do you not find me...attractive? I felt like I was going to cry in a different way. I don''t really care that much about gender differences, but as a woman, I really want to cry when I go this far and get rejected. Will the major be unable to accept me after all? He or she showed signs of distress and clenched his or her fists and said, "I understand.... I''m not going to be able to get it right. Just for today and for the night. Yes. That night I scattered its purity at the Major''s house. There was pain. There was fear. But even more than that, I felt filled to the brim. A moment of happiness more than anything else. For the first time I knew that a human being could be so happy. ''Belle I''m going to die soon. But I will live on in you. Major.... In one bed, they are both naked, but the Major tells such stories with a serious face. ''I too am here to carry on the will of my predecessor. You, too, will one day meet someone you can trust with your will. Yes. Don''t cry, you idiot. Please let me cry for once in my life. That''s all right. Then I gently laid my own lips on his lips. And then we were back together again. There was nothing to fear anymore. 119-Episode 119: Bertinas perspective 4: Breaking Up with Your Beloved You We''re going down to danger zone three today. Copy that. The next morning. Our team was to go to the danger zone level 3. It had been planned for a while, though, so we were ready to go. And after last night, I was already prepared. I was sure that I would cry if the Major died. That grief would make my heart ache. Even so, I had already gained the courage to stand up for myself. Because that''s what he had given me all along. ''Belle.'' What is it.........Major........ Everyone left the conference room and only myself and the Major remained in the room. Today we came to the military base from the same house. During that time, there was no particular conversation that seemed to be a conversation. ''When this mission is over, I''m going to retire as a special class anti-magician. No..... You know what I mean. This body is already too invaded by twilight. .... So I''m thinking of making you a special antimagician as well. Well, you''re my replacement. I''m only 24 years old. I''m good enough. You''ve got your heart in the right place. You''ll do fine without me. ''''Please don''t talk like that.........'''' I clenched my fists. It''s always been my goal to become a special-grade anti-magician, and for a moment I was happy to know that I would reach that summit, which I had hoped to reach by the time I turned thirty... but now it''s not about that... ...I couldn''t help but notice the Major. ''''Don''t give me that look,'''' Because....because...because... Tears stream down my cheeks. They flow in twos and they don''t know how to stop. Let''s just end the emotional attachment yesterday. I had thought so, but I was still weak. I thought I was used to people dying. I had seen my friends die next to me many times before. I''ve gotten used to going to funerals. But when someone you love dearly dies, it leaves such a painful impression on your heart. It''s like having a burning iron rod stuck in your heart. It lingers in my mind for a long time, and it will never heal me. ''''The Major also........has always been like this.......feeling........?'''' He asks in a tearful voice. Hell, I''m going to have to carry this on my back and keep fighting. I wanted to know the answer to such a question. ''''That''s right. Even if someone you care about dies, you have to move on. I''m a special class anti-magician. I can''t be allowed to stop. And you''re not just a wizard anymore. From now on, you will be the hope of humanity. You must be prepared for that. Yes. There were tears in the Major''s eyes, too. They both lamented the situation. How and why did this happen? Why does twilight continue to make us suffer so much? Why do we have to keep fighting? If it were true, I would like to live in the safety of the Boundary City all the time with the Major. It will be difficult to do so, for the right reasons, but it''s not impossible. But we choose to keep fighting. Even if death is the only thing that awaits us after that, we have no choice but to keep going. That''s the duty of an antimagician........ ''''Let''s go, Belle. Yes, Major. Hearing those words, I followed behind it as I always do. I used to just look up at its back. But now I''m standing in the same line of sight. He''s discovered my talents, he''s tasked me with training, and I''m trying to get past that to get to the same position. If I was going to follow my instincts, I would have liked one of his embraces here, no ... a kiss. I wanted to feel his warmth. But that ended last night. That was the deal. For us to move on. We didn''t hug each other anymore. ¡ó ...What? The voice was the voice of the antimagician who was walking next to me. As soon as I felt the unusual killing intent, I jumped back from the spot. The scene that appeared in front of me was unbelievable. There were about a dozen or so anti-magicians here. All of them died, all at once, in this moment. They were surrounded by their headless companions. Their decapitated heads were already lying on the ground. And fresh blood. Blood spurted out everywhere, and bodies fell one by one. --What, what''s going on ... what''s the situation, no, where is the enemy? Over here, girl. I heard a voice from behind me. I quickly turned around........slightly slow. ''Belle, don''t let up. It''s a demon. ...Oh no, Major....no, for me, no... ''''d*mn.......That''s a pretty high level demon. I''ve never seen this level before, as expected....... The Major sweating from all over. And ... his left arm was already gone from the shoulder down. It was cut off by a buzzard, and is lying cruelly on the ground. The blood overflows, but he quickly stops the bleeding with magic and holds up his sword. ''Hoho ... don''t do it. You two are a little bit stronger than that. A demon. I''ve met them before, and I''ve defeated them before. But the major is right, this demon is different. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make your heart tremble just by glaring at it. The long tail wavered, and when it stabbed the head of a lying companion with its tail, it brought it to hand and.......preyed on it. I''m not going to be able to get it right. Humans. Is he provoking you? Or is he simply doing so out of curiosity? My body trembles with rage as the bodies of my friends are humiliated. ''Belle we''ll go on as usual. Copy that. He said that in a whisper and I nodded. Then we ran across the earth........towards the demon. ¡ó How much time had passed? The Major and I were literally facing the demon with all of our strength relative to him. There were already lacerations all over my body, and the blood would not stop. But the problem was the Major. It was too painful not to have my left arm to begin with. We sword-using antimagicians use our sword skills with both hands. Secret swords can also only be activated with both hands. Uuuuuuut...! Major! ''Belch!¡¡Don''t worry about me!¡¡Keep fighting! ...Yes! The Major, who had received a severed leg and a fatal wound to his stomach, rolled backwards as it was. I wanted to come to his aid immediately. That wound might not be able to be treated in time. If I don''t treat it right away, then hurry ... hurry! ''''...Little girl, you''re strong. I didn''t know a human could go this far. Shut up. I''m going to kill you. Good. Those hate-filled eyes. You make me want to gouge them out. Looking at the tongue-licking demon, my anger was already........at its peak. I''ll kill this guy, only this guy. I''m going to kill him. I''m going to kill him. He''s going to kill me. Kill me. Kill me. Kill. Kill. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. Kill. --I''ll kill you, I''ll kill you! ................. I was already self-conscious. I was not conscious of anything. I just put all the killing intent on my body and swung my sword. Avoid, slash. You can repeat that simple action. That''s all. I will ... kill him. I''ve made a vow to myself that I would do so. You''re going to have to do something about it. He seems to be screaming something, but I can''t hear him anymore. There is no color. No sound. Just black and white, I was immersed in a world of swords. It''s a strange feeling. My body is light. My body moved according to my image. I don''t need to be conscious of it. I was just one sword. It''s as if I was one of the components of the sword. Would you say that this........is a realm outside of people? Oboro Tsukiyoru also increases its brilliance in response to my reaction speed. They respond to each other. And finally I........leap off the demon''s arm. Of course, I continue the chase. The fastest secret sword of all the secret swords. It is the must-have secret sword - the eighth secret sword. ''''--The Eighth Secret Sword, the Shi-den Single Flash. Super fast electromagnetic battoujutsu. And I pulled out my sword as it was. I cleaved my sword to the side as if to sever the opponent''s torso. ''''Uu..........................'''' The demon grunts and moves backwards. It didn''t result in amputation, but it''s definitely a fatal wound. He tries to pile on more attacks like this, but........ ''''Guh........that skill.......d*mn it, I''m going to pull back here! ...Wait! I tried to escape, but I couldn''t let him get away. That''s what I thought, but the demon was gone. --Where and how on earth........ At that moment, I remembered the Major. I was so immersed in the battle that I had forgotten about the Major''s wounds. I quickly rushed to his side, but the amount of blood loss was already a true indication that his death was close at hand. ''Major!¡¡Please get a grip! Bells are all right. I''m still okay........! He immediately ran to the Major. His hissing throat seemed to be trying hard to find oxygen. On top of that, the blood wouldn''t stop. No matter how much healing magic was applied, it would not recover. There''s one fact it shows. I can''t make it in time.......that fact passes through my brain. --No, no, no, no! There''s no way I''m going to tolerate having to leave a place like this, like this. I was prepared yesterday. Even so, I didn''t expect this to happen the day after that, a stone''s throw away. Besides.........that the Major would lose like this. No, that was my fault. My, my fault, my fault the major was........ "Belle you are capable of becoming a special class anti-magician........ What, what are you talking about...? ''The blow you just delivered. ''Major it''s my fault, Major.... Never mind, I don''t care about... I''m not gonna die of the twilight disease so that I can finally rot away but I''m not gonna die of my precious... I''m so happy to protect my beloved Belle and to die... and that''s why you have that look on your face. ...na.... Shivering and trembling, the major brings his hand, which is dyed bright red, to my cheek. Then he gently wiped my tears away. I admire the way he tries to cheer me up, even at times like this. This man will never change, no matter how far he goes. The Major has always been him. Even though he is already close to death. This world is a cruel place. Mercilessly, it tramples on everything human and confronts us with this reality........ Major..... I hold his hand. Giggling, I continue to hold the Major''s hand as if to confirm its warmth. I can no longer see in front of me through the tears. I do my best to wipe them away and give him a final smile. This is the last thing I can do for him. Thanks for everything you''ve done for me. I am truly, truly indebted to you. Then I will send her off with a smile at the end of her life. I will send him off with a smile, even if his face is filled with tears. "It''s all yours, Major. No ... master. Ha, I miss the.... you know... the... way you call it... I will fight for my master and continue. ''Oh thank goodness. Now I can leave you in charge with peace of mind........ Yes. I''ll take care of it. "...Bell. Yes. "I love you. I always have and I always will but it''s time to say goodbye master. So.......... ''Yes ... yes ... thank you so much for everything you''ve done for me ...'' I slacken and lose strength. My pupils dilate and my pulse stops. Death. My master has died. Such a strong master died in such a place, in the middle of the road. Dead....dead...dead...dead. Gradually I understand. No more........no more will I be able to talk to him, no more will he pat me on the head, no more will he hug me, no more will he teach me sword skills, nothing, nothing. Emotions poured out of my chest as I realized that again. ''Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!'' I continued to wail as I leaned against its corpse. Why would a man trample his dignity, his life? I didn''t know any more. But there was only one thing. There was this one thing that stayed with me. For him, I vowed that I would be the next to protect the humanity that he had protected, and that I would be the next to protect him. --but now it''s okay to cry, right? Hey, Master...? 120-Chapter 120: Not Hungry We''re going down to danger zone three today. Copy that. The next morning. Our team was to go to the danger zone level 3. It had been planned for a while, though, so we were ready to go. And after last night, I was already prepared. I was sure that I would cry if the Major died. That grief would make my heart ache. Even so, I had already gained the courage to stand up for myself. Because that''s what he had given me all along. ''Belle.'' What is it.........Major........ Everyone left the conference room and only myself and the Major remained in the room. Today we came to the military base from the same house. During that time, there was no particular conversation that seemed to be a conversation. ''When this mission is over, I''m going to retire as a special class anti-magician. No..... You know what I mean. The twilight has already invaded this body too much. .... So I''m thinking of making you a special antimagician as well. Well, you''re my replacement. I''m only 24 years old. I''m good enough. You''ve got your heart in the right place. You''ll do fine without me. ''''Please don''t talk like that.........'''' I clenched my fists. It''s always been my goal to become a special-grade anti-magician, and for a moment I was happy to know that I would reach that summit, which I had hoped to reach by the time I turned thirty... but now it''s not about that... ...I couldn''t help but notice the Major. ''''Don''t give me that look,'''' Because....because...because... Tears stream down my cheeks. They flow in twos and they don''t know how to stop. Let''s just end the emotional attachment yesterday. I had thought so, but I was still weak. I thought I was used to people dying. I had seen my friends die next to me many times before. I''ve gotten used to going to funerals. But when someone you love dearly dies, it leaves such a painful impression on your heart. It''s like having a burning iron rod stuck in your heart. It lingers in my mind for a long time, and it will never heal me. ''''The Major also........has always been like this.......feeling........?'''' He asks in a tearful voice. Hell, I''m going to have to carry this on my back and keep fighting. I wanted to know the answer to such a question. ''''That''s right. Even if someone you care about dies, you have to move on. I''m a special class anti-magician. I can''t be allowed to stop. And you''re not just a wizard anymore. From now on, you will be the hope of humanity. You must be prepared for that. Yes. There were tears in the Major''s eyes, too. They both lamented the situation. How and why did this happen? Why does twilight continue to make us suffer so much? Why do we have to keep fighting? If it were true, I would like to live in the safety of the Boundary City all the time with the Major. It will be difficult to do so, for the right reasons, but it''s not impossible. But we choose to keep fighting. Even if death is the only thing that awaits us after that, we have no choice but to keep going. That''s the duty of an antimagician........ ''''Let''s go, Belle. Yes, Major. Hearing those words, I followed behind it as I always do. I used to just look up at its back. But now I''m standing in the same line of sight. He''s discovered my talents, he''s tasked me with training, and I''m trying to get past that to get to the same position. If I was going to follow my instincts, I would have liked one of his embraces here, no ... a kiss. I wanted to feel his warmth. But that ended last night. That was the deal. For us to move on. We didn''t hug each other anymore. ¡ó ...What? The voice was the voice of the antimagician who was walking next to me. As soon as I felt the unusual killing intent, I jumped back from the spot. The scene that appeared in front of me was unbelievable. There were about a dozen or so anti-magicians here. All of them died, all at once, in this moment. They were surrounded by their headless companions. Their decapitated heads were already lying on the ground. And fresh blood. Blood spurted out everywhere, bodies falling one by one. --What, what''s going on ... what''s the situation, no, where is the enemy? Over here, girl. I heard a voice from behind me. I quickly turned around........slightly slow. ''Belle, don''t let up. It''s a demon. ...Oh no, Major....no, for me, no... ''''d*mn.......That''s a pretty high level demon. I''ve never seen this level before, as expected....... The Major sweating from all over. And ... his left arm was already gone from the shoulder down. It was cut off by a buzzard, and is lying cruelly on the ground. The blood overflows, but he quickly stops the bleeding with magic and holds up his sword. ''Hoho ... don''t do it. You two are a little bit stronger than that. A demon. I''ve met them before, and I''ve defeated them before. But the major is right, this demon is different. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make your heart tremble just by glaring at it. The long tail wavered, and when it stabbed the head of a lying companion with its tail, it brought it to hand and.......preyed on it. I''m not going to be able to get it right. Humans. Is he provoking you? Or is he simply doing so out of curiosity? My body trembles with rage as the bodies of my friends are humiliated. ''Belle we''ll go on as usual. Copy that. He said that in a whisper and I nodded. Then we ran across the earth........towards the demon. ¡ó How much time had passed? The Major and I were literally facing the demon with all of our strength relative to him. There were already lacerations all over my body, and the blood would not stop. But the problem was the Major. It was too painful not to have my left arm to begin with. We sword-using antimagicians use their sword skills with both hands. Secret swords can also only be activated with both hands. Uuuuuuut...! Major! ''Belch!¡¡Don''t worry about me!¡¡Keep fighting! ...Yes! The Major, who had received a severed leg and a fatal wound to his stomach, rolled backwards as it was. I wanted to come to his aid immediately. That wound might not be able to be treated in time. If I don''t treat it right away, then hurry ... hurry! ''''...Little girl, you''re strong. I didn''t know a human could go this far. Shut up. I''m going to kill you. Good. Those hate-filled eyes. You make me want to gouge them out. Looking at the tongue-licking demon, my anger was already........at its peak. I''ll kill this guy, only this guy. I''m going to kill him. I''m going to kill him. He''s going to kill me. Kill me. Kill me. Kill. Kill. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. KILL. Kill. --I''ll kill you, I''ll kill you! ................. I was already self-conscious. I was not conscious of anything. I just put all the killing intent on my body and swung my sword. Avoid, slash. You can repeat that simple action. That''s all. I will ... kill him. I''ve made a vow to myself that I would do so. You''re going to have to do something about it. He seems to be screaming something, but I can''t hear him anymore. There is no color. No sound. Just black and white, I was immersed in a world of swords. It''s a strange feeling. My body is light. My body moved according to my image. I don''t need to be conscious of it. I was just one sword. It''s as if I was one of the components of the sword. Would you say that this........is a realm outside of people? Oboro Tsukiyoru also increases its brilliance in response to my reaction speed. They respond to each other. And finally I........leap off the demon''s arm. Of course, I continue the chase. The fastest secret sword of all the secret swords. It is the must-have secret sword - the eighth secret sword. ''''--The Eighth Secret Sword, the Shi-den Single Flash. Super fast electromagnetic battoujutsu. And I pulled out my sword as it was. I cleaved my sword to the side as if to sever the opponent''s torso. ''''Uu..........................'''' The demon grunts and moves backwards. It didn''t result in amputation, but it''s definitely a fatal wound. He tries to pile on more attacks like this, but........ ''''Guh........that skill.......d*mn it, I''m going to pull back here! ...Wait! I tried to escape, but I couldn''t let him get away. That''s what I thought, but the demon was gone. --Where and how on earth........ At that moment, I remembered the Major. I was so immersed in the battle that I had forgotten about the Major''s wounds. I quickly rushed to his side, but the amount of blood loss was already a true indication that his death was close at hand. ''Major!¡¡Please get a grip! Bells are all right. I''m still okay........! He immediately ran to the Major. His hissing throat seemed to be trying hard to find oxygen. On top of that, the blood wouldn''t stop. No matter how much healing magic was applied, it would not recover. There''s one fact it shows. I can''t make it in time.......that fact passes through my brain. --No, no, no, no! There''s no way I''m going to tolerate having to leave a place like this, like this. I was prepared yesterday. Even so, I didn''t expect this to happen the day after that, a stone''s throw away. Besides.........that the Major would lose like this. No, that was my fault. My, my fault, my fault the major was........ "Belle you are capable of becoming a special class antimagician........ What, what are you talking about...? ''The blow you just delivered. ''Major it''s my fault, Major.... Never mind, I don''t care about... I''m not gonna die of the twilight disease so that I can finally rot away but I''m not gonna die of my precious... I''m so happy to protect my beloved Belle and to die... and that''s why you have that look on your face. ...na.... Shivering and trembling, the major brings his hand, which is dyed bright red, to my cheek. Then he gently wiped my tears away. I admire the way he tries to cheer me up, even at times like this. This man will never change, no matter how far he goes. The Major has always been him. Even though he is already close to death. This world is a cruel place. Mercilessly, it tramples on everything human and confronts us with this reality........ Major..... I hold his hand. Giggling, I continue to hold the Major''s hand as if to confirm its warmth. I can no longer see in front of me through the tears. I do my best to wipe them away and give him a final smile. This is the last thing I can do for him. Thanks for everything you''ve done for me. I am truly, truly indebted to you. Then I will send her off with a smile at the end of her life. I will send him off with a smile, even if his face is filled with tears. "It''s all yours, Major. No ... master. Ha, I miss the.... you know... the... way you call it... I will fight for my master and continue. ''Oh thank goodness. Now I can leave you in charge with peace of mind........ Yes. I''ll take care of it. "...Bell. Yes. "I love you. I always have and I always will but it''s time to say goodbye master. So.......... ''Yes ... yes ... thank you so much for everything you''ve done for me ...'' I slacken and lose strength. My pupils dilate and my pulse stops. Death. My master has died. Such a strong master died in such a place, in the middle of the road. Dead....dead...dead...dead. Gradually I understand. No more........no more will I be able to talk to him, no more will he pat me on the head, no more will he hug me, no more will he teach me sword skills, nothing, nothing. Emotions poured out of my chest as I realized that again. ''Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!'' I continued to wail as I leaned against its corpse. Why would a man trample his dignity, his life? I didn''t know any more. But there was only one thing. There was this one thing that stayed with me. For him, I vowed that I would be the next to protect the humanity that he had protected, and that I would be the next to protect him. --but now it''s okay to cry, right? Hey, Master...? 121-Episode 121 Lianes perspective 1: Encounter Hmm.... I took a breath and straightened my spine. I was stationed in the highest command center of the first base, which is located on level 1 of the twilight danger zone. Various commanders gather here, exchanging information with their platoons and even sending out commands from us. And the whole situation can be seen from the images projected on the walls in this room. Projection magic is a type of light magic, but it has only recently passed the experimental stage and reached the practical stage. I''ve been involved in the development of this magic for a long time, and I''m relieved to finally be able to put it to use. I''ve been working on it for a long time now, and I''m relieved that it''s finally working. The range of the projections I''ve been able to capture is limited to the danger zone level 1-3, but in the future it may be possible to capture the entire world. In principle, the magic I perceived is magically transferred to this place. I am constantly updating the information in real time, which is a burden on me in its own way, but I can''t be so weak. This is a safe place, and we are not fighting for our lives like front-line antimagicians. The feeling is that I have the guts and determination to dedicate this life. But still........there was no doubt that this place was safe. ''''Rihanne-sama, we have information from the first platoon. "Read it out loud, No change in the elven village. However, Lieutenant Colonel Julia Curtis, who is hiding out, says she feels like she''s being watched. Okay, okay. Thank you. I take that information and write the information down in the notes I have. This strategy, I can''t afford to fail. That''s why I try to compile all information into a memo for now. You can decide later if it''s useful or not. For now, for now, I wanted the information. A different twilight now, and the presence of sub-humans. What were the elves thinking? I was strangely understanding of things when I attended that meeting. No ... it was too good. There was no discomfort in swallowing all of our suggestions, but there was almost no pretense of thinking. --The fact that he would answer in no time means that maybe he expected this to happen? .... I stare at the paper. I tap my pen with a thump and try to think, but I can''t come up with anything. I could talk to the Grand Marshal, the Supreme Commander, but I need to gather a few more thoughts on my own. I look up to take a short break. It was then that I saw Belle''s image on the projected monitor. Each antimagician''s unique domain ¡¶Personal Field¡· had already been analyzed by me and transcribed onto the monitor. Probably, as long as you don''t go to a fairly dense part of the twilight, strictly speaking, level 5, your position can be captured. ''''........Belle, you''re doing well too. For the record, I would not have gotten to this point without Belle. It''s because of her support that I was able to awaken as a saint, and this is how I''m able to command in the Operations Command Center. I''m a little sad to say goodbye to her, who has been with me all this time, but such personal feelings should be suppressed for now. Then I remember. I remember how I met her and how many things Belle gave me. ¡ó ''Liane. You are capable of being a saint. What do you mean, "seijin"? A saint is an amazing person. A saint is a person who is the key to saving the human race. Hmm. I''ve been told such stories since I was a child. The birth of a saint since the Human-Magic War. To be exact, a royal family was born that might be able to reach sainthood. I''ve been raised to take care of that. But that doesn''t mean I was spoiled. I was given everything I wanted. But I didn''t want anything. What is it that I want? That is the eternal question that I will never know. And I, on the other hand, began my education when I was two years old. I can already speak and think. I was always told that I was a quintessential Liane, but I wondered why I was being praised for doing something so obvious. Then, at the age of three, he mastered reading and writing, and from then on, he began to read a variety of literature. How did this world come to be dominated by twilight and what trajectory led to the warded city we have today? It was pure intellectual curiosity. My educator was already gone. There was no more to be taught, because there was no more to be taught. I later learned that I was growing up at an extraordinary rate. Some royalty thought I was weird, while others called me a monster. The turning point in my life was when I was five years old. Yes. That''s when I met Bertina Wright. "I ... need ... to fight in the twilight ... to spend the same ... time ... with you ... I don''t have the time ... to spend the same ... time with you. ...you''re going to tell me in no uncertain terms. The other day, my esteemed superior officer died. And in order to avenge him I must go on my way. She knew that her superior officer of over ten years was dead. In front of her. She had already gotten that information. Furthermore, the look on her face when she walked into this room. I don''t want to take care of me. I can''t wait to go to the twilight and fight. I could see that in her hand. I don''t need any special abilities. It was easy to understand such things by looking at the opponent''s expression. Then I told him that I had seen the future where Belle would die. This was true; until I was about ten years old, I had the ability to see the future. Even in the midst of it, I could clearly see Belle dying in the twilight. She was selected because of this background, and also because I needed a personal guard. She was a young genius who had reached the rank of special grade antimagician at the age of only 24. The strongest swordsman in humanity, as they say. Originally it was her superior''s title, but now that he''s dead, it''s been passed on to Belle. To be clear, I didn''t need a separate guard, but well, I don''t know what''s in store for me either. It would be better if I was there. But I''m sure she doesn''t think well of me. She''ll probably change to someone else soon anyway. That''s what I was thinking. Are you okay? It''s the usual... thing. Just as I was walking down a corridor in the royal castle, I suddenly feel a sudden, sudden pain in my heart. It''s as if my heart is being squeezed directly. Honestly, I''d rather die than continue to suffer this kind of pain for a long time. This was unbearable enough for me to think that. But it''s not something I can''t stand. These attacks have come and gone many times already. The doctor said the cause is unknown, but that it''s probably because my body hasn''t yet settled on the ability to sleep. As the years go by, it will heal. That hope was the only thing that kept me going. From then on, I went out into social circles and even studied. Surely, I could become a military man in the future. You have to make sure you put some knowledge into it. I spent my days much the same way with Belle. And I was getting to know Belle a little bit better, too. She told me that she was impressed to see me working so hard. It was as if I had made her feel good about herself by appealing to her, and I couldn''t help but feel indescribable. This is a natural thing that someone has to do. I really want to make friends my own age and hang out with them. Knowing that there were kids like that out in the city made me jealous. But that''s no good. I have a role to fulfill as a saint and as royalty.... ''Hey Belle,'' Why do I have to... What does Belle want to do when she''s released from twilight? ''.........yes. I want to ... climb a mountain. Why? Because I want to see the blue sky the closest you can get to it. Yeah. That''s a very good thing. Yes..... Seeing Belle smiling at me, I was reminded again of what I needed to accomplish. 122-Episode 122 Lianes perspective 2: Days with you No. Hello. Riane, are you here?¡¡I couldn''t see him because he was so small. .... I was already knowledgeable enough that I didn''t have to go to school, in case you were wondering. But I went to school for the reason that I had to interact with people. Even at a very young age, I was aware of the importance of interacting with people. Knowledge is not enough. I have more to learn. But what I learned in school was the ugliness of humanity. At school I was a total flop. I didn''t have any friends. Partly because I was royalty, but more than anything else I seemed to be shunned because of my appearance. I wasn''t really aware of it at the time, but all the parts of my perfectly symmetrical face, which was far from human and perfectly symmetrical... Objectively and subjectively, I must have a beautiful appearance. But that''s what made me the target of bullying. Moreover, the main culprit was my sister, sister Grete. She is a high-handed person and has been using people with her chin since she was very young. There were a number of cronies since then. That may be a talent in a way, but it was quite bearable for me. A saint. And at only six years old, a child with as much or more knowledge than an adult. I was often praised by the aristocratic adults around me, and the military people around me as well. But the children around me probably didn''t like me being so different. The bullying wasn''t that serious, but it still continued to nevertheless be nebulous all the time, and it definitely gouged me. A special person. I''ve been described as such, but I''m an ordinary person at heart. It''s not that I don''t feel anything. I used to wet my pillow with tears before I went to bed. Of course, I never told anyone about it. I couldn''t say it. It''s disgraceful that I, a princess and a special saint, have been bullied and wet my pillow with tears. I was growing up so fast mentally that I thought it was a shame. ''''Lady Liane how was school?'''' ''Today was so much fun!¡¡And I hung out with my friends a lot! ''''........I see. Well, that''s good to hear.... Yeah! Belle and I have been together outside of school for a long time. He seemed to be performing duties in the twilight while I was at school, but for the most part, he was putting me first. I was happy. I didn''t think I had anyone to support me. My mother was too busy to see me often, and my father never even saw me. And my sister and brother are either indifferent or hostile to me. I have a younger sister and brother, but I never see them at all. It was not what I would call a normal family, approximately. There was only the bell. Objectively speaking, he was just an escort. But to me, he was much more than that. Just being able to talk to her was enough. I loved the way she smiled and listened to me, smiling at me. Belle certainly wasn''t very good at talking, but she was very good at listening for that. And maybe she was good at detecting the other person''s subtleties, but I really enjoyed talking with her. Then one day, Belle pointed out something to me. ''So, you know, at school...'' Today, as usual, I talk about fiction. There is no such thing as fun. I don''t want to go to school anymore. I want to be liberated. As I think about it, I talk about the fun school life I''ve created in my brain. I''ve gotten used to this lie. I''m sorry for Belle, but today is the same way...I thought so, but suddenly Belle''s expression becomes sharp. ''''Duh, what''s wrong, Belle?'''' Well you don''t have to do it any more, but thank you. What ... what are you ... what are you talking about? ...School isn''t fun, is it? Well that''s not what I''m talking about, today, with my friends! ''''........it''s okay now. You don''t have to........ Uh..... I''m gently hugged by Belle in my room. Yes. She had seen through it all. She had seen through the fiction I was telling her. She embraced me and I felt a definite warmth. And so it was as if my frozen heart was melting. Warm. Feeling the warmth of people, I was crying. ''Ughhhhhhhhhhhh I don''t really have any friends at school. Everyone at school either ignores me or Grete-sister takes the lead in bullying me.... ''I knew it.........'' ''I don''t want to do this anymore I just want to live a normal life... ugh...'' ''It''s okay. If you cry today you''ll be fine. ''Uhhhhhhhh.........'' I cried on this day, probably for the first time in my life. At the same time, I vowed. This would be the last time I cried. I can''t let this stop me. I need to move on, to move forward. For the sake of humanity and for the sake of this world. After this experience, I had to quit school. Instead, it was decided that I would be enrolled in the Counter-Magic Academy, although it would be like skipping a grade. My life after that was relatively calm. I didn''t make any friends at the Counter Demon Academy. Everyone looked at me from afar and treated me like I was touching a boil. Still, there was no bullying here. It was just that I was alone. In that case, it was much better than before. ''How was your day........? ''I''ve been studying in the library all day by myself. You know, actually, the demons have.... As usual, I would report to Belle about what happened today. However, I didn''t have anything to talk or play with anyone, so all I had to say was what I was doing in the academy by myself. I can''t fight on the front lines as a counter-magician. That''s because of the limitations of this body. I can use magic, and I think I have talent. But my body can''t withstand it. That''s why I was studying to become an operational commander in the rear. How should I fight in the twilight, and how is it appropriate to make decisions in cases like this? He had been studying that all along. I''ll tell that story to Belle. And because she''s on the front lines fighting, we could have a more practical conversation. This is what happens on the front lines, and this is what you should do at that time. On the other hand, this kind of instruction is not a good idea. He taught me that in detail. And also, Bell taught me about the biology of the demon race. It''s true that classroom learning is important, but after all, her story of directly confronting the demon race and slaughtering numerous numbers was very instructive. As I spent my days in this way, I had already turned 10 years old. ''''Happy birthday........! "Thank you, Belle. We celebrated the birthday alone in my private room. Of course there was a party at the royal castle, but I was just tired. I received many gifts and congratulations from the nobility. Still, what I wanted most was a little time with Belle. ''This is my........present to you. Thank you, Belle. I got a gift every year, but this one was a little more special. ''A pendant?'' Yes I made it myself. ''I''m glad ... thank you so much, Belle. It was a pendant that was as good as a ready-made one. I put it on quickly and smiled lightly. ''How do you like it?¡¡Does it look good on you? Yes ... very good, you look good. Hmm. I''ll keep this on forever. Thank you ... thank you. Belle also smiles as usual, smiling as if she''s caught up with me. It''s already been five years since I met her, and I feel like those five years have been incredibly intense. This is all thanks to meeting Belle. I''m really, really grateful to her from the bottom of my heart. Hey Belle. Yes, sir. Thank you for being by my side the whole time. I''ll continue to stand by you, Ma''am, Liane. Yeah. It''s nice to meet you. I was no longer having seizures. 123-Episode 123: Curse What do you think, Miss Julia? Yeah. It''s good. That''s good to hear! I was already used to living with Aries. I had completely blended into the elven village. However, not much time has passed. I guess it''s roughly a week or so. The people here are really kind. They treat me as a human being, or in other words, a different species, but they treat me normally. So far, I''ve been paying attention to them, but they haven''t acted strangely. It''s not like they are poisoning my food either. --I''m not sure if it''s a false alarm or not. The more I think about it, the more an unpleasant feeling passes through my brain. It''s a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you''re looking for when you''re in the market. Of course, they don''t show that kind of expression in front of me. But sometimes I catch a glimpse of it on the spur of the moment. What in the world is there to say? If the intention is to betray them completely from the beginning, they should have already made a move. I always deploy my Twilight Sight to see what''s going on, but there''s no sign of anything. Then we go to bed as usual. I wake up quickly, so I don''t get the same amount of sleep as Aries. Still, we are now properly divided in our beds. She sleeps in the bed and I sleep on the floor with the futon on the floor. And my consciousness is gradually fading away. I''m getting sleepy ... very, very sleepy. I''m not supposed to be that tired today, but I''m strangely sleepy.... There was a sound like a breath being sucked in over my face. In a moment, I perceived the activation of magic. This is an aggressive magic. It''s a fire attribute thing, probably. I perceive it in an instant, and I try to restrain the person standing at my side as it is. ''........Kyah! Aries. I knew it.... It''s trivial. I immediately hold her back as she tries to launch her magic at me. I grab both wrists and slam them down on the floor. It''s a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. But I don''t have time to worry about that right now. Why did she decide to do this? I need to hear what she has to say. ''''How did you come to your senses...?¡¡The magic was working properly... ''I knew you were invoking hypnotic magic, didn''t I? But unfortunately, my body is special, you know. I''m not a normal person. Oh, right.... I stare at her eyes, but Aries gently looks away from me as if she feels guilty. A lone tear drops out of Aries'' eyes. You''ll be able to see the tears flowing endlessly from there as if a dam had been cut, but you can''t let your emotions get in the way. I continue to restrain her with my left hand and force her to turn her face to the front with my right hand. Our gazes cross. ''''Why did you do this. The magic you used earlier, normally it would have been a fatal wound.'''' You even know what magic to activate? Because I have the magic eye. ''''........Julia-san is still very strong. In this village, no one can match you. No, I''m sure she''s extremely strong even in the twilight world. It must be so strong that it can rival a demon....... Why are you crying? I wonder why... We should talk soon. I''m not a big fan of torture. .... He activates the Invisible Sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡· from his right hand. Then, as if to peel off the skin on Aries'' neck, I let it bleed lightly. It''s a completely meaningless wound, but I need to show her that I''m ready to do it. Besides, there must be something about her. I was convinced of that. The tears were flowing and the look of anguish on her face. It was as if she was saying that she didn''t want to do this act. ''''If you''re going to kill me, please kill me........'''' There''s a reason for that, isn''t there? .... I know you''re a very nice person. No, I''m a terrible person. There''s no excuse for that. Who''s up there? .... At that moment, I was remembering what happened to her. Come to think of it, I heard that her parents had gone to twilight and died. ''Is the guy who killed your parents involved? ...... Bingo. He bites his lip and stares into my eyes. ''How did you know that........no way, a human is involved in this! Intense hatred. His eyes seemed to have a fierce fire burning in them, a change from earlier. ''No, that''s not it. The first time I met an elf was really just a few weeks ago.'' Then why do you think... It''s just a hunch. ''Well I see........'' I''d like to hear your story. Maybe I can help you. The life drained from his eyes and his body was drained as it was. I felt like a shell. But now, I felt like I could listen to him. I released the restraints as it was, and forcibly raised my body and sat on the bed. I sit next to him and stare into the void in silence. Aries has been looking down for a long time, but after 10 minutes or so has passed, she opens her mouth. ''''Well we were a family of four. My house, as you can see, is far too big for one person to live in. Originally, me, my parents, and my sister lived together. Until just a year ago. A year ago? Yes. So one day, a year ago we met. The demon race, the one who rules this land among them. What the hell is that...? They call it the Ancient Scorpion. Demons. They''re the Ancient Ancient Ancient Ancient... The ancient ¡¶Enchement¡· type of demons are, by one definition, individuals that have lived for more than 100 years. Moreover, there are even those with huge bodies and intelligence. It is to the extent that humanoid creatures have the ability to control language as well as think logically. ''The boundaries of this village were perfect. We had been living a peaceful life all along. We were happy, even though the twilight ruled us. For there was no presence that could harm us in any way. .... But when they pinpointed this place, the Ancient Scorpion, the Ancient Scorpion, and the Scorpion, the Scorpion, suddenly appeared one day in front of the village. Her expression grows even darker. I''m already expecting some of this, but I''m sure that what is going to be told is not a pleasant story. ''''We immediately began to fight. However, the individual was not at all magical. And so we were both defeated and enslaved by them at the same time. I knew it........or should I say. This kind of story, in fact, is not uncommon. The fact that one race enslaves another race was listed as an example in the past literature. And just as Aries was about to spin the words as it was, he suddenly started coughing. ''''U........ghaha.......! How did you get the blood? ''Miss Julia. Watch my back..... I quickly took off her clothes and looked at her back as I was told. Then what was there........was an imprint. But this looks a lot like the Twilight Syndrome, but it''s not. This imprint is a curse ¡¶Curse¡·. A type of magic that binds the target with a curse. How can it be on her........ ''''All elves are affected by this curse, the Cursed Curse. As they could never defy it they didn''t lay waste to us all at once. Rather, they were rational. And they told us to supply the elves on a regular monthly basis .... Supply ... sacrifice. Yes. I can''t stop bleeding. The blood never stops flowing from his mouth. Moreover, the imprint is emitting red light. ''''Perhaps.........since I.......am telling you this, the curse [Kaas] is reacting.........'''' Let''s undo it. But this is.... I know what I want to say. The curse, once it is cast, is difficult to break. This is because it requires a great deal of skill. It is necessary to expose all the components of the curse and also handle them in a way that they cannot be broken. Most of them will cause the target to die the moment there is interference from the outside. I stare at the imprint with my twilight eyes ¡¶Twilight Sight¡·. The bright red imprint is engraved on my back as if it were intertwined. The components.........are still understandable. That literature, just as it was in the book Edgar gave me. I don''t know what the cause is, but there was a part in that book that was written about the Curse, the Curse. I might be able to do something about this. First of all, I can assimilate my personal field into my own, transcribe the spellcasting curse into me, and finally, dissipate it with Diffusion. Normally, my senior, Eve-san, who is skilled in magic, and Noah would be able to do it more efficiently, but I don''t have time right now. This has to be done immediately. I''m already bleeding to death. ''''Aries. Maybe we can break the curse [Kaas]. But......... I told her about the process. Because it was not a pleasant one for her, or for the woman for that matter. ''Okay well thank you for your help. ''Yeah...'' Then I had her take off all my clothes. Moreover, contact with the mucous membrane is the best way to intervene in the personal field. But that''s only if the other person doesn''t refuse to intervene. When I put my hand in her mouth, it assimilates into my personal field. And as it is, I activate the Domain Diffusion ¡¶Defusion¡·. Probably, a burning pain must be running through my back. ''''Haha...............................'''' Are you okay? ... yes. Um, I really don''t know what to say............................... ... "Well you must have been conflicted all along. And that magic you tried to attack me with at that time. You wanted me to notice that, didn''t you?¡¡Pick a magic that is deliberately easy to understand. There had to be a more covert magic that was more covert. ''''........You can see everything, can''t you? ...was... so I was hoping that you''d just kill me here. "...Aries. Your, elf''s suffering can end now. "...but I''m sure it won''t do you guys any good... ''In any case, any demon that ruled this realm would have confronted me at some point. It''s just that it''s now. ''Yes ... yes ...'' Aries cries again. She must have been in pain. His family was taken from him and he spent his days in fear of the curse. I''ve been exposed to the pressure of having to betray the humans as well, and that heartache must be so severe that I can''t even imagine it. And then I hear the detailed story from her again. 124-Episode 124: Ruled Everyday What do you think, Miss Julia? Yeah. It''s good. That''s good to hear! I was already used to living with Aries. I had completely blended into the elven village. However, not much time has passed. I guess it''s roughly a week or so. The people here are really kind. They treat me as a human being, or in other words, a different species, but they treat me normally. So far, I''ve been paying attention to them, but they haven''t acted strangely. It''s not like they are poisoning my food either. --I''m not sure if it''s a false alarm or not. The more I think about it, the more an unpleasant feeling passes through my brain. It''s a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you''re looking for when you''re in the market. Of course, they don''t show that kind of expression in front of me. But sometimes I catch a glimpse of it on the spur of the moment. What in the world is there to say? If the intention is to betray them completely from the beginning, they should have already made a move. I always deploy my Twilight Sight to see what''s going on, but there''s no sign of anything. Then we go to bed as usual. I wake up quickly, so I don''t get the same amount of sleep as Aries. Still, we are now properly divided in our beds. She sleeps in the bed and I sleep on the floor with the futon on the floor. And my consciousness is gradually fading away. I''m getting sleepy ... very, very sleepy. I''m not supposed to be that tired today, but I''m strangely sleepy.... There was a sound like a breath being sucked in over my face. In a moment, I perceived the activation of magic. This is an aggressive magic. It''s a fire attribute thing, probably. I perceive it in an instant, and I try to restrain the person standing at my side as it is. ''........Kyah! Aries. I knew it.... It''s trivial. I immediately hold her back as she tries to launch her magic at me. I grab both wrists and slam them down on the floor. It''s a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. But I don''t have time to worry about that right now. Why did she decide to do this? I need to hear what she has to say. ''''How did you come to your senses...?¡¡The magic was working properly... ''I knew you were invoking hypnotic magic, didn''t I? But unfortunately, my body is special, you know. I''m not a normal person. Oh, right.... I stare at her eyes, but Aries gently looks away from me as if she feels guilty. A lone tear drops out of Aries'' eyes. You''ll be able to see the tears flowing endlessly from there as if a dam had been cut, but you can''t let your emotions get in the way. I continue to restrain her with my left hand and force her to turn her face to the front with my right hand. Our gazes cross. ''''Why did you do this. The magic you used earlier, normally it would have been a fatal wound.'''' You even know what magic to activate? Because I have the magic eye. ''''........Julia-san is still very strong. In this village, no one can match you. No, I''m sure she''s extremely strong even in the twilight world. It must be so strong that it can rival a demon....... Why are you crying? I wonder why... We should talk soon. I''m not a big fan of torture. .... He activates the Invisible Sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡· from his right hand. Then, as if to peel off the skin on Aries'' neck, I let it bleed lightly. It''s a completely meaningless wound, but I need to show her that I''m ready to do it. Besides, there must be something about her. I was convinced of that. The tears were flowing and the look of anguish on her face. It was as if she was saying that she didn''t want to do this act. ''''If you''re going to kill me, please kill me........'''' There''s a reason for that, isn''t there? .... I know you''re a very nice person. No, I''m a terrible person. There''s no excuse for that. Who''s up there? .... At that moment, I was remembering what happened to her. Come to think of it, I heard that her parents had gone to twilight and died. ''Is the guy who killed your parents involved? ...... Bingo. He bites his lip and stares into my eyes. ''How did you know that........no way, a human is involved in this! Intense hatred. His eyes seemed to have a fierce fire burning in them, a change from earlier. ''No, that''s not it. The first time I met an elf was really just a few weeks ago.'' Then why do you think... It''s just a hunch. ''Well I see........'' I''d like to hear your story. Maybe I can help you. The life drained from his eyes and his body was drained as it was. I felt like a shell. But now, I felt like I could listen to him. I released the restraints as it was, and forcibly raised my body and sat on the bed. I sit next to him and stare into the void in silence. Aries has been looking down for a long time, but after 10 minutes or so has passed, she opens her mouth. ''''........We were a family of four. My house, as you can see, is far too big for one person to live in. Originally, me, my parents, and my sister lived together. Until just a year ago. A year ago? Yes. So one day, a year ago we met. The demon race, the one who rules this land among them. What the hell is that...? They call it the Ancient Scorpion. Demons. They''re the Ancient Ancient Ancient Ancient... The ancient ¡¶Enchement¡· type of demons are, by one definition, individuals that have lived for more than 100 years. Moreover, there are even those with huge bodies and intelligence. It is to the extent that humanoid creatures have the ability to control language as well as think logically. ''The boundaries of this village were perfect. We had been living a peaceful life all along. We were happy, even though the twilight ruled us. For there was no presence that could harm us in any way. .... But when they pinpointed this place, the Ancient Scorpion, the Ancient Scorpion, and the Scorpion, the Scorpion, suddenly appeared one day in front of the village. Her expression grows even darker. I''m already expecting some of this, but I''m sure what''s going to be told is not a pleasant story. ''''We immediately began to fight. However, the individual was not at all magical. And so we were both defeated and enslaved by them at the same time. I knew it........or should I say. This kind of story, in fact, is not uncommon. The fact that one race enslaves another race was listed as an example in the past literature. And just as Aries was about to spin the words as it was, he suddenly started coughing. ''''U........ghaha.......! How did you get the blood? ''Miss Julia. Watch my back..... I quickly took off her clothes and looked at her back as I was told. Then what was there........was an imprint. But this looks a lot like the Twilight Syndrome, but it''s not. This imprint is a curse ¡¶Curse¡·. A type of magic that binds the target with a curse. How can it be on her........ ''''All elves are affected by this curse, the Cursed Curse. As they could never defy it they didn''t lay waste to us all at once. Rather, they were rational. And they told us to supply the elves on a regular monthly basis .... Supply ... sacrifice. Yes. I can''t stop bleeding. The blood never stops flowing from his mouth. Moreover, the imprint is emitting red light. ''''Perhaps.........since I.......am telling you this, the curse [Kaas] is reacting.........'''' Let''s undo it. But this is.... I know what I want to say. The curse, once it is cast, is difficult to break. This is because it requires a great deal of skill. It is necessary to expose all the components of the curse and also handle them in a way that they cannot be broken. Most of them will cause the target to die the moment there is interference from the outside. I stare at the imprint with my twilight eyes ¡¶Twilight Sight¡·. The bright red imprint is engraved on my back as if it were intertwined. The components.........are still understandable. That literature, just as it was in the book Edgar gave me. I don''t know what the cause is, but there was a part in that book that was written about the Curse, the Curse. I might be able to do something about this. First of all, I can assimilate my personal field into my own, transcribe the spellcasting curse into me, and finally, dissipate it with Diffusion. Normally, my senior, Eve-san, who is skilled in magic, and Noah would be able to do it more efficiently, but I don''t have time right now. This has to be done immediately. I''m already bleeding to death. ''''Aries. Maybe we can break the curse [Kaas]. But......... I told her about the process. Because it was not a pleasant one for her, or for the woman for that matter. ''Okay well thank you for your help. ''Yeah...'' Then I had her take off all my clothes. Moreover, contact with the mucous membrane is the best way to intervene in the personal field. But that''s only if the other person doesn''t refuse to intervene. When I put my hand in her mouth, it assimilates into my personal field. And as it is, I activate the Domain Diffusion ¡¶Defusion¡·. Probably, a burning pain must be running through my back. ''''Haha...............................'''' Are you okay? ... yes. Um, I really don''t know what to say............................... ... "Well you must have been conflicted all along. And that magic you tried to attack me with at that time. You wanted me to notice that, didn''t you?¡¡Pick a magic that is deliberately easy to understand. There had to be a more covert magic that was more covert. ''''........You can see everything, can''t you? ...was... so I was hoping that you''d just kill me here. "...Aries. Your, elf''s suffering can end now. "...but I''m sure it won''t do you guys any good... ''In any case, any demon that ruled this realm would have confronted me at some point. It''s just that it''s now. ''Yes ... yes ...'' Aries cries again. She must have been in pain. His family was taken from him and he spent his days in fear of the curse. I''ve been exposed to the pressure of having to betray the humans as well, and that heartache must be so severe that I can''t even imagine it. And then I hear the detailed story from her again. 125-Episode 125: The time to confront It was not by design that the humans had discovered this village. It was because Aries had done a good job of maintaining the wards themselves. No matter how worn out his mind was, he needed to do what needed to be done for the sake of the rest of the village. With that in mind, Aries was doing his job as usual. But I never dreamed that I would be discovered by a human being. The human race has been holed up in the polar regions since the Human-Magic War one hundred and fifty years ago, where they suffered a heavy defeat. That''s about the extent of the elves'' perception of them. They had known before that they had an advanced civilization, but they didn''t know how they were living at the moment. That''s how the elves were all gathered together once. That was how they should interact with the humans. ''''What should we do, chief?'''' Should I ask for help? But we have the curse... ''Yes that''s the problem. Aries also participated in that meeting, but the problem was still........the curse ¡¶Curse¡·. Even if he tried to ask for help from a human, if he betrayed himself too excessively, the curse would be triggered. Until now, elves who tried to escape from this village have been found with a miserable corpse outside the wards. It was a corpse that looked like it had an exploding imprint on its back. The conditions for triggering it are unknown, but it can''t be done poorly. What should I do........Just as I was thinking about this, that Ancient Scorpion, the Ancient Scorpion, came over and told me this. ''''Pretend to interact with the humans and if you can kill a person, kill them. If you can do that, I''ll let you go. What''s a person''s...? The village chief asks that. And the words that came out were approximately unbelievable. ''His name is Julia Curtis. She has white hair, and she''s a little boy. Listen. Kill him and I''ll let you go. Do it well... The time they were in this village was probably less than five minutes. That was because the Ancient Scorpion, Ancient Scorpion, Ancient Scorpion, escaped the opponent''s perception. The existence of Julia''s Twilight Sight was already perceived by the opponent as well. Perhaps if they stayed on this earth for too long, its existence would be exposed. The Ancient Scorpion, Ancient Scorpion, told him just that and immediately went back. He was going to do what Aurir asked him to do, no, that was no longer a threat of any kind, but he was going to do it well. Because he knew that if he didn''t, they would be the next ones to die. ''Village chief you''re going to do it?'' I guess we''ll just have to do it. I don''t know if he''s telling the truth, but that''s all we have left. .... The air is still dark and heavy as ever. I don''t know how many of my people have died so far. Nearly all of the elves here have had their family, friends and loved ones brutally killed. The only thing they can do now is to obey him or her. There wasn''t much reason left that was already capable of decent thinking. ¡ó ''Kyaaaahhhhhh! ''I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry! It happened at the place where Aries was bathing, as usual. She felt the presence of something human, and when she looked in that direction, she saw a human. He had pure white hair and a well-defined face. He was only a little taller than Aries. And the two introduced themselves to each other, and at that moment Aries understood that this person was that boy. ''''Well, my name is Aries.'''' I''m Julia. I''m Julia Curtis. We shake each other''s hands. He seems very nice. Aries thought so. Then she invited him to her house. It was half forced, but she was desperate, too. Aries didn''t know if she could kill this person. Still, for now, she had to do what she could.......she took him to her house with such a calculating thought. And what we talked about at home was very interesting and suggestive. For a long time now, Aries had been interested in the outside world, unlike the other elves. Hearing that story from him made me feel very jealous and at the same time..............my heart ached. The more I talk to him, the more guilt takes over. We would kill him for ourselves, an innocent man. But if we don''t kill him, we''ll never be free of ourselves. What can we do? Aries spent his days in that struggle. Things went smoothly after that. As well as interacting with him, he also made sure that he was sent to the unit he belonged to in order to get closer to Yulia. Furthermore, it was decided that Yulia would come to the village for an inspection. It was at this point that the elves began to understand. Humans must have realized......... ''Maybe the humans have noticed. Chief, what are you going to do now? ''I''ll leave it to Aries. Fortunately, he''s at your house now. ''What?¡¡And, but..... ''Aries. It pains me to leave everything to you. Besides, that Lord Yulia is probably strong. That amount of magical elements is extraordinary. And it seems that he has the rank of Zero in the special class anti-magician hierarchy. That''s the strongest title of the human race. Perhaps no one in this village will be able to kill him.......We elves may end up here. .... Everyone falls silent. In the first place, no one had any intention of actively carrying out a betrayal even though the human side was very good to us. If it was true, we wanted to ask for help right now. I''m not explicitly betraying them yet. They just hid it in plain sight and watched the time pass in a daze. But the human side has already noticed it. Yulia''s dispatch is probably the best proof of that. No elf would think that they can win when they hear that they are the strongest of the human race. It''s a well-known fact that in that Human Demon War, the humans fought almost evenly with the demons. In terms of combat power alone, the strongest of the human race is comparable to mages. There was no more energy left in the elves. They absolutely wanted to survive, and even that desire was rare. Besides, they were a gentle race. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea to use humans as a stepping stone to survive...I can''t help but think about it. Rather than betraying them, it might be better to just........rot away here. It was decided that this would be the last time the meeting would be held. All the remaining elves in the village had already prepared to die. No matter how miserable the death that awaited them in the future, it was already.......okay. Aries also acted with that thought in mind. But it was with a resignation and at the same time a wish for Julia to help him. As he slept and cast his spell, he was screaming in his mind. --Help me, help us...! Perhaps that tragic cry was delivered, but Aries'' wishes were firmly conveyed to Julia. It was already time to be freed. ¡ó ''That''s all I have to say I''m sorry I didn''t tell you until now. Look up, my dear. And wipe your tears away. I make Aries look up as he gets down on his knees at the spot. I''ve heard everything. All about the circumstances of the elves. How painful it had been. The elves who kept getting their loved ones killed, and even though they were urged to commit betrayal, they kept fighting it, and in the end, they chose death rather than betrayal. I clench my fists tightly. Why, oh why, why is this world so ugly? What have the elves done? What had they done to deserve this atrocity? His anger almost took over, but he had gotten the answer long ago. It''s a simple story: the elves are weak and the Scorpions ¡¶Scorpions¡· are stronger. The weak are destined to be oppressed and have their dignity trampled upon. But we must not allow such a reasoning. I have vowed to fight for such people. For the sake of the humans who have died so far, and for the sake of the elves who have endured, endured, endured and survived, I will stand against this unreasonable world. ''Aries. I will help you. I will help you and all of you elves. Julia.......... You''ve worked hard. You''ve worked really, really, really hard. I ... I couldn''t do anything ... but watch my family, my friends being taken away ... and my sister dying ... and I wonder if I can be saved and continue to live... "...live, Aries. You have no choice but to live for the sake of everyone who died. That''s what it means to bear the deaths of others. I don''t think you can ever forget them. But you must have had happy days with them. Let''s keep that in mind as we continue to live our lives. It''s okay, I''m here for you, we''re here for you. So it''s okay to be at ease now... ''Is it okay with me that I don''t have to try so hard anymore...'' All right. I''ve worked hard enough. I don''t mean to sound like a clich¨¦, but you''re already ... you''re forgiven. It''s ... it''s okay. She breaks down crying on the spot, sobbing, and I gently hug her. Then Aries hugs me back as well. The warmth is indeed here, she says. I continue to hug her as if to insist that you don''t have to try anymore. -- now, it''s time to stand up to it. 126-Chapter 126 Liberation After that, there''s nothing more for her to do. No, she doesn''t have to try anymore, and I want her to take care of it. That''s what I said. But Aries, rubbing her bright red eyes that were swollen with tears, told me this. ''''Yulia-san.......Finally, let me do what I have to do. But.... I said earlier that I was tired of trying, to that effect. But at the same time, I still want to do the last thing I need to do for my family ... for the others who have died... sir. Okay. Then I put her down for once. I stayed by her side, holding her hand tightly. And so Aries quickly fell asleep. She said this is the first time since her family disappeared that she can sleep in peace like this. As she said that, she fell asleep. It wasn''t just humans. Elves were also being abused by other races in this way, too. Aries must have cursed herself for her helplessness and the cruelty of this world. I won''t say irreverently that I understand all her feelings either, but I can understand a little bit. I can''t do anything about it. The feeling that it is impossible to stand against this twilight.... But if you don''t stand up and face the unreasonableness of this world, you will only continue to be overrun forever. If you don''t like it, if you want to change the status quo, you have to fight...there is no other way. And so, as I snuggled up in that bed, I let myself fall asleep for a little while. ¡ó The next morning. When I woke up, Aries had already finished changing indoors and told me she was ready to go. The expression on her face is different from the ones I''ve seen before. I''m going to be able to have a look at it and I''m going to be able to say that I''m going to be able to have a look at it. I''m going to be able to say that I''m not going to be able to do that. I''m going to have to go to the base of operations to find out what is going to happen. ''''Well yes. Maybe we shouldn''t talk to everyone in the village about it. It might satisfy the requirements for triggering the Curse. Spellbinding ¡¶Curse¡·. It''s unclear under what conditions it will be triggered, but it looks like it''s better not to mention that he broke the spell on Aries yet. There might be a possibility that it could be triggered. And so, with Aries in my arms, I sprint through the twilight. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I''m not sure if it''s a good idea. I run through the land at almost full speed, and after a while the base of operations comes into view. And in the midst of that vision was Princess Liane. ''''Yuria-san. You''ve made a movement.'''' Yes. I''ll talk to you soon. We''re ready for you. Come on in, both of you. Yes. Let''s go, Aries. Okay. Before I came here, I had told Princess Liane through communication magic that I needed to talk to her beforehand. But I didn''t tell her what it was all about. It was also because we were inside the elven village, and we decided that it would be better to have this all told directly from Aries'' mouth. Once inside, there were several operational commanders there, including Marshal Allston, plus several special-grade anti-magicians. Only this time it was urgent, so it would be enough to have all of them. Then Aries stood in front of everyone and told me what she had told me with a firm demeanor. On the way, she spoke to the end, even though she was on the verge of tears. Probably, she remembered her family...and her sister''s last moments. I''m sure you''re not going to be able to find a way to make the most out of this. The best thing she can do is to communicate directly with her own mouth in this way. I''m sure you''ll be able to see that she''s doing her best to do that, and I felt a little bit of heat in my eyes. ''''I see, so that''s what happened with the elves..... ''''Yes. I''m very sorry.... When the Marshal told him that, Aries bows his head. But there was no one here who would ever do anything to denounce her. Who could denounce her, or even the elves? An elf who, despite being in such a ruthless environment, chose the death of his own species rather than betrayal in the end. It is only natural for the humans here to feel sympathy for that. Even if humans were driven into a corner, they still had strength. The power to fight back. The elves did not have that. Even if you wanted to stand up to them, even if you had the will to do so, if you didn''t have the power, you couldn''t do anything. ''''Marshal, I think we should release all of the elves'' curse [Kaas]. Well Commander Julia Curtis. What''s your intention?¡¡What''s in it for us? Of course, we can''t work just for the sake of sympathy, either. We need a clearer reason, one that is beneficial to humanity. ''''The magic power of the elves should be kept in our possession. It is a shame that it is lost here. As you know Aries here, he has magical skills comparable to that of a special grade anti-magician. Besides, the other elves also have skills that are close. I thought it would be important to study their magic skills for future operations. ''Hmmm ... that''s true. It wouldn''t be a bad idea to help the elves and get them to do something for us. ''''Yes. And probably, that Huge Scorpion [Huge Scorpion] has quite a bit of territory. It probably has it in its possession up to Level 3 of the danger zone. I think we should hit it here. ''''That''s right. Now let''s move on to a large-scale operation after releasing the elves'' curse, Kaas. Our target is the Huge Scorpion and other demons. All hands, move into action! Copy that. And so we finally began to prepare to fight in the twilight in earnest. ¡ó ''''So, Julia. About the Curse, can we do it? ''''Yes. I''ll be the main one, so I''ll need the seniors and Eve to assist me. Okay. Copy that. Since then, I had my senpai and Eve-san come over to help me deal with the Curse, the Curse. I''m probably the best person to break the spell, but it''s better to have help in other aspects, such as how to deal with the Intrinsic Domain ¡¶Personal Field¡·. To be honest, it was a pretty good bet with Aries. I''m glad it worked out, but there was a chance I could have died. Therefore, this time, we are going to take all the necessary precautions. The total number of elves was over a hundred, but me, my senior, and Eve took about a day to undo the spell. Doing that itself is not something that takes much time. The problem was that it required a great deal of finesse. Although my magic skills are high, I can''t be said to be one of the best in terms of delicacy alone. ''''Thank you........! Thank you, everyone! ''Thank you, thank you so much...'' ''....Thank you for your time. Thank you so, so much! Once they knew we were done, many elves came indoors from outside. We rented Aries'' house and worked on it one by one, but fortunately none of us failed to finish. There were times when I shuddered and felt like I was going to fail when I thought that people''s lives were at stake in these two hands. There were times when thoughts of what to do if I failed, how to apologize, etc., passed through my mind. But I, we did it. Literally, with all my heart and soul. Although I wasn''t that tired magically, I was mainly quite exhausted mentally. My body was drenched in sweat, and the towel nearby was already sufficiently damp. ''''Ladies and gentlemen on behalf of the village I would like to thank you all very, very much. The village chief comes over to me and rubs his head against the spot to thank me. ''Look up, please. I really think you guys have endured well until now. Let us take care of the future. ''Oooh ... but we ... we deserve better than this ... the price of this life ...'' We''ll talk about that when it''s all over. Okay. Well then, good luck.... As we walked out of Aries'' house, my consciousness was already moving on to the next mission. Well, well. The next step is to fight against the demons. Is this a special allowance? Eira-chan is a real cash cow, a real cash cow... I''m just kidding. I''m just kidding. I''m not in it for the money. And besides I couldn''t have overlooked this terrible thing. And Yulia is.... Excuse me. I''ve been in touch with Ops. They want you to come right away. They said the Elven village is now in the hands of another counter-magician. You''re really good at it. You''re next in line. Okay. So, let''s go. The three of us immediately headed to the base of operations at the first base. At that time, we thought everything was going perfectly.... 127-Episode 127: Operation Summary Just as we were about to leave the elven village, we sensed someone coming towards us. The figure was ... it was Aries. ''Aries, what''s wrong?'' ''Yulia-san I don''t know what to say to that. Thank you so much for everything, really, from everything. I.........If I hadn''t met Yulia-san, I''m sure I would have given up and died by now. So, thank you so much........for giving me the courage, the courage to live. That''s what I wanted to say. ... well. Then it was good for me too. Miss Julia.... Eh.... ''Hey, haven''t you forgotten we''re here?'' ''''Well, you know, I haven''t forgotten about it, senpai...'''' .... The older man was staring at me intently. Eve is also twirling her hair, but occasionally glances at me. --Uh, that''s oddly scary.... Of course I don''t care about that, but for now, I have to say goodbye to Aries and head over right away. ''''Aries. After this mission is over, I''ll show you the human city. Yes I''m looking forward to it. I''ll see you later... Yes. Good luck.... He gave me a full smile, but there was no longer the same faintness there as before. ''''........'''' "Seniors, What....? ''Well I mean there''s nothing else going on with Aries, or, well...'' Nothing?¡¡And it doesn''t matter if Julia is having a good time with the elven woman or not?¡¡And you don''t care?¡¡Hmm.... Wait, wait, wait, wait. All the way to the first base of operations, the senpai was like this all the way to the first base of operations. Then, when he reached the base, he went straight to the operations center with his stubby feet. ''''Yulia-kun is........that. Yes, Miss Eve? My head is not going to get any better. My future is going to be up a woman''s ass. Well, I''m afraid so. Hmm..... What''s so funny? Nothing?¡¡Well I just thought it was kind of... cute... Is she pretty... Well, anyway, we''re going to have to... Yes, sir. I tapped myself lightly on the cheek again. Many things have happened, but the upcoming battle will surely be an important one. And this will be the first large-scale battle of this operation. Once again, I changed my mind and headed to the base of operations with Yves. ¡ó I think we''re all here. Now, I''d like to brief you on the general nature of this operation. When the special class anti-magicians and the first class anti-magicians from each unit were also present, we were briefed by Princess Liane. We are currently based in these three locations. The current situation projected on the monitor. Based on that, Princess Liane continues to speak. The first and second strongholds have made considerable progress, and there are currently many anti-magicians stationed there. However, just now, the third base was attacked by demons. Nearly everyone gasps. Probably only a few of us knew this from the beginning. Of course, we didn''t know any of that information either. The Elf Village is built right next to the second base, but the third base is located rather far away. It''s fortunate that they didn''t come to the second base while we were breaking the spell, but still.......a good number of dead anti-magicians seem to have died. According to reports from the field, the third platoon managed to repel the attackers, but there were more than ten wounded. There were about five dead. Five dead. I know it''s not much, but still, I always feel guilty when there are sacrifices. We knew that there would be sacrifices in this battle. We knew that, and we swore an oath to become soldiers and fight in this dusk. I''m sure there''s no end to being upset about something like this, but there''s a part of me that isn''t fully aware of it. I thought that this attack was probably related to the incident we broke the curse on. The whole story is that we tried to attack the second base in terms of timing, but it was prevented at the third base. ''This raid, perhaps the timing was simultaneous with the breaking of the curse in the Elf village. Perhaps it may have been because they were disbelieving that the curse ¡¶Curse¡· was not activated, but that move allowed us to get the location of the opponent. See this way. Princess Leanne indicated her fingertips, and a bright red dot appeared on one of the monitors. ''I observed it an hour ago. It was just before the attack, and this is probably the enemy''s headquarters. Furthermore, this monitor doesn''t give us a three-dimensional location, but my sense is that this could be underground. Underground, huh? The reason there were no demons was because they had all moved underground? But still, why was the other party in the basement in the first place? Why did they attack now? I didn''t know the details of the performance of the Curse, but wasn''t it that accurate? And so on, and so on, and so on, and so on, and so on, and so on, and so on, and so on, and so on, and so on, and so on, and so on, and so on, and so on, and so on, and so on, and so on. Strike the enemy''s base. That''s all we have to do. ''''Then I will tell you the strategy for this time. The first platoon will take the lead and go straight into the basement to defeat the Huge Scorpion ¡¶Huge Scorpion¡·. The rest of the platoon will be responsible for defeating the leaking demons. Roughly speaking, this is what it looks like, but to give you further details-- Then more details were given from there. The time for our first platoon to go in. And what to do in case the first platoon failed, or if another platoon failed to function, what to do. Various cases were envisioned and we were told what to do in each case. Of course, the battlefield would change from time to time. Of course, the battlefield changes from time to time, and it''s best to assume that things will never go as we envisioned. But when that happens, the survival rate on the battlefield will be improved if we know how we are going to act in advance. We finished the general briefing and decided to take a break. However, the time to start the operation is twelve hours from now. Since it''s 7pm now, the operation will start at 7am the next day. Thus, the first mission in the twilight was to begin in earnest. At this time, I had nothing to worry about, and this is how many members we have. There was no way we would lose. I was somewhat optimistic. However, I had no way of knowing that I was wrong. ¡ó Bell, wait a minute. Yes, Lady Liane? As Bell leaves the operations command center, Liane calls out from behind him. ''Here, for you,'' A pendant, sir? Yes, sir. ''It''s your birthday, isn''t it?¡¡I tried to mimic what Belle gave me ten years ago. Doesn''t it look a lot like it? As Riane said this, the pendant she pulled out of her pocket was indeed very similar to the one Belle had given her ten years ago. ''''It''s like........matching........'''' ''Yes. I made some time and spent a little bit of time on it, how do you like it? ''I like it very much ... can I put it on right now ...? Yeah. Here, let me turn it on for you. Riane walks behind Belle and puts the pendant around her neck as she sits back slightly. And when she saw that Belle had put it on, Riane smiled at her. ''This is the only birthday present I have for you but when we get back, why don''t we have some cake together? Did you make this by yourself, Lady Liane? ''Of course!¡¡Now that I''ve got some good chestnuts, I think I''m going to make a chestnut cake. ''''Hmmm.......that''s very exciting.......'''' Belle wasn''t a big fan of sweetness, but she only liked the cakes made by Liane, no matter what they were. Riane says she wants to open a cake shop in the future. It is Belle''s dream to support that dream one day. --The two of us can make a big cake shop together! It''s a dream he swore to Liane as a child, and they are serious about making it come true. That''s why now we have to free the world from the twilight as soon as possible. And then........if the world is at peace, then the two of them will run a cake shop together for the rest of their lives. This was their dream and their vow. It was no surprise that Riane liked cakes, but Belle didn''t like to fight them either. If there was a path other than anti-magician ahead of them, it would be good to master the path of sweetness with Riane... or so Belle thinks. ''Belle. I''ll be waiting for you. Yes I''ll be back, I promise. Have I ever lied.........? No, I don''t. You''ve always kept your word. I know you''ve come back from that dusk. So I''ll be waiting for you this time. As always. Yes, Lady Liane? With that, Belle leaves Liane''s side. While touching the hazy moonlit night at her waist, Belle switches her attention directly to the battle. The scorching flames in her eyes show Belle''s certainty in her will. Liane, on the other hand, was, to say the least, worried. Indeed, Belle is the strongest swordsman among the best of the anti-magicians. Probably comparable or even better than Julia. Even though his physical peak has passed, Belle''s fighting spirit lately has been tremendous, though. That was something that even Riane, who was almost an amateur when it came to combat, knew. ''''Bell, martial arts........'''' Riane tells her, and then steps in the opposite direction from Belle. Belle is the strongest swordsman and has never made a mistake in her promise. I''m sure he''ll come back, and I believe that--I believe that. 128-Chapter 128 Out of Battle Phew...... As Claire said that, she thrust the Invisible Sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡· into the opponent''s brain. At the end, she heard a voice that sounded like she was begging for her life, but that''s not the point. There was no pity or mercy for her. In the first place, when you are participating in this war, you should be prepared for your own death. That''s not even close to the shamefulness of begging for one''s life now. She thought to herself. ''Clyde~, it''s over~'' Claire. I just finished this one too. Claire lightly wiped the blood that was clinging to her and walked over to Clyde, who was close by. We are currently in the middle of a unification war. Demons, subhumans, and demons. Which of them will take supremacy under this twilight? This war has already been going on for over 100 years. The previous structure was that of humans versus demons. In other words, humans were fighting against all of the demons, subhumans, and demons. But humanity was defeated and driven to the poles. So, from there on, did those three races rule this world? No. It was impossible. They were highly combative, and those three species were the next to fight with them. Additionally, the influence of twilight would further increase their abilities. A number of other factors intertwined to create a muddy battlefield and the war would last for more than a hundred years. Lacking a decisive edge, the two sides killed and slaughtered each other, and after their numbers had dwindled considerably the demons had finally won, it seemed. However, the sub-humans and the demons could not give up, or perhaps they did not care about what is already out there, so they formed a coalition army. This is how the current war is structured: demons versus subhumans and demons. ''''Huh........Small fry are small fry no matter how many groups they are.......'''' But after all, numbers can be a pretty powerful force. And we''re having to deal with it ourselves. Well, that''s true, but you know what, I''m tired of being a mook all the time... is there anyone strong enough? ''There are probably some, but they haven''t come out yet. Besides, we''ve already slaughtered quite a few powerful enemies. It would be doubtful if there are any left. ''What?¡¡How is that possible?¡¡Could it be that we''re just going to keep hunting small fry forever...? Claire has a serious expression on her face. It''s as if the child is depressed because there is nothing to look forward to......it seems so, but what she is looking for is a battlefield next to death. She is tired of just laying waste to the enemy. The only thing she wants now is pure struggle. I''m not sure if I can kill it or not. Claire''s craving had become even more insatiable after her fight with Julia. ''''There''s no chance of that happening. Maybe they''re a small fry and they''re taking measures to prolong their lives.'''' Yes........well I want to fight my brother again.... ''This time it''s up to Aurir to deal with the humans. Give it up. Nice........I want to go there too........ But they''re in trouble over there, though. They don''t have as many pieces to move as we do. At best, they''ll barely be able to stop the humans'' progress. ''If I remember correctly, you''re fighting on the ground?¡¡I heard it was some kind of massive operation. ''''According to Auriel''s research, they are marching in with all the special class anti-magicians. It seems that this time, they''re serious about attacking that land. What?¡¡All the special class antagonists!¡¡That''s some big brother and some other strong guys! ...but don''t go. Stop holding your head down I''m not going to go anywhere and I''ve got some work to do right now. Okay. All right then, but... ''I''m pretty sure it was. But it was only a matter of time before it was too late. Perhaps this human operation will be somewhat successful this time. Really? In terms of strength, they could already be as good as witches. Part of the Dusk Lands are already powerful enough to rule it. Well, you have an older brother, too. They''re no match for those above them, right? You''re right. It''s more important not to let them progress into this world for now. Hmm. That''s about it. Okay, come on, Claire. The next horde should be here any minute now. Okay. As he said this, they proceeded to take their steps. ¡ó Aurir walks through the royal castle. Next to him is Lina, as usual. The two of them have been entrusted with dealing with the humans and are now fulfilling their duties, but the wind has changed. As such, only one of them is allowed to borrow the Holy Twelve Apostles in case of an emergency. Of course, those who are currently fighting, and those higher up in the pecking order, can''t be taken out for a reason. That''s why Aureel had come to ask for help from a certain person. ''''Mr. Alfred, this is Aurir. I''ve come to talk to you. A careful knock on the door, and the door opens with a gee-yi as it is. Then Aureel and Lina enter the room. The only thing there is a chair and a table. It''s almost impossible to believe that someone is living there. In the corner of such a room, there is a man polishing a sword. Carefully, carefully, carefully, he polishes the sword. The sword''s blade is bright red, but only its blade is completely black. It''s just the opposite shape of the demon sword that Belle is holding, the Oboro Tsukiyo. ''''What........aurir.'''' ''Mr. Alfred was just off duty, wasn''t he? ''Oh...'' ''We want to slow the human progress. Will you follow me? ...human beings. ''What''s wrong, I thought you''d be happy to oblige. After what happened before. .... Alfred falls silent. The previous case was so ten years ago. He had fought a human he had happened to encounter. It was a special-grade anti-magician, a high ranking human, but the problem was Belle. Alfred was able to kill the special class antimagician. However, he had fallen behind Bell. At that time, because he was completely caught off guard, he was deeply injured. As it was, when Alfred returned to his home country, he was lowered in the pecking order because of his blunder. At that time, humans were insignificant beings. Even if he was a high-level antimagician, he was not allowed to lose. And even more so, to be defeated by a mere antagonist. Especially with the Holy Twelve Apostles, losing to them was unacceptable. And so, the pecking order continued to drop, and now he was in tenth place. They used to be in third place. Alfred''s hatred for Belle was quite high. If I blame the former, it was because of my own carelessness and blunder. Besides, he hadn''t brought a magic sword with him at that time. Because of that, he almost escaped in defeat, but for the past 10 years.......Alfred has been training just to make up for his failure at that time. And so the time has come. ''''This is the person you fought, but if you compare it with the information brought back by Silas-san and Claudia-san, including his external characteristics, he''s a special class anti-magician. That''s also the pecking order, since Silas-san is out of the pecking order, he''s probably ranked first. Oh... the strongest of the human race. ''Technically, there are people like Julia Curtis and others but in terms of pure humanity, they''re definitely the strongest of the bunch. ''''I see.......the little girl from that time is the strongest of the human race now.......'''' Although he was caught off guard, Bell was still rough around the edges at the time. I don''t think he is showing all of his talent. If he had been dealing with the current Bell ten years ago, he wouldn''t have been caught off guard. ''''All right, Auriel. Let''s go, shall we? Thank you. Alfred sheathed his sword and walked out with it alone, following behind Aurir with it. Thus the battle in the twilight was about to begin in earnest. 129-Episode 129 Lianes perspective 3: Who fights for Seeing Belle walking in the opposite direction, I squeezed my hands together and pulled them to my chest. That expression Belle showed me when we parted. I could feel the magical elements around her converging, if you could call it fighting spirit. I wondered what she was looking at. It is not the first time I''ve seen such a face, but when I see Belle actually heading to the battlefield like this, she still looks different from her usual self. At first glance, she appears to be an insecure, yet kind and mature woman. But in reality, Belle is touted as the strongest swordsman in all of humanity. It''s not that I didn''t know it, but after all, when I''m around Belle again, I''m aware that she''s a special class anti-magician. ''''Belle.......please, please........'''' I couldn''t help but think out loud. I was still thinking about Belle. I had known her for ten years now. I was always worried about her going into battle. That''s because I had a vision of the future when I was a child. But Belle has defeated every one of them. She seemed to embody those words in her own body, as if to say that destiny is the one who creates it for himself. As I recall I had heard it before. Why do you go to such lengths to fight........ ¡ó Hey, why is Belle fighting? The last time I asked such a question was, I believe, three years ago.......when I was twelve years old. At that time, although I graduated early from the Counter-Magic Academy, I was still working on official duties as a royalty and so on, as I wasn''t ready to become a military officer. Then one day, I wondered. Why does Belle continue to fight? I wanted to ask, because we had become so close to each other. Of course, I knew about Bertina Wright''s background itself. I heard that she had a talent for magic from a young age, and her talent for melee combat in particular was outstanding. It was then that she met Major Lawrence Acton, the second in the special class anti-magic order at the time. He was a swordsman, a swordsman with a secret sword, and his skills have been passed down from generation to generation, but this is not a hereditary system. It seems that only those who are talented enough to use the sword, and even then only those with the right personality to pass it on, are allowed to do so. That''s where Belle was discovered for her talent. The two became master and disciple, and Bell developed his talent and mastered the secret sword. From there on, they became his direct subordinates. One day, however, Bell and his friends encountered a demon when they went out into the danger zone. There, all the anti-magicians except Belle were killed, and she was the only one who survived. The victims, of course, included that major. When I learned of this fact, I thought to myself. How could I go to such lengths to fight, I wondered. This assumption would be pointless, but if I were in Bell''s position, I wouldn''t be surprised if my heart was broken. The person who had been by her side all along, the person she trusted more than anyone else, was dying in front of her. And that too, by having his or her life ruthlessly taken by a demon. That''s why I wanted to know. She still continues to fight on the front lines, that true intention of hers. If you don''t want to tell me, you don''t have to, but... "...no, I''m not afraid to talk.... It''s just..... "Just? ''For obvious reasons ... it''s a little difficult to say ... because as you know, I was raised by the Major and I''ve only been following ... him ... all my life ...'' But.... I was hesitant to speak beyond that. If I had really wanted to, I would have continued, "But after the Major died..." but I had heard long ago that the Major was the first love of Belle''s life, the one she had loved. Maybe I''m being too sensitive any more. ...?¡¡It''s been seven years. Seven years ... seven years since I left the Major. It has gone by so fast the days without him have become more normal. But still, whenever I look at this magic sword I remember the Major''s last words. I think that''s surely what motivates me now......... What is that word? "For the world, humanity, please..." Those were the words. He must have entrusted it to me. Not just the Major, but still ... I still think I need to pursue that wish of the Major for a long time ... and I think I need to do that. You mean carrying a man''s death on your shoulders? ''........Yes. .... and it''s been passed on all the way through... along with a certainty of will... and that''s what we''ve been doing lately. I came to think.......well, when I was young, I didn''t care about such things, not even a little bit.......but..... I was young too.............. Yeah. Okay. Belle is amazing. I really, really admire you. ''Oh no I''m just doing what I deserve to do. I think it''s great that you can take that for granted. ''No, please don''t.......I get embarrassed when you compliment me so much.......'' Belle looks down and turns red in the face. In this way, she''s just a pretty woman. When I tell her, she gets a little grumpy, but I think Belle is very cute. But I think Belle is very pretty, and she has a strong will and strength. I know that. Belle is attractive to the opposite s*x and is popular with the men in the army. But the men are put off by her. By the way she behaves. No one calls her stronger and more noble than anyone else with the intention of falling in love with her. At times like this, it might be correct to describe her as a high priestess. At any rate, Belle was attractive in every way. Surely she still had the Major in her heart, whom she adored. Thinking of him and carrying on his will, Belle would continue to fight. But I knew. I knew that Belle didn''t have much time left. ¡ó Bell, how''s your routine checkup going? Again it''s all good this time she says it''s all clear. Yeah. I''m glad to hear it. I smile and the subject ends there. Counter-Magicians are required to have regular checkups. The reason for this is, of course, the Twilight Syndrome. Every anti-magician is affected by that disease, without exception. There are varying degrees of it, but the disease has definitely progressed. Among them, the special class antimagician was one of the worst. He or she, the strongest among humanity, often battles in the twilight danger zone in order to protect the ward city. Their time would probably be twice as long as that of an ordinary anti-magician. Hence, special-grade opponents were rarely killed by demons, but many of them would die from the Twilight Syndrome. The Twilight Syndrome ¡¶Twilight Syndrome¡· was characterized by a leisurely death, but it was only for low levels. At high levels, its imprint would emit light and literally burn the body from the inside out. Not many can endure the pain, so they usually opt for euthanasia the moment the final seizure begins. ''''I knew it, Belle, I knew it. That was just before the massive operation to capture Twilight. Although I was abusing my authority only this time, I had used my position as a royal to receive Belle''s data in secret. The people at the hospital were quite reluctant to give it to me, but perhaps they were surprised by my nonchalant attitude, but they turned their heads and gave me a piece of paper with Bell''s data on it. Then I looked it over, and it was as I expected. ''Twilight Syndrome ¡¶Twilight Syndrome¡· level 5, and it''s a very terminal category.......?'' Level 5 has some range, but Bell was the worst of the bunch. She should be hospitalized and treated now. He shouldn''t stay in the thick of the twilight anymore. That warning was well written. But Bell apparently ignored it. She didn''t even listen to the doctors and took part in this operation. According to him, ''I will decide how to die myself''........ The doctors couldn''t come out strongly after hearing those words either. Besides, if she wasn''t the strongest among the human race, the operation might be hindered. And so Belle''s treatment was foregone, but there was only a small light of life left. ''''Belle ... why are you ........'''' The hand holding the paper trembles. Why, why won''t you tell me? But I already know the reason. Because I know that if I knew, I would be grieved. We are no longer more than family, we are closer than family. The separation would never be acceptable. It is because of the separation from that Major that Belle is silent. Besides, I''ll decide where I die and if Bell says so I must respect that. Even if Belle''s body is scorched by Twilight Syndrome ¡¶Twilight Syndrome¡· in this battle.......I....... ''''........'''' The paper was burned with the magic of fire to drown out its existence. I walked out of my room, looking up and trying not to cry. The time left between the two of us may be short now - I don''t know. 130-Episode 130 Bertinas perspective 5: Burnt Wings --Major, I''ll make it through........ An hour before the start of the operation. I was alone, tending to the Oboro Moonlight Night as usual. I must have already repeated that gesture thousands, if not tens of thousands of times. Ever since the Major had given me this demon sword, I had been handling it with great care. When I raised the sword to the sky, it glowed beautifully with a reddish-black light. I can remember as if it was only yesterday that the Major was also taking good care of it like this. ''''Okay, something like this........'''' Then I sheath it. I step forward, feeling a definite weight on my waist. I''m almost old enough to be a major now. It was early, really early. It''s been exactly ten years since the Major died. I don''t know what the cause of it is, but today is exactly ten years. It feels as if we''ve spent more time without him than we have already. That much time has passed, and I have never forgotten him. The grief of losing a loved one continues to sting in my heart. It burns and torments me with a burning and burning sensation, and I am sure that it will not free me until I die. But that''s good. For it is because of that sorrow, that pain, that I am able to remember the Major. ''Hey, Belle. I, you know, can''t wait to see what kind of antagonist you''re going to be. What is it........all of a sudden........ I just wondered what you''ll be like when you''re my age now. Does that bother you? ''Oh. You''re not much of a talker, and you don''t have a friendly antagonist, do you?¡¡I''m afraid I''m isolated. It''s not your business. Yeah, well, I hope so. I suddenly remembered that we had such an exchange. And in my mind, I give him a message, as I always do. It has become a habit to do this before a big battle. --Major. I''m old enough to have almost caught up with you. And I''ve had significant others. And like you I''ve made an apprentice. Can you imagine?¡¡He''s my apprentice. Just like when I was the Major''s apprentice, I passed on my sword skills, and my secret sword, to someone else, right? That''s right, I''m getting old, too. But my student is Sherry, and she is a very talented person. She may not come from pure human origins, but she is definitely human in her heart. She will be a better swordsman than me. Already at the age of 15, she''s handling all the secret swords, and she''s as good as I am now. If it was her, maybe she would be able to use that secret sword as well. However, I''m still active in the field. I have no intention of pulling from the front lines. I think I can understand the Major''s feelings at that time now. He said, "I can''t pull back because I have a disciple. Please watch from beyond the blue sky at the end of this twilight. I, we will continue to fight in this twilight and one day I will make this world the same sky you are in. In my hands, a sure, blue sky. Major, I can''t join you yet. I will continue to fight alongside my brothers and sisters. I will always be... I mutter to myself. I can''t die yet. I have not yet accomplished anything, anything at all. The only thing I want to accomplish is to avenge the Major. Since then, I''ve been searching for that demon. I''ve been looking for that demon who killed him. But there''s no sign of her. I''ve asked the witch who slaughtered her, but there was no one to answer the question. I have no more time. I knew that more than anyone else. Twilight Syndrome ¡¶Twilight Syndrome¡·. It''s already..........................eroding as much as the Major back then. I''ve managed to cheat my way through it, but it''s finally reached a realm where I can''t cheat. At the last routine checkup, I was told that I wouldn''t be able to keep it for another three years. In fact, he said, it was unusual for me to be able to fight normally like this. Indeed, if I look in the mirror, I can clearly see that this body has been invaded by twilight. Still, there''s no pain, and no particular harm done; by my late twenties, I was in chronic pain, but beyond that I had adapted or felt nothing. Based on this and other factors, I had a theory. I thought that I might be able to overcome the Twilight Syndrome. Previous research has concluded that the Twilight Syndrome is something that causes people to turn into demons and then dies. But there are also the examples of Yulia-kun, Eira-chan and Shelly-chan. He or she is inborn, but I believe that this body may be able to adapt to twilight, even if it is acquired. I had a hunch, even if it was just a silly act of subjective denial of objective data shown in research. --I would surely be able to reach beyond the people. And so I stepped forward to take the lead of the first platoon. The time to stand still is over. Humanity will reach the end of this, the end of the twilight. With that oath in my heart, I move on. ¡ó The operation is now underway. The target was an underground space located in the danger zone level 3. According to Riane''s perception, there was a huge underground facility hidden there. And it was also said that there was a huge amount of magical elements congealed there. Even though it had been completely hidden until now, even I, with my low perceptual ability, could feel it like this now. --This magic element is extraordinary........not. The first platoon has already reached the target point. Incidentally, the other units are supposed to hunt the monsters around this place. The second platoon is scheduled to come to the underground space as backup, but that is still planned for the future. For now, Yulia-kun and I will cut through the front line. ''''There it is, Belle-san. Here it is. I''m sure of it, yeah. A cleverly hidden passage. It seemed to be a rather large hole leading underground. But this one was hidden by a ward, and it would normally be impossible to notice it. Julia-kun, and it would have been impossible if you weren''t as perceptive as Liane-sama. ''''Then shall we go?'''' Well guys, let''s move on. ''''........Guys!¡¡Go!¡¡Quickly! Not unlike myself, I''m going to shout out loud. But here, this is what I should do. ''I''m sorry, Julia-kun. I''ve asked you all to ......... Mr. Bell I''ll be back to help you once the target is destroyed. Yeah but I''m going to kill this guy first so don''t worry about it....................... Okay. Good luck. With those last words, I send everyone into the underground space. Then I straighten my back and turn to the direction of the sign and slowly place my hand on the hazy moonlit night at my waist. At the same time, the figure shown from behind the trees was exactly the same as the one I saw ten years ago.......exactly the same. ''Hoho........you''ve noticed. If you''re spreading that much......murderous energy around, anyone can see.... Kukukuuku. I guess I''ve just taken a lot of pleasure in your presence. Hey, Bertina Light. .... "?¡¡Aren''t you going to ask me about my name? You must have heard it from Cyrus and Claudia or something. ''''Oh. The inner workings of you guys have already been shared by the demon humans. By the way, my name is Alfred. I''m not going to be able to get out of it. It''s nice to meet you. ''''My memory capacity isn''t big enough to remember the name of the one who''s about to die...'''' Well, you know, I don''t hate you for it, you know, for that kind of stuff. Alfred pulls out his sword. The blade is the exact opposite of Oboro Tsukiyo. The whole thing is a bright red color, but only the blade is pitch black. That dusky color seemed to reveal the inner workings of that guy. And I also slowly pulled out my sword. When I tighten my grip with both hands, I look firmly at my opponent. I was also shaking with joy, just like this guy. This guy is definitely the demon I failed to kill ten years ago the one who killed the Major, the demon who killed the Major. I can''t help but rejoice that the time to take revenge is such a dramatic moment. ".......... ..... And then we kicked the earth at each other and began that sword fight, the first battle we''ve had since ten years. Since then I''ve been working hard to make an effort. I''ve spent my days living in the belief that one day this kind of day will come, and I''ve spent my days living in this way to ensure that I can get my revenge. But.........as if to say that my efforts were in vain, the world is confronting me with reality. ''''Kukukukukuku, ahahahahahahahaha!¡¡What''s the matter with you?¡¡Hey!¡¡Are you sure that''s the little girl from 10 years ago?¡¡Weak, weak....................Bertina! Ugh............... A moment of aggression. I couldn''t see it. The moment the opponent''s sword tip was about to pass through my neck, I quickly twisted my body to avoid a direct hit, but it splendidly slashed through my left shoulder. Bota, bota, bota, spilled blood, pooling on the ground ... and spreading. My left arm probably won''t move anymore. It''s barely connected, it''s just a hindrance now. I''m sure it''s the equivalent of being connected by a single piece of leather, and that''s something you don''t need when wielding a sword. Then.......... ''Oh!¡¡Sounds like a bold move! .... I cut off my left arm with my own sword. If I can''t use it anymore, then it''s just a decoration and a hindrance. In that case, it''s best to cut off the unnecessary weight. There is no hesitation. I am not thinking about the future. The only thing I am living for is the present. And I am only fighting for the sake of killing this thing. That is why I have no hesitation in choosing to amputate my arm. I''m not going to be able to say that I''m not going to be able to do anything about it. That is what the Major taught me. The left arm that doesn''t move anymore I don''t need it. And after quickly stopping the bleeding with my healing magic, I set up Oborozuki Yoru with only my right hand and focus my attention once again. The pain is already gone, thanks to the adrenaline. Even though he would lose his arm, it wouldn''t interfere with his movements. The problem was that he didn''t have his left hand, and he wondered if he could still use his sword skills, especially his secret sword, as he had before. The Major was also fighting in this situation at that time. Then I would do the same, too, until I fought. At that time, it was just the Major and me. But now it''s just me. He is no longer with me. I know that for sure. But I could feel him next to me, whispering to me. But I could feel him next to me, whispering, "Bell, listen. Believe me, you''ll still be strong enough to fight, even if you lose your arm. Trust me, everything you''ve built up so far. "Yes. Once again, he held the Oboro Moonlight Night right in front of him. I hadn''t been caught off guard earlier. But I had received a fatal wound. It showed that this demon was strong to the point of pure strength. It was much stronger than it was ten years ago. What was missing was imagination. My measuring stick used ten years ago as a starting point, but it was already in my head. Even though I said I couldn''t see it, I had already understood it sensibly with my Singularity Ability ¡¶Extra¡·. Of course, I don''t think that thing I just saw was the main area, but I understood the base. Tracing, tracing, tracing. With everything up to now, using all the techniques given to me by the Major I am going to kill this guy. ''Ho ... good eye. Let''s take this one a little more seriously. The opponent also increases its killing intent. They don''t seem to let their guard down, even with one flying arm. The opponent is probably the highest-ranked swordsman in this world. I understand that he is the highest-ranked swordsman among the demons. And the sword it holds is also probably a type of magic sword. Because I can sense an unusual magic element from that one. ''''........'''' .... And so we are in a fight to the death. Literally, it''s a life and death battle. There is nothing to fear anymore. Even if you lose your arms, you will simply cut down the enemy in front of you. That''s all you have to do. That''s all there is to it--that''s all there is to it. 131-Episode 131: New Battlefield The operation began. We, the first platoon, were heading to that location, as we were going to hit our target, the underground facility. Dressed in our military uniforms, which were dark blue in color and trimmed in steel, we felt that today had more weight than usual. Before the start of the operation, everyone in the first platoon had been on edge, everyone was on edge. No, as I recall, Noah was aloof as usual, but perhaps he was being swallowed by the atmosphere of the place, or perhaps he was reading the air, and just quietly stuck close to his seniors. And then the first platoon of us headed to the level 3 of the twilight danger zone. The road from the first base to there. It was as usual, the further we went, the darker the twilight became. The trees around it were also dyed purple-black, as if they had been invaded by the twilight, and their branches stretched out in this red-black sky. Plants and trees grow even in this world. Plants are invaded by the twilight, but they are still alive in this world even though they are deformed. As we proceeded with a sideways glance at them, we arrived at our target location. I have a complete grasp of the terrain of this area. There must be a vast amount of underground facilities underneath it in terms of the amount of magic element. Our platoon is going to proceed to the underground facility. I had researched this place beforehand and had a general idea of the entrance. I used my Twilight Sight to find the relevant part, and I told Belle-san next to me. ''''It''s here, Belle-san. Here it is. I''m sure of it, yeah. And so I became the lead, with Belle-san following behind me........ It wasn''t just me, the antimagicians here sensed it. There was no need for the peculiar ability of the perception system, Extra. That''s right, I can sense it so much that it''s unnecessary, and it''s filled with a clear hostile will. Literally, a killing intent. But that murderous intent is not poured out on us platoons. It was focused on just one person. ''''Everyone!¡¡Go!¡¡Quickly! I huff and puff at Belle''s loud voice, which is rare, or perhaps the first time I''ve heard it. --Belle-san, could it be that you are......... ''I''m sorry, Julia-kun. I asked for everyone......... Mr. Bell I''ll be back to help you once we''ve destroyed the target. Yeah but I''m going to kill this guy first so don''t worry about it....................... Okay. Good luck. For a moment. During that moment, I was lost. Shouldn''t I be the one to cover up here? I thought so, but when I saw Belle''s burning eyes, I understood. She''s willing to stand alone. And in any case, if they are going to carry out the operation, someone has to stop them and someone has to advance. Probably, the demon who is spreading that killing spirit also understood that and lured Belle-san out. What they were seeking was a single combatant. It''s as if they don''t need other human lives. The other demon is probably a high level demon. There are some mages with outstandingly high fighting power among them. It is an existence that no human has ever been able to defeat. Perhaps my sister, Claire, is one of them, but this time it was a completely different individual. The killing air that overflows, and the magic element emits an uncommon pressure. It''s as if the deadly air and the magic element were mixed together and then layered on top of each other so that it was worn like a coat. To put it bluntly, it''s horrifying. Even that Claire wasn''t this good. It''s not possible to measure an opponent''s strength based on the killing spirit and magic element alone. Still, I was worried. The fact that Belle-san was the only one to stand against a higher level demon. ''''Julia, are you worried?'''' Senpai.... With Mr. Bell''s departure, a senior officer came to replace him next to me. I can''t leave him in charge of the vanguard, but I can command him. The arrangements had been made in advance to do this when it came to a pattern like this one. I''m leaving the rear to the other first class anti-magicians and Noah. It seems that Noah''s ability is already recognized by his seniors. ''''That''s a high-level demon.......There''s no guarantee that even Belle-san can win. But if I join them, I''m sure........ ''But then this platoon will collapse at once. Julia has no choice but to carve out the front line. That''s how it''s structured. You understand, don''t you? ''Yes I do. I believe in Belle-san. Because she''s the strongest swordsman in humanity. Yes. There''s no way Belle can lose. Belle has always won. It''s no different today. Yes. Talking to my seniors like that calmed me down. That''s right. Worrying about her is like saying you don''t believe in her. I believe her. I believe that she will be able to defeat that demon. The strongest swordsman in humanity can''t be defeated. In that case, we must now focus on the mission at hand. ''''........That''s strange. What''s going on, Julia? No I can''t see what''s going on down there. But the lights are on, so it should be okay. ''''........The Twilight Eye ¡¶Twilight Sight¡· is not responding. I can''t grab any traces of magic element right now. Is it doing so intentionally........or is it inviting me to do so?¡¡Do you know what I''m capable of?¡¡Even if you know, the information... you don''t mean to say what you just said... is there a demon involved? Multiple possibilities pass in my brain. Why did the demons come in the first place? Did they know our movements to aim at Belle-san?¡¡Besides, he said that the Ancient Scorpion ¡¶Enchemental Scorpion¡· has intelligence and is capable of speaking. So that means that there could be........demons behind it? Julia, what are you going to do-- The senior''s words were cut off in the middle. ''''........Collapse? I''m screwed. It was like we were completely set up. The ground begins to collapse and we, the men of the first platoon, are dropped with the debris to the level below. Of course, that''s not going to kill us. All of us here are experienced in combat. Even if something were to happen, we have all the members ready for it. We were dropped into the basement, which was a large space. When I turned my twilight eyes to it, I sensed that it was just a large space. There''s no doubt about it. This personal field and the magic element form is that of the familiar Scorpion. However, it was too different and large. And when I thought I heard a huge earth shaking, the Ancient Scorpion, Ancient Scorpion ¡¶Enchemental Scorpion¡· represented its appearance in front of me. The whole thing was dyed purple-black, and its huge tail was slithering as if it could reach the heavens. There were also ordinary Scorpions, perhaps subordinates or ordinary Scorpions, creeping around behind us. We quickly got into a fighting stance, but surprisingly, it didn''t turn into a battle right away. ''''Welcome, humans.'''' The voice that tells you so is low to the ground. It''s almost impossible to believe it''s a living organism''s vocal organ. "...you are the one who is going to destroy the village of the elves. "...Exactly. But it will be true. The weak are oppressed by the strong. You understand that better than anyone else, don''t you? I''m Julia Curtis. You seem to be connected to a demon. ''Right. But it doesn''t matter now. The moment you enter this realm, your defeat is inevitable. Let the feast begin, shall we not? A moment later, all the lights go out. --Okay! I immediately raise the output of my Twilight Sight and assess the situation around me. Of course, the antimagicians here are trained to be able to fight even in the dark. That''s due to their singular ability ¡¶Extra¡·, but as expected, they don''t anticipate a battle in this situation. A moment later I wondered if the other anti-magicians would be okay.... I heard a certain person''s voice. ''''--Pseudo-permanent agency [PMC] A moment later, the place is wrapped in a dazzling light. I''ve never seen it before, but this is the Perpetual Motion of Code. Noah Beirschmidt''s quintessential theory of perpetual motion, which is one of the three most difficult problems to solve. This is the PMC theory (Theory). This is how we came to know it. This is the realm of the genius who has mastered the essence of magic. Come and dance with me. The smiling figure is either an angel or a devil... or... or... 132-Chapter 132: Lonely Fighting ''Hahhhh! A flash. Sherry swung her sword to the side and slaughtered the last Scorpion ¡¶Scorpion¡·. ''''Huh...'''' As expected, she starts to breathe on her shoulder as she is getting tired. Then she decides to sit there for a little while, thrusting her sword into the spot. --It''s only been half an hour, isn''t it? So fed up, Shelly is fed up. While wiping her own sweat, she sets fire to the corpse of the Scorpion ¡¶Scorpion¡· that is lying on the spot in large quantities. There was a peculiar smell of burning proteins, but it didn''t bother her so much right now. Because this was by no means the end of this battle. Thus, it had only been about half an hour since Shelly started fighting, but she had already slaughtered more than a hundred Scorpions, the Scorpion. This level of Scorpion is not Shelly''s enemy. He was no longer a swordsman whose skills could rival even Bell. As a swordsman who is practically the strongest swordsman in the human race, there is no way that Shelley would fall behind the Scorpion ¡¶Scorpion¡·. But that was only if the opponent was a single person. The current situation is clearly different from that. Although there is light coming from outside, this place is dimly lit. Yes, Shelley was alone in this basement. Even if you try to climb up, this place is too deep, even Sherry, who is a stone''s throw away, can''t climb it. ''''It''s here........'''' He sat up and held his sword again. The ones there were more than a dozen Scorpions [Scorpions]. Their tails, which stretched out as if they were slithering to the heavens, were a clear indication of their hostile intentions. ''''Hmm........'''' Taking a breath, Shelly then begins to deal with the large number of Scorpions, Scorpion, again. How Shelly got into this situation is a bit of a step back in time. ¡ó You''re gone. Yes, sir. Do you feel anything? No. Not particularly. I see. The second platoon to which Sherry belonged. Roy and Sherry were currently walking in the front line. In this squad, these two are responsible for opening up the front line. Incidentally, Eve is in the rear, and the composition is composed of other first-grade and second-grade anti-magicians in between. Right now, as per the strategy, they were searching the perimeter of the relevant underground facility. However, that was from the ground, but so far there was nothing strange about it. While everyone was keeping a sense of urgency, a voice came from above us as we continued on. When I looked up with a bang, there was ... something that looked like a person. He was dressed in a suit and his hair was in an all back. From top to bottom, he was dressed as if he had just been tailored. Not a stain, not a speck of dust on him. Of course, at a glance, he looks human. However, there is no one here who could sense the magic element that surrounds it and mistake it for a human being. "Human?¡¡No, the witch or that... Looks like it. Do you want to do it? ''Oh. Of course. When Roy says that, all the members of the second platoon form a line and take the lead position. It''s inexplicable that it appeared from the air, but now is not the time to talk about it. A demon. And that too, this demon must be a higher level demon. All of them were aware of that. A higher level demon. That is the general term for those who have the highest battle power among the demons, as defined by humans. The possibility of them appearing in this operation had been considered, but they hadn''t expected to meet them themselves... Sherry was already reaching for the sword at their waists as she thought that. ''It begins and ends with a courtesy. Humans, it is my pleasure to meet you for the first time. I am the Holy Twelve Apostles, fourth in the hierarchy. My name is Aurir. Henceforth, please know that.... No one makes a move as Aurir reverently curtsies in place. The tension is maintained, but he continues to speak as if he isn''t going through it at all. ''Well, humans. I don''t really want to fight with you guys here. You.... what do you want? It was Roy, the captain, who asked the question. Then he smiled bewitchingly at Aurir and returned the words. ''''Purpose?¡¡That''s right. To put it bluntly, I''d like to delay it a bit. You want to delay it? ''Yes, sir. I cannot say more, but the course of this battle does not matter to us. No matter how much progress you guys make in this land, do what you want. It''s just ... it''s too early to tell. What do you mean, what do you mean, you''re not... Well, now I''ll say goodbye. When Aureel raised his hand with a bang, they all held up their weapons.......but what came next was a completely unexpected phenomenon. ''''.........na!'''' Collapse? Not good! Yes. The moment he raises his hand and then snaps his fingers, they all fall from the spot. As it is, they are all falling together as they are pulled into the darkness. But there was only one person, only one antimagician who was trying to use that rubble as a springboard to climb up. ''''........I''ll kill you! Oh, you''re Shelly Amis. It was Sherry. Everyone except her had already been swept up in the collapse, but Shelly was the only one who was working hard to move her body up and over. But.......... ''Too bad. It''s a bit, too late. A moment later, more debris poured down from above, as if more collapses had begun. ''We''ll see you again,'' With those words, Shelly was being swallowed up into the abyss. ¡ó Hmmm... so much for that. And so on for another half hour. An hour had passed since Shelly had fallen. She was alone and had reached what looked like a small room. She didn''t know if the rest of the squad had done so. She didn''t have the singular ability to perceive a large area, the Extra, like Yuria and Liane. For once, it can''t be helped, but it''s not good to stay alone as it is. Shelly had just finished killing all the hordes of Scorpions ¡¶Scorpions¡·. All of them, without exception, have been cut cleanly from their brains and are dripping their bodily fluids onto the ground with thuds. --I have no choice but to go, right? Stopping here was one option, but she didn''t think she could take it too long waiting for help. And although Shelley''s perception of a wide area was poor, she could sense that an unusual magic element was being sprinkled from one place. Probably, Shelly predicted, they were fighting. ''''Let''s ... go.'''' Murmuring to herself, she settles her sword in the scabbard at her waist. At the same time there is a snap, she walks forward as it is. From here on out, this is completely unknown territory. I know that there are dungeons in this world. It''s because as knowledge, it''s taught in the Counter Demon Academy. And Yulia also said she had stopped by them during those two years of exile. A dungeon, or in other words, a labyrinth, but it was a mysterious underground facility. I don''t know who created it and why, but there are various theories that it was created after the twilight took over. ''''........'''' Proceeding through the darkness. There was no light at all, just darkness. Sherry was constantly activating the Absolute Realm ¡¶Fortist Territory¡· to check the situation around her. It was the singular ability ¡¶Extra¡· that put everything within a five meter radius under his control. He usually used it for combat, but this time he was able to apply it to explore his surroundings as well. Although I didn''t expect this kind of case to happen, but even so, being able to grasp the area within a five-meter radius of me was quite an advantage. They wouldn''t needlessly run into walls, and they could also react to any surprise attack. Incidentally, this usage was something that Bell had taught him. Bell has taught Shelly everything she has experienced herself. This time, Bell had experience in this matter as well. He said that when advancing through the darkness, the Absolute Realm [Fortis Territory] is useful. ''''A........door?'''' As they were moving forward, Shelly felt a door in front of her. It was big. It must be about three meters long. Should she open it? Or do I find another way? ''''You''ll just have to open it. When he decided to do so, Shelly went deeper. 133-Episode 133: Bertinas perspective 6: Engraved on this body .................... .... My body is lighter. I don''t mean that I am physically lighter because my arms are gone. Everything that made up me felt so much lighter now. It moves. My body moves very well. I don''t know why. I don''t have an arm anymore. My left arm is never going to come back, yet this body is performing probably the best it has ever performed in its life. ''''........d*mn!¡¡What the hell is going on here! If I were in my opponent''s position, I would have made the same complaint. My left arm has fallen off and the sword is wielded with only my right hand. My opponent is holding the sword firmly in both hands. I don''t even need to ask who would win. The one who loses his or her arm will lose cruelly. It''s obvious. But I had no intention of giving up. Losing an arm?¡¡Then why not fight on the assumption that you have no arms? This life is not over yet. I can still fight. Even if I lose one of my arms, it doesn''t matter. Just cut them down and discard them. That''s all. As long as I can do just that, it''s fine. ''''........'''' Immersion. Just getting immersed in this battle. Perhaps evenly matched now. Our sword fights have been raised to the same level. The reason for this, after all, would be the fact that I recognize this left arm as something that exists and am fighting it. Up and down, left and right. The swordsmanship wielded in all directions, I was definitely receiving the sword strikes. With this right hand alone. But that is not correct in the strictest sense of the word. Perhaps my brain perceives my left arm as a certain thing. Yes, in other words, I am fighting with the assumption that my left arm is there. I am imagining it. That my left hand does indeed exist, and with both hands I am firmly holding this demon sword, Oborozuki Yoru, in my hands. What is this ability? Was it a final gift to me, already in a dead body? Humans have a strange phenomenon, one of which is called phantom limb pain. This is a phenomenon where one feels pain in a limb that should have been amputated, for example. This is rare, but it certainly exists as a real-life example. In my case, I don''t feel any pain. It may just be that this body is under the illusion that it is clutching a sword. But thanks to this phantom limb, I am still able to fight. Perhaps, but I believe this is the result of wielding the sword hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, millions and tens of millions of times. As a result, my body remembers how to swing the sword. How should I wield the sword and move my body? This is no longer in the realm of the conscious mind. It is no longer in the realm of the conscious mind, but is imprinted on the unconscious mind, and becomes a part of this world through my body. It is enough to have this right hand that I physically hold. Because my body remembers the rest. All I have to do is manifest it engraved into this world. Deep breath. The sword fights so far have been exploratory. From here on out, it will be time to show the true value of each other. I deliver the Oborozukiyo that I''m clutching. Then I lower my hips and take a stance. The secret sword. It''s impossible to recreate it with a single arm. Even that major was defeated in his last battle without even producing the secret sword when his arm was flung off. But now I''m different. This left arm is still here. Indeed, it is engraved in my brain. Then I have nothing to fear. As usual, I can project the secret sword, which I''ve reduced to the same level of gestures as my breathing, into this world. ''''--The Eighth Secret Sword, the Shi-Den Single Flash. It is a super fast electromagnetic battling technique. It is one of the more versatile of the secret swords I possess. And this is the one that caused a fatal wound to this demon ten years ago. Maybe I have a sense of bitterness somewhere. Based on that decision, I decided to activate the Shi Den Ikusen. ''''I see. Then.........'''' My opponent mutters that, but it''s too late. It''s completely within my range. It''s impossible to make it in time for this Purple Electric Flash from here. That''s the only way to handle this secret sword just like me........ With that thought in mind, that impossible assumption would become reality. Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin, their blades intersect with each other. A high-pitched sound hits my ears, but I wasn''t paying attention to that. Right now, I''m just stunned. Because what the other party used was the exact same secret sword. How, how could this guy be able to use the secret sword? I almost let that thought control me for a moment, but right now, I''m in a battle. It''s time to fight. I must remind myself that I am in a battle, and once again take my distance. "You''re looking at me like you''re wondering how you can use the same secret sword. .... ''I''ll tell you what. My sword steals all sword fights. I already stole the sword you humans use 100 years ago during the Great War. I knew that. All the Ten Secret Swords you use. .... The Ten Secret Swords. You''re right. There are only ten secret swords that I inherited from my master and passed them on to Shelly. -- Guess what?¡¡Or are you just saying the right thing? I thought for a moment, but that''s not true. My eyes certainly caught it. I don''t know how many times I''ve activated that secret sword. ''Come on, I''ll smash all of that. I won''t be as conceited as I was then. I will shatter all of it. I''m going to kill you. With that muttering, I run across this vast expanse of twilight dominated land again. ¡ó "The fourth secret sword, the caltropic caltrop, the caltropic caltrop. "The fourth secret sword, the caltropic caltrop, the caltropic caltrop. Completely the same. The fourth secret sword, the Snow Calyx Frost School [Setsukusoha], was the one that they released from each other. It is the one that shoots out binging qi from the sword. You will be able to find out if you are a good fit. You will need to be able to have a good idea of what to expect. As I sewed my way through the fluttering shattered ice, I layered more secret swords on top of each other. ''''--Second Secret Sword, Hundred Flowers,'''' That secret sword continues to attack continuously, approaching a hundred. The body has already learned. This is the destination of this secret sword. But this time, the moment I activate it, my opponent also activates the same secret sword. In this way, our attacks completely cancel each other out. We once again keep our distance from each other and take up positions. I was already used to fighting with this feeling. In fact, perhaps I am more able to fight than I was with my left arm. I don''t know if it''s a backwater battle or some kind of ability that has been awakened, but if I can win.......as long as I can kill this guy, I don''t care. I once again look at my opponent''s movements. As I do so, the demon starts to open his mouth. ''''It''s an old technique........'''' The demon muttering to himself has a nostalgic look in his eyes. Perhaps what he is recalling is the Human Demon War 100 years ago. I''ve heard that this secret sword has been passed down for generations. I didn''t know that it was completely imitated by my opponent.... ''Bertina Wright. Your version of it reminds me of that guy from a hundred years ago. As good as him, or better. Oh yeah.............it''s getting fun. .... A guy who talks a lot, as opposed to me. I thought so. Perhaps he''s asking questions out of excitement but I''m not going to engage in such reminiscences. This is the enemy of the major. I must absolutely kill him, no matter what. Even if it means scaring the life out of me, I will kill this fiend. I swore on that day with tears in my eyes. I will have my revenge. I will take revenge on the man I respected and admired and loved with all my heart. I will gladly sell my soul to the devil for that. There''s no doubt that I''m fighting for humanity, but right now I''m wielding this sword completely out of personal feelings alone. But killing a demon can be a great advance for humans. So I let these emotions take hold of me. ''Bertina Light. I will surpass all of you, and then I will rise even higher by taking your sword. And if I make that sacrifice, you will not complain? Shut up. I''m going to kill you. Yeah, the eyes. Those eyes. It''s the same murderous look in your eyes. Now, you''ve got to help me enjoy myself more! We engage in sword fights again. The sense of time is completely lost. I am just immersed in killing the enemy in front of me. My senses become sharper and faster. Perhaps the peak of my ability is here. I will get there. To the realm outside of humanity. I know this because I''m cutting up with this demon. I''m the vessel that can reach that point. A moment later, my body becomes fiery and hot. This phenomenon is the Twilight Syndrome, or Twilight Syndrome. I, who was already in the terminal stage of my life, had often scorched myself with this phenomenon. I don''t mean this in a metaphorical sense. In fact, I am being burned from the inside out. --How can I do this at a time like this........ I think that, but I can''t stop it. Every time I moved this body, wielded my sword, and caught the enemy''s attack, I felt the phenomenon gradually accelerate. Hot, hot, hot. The sensation that my body is on fire, as if I''m really being burned at the stake. But I can''t stop. Even if I was already dead, I knew that it was impossible to control my own body wielding this sword. I''m stepping into the land of the dead. There was no longer any doubt about that. But how could it be?¡¡I''m not dead yet. I''m in pain, but I''m moving. "No way, man... .... I stare at my opponent''s twin eyes as we fight with each other in a battle of wits. What''s there is impatience. But what is the demon in a hurry?¡¡And what is happening to me here? Boom. My heart jumped. My body pumped blood throughout my body, and then........I understood with my senses that all the imprints were being sucked into this hazy moonlit night. Twilight Syndrome ¡¶Twilight Syndrome¡·. It is an incurable disease that can never be cured. Until now, it had killed many opponents, and even the special-grade opponents were unable to resist its fate. But humans are evolving creatures. The fact that they cannot be overcome does not mean that it will last forever. No one knows what will happen in the future. It''s hot. Yes. It''s hot. And this demon sword, this demon sword that is being used in a battle of courage, Oboro Tsukiyo, emits light as if it is burning bright red. Is this magic sword absorbing the Twilight Syndrome, Twilight Syndrome?¡¡Could this twilight-infested body be...? This is how I arrived at this point. I became the first human being to overcome the Twilight Syndrome. I have reached a place outside the realm of humanity. I have arrived at a place that neither the Major, nor his master, nor any of the swordsmen who used this Oborozuki Night, could reach. The end point of humanity that had taken over the will of man and carried the death of others. There was nothing that could stop me anymore. 134-Episode 134: Overrun Come on, dance in my courtyard... The one that Noah released is the one that solved one of the three biggest problems and put it to use. Its name is the Pseudo-permanent engine ¡¶PMC¡·. The reason it''s called "pseudo-permanent engine" is because it''s not yet a full permanent engine, but even so, he can handle a permanent engine, albeit temporarily. In this case, the term "permanent engine" means that he can use magic element permanently. If you use the magic element, it will disappear. Therefore, there will always be a slight time lag in the use of magic. This is not an exception, even for mages and special class mages who are skilled in magic. And that''s even for mages.... But with the pseudo-permanent organ that Noah used, there was no need to worry about that. The reason is that there is an orderly arrangement of magic elements there, and no matter how much you use it, it will never disappear. You will be able to use your magic permanently in this space right now, and moreover it is limited to Noah only. ''''-- Meteor Connection [Meeta Connect]. And so Noah''s magic of choice in this large underground space was a type of light magic, the Meteor Connection ¡¶Meetia Connect¡·. This is similar to the one used by Julia before, but its essence lies in the connection. This is what Noah strikes a point at the coordinates he specifies, and the Meteor ¡¶Meetia¡· is activated by connecting them. There should be at least two of those points, but the points are practically at Noah''s disposal. And it is also possible to replace the points. It''s like a laser in all directions. In addition to that, since he has activated the pseudo-permanent agency ¡¶PEMC¡·, only he can temporarily use the magic element permanently in this space. In other words, the connection is infinite. He could continue to connect the Meteor ¡¶Mitia¡· as Noah wanted. ''''Now, be pierced........'''' With a swoosh, she raises her right hand and designates a point in the coordinates. And so it is released. That pseudo-permanent agency ¡¶PEMC¡· was used to create the highest level of magic. Perhaps because it''s indoors, the screams echoed well. It''s from the large number of Scorpions ¡¶Scorpion¡· in that place, but the mournful sound is definitely a scream. Noah''s Meteor Connection ¡¶Meetia Connect¡· was activated to connect the designated points. It pierced through dozens of Scorpions ¡¶Scorpion¡· at once, which were there, and caused them to die. ''''........Well, I''m still going. With that, Noah set more coordinates. When he increased the points to the next four points, a square shaped meteor ¡¶Meetia¡· appeared and went straight through the thick outer shell of the Scorpion ¡¶Scorpion¡· without any object. Fresh blood. A large number of Scorpions were sinking into the spot. Then I realized. I realized that the most threatening person among the anti-magicians present here was Noah. A large number of Scorpions are attacking Noah all at once. But the anti-magicians around him were not naive enough to miss it. ''''Noah!¡¡Just get on with it! Thank you, Miss Eira! Including Eira, the antimagicians skilled in magic generated a wall of ice. The Scorpion ¡¶Scorpion¡·, which was blocked by them, fell directly into the prey of the Meteor Connection ¡¶Meetia Connect¡·. The small fry had no problem. In a few more minutes, that magic of Noah''s would take care of everything. But the problem is the Ancient Scorpion, the Ancient Scorpion, the Ancient Scorpion, the Ancient Scorpion. One by one, the Scorpion, the Scorpion, was sinking. Only Julia was the only one among them, still trying to distance herself from her opponent. ¡ó .... I didn''t even have to look behind me. Including Noah, the other anti-magicians were taking care of the large number of miscellaneous fish around us. So naturally, me and this ancient scorpion, the Ancient Scorpion ¡¶Enchemental Scorpion¡· were facing each other one-on-one. I gaze at it. My twin eyes have already completely released the Twilight Sight. I have to thank everyone who made this situation possible. In the first place, this was just as arranged. It was probably expected in the Operations Command that the Ancient Scorpion [Ancient Scorpion] would have a large number of Scorpions [Scorpion] in tow. Therefore, the handling of the small fry was left to Noah''s magic and the support of his seniors, and this Ancient Scorpion Ancient Scorpion Ancient Scorpion was scheduled to be fought by me and Bell-san.......but now Bell-san is gone. In that situation, there was no choice but for either me or Belle-san to remain. From that sign of the magic element, the opponent is a demon. That''s probably pretty high level as well. That''s exactly what it is, comparable to Claire. It''s not that I didn''t believe in Belle-san. But I was still worried. Wouldn''t it be better for me to fight? Can I leave it to Mr. Bell? While I was thinking about this, Mr. Bell quickly made his decision. He said he would stay behind and leave the rest to us. For once, I was ashamed of my inexperience. I should be able to make decisions as quickly as Ms. Bell. Even though I''m only fifteen years old, I''m still ranked zero in the special class anti-magician rankings. When this battle is over, I''ll thank Belle-san for her help. And while I was pondering this, my opponent, the Ancient Scorpion, the Ancient Scorpion ¡¶Enchemental Scorpion¡·, had begun to move. ''''Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! The poison that raised its tail skyward and scattered around it was quite powerfully acidic, or perhaps it was definitely dissolving the splattered areas into sludge. --I see. If one was hit, it could be a fatal wound. But......... Such a sketchy attack couldn''t possibly hit. I ran through the poison pouring down on me and deployed my multiple dagger, a compound dagger. Then with that momentum, I launched the Burst. ''''-- Burst! The multiple layers of infinitely thin invisible swords extending from the two compound daggers ¡¶Multiple Knives¡·, as if they were intertwined, are heading towards the opponent. Even I can''t read its trajectory. Moving completely randomly, it was advancing while drawing an invisible and disorderly trajectory....................piercing the brain of the Ancient Scorpion. ''''........drowned out?'''' I muttered to myself. Come to think of it, I remembered the words that Aries had said. As they say, magic doesn''t work........ Magic doesn''t work. That means they have the means to neutralize magic, but humanity is not in that realm. But I do know. The theory is that magic can be neutralized. The theory is this. Magic is something that embodies and establishes images in the world through the magma originally scattered in this world. In other words, we can say that magic is made of magic elements. Then the rest is simple. It''s a very good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. I had concluded that after hearing the story from Aries. In the first place, there is no existence in this world that can eliminate magic in a perfect sense. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make the most out of your time with the help of a few of your friends. That''s how I found out in this case. This ancient scorpion, the Ancient Scorpion ¡¶Enchemental Scorpion¡·, could eliminate magic locally. ''''Well........let''s go with that. Blurting out, I deliver the compound dagger ¡¶Multiple Knife¡·. Then I open my hands and activate a certain magic. ''''--Explosion Four-Splitting Explosion.'''' The Invisible Blade was created from the five fingers of both hands, a total of ten swords, and then branched out further. The number of Invisible Blades increases from 10 to 20 and then to 50, and the number of fine invisible swords exceeds 100. Then they explode (burst). It was difficult to manipulate the fine manipulations like when he was using the Compound Dagger ¡¶Multiple Knife¡·, but that was fine for now. If I wanted to break through my opponent''s nullification magic, it would be limited to physical quantity. That was something I had decided before I started this battle. Of course, I had thought of other means to deal with the situation when this didn''t work, but the explosive four-scattering ¡¶Explosion¡· I invoked was initially drowned out by some, but as it is, the rest of the things penetrate the opponent''s body. This time it''s not a threat, just a scream. I can clearly see that she is writhing in agony from the pain. As I watch it indifferently, I confirm that the Explosive Four-Spangled ¡¶Explosion¡· has all ended. It''s the first magic I''ve used and seen, but this could be used for group battles as well. While thinking about that, I slowly approach the Ancient Scorpion ¡¶Enchemental Scorpion¡· that is no longer in a dead body. You''re still alive. You''re more stubborn than I thought. Already lying on the ground, dripping copious amounts of blood, it was no longer anything but pathetic. There are marks all over its body that have been pierced, and bodily fluids are flowing out of the holes that are called holes. Even if we let it go on like this, it will probably die, but should we stab it to death? Deciding that, I took out one of the compound daggers ¡¶Multiple Knives¡· and activated the Invisible Blade ¡¶Invisible Blade¡· as it was. ''''It''s.......over.'''' Once again, as if to gouge out the brain, I stab the Invisible Blade ¡¶Invisible Blade¡·. I looked again at the Ancient Scorpion with my Twilight Sight and saw that the magic element had completely drained away. It no longer possessed the Personal Field, either. ''''Hmm........'''' Taking a breath, I check behind me. Then my senior comes towards me, raising her hand. ''Yulia, you''re a class act.'' You too. What about the victims? Zero. No injuries. Noah worked harder than I thought he would. I looked at Noah and saw him sitting on the ground but looking a little tired. ''Are you deficient?'' Yeah. I think I took it too far. But I''ll be fine soon. ''I see. Well, let''s report back.... The moment I was about to use my communication magic, a loud clattering sound echoes further in the back. ''''........Are they enemies?'''' ''No, this is...'' I could sense a hint of it, but it was from someone I knew well. ''Huh?¡¡To Julia, senior...? So. Well, it was Sherry. "Shelly. How did you end up here what happened to your unit? It''s... And so my senior and I heard the story from Shelly. We encountered a demon and was dropped into the basement and Shelly was wandering alone. Then, when we came to the direction of the large element of magic, we found ourselves there. I see. Anyway, now I''d like to contact you, but... I start to say this and stare upwards. ''Julia, what''s going on?'' ''Mr. Bell is still fighting. A demon, and a higher level demon at that. The doctor? Yeah. Mr. Bell took care of it before I came here. But this one''s all done, and it''s not too late. I''m coming with you. All right. Excuse me, sir, but.... I know. Why don''t you go with Julia and Sherry. I''ll take care of the cleanup and report back to you. Thank you. Let''s go, Shelly. Okay, okay. Sherry and I are going back the way we came. Maybe Mr. Bell is struggling more than he should be. Even though we are in this underground space, I can sense the two vast amounts of magical elements on the ground. Perhaps we are in the middle of a battle. Quickly, let''s get there as quickly as possible. That''s a hunch. It''s a bad premonition. It''s just a hunch. It''s not that I don''t believe in Ms. Bell. But the look on her face that I saw before she came here. I''m not going to be able to say that I''m not going to be able to do anything about it. This is why Sherry and I hurried to Belle-san''s place. 135-Episode 135: Bertinas perspective 7: Beyond People Hey, Belle. What is it Major? Major asks me that over coffee in his usual room. By the way, I''m cleaning my room now. If this man is left alone, he will soon make a mess of the room. Other soldiers come here too, so I really want to make sure it''s done right. The coffee is also made by me, and maybe this guy really doesn''t have anything else on his mind but his sword. And so, even though we are cleaning up, the major starts talking about something with a serious expression on his face. ''''I still feel like I''m stagnant,'''' Stagnation...? ''''Ah. Now they say I''m the greatest swordsman in humanity or something but I still think I''m a work in progress. I didn''t know that the major was on his way.... That''s ridiculous. That''s what I wanted to say. This man''s skills are already not in the realm of humanity. Now that I''m strong, I know better. I know how extraordinary this person''s sword fights are. ''''This isn''t sarcasm or bragging. It''s just that I can still go on. I feel like this Oboro Moonlight Night is prompting me to do so. Does the magic sword... have... a... will? ''''It''s not common sense. But the magic sword is a lost technology, an uncommon thing. I wouldn''t be surprised if something happened but maybe I''ve gone crazy here. Thump, thumping his head and grinning at the Major. This guy would try to make me laugh for some reason, but I never disliked it. ''''That part of the Major was originally... funny...'''' Ha, you''re killing me. The Major suddenly looks at you as if you are looking somewhere far away, as if you are staring into the void. I''m sure that''s because he''s thinking about the past. I''ve heard rumors that the family he loved, as well as the Major''s mentor, also died in front of him. With that much death on his shoulders, where will he end up? What kind of thoughts do I need to have to think about reaching a higher level from where I am now...what kind of thoughts do I need to have to think like that? ''Bell.'' Yes, sir. ''My mentor was desperate to break through his walls. I was thinking like you at the time. I was thinking like you, ''How can someone so strong still want to go on ahead? I was stunned. And I knew I wasn''t ready. Maybe I''ll never get to that place before I die. Just like my mentor did. But I have a high opinion of you. Your talents are probably the best of all humanity. It can''t be... ''No, that''s the skill at such a young age. I got there, probably in my late twenties. But you''re a teenager in that range. I have high hopes for you, Belle. ...I see. I had no idea what the word meant at the time. ¡ó --Major, I ... I''ve arrived. No one can stop me now....................... You.... you can''t mean... I flicked my opponent''s sword away and I went straight for a flash. It''s not even a single flash of purple lightning. It''s just an ordinary, sideways swing. But the other demon was slow to react, and a single character wound appears on my stomach. Judging from the amount of blood flowing out, it''s not a fatal wound. But they both knew the meaning of that wound. The current Ichiben flash surpassed the secret sword I had been using, the Shi Den Ichiben. If it was a normal secret sword, it was because this guy had bumped into the same secret sword to offset it. That too, by an afterthought. What that fact represents is that this demon can react after seeing my attack. After all, in terms of substantial skill, I am slightly inferior to him. But I''m no longer the person I was before. This body no longer bore the imprint of the Twilight Syndrome [Twilight Syndrome]. I won''t be scorched by the twilight anymore. I''ve arrived at this point in time. The major said that I had arrived at the realm beyond people. It is not that I am light in body. Already I had a sense of transcendence over everything in this world. It''s a strange feeling. It''s a strange feeling. There is no fear at all now. Just a flat feeling. The irritation, frustration, and anger that had been there earlier gradually subsided. Is this what you would call the feeling of a person who has reached the point of no return? You.........you''re not human anymore, are you?¡¡A saint?¡¡No, this is..... ''It doesn''t matter ... it doesn''t matter. I don''t need that definition to kill you.... He composed the Oboro Moonlight Night. It had completely released its true form. The blade was black and only the blade was red. That was the Oboro Gekkai until now. But now it was different. This sword blade was all a scorching vermilion color. It was as if it was absorbing all of my Twilight Syndrome ¡¶Twilight Syndrome¡· and then turning it into power. When I tightened my grip on the Oborozuki Yoru, I felt like this body was flooded with magical elements. No, that''s not an illusion. Without a doubt, this body has a magical element that exceeds its previous capacity. Then I put my will to kill this guy into the sword and try to activate the secret sword. The fifth secret sword, the Utsusemi. It is one of the most skillful and difficult to control secret swords I can have. But right now, I can handle this secret sword perfectly. Holding the Oborozuki Yoru sideways, I step forward. The other demon knows this technique as well. Therefore, he should know how to behave. It should be, but it is no longer a secret sword that he knows. What the opponent cut through was an illusion. All that remained was a mere lump of magic element. The fifth secret sword, the Utsusemi, the Utsusemi. It is the one that establishes an illusion that does not exist in this world. It does indeed remain in this world. The elemental form, the personal field. They are necessary for the opponent to recognize, and they remain in this world, and they deceive. This is not a sword technique itself, but a special secret sword that treats this moving process as a secret sword as well. I was the worst at this, but now........the awakened me could handle it. I can see it. Surely they can perceive me, but they can''t perceive me. They are right in front of me, but the more they see my moving form, the more they fall into its trap. And this is even if he has the Twilight Sight, the Twilight Sight, he will be confused by its presence. I can see it. But I can''t see it. The one who creates that contradiction is this Kuusemiemi. Then I stepped in between the two and swung this sword as if to sever the neck. Bota, blah, blah, blah, blah, and blood dripped on the ground. This was definitely a fatal wound. He couldn''t use the other secret swords while activating the Kuusemi, but it was still good. But as expected of a demon. He was going to pop his neck, but it was avoided and it was like tearing his kesa. But that doesn''t change the fact that it''s a fatal wound. The other party doesn''t remove me from their line of sight, but they jiggle backwards to try to get some distance. I know it. Once they enter my territory, I''m certain that I will lose. ''''........I won''t miss. Of course, we''ll close the distance soon. You can get it. This time I''m going to pop that head off. "I won''t let you do it........ The demon unleashes a single flash of purple electricity. I duck it and swing my sword as if to pierce the brain. This time I''m not swinging it right across, but vertically, swinging the Shiuden Flash. At this speed, the opponent of the quicksilver........ A counterattack. Our swords stabbed each other in the gut. I thought I had ducked perfectly, but it followed my movements to the end. Then we were blown backwards as we rolled on the spot. ''''Hah ... hah ... hah ... hah ... hah ... hah ...'''' Had he lost too much blood? Especially in the beginning, perhaps due to the effect of having his left arm popped off, there was not enough blood. No matter how much he awakened and reached the outer realm of humanity, there is no such thing as the ability to generate blood on the spot. It''s only for a moment, but my vision blurs and begins to blur. There''s not enough blood. Perhaps any more fighting will result in full-blown death. Then let''s decide on the end, this is the end. Literally, the last, by the secret sword of the end. Although it had been taught by the Major, he couldn''t handle it completely either. No, it was surely this secret sword that even successive Oborozuki Night swordsmen were unable to handle. The theory, the theory, the body movements, all of them are in his head. However, this is a secret sword that was impossible for a human being to handle. I also thought it was impossible. The only person who could handle this would surely be my apprentice, Shelly-chan...........................that''s what I thought, but now I''m thinking. If it''s me now, who has overcome the Twilight Syndrome ¡¶Twilight Syndrome¡· and is on the outside of people.......I can handle it. ''''........'''' .... We look at each other and we look at ourselves. From here on out, it''s a battle against yourself. Of course, the one in front of you is a demon, but that is only a minor detail. This is a secret sword that can only be handled by those who have overcome their own existence and reached that point. I''m sure the other party is also thinking the same thing. This is the only way to settle this matter. The secret sword of the end... The words overlap. There is no stopping now. What lies ahead is a settlement. In a few seconds, one of us will be on the ground. But it''s not me. This demon will be defeated and I will win. --Major, you''ll see. I will prove with this that I have truly reached the highest swordsman of mankind. With Oborozuki Yoru-sama in place, they invaded each other''s engagement distance ¡¶Killing Range¡·. We unleashed our final secret sword. Oboro Tsukuyoru. "The sixteenth night. The positions of each other had been switched. A moment. A moment of intermingling. ''''........'''' He didn''t look back anymore. The same secret sword as this sword''s name. That was the final secret sword, the Oboro Moonlight Night. A secret sword that even the Major, who thought it could never reach, couldn''t handle. I activated it and defeated the demons. I heard a crashing sound behind me as I fell to the ground. He must have died. The response is still in my hand. You can''t even feel it anymore. But the usual sensation of cutting the opponent was still there. ''''Major, I........'''' I look up at the sky. I got my revenge. I overcame my disappointment back then, and then........I avenged the Major. The opponent''s magic element has already spread. I could tell that without even looking. Farewell, demon. You were strong. But I was even stronger. The resolve I carry is different. What I am carrying is the will of humanity until now. That is what has taken me to greater heights. I have surpassed the Twilight Syndrome, surpassed people, and reached beyond that. It''s a realm that even demons can''t reach. I''ve reached it, and I''ve achieved it. I was finally able to avenge the disgrace of ten years ago. --Major, I did it. I avenged you with my own hands. I''ve done it, Major. I tell him that he is no longer in this world. Tears were spilling out of my twin eyes. I don''t wipe them away, I just keep looking at the sky - this purple-black sky ruled by twilight. But then I suddenly think. Come to think of it........those last words the demon said. I had clearly thought that the demon would also use the same final secret sword. However, the last thing he fired was a completely different secret sword. Its trajectory was not something I knew about. So is there still a secret sword that I cannot know? The moment I wondered that, a strange change occurred in my body. ''''Ah........ha......?'''' Slowly, he looked down at his own body. There, the sword blade was dyed completely black, the demon''s sword........there it was. Earlier, there was nothing there. Even though there wasn''t, it was as if a sword was suddenly thrust into it. There was no sign of it. If the other party came closer, I would definitely know if it was me now. And yet, this body was pierced by the opponent''s magic sword. ''''Wha........how.......? He looks back. The other party is still laying there. But with a twitch, his fingertips move and he slowly begins to get up. I, on the other hand, didn''t even have the energy to draw the sword that was pierced. I had already exhausted everything. I was on the edge. Any more blood loss was a matter of life and death. Yet, the bleeding that was flowing out of my chest never stopped. "Bertina Wright. You''re brilliant. You truly are the greatest swordsman in human history. Even more powerful than the founder of this secret weapon I met one hundred and fifty years ago. But there was more to the sword than just what you know. No... no... what... what... what... what... what... what... what... what... With my body in a wide open position, I stared at the heavens and vomited more blood. I clutched the Oborozukiyo, but I no longer had enough strength left to fight. Then, as the demon slowly approaches, he pulls out his sword from my chest. More fresh blood overflows. But there was no way for me to stop it anymore. ''''Demon sword, the sixteenth night [Izayoi]. No way...? That''s right. This is the counterpart to the secret sword. Originally, it was one, but it was split into two and the final secret sword was created in two. Even if the original base is the same, the places are different. If you had arrived at this realm five years earlier, it would have been me there. But you lost. You will meekly accept your defeat. "Wow, I''m... --Losing?¡¡I''m going to lose?¡¡I''m going to die here, I am. With no end to the vengeance?¡¡What expression should I give the Major? What have I fought for, until this day? I tried to get up with the last of my strength, clawing at the ground as hard as I could... but it was no longer working. My nails peeled off, but I didn''t feel the pain anymore. It was just like being in a warm slumber. Gradually my vision began to blur. It was like falling into darkness, being sucked into the abyss of the world. ''I respect you, swordsman rotting in the twilight, I respect you. Farewell, greatest swordsman of mankind. With that announcement, I heard a rough sound, and then the footsteps continued to move away. Fortunately, or perhaps I dared to, I still had Oboro Gekiya clutched in my right hand. I don''t know why I didn''t take it away.......but I have to take this over.......like the Major at that time......I''ll take it over....... -- Sensei! An auditory hallucination. It comes just as I''m thinking about her. But it didn''t seem to be an auditory hallucination. "Sir, get a grip!¡¡I''m still fine! It was Sherry who came to us. I was glad to have her, my beloved apprentice, in this last moment of her life. --Oh. Oh, I see. So the Major must have felt like this too. It makes sense. A fact that I know as I approach the age of the major. And so I tell him. My last, the last words I will leave behind in this world and my thoughts. 136-Episode 136: The Last Bertinas perspective: A Swordsman Sleeping in the Land of Twilight Hey, Belle. What is it Major? Major asks me that over coffee in his usual room. By the way, I''m cleaning my room now. If this man is left alone, he will soon make a mess of the room. Other soldiers come here too, so I really want to make sure it''s done right. The coffee is also made by me, and maybe this guy really doesn''t have anything else on his mind but his sword. And so, even though we are cleaning up, the major starts talking about something with a serious expression on his face. ''''I still feel like I''m stagnant,'''' Stagnation...? ''''Ah. Now they say I''m the greatest swordsman in humanity or something but I still think I''m a work in progress. I didn''t know that the major was on his way.... That''s ridiculous. That''s what I wanted to say. This person''s skills are already not in the realm of humans. Now that I''m strong, I know better. I know how extraordinary this person''s sword fights are. ''''This isn''t sarcasm or bragging. It''s just that I can still go on. I feel like this Oboro Moonlight Night is prompting me to do so. Does the magic sword... have... a... will? ''''It''s not common sense. But the magic sword is a lost technology, an uncommon thing. I wouldn''t be surprised if something happened but maybe I''ve gone crazy here. Thump, thumping his head and grinning at the Major. This guy would try to make me laugh for some reason, but I never disliked it. ''''That part of the Major was originally... funny...'''' Ha, you''re a smart ass. The Major suddenly looks at you as if you are looking somewhere far away, as if you are staring into the void. I''m sure that''s because he''s thinking about the past. I''ve heard rumors that the family he loved, as well as the Major''s mentor, also died in front of him. With that much death on his shoulders, where will he end up? What kind of thoughts do I need to have to think about reaching a higher level from where I am now...what kind of thoughts do I need to have to think like that? ''Bell.'' Yes, sir. ''My mentor was desperate to break through his walls. I was thinking like you at the time. I was thinking like you, ''How can someone so strong still want to go on ahead? I was stunned. And I knew I wasn''t ready. Maybe I''ll never get to that place before I die. Just like my mentor did. But I have a high opinion of you. Your talents are probably the best of all humanity. It can''t be... ''No, that''s the skill at such a young age. I got there, probably in my late twenties. But you''re a teenager in that range. I have high hopes for you, Belle. ...I see. I had no idea what the word meant at the time. ¡ó --Major, I ... I''ve arrived. No one can stop me now....................... You.... you can''t mean... I flicked my opponent''s sword away and I went straight for a flash. It''s not even a single flash of purple lightning. It''s just an ordinary, sideways swing. But the other demon was slow to react, and a single character wound appears on my stomach. Judging from the amount of blood flowing out, it''s not a fatal wound. But they both knew the meaning of that wound. The current Ichiben flash surpassed the secret sword I had been using, the Shi Den Ichiben. If it was a normal secret sword, it was because this guy had bumped into the same secret sword to offset it. That too, by an afterthought. What that fact represents is that this demon can react after seeing my attack. After all, in terms of substantial skill, I am slightly inferior to him. But I''m no longer the person I was before. This body no longer bore the imprint of the Twilight Syndrome [Twilight Syndrome]. I won''t be scorched by the twilight anymore. I''ve arrived at this point in time. The major said that I had arrived at the realm beyond people. It is not that I am light in body. Already I had a sense of transcendence over everything in this world. It''s a strange feeling. It''s a strange feeling. There is no fear at all now. Just a flat feeling. The irritation, frustration, and anger that had been there earlier gradually subsided. Is this what you would call the feeling of a person who has reached the point of no return? You.........you''re not human anymore, are you?¡¡A saint?¡¡No, this is..... ''It doesn''t matter ... it doesn''t matter. I don''t need that definition to kill you.... He composed the Oboro Moonlight Night. It had completely released its true form. The blade was black and only the blade was red. That was the Oboro Gekkai until now. But now it was different. This sword blade was all a scorching vermilion color. It was as if it was absorbing all of my Twilight Syndrome ¡¶Twilight Syndrome¡· and then turning it into power. When I tightened my grip on the Oborozuki Yoru, I felt like this body was flooded with magical elements. No, that''s not an illusion. Without a doubt, this body has a magical element that exceeds its previous capacity. Then I put my will to kill this guy into the sword and try to activate the secret sword. The fifth secret sword, the Utsusemi. It is one of the most skillful and difficult to control secret swords I can have. But right now, I can handle this secret sword perfectly. Holding the Oborozuki Yoru sideways, I step forward. The other demon knows this technique as well. Therefore, he should know how to behave. It should be, but it is no longer a secret sword that he knows. What the opponent cut through was an illusion. All that remained was a mere lump of magic element. The fifth secret sword, the Utsusemi, the Utsusemi. It is the one that establishes an illusion that does not exist in this world. It does indeed remain in this world. The elemental form, the personal field. They are necessary for the opponent to recognize, and they remain in this world, and they deceive. This is not a sword technique itself, but a special secret sword that treats this moving process as a secret sword as well. I was the worst at this, but now........the awakened me could handle it. I can see it. Surely they can perceive me, but they can''t perceive me. They are right in front of me, but the more they see my moving form, the more they fall into its trap. And this is even if he has the Twilight Sight, the Twilight Sight, he will be confused by its presence. I can see it. But I can''t see it. The one who creates that contradiction is this Kuusemiemi. Then I stepped in between the two and swung this sword as if to sever the neck. Bota, blah, blah, blah, blah, and blood dripped on the ground. This was definitely a fatal wound. He couldn''t use the other secret swords while activating the Kuusemi, but it was still good. But as expected of a demon. He was going to pop his neck, but it was avoided and it was like tearing his kesa. But that doesn''t change the fact that it''s a fatal wound. The other party doesn''t remove me from their line of sight, but they jiggle backwards to try to get some distance. I know it. Once they enter my territory, I''m certain that I will lose. ''''........I won''t miss. Of course, we''ll close the distance soon. You can get it. This time I''m going to pop that head off. "I won''t let you do it........ The demon unleashes a single flash of purple electricity. I duck it and swing my sword as if to pierce the brain. This time I''m not swinging it right across, but vertically, swinging the Shiuden Flash. At this speed, the opponent of the quicksilver........ A counterattack. Our swords stabbed each other in the gut. I thought I had ducked perfectly, but it followed my movements to the end. And so we are blown backwards as we roll on the spot. ''''Hah ... hah ... hah ... hah ... hah ... hah ...'''' Had he lost too much blood? Especially in the beginning, perhaps due to the effect of having his left arm popped off, there was not enough blood. No matter how much he awakened and reached the outer realm of humanity, there is no such thing as the ability to generate blood on the spot. It''s only for a moment, but my vision blurs and begins to blur. There''s not enough blood. Perhaps any more fighting will result in full-blown death. Then let''s decide on the end, this is the end. Literally, the last, by the secret sword of the end. Although it had been taught by the Major, he couldn''t handle it completely either. No, it was surely this secret sword that even successive Oborozuki Night swordsmen were unable to handle. The theory, the theory, the body movements, all of them are in his head. However, this is a secret sword that was impossible for a human being to handle. I also thought it was impossible. The only person who could handle this would surely be my apprentice, Shelly-chan...........................that''s what I thought, but now I''m thinking. If it''s me now, who has overcome the Twilight Syndrome ¡¶Twilight Syndrome¡· and is on the outside of people.......I can handle it. ''''........'''' .... We look at each other and we look at ourselves. From here on out, it''s a battle against yourself. Of course, the one in front of you is a demon, but that is only a minor detail. This is a secret sword that can only be handled by those who have overcome their own existence and reached that point. I''m sure the other party is also thinking the same thing. This is the only way to settle this matter. The secret sword of the end... The words overlap. There is no stopping now. What lies ahead is a settlement. In a few seconds, one of us will be on the ground. But it''s not me. This demon will be defeated and I will win. --Major, you''ll see. I will prove with this that I have truly reached the highest swordsman of mankind. With Oborozuki Yoru-sama in place, they invaded each other''s engagement distance ¡¶Killing Range¡·. We unleashed our final secret sword. Oboro Tsukuyoru. "The sixteenth night. The positions of each other had been switched. A moment. A moment of intermingling. ''''........'''' He didn''t look back anymore. The same secret sword as this sword''s name. That was the final secret sword, the Oboro Moonlight Night. A secret sword that even the Major, who thought it could never reach, couldn''t handle. I activated it and defeated the demons. I heard a crashing sound behind me as I fell to the ground. He must have died. The response is still in my hand. You can''t even feel it anymore. But the usual sensation of cutting the opponent was still there. ''''Major, I........'''' I look up at the sky. I got my revenge. I overcame my disappointment back then, and then........I avenged the Major. The opponent''s magic element has already spread. I could tell that without even looking. Farewell, demon. You were strong. But I was even stronger. The resolve I carry is different. What I am carrying is the will of humanity until now. That is what has taken me to greater heights. I have surpassed the Twilight Syndrome, surpassed people, and reached beyond that. It''s a realm that even demons can''t reach. I''ve reached it, and I''ve achieved it. I was finally able to avenge the disgrace of ten years ago. --Major, I did it. I avenged you with my own hands. I''ve done it, Major. I tell him that he is no longer in this world. Tears were spilling out of my twin eyes. I don''t wipe them away, I just keep looking at the sky - this purple-black sky ruled by twilight. But then I suddenly think. Come to think of it........those last words the demon said. I had clearly thought that the demon would also use the same final secret sword. However, the last thing he fired was a completely different secret sword. Its trajectory was not something I knew about. So is there still a secret sword that I cannot know? The moment I wondered that, a strange change occurred in my body. ''''Ah........ha......?'''' Slowly, he looked down at his own body. There, the sword blade was dyed completely black, the demon''s sword........there it was. Earlier, there was nothing there. Even though there wasn''t, it was as if a sword was suddenly thrust into it. There was no sign of it. If the other party came closer, I would definitely know if it was me now. And yet, this body was pierced by the opponent''s magic sword. ''''Wha........how.......? He looks back. The other party is still laying there. But with a twitch, his fingertips move and he slowly begins to get up. I, on the other hand, didn''t even have the energy to draw the sword that was pierced. I had already exhausted everything. I was on the edge. Any more blood loss was a matter of life and death. Yet, the bleeding that was flowing out of my chest never stopped. "Bertina Wright. You''re brilliant. You truly are the greatest swordsman in human history. Even more powerful than the founder of this secret weapon I met one hundred and fifty years ago. But there was more to the sword than just what you know. No... no... what... what... what... what... what... what... what... what... With my body in a wide open position, I stared at the heavens and vomited more blood. I clutched the Oborozukiyo, but I no longer had enough strength left to fight. Then, as the demon slowly approaches, he pulls out his sword from my chest. More fresh blood overflows. But there was no way for me to stop it anymore. ''''Demon sword, the sixteenth night [Izayoi]. No way...? That''s right. This is the counterpart to the secret sword. Originally, it was one, but it was split into two and the final secret sword was created in two. Even if the original base is the same, the places are different. If you had arrived at this realm five years earlier, it would have been me there. But you lost. You will meekly accept your defeat. "Wow, I''m... --Losing?¡¡I''m going to lose?¡¡I''m going to die here, I am. With no end to the vengeance?¡¡What expression should I give the Major? What have I fought for, until this day? I tried to get up with the last of my strength, clawing at the ground as hard as I could... but it was no longer working. My nails peeled off, but I didn''t feel the pain anymore. It was just like being in a warm slumber. Gradually my vision began to blur. It was like falling into darkness, being sucked into the abyss of the world. ''I respect you, swordsman rotting in the twilight, I respect you. Farewell, greatest swordsman of mankind. With that announcement, I heard a rough sound, and then the footsteps continued to move away. Fortunately, or perhaps I dared to, I still had Oboro Gekiya clutched in my right hand. I don''t know why I didn''t take it away.......but I have to take this over.......like the Major at that time......I''ll take it over....... -- Sensei! An auditory hallucination. It comes just as I''m thinking about her. But it didn''t seem to be an auditory hallucination. "Sir, get a grip!¡¡I''m still fine! It was Sherry who came to us. I was glad to have her, my beloved apprentice, in this last moment of her life. --Oh. Oh, I see. So the Major must have felt like this too. It makes sense. A fact that I know as I approach the age of the major. And so I tell him. My last, the last words I will leave behind in this world and my thoughts. 137-Episode 137: The tears and fresh blood melt into the rain Colonel Bertina Wright we''ve lost all contact with you. .... --I can''t believe it. That bell is going to die?¡¡No way, no way. Leanne thought about that as she stared at the monitor. Belle''s death was not among her assumptions. Although the operations command already knew that she had come into contact with a demon, they didn''t know how the battle was going to go. -- Could it be that Belle had lost? This was the worst possible assumption that crossed my brain. The opponent''s magic element was so powerful that it could be perceived even from here. But I didn''t even think that Belle would lose. That was because Liane believed in Belle with all her heart. No matter how powerful her enemies were, she always fought them off and came back alive. Always after she returned, smiling and smiling, Belle would pat Riane''s head. ''''Belle, welcome back.'''' I''m home and I''m back. ''I''m baking a cake today. And I''ve also prepared a cup of tea that Belle likes to drink. "...that''s very exciting. ''''Hmm........I''ll be ready to go. I can remember such an exchange as if it was only yesterday. This was how Liane used to labor after an important mission. I didn''t expect that.....................to come to an end here. ''''What''s the demon''s reaction?'''' ''He''s still alive. He looks pretty worn out, but... What about the nearest demon?¡¡Are there any special class anti-magicians who can move? I''ve just received a transmission from Major Reese. What was it? Lieutenant Colonel Curtis and Major Amis have both gone to the scene. From what we''ve been able to see on the monitors, we believe they''ve already made contact with the enemy. I see. Our instructions are-- I could hear them exchanging such exchanges. The supreme commander, the Marshal, had already made his next move, assuming that Bell was defeated and dead. Liane just listened to such a situation in a daze. The operations command center was in a hectic situation. The rest of the squad was also busy dealing with the demons right now. And since Julia had destroyed the target, it seems that there are numerous demons overflowing out of control. But the operation was equal to a success. The main goal is the destruction of the Ancient Scorpion, the Ancient Scorpion [Ancient Scorpion]. Now that this has been accomplished, it''s no exaggeration to say that the earth has returned to the hands of humanity once again. In the meantime, Riane also has a job to do as a commander. There is certainly work to be done. I understand. I know that. Riane was firmly aware of that. "......... But she couldn''t move. She could see the people here working hard. She could hear them changing the content of the mission and organizing the information that was being communicated. Everyone else was fighting for humanity like this, but she was powerless to do anything about it. I was helpless. Nothing, nothing I could do. I wanted to run to Belle right now. That''s what I wanted to do. But that was not going to happen. With barely any reason left, Riane bound herself to the spot. And so Riane just stood there, stunned. ¡ó .... "...doctor?¡¡What''s going on?¡¡It''s a little early to go to bed, isn''t it? .... ''........Sensei!¡¡Doctor!¡¡I''m still fine! .... She shook her body. Shelly didn''t understand what she was ranting about anymore. Right now, she is just doing everything she can to try to regain Bell''s consciousness. She''s already on artificial respiration, and she''s already doing heart massage. But as Belle spun what seemed to be her last words, she drew a breath of air as she clattered out of her body. Earlier, the strength was still in her hands. But now, it was hanging slackly. ''''........Sensei!¡¡Sensei, I''m just saying...! Still, Shelley continues to scream. I know. I know. There is already no human consciousness left in this world as Bertina Wright. All that remains here is a mere wreck of unconsciousness. Nevertheless, Shelly had not yet given up hope of her final days. No, that''s ... not strictly speaking. Shelly just doesn''t want to face that reality. She doesn''t want to admit it. Stronger than anyone else, it was unacceptable that her own teacher, stronger than anyone else, would die here.............in the middle of the road. ''''Sensei.......what''s wrong?¡¡Not yet ... not yet ... the doctor ... I begin to admit it gradually. There is already no strength in his body. And its twin eyes, which are open, have completely dilated pupils. There are definitions of death: cessation of breathing and pulse, dilated pupils, and, in addition, a state of brain death. Of those, Bell certainly meets one of them. And then Shelley goes on to place a fearful hand on Bell''s neck. It wasn''t there. Her pulse has stopped completely. No more ... never more ... beating pulses. It''s still warm. The body has a fever, but it''s clear. It''s dead. Shelly recognized it and brought her own hands, both stained with Belle''s blood, to her face. Gradually, as the trembling in her body grew louder and louder, Shelly understood. Belle was already........dead, she said. ''''Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.... Ahhhhhhhh! Lamentation. There was no way to know where these emotions went. It was just that Shelly was controlled by every emotion. Why, why did this happen? Why did Belle have to die? What had she done? But such questions were meaningless. Belle died because she was weak. That clear fact gouges Shelley''s heart more than anything else. Besides, when she looked at Belle again, she saw that her left arm was missing there, her kesa had been torn clean off, and there was even a penetrating scar on her belly. The blood flowing from there is still warm. Sherry recognized the warmth of that blood touching her knees, but she also mourned Belle''s death. At the same time, it begins to rain, as if this world is also mourning. Pots, pots, pots, pots, and pots of it all at once gaining momentum, is it a manifestation of her wailing in this world? Sherry was catching the rain. --kill. That demon who killed the teacher will be killed at any cost! Although the wailing was certainly in his heart, it was pure rage that dominated Shelly. Sherry, who has become a vengeful demon, stands up from the spot with ease. You''ll be able to use the sword that was given to you by Belle back into your waistband and stand up dazedly. What do you see in their eyes? What do you see in their eyes, and what do you think about as you wield the sword? --I''m going to kill him. I''m going to kill him. I''m going to kill him. I''ll kill him! Controlled by the murderous urge, Shelly pulled out Oborozuki Yoru and poured over the earth with the momentum and with the emotion. Right now, Yulia is fighting that demon. But I wasn''t aware of such a thing, even though it was in my eyes. Right now, I just ignored even the fighting Yulia and unconsciously decided that I needed to clear this hatred from my mind. ''Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! And so they entered the engagement range ¡¶Killing Range¡· but.......Shelley''s attack was too monotonous. Even though he had intervened between the two of them, he didn''t play any tricks and just rushed into them without a care in the world. Of course, it wasn''t Alfred who would miss the opening. He was definitely in a state of exhaustion from the deadly battle with Belle just now, and also from dealing with Julia. But even so, he was still a high-ranking demon. He also takes into account Yulia''s movements, just pointing the magic sword, the cutting edge of the sixteenth night, directly at Shelly''s face as he rushed in. ''''Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! A scream. It cleanly slit her right eye lengthwise. The fact that she just plunged into it in a low stance was avenging. As Shelly held her slit right eye in place, a kick came next, blasting her backwards. She rolls around in a rumble, unable to get a good passive strike. But that attack is not Alfred''s. It was .........Julia''s. ''Get out of the way!¡¡Stay back! I heard such an angry voice. This is the first time I''ve seen Yulia shouting loudly, but when I hear those words I realize............... --I see.........I''m only in the way now.......... Controlled by emotions, Shelly can''t even wield a sword properly. She was only a hindrance. And so Shelly slid and rolled on the ground that had been turned to mush by the rain, and then, for whatever reason.................she came back to Belle''s corpse. Shelly didn''t care about her muddy military uniform, she just looked up to the heavens, holding her right eye down. The blood flowing out of it would never stop. But that was fine. I know that this is my punishment for being miserable, miserable and stupid. Just going into it emotionally and out of desperation will not be an enemy. The enemy is the one who slaughtered that bell. There''s no way they can win with this mental state. ''''........'''' Shelley remembered that one of the things Bell had taught her was the concept of mind and body. It was that only when the mind and body were in unison would a sword technique show its true value. Right now, Shelly didn''t have enough heart. Just a child who ramped up without a care in the world. Recognizing that this is who she is now, Shelly puts her hand on Belle''s corpse at her side. The rain never stops. It seems to keep swinging endlessly, and it melts and mixes with the tears flowing from Shelly''s left eye and the fresh blood flowing from her right eye. I look up at the sky again. This world, even if it rains, has an uninterrupted purple-black light. The twilight light that falls endlessly and the wailing rain. Sherry, while being struck by them, says these words. ''''Sensei ... I ... I ... am ... still weak ... still weak ... but I will surely, surely ... fulfill ... this vengeance ... surely ...'''' Vows. I won''t be weak anymore. I will do this. I will make this vengeance my own. And with this scar on her right eye, Shelly makes it happen. She will be stronger and stronger to fulfill her vow. She said she would continue to fight to surpass Belle and to defeat the demon who had defeated her. To never let Belle''s death be in vain--. 138-Episode 138: Engrave this heartwarming heart The moment we walked out of the basement, me and Shelly witnessed the moment Mr. Bell sank into a pool of blood. We didn''t need any words from each other. Shelly immediately ran to Belle-san''s side and I went towards the other demon. ''''Gu........d*mn it! .... I couldn''t help but complain. Mr. Bell was defeated, and here I am, fighting an opponent who is not very decisive. His opponent is wounded. That much is clear from the wounds on his body. It''s probably the proof that Belle had risked her life to fight. That''s why I have to take over the fight. This demon I''m going to kill it here. Earlier, Shelly interfered, but once she became that emotional, it was no longer possible to have a proper battle. It''s precisely because I judged it impossible to follow this battle that I angrily kicked Shelly away. I''m sure she knows what that means. That''s how the demon relative to you, but she is completely focused on defense. There is no glimpse of a will to attack. The only thing that exists is the indomitable will to defend oneself. I exploded the Multiple Knives multitasking dagger in a "burst" and also activated the Invisible Blade using both feet as the starting point. With this number of hands, if it were an ordinary demon, the battle should have ended immediately. However, as expected from the victory over Belle-san, she is able to see through all of my attacks and maintain a proper distance. Not too close, not too far, but just the right amount of distance between them, they were receiving my continuous attacks. --Lack of a decisive move!¡¡d*mn it, I''m going to have to use it! I have an ability that I haven''t used yet, but that''s partly because I''m tired from the battle with the Ancient Scorpion, the Ancient Scorpion, and I''m not sure if I''ll be able to keep it completely under control. And so when I was slightly lost, a demon appeared out of nowhere to catch my sword strike. ''''.........Huh. It was in the nick of time, wasn''t it? Alfred-san. Hahhhhhhhhhhhh thank you, Auriel. By the looks of it, did you do it? ...Oh. I killed Bertina Wright. ''Great!¡¡This is the biggest war effort of all!¡¡Well. Now we just have to go home. While catching my attack with a ward or something, the demon called Auriel smiles at me fearlessly. ''''Uriah Curtis-san. It''s nice to meet you. I am the Holy Twelve Apostles, fourth in the hierarchy. My name is Aurir. Shut up! Oh, well, it''s rough... though I can see why you can''t maintain your normalcy after having your friends killed... What''s going on?¡¡This warding in front of me. It should not be strong. But it is impossible to break it. I thought it was specialized in physics and tried to activate the area diffusion, but nothing changed. I was only left in a daze, screaming in front of this ward. ''''Well then, we''ll take our leave now.'''' ...Wait! Hmm. I''m sure we''ll see each other again. Besides, you guys have reclaimed this part of the twilight land. You should be proud of yourselves. Now, if you''ll excuse me... As they bowed reverently, the two demons disappeared as it was, due to the magic of transference. Again. I missed it again. I don''t know what is going on with the magic of the demons. Even with this Twilight Sight, there are things that even this Twilight Sight cannot capture. I am once again aware that this world is much larger than I thought it was. And even though we were killed by a special class antimagician, just like before, there is no damage on the other side. We are advancing. Indeed, by defeating the Ancient Scorpion, the Ancient Scorpion, the Ancient Scorpion, we may have been able to regain part of this twilight land. Surely, with the success of the operation, the Warding City will spring up. Because after the defeat of the Human Demon War, we were finally able to move forward. Yes, that''s right. The mission was a success. We were able to defeat the target, and the rest of the demons would soon be finished hunting. It was a success. It was a success........but....... But it was built on a solid sacrifice. It was a success, but there was no pride in it........ "......... The rain pours down. It gains momentum and in no time at all this body is drenched. It''s just so pathetic. After all, a number of lives had fallen out of my hands. I couldn''t save them. I awakened my ability as a demon, and I reached the rank of Special Class Anti-Magician Zero. But somewhere in the back of my mind, I wonder if I wasn''t proud of that fact. I am strong. And the other special class antagonists are also strong. So I thought that I would be fine, but that was just optimism. I am unable to face reality. Indeed, if it was me until now, I wouldn''t have been able to overrun the Ancient Scorpion ¡¶Encendent Scorpion¡· like that by myself. I''m growing, and I''m getting stronger. I''m proud of that.......but no matter how strong I am, there will always be lives that fall out of my hands. I''m not sure I understand that this is a matter of course. "......... I look up to the heavens. The world is still ruled by twilight, a red-black, purple-black light. How much further have we gone?¡¡Surely that........would only be a small part of the way to reach the blue sky. And yet, we have lost the strongest swordsman in humanity, and we have already lost the other opponents. For all that they have gained, they have lost too much. I''m not going to be able to believe that the noblest and strongest of them all is going to be defeated, but I''m going to catch it in my vision. The figure that has been reduced to a corpse has been caught in my vision. And then I see Shelley, who is crying as she snuggles up to the corpse. Seeing her with tears flowing from her left eye and fresh blood flowing from her right eye, my heart is also controlled by a pain that seems to constrict me. ''''........'''' I head there in silence. On the way I found an arm that had been severed. As I was deploying the Twilight Sight, I immediately recognized it as Belle''s. Then I picked up that arm and proceeded to walk away. The sound of the rain no longer makes it difficult to hear the sounds around me. Even so, I tell her clearly. I tell him this reality in all its glory. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make it work. The demons escaped, but we have reclaimed this land... .... Let''s go home. Let''s go home. .... ''Mr. Bell is already....dead....Shelly.... Hey Julia. Yes. ...the doctor was ... strong, wasn''t he? .... How should I respond? Shelly snuggles up to its corpse and then turns her eyes to cling to me. ''He was strong. Mr. Bell was strong. It''s easy to say those words. And I know that Shelly wants those words. But it''s only comforting. What I need to do now is not to feel sorry for Shelly and share her pain. This is not the time for us to lick the same wounds and then immerse ourselves in wailing while the two of us, just the two of us, are left in this place. What is needed now is the will to stand up. Tears flow from her left eye, and fresh blood from her right eye, which has been neatly severed vertically, Shelly. Perhaps it is surely human nature to look at her and say a kind word to her. But I can''t let her stop here. In order not to let Belle-san''s death be in vain. "...Belle-san was weak. ................. That''s why we lost. You know that, don''t you?¡¡He lost because he was weaker than that demon. Mr. Bell was weak. He wasn''t strong. That''s not true! There''s no denying it. That''s what Miss Bell''s body in there proves, isn''t it? "...Why, why do you say that?¡¡Julia doesn''t like the teacher...? Your eyes tell you that you can''t believe I would say that. I can''t believe you would say that. I wondered why she didn''t share my feelings. She said it so eloquently. But I firmly deny it. What we need now is not emotion. It is not sadness. It is not wailing. What we need now is the will to look at reality and stand up for ourselves. "...I loved you. It''s not just me. Everyone, everyone loved Belle. But a defeat is a defeat. And that''s what happened to me when my left arm was cut off and I ended up dead. .... ''Shelly, you know what I mean.¡¡That demon was stronger than Mr. Bell. It''s true that Mr. Bell was a strong demon. But that was in the human race. He wasn''t even close to the higher-ranked mages. That''s... that''s the reality. The rain was pouring down on us like an overturned bucket. It seemed to express our sadness. I don''t want to talk about this, either. I don''t want to have to face this cruel reality. I don''t want to say the beautiful things that Shelly wants me to say. I also want to lick the wounds that are deeply engraved in each other''s hearts. But this is not something that can be allowed. That''s what a counter-magician is. We are especially special class anti-magicians. We are not allowed to stand still. We have to keep moving forward, overcoming the deaths of our friends. No matter how much pain we have to go through to do so. The only thing we can do is to keep going.... I understand!¡¡I know!¡¡Sensei, you''ve lost!¡¡Because I''m weak, I''m weaker than that demon!¡¡That''s why we lost!¡¡I know that!¡¡I know I know but hey, Julia I''m not going to be able to... What should I do? I don''t know anything anymore. I know how she feels. The tears that flow incessantly tell the true story of her emotions. And that''s why I''m going to tell her about the path we''re going to take. I''m going to tell you where we''re going. I walk over to Shelly and kneel down on my knees and hug her tightly. We''re already too wet for each other, but that doesn''t matter anymore. I just wanted her to know this warmth. ''....Sherry. Let''s move on. Let''s continue to walk on, all the way until we are free of this twilight. We can''t be allowed to stop. I''m sure Ms. Bell feels the same way. She left us in charge of her and she''s gone. ''Yeah...'' We have to... prove... that those words were not a lie... by ourselves... and we have to prove it... by ourselves... Oh yes of course. We will fight for Ms. Bell, too. I''ll bear her death in mind as we move forward.... Yes....yes...yes...! .... And so we hugged each other for a while, wailing. I''ll never forget what happened today........ 139-Episode 139 Lianes perspective 4: There is no more beloved woman than anyone The operation was a success. The operations command center sprang up when such reports came in. Everyone was in an uproar. And so it would be. Because we had not been able to move forward in the old fashioned way for so long. And now, here we are, reclaiming the land in our hands. All of the remaining demons have been hunted down, and the demons are coming back one by one. They''re already coming back, they''re getting excited. It was clear from the voices outside. But it wasn''t like there were zero casualties this time. It was less than ten percent of the total, but there were still counter-magicians who died. And I stared in dismay at the names in that list of deaths. Bertina Wright. That''s what the list shows. No matter how many times I looked at it, I kept staring at it, even though it was never going to change. ''''.........'''' It seems that Julia and Sherry have confirmed the death. They are in the middle of bringing Belle''s body over here now, it seems. I was stunned to hear such a report. I just couldn''t believe it. I won''t believe it until I see it with my own eyes. Belle will come back. Yes, he will. This must have been done in order to surprise me. At all, Belle is a bad person for doing this kind of mischief at the time of such an important mission. I''ll have to scold her when she comes back. As I was thinking about that, Julia and the others seemed to have returned. At that moment, the noise around us quiets down. It''s as if the clamor of the past was a lie, the air in the place quiets down. I immediately left the Operations Command Center. Of course, this was to help Belle who had returned. "....Bell? When I walked outside, I saw Yulia and Shelly walking slowly toward me. I could already catch them in my vision. But it was........somewhat melancholy. Even the other anti-magicians could sense it, and they were completely silent. Shelly is holding a large stick-shaped object wrapped in some kind of cloth. And there is a large cloth wrapped around her right eye, which is stained crimson. Perhaps he had an injury to his eye? And the left eye was red and swollen, as if it had been rubbed repeatedly. It was the same for Yulia-san as well. His twin eyes were dyed bright red. It was immediately obvious that it wasn''t deploying the Twilight Sight, the twilight eye. Both of them had tears in their eyes. That too, to the point of withering away. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have left a mark like that. On Julia''s back, such as it was, was a human being the same size as him. I know that figure better than anyone else. It''s Belle. Belle had returned. I break into a smile and run to the spot with a tata. It''s still drizzling, but it doesn''t matter. I can''t wait to say welcome back to Belle now. ''''Belle I''m not going to welcome you back! .... It''s good to see you. You''re back in one piece this time. .... "Hey, Belle. Why don''t we have some cake together, as usual?¡¡I''m making a chestnut cake this time, okay?¡¡I told you before, didn''t I? .... Hey, Belle, are you asleep?¡¡What''s going on? .... I continue to talk to Belle on Julia''s back. At the same time, I realize. That there is nothing in the left arm sleeve of Belle''s military uniform. Her right hand is hanging slackly. But nothing is sticking out of the left sleeve. I glimpse more of it in my eyes. The cloth that Sherry was holding was wrapped around it, and then I could see the tips of people''s fingers. The worst possible assumption passes through my brain, but I dare to pretend not to see it. ''''Be.........Belle?¡¡Hey, what''s going on?¡¡Are you tired?¡¡Are you still sleeping?¡¡It''s about time you got off, Julia-san, since you''re probably heavy, shouldn''t you get off? .... Well, hey. Julia, you have to say something to Belle. Say something to Julia. What''s wrong? I had completely forgotten about the outside world now. I''d decided to call him Julia when it was just the two of us, but I''d call him out normally. Because that would make him look away from me. It''s as if he''s staring at something poorly. Poor, something? That must be..... No, it can''t be. I still call out to Belle, "Belle.... ''Belle ... hey, Belle,'' .... I shake its body. But it doesn''t respond. And a pitch-black lump sticks to my hand. What is this ... what is it?¡¡I didn''t think this was.... I knew. That the blood would coagulate over time and turn black. In other words, it''s Belle''s blood. We''ve got to do something to treat it, quick, quick! ''Julia!¡¡Get Bell in sickbay now!¡¡So much blood!¡¡And it''s turning black, so it looks like it''s been there for quite some time!¡¡Hurry........we have to go now! ...Princess Liane. "...what''s going on?¡¡With such a thoughtful expression on your face... Colonel Bertina Wright has been killed in action. We have already confirmed her death... ''Hmmm, such a vicious joke is so unlike you, Julia. Hey, don''t you think so too, Shelly? The doctor is dead. I have a will. ''Oh no. What are you talking about?¡¡What.... Sherry turned her bright red eyes to me and told me. ''Thank you for your help,'' she said. And this..... It was a pendant, already blackened, that I had given to her. It was the one I had given Belle just the other day. That blackness must be Belle''s blood. I received it with blood that was completely coagulated, and I received it trembling. ''''Ahhhhhhhh.........'''' No, no. Nope. Nope. No! - No. No! - No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! - No! No - no - no. That can''t be it. Belle is alive. There''s no way she''s dead. Because she''s promised to come back. She would never, ever, ever come back. She swore that she would come back alive and that they would open a cake shop together someday. How could Belle break her promise.................. ''''It''s a lie!¡¡Belle can''t be dead!¡¡That''s impossible!¡¡Don''t lie to me!¡¡Lies..................this is not true! I cried out without a care in the world. The tears overflowing from these eyes never stopped. I had heard the reports. But I wanted to believe it was a mistake. But this way, Belle on Julia-san''s back was like a real corpse. There was no warmth in that body. It had a cold body, like a person who had completely died. ''''.........Princess Liane, I understand your feelings.......but Belle-san was defeated by the demon. We have lost......... ''No!¡¡Belle is the greatest swordsman of mankind!¡¡There''s no way you can lose, right?¡¡Hey! I winced and backed away. I put my hands on my cheeks and wipe the tears away, but they never stop. It keeps flowing forever, and it shows. Yes, it''s already clear to me long ago. That gentle Belle is no longer........in this world. There''s no need to use the Extraordinary Ability ¡¶Extras¡·. There is no more........magic element in Belle. There''s no magic element, the foundation of life....no. ''''Ahhhh........................'''' I crumble to the spot. I''ve already figured it out. That it''s true that Belle is dead. I can''t see Belle anymore. I can''t talk to her alone, or ask her to pat me on the head, or eat the cake I made for her, anymore........it won''t happen. It won''t happen......... ''As for Belle........how was her end.........'' "...fought admirably. Mr. Bell has done his part. ''Well I see....'' I lie face down on the ground. Even if you do your best to do your part, if you die, it means nothing.............. --Belle why............... Now all you have to do is take her to the doctor''s office and let her go. And then you''ll take care of the rest you''ll take care of it. Okay. I bow my head and they make their way to the infirmary. I look up to the heavens. The rain is over and the light returns to this world. But it''s a red-black, twilight light. Bright, how bright, how far bright, purple-black light. My heart, on the other hand, is dark. I can''t see Belle anymore. No more ........I will never be able to meet her. When I recognized the death again, I broke down crying again. Unable to say goodbye, I just cried. It was as if all of the fluids in this body were going to come out as tears. --Hey, Belle. I don''t ... what am I going to do now? Without you, this world has no meaning. Hey, Belle. Tell me ... hey, Belle. Knowing that the question is meaningless now, I continued to cry on the spot, thinking about Belle. Until these tears dried up. 140-Episode 140 May her soul rest in peace-Please, peacefully The funeral service took place quickly. Once Mr. Bell''s body was sent for an autopsy, it was soon completed and three days later his body was in a coffin. All dressed in mourning attire and appearing in church. Mr. Bell''s funeral was quite a large gathering of people. Mainly it was a counter-magician, but it seems that there were quite a few people who were indebted to Mr. Bell. I was reminded of the fact that Ms. Bell had been involved with many antimagicians, even though I didn''t know it. And when I entered the church, the senior citizen was just in sight there. ''''Julia, aren''t you tired?'''' No, I''m especially.... thank you, sir, for dealing with the aftermath, etc. ''It''s fine. But as for Julia and Sherry it''s been hard on you. You saw it ... right in front of you, didn''t you? ''''....Yes. Because by the time I saw her, Belle-san had already been pierced by her opponent''s sword. But if I had only arrived a little earlier........ You know that there''s no point in making that kind of assumption, don''t you? ... yes. Of course. Everyone did their best. That''s why humans were able to reclaim the land of the twilight like this. That''s right. Our plan was a success. Now we''ve hunted down all the remaining monsters, and we can claim part of the Dusk Dangerous Area as our territory. The good news is going to be spread all over the Boundary City, and a big ceremony will be held. Of course, the special-grade antimagicians who played a leading role in this event will naturally attend, but before that, we went to Belle''s funeral. The air is heavy. There were tears and sniffles everywhere. He was loved by so many people. Though she was not a great talker, she was a caring person. It''s easy to see this in her relationship with Shelley and her relationship with Princess Liane. Looking back, I met Shelly when she was struggling with her fighting style. That''s when I met Belle-san, and Shelly ended up becoming a special class anti-magician. He passed on the secret sword to Shelly, and in doing so, left many things to us as well, and Belle-san departed. ''''Yulia-san........'''' Princess Liane... The one who appeared dressed in pitch black mourning clothes was Princess Liane. She was probably the one who was saddened by Belle''s death more than anyone else. It''s no secret that Belle and Princess Liane have a bond that''s stronger than family. But even though her eyes are still red and swollen, she has a clear and cheerful expression. I''d like to thank you very, very much for yesterday. Julia-san. No I''m very sorry for my rude behavior. No problem. I didn''t know I needed to do that much at the time. That''s very kind of you to say. Me and Princess Liane exchange those words with each other. And the older man next to me also looks away a bit. What happened yesterday? It takes me back in time a bit. ¡ó .... After returning to the Kekkai City, the antimagicians who participated in this operation were given a few days off. It is said that the other antagonists will take care of the maintenance of the various bases and the reclaimed land. Well, the special class anti-magician is responsible for conducting the battle. Now that it''s over, it''s also part of their job to rest their bodies well like this. In the midst of all this, I was in my room. Night. A time when there is no twilight light, and pitch-black darkness reigns. It has been two days since Mr. Bell died. Yes, two days have already passed. My tears had dried up when I had shed them with Sherry. I will no longer shed them in mourning for Belle''s death. But I still remember the days I spent with him. The days I spent with Mr. Bell. We didn''t know each other for very long, but the memories of our time together remain in my heart. I owe a lot to Mr. Bell. I will always remember that fact in my heart. We were in the same unit on this mission, and we were on the same front lines together. There are so many things I''m thinking about. There are so many. But we have to get over her death. That''s what it means to bear death. You can''t get caught up in other people''s deaths. Moving forward is the best thing we can do for humanity. "...which reminds me... I murmured as I lay on my back in bed with Bosori. I wonder how Princess Riane is doing. At that time, when she clearly recognized Belle-san''s body, she was crying. That''s exactly what she did, distraught in a way that she would never normally show it. I know that, but I left it alone. It''s not because I cared, but because I didn''t know what to say to her. Just as I was thinking about that, I heard a knock on the door. A bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, and a slightly reserved sound. I''m not sure if this is the case........so I opened the door and found Princess Liane there. But that''s not what you normally see. I''m surprised to hear the voice of the unbelievable outfit. ''''.........!¡¡What''s the matter with you?¡¡That outfit! .... I was startled, and he pushed me down, dragging me to the bed as it was. Above me was Princess Liane in a negligee. Her underwear was fully visible, her ample breasts, her bewitching legs, her hips, everything was visible. Judging from her appearance, it was easy to guess what she was going to do in the future. ''Yulia ... now shut up ... and ... put your body on top of mine ... with me ... right?¡¡You know what I mean...? There is no life in those eyes. There is no life in those words either. Just a ghost of her, she scrubs her completely untied hair and places her body on top of mine in that serene state. Her large breasts, and then her soft body, are pressed against me. What kind of man can resist being subjected to this? I''m one of the men, too. I have that kind of desire. I don''t think there is any man out there who wouldn''t take pleasure in being invited to do this by such an attractive woman. I don''t think so, but I was different. I was just sad. I felt sorry for Princess Liane, who was willing to give her innocence to the man closest to her to make up for her sadness at the loss of Miss Belle. Is the best thing for her to do in such a corner is to fulfill that request, to comfort each other and devour the pleasure of each other? No, no. That''s definitely not it. It would surely produce only ephemeral pleasures. The wounds that remain in each other''s hearts continue to remain, in a different way. It is not the pain of thinking about someone''s death continuously. It is only self-loathing for our own shameful selves. Beyond that, all that is left is the result of chronic pain, like a deep lingering poison, that is forever etched into the body. I don''t want that for me, and I don''t want it for her. Belle-san''s death shouldn''t be treated like that. ''''Julia........'''' .... The looming lips were already on the verge of making contact. But I firmly reject it. I''m not going to be able to get rid of them. You may think that she''s going to attack me. But it''s not. This is what I''m doing to dissuade her from doing so. It''s a little rough, but it can''t be helped. ''''........Kyah! "Princess Liane no, Liane. I apologize in advance, I''m sorry. ...What? The sound of a smack on her cheek with a thump echoed in the room. She put a lot of force into it, so her cheeks were dyed bright red. Just like her eyesight, they were bright red. She looked stunned and had an incredulous expression on her face. I don''t want to do this either. Violence against people is the worst thing you can do. I''m not sure how to justify this act. I am the worst. But I still want to tell you something. I have to tell her when she''s heartbroken. "Do you think this is going to be enough? "...because...because...because!¡¡I don''t have any more ... bells!¡¡He''s... gone!¡¡So don''t be afraid to cling to it!¡¡I don''t mind being swept away with you!¡¡Don''t we want to lick each other''s wounds and forget about the pleasure we''re going to get from each other!¡¡I can''t stand it!¡¡I can''t stand a world without Belle! That''s right. I can''t stand it. It''s why we flee from reality. "I know, I understand. But I''m going to say, "You know what? "I dare you to be harsh. "...Oh no, no, no, stop it, Yulia. Hey, aren''t you a nice person? Without pity for the tears that spill out, I confront Princess Liane with my frozen eyes with reality. ''Kind?¡¡I''m not trying to be nice. I will not be merciful to you. Stand up, Leanne. You''ve got those magnificent legs. Keep going, we can go ahead. No matter how much grief we have to go through, we have to go on. You and I are not just people anymore. It''s too much responsibility on our shoulders. We are not in a position to stand still for the deaths of a mere one, a few, a few hundred, or even an antimagician. Just one person?¡¡That''s how you feel about Belle''s death! "...yes. She''s only one of the humans who have ever died. No!¡¡No!¡¡Because ... because ... because ... because ... because ... because ... because ... because ... because ... because ... because ... because ... because ... because ... because ... because ... because ... because ... because ... because ... because ... because ... because ... because ... because ... because ... because .... I try to argue with her, but her voice gets quieter and her tears flow down endlessly. Seeing this, I feel my heart tighten. I don''t want to say anything about it either. I don''t want to be forced to confront the cruel reality of the situation. The same way I did with Shelly. And I want to say something nice. I want us to mourn Mr. Bell''s death and mourn each other. I can''t allow that. We have to move forward with a firm hand. We can''t let anyone else see us like this. Because that''s what we''ve become. "Liane. We''ll stand together. Mr. Bell is gone. But I''m here. The old man, Shelly, they''re all your friends. You''re my friend. We''ll fight, and we always will. Until we reach the blue sky at the end of the twilight. ''Oh no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no...'' "...I believe in you, Mr. Bell. I''m sure you''ll rise to the occasion. ''Oh no, I''m not ... I''m not ...'' I pull out a letter from my pocket. I found it when I was helping Belle sort out her things. You will be able to find a letter to each of the special class mages, as well as a suicide note to Princess Liane that was acknowledged. Of course I didn''t look through them. But in my will, it was written to me, asking me to take care of Princess Liane, and that she would need the support of those around her to help her stand up. I obeyed. Mr. Bell probably didn''t leave a suicide note with the expectation that he would die in this battle. But he left it just in case, and it will certainly be engraved in our hearts. ''....What is this? ''Well it''s a suicide note from Mr. Bell. I was wondering when I was going to give it to you, but you can look at it now. And know. Her last thoughts. .... Taking it, he opens the letter and begins to read it. Along the way, she puts her hand over her mouth and tries not to sob, but to no avail. Princess Riane bursts into more tears and sobs. Still, she read through it, until the end. Then she folded it up as if it were important and held the letter to her chest as if she were embracing it. ''Belle said ... that she believed ...'' Yes, sir. "........that even if Belle is gone, I will still be able to stand up. So ... he believes it. And that I will wait. Out of the blue sky ... waiting, he said. Yes. Ha ha ha....Belle is so overrated. You know all my weaknesses ... all of them ... how can you say such ... reckless things? You know what I mean. ©¤ You know that, because he has always believed that you can grow up and get back up again. I think that even in death, he still believes that you will be able to move on. I''m sure that Liane will be able to move on. Can I move on? Yes, sir. Can you do it right without Bell? I can do it. ''Yes ... yes ...'' Yes, sir. Absolutely, you''ll be fine. You are a strong person. You can recognize that weakness and move on. I will be there for you. So ... let''s move forward together. ''Yeah ... yeah ...'' Princess Leanne slowly hugs me. But it''s not desperation like before. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make it work. Ah. Weak. I was weak, and so was Princess Liane. I think it''s time to embrace that weakness and move on. You have to admit that you are weak and be strong. That''s exactly what I''ve learned from Belle. "...and... After hugging each other for a while, Princess Liane gently unclasps it and comes to me directly in front of me. She smiles at me, but her smile is no longer fading. I''m sure that grief will last forever. But for now, she has eyes that are convinced that she can swallow that sadness and move on........ ''''........Eh?'''' .... I couldn''t respond to that kiss. I wasn''t in love with him. Just dumbfounded, our lips met each other''s as they entered my consciousness. ''Yulia. I''m going to be ... strong, like Belle. ...I see. I''m sure you will become one. Was that kiss her vow? But seeing her will to stand up like this, I know. The will of Ms. Bell is indeed being carried on in everyone''s hearts. ¡ó Princess Riane left and I sensed that someone was at the door again. ''''........Senpai, is it?'''' Julia was Liane okay? Did you see that? I mean, it was on, exactly, but.... Well, I didn''t get a look inside. I heard the conversation. Well.... It''s fortunate that I''m not being watched, but how can I say it, many emotions were swirling inside me. Just then, my senior suggests something. ''Hey Yulia, why don''t we go and cool off a bit?'' Okay. We both stood side by side and walked out. That''s how we arrived at the observatory of this city. It was midnight now and no one was there, but it was very beautiful with the light of the stars shining lazily. It was the only view left in a world dominated by twilight, a view that hadn''t changed in the past. That''s what this night is all about. Gazing at the stars that shine with ease, I realize once again how beautiful this world is... but that''s only one side of it. The world is still ruled by the twilight. I''m sure Belle is watching us. I''m sure that somewhere on this planet, she''s following our path from this glorious sky. That''s what I wanted to believe. While I was lost in thought like that, the two of us walked forward together, and we stopped. I''m not going to be able to get a good idea of what I''m talking about. --I''m sure that''s what Senpai is talking about..... I had a premonition that this was the case. And so, after being silent for a while, he slowly begins to spin his words. ''''........Julia, I told you. I said that I''ll talk to you when I come back. Yes, sir. I expected him to say that. When this mission was over, he said, we''d have to talk. ''''Well that''s the story, I''ll extend it. Extension...? Yeah. "Yeah, not when we come back. When the blue sky comes back into the world, then I''ll tell you. The older woman stands in front of me. She holds my hand and brings it to her cheek, tears streaming down her face. I allow her to do the same and stare at her eyes as her tears flow out. I''ve never seen her cry before, and I''ve never seen her cry before. This is the first time I''ve seen her cry. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make the most of your time with us. But now, like this, she continues to shed those tears while holding my hand. Belle-san and Eira-senpai were good friends. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make the most of your time with us. She had seen such a scene many times. She must have been a very, very important person to him. I scoop up the tears that flow from my fingertips. I scoop up the tears that are flowing out of my fingertips, thinking of Belle. She has left us so, so many things. She didn''t do this because she thought it would stay in people''s hearts. She cared for the younger generation and continued to show us her magnificent back. Who doesn''t admire that back? Many of us have tried to become as noble as Mr. Bell, and we have fought to become that kind of wizard, thinking that we too would become that kind of wizard. Of course, that''s not the only motivation for fighting, but there''s no doubt that Belle-san is still in our hearts. I firmly engraved that will in my heart, grabbed both of my seniors'' hands firmly and replied, "....... ''''........I understand. I''ll keep fighting for Belle, too. Yes let''s fight. To reach the blue sky at the end of this twilight. ''Yeah...'' We squeezed her hand tightly. And so we mourn Belle''s death under the fullness of heaven. But we couldn''t shed any more tears for each other........ ¡ó Funeral. We place flowers on top of Ms. Bell in her coffin. Her face looked like she was sleeping peacefully. That''s what it looked like, as if she was going to get up soon.... But it never does. Belle-san was dead. ''''Belle-san........please be at peace. I say those words. Then many anti-magicians came and added flowers one after another. Of course, all of the special class antimaginists were there as well. Some were in tears, while others seemed to be trying to hold back something. Among them, there was only one person who lit up with a burning will. ''''Sensei I will make sure that my revenge is accomplished. So watch me. At the end of the blue sky........ It was Sherry. The tears must have long since dried up. Shelly''s eyes have a definite will in them but there was an eye patch in her right eye. The wound was inflicted by that demon, whose name is said to be Alfred, and that guy. The wound she received as a result of becoming emotional and rushing forward. It was one that completely severed the eye vertically, but apparently it will be completely restored to its original state. That''s because Shelly has the blood of the demon race in her body. ''For once, I have to thank you, this body...'' she said. And so Belle''s body is buried. It was carried out of the church, and while it was in the midst of numerous human tears, it was done in a rigorous manner. In the middle of my gaze, Shelly comes up to me and speaks to me. ''Julia.'' Shelly, how are you feeling? ''''It''s ... okay. More importantly, that demon, if you meet him, I want you to give him to me. You''re going to get your revenge. Yes. I''m taking over everything from you. All right. Thanks. Hey, Shelly. What? I wonder where Mr. Bell is now. I''m sure he''s waiting for you out in the blue. That''s what the doctor said in his last days. ''''Well yes. It must be so. I look up at the sky. There is only a purple-black sky reflected in it. No matter how many people are sacrificed, this much will never change. But even so, we will continue to fight until this twilight sky is changed into an endlessly clear blue sky. Even after death, let someone else take over that will. For the sake of our friends who died believing that someone else will accomplish this, I, for the sake of our friends who died, we will continue to move forward. And that someone else........will be us now. I hoped so--. 141-Episode 141: Gathering of Men .... The funeral was over. As I stared at the sky, I thought to myself, "I''m sure Mr. Bell is waiting for me. Mr. Bell was surely waiting for me. I''m sure he''ll be waiting for me beyond this twilight. And with that, I''m going to leave this place. I have no more plans after this. The rest of the day I plan to go back to my room and read a book I''ve been reading. However, I am surrounded by familiar faces. ''''What''s going on, folks?'''' Hey, Julia. You''re a big deal this time. Mr. Roy. I don''t want to... What, no need for modesty?¡¡We all recognize your accomplishments, you know. ''''........I see. But I......... ''Huh ... totally, that''s why you''re so uptight. And now, I''m going out for a drink. Follow me. .... I''m not in the mood for that, so I''ll say no. I tried to say that, but the person who followed up with that was unexpected. ''''Yulia-kun. It''s fine for a bit. How about it? Mr. Derrick.... The current members are the men of the special forces. Me, Roy, Derrick, Gil, Leo, and Johan. I know that Roy-san likes to drink, so it''s only natural that I invite him to join us. And Johan-san also seems to like to drink. These two guys are surprisingly strong drinkers and are well known in the area. The other two, Gil, Leo and Derrick, don''t seem to be the same, but... when I think about it, I still only know the superficial aspects of them all. We talked about it on a previous trip, and we didn''t talk about it that much in subsequent operations because of the different squads. We''ve met face to face at Ops Command, but that''s about it. ........Come to think of it, maybe I''m more involved with women. Due to the composition of the squad, it''s inevitable that I''ll be with a female special class anti-magician....... And while I was thinking about that, Derrick-san continued to say more words. ''''We didn''t have a social gathering for Yulia-kun, you know. Could it be that kind of event for a rookie special class antagonist? No, I don''t. ...What? I''m just kidding. I''m taking you out. As I say this, I hear everyone laughing behind me. Hey, what''s that?¡¡What the hell is going on here? Earlier, they all had a dark look on their faces. That too. Among the special class anti-magicians, Belle-san, who was the second oldest person after Gil-san, had passed away. She was also the strongest swordsman in humanity. And yet, everyone''s expressions are somewhat cheerful. It''s just a matter of getting used to the fact that they switch back and forth so quickly. It''s true that I''ve come into contact with a lot of death in the past few months. But I am sure that those who are older than me, the wizards, have come into contact with even more death. I''m sure they''ve said goodbye to many of their friends. The probability of dying is quite low for a special-grade counter-magician due to their strength. There are things like Bell-san''s this time, but even so, it''s clear that ordinary antimagicians have a shorter life span. Is that why? Maybe they are used to this kind of thing. Besides, I don''t think it''s a good idea to disturb the harmony here. I was beginning to change my mind, thinking that since you''ve invited me, let''s go. I understand. I''m underage, so I can''t drink alcohol, but.... ''Fine, fine. It''s just the way things are in these situations. Yes, sir. As I tell him this, Roy raises his hands in a loud voice. He had already taken off his jacket and rolled up his shirt sleeves. It''s hard to believe that it''s after a funeral, but I thought it was still typical of Roy-san. ''Yes!¡¡I''ve got a place I''m renting out today, one of my favorites. Alright, let''s go, boys! "Oh! As soon as a mysterious match was made, they were going to have a drinking session with the men of the Special Class Counter-Magician as it was. ¡ó Master, are you ready? Roy. Yeah, I''m just getting ready to go. That''s impressive. So I want you to have a good time. It''s the most important day of your life, so... Yeah. I''ll take my chances. We slithered in and out of the room. There are six men in the special class vs. The space in this izakaya is obviously more than that, but even so, renting it out must be a special thing. The three of us line up at a table facing each other and immediately start ordering our drinks. Master, the usual six people. Yes. What?¡¡I''m underage! Oh?¡¡Can''t you drink my booze? ''''Yes.........isn''t that a power harassment....... ''I was already guzzling when I was your age, you know. Well, I guess we''ll be fine. Yeah, you sure you don''t want to do this, people? I glanced at everyone, but they didn''t seem to have any objections. ''''Well, if you want me to drink, I will, but...'''' And I reluctantly agreed. But I don''t want to be like Shelly, like last time, so I''ll weigh myself a little bit. I''m not going to be the same as Sherry, so I''ll weigh myself down a little bit. Well, it''s not a bad idea. At worst, I think it''s theoretically possible to dissipate alcohol with magic. And so comes the liquor in the mug. It contained a lot of foam and was a yellow colored liquor. I don''t know much about it, but barley fizz?¡¡Apparently. All right, you''ve got everybody?¡¡Well then..... "Hooray! Following in the footsteps of those around me, I, too, lift my mug for now and make a toast. ''''........'''' I stare at it. The golden liquid shining in the air, making a sizzling sound, seemed to be inviting me to join it. Normally, I would have said no, or perhaps I would have said no, even here, in a firm manner. But now it''s different. I was still........somewhat sentimental. It''s a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you''re going to do with it. --You''re not going to be able to get a good deal more than just a few minutes. --If only I had defeated the Ancient Scorpion, the Ancient Scorpion, earlier and gone to Mr. Bell''s side. --If only I had moved faster ... and more seriously when moving with Shelly. Such an assumption had been passing through me the whole time during the funeral. And of course he knew. That such assumptions were meaningless and useless to think about. Still, I can''t help but think about it. There must have been a way to avoid that death. But, as the saying goes, "Regret is not the first thing to go," and that''s just thinking backwards from the outcome. Because time is irreversible and it can never be rewound. So, at least for today........I wanted to get away from the thought of such an impossible task. And so I put my hand on the liquor. "Puh-uh........ It didn''t taste good. It never felt good. But somehow it was pleasant. This bitterness on the tongue and the sensation of alcohol passing down your throat. It''s hot. It wasn''t burning hot, but I thought its throat could best be described as hot. ''Oh, Julia. You''re a good drinker.'' ''Mr. Gil is this good?¡¡I''m not sure I''m the right person to... Well, I don''t hate it. When I was younger I didn''t appreciate the taste of it but now it''s essential. Well.... Will I be old enough to appreciate the taste of this sake someday? I''m only 15 years old, and I can''t predict what will happen in 10 years, 20 years, or even 30 years from now. There is a possibility that I will die halfway through my life. Just like Ms. Bell, that is..... But for now, let''s enjoy the bittersweetness of this. That may be one of the things I can do as a survivor. Now, then. Do you want to talk about the example? Oh. Mr. Roy, that''s very nice. I don''t like it. Leo''s pretty talkative when he''s drunk. You''re the one who''s amazing, but... And then everyone starts buzzing around. What the hell is going to happen? Instantly, all eyes were on me. The one who opened his mouth among them was Roy. ''Hey Julia. You, who''s the real deal?¡¡Is that Eira?¡¡Sherry?¡¡Or.........Eve in a big hole?¡¡You''re a popular guy. So who are you going to pick? ...What? As we all grinned and laughed, the first time in our lives that kind of topic of conversation would begin. 142-Episode 142: Drunk Night ''Well what does that... what do you mean by that?'' What?¡¡Are you just going to come in here and play dumb?¡¡I know, I know, you''re in good company with a special-grade anti-magician woman. Huh. When Roy-san sighs, everyone else looks blatantly disappointed as well. --Eh, I.........did I do something bad....... ''''Don''t you feel anything at all?'''' Well, I''m sure they''re very close. You''re not actually messing with anyone, are you? No, no, no. Did you see that?¡¡This guy obviously looked away! Roy starts to make a lot of noise about it. It looks like it''s already completely made up, and it''s a great deal of fun. I''m a little fed up with it, and then Derrick-san speaks to me. "So, Uriah. Who is that person? ''No it''s nothing special! Did you kiss her?¡¡Or have you already ... held her? No, no, it''s just... it''s not that bad. "Oh but I think I''ve got something... I don''t feel so good about the stares. Yeah. Very, very uncomfortable. But I know very well that I''m not the only one who can leave the room now. Tonight is rude. So, should I also be prepared to do so? It''s a good idea to have a good idea of how to measure the distance between you and the opposite s*x, or rather, I don''t know that much about it either. It may be a wise choice to boldly ask and get some lessons here. I gulped down the remaining peach of liquor as I gulped down the remainder and decided to talk to him about the matter. The truth is..... "Actually? Everyone''s voices overlapped. They seemed to be curious, or maybe they were leaning forward a bit.......but I didn''t care and spun the words. I''m not going to be able to say that I''m not going to be able to do that. On the cheek, though. Hugh. You''ve already got that hard-ass Eira, man. I''m surprised, too. I didn''t know you were Eira. "Leo was right. I thought it was Sherry too, but I didn''t expect it to be Eira-chan. Wow, that''s amazing, Yulia-kun. ''I''m surprised as well... I thought Eira was a stiff...'' Hmmm........that''s quite interesting. Roy, Leo, Johan, Gil, and Derrick all expressed their impressions so verbally. Well, well, I can certainly understand the impression that the senior is a stiff. And there''s a bit of a sting in there too. Anyway, let''s get back to the topic at hand. What should I do from now on? But he said that he has something important to talk about when the blue sky returns to this world. --that might be a possibility. ''But Yulia-kun, didn''t you and Eve seem to be having fun walking together in town before the mission? Johan''s chase. It was an unexpected word from an unexpected place. --Them, I was definitely with him, but that was not the kind of guy.... ''Really?¡¡That wonder girl is a captive audience!¡¡How popular do you think you are, Yulia! ''Oh you''re walking happily with that Eve... hey, that''s great. --Why did you tell me that.... What can I say, it''s probably too late. It''s not surprising that someone is in that town. And it''s also possible that someone saw me and Eve together. But I never imagined that this would be pursued in a place like this. And Johan-san''s pursuit continues. ''''No, I only met Eve-san by chance in town, but...'''' ''No, no, no, Eve was laughing so hard.¡¡He rarely smiles.¡¡Especially in front of the opposite s*x. I think Julia-kun is special~ ''It''s just that... well, he happened to be in a good mood that day...'' Hmm. I happen to be in a good mood, hey... hmm. -- or, I want to go home.... Why am I being questioned so much? It''s a good idea to get some advice about the opposite s*x, but it turned out to be an interrogation, and all the people here are older. They are all older people who should be considered in their own way. That''s why I was perplexed. I wondered if I would be asked more unpleasant questions in the future. ''So, who do you want in the end?'' Gil''s crane call. It permeates the surroundings and everyone stares at me again. ''''No, I mean... I''m not quite sure who I''d like to be... my first love isn''t quite there yet either...'''' ''Huh!¡¡You don''t have a first love?¡¡What kind of life do you have to live to not be interested in a woman like that!¡¡Don''t you get lucky! I''m in luck!¡¡And, but, you know, I''m not really sure. Hmm my recommendation would be Sherry. Well Mr. Roy, what do you mean by that? No, he''s very stunted. If you like big breasts, Shelly would be your choice. If you''re looking for balance, Eve?¡¡If you''re into toddler bodies, it''s Eira. What?¡¡You''re going to get killed!¡¡Eira-senpai, I''m surprisingly concerned about you! ''Hahaha!¡¡It''s a private party today, okay?¡¡Nobody''s listening but us!¡¡Gahahaha! Roy, he was badly drunk. At this time, he thought he heard a buzzing sound outside, but it was just his imagination. Yes, it was in his imagination. Yeah......... But still, how is it to choose a woman based on such physical characteristics? ''''Yuria-kun, you seem to be troubled. Mr. Derrick.... ''I think you''re thinking, what would it be like to choose a woman with a body like that...?'' ''''Uh ... well ... yes ...'''' People and s*x are inseparable. No matter how much we say we like these women, there will always be some subconscious influence. Even if we don''t like a woman with large breasts, we are still instinctively attracted to them. I don''t think we need to be that nervous about it, though. ''''Well, if you put it that way, I feel sorry for you...'''' Haha, Yulia-kun is still a very kind person. I can''t help myself in this one, haha. I did my best to smile bitterly at him. ''Speaking of which, what about my daughter?¡¡Aren''t we close? Is this about Sophia? Yeah. Charming, isn''t it? Well, I mean, I think so, but... What?¡¡Are you trying to get to Sophia? Gil-san''s gaze, which was directed at me with a guillotine, was filled with a clear intent to kill. This is the attitude that I''ve been talking to him about. I''m puzzled, but I respond to him again, who is drunk. ''''No, I mean........I''m not aiming for Sophia, okay? ''What!¡¡Are you saying my daughter isn''t attractive?! ''Awwww!¡¡What do you want me to do? As expected, I''ve reached the end of my patience as well.......I hope you''ll forgive me for my tone of voice. That''s how troublesome it is to deal with this now. "Haha, Gil-san is always like this when he''s drunk, you know. Julia-kun, give up... "As a father, I''m worried about my daughter. But I can''t just give her away. I can''t believe how hard it is to be a parent. He follows up on that, but I''m the one who''s entangled right now. I''m hoping that he will somehow manage to follow up on me further, but.... As we were talking about my topic, naturally, Roy-san began to murmur with eyes that seemed to be staring into the distance. ''I wonder what Belle is doing right now........... .... There was no one to answer those words. That''s right. Today was the day of Mr. Bell''s funeral. Even though I tried to focus on the brightest topic possible, it was a path that had to be passed. Where was Belle-san now.......where was she? That consciousness of hers is no longer in this world. Nor do I know it. She knows that there is no such thing as heaven or hell. Of course, that''s the devil''s proof, but if I had to wish for it, I would want Belle to go to heaven. There is no other antimagician who has done so much for humanity. And so we remember Belle. 143-Episode 143 Think About Her "Belle, you know........she was an amazing woman........ Mr. Roy begins to speak, looking somewhere in the distance. We watched in silence. When I first met her, I didn''t like her, I thought she was disgusting. "The first time I met her, I thought she was unpleasant, and I thought she was a pain in the ass. Then, you know, I challenged her to a duel and, well, you know... lost. Can you believe it?¡¡An insecure, whispering woman like that is the greatest swordsman in human history. I had my doubts. I thought it was just overrated. But Belle was different. But not Belle. I''m not that familiar with Roy''s relationship with Belle, but I thought that from Roy''s character, the fact that he had been defeated by Belle must have lingered in the back of his mind. ''From that point on, I challenged that guy to a duel many, many times. It''s a very good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. Was the demon who defeated Belle strong? ''''Yes. Among the higher level demons, I think I''m pretty high up in terms of sword skills alone. When I fought, I was pretty much burdened by the battle with Belle-san, but...'''' Yeah. Belle lost because she was weaker than that guy........I know......I know...... Roy''s face had already turned bright red, as if the alcohol had already turned completely around. Then tears spilled out of his twin eyes. The others were also watching the momentum of the pota, pota, pota, pota, and pota gain momentum, and the others were also watching in silence. I knew the others were in tears at the funeral. But Mr. Roy was the only one who had a tense look on his face and had been holding it in for a long time. The sadness, the tears. It was his own pride. Maybe it was Roy-san''s own pride. Even though he had become a mere corpse in front of Ms. Bell, he couldn''t cry in front of her. I selfishly guessed that. ''I liked Belle... so I thought that if I beat that guy, I would ask him to marry me... yes... that''s what I thought... but how could this happen... how could this happen... he wasn''t the greatest swordsman of humanity...?'' .... I was a little surprised by that sudden confession. But then I realized that Roy-san was in love with Bell-san.......... In the beginning, it may have been an acrimonious encounter. But as they continued their relationship for a long time, they must have been attracted to each other. I didn''t see Ms. Bell as a love interest, but I could understand it. Ms. Bell was a very attractive woman. Her appearance was a given, but she was a noble person in her own right. Many people must have been taken aback by the way she acted with ease. That''s why she was called the strongest swordsman in humanity, the Sword Princess, and loved by everyone. Even after she died, her memories remain. The memories that remain after death will surely torment us all. The wailing in sorrow will not be a one-time occurrence. It will remain forever. But that is why we can never forget that pain, because we have that burning wound. You can carry it on your back and fight it. And it''s not just the pain. We carry the will of our dead comrades on our shoulders. We are not alone. We have fought and will continue to fight against the will of the people who have died in the past. Surely the older we get, the more that happens. This is especially true of special-grade counter-magicians. The friends around them die. But I will survive. It was the successive generations of Special Class Counter-Magicians who had fought with such thoughts on their shoulders. And so, this time, Belle was not the one who carried the burden, but the one who was carried on her back. That''s right. It''s my turn to be the one to carry her on my back. What she has done so far, we will take over. That''s the strength of human beings. And after that, it was a festive occasion as Mr. Roy began to get even more excited. ''The damp atmosphere, stop, stop!¡¡I''m going to drink until morning today, yeah yeah! "Yeah! So I decided to let the mood take me there too. It''s good to open up to the world like this, even if it''s an occasional thing. It''s good to open up to the world like this. It''s not to be pessimistic or even optimistic, but to be realistic and face the reality in front of me and move forward. ¡ó ''''Oh...................'''' I put my hand against the wall and managed to hold it together so I wouldn''t throw up. No, I might have thrown up a little bit. It was now 3:30 am. I was supposed to go to an after-party, but I had to give up and go back to my room in the dormitory. I tried to dissipate the alcohol by magic, but I couldn''t use my magic well because I was drinking too deeply. Well, I thought at first that this kind of feeling wasn''t so bad at times. As you step out of the tavern, a cold breeze blows just right on your body, which has been burned by alcohol. As I walked around soaking in it, soaking myself in a bit of drunkenness, the feeling of vomiting came, and I managed to keep going as I walked dazedly. Still on a dizzy footing, I walked down a deserted street, illuminated by a streetlight. As I was doing so, I sensed a high-pitched voice coming from nearby. There was a small park there and I was in the middle of thinking about taking a break there. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a great deal more to say about it than you think. No.........scary. How scary is a swing set in the middle of the night? But inexplicably, however, it seemed familiar. When I looked closely at them, I saw that it was a group of special class anti-magicians. Of course, it''s not the men. It''s the women''s team. Sherry, Eira-senpai, Sheila-san, Eve-san, and Princess Liane, as well as Noah. Eve and Noah are in the sandbox building some kind of quite skilled sand castle, which has been elevated to an art form. On the other hand, Shelly, Senpai, Sheila and Princess Liane are laughing as they swing on the swings. No, can I say that''s laughing?¡¡It was obvious that he was acting weird. ''''Ahahahahahahahahahahaha! No, scary. How can you get so much laughter just from peddling on a swing? I mean, Eve and Noah have been making up sandcastle details with dead eyes the whole time... did I perhaps warp to another world after getting drunk? .... As I watch the scene in a daze, Shelly shouts out loud. ''Ah!¡¡That''s Julia! Shelly comes running at a trot. She smiles and walks up to me, smiling, and hugs me in her arms. Her ample breasts are pressed against me, but I feel them. She reeks of alcohol. This one definitely drinks more than I do. When I looked, I saw a large number of cans discarded by a park bench. It was clearly alcohol. I know Sherry''s drinking habits. It''s a bit of a mixed drink. This is still a great way to get involved with someone. ''''Well, uh, well, you''ve got the wrong person...'''' Let''s go home. We mustn''t stay here. I''ve discovered this magical land in my imagination. Yes, it''s just a dream. That''s why I''m going home. I''m going home, I''m going home! ''Yulia ah hahaha, there are two Yulia''s!¡¡Hahaha! The next person to come in was a senior. No, it wasn''t just senpai. All of the people who were laughing like crazy on the swings earlier came up to me. ''Yulia''s here too, should we all get another drink?'' "Sansei! .... My night was not about to dawn yet........ Ho ho ho......... 144-Episode 144: Gathering of Women .... When the funeral was over, Shelley looked up at the sky. --I''m sure the doctor is waiting. Beyond this twilight, in the blue sky. Then I''ll just keep going. That''s right. I''ll do what I have to do for you. With that in mind again, she was about to head home when someone tapped her lightly on the shoulder. ''Sherry. Do you have time after this? Eira-senpai ... and the others. Yes. The people who were there were the special class anti-magicians. But it was only the women. Sheila, Eve, and Eira, as well as Liane and Noah. ''''I thought we could all have dinner together, you know? .... Pondering. Shelley was lost. She swore that she was going to accomplish her revenge for Belle''s sake. So even after this, she was thinking of training in order to get the Oboro Moonlight Night accustomed to her body. But........besides feeling bad about refusing Eira''s invitation, Shelly owed Riane a debt of gratitude. When she had given her will to Riane, she could have told her more gently to admonish her. It would have been better to have said it in a way that would have hurt her head on, but it would have been better. When I look at the current Liane, the area around her eyes is still lightly red, but she still has a somewhat sunny look to her face. It''s a change from that time.... Thinking that this was also a good opportunity, Shelly agreed to the proposal. ''''........I understand. I''ll go out with you.'''' ''Yay!¡¡Then we''ll all go together! Yay! When Sherry says this, Sheila and Noah react. Those two are the more diplomatic members of this group, while the rest of Shelly, Eira, Eve and Liane are more of an introvert. It''s also a nice balance in many ways, but the girls know. They know what alcohol is, and what it can do to you. ''This restaurant...'' As for the restaurant itself, Sheila had already booked it, and we were going to eat at a small restaurant in the city. It wasn''t private, but there were quite a few people there, and besides, she was flexible with a seat in the corner inside. The interior was not fancy, but it was classically appointed and that put the girls at ease. It hadn''t been long since Belle had died. That''s exactly why the funeral had just ended a few minutes ago. It was a place that reflected Sheila''s concern that a place that was too noisy would not be good. And what would you like to drink first?¡¡I''m a drinker, though? Incidentally, all members here, except Sheila and Eve, are underage. In the Kekkai City, the age of 18 or older is considered to be an adult. So, even if you are drinking, you have to be 18 years old or older. However, there are those who do not observe this rule, but........ ''''........I''m the same as Sheila. Eve also opted for alcohol. Hearing this, Shelly followed suit. ''So did I,'' ''What?¡¡Are you sure, Shelly? Yes. That''s how I feel today. Okay, okay. The store can''t serve alcohol to minors either, but the manager here and Sheila are on good terms with the manager and Sheila, and for once they gave us special accommodations. And so, while Noah had a soft drink, the rest of us, including Eira and Liane, chose the same one. This is how the women''s party started. ¡ó So, you know, Julia is just hitting on an elf lady... ''What?¡¡Senior!¡¡Is that true?! What?¡¡Sherry doesn''t know~ I don''t know! Well~ That''s what I mean~. That elf - I think it was Iris or something like that, but she''s just so d*mn beautiful. She''s almost as pretty as Liane. And he''s completely in love with Julia. I see. Julia-san is very popular, isn''t she? And Liane joins Eira and Sherry in their conversation. By the way, right now, Noah and Sheila are discussing a lot of things about magic together, as if they are compatible with each other. On the other hand, Eve, as usual, is quietly sipping her drink. Meanwhile, Eira, Shelly and Liane''s main topic of conversation is Yulia. It started with Eira''s complaint, but it unexpectedly became more exciting. ''Yulia, you know, she''s so nice to everyone, right?¡¡That''s why people get the wrong idea~ ''Oh!¡¡I can totally understand that!¡¡Julia is really nice to everyone! And you know what? He said he was going to give me a tour of the city when he was done with the mission. That''s a date, right? ''What?¡¡Isn''t this a date with all your might! ''A date........hmmm. Well, I don''t care who Yulia-san goes on a date with. I have nothing to do with it though! All of them are becoming more talkative, as if the alcohol has gone around for a good amount of time. Even though Riane would never normally behave like this, her comments are something funny. "Come to think of it.......wasn''t Eve shopping with Julia for something or other? A licking gaze descended on Eve. It wasn''t just Eira, of course, it was the three of them. ''''........! Even Eve, as expected, was afraid of that, and her body reacted with a jolt for a moment. ''''Nah, what.........'''' Don''t play dumb with me, okay?¡¡Shelly and I saw it loud and clear with our own eyes! That''s it!¡¡I saw it! ''''Heh, I didn''t expect Eve to do it either........Yulia-san really has a lot of heart.........'''' .... Scary. Eve thought. Her aptitude for alcohol is quite high. I''m not going to be able to get red in the face with that much alcohol, nor will I lose my mind. It''s because it''s that kind of person, I think. It''s quite a bizarre scene. To begin with, she is an introvert and is not moved by anything. It''s like she''s always in a daze. But this time it was different. Eira and Shelly are clearly drunk. Especially Shelly''s, whose speech is already in doubt. Moreover, there is something wrong with Liane as well. Although her face is not so red, but.......I don''t know where the focus of her eyes is. They are empty-eyed, but they are staring at Eve intently. The way all three of them changed, Eve was terrified. And inside she was thinking: "I don''t know what to do. --I want to go home, I want to go home! And. ¡ó ''Yes!¡¡Next time, we''ll go to the after-party... whoa! "Oh, no! Then, after Eve was jammed for a while, they had an after-party at another location. Of course, it was Sheila''s job to be the sounding board. And the place they were going to was a park. But the park was particularly special to Riane. It was a small park. It wasn''t very large, just a swing, a sandbox, and a slide. A place where children were sometimes present, but more often than not, it was deserted. But this was the place where Riane used to play with Belle when she was young. Even after Riane grew up, she would sometimes come here for a walk. So the girls would gather up a suitable alcoholic beverage and nibbles, and then head to the park late at night. The suggestion was Liane. ''I''d like to go to the place where I remember Belle and I,'' she said. ''Belle and I have been coming here often since we were little ... well, since ten years ago. I''m sure Belle has come back to this place too, perhaps. .... All of us staring at this park in silence. This place was a memory. A place full of memories that Riane and Belle shared. Riane knows that this is no longer the time to grieve all the time, either. That they are fine. That even if you are dead, they have the will to go on. That''s how I wanted to express it. And that''s surely what Belle would want. Belle didn''t want her death to stop her. In fact, she would have been more than happy to make a lot of noise while mourning her death...no doubt. And so they would drink more alcohol and then meet Yulia, who was donkeying, but that was another story. ''''.........'''' --Bells. I''m doing fine. So please, wait and see. I''m sure we''ll reach the end of that blue sky. With this in mind, Liane was also being carried away by the atmosphere of the place. 145-Episode 145: Maidens Manners Look at that. It''s amazing, isn''t it? Oh she''s quite pretty. But have you ever seen a girl like that before? You know what?¡¡But it''s cute. I''m sure of it! A pair of women were walking through the streets while the people around them were making a lot of noise. Among them, one woman was attracting the attention of the crowd. She was tall for a woman, with a straight back and a snappy walk that caught everyone''s attention. More than anything else, the biggest factor was her appearance. He was wearing a black and white outfit with lots of frilly decorations, which was considered gothic & Lolita, a rarity in the warded city. Moreover, her boots also matched it, with a black color and a braided one. But that wasn''t all. While her face looks just a bit tight for a woman, it fits nicely within the realm of beauty. You can see that she''s applying makeup, but it''s not heavy, and it''s clear that she''s doing it for purposes that enhance the material. Her skin is clear and her lips are blooming. Her lashes are long to begin with, and we can see that they are natural and not artificial, even if we look at her from the side. Her lashes are pointing upwards and they make her eyes shine as bright as ever. It''s perfect. If I had to describe it, it would be more accurate. She''s a bit taller and her shoulders are a bit stocky, but that''s not a problem. In the face of this beauty, it all comes to naught. This is not a big statement. This is a pure fact. ''''Hmm........Ah, you really are beautiful. .... The other woman smiles. Although she''s short, she''s wearing a white dress and there''s no doubt that this woman is beautiful too. Any normal woman would be put off by just having such a beautiful woman standing next to her. But no. The short woman...............................it''s Eira, but she looks up at the woman with an enraptured look. She is ecstatic. A passionate gaze, as if she was staring at the opposite s*x she loves. ''''........Senpai. Seriously, please stop looking at me like that. It makes me feel creepy........ Oh, come on! Hey, stop crossing your arms! We''re women, right? ''No, it''s like that''s the opposite of a problem... haha... well... it''s okay. By the way, Eira does not consume alcohol. It is this on the bare face. Eira is just getting excited and getting involved with Julia. ''Well. Let''s keep shopping! Yes. --I shouldn''t have asked............ Even if I regret that, it''s literally after the fact. How Yulia came to this, it goes back a few hours ago. ¡ó After Mr. Bell''s funeral was over, the next thing we counter-magicians would do was to participate in the parade. It''s a type of ceremony, but this time it would be better to describe it as a parade. It was a big event where all the people of the Kekkai City would be present. We''ve made certain sacrifices. It''s not just Mr. Bell. There were other demons who lost their lives in that battle. And while we lament it, the world is still in an uproar over the fact that we''ve reclaimed the land of the dusk. But that''s probably true, too: the first successful large-scale operation since we were driven to this polar region 150 years ago. We''ve also accomplished the feat of reclaiming a piece of the twilight land, we have. The people of the city do not know. Our people have died, and how much the demons are mourning over it. But that doesn''t mean we should force our feelings on them. That''s what we demons are. We act as heroes who have accomplished something in front of people. That''s what we are. I can''t go to the city. What am I going to do? I was in my own room in my quarters with my head in my hands. To tell the truth, I had just gone into town a few minutes ago. I hadn''t had curry in a while. I wanted to eat curry at my favorite restaurant, so I went into town... but as soon as people saw me, they surrounded me and made a big deal out of it. Sign me up, please!¡¡And. Shake my hand!¡¡And so on. That was already a lot of begging. No, let alone shaking hands, I didn''t have an autograph or anything... or so I thought at the time. After all, it seems that it''s already a known fact that I defeated the Ancient Scorpion, the Ancient Scorpion ¡¶Enchement Scorpion¡·. Thanks to that, I was able to regain the earth. Of course, I believe that this achievement was made possible by everyone''s cooperation, but people want a symbol that is easy to understand. That''s probably why I was given a white feather in my cap. Originally, I was originally a special class anti-magician zero rank and thought it was an easy to understand propaganda, but.......apparently I was naive in my perception. When I was surrounded by people who couldn''t move, I used my magic to leave the place. I''m not going to be able to get out of there, but I''m going to be able to get back in there. I''m not going to be able to get through with the magic, but I can''t just use it in the city. --What should I do? And for now, I''m going to leave the room and wander around the base. It''s a good idea to have a good time. It''s a good idea to be able to have a good time. Thank you.... Oh, it''s not Julia. But you''re kind of dull and sluggish. What''s going on? Actually.... Eira-senpai is very dependable. I judged that and asked for advice, but I hadn''t yet realized that this was the beginning. ''''Hmm. I see........ah! What''s going on? ''Oh, by the way you still have the one you used before. And there''s that one too... ''What?¡¡Did you perhaps have an odd idea? Yes, it''s a revolutionary, progressive, revolutionary, progressive idea. It''s a revolutionary, progressive, revolutionary, progressive idea. Huh, huh... but there''s some overlap in meaning...? Just follow me! Senpai...! You can count on me, Julia. I''m going to solve all your problems with Eira here! Quite simply, you can count on it! And I, being a dumbass, followed my senpai in a heap. I''m not going to be able to get a job. --It''s really a good thing that he is such a good person, that he works so hard for me. But that was, in a way, a complete misunderstanding, which I realized after I entered his room. ''''I''m sorry to bother you,'''' Have a seat there. Yes, sir. When I sat down on a chair by the table, what my senpai took out was a .......gothic loli costume. --I''m pretty sure that''s the one I wore when I was half tricked into dressing up as a woman by him before....... Hmm?¡¡Cross-dressing. Yes, cross-dressing. The possibilities that come into my brain. It is a beast of possibility. But I''m not in a hurry. I don''t have long hair, as I used to. No matter how much I try to fix it up, I can''t do anything about this dandy, wild, masculine haircut (subjective). ''''Huh...?'''' But that was a mistake. I am stunned. What the senior took out of the shelf further was the long white hair itself. Was it called a wig, as I recall?¡¡But why is that - and the shades match mine perfectly. And my seniors are taking out their makeup tools one after another. I understood. Senpai''s clever idea was to make me dress up as a woman. Yeah, let''s run away. It was a quick decision. It wasn''t a conscious decision. It was no longer a decision in the unconscious realm. ".... I silently and quickly stand up and head straight for the door....and slowly turn the doorknob. I sneak out of there so that they never find out. ''''Hm?¡¡Huh?¡¡It won''t open... and this is... It won''t open. For some reason, the door doesn''t open even though it''s not even locked. That made me feel uncomfortable, and I deployed the Twilight Sight. Then, there was a large scale ward in place. --I, when did it happen! And by the time I thought that all the preparations had been completed, the senior who had completed all the preparations smiled at me with a look like a demon that had seen its prey. In both of his hands, he was already holding a makeup tool, and furthermore, this ward was getting thicker and thicker. Even for me right now, it will take time to disarm this, and I can''t be rough with my seniors. In other words, the only option left for me is........ And the words I heard sometime ago are refrained without a single word being different. "Hmmm, Yulia. Let''s dress up, shall we? Oh, he''s dead. 146-Episode 146: Maiden Theory and His Surroundings Hey Julia!¡¡Hold still...! Yes..... So I gave up, and I was at the mercy of my seniors. I didn''t even understand what they were doing to me, but they were applying various things to my skin without me really understanding what they were doing. I could understand the foundation and blush, but I had no idea about the other techniques. When the process of the skin was finished, the senior seemed to move on to the eyes. Hmmm. I''m sure you have beautiful eyes. What, you want me to give you eyelashes? ''Yes. I didn''t touch it before, but I don''t want to compromise this time. I''ll do this one right, too. ...I see. -- compromise. I thought to myself, but it was no use. Once it came to this point, it was too late. The only thing left to do is to go with the flow. Then he took out something like a pair of scissors and tried to put it to my eyelashes. "Wait!¡¡Isn''t that a pair of scissors! This is a burler. It''s used to lift your eyelashes. ...Is that right? Yeah. So just stay put. .... When I sit still, he pinches it into my eyelashes and I feel a little bit of discomfort. After the process is done on both eyes, the next step is to apply eyeliner or something to my eyes. Then, after a while, my makeup is done. But that''s not all. This time they''re going to wear a wig and do your hair and makeup as well. --You''re not going to be able to find a way to get the best out of it. I''m a dress-up doll for my seniors. I''m resigned to this, but I obey obediently. ''Okay ............................The wig went easily. Then let''s wrap it up. Yes. The senior takes out a curling iron and curls my hair, technically a wig, around it. The length is a little above my chest. I guess it''s a little long for a semi-long haircut. Of course, the color is pure white to match the original color of my hair. I would like to ask him how in the world he got such a thing, but I don''t want to because I''m a bit of a snake. The theme this time is adult beauty, and they want to make the hair style mature as well. Are you dressed in gothic loli for a mature woman?¡¡I''d like to ask him, but this is another bush snake. And so the senpai carefully curls my hair. He scoops up the ends of my hair and takes them off with a dexterity, and then he applies heat to them to change their shape. According to him, hair is made of protein, so it deforms when it''s heated and forms when it cools. I don''t usually mess with my hair, so I don''t understand it at all, but that''s what my seniors told me enthusiastically. I had a new glimpse of a fashionable woman, and I really respect her efforts... but it would have been better if the subject hadn''t been me. Good. I''m feeling good. When he says that, he carefully applies the fragrance to the hair, which is only neatly curled at the ends, and also adds some oil to make the hair a little more manageable. It gives me a slightly wet feeling, which is just enough to be perceived as a stylish object rather than a filthy one. As it is, I end up wearing the gothic loli costume as before and long, braided boots. The older man is staring at me with glittering eyes. ''''Say........Here we go!¡¡Nice job, Julia!¡¡I''m starting to wonder about your gender at this point. Maybe you''re a woman? I''m a man, I''m a... Fed up, I stand in front of the figurehead. Yup. It''s hard for me to say, but this is completely female. There isn''t a trace of masculinity left in this person. I''m sure you''ll be able to see that I''m not the only one who has a perfectly feminine make-up on, and that my hair is lightly wavy and semi-long, just enough to hang over my chest. And a gothic loli outfit and long, braided, jet black boots. It''s a good thing that you''re not going to be able to find a way to get a good deal more than you''d like. ''''Okay!¡¡Then we can go to town on this one! ''That''s true, but ... are you going to town on this?¡¡Really? It''s not natural. Originally, we were talking about Julia wanting to get out of the house so she wouldn''t get caught outside. ''Well you remembered. I thought you were completely focused on messing with me. ''Well, I won''t deny that aspect of it. He replied while looking away from me. If it has become like this, there is no choice but to not go out to the city anymore, on the contrary. In fact, since we''ve gone this far, it would be better to leave. There is absolutely no way that someone will notice you. ''''Huh... well, let''s go for now, shall we? Yes! ¡ó Hmm..... "Senpai, I don''t want you to cross your arms, but I have the feeling that people on the street are staring at you... It''s okay. Don''t worry about that. No I''m being watched so much. ''That''s looking at Julia. She''s super beautiful. ''Really?¡¡Do you think the older generation is cute too?¡¡And that outfit looks good on you, too. "....!¡¡Really? ''Yes. I think it''s usually cute. Well, it''s my subjective opinion, so it may not be very helpful, but... Hmm. Oh yeah........she''s cute....... The senpai is walking next to me, curling his hair around his fingertips. Our destination is our favorite curry shop. In fact, the place is in an alleyway, in a less populated area. This is a place where people who love curry go. Meek people go to the restaurants in the middle of town, but that''s nonsense. If you want to eat curry, this is the place to go. "...come in. The manager''s hospitality is always blunt. But it''s actually quite pleasant. I take a seat at the counter, feeling that this is my home. There are only eight counter seats in this restaurant. And since the two back seats are empty, I continue on my way, but then I notice that there is a familiar face there. I realize that a familiar person is there. "Hey, isn''t that your senior? Eira?¡¡And... what?¡¡Is that Eira''s friend next to you? Yes. For some reason, Shelly and Princess Liane were there. I try not to look at the two of them and just take my seat. The current arrangement is Shelly, Princess Liane, seniors and me. I''m sure you''ll find it very interesting. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a great deal more than you think. I''m sure you''re not the only one. ''Well, I''ve got a few thoughts... and how are you doing?¡¡Eira, will you introduce me? Yes, sir. He''s dead. It would be strange to come here and not say anything. Besides, I''ve shown this appearance to Shelly before. This time it''s an extension of that, well.......it can''t be helped. By the way, I quickly finished my order. Of course, curry is the only choice. I''ve chosen dry curry among them today. Princess Liane, Cherie. Hi.........I''m Julia.......yes...... What? ''Oh!¡¡Julia, she''s doing it again! I turned to them and bowed my head in their direction. Seeing my appearance, Princess Liane was the one who took a bite out of me. ''''Eh!¡¡Wait!¡¡Oh, it''s really Julia!¡¡It''s not like a beautiful woman is imitating Julia''s voice or anything! "I''m afraid it''s real... yes... ''Yeah ... with quality this high, it''s really only a woman! How''s that?¡¡Julia, you are my creation, okay?¡¡Isn''t that great? Well Eira, I''m sure she''s great at producing, but I''d like to help her next time. Oh, so Liane has a nice mouth? Yeah. I''m kind of really inspired by it. Next time, this kind of flashy stuff is good, but maybe a neat and clean line would be good too. ''Neat! I''ve been thinking about doing it too, actually. What?¡¡Are you still going to do this one of mine! I''m not complaining. What, you got a problem with that? Well, that''s... You got a problem with that?¡¡Hey? ''Well ... well ...'' She gives me a tremendous look. I can''t get mad at her, and I''m forced to accept her words as they are. ".........no. Yes......... Good. And so my talk about cross-dressing got my seniors and Princess Liane excited. By the way, Shelly was scraping up her curry in a single-minded effort. I''m sure I''ll have to dress up as a woman again. I''m sure that I will have to dress as a woman again. 147-Episode 147: We Have No Wings .... Wake up. I wake up naturally. I look at the clock and see that the time is 5am. It''s a habit to get up at this time, no matter what the circumstances are. Even if someone you care about has passed away, there is no change in the habit. ...Okay. Sherry quickly gets up out of bed and starts to get ready as it is. First, she does some light stretching to loosen up. After that, she puts on her dark blue, silver-trimmed military uniform, then puts on her military shoes and heads straight for it, making a clattering noise. Beyond that was the training ground. It was already winter. When she exhaled, she turned white, so white that it was visible in the air. In this cold weather, and in the early morning, the temperature is well below 10 degrees. But that doesn''t stop Shelly from training herself. ''Sir. Good luck today. A bow. In that empty place, Shelly reverently bows. This place was originally exclusive to Belle. There is no rule as such, but it''s how it came about that Belle used this place so often that other antimagicians naturally gave it away and made it their own. Belle and Shelly often trained here. They had many sword fights and fights to improve each other''s skills. In the midst of it all, Shelly had a certain response. I''m not sure if I''ll ever be able to surpass my master, Belle. But that won''t happen forever. Because Belle is no longer........in this world. The funeral is over and now it''s a day off in preparation for the parade in a few days, but that doesn''t stop Shelly. She will get her revenge. That is Shelly''s will, which she swore to Belle. It burns, and it will never go away. That''s why she trains. It does its daily routine. Don''t expect your abilities to awaken conveniently or anything like that. Everything is an accumulation of yourself every day. It is true that Sherry has demon blood, and in terms of talent, it can be said that she is the best in the world. But ability is not limited to combat, but is determined by the proper intertwining of talent, effort and environment. That''s why she''s not proud of it. She will not be negligent. It''s all for Belle and for humanity. Shelly will build on that solid day by day. ''....haha, haha, haha. Rough breathing escapes her mouth. The demon sword, Oboro Tsukiyo. It was also a relic she received from Belle. Its performance was not understood by the current Shelly. It was just a sword with a good cutting ability. That is my current impression of it. But Sherry had sensed it. There was something about this magic sword. And it must be something that Belle left behind..... Believing that, Sherry finished her early morning training today. ''''Thank you.'''' Again, a bow. She does the gesture reverently, and then Sherry leaves without further ado. There will surely come a day when that will become a given, even without Belle. But for now........the loneliness of not having Belle still lingered inside Sherry. ¡ó ''What?¡¡Is that you, Miss Shelley? ''Dear Liane. It''s been a long time. Shelly bows her head with a smile. They happen to bump into each other in the base. Currently, Riane is not living in the royal castle, but in the quarters of the first ward city. According to her, she doesn''t want to take advantage of her circumstances just because she''s royalty. Of course, the rest of the royal family live in the castle and look at Liane with cold eyes. That was something she herself knew, but that was fine. Because Liane had made that choice herself, in order to continue to scorch the path Belle had taken, and to continue to scorch her footsteps in the future. ''Are you going to lunch, by any chance?'' ''Yes. Yes, but.... Then you''re welcome to join us. "...what?¡¡With me, sir? Yes. Sherry and I are fine. Okay. They were good friends with Belle. No, that''s not the right word. On the one hand, they were more than flesh and blood; on the other hand, they were mentors and students. The common denominator is that Belle was very important to both of them. On the other hand, Liane and Shelley are still not very close to each other. They have mutual acquaintances such as Julia and Eira, but they have never had a chance to talk to each other properly. Of course, Shelly agreed, but she was somewhat uneasy about it. That''s because Belle is inevitably too much on the brain. It was the same for Liane, but she tried to walk up to Shelly. Then she wouldn''t refuse to do so. And so the two of them walked to the city for lunch instead of the base''s cafeteria. ''Where are you going for lunch, Rhiane-sama?'' ''There''s a good curry place. It''s a little place in a back alley, but I''m sure Sherry will love it. ''''.......Curry? That''s the kind of place Julia would like. ''Do you like curry, Miss Julia?'' Yes. He always eats only curry in the cafeteria. He says he''s on a perfect diet or something. Haha, Yulia-san, you''re kind of an odd one, aren''t you? ''I agree with you on that. He''s not aware of it, though. We sit down at the counter, which has only eight seats, and place our orders. As we were chatting again, a group of two women arrived. It''s Eira and a cross-dressing Yulia, and from there, the four of them have a lot to talk about... but then they part ways again. Eira and Sherry ate their curry, while Sherry and Liane, who had finished their meal earlier, left the place. ''Sherry. I''d like to stop by, do you have a minute? I don''t have anything to offer you today, so I''m good. Shall we go then? Where are you going? The observation deck. Oh, there it is. They walked on again. From there, they were talking about Yulia''s cross-dressing earlier. As Riane talked excitedly about how she would like to produce like Eira herself one day.......they arrived. They came to that spot overlooking this city. ''''.........'''' .... A moment of silence. It''s not an awkward one, it''s a pause where Riane looks like she wants to say something but is still lost.... Sherry waits for it, and then Riane opens her mouth, ready to speak. ''About Belle....'' Yes, sir. ''Miss Shelley. You''re going to take over from Belle, aren''t you? ''Yes. I am your official successor. ''Well I have to admit, I''m jealous of you. Maybe it''s not the same as jealousy, but Sherry, you are able to stand in the same place and from the same perspective as Belle. Everything Belle felt and everything Belle knew, I am sure you will know from now on. In this way, you will become a beautiful swordswoman, just like Belle. Lady Liane. ''Liane, that''s fine. We''re the same age, and we''re royalty, but you don''t have to treat us special. Do you mind if I call you Sherry too? ''Yes ... no, yes. If Riane says so. ''Hey, Shelly. Are you going to avenge Belle? Of course I will. I''ll kill the demon myself. I want to kill the demon who killed Belle with my own hands. But I know it''s impossible. I''m not strong enough to fight a demon. So here........ What''s this? The pendant I gave to Belle. Can you take it? Okay, okay. Then Liane walks behind Shelly and stands a little taller to put that pendant around her neck. That''s exactly what she did to Belle before. Then Liane smiles at her as well, showing her that it''s around her own neck. ''We are both human beings who loved the same person. We know the same sorrow, the same anger, the same hatred. So I leave it to you. You must avenge Belle. For my sake and for Belle''s sake. ''''I''m going to make it happen. For Leanne''s sake, and for the teacher''s sake as well. Yeah. It''s nice to meet you, Shelly. I''ll take care of it, Liane. They held out their hands almost simultaneously. Then a spontaneous handshake is exchanged. Belle is no more. But what she left behind has certainly been passed on. In the two girls, forever--. 148-Episode 148 Maiden Survival Sheila! ''Whoa!¡¡What, what''s going on?! Bang!¡¡The door opened with a loud bang. It was Eira who barged into Sheila''s own room. Incidentally, Noah was also in Sheila''s room. The two of them may have hit it off after the usual drinking party, but they often play together like this.......or rather, they started chatting with each other. ''''Eira-san?¡¡Is there something wrong? I didn''t know Noah was there. Well, okay. So, you know the story? You know, Eira-chan, it''s a little abrupt. It doesn''t matter now. What matters is the parade. ''What?¡¡I know, but come on, what''s going on? There''s a party afterwards. Yes. There''s a dance there. So? Do you see a program in there that has Julia and Liane dancing? ''What?¡¡Really? Seriously. I just got the files. Eira said and spread a sheet of paper of material on the table. Then all three of them look at it with their faces peeking out. ''''Wow it''s true. But it can''t be helped, can it?¡¡It looks good when you''re the key player and princess in the success of this mission, and I''m sure people will agree. Well, that''s all you need to know. So what''s the rush, Eira? Liane has been acting weird lately. "...It''s not about Mr. Bell? No, I''m not. He doesn''t sound depressed. Yes, I''m somewhat feverish or buoyant. And with all that''s happened... What do you mean by that? Eira spoke. She didn''t want to eavesdrop, but Eira listened to the conversation between Julia and Liane. It referred to the day before the funeral, when Riane was completely desperate. From that conversation, Eira was concerned that Riane had developed special feelings for Julia. ''''Ah, that might be true. I''m sure you''re kind, Julia-kun, and.......if a girl said something so cool, she''d get a kick out of it. ''Yes. So, the thing is, I need to talk to you about it... but what do you think I should do? A moment of silence. Sheila ponders on this matter of quicksilver. Then, Noah also opened his mouth. "Is it possible that Eira-san is in love with Yulia-san? Yes. What are you complaining about? No, I just think they look great together. Shall I elaborate? Fiddling with her hair, Eira pretended as if she wasn''t interested in hearing more of the story. ''I was in the same squad and I thought, originally, we were lovers, I thought. Well, when I asked the other counter-magicians about it, they told me that they weren''t~. "...hmmm. How is it that we seem to be lovers? ''I don''t know what to call it. ''I don''t know, we''re in perfect synch, or maybe it''s because we''re both so natural when we''re talking.¡¡That''s just my subjective opinion. "Noah. You''re a very good boy. I''ll give you candy! Wow! And then, out of nowhere, Eira took out a candy and offered it to Noah. Of course, Noah didn''t mean to be flattered in a calculating way. It was a word to the point of purity. Because she knows that, Eira is in a good mood. ''''Eira-chan,'''' Come on, Sheila. ''Why don''t you get Eira screwed in there too?¡¡I mean, there''s more than just one dance partner, though, so I''m sure Eira will have a chance to do it. And from what I''ve seen of this, it looks like there will be others dancing after that. Really? Yeah. So, go ahead and ask him out. Well a woman has balls! ''Yes, it is!¡¡Me and Noah will support you too! What do I have to do? ''Of course! It''s the job of a counter-magician to support people''s love paths, right? ''Yes!¡¡Then I might as well go for it! Sheila lies openly, but what will happen to Eira? ¡ó Umm......... Riane morning is early. Official business now has a higher proportion of official business now, although the military has a higher priority than the official business of royalty. The mission was a success, and humanity had also taken a piece of the twilight land. The royals are also obligated to attend the parade, as are the counter-mages. Thinking about the arrangements and the content of their speeches, Liane has a lot of work to do now. ''''Bel........coffee.......I see.......'''' Riane is a weak morning person. That''s why she usually asked Belle, who was up first, to make her coffee...........................but she was no longer there. ''........Okay. But I was never pessimistic. Riane decided to live for Belle and move on. She knew that Belle would be sad if she had to worry about every single thing. You can also have a look at the following information ''Oh?¡¡Shelly, how did you get here? ''You''re going to the royal castle, Liane. I''ll follow you. Did he ask you to be his bodyguard?¡¡But I didn''t hear any such notice, but... ''I told you I''d take over for you. Now I''ll be your escort. Well, I can''t be with you all the time, but I''m going to try to be around you as much as possible when I have time...didn''t you like that? No. I''m very happy. I''ve never had any friends my own age. So I''m really happy just to be with Sherry. Well that''s fine but... I''m a little blunt because I''m embarrassed. Riane''s smile is attractive, even if she is of the same s*x. In front of that appearance, which transcends humanity as far as it can go, gender is irrelevant. But not only that, Shelley was genuinely embarrassed by Riane''s straightforward words. Because it wasn''t often that she was spoken to like that, face to face. And so, as they entered the royal castle together, Riane frowned slightly. Yes, because in front of her was the second princess of Grete. ''''Oh, Liane. It''s been a while.'''' Nice to see you, sister. Of course, he quickly puts a mask on his face so that he won''t realize it. Liane is smiling, but her eyes are not smiling. She assumes that Grete will poke her with something, but she still doesn''t feel good. ''''Operation, I''m glad to see that you succeeded, too. Yes. All the demons did their best. But well it looks like a sacrifice has been made... "...Sacrifices have to be made. That''s how dangerous the twilight world is. Well I heard that Belle, who was your caretaker, is dead. ''Belle has done her part. It was a sacrifice, but Belle''s will is ours to carry on. Hmm. Well, good luck with that. And how are you doing? Although she glared at Jirori, Sherry replied nonchalantly, not seeming to be bothered at all. ''''My name is Sherry Amis, a special class anti-magician. Lady Grate. ''''Oh, you''re the new Special Class Anti-Magician. You''re very young, by the way. I''m 15 years old, just like you, Lady Liane. ''Well!¡¡At 15 years old, you''re a special-grade anti-magician!¡¡Oh dear, oh dear. It''s called Julia Curtis, and it seems that there are more young special class anti-magicians these days. Grete is obviously deliberately surprised. She knows about Shelly, of course. Or rather, she''s been researching the special class anti-magician independently, so of course she knows about it. But I still don''t like it. Why is it that the more talented people go to Liane''s side? Even though she was jealous of her beauty alone, Grete was feeling pretty bad as she was also experiencing defeat in the inner meaning of the word. ''''Then, sister, please excuse me.'''' Riane bowed her head, and Shelly also behaved the same way, walking straight past Grete. Neither of them were children enough to understand the meaning of Grate''s gaze. 149-Chapter 149: Sightseeing ''Miss Julia. Have a nice day! Yeah, you''re welcome, too. Iris bows her head with a smile. It feels like it''s been a very long time since I''ve seen her, but it''s actually been about a week since I''ve seen her. Since then, the elves have regained their physical condition, and now they seem to be living in the village as normal... but there was another development. It was planned to hold a signing ceremony to coincide with this parredo, where they would officially begin to interact in front of the people. Even though they have regained a part of the land of dusk, it is still managed by an anti-magician and no ordinary people are planning to live there. In that situation, the elves were to use part of it. Since the current village is somewhat cramped, it is a form of expansion. That''s how some elves have come to the Boundary City for this signing ceremony. That was Iris. Although the parade is tomorrow, Iris, who had arrived early, seemed to have some time on her hands. When I found out that she was coming, I decided to ask her out. Then she agreed with a big smile on her face. She agreed with a big smile on her face, and that''s how things are going now. ''Well, thank you again. Thank you so much. And after all that happened, I never dreamed that I would ever be able to formally interact with human people... I''m really, really grateful. No need to be so awed. We''re doing what we deserve to do. Yes. Still, thank you. ''Haha Aries is a really nice girl. Good girl, huh? I guess so. I try to be, but... There is a slight air of silence. Aries lost his parents, and we also lost a friend. We are both aware of the pain of losing someone special. And that''s why we have to act stoutly. And we know that''s what we can do. Let''s go into town then. It''s only a short walk away. ''You can see a little bit of it from here, but it''s amazing ... really. The base here?¡¡I was also surprised at the scale of the thing called... Then the city might be more surprised. That will be fun! We walked side by side and continued on our way. ¡ó Wow, there are kind of a lot of people here. ''Yeah. But it''s the day before the parade now, so I guess it''s partly because there are so many of them. We come to the center of the city in the Central District. There are many shops on both sides of the street, and they seem to be busy preparing for tomorrow''s parade. It''s a big straight road, but there are a lot of people coming and going. By the way, Aries and I are walking around the city wearing hooded jackets. It has not yet been officially announced that elves are in the city, so it''s a measure. Well, as long as you hide your pointed ears, there''s not much difference in appearance between you and a normal human. It''s a good idea to make sure that you''re not going to have to worry about it. It''s a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. It''s a secret that I regretted that I should have used this instead of dressing as a woman. Everything is an experience. Let''s let that be a good thing for now........ I don''t even want to remember much. ''There are all kinds of shops.......what on earth do you have for sale?¡¡I don''t really understand the buying and selling of the human world... Well, it''s mainly the necessities, I guess. But now there''s more and more recreational stuff, and more and more places to eat, too. ''''Wow.........the human people are really amazing. The level of civilization is a bit too amazing. ''Haha, well, maybe. So, does Aries have any places he''d like to go? ''''Well... that stuffed animal over there?¡¡Isn''t it? I want to go to that restaurant. All right. Let''s go then. Yes! And we both tried to move forward side by side, but there were too many people to move forward. ''Aries, give me your hand.'' What...? I take her hand in mine and proceed to wade through the crowd as I go. If I continue as before, I''m sure I''ll get separated from her. That would be very dangerous. Even though she''s just a sneak attacker, if she, an elf, gets lost here, it could cause all sorts of problems. Besides, Iris would probably be worried too. That''s the reason for my action. Then when we arrived at the shop, I let go of my hand with a flash. ''''Oh... well, I mean! The crowds were huge. ''Yes, of course........yes. I know.......yes. She looked a little depressed, but she smiled widely as she picked up a plush toy in the store. ''Heh ... that''s amazing!¡¡I can''t believe it''s so elaborately crafted... ''We''re getting some production out of it now. I think it''s great, too. ''''Hmmm ... can I buy a few things?¡¡Oh, but I don''t have any money.... I''ll buy. ''No!¡¡It''s bad!¡¡I can''t believe they''re showing me around and even offering me money... ''I don''t mind. To be honest, I have a good salary, but I''ve been having trouble spending it. The only hobby is reading, and I have no other hobbies to spend money on. If I can use it for someone else, then I''m happy to do so. If you say so, though, that would be very helpful. Well, thank you very much. Aries bows her head with a smile. After all, she is a very nice person. She''s kind and considerate of others. I was impressed by her and bought the stuffed animal that Aries had chosen. ''Here you go,'' ''Oh!¡¡Thank you!¡¡I''ll treasure it for the rest of my life! That''s an exaggeration but well, it''s nice to have it last longer. Yes! Then we decided to go out to eat next. ''What... what is this?'' It''s a curry. Curry?¡¡I''ve heard of it, but it''s quite spicy. It smells very spicy. When we came to my favorite restaurant, we both ordered curry. Aries clears his throat and scoops up the curry with a spoon and eats it with a mouthful. ''''Hmm!¡¡Delicious!¡¡It must have been cooked for a long time with several different spices, plus vegetables and meat. You can see how many different ingredients are mixed together in this dish. But it never falls apart, and it''s all rolled into one. This is indeed delicious. And rice goes so well with this flavor!¡¡It''s a little spicy, but eating it with rice eases that... and then finally with water... yes!¡¡It''s perfect, this is perfect! Oh my god that''s a great food report. ''What?¡¡ Te........ For my part, I''m glad that Aries is aware of this quality. So let''s keep eating it! Yes! After that, they did not speak to each other. We just ate in unison. Scraping in the roux, adding more rice, swallowing them and resetting them with water. While the process was repeated, they ate it all. ''''Hmm ... the curry here is great.'''' ''It was delicious!¡¡I''d love to come back! Yeah. Let''s eat together again, shall we? Yay! This meal was also on the house. When it was time to pay the bill, the manager gave me the change, muttering "Thanks again..." at the end. That''s the professional in him. I liked his reticence. "I''ll be back again, manager. Okay. Then we left the shop. After that, we did some window shopping. We decided it wasn''t a good idea to ask them to spend any more money, so we looked around at various shops together. I was very happy to see Aries getting more and more excited each time. She was thinking about her death. Her family had died and she was cursed and treated like cattle. But now she is smiling. Even if we have lost something important, we can still laugh at each other. We are grateful for this trivial everyday life, and we continue on our way. ''Julia-san!¡¡Thank you so much for your time today! He bowed his head again. We were back in front of our quarters now, and we were just parting ways. ''It''s been fun over here too. Let''s go again if we get a chance. Yes! That smile was so beautiful. If I wish, I wish she could smile all the time. I thought so. 150-第150話 The parade has been held! The day has finally come. Yes, it''s the day of the parade. Officially, it''s a celebration of reclaiming the land of dusk and the signing ceremony with the elves, but that name doesn''t matter. It was simply a day to celebrate. That was enough. ''''Alright....'''' I get up out of bed and put on my military uniform. Then I put on my military boots and make sure I''m well groomed. I decided to do a little bit of work on my hair as well. I combed my hair with a comb as I went in front of the mirror, and from there I put a little oil that my seniors gave me in my hair to get my hair flowing. Honestly, I don''t think it would be any different than usual, but I still felt different. Today is the day of the parade. It''s a day to celebrate, so it''s okay to be a little buoyant at least. ''....I''m going to go... I said hello to the remains of my father and mother, now deceased, and left my room. ''Julia. You''re early. Shelly too. Is it just Shelly now? ''Yeah. Because I came right after my morning workout. I see. But I''m pretty sure it''s only half an hour before our meeting time which is a bit early. Yeah. Well, I''m glad Yulia is here. We''ll have time to kill. Haha, that''s good. The special class anti-magicians are supposed to gather in a conference room in the base, in case you''re wondering. There, after listening to the arrangements for today, of course I know beforehand, but just to make sure, I''m going to join the parade. I''m sure the city is going to be very active today since this morning. This is the first feat since the Warding City was born. Up until now, humanity had been occupied with protecting this inner world. There was no time to look outside. But we broke through that old status quo and reclaimed the land of the twilight, even if only in part. Of course, it wasn''t without casualties. Although it was quite a bit less than previous large-scale operations, it was still fresh in my mind that human lives had been scattered in the Land of Dusk. Bertina Light. An old special-grade anti-magician and swordswoman who was touted as the strongest swordsman in humanity. Her disappearance was a great loss to humanity. With the loss of two special-grade opponents in such a short period of time, it may seem like we''re being driven into a corner, but.......this is not the case. It is true that we are moving forward. That is the only fact that there is no doubt about it. The will of those who have died in that way has been passed on. I can see that in Sherry now. I don''t know if she is conscious of Belle-san, but the sight of her holding the magical sword Oboro Gekiya at her waist reminds me of Belle-san somehow. ''''Shelly, what about Oboro Tsukiyo?'''' Yeah. I''ve gotten used to swinging it. It was a bit heavy, but now I feel comfortable with it. Where''s the sword? ''Of course I''ve tried everything but...'' But?¡¡What''s going on? Do you know how many kinds of swords there are in all? Aren''t you ten? Eleven. What ... really? ''Yes. I had a faint glimpse of the doctor''s last moments, but that was the last secret sword. The Last Secret Sword, huh? Literally, the last secret sword...? ''Yes. I''ve had my teacher teach me the theory, but I don''t know how to handle it yet... yet. But I''m sure you''ve arrived at it. That final secret sword. But you still lost. And I''m going to beat him. I''m going to surpass you and your dagger. I''m going to make it to the other side. Yeah. I''m sure Shelly can do it. "Mmm-hmm. What''s going on? It reminded me of my old self, you know? ''....There was a time when you were struggling. But that was.... Yeah. It''s the same now. Even if my demon blood is awakened, I''m still a work in progress. I''m far from reaching perfection. No, I''m sure.......I may never be finished. Because I will continue to pursue my best and strongest self for a long time. I will never be satisfied with the status quo. Yeah. I wish I could be. We''re in this together, Julia. Yes. While such conversations were taking place, the special class anti-magicians came into the conference room one by one to confirm the arrangements for today. It was Princess Liane who gave the explanation. It seems that she is also working on our side of the table, even though she has official duties as a royalty, not as a soldier this time. I honestly admire her attitude. She may not have completely gotten over Belle''s death. But even so, the only thing that doesn''t change is that she''s moving forward. It''s okay to grieve, it''s okay to stop. You can stop and grieve, because each time you do, we can take another step. When I look at Princess Liane, she smiles back at me. I smile back at her with a smile. And so, at last, we''re ready for the parade. ¡ó ........wow. This.........is amazing, senpai. ''Yes. We''ve got a full military band here this time, and everyone in town seems to have done a lot of work on the decorations and stuff. I see.... We had come to a large main street running north and south in the city in the Central District. This time we were to proceed here, with a special class of anti-magicians leading the way. After that, he would make a speech in the auditorium. This was followed by a party at the royal castle with only the people involved, which was the arrangement for this time. I''m the first in the ranks of the special class anti-magicians, and I''m the first in the rank of zero. It''s a very good idea to have a good time. Go ahead. Yes..... There are a lot of people on either side. And in front of me, there is a straight line of parallel roads that goes on forever. There are usually so many people here that I never see this place so open. I step out of the room, drinking in the solemn atmosphere. The moment I step out, a musician starts playing. Then the people start to get rowdy. They scatter flowers and congratulate us on our feats. ''Thank you! Thank you for bringing the earth back to us! ''Kyah!¡¡Julia!¡¡Look at me~! ''Cute!¡¡I''m embarrassed~! And then various voices go up. I''m naturally not used to this kind of thing, so I wave back, a little embarrassed. I waved back, a little embarrassed, as I waved back, my boots clacking as we walked on. The people are all smiling. It was as if the gloomy atmosphere of a few months ago when we were attacked was a lie. People knew then. The peace in this warded city they were in was only temporary. Once you step outside, you are in the land of dusk. It is a ruthless land that has killed many humans. There are many people who were scared, trembling and terrified by it. But there is nowhere to run. That''s why we stood up. Led by a special class of anti-magicians, we have moved forward and achieved a feat that mankind has not achieved for 150 years. People spring up. It''s as if the world has been liberated from twilight. But that''s all right. You don''t need to know that world. The only person to stand in that ruthless, wailing land is the antagonist. People don''t know what happened to the witch who died. It may be knowledgeable, but it will fade into oblivion. That is the extent of their knowledge. That''s why we''ll remember them. We''ll remember that the wizards who died were in this world. It is because they were there that we were able to accomplish this. Let''s play in this parade with that in mind. It''s something that can be given away. For the sake of our dead comrades, let''s enjoy the happiness of this day. Hey Julia. What is it, sir? I''m glad we''ve been working so hard. Senpai.... When I looked closely, I saw that the senior was smiling smugly and shedding tears. But it''s not sadness. He was shedding tears of joy. My hard work up to this point has been rewarded. Nothing could make him happier than this. Special-grade anti-magicians are touched by many deaths. It''s not just me. My seniors and others also know about the deaths of their friends. Knowing this, tears well up in my eyes. ''Senpai, let''s keep up the good work. Let''s keep up the good work, seniors. Let''s make the world a place where people can''t stop smiling. Well.... And so we went on through this hustle and bustle, laughing. 151-Episode 151 Shall we dance? Since then, the triumphant return to Main Street was over, and we had next come to a large auditorium in this city. There, the General gave his speech and once again I had to say a few words. Well, I''ll skip that this time. However, I''m sure everyone was excited by my words. The next event was to be held at the castle. The next event was to be held at the royal castle, and the party was to begin. "......... I changed my outfit from a military uniform to a tuxedo. I''m not very good at this kind of dress, but I can''t help it. I''ve been told that this is the first time that Princess Liane and I will be the first to dance in the public eye. By the way, the people who will come to this party are of course the masters of magic, but also the top brass of the military, royalty and nobles. I can''t afford to expose my clumsy appearance. In fact, I''ve been practicing for a long time when it comes to dancing. Of course, it''s only for a short period of time so it''s a stopgap measure, but it''s still better than no practice. The person I asked to practice with was Princess Liane. She was busy with her military duties and official duties as a royal, but she found the little time she had to practice with me. I can''t thank her enough for that. ''....Good. Check your outfit in the sight. The clothes were perfect. And what a surprise, they''re going to do my hair and makeup for this dance. I headed to the bathroom in the castle and saw a woman there. I''m not sure if I''m right.¡¡Could it be Yulia-kun? "Yes, sir. Lieutenant Colonel Julia Curtis. Well, good to see you today! ''Oh dear, that''s very kind of you. I''m not... And after we introduced ourselves to each other, I was immediately asked to get my makeup done. That process is sadly familiar to me because of the cross-dressing thing, but this time the makeup was for men, not for women. Blush, eyeliner, and eyelashes are not raised with burlers or anything like that, but rather just applied foundation and kept to the extent of increasing the brightness of the skin. Also, she said she would apply a lightly colored lip balm to her lips. I heard that if you pull out the gloss for women, it will make your lips stand out. As a man, I''m going to make the most of the natural look of the material. Finally, I get my hair done. Once the hair is wet with a mist, I let it dry and form it into a shape. From there, I would lightly apply hair oil to the hair and set it up. This time, my hair was made with a boldly raised bangs. It''s called an up-bang. I''ve always left my bangs down, so this was something new to me. ''Okay!¡¡It''s perfect!¡¡Julia, the material is so good that it turned out great! Thank you. I bowed my head and left the place. Then I got in front of the party venue. It''s a very good idea to have a good time with your friends and family. The chandeliers on the ceiling illuminate the room, and the bright red carpet is laid out in a way that makes it shine. The table and all of the dishes were so luxurious that even a layman like me could tell at a glance. ''''Oh, it''s Julia, isn''t it?'''' ''Mr Roy, and Johan. Thank you for your hard work today. Ha-ha-ha. What do you mean by that? It''s just the beginning. That''s right. Julia-kun has a dance coming up later, right?¡¡Well, I''m counting on it. Well, yes. What?¡¡Are you nervous? Yeah, that''s one thing I''m nervous about! ''Oh, I see. Julia-kun isn''t used to this kind of party yet~. Well, Roy-san. It''s nice to be a youngster here, you know. ''Yes. You''re a bucket of strength, but these things are age appropriate. What a horrible thing to say. Well, he already enjoyed fruit wine, so he didn''t mind this kind of light talk. I don''t care about this kind of frivolous talk because I can''t take in the words of a drunkard. While we were chatting, the air in the room suddenly changed. The murmur is spreading like ripples on the water, and I look in the direction of everyone''s eyes. Then I look in the direction of everyone else. She smiles at her surroundings and walks forward in a leisurely manner. Her hair was pulled back in an updo, and although she had even more makeup than usual, I didn''t know if I should ever describe it as thick. She was just genuinely beautiful. It was like the beauty of this world had been pinned down. A beauty that looked as if it had been designed on purpose. The dress was also a bright red one with a bold open back. The heels were also quite high, which was completely different from her usual. ''''Yulia-san?¡¡How can I help you? ''''Oh...what?¡¡Um, well...! I was completely dumbfounded. So much so that I didn''t realize it until Princess Riane was right beside me. ''How am I today?'' I mean... The? They look great together! Hmm, what''s with that tone of voice? That''s not your usual tone of voice, is it? Because you''re so beautiful, I''m nervous... Is it that pretty? Yes! ''''Hmm. Well then, it was worth the effort. And as they were chatting together, the lights went down and only a light was lit in the center. ''Well, everyone. Let''s have an entertainment for today''s party. First, Uriah Curtis, who is the Zeroth rank in the order of special class anti-magician. Then, let''s get this party started with a dance by the Third Princess Liane. Now, the two of you, please. Derrick was the emcee of the event. His voice echoed through the room and I took her hand. ''Shall we go, Liane?'' You have to escort me, Julia. In a small voice, whispering only to each other, we go to the center of it. Then I take her hands and the music begins to play as we get into a position to dance. We''ve practiced it so many times already that my body remembers it. We begin to dance. We stepped into each other''s steps and let that body ride the music while flowing from side to side. It may be awkward, but I try my best. But I try my best. We dance, keeping our eyes fixed on Princess Liane''s eyes as we breathe in time with each other. ''Julia-san, you''re better than usual. Are you the type of person who can handle the show? Well maybe I do and it''s a relief that you''re managing to dance. Well, I knew you could do it. The music ended for a moment as we continued to dance, interspersed with these conversations. We let go of their hands and bowed reverently to the audience. Instantly, we were greeted by an overflow of applause. Then the others started to dance. Everyone danced in pairs to the music. ''Yu, Yulia!'' ...Senpai, is it? Yeah, why not? It''s beautiful. They look great together. ''Uh-oh!¡¡You think so? When I was wondering what I was going to do alone after I left Princess Riane, a senior citizen approached me with a tottering little footstep. I''ve always been walking along in a zigzagging manner, but today she seemed strangely wilted. He is looking up at me and curling his hair with his fingertips. It would be tactless to mumble words here. "Senpai. Will you dance with me, senpai? ...yes! She smiles at me like a single flower in the wilderness. I''m thrilled by her unusual smile, but I take her small hand in mine. We spin around. We continue to spin around in this place. We continue to dance through the night as if this world is spinning and rolling. When this is over, we will return to our daily lives. The everyday life of a counter-magician. It''s a battlefield. Although we have regained the land of dusk, it''s only part of it. We will continue to move forward. But for today let''s just forget about this one night. Let''s enjoy this small, happy moment. And we''ll keep turning in this world. 152-Episode 152: Sherrys perspective 1: One who inherits her will When I first saw the teacher, my impression was ''someone who doesn''t look confident''. I thought so. He had a faltering tone of voice and didn''t even make good eye contact. I had a certain amount of respect for him as a special class antimagician, but I wondered what he was like as a person... it was kind of natural to question him. But I found that perception to be naive. That human strength is not due to their personality. At first I was just genuinely surprised. Because Sensei''s swordsmanship was far beyond that of a human being. At least I couldn''t catch those sword fights. It''s a big world. I had been stagnant for a long time. Just then, I met Yulia, who returned to the Boundary City, and I learned of a strength beyond human understanding, but there was more to it than that. Bertina Light. Her sword fights had already reached the level of art. Sensei was the greatest swordsman in the history of mankind. There was no doubt about that but.......Sensei was never satisfied with his current self. This was right after I became his apprentice. ''Your teacher is really strong. I''m honestly surprised.... I''m not satisfied with my strength yet, you know? ''What?¡¡Is the doctor still not satisfied? ''''Yeah I don''t think I''m much of a master yet so...'''' Master, sir? ''''Yeah. My mentor was ... strong, very, very strong... Better than your current teacher? ''Yeah ... much ... stronger than I am now ...'' ''I see. It''s a big world. ''Well there''s still so much more in the world that we ... don''t know about ...'' If you''re still a work in progress, then I''m not quite there yet either. I''ll work harder. "...yeah. Good luck, Shelly. Yes! I can remember that conversation like it was yesterday. Sensei told me that I was still a work in progress. I kept following my master''s back, never being satisfied with my current strength, but continuing to pursue my own strength. I admired such a back. My goal was to become a teacher. I''ve been following her footsteps for a long time. Even though I awakened my ability as a demon race, I had yet to reach my teacher. That meant that Sensei''s strength was no longer outside the realm of humanity. My abilities as a demon race raised my basic physical abilities and even refined my Singularity Ability ¡¶Extras¡·. Nevertheless, my teacher''s back was far away. I longed for her to be far away, and I also wanted to be strong like her, and I wanted to be strong. But the reality was cruel. Sensei was defeated. He was defeated by a higher-ranking demon, and his life was scattered in the land of dusk. The strength of a demon that even that teacher couldn''t reach. It would surely be impossible for me to reach it now. I understood that even in that sword fight at that time. Even though I rushed in out of desperation, that skill of slicing through my right eye, even though I was exhausted from the fight with my teacher and also engaged with Julia, is certainly astounding. But just because I can''t reach it now doesn''t mean it won''t reach me forever. I''ll just have to work harder for when we meet again someday. I think we have talent, that''s for sure. But it''s an element we can''t see and can''t control. Then we just have to do what we can do. Just as the teacher has been doing all along, I''m going to.... ''Good morning, sir.'' As I get up and get ready, I greet my teacher''s picture. It''s a picture of him smiling with me, which is rare for a teacher. I bow reverently to it and leave. With a hazy moonlit night around my waist, I proceed to the training ground as usual, clinking my military boots. While certainly carrying on my teacher''s will--. ¡ó .... Since then, he had trained as usual and showered before heading to the royal castle. Today, he was to have an audience with Her Majesty the Queen. Of course, that''s not just an audience. It''s because Her Majesty has given me an imperial order that I am heading there. That imperial order is.......regarding the formation of the Special Class Counter-Magician. With the death of Sensei, the pecking order of the Special Class Counter-Magicians was to be renewed again. But it''s not the same as before. I said I was going to take over from my teacher. It was literally saying that I would take over everything from my teacher. Then it was also the pecking order I would take over. I''ve already spoken to the top brass and Liane. How will that come out this time........ ''''Good morning, senior. Sherry. Good morning. Eira-senpai is early, too. Yeah. You''re up a little early. Okay, let''s go. I met senior Eira in front of the royal castle. And so we stepped forward into the presence of His Majesty the Lady King. ''''Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming together. In a solemn atmosphere, Her Majesty opened her mouth. Currently, in addition to the special class anti-magicians, there are also people from the upper echelons of the military, mainly generals, and also Liane. We kneeled down on the spot and listened to his words. ''''With regard to the organization of the special class anti-magicians, we are pleased to have you here today. Now let me put it bluntly. Noah Bileschmidt was newly ranked 10th in the pecking order. And the number one spot in the pecking order, which was occupied by Bertina Wright it is now passed on to Shelly Amis. Does anyone have any objections? The military brass, plus Princess Liane and Her Majesty, had apparently decided that I could officially be ranked number one in the special class anti-magician hierarchy. However, things were not going to work out that way, I knew that very well. ''''........It''s Roy, isn''t it? Objection?'''' Yes, sir. And so it was Roy-san who raised his hand in that situation. ''''I disapprove, a fifteen year old girl ranked first in the special class anti-magician pecking order........and I believe that she is also lacking in ability. Then let''s prove it, Mr. Roy. Huh? I stood up quickly and continued to stare at Mr. Roy. His eyes were clearly filled with anger. I''m sure he thinks my attitude is arrogant and insolent. But this was to be expected. Sensei was the most powerful swordsman in the human race. That''s why everyone agreed on that pecking order. Of course, there were exceptions like Yulia, but Sensei was the most noble of all, a swordsman who was respected by everyone. But what about me? He had only recently become a special grade anti-magician and had no achievements. He is not a respected swordsman like his teacher. Although he has the ability as a special class antimagician, there is no dignity in that. Even if you called me a mere lass, I wouldn''t be able to argue with you. But even so, I understood that before I decided to follow in your footsteps. I didn''t make that statement without that much resolve. I am stronger than anyone else. That is a word that includes the meaning of pure fighting strength, but also the way of being a human being. ''''If I show you my abilities, you''ll recognize me, right? "Shelly, Teme ... do you know what you''re talking about? ''Yes, sir. ''I am saying that I have the power to make you bow down to me. No, that''s not all. I''m saying that I have the ability to rank first in the hierarchy of special class anti-magicians. Well you''re a little girl of 15 years old, aren''t you? You''re just getting a little older, aren''t you? ''No, this is a simple fact. I am succeeding my teacher. But it''s not just the way of being a person, the secret sword he gave me. I will also inherit his position as the number one in the rankings of the special opponents of magicians, where he worked. Hahaha I''m going to laugh. You''re number one on the pecking order?¡¡You''re taking over for Bell?¡¡Well, I''m aware of some of it. You might even become a better swordsman than Belle one day. I''ll be the first to admit that talent. But hey, now''s not the time. I''m not going to be the one to take over from you. Now, stay back. I will return the words exactly as they were written. Ha, you barked. Okay, let''s do it, Sherry. Yes, sir. And so we are going to fight here. Of course, some people suggested that we should go to the training ground, but I said that this was enough for me. That''s because I had the confidence to complete Roy-san. --Sir, you''ll see. I will take over from you. 153-Episode 153: Sherrys perspective 2: 剣鬼 In the presence of Her Majesty the Queen. And me and Roy-san were facing each other while the other special class anti-magicians and generals were watching. ''''........'''' .... It''s the most dangerous thing I''ve ever done, to engage in serious combat in this place. But the reason I''m doing this is because I have confidence. Strictly speaking, it wasn''t confidence. I knew before we fought that this was a solid fact. ''Shelly you won''t regret it, will you? .... I will not answer that question. Already my consciousness is falling deeper and deeper, as if I am sinking into the deep sea. I could clearly see the intense hatred in Roy''s twin eyes. Some of it was probably against me, of course, but I knew it. I knew that he, too, had an unshakeable determination to carry on his teacher''s will. I don''t mind about that. Because it proves that Sensei was loved and missed by many people, and that he has passed away. But I, as his successor, can''t just give up that position. He was ranked number one in the special class anti-magician order. I''ll be the one to protect the place that he had arrived at. What you have done so far, I will accomplish. That''s the promise I made in front of my dying teacher. Then let us begin. As soon as the words were uttered by His Majesty, we had begun to move. No, that word may not be strictly correct. Mr. Roy had not moved an inch from the spot. He had begun to grip his sword in his hand and was just about to run from the scene. But it was impossible for him to move any further. Because the cutting edge of Oborozuki Yoru''s sword had already reached Roy-san''s neck. ''''........I won, right? "...Oh, oh.... He misapplied a little bit of force, and only a single thin piece of skin wounded Roy-san''s neck. The sword is delivered as you get rid of a slight dripping of blood. I stare at Roy-san, who is dumbfounded in a leisurely manner as it is. ''''Shelly you are.........'''' ''I will take over from my teacher. But it''s not as a swordswoman, it''s as a demon living in the way of the sword. I intend to follow in his footsteps as a swordswoman. ''Well ... no ... well ...'' After that, Mr. Roy never opened his mouth. Thus a new pecking order was born. I became the teacher''s official successor, in name and in deed. But there is no sense of accomplishment, or even elation in that. Who would find joy in something so ordinary? No, I don''t think so. For me, it was a given that I would be ranked number one in the rankings of special class opponents. All in order to get to that place. I killed my teacher, kill a demon. I will do whatever it takes to reach that peak. Even if the path of violence is ahead of us. I will continue to go on for the sake of my teacher and also for the sake of Liane. ¡ó Shelly, do you have a minute? Julia it''s not that I don''t mind. Julia speaks to me as soon as it''s dismissed. ''''I''ll buy you a drink, why don''t we go into town?'''' Okay, okay. We walked side by side. I wondered how Julia was watching me and Roy''s fight. I fidgeted a little bit because of that, but the topic was waved by him when we arrived at the coffee shop and the drinks we ordered came. ''For now, congratulations on being ranked first in the special class anti-magician pecking order. Thank you. Can... and clash cups. I''m sure some people don''t like the idea of me being number one in the pecking order. I''m sure some will not feel good about being first in the pecking order. I''m a mere 15-year-old girl. That''s not a particular achievement either. It is true that I have blood as a demon, and I am aware that my combat skills have reached the level of an extra-grade anti-magician. Still, I have nothing........that I have accumulated like my teacher. I am empty and vacant. A pathetic girl who is just being pretentious. I don''t have enough material to talk back even if I were to be described as such. But in order to become the real thing, in order to become like my teacher, I didn''t mind if I was empty right now. Because no matter what people say about me, there is only one place I want to get to. ''You''re getting stronger, Shelly. ...do you still understand? ''In that battle, the physical speed is noticeable, but you can''t get a result like that unless you''re completely aware of your opponent''s movements. That''s exactly what the opponent is, Roy-san. Even more so when it''s Roy, who is in the upper ranks of the special class of anti-magicians. It would take pure physical skill alone to finish him off. That''s why I thought of it. I thought that Shelley might have the future eye, the Prediction. And I also saw the faintest sign of it in the Twilight Sight. ...you''ve hit the jackpot. That''s what I''m talking about, Julia. He raised his hands in an exaggerated manner and struck a deliberate pose to say that he was overwhelmed. If you were able to grasp that much in that moment of offense and defense, I honestly take my hat off to you. Just like Julia said, I have a magical eye. That ability is future vision. Literally, I can see the future. But that''s still limited to three seconds ahead. But you might think it''s only three seconds, but it''s only three seconds. Especially for an antimagician fighting in a world of zero-commas, three seconds is a much longer time. I can fight with that much of an advantage. This singular ability ¡¶Extra¡· was something I acquired when I awakened the blood of the demon race. When I woke up in the morning, I felt uncomfortable with what I was seeing. My brain perceives that it is happening at this moment, but in reality it is not happening yet. I experienced such a strange phenomenon and then realized that this was future vision. Beyond that, I still couldn''t get it completely under control. I had tried to activate it when I slashed at that demon, Alfred, but I hadn''t been able to handle it well yet. But I could feel this ability getting used to my body after my teacher''s death. That''s why I had been so bullish on Mr. Roy. He didn''t know it yet. That I had the magic eye of future vision, the Future Eye ¡¶ Prediction¡·. It was a kind of surprise battle, but I certainly won. That gives me great confidence in myself now. Sherry. Shelly, you are getting stronger. There are very few people in humanity who could have overpowered Roy like that. But I do see a little bit of danger in Sherry.... ''Dangerous?¡¡Me? Yeah. So I thought we''d talk about it like this. What exactly is at stake? ''I don''t mind that you''re bent on revenge for Mr. Bell. But it seems to me that you might lose yourself in it. "...and I''m going to lose myself? It''s like that time... or so I''d say. ''Oh yes. That might be ... well, if you ask me. It makes sense. I had certainly lost myself at that time. My emotions controlled everything, and I was moving my body with only the awareness of killing. But that''s not how you win. The will to kill is necessary. But it only needs to be imprinted in the subconscious. It is not the thought that needs to be manifested. It''s the skill to accomplish the killing that is important. ''But I ... I believe that Sherry can accomplish it,'' I don''t think I can... Just a little. I feel a little bit vulnerable. When the time comes for me to take over the position of teacher and follow in her footsteps in earnest, I think. That the antimage named Bertina Wright was truly too great a person. I will never be able to follow in her footsteps now. So my will wobbles. It''s like I''m dancing on a precarious footing now. I cling to it so that I never fall, and yet I keep moving forward because I have no choice but to move forward. I would never say this in front of anyone else. But in front of Yulia, it''s like we''ve been together for a long time, and it''s because he has such a sense of closeness with me that I''m able to reveal my fears. ''I can definitely do it. I, for one, think you''ve inherited everything from Mr. Bell. No, I''m sure Shelly can surpass Mr. Bell. I''m sure of it. Well when you put it that way, it has to happen. Yeah. I''m sure you will. Gently, I touch the eye patch on my right eye. I follow the doctor, keeping this wound, which has yet to heal, in my mind. 154-Episode 154: Fate Repeated Someday A man was wandering around in the twilight. There was no way he could ever return to the Boundary City. That was already clear to him long ago. He was an excellent anti-magician, and he was willing to sacrifice his life to save his friends. He was already prepared to die at that moment long ago. But he was alive. I don''t know what the cause of his death was. But he was thought to be dead, and he had survived. ''''Huh...............................'''' --where are they now? I don''t know how many times I''ve thought about that. He didn''t know how much time had already passed since he left the Boundary City. Hours, days, tens of days, hundreds of days...he had already lost that feeling. He was just clinging to life. He ingested all the demons out there, and plants tainted by the twilight, and everything else he could find. That''s all he needed to do to live. No, that was no longer an action that he thought was necessary. It was an instinct that urged him to do so. --I don''t want to die. I.........still want to live..... He was so jaded that it was hard to believe he was a young man in his early twenties. His cheeks are hollowed out and his beard is unkempt and full grown. What are his eyes looking at? He doesn''t know anymore. He was just preoccupied with living. That''s all. But there was a concern in his mind. I''m going to have to go to the store and buy a new one. I whisper to myself. A man sits near a bonfire and sits near it. He looks up at the sky and tries to say something like that. That guy is my sister. He had a sister. His beloved sister. I''ve always been close to her and I''ve loved her. He had spent all his life with his sister, even though he was sad that one day he would be separated from his brother. But he will never be able to see his sister like that again. That is not a premonition. It''s a pure fact. It is obvious that returning to the Kekkai City is not going to happen. It is now self-evident that I will surely die in this twilight, rotting away to death. But there was no way he could tolerate the end of being killed by a demon and dying here. He was an antimagician, a noble man with a will to save humanity. But even if he was such a man, I should just....give up. He had begun to think about that. ''No ... I still ... still have ... things to do. I want to live. I can''t die yet. I want to return to the Walled City and see my sister again. She will grow up to be a beautiful woman. I want to be there to see her live. He decided out of such a petty desire. He decides that he will continue to live in this land of dusk. ¡ó Okay. That''s about it. Reorganize your stuff and get it together. It had been years since then. He hadn''t rotted away in the twilight land. At first, he was just confused. But gradually he had gotten used to it, and he had learned how to live in this twilight world. Water to drink, food to eat, and a place to sleep. He had everything he needed to live, and he was living on the move. He just lived in this world, hoping to return to the Boundary City one day. But at some point, he began to take an interest in this world. Was it a sign of a relaxed mind? ''''I wonder what''s going on in this twilight...'''' Muttering to himself, he continues to write his thoughts on paper. This has already become a habit. He had a pen and paper for whatever reason originally, so he kept writing his thoughts on it. In the beginning, it was something I did to vent my fears and look at them objectively. But at some point, it had become a way to summarize the questions I was thinking about. How did this twilight come to be, how could humans be invaded by the twilight, and how could the demon race be strengthened? It turned into a document that summarized such questions and other things he noticed. And so he kept going ... and arrived at a place. ''''Is this a village?'''' The man found what looked like a village. He was halfway in, breaking the wards around him, and what he saw spread out there was some kind of village. ''''Who''s there!'''' Are you human? How did you end up here? It was an ogre that came from the back of the room. Of course I knew of its existence. I knew from past literature that among the sub-humans there was a race of ogres, a race that was skilled at fighting. A race with a large body and distinctive horns on its head. Although he had heard that they were belligerent, they didn''t seem to be, as far as he could tell. Although they spoke to him in a high-pressure manner, it was not a sign of hostility. They just looked at me quizzically as a strange being. ''Gohito, are you human?'' Yes. His name is Raul Brady. ''Well I didn''t know humans could get this far...'' Where are we? ''This is the eastern edge of the continent, supposedly the opposite of where humans are...'' ''''I see.......I didn''t expect to come to the far east.......'''' Raul had always thought that he had come for a warded city, but he never dreamed that he had been progressing in the last few years in the exact opposite direction.... From then on, I was welcomed in many ways in the Ogre village. The village chief''s name was Edgar, and he was taken care of by Edgar. After staying there for about a month, I guess. Raul decided to leave the village. ''Mr. Edgar. Thank you for your help. ''My pleasure. Your days in this village have been very pleasant. No. Oh, by the way... What''s going on? ''I forgot to mention the material I put together myself but I''ll leave it here. Are you sure?¡¡Isn''t it important? If you see a human coming here, give it to him. Yes, sir. So we''ll see you soon. ''Oh. Goodbye. Raul left the village as it was. He proceeded with the will to definitely return to the warded city. That''s exactly how Yulia would arrive here a few years later and follow a similar trajectory... but Raul was going to take a different path than Yulia. ¡ó ''Huh ... huh ... huh ... huh ...'' Lately, my eyes have been getting blurry. It''s been a few months since I left the Ogre village. There was no sign of the warded city at all. Nevertheless, something was going on with him. It is the inevitable fate of humans. The Twilight Syndrome. Humans can never escape the disease. In the beginning, the purple-black imprint was on a part of his body, but it had already extended all the way to his wrist. No, it wasn''t just his wrist. It had spread throughout his body and was definitely invading him. The Twilight Syndrome ¡¶Twilight Syndrome¡· Level 5 was already well beyond. A normal human would have long since scorched his body to death. But Raul was enduring. He had endured, and endured, and endured. But now........maybe the end time was coming. He had such a feeling. I fall to the spot. His voice is now hazy. My eyesight had been lost long ago. All I could hear was the faint sound of the trees, but nothing else. But the only thing I could hear was the rustling of the trees and nothing else. --Oh. Is this where I''m going to end up? All these years. I''ve been living on the edge of death. I''ve lived, lived, lived, and acquired the skills to survive in this twilight land. And yet, in his last days, he would die of the Twilight Syndrome, or Twilight Syndrome, as if he were rotting away. He looked up to the heavens as he thought so. The twilight sky was spreading out. There is no change in that sky today or any other day. ''''Hey, don''t you feel anything, Milia?'''' Does Tria think so? ''Yeah ... ah!¡¡Is this a human...? Looks like... The voice was that of a young girl. But even if he knew that, it was too late now. It''s too late now, he thought. But Raoul Brady''s life would still go on. 155-Episode 155: Lost Thoughts Raul, are you okay? Oh thank you. I''m feeling much better. Thank you, Milia, Tria. If you''re in trouble, we''ll be there for you! Yeah, yeah! Raul, who had fallen since then, was rescued by twin girls named Milia and Tria. I don''t know the details of where they are now, but they seemed to be in the basement. Raul couldn''t move properly, but his consciousness was clear. Miria and Tria. They were about five hundred and fifty centimeters tall, and they were both identical twins, or perhaps their appearance was very similar. The one with the bright red hair tied on the right side is Milia, and the one with the bright red hair tied on the left side is Tria. The one with her hair tied up on the left side is Tria, and the one with her hair tied up on the left side is Tria. Miria also had a teardrop in her right eye and Tria had a teardrop in her left eye. To be honest, they look so much alike that it''s hard to tell them apart without their hair and weeping bruises. ''Hey. Where did Raul come from? I''m from the Warding City. What?¡¡Speaking of the Warding City, that''s a place in the far west!¡¡How did you live this long........ Miria and Tria gave him a surprised look when he said that. After that, they asked him a lot of questions, but Raul only answered them with a smile. But he had a question. Who were these two people? Where are we in the first place? He could tell that they were in underground space, but he had no idea of the details. He tried to ask Miria and Tria about it, but they only managed to elude him. ''Hey, I''m thankful for you two. I really, really appreciate it, but where the hell am I? "Ummm....don''t tell anyone! ''Yes! Don''t tell Raul yet! Yeah they''re human, right?¡¡Are there still any human survivors?¡¡In this twilight. Well, maybe. But you''ll find out one day. Until then, you should keep Raul well-rested. ''Oh that would help, but...'' Although he wasn''t convinced, he didn''t want to ask his benefactor any more questions, so he didn''t ask any more. After that, Raul lived in this underground space for a few months. ¡ó What is Raul doing reading again? ''I have more books in this room than I can read I have to admit it''s a big help. ''Hmm. I see.... It was Miria who was present. She had brought Raul some food today, as usual. When she entered the room, Raul was reading a book. He didn''t have any particular entertainment, and he was holed up in this room except for moving to the bathroom and other places, so reading was the only thing he was looking forward to. The room had all the outer walls of a bookcase, and it was going to take a lot of time just to read through all the books. Besides, the books were diverse. Numerous books existed, ranging from biomedicine to philosophy, and even novels. Perhaps this was the stuff that existed in the world before the twilight took over. He had a hunch that this was the case. So another few months passed...........................and he was finally able to stand up on his two feet. ''Congratulations Raul! Congratulations! Haha, thank you... When we arrive at the dining room table in the living room, Miria and Tria congratulate me on Raul''s improved health. There is a lavish meal on the table, and there is even a cake on the table. The three of them ate it together, laughing and chatting. He thought to himself, "I''m really lucky. I''m really lucky, he thought. I''m lucky to have such a well-made man to help me. That''s what he was thinking at this moment. ''Raul, are you going outside?'' No? ''Not that it''s a bad idea but you''d be surprised...'' ''Yeah but if Raul wants to go, he can go, okay?¡¡Be home by night. All right. Miria and Tria couldn''t be with them because they had to run an errand. But Raul was honestly glad to hear that he was allowed to go out alone. Until now, he had spent his days indulging in Miria and Tria''s actions, but now it was different. I want to do something to repay them both. I want to find something I can do to repay them. That''s what I thought, and that''s what I did. ''''.......What is this place.......'''' I walked outside. I turn around and see the simple house I''ve been in. But the amazing thing is ... this world has a ceiling. Strange. There should have been a sky in this world. Even though it is covered by twilight, there was definitely a sky in this world.......even though it was covered by twilight. There was definitely something like an outer wall covering this ceiling. I had heard that they were underground. But he had never dreamed that such a vast amount of underground space existed. Then he began to advance. As far as he could see, there was nothing but wilderness. There was grass on the road, but it was stained purple-black, as if it had been invaded by twilight. But he could see a city on the horizon, just beyond the horizon. ''....a city! He happily ran from the spot. It was a solid city. A city where people came and went and interacted with each other.......but he was astonished. I blurted out. It wasn''t a human there. It would be as close to human as possible. But its appearance was clearly different from that of a human. It had horns, of course, and a pointy tail. I know this. I''ve read about it in the literature. A race that looks close to humans, but possesses a vast amount of magical elements, and their fighting skills are at a much higher level in this world. Yes, this is a demon........ ''''Onii-san!¡¡What''s going on?¡¡I don''t know. Uh, no, I mean I''m just a little dizzy. Hmm. Yeah, I see. Ah!¡¡My name is Claire. It''s nice to meet you! I''m Raul it''s nice to meet you, Claire... Raul manages to let his trembling hands fall and shakes hands with Claire in front of him. She is slender and tall with long, pure white hair everywhere. Come to think of it, he wondered where he had seen this kind of look before. ''Where did Raul come from?'' I''m coming from that house. Oh. Oh I will. See you later. Raul. Returning a bow to Claire, who waved her hand in a flutter, Raul went straight back to the house at a fast pace. ''''Miria!¡¡Tria!¡¡Where are you?! Bang!¡¡He opens the door and comes back in. When I shout out loud, two people wearing white clothes of some sort appear in a heap. But in their hands........there was still fresh crimson blood flowing. ''''Ah. By the looks of it, you''ve noticed~'''' ''But Milia. It was only a matter of time before this happened, right? You''re right, Tria. This is fate. So let''s get started. Smiling as usual, the two men are chatting away with each other. At that moment, Raul thought it would be bad to continue like this and tried to leave this house, but....... ''''.........Ugh, it''s not moving! ''Haha. We''re not weak enough to interfere with human power, are we? Yeah. It''s not exactly the Holy Twelve Apostles. ''What ... what are you ... what are you saying ...'' ''You know that already, don''t you?¡¡This is the land of demons. We can''t go back to the human ward city anymore. That''s right, Raul. You know, we got you, we got you to be a lab animal. We stumbled upon you while we were walking outside... Now that you''re feeling better, we''re going to do... The smirk on his face told me that he was no longer human. The amount of magical elements that flowed out of it was already beyond the capacity of a human being. The motionless Raul realized that he was not a human being. It wasn''t that he was lucky. I understand now that it was ... bad luck. ''Sophia I''m.........'' He tells his beloved sister''s name. But what awaits him is ... a veritable hell. 156-Episode 156: Teacher Debut .... .... I look at him. We jiggle out of the distance, trying not to miss a single movement of Shelly in front of us. Shelly has not yet pulled out her sword. She just has her hand on Oborozuki Yoru, who is still being delivered, and she''s asking how she''s doing. On the other hand, I, on the other hand, have already deployed the Invisible Blade ¡¶Invisible Blade¡· with the Compound Dagger ¡¶Multiple Knife¡·. And on top of that, the Twilight Eye ¡¶Twilight Sight¡· is also deployed. While reading the movement of the overflowing magic element, he didn''t want to miss Shelly''s every move. Not only humans, but all living things are always accompanied by magical elements in their movements. And it''s the same with the activation of magic. So I can predict my opponent''s actions in advance. But.......... ......... It was Shelley who moved first. When he closed the gap between the two in just one step, he pulled out a sword. Although I was a little taken aback by its unnoticeable speed, this level of speed was within the range of my expectations. I parry away the attack by Oboro Tsukiyo with the Invisible Blade, and then I counter and repel Shelly''s Oboro Tsukiyo as it is. ''''You''re good.......Shelly. You are. Julia''s great, too. But... Its twin eyes start to glow gold. It''s the proof that the magical eye has been activated. Devil''s Eye. Sherry possesses a future eye called the Prediction, which is a magic eye that can see into the future. However, there are some restrictions. Within a 10-meter radius, and she can only see as far as three seconds into the future. Although it''s not a universal ability, three seconds is a significant advantage in super close quarters combat, the Cross Range. To be honest, in terms of speed in terms of physical ability, I''m probably faster than Shelley. To begin with, my Invisible Blade, Invisible Blade, has almost no weight. On the other hand, Oborozuki Yoru, on the other hand, has quite a bit of weight. This difference is obvious. However, Shelly''s Future Eye ¡¶ Prediction¡· overturns that. I''m going to keep going...! Shelly is attacking me continuously. Yes, she can see my future moves now. Therefore, my speed advantage is almost non-existent. Now, me and Shelly are almost evenly matched in the battle..........................but the end comes abruptly. ''....Do you want to continue? No, no, I give up, I give up. Shelley admitted defeat as the Invisible Blade was thrust at his throat. Of course, that wasn''t the starting point for the knife. I activated the Invisible Sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡· with the little finger of my right hand as the starting point. And in an instant, I extended it to Shelly''s neck. A momentary attack and defense. However, Shelly was unable to duck or catch it. ''''Huh........Yulia is so strong......I really hate her.......'''' I thought we were on the right track this time, didn''t we? ''Hmmm........I''m sure that using the magic eye will give you an advantage, but the control is still, you know. You can use it to match your body''s movements for about 10 seconds. If you use it for more than 10 seconds, your body won''t be able to keep up with it. To begin with, I can''t tell if the world I''m seeing is real or 3 seconds in the future. ''I see........future vision is useful, but it has such a harmful effect.......'' ''Yes. Honestly, I like this performance, but I guess that''s what I''m getting swept up in. What does the future look like? Hmmm ... maybe it''s a little hard to explain ... because this is pretty much a sensory thing. But yeah... it''s like the world you''re seeing now is superimposed on another image. "overlap... ''But when you get to a speed as fast as Julia''s, it''s not infinitely blurry either. It''s easy to fight against normal opponents with a time lag, even if you use futuristic vision, but after all, it doesn''t seem to work out so well when you''re in the special class versus a magician. Yeah. Well, I''m sure Sherry will learn to use it to her advantage. ''I always thought Julia had a lot of faith in that, you know? ''''Well as far as I''m concerned, I sincerely believe that, but...'''' It''s not in my nature, it''s just... Are you under pressure or something? That''s one aspect of it, but... But? ''I don''t feel bad when Julia tells me that,'' ''I see. Well then I''ll just keep saying it in the future! What?¡¡That''s not the place to say that you should refrain a little bit or something like that! Oh, no. I have faith in Sherry. Shit!¡¡That''s not what I''m talking about! And Shelly would scream in place for a while, scratching her head. ¡ó After my early morning workout with Shelly, I was back at the base. Normally, I would be going to the twilight earth now. Incidentally, the land I regained was given a different name. The place that was a level 1 danger zone was Area 8, followed by Areas 9 and 10. This started with the number 8, because there were seven boundary cities and the land we got after that. Right now, areas 8-10 are being developed in various ways so that humans can live in them, and various supplies and other things can be placed in them. There are a lot of times when a counter-magician is sent out to do that, and there are also jobs such as hunting for monsters that still exist around the area, but the current me was left with a different job. That is the job of teaching at the anti-magic academy. It seems that they decided to send someone from the special class to teach a class on close combat, but the other special class opponents who specialize in close combat are too much trouble, so they decided to pass on the job. This is just a matter of seniority, so it didn''t matter that I was at the top of the pecking order, rank zero. But that''s okay....I don''t mind teaching people things.... But teaching doesn''t change my age much. If I were to live my life as a normal anti-magician, I''m sure I''d still be in the academy. Becoming a soldier and even being at the top of the special class of anti-magician is a dream come true if you think about it from the past. Truly, life is an unknowable thing. Well, as I was walking around thinking about this, I arrived at the place. The anti-magic academy that exists in the first boundary city. I''ve been to the academy I attended, the academy in the third and seventh boundary cities. Although the basic structure is the same, this will be my first time here. And this is just a trend, but the First Boundary City has a lot of people who become excellent counter-magicians. This is because the First World City is home to nobles and highly skilled opponents, and their children also inherit their abilities. That''s why from time to time a special class of anti-magician is sent out to teach. When I was about to enter, I bumped into a familiar face. ''''Huh?¡¡Are you Eve, by any chance? ........Oh. So your charge is Yulia-kun............ Does that mean that Eve was looking for the magic? ''Yeah I''m honestly sluggish. Eira was originally supposed to come over but she had another urgent assignment coming up, so I had to come over... Ha, well, that''s just the way it is. Well, it pays, and I''ll just end it the way I always do. No. Are you a Texan? ''Hmmm, just kidding. Just kidding. Eve teases me with a grin. ''Lieutenant Colonel Yulia Curtis and Major Eve Ailey, is that you?'' As we are talking about this at the academy gates, a woman approaches us. ''Yes,'' ''Yeah...'' So, if you''ll follow me I''ll show you around. When the staff of the academy said that, Eve and I continued on our way. While the interior is not that different, I had the impression that it was a bit larger than other cities. ''''Well then, please wait over here. We were ushered into the reception room, and the staff woman left without further ado. There are already freshly brewed teas and sweets on the desk. Yves took no time to work on them and ate the sweets and sipped her tea with a slurp. This mental strength, or thick skin on the face may sound bad, but it''s something I want to learn from in many ways. As I was doing so, there was a knock at the door. 157-Episode 157: To the simulated battle Excuse me. It was a woman who knocked on the door and entered the room. She wore glasses and wore her long black hair in a single bun. I got the impression that she was a very intelligent person. Then she sat down in front of us and immediately asked us what we wanted to talk about. ''You must be Yulia Curtis and Yves Ailey. Yes, sir. Yes. It''s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Forrester and I am a teacher at the Counter Demon Academy in the First Ward City. Now let me be blunt, I want you two to break the hearts of my students. Well, I''m afraid I don''t have a clear picture of it. Let me explain. Today you two will be working with a group of sixth graders who are already approaching graduation. Graduation, huh? Come to think of it, it''s already completely into winter, and once it opens up and it''s spring, it''s graduation....... When I think about it, I was also enrolled in the seventh ward city''s anti-magic academy as a fourth-year student when I came back to the ward city, but soon after the incident happened, I became a special-grade anti-magic and then a military officer. As it was a skipped grade, so to speak, I had no connection to the graduation ceremony. It''s the same with Eve. It''s also because she also skipped a grade and became a soldier before graduating from the anti-magic academy at maturity. But wanting to break the hearts of the sixth graders who are about to graduate is not unusual. Is there a reason for this? ''''I think it''s fresh in my mind that we were able to regain the twilight land thanks to the Special Class Counter-Magician, and the other higher level counter-magicians. At the same time, there is a rumor spreading in the Counter Demon Academy. Rumors? ''Yes. That''s because the twilight land is actually not a big deal........ The current sixth graders are very good, and can normally fight at about level 1 of the danger zone. And the success of this mission. Many of them are buoyant or have developed a strange confidence. This is especially true of noble students........ Okay. So you want me to break my heart. ''Yes, sir. I want those children to learn how harsh the land of twilight is. I used to fight in the frontline, but I was forced to retire due to the erosion of the Twilight Syndrome, and although I can pass on my experience, I don''t have the actual battle skills to show them. That''s why I wanted to ask the two special class anti-magicians to help me. It will be different from the usual form, but will you accept it? ''Of course. We should teach them the ruthlessness of twilight so as not to add unnecessary sacrifices. Okay. ''Thank you!¡¡It really, really helped.... Don''t underestimate the twilight. That''s a fact that every special class anti-magician knows. The death of Belle-san, who was the former first in the rankings in this operation, was a good example. Even a swordsman as great as she was, his life was to be scattered in the land of the twilight. Even if that opponent was a demon, that was no reason to underestimate another demon race or the Dusk Land. Every time they advanced to the Dusk Dangerous Area Level 2 and 3, the danger level would increase dramatically. Even if they were as powerful as a special level demon, there was no such thing as a good reason to be proud of them. That was probably why he begged the students to tell him. The danger of that twilight. So Eve and I immediately went to the training grounds in the grounds. ¡ó "Hey Ayn. Do you know who''s going to be teaching today? ''Oh?¡¡What the hell, Karen. From the bushes to the sticks. ''Actually, rumor has it that Julia Curtis and Eve Ailey are already here. They''ve had some sightings. Haha, Ranks Zero and a magical genius arrived. This is another great story. Yeah. This is all very exciting, but I think I''m getting an arm. ''Karen, I hate to be the one to agree with you, but yes, I do. I''m curious to see how well I hold up now. Inside one of the classrooms at the Counter Demon Academy. There were two men and women talking there. The male one is named Ein and the female one is named Karen. Both of them are from noble families, and their abilities are the best in the current anti-magic academy. Originally, they were going to jump through the ranks to become military officers, but due to a series of incidents, that was put off. In such a situation, the current sixth graders, led by these two, were thinking about it. Our own abilities are not low. In fact, they thought that they were already good enough to do well as soldiers. That was by no means based on any kind of evidence. It doesn''t mean that they actually went to the danger zone level 2 or 3 and hunted demons. He''s just purely conceited. Julia and the others led the way, and the operation was a success. Knowing the fact that they had regained the land of dusk, they thought. In fact, they thought that the land of the twilight was nothing much........ He or she did not know. They don''t know how cruel and heartless the twilight world is. I''ve heard stories of Bertina Light, the most powerful swordsman in humanity, who died in that twilight, but that it was because she met a demon. He was so optimistic that twilight was never the problem. Just then, Yulia and Eve arrived. The two are young and talented among the special class antimagicians. I''m sure you''ll find that you''ll be able to find a great deal more to say about it. How well am I able to compete with those two? Maybe it''s a pretty good match....maybe even a chance to win? That was what Ein and Karen, and the other students, were thinking about. But he, they didn''t know yet. They have yet to meet an existence that overwhelmingly surpasses them. They had only been fortunate enough to have met someone as good or better than themselves. This is how Yulia and Eve would meet them. ¡ó Miss Eve. ...what? What do you want to do? Why can''t we just get two people to handle the whole thing? ''Hmm. But you have to break your heart, or rather, you have to show them the reality of the situation. Well, yeah, but... Do you use the Sphere or something, Eve? I could use it but it would be a bit tiring. I''m confused. Well, we''ll just have to play it by ear... Yes. Me and Eve-san head to the exercise area while talking to each other, and I can see the students already lined up in my field of vision. At a rough estimate, there are probably about 30 of them. But their gazes were clearly more hostile than testing, or perhaps a bit hostile. And so me and Eve stood in front of the students. In fact, I''m probably the youngest of them all. It''s a well-known fact that these students are older than me. But that doesn''t mean I can''t be arrogant. I''m a zero rank in the rankings of special class opponents. It''s nice to meet you, everyone. I''m Julia Curtis, ranking zero in the ranking of special class antagonist. "...sixth in the order of special class antagonists, Eve Ely. ''''Well, the two of us will be in charge of your field exercises this time, but yes.......for now, let''s all try to fight the two of us. When I tell them that, the boy in the front of the group raises his voice. It''s not too much to ask, isn''t it? And you? ''Ain''t no problem with that. And you''re sure you want it? ''''That''s enough for this one. Rather than that, I think thirty is a little less than thirty people for me and Yves-san.......do you want to handicap me, Yves-san? Hmm?¡¡Well, it doesn''t matter but what are you going to do? ''For now, Eve, no Sphere. For me, yes. I''ll go bare-handed. But Julia-kun, even with your bare hands, it doesn''t change much... "...sure. Then I''ll just use one index finger on my right hand. That might be just fine. As me and Eve-san are talking like that, I can feel the magic element of the students in front of me leaking out. --It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who''s been in a position to do this. But to be honest, I think that even this is not enough of a handicap. ''Hahahahahaha!¡¡You are indeed a master class demon!¡¡Well, let''s see what you got!¡¡Hey, guys! So Ayn led the students further, and the mock battle between me and Eve versus 30 students began. 158-One Piece Chapter 158 Hi, I''m Yulia. To give you a quick synopsis so far, the academy has asked me to smear the cocky student for a bit. No, you''re not wrong, right? Well, I don''t know how I feel about it. When my abilities were awakened, I felt like I could do anything. Prior to that strategy, I was aware of the fact that if I had my own power, I could definitely pull it off. But that was a mistake. I''ve learned that no matter how strong you are, there are still many lives that will fall apart. After experiencing Ellie''s death, and then Belle''s, I learned that you can never be too proud of yourself. I''ve learned that we should never be arrogant. It is true that my existence is high on the scale of humanity, but from the perspective of this world. But from the point of view of this world, I''m just a part of this world''s feverish movement, and I know that I''m worthless. But that''s why I''m moving forward. To carry on the will of all the antimagicians so far. Will I be able to tell that to him and them who are in front of me like this? I wanted them to grasp the reality of the twilight and the way of strength, the way of being a person, even if it was just a glimpse of what I was, even if it was just a glimpse of what I was...I wanted them to grasp it. ''Miss Eve,'' ''Yes ... yes ... yes ... yes ... ¡¡I don''t even need to ask. Yes. I''ve got a quick idea of the total amount of magic element. Quicksilver. Well let''s do it. Yes, sir. Standing on the training ground is me and Eve. And vs. the students of the Demon Academy. The way he and they looked at us was full of confidence. That''s roughly not the kind of thing you would direct at a special class anti-magician. Within the military base, special class anti-magicians are seen as a symbol of respect and awe. This is probably because other military personnel have actually seen, experienced, and grasped the level of special class anti-magicians. That''s why their attitudes are also auspicious. But these students think that their blades can reach them. Or perhaps, they may even be aware that they can win. Especially that student named Ayn, whose mettle is easy to see. It''s a big world. Even us special class opponents are not always the top of this world. Let me remind you of that. I''ve been in that place before. The world is big. Hey okay. For now, we all have to push together. The only thing in our favor is numbers, you know. The only thing left to do is for me and Karen to somehow defeat those two. ''After all this time ... can you really do it?¡¡His opponents were ranked zero and six in the rankings of the special class anti-magician order. Julia Curtis no longer needs to be mentioned, but even Eve Ailey is a genius among geniuses. Can we handle it ourselves... While the students are making the math to fight each other, some students will say such things. It''s not surprising that they would feel weak. He or she will certainly be strong in this academy. But that''s just in the small world of the academy. His opponent is a special class antimagician. He is a veritable pinnacle of humanity fighting on the front lines of the twilight. In fact, it would be strange not to be vulnerable. ''''Listen. If you''re weak, you''re going to lose. Don''t let your feelings get in the way of your victory. You have to go in there with the spirit of revenge. I know that. This is an Extraordinary Opponent. The best of humanity. My father''s friend in the military, who was a first-class counterpart, I thought he was strong as well. But, you know, a special-grade counter-magician is a different class. You know that already, don''t you?¡¡Isn''t that why it''s time to test our strength? Yes. Ayn''s right. You can''t lose your nerve here. Now that we have two of the best special class anti-magicians in the world, we have no choice but to do it. Ayn and Karen. They were rebellious at first, but now they maintain a good balance and hold the class together. Both of them are naturally competent, but they are also born with charisma. I don''t know if this is due to their aristocratic blood, but their words firmly reach the other students as well. ''''Alright!¡¡Let''s do it! "Oh, no! As soon as Ayn says that, they all raise their voices. The spirit is good. The spirit is never lost. But everyone will know. There is a realm in this world where feelings alone are not enough, and you will experience with your own eyes what it means to be the strongest of mankind. "Yves-san! Copy that. When Julia called out that, Eve quickly raised her hands and generated a ward. It neatly divided the apostles into two. ''''Wards........?¡¡f*ck it........Karen, I''ll take care of that one! Yes! Eve''s wards divided the students into two. It divided them into those who were proximity-based and those who used magic. In other words, Yulia would deal with the proximity-based students alone, and Eve would deal with those who use magic alone. If we talk about the ratio, there are about 20 proximity-based students, and about 10 magic-based students. The magic types were about 10 or so, and although Yulia''s burden was greater than his, that was not a burden to him right now. ''''Let''s go! "Oh! Assault. The fact that they''re divided is surprising, but there''s no point in writhing around trying to figure out what to do about it. The students quickly switch and charge towards Yulia........ ''''........What? "...wait!¡¡What do you mean?! He''s not...? That''s right. Not present. They had definitely caught Julia in their sights. But I''m not seeing that figure. While I was so dumbfounded, one by one, the lives fell down. It''s a good thing that you''re able to get a good idea of what''s going on. -- Illusionary magic........I''ve heard that Julia Curtis is good at illusionary magic, as I recall.......but this level. Even I can barely perceive it. The ones that were perceiving Julia''s illusion magic right now were able to stand still. On the other hand, the one that couldn''t do that has already sunk to the ground. Of course, that''s only lightly fainting, to the extent that there''s nothing unusual about it. But then I realized. Yulia Curtis''s ability is indeed that of a special grade anti-magician. I break out in a cold sweat. I''m just standing there leisurely. But.........I''m certainly terrified. I''m trembling. Until now, I had thought that the way he spoke, and the expression on his face, made me think that he was somehow a carefree person. There''s nothing fierce about it, just a gentle human being. That''s exactly what makes the word "harmless" appropriate. That''s exactly what it is, so much so that you wouldn''t even know it if you heard it was the Zeroth rank in the express anti-magician hierarchy. But it''s not. Once the switch to battle was turned on, they would be able to spread their killing spirit to this extent. The thickness of that magic element alone is overwhelming. My heart trembles. And then the students realize. This is in a different dimension..... The students are defeated one by one while they are still in a daze, and finally, only Allen is left. ''''What do we do?¡¡Do you still want to do it? Of course! I like that. I like your eyes. Allen shuddered. This, this was the most powerful realm of humanity. He thought he had a certain amount of grasp on it. But that was misguided. And the fact that Yulia was younger than him, he had been completely caught off guard... but now it was just terrifying. How could a human possess this much magic element? Allen''s aptitude for magic elements was so high that he could understand it better than the other students. The way he was clothed in layers of magic elements as if he was wearing a thick coat. To be honest, it would be impossible to break through that thing with any of the attacks that Allen has. But what would be the point of getting scared here? We''ve been given this opportunity. Now I have no choice but to proceed. When Allen roused himself, he held the broadsword he was holding low to the ground and ran across the earth. ''''Ooohhhhhhhh! That yell is meant to suppress his trembling self. And so he activated his magic at the same time. He chose an ice-based magic called Icicle Piercing among them. It is a spine with ice that goes towards the target. Ein was planning to find a clue to the attack somehow while Yulia was preventing this from happening....... ''''.........'''' No voice was heard. If the degree of astonishment had been a little less, his voice would have been heard. But perceiving a completely incomprehensible phenomenon in front of him, Allen was stunned. Right. Julia didn''t physically defend against the magic that Ein had released. It disappeared. When Julia pays off her hand to the side, the icicle piercing is all but shattered. But that''s not the main point. A moment later, in what would be an unimaginable second of time, Julia did not erase the phenomenon of magic from this world. The only thing she erased was the phenomenon of icicle piercing. In other words, the magic element remains there. The magic Yuria used, Diffusion ¡¶Diffusion¡·, diffuses all kinds of objects. Until now, he had mainly used it to intervene in the Intrinsic Domain ¡¶Personal Field¡·, but this time, he made it work on magic. The bright red, scorchingly bright twin eyes look through Ayn. ''''........Good.'''' Julia had never been able to perform this kind of trick until now. That''s because Diffusion had a drawback. That was only one point: it was difficult to specify the coordinates. If the target was a living creature, it was fine, but if it was magic, it would require even finer adjustments. It''s not just a matter of time before you get to the point where you''ll be able to get your hands on it. However, Julia overcame this shortcoming by redefining the coordinates, which were originally used in two dimensions, in three dimensions. Instead of catching it visually and designating the coordinates, Julia completely overcame this shortcoming by grasping space in three dimensions with her Twilight Sight, magic element by magic element. This was an idea I got from Noah''s permanent agency, but Yulia grinned that it was the right decision to use it as an experiment. Then, using the magic element diffused on the spot as a stepping stone, Yulia activated the Icicle Piercing in reverse this time. Ein had no choice but to focus on defense on the spur of the moment. Then, when she closed in further on the gap, she thrust the Invisible Sword ¡¶Invisible Blade¡· at him, using the index finger of her right hand as the starting point. ''''...............................End, I guess. "Oh no. I lose too. No, it''s a total loss... Thus, the battle on Julia''s side came to an end in the form of an overwhelming victory for Julia. 159-Episode 159 The World of Eve While Yulia was fighting, Eve was also overwhelming the students. But it wasn''t the same as Yulia''s. What''s going on? ''You can''t go this far! Eve is dealing with students who specialize in magic. Therefore, most of them are female students. And although they scream in grief, it is not because they are under attack from Eve. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make it work. Four-attribute magic, non-attribute magic. All of them are filled with a huge amount of magical elements and are concentrated on Eve. ''''........this is what it is?'''' The way they were muttering to themselves in a blur was probably a sign of leeway. Eve was staring at the girls while putting up a defensive wall with her right hand. In terms of age, there wasn''t much difference; even though they were only two or three years apart, their magical skills were clearly different. That''s exactly what they''re showing me, that there''s a difference between heaven and earth. It''s a good idea to have a good time with them. ''''.........Ugh.......'''' Karen screams with grief. She is the most gifted of the gifted in the academy. Her magic skills are probably the best in the current academy. Of course, she has that pride as well. I''m sure you''ll find a lot of people who are interested in it. There isn''t a student who doesn''t admire it. That''s why Karen didn''t doubt her own talent. Eventually, she would be able to become a special class anti-magician herself. I was convinced of that.... --So much different........! I show my astonishment in my mind. At first I thought I could still make it. This is because it''s no ordinary thing to continue to receive such an attack. Eve''s protective barrier was perfect. Even though they continued to receive it, it was as if there was no change. Rather, the girls'' attacking hands have loosened up a bit. ''''........I guess it''s about time.'''' Eve cleaves her hands left and right and releases the barrier. Instantly, all magic returns to nothingness. Strictly speaking, it returns to the magic element, but Eve also uses Diffusion ¡¶Diffusion¡· just like Julia. However, that is not a special thing. The structure of the students'' magic was too poorly constructed for Eve. There are too many elements that can intervene. To begin with, magic is the embodiment of magic elements into this world through mental images. But it''s not just a matter of imagining it. The structure of the magic to be embodied, the adjustment of the magic element form, and whether or not it interferes with the "personal field". Various factors are intertwined in the use of magic. Therefore, even if the same magic is used, the results that appear in this world differ depending on the user. Even a beginner''s magic, if Eve uses it, it can be capable of producing a power that is comparable to advanced magic. That''s how much the abilities were divergent. ''''Huh...........'''' One person. Do you still want to...? I can still do it! The other students are already suffering from magic deficiency due to excessive use of magic. Of course, Eve has been adjusted to the extent that there are no after-effects. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who is looking at him with burning eyes. That doesn''t mean she''s angry at Eve. Karen is looking at herself through Eve. In order for her to get there one day she would do what she had to do now. And so Karen decides to unleash her special magic. "--Frozen Region [Frost Sphere]. Karen muttered as she gently placed her right hand on the ground. At that moment, with her as the starting point, a world of ice spread out around her. ''''You can use the wide area interference system ¡¶Sphere¡·, that''s great. Then I''ll show you something special........ Like Karen, Eve also put her right hand on the ground as she gently stroked it, just like Karen. But the magic that is activated is not the frozen area ¡¶Frost Sphere¡·. Of course, Eve can use all of the wide area interference system ¡¶Sphere¡·, but she will choose a magic that can counteract the opponent''s wide area interference system ¡¶Sphere¡· now. ''''©¤©¤The Decadent Realm [Gothic Sphere]. The Gothic Sphere, a decadent realm. It''s a wide area interference system ¡¶Sphere¡· that takes away the magical elements of any creature that enters this realm. Eve had used this before, but this time, she didn''t bring out the puppets that devoured her opponent. Right now, she specializes in taking away the opponent''s magic element and hits this area into Karen''s frozen area ¡¶Frost Sphere¡·. It was no longer one-sided. Karen''s frozen realm, the Frost Sphere, was being swallowed by Eve''s decadent realm, the Gothic Sphere... in the blink of an eye, this space was dominated by a dark realm. And so Karen is completely sucked out of the magic element and falls to the spot. ''''Oops.......are you okay?'''' ''Yes ... somehow ...'' Eve ran to her side with a ta-tah, and held her in her arms as it was, preventing Karen from falling over. ''Well I''m glad you thought so. You have good instincts. I''m sure you''ll make a good counter-magician. Is that right? Hmm. Well, maybe...?¡¡And there are no absolutes in anything. ''Well I''m glad it was a good experience though...'' Thus, the violation in the name of guidance by Yulia and Eve came to an end. ¡ó Mr. Julia!¡¡I''ll catch up with you!¡¡You''ll have to wait for me! Sister!¡¡I''ll definitely be over there as soon as I can, too. .... Me and Yves-san had to go home after we finished teaching for a while.......and I was strangely missed by the students. The same is true for me, but I had the feeling that Yves-san was laying waste to the students in a rather inappropriate way... but, well, it''s a good thing that everyone''s motivation was raised. We waved goodbye to the students as we did so, and continued on our way home. ''How did it go, Eve-san?'' .... hmmm. Maybe it wasn''t as bad as it seemed. I''m glad to see the juniors growing up like that too. ''''Yes. It would be nice to have more good counter-magicians. ''''But the better the counter-magician, the higher the chance of dying. An excellent antimagician can only die prematurely or live a long life. Either they will be killed by a demon, or they will be scorched to death by the Twilight Syndrome [Twilight Syndrome]... That''s why we have to do our best. Yeah well I guess so. Eve smiles at me. She always seems to be in a daze, and it would be fair to say that she has almost no emotional ups and downs. But lately, she seems to be smiling more often than not. ''Have you changed a bit, Eve-san?'' What''s going on? ''Nope. I just thought you were laughing a lot. Was I laughing? ''Yes. He was laughing earlier. And you were laughing happily the other day when we were talking about stuffed animals... Yeah I''m laughing. ''I think it''s very attractive. Lovely. "..... Julia-kun is a thing, isn''t he? You really are that thing. I can kind of understand why people are so upset about it. ''What?¡¡What are you talking about? Eve is staring at me intently. I had the feeling that there was something in that gaze that was clearly meant to condemn me. ''''Huh........since you don''t realize it, it''s not in your nature.......'''' So what are you talking about...? Well that''s just the way it is, that''s just the way it is. He seemed to say, "Good grief," and spread his hands out to the side, shaking his head from side to side. ''Hey, tell me about it!'' ''Well, I''m going to run back to my quarters now, so you can get back faster than I can. But don''t you think I''m too good for that? Julia, you have to count to 100 seconds before you can come in here. ''Then ... is that a good deal?¡¡And I''m not even there anymore! Eve-san was not at all conscious of ending her conversation with me, and before I knew it, she was running off in earnest. How can I say........I think I''m starting to understand Yves a little bit more recently....... And with that in mind, I sprinted after 100 seconds.......but just when I thought I could win, Eve-san interfered with me with magic and I lost. He said, "No one said you shouldn''t use magic........? Apparently. Well, Eve seemed to enjoy it already and was smiling and laughing, so let''s call it a day. 160-Episode 160: I Found a Weird Stuff Ooh, Julia, eh? ''Julia. It''s been a while. Mr. Scott. And Nick. It''s been a while. He bows his head in a bow. Lieutenant Scott Bates, who was with me in my old unit. And Ensign Nick Bream, with whom I''ve known for some time. Both of them are here in the First Containment City, since they were on the mission. And I''ve heard that they''re working in Areas 8, 9, and 10 now... Today, I was responsible for cleaning up the surrounding demons in Area 8. However, this is just a nominal story, and in reality, it also doubles as an inspection. Nowadays, each area is warded, of course, not as strong as the warded city, but supplies and other things are being sent to the area, and it has become possible to live reasonably well. It will be possible to work overnight and there is almost no inconvenience. I''m sure it''s already on par with the other areas of the Boundary City, except for the shabby exterior and the fact that the only people in the room are the antimagicians. ''''So what''s Yuria doing?'''' Nick asks me that, and I decide to answer honestly. It''s a mission to hunt demons, but there weren''t many to begin with. I guess I''m just wandering around the various areas right now. So that''s what we did, Nick. ''Yeah. Julia, actually, me and Scott are in the same boat. As a matter of fact, even we as lieutenants don''t have time for this situation right now... the people who are actually building the area are the lower-ranking anti-magicians, and we didn''t want to take that away from them. Wow. I know the feeling so well. I''d like to help you, but I''m weirdly afraid to... ''''Well, in Julia''s case, she''s already at the top of the special class of anti-magicians. I heard, I heard it was a big gold star in this operation? I reply with a bitter smile as Scott-san pokes me in the shoulder. ''''No, well I was indeed the one who destroyed the target, but it was actually because of everyone''s help...'''' ''Hahaha!¡¡Well, I knew Julia would say that, man. I was in the same squad before, and you seem to be the same as ever! ''Mr. Scott you''re right, well yes. It doesn''t matter how high up the ladder you are, you''re still going to do what you do. And the three of us walked between areas, chatting about various things. The three of us had some spare time on our hands, so the conversation was reasonably lively, but we found something strange on the way. Hmm?¡¡What''s that? Huh? What the hell is... The three of them looked at each other. It was a bush. It was just a nondescript bush. Although it has been invaded by twilight and dyed purple-black, it is no different from the usual landscape. The only difference is that there is something........round there. ''Hey........isn''t that an ass?'' Yeah. ''Yes. That''s what it looks like to me ... do you want to dig it out anyway? Then I came closer, and when I grabbed its hips, not its buttocks, but its hips deep inside, I pulled it out to this side as it was. "Squeezing...! The one who came out with such a strange voice........wasn''t human. It had pink hair that was curled up in curls, and its clothes were torn in places, or maybe it was that way from the beginning, so much so that its skin was completely visible. Plus it has large horns on its head and even a wagging tail. The tip is shaped like a heart, and it is twitching in a strange way. ''''Is this........a succubus?'''' I''ve never seen... hey, Nick. You''ve never seen anything like it. I''ve read about it in the literature, but this is the first time I''ve ever seen it in person, isn''t it? The three of us begin to analyze it. I also deploy Twilight Sight and see through the components of the succubus. --I see. There''s no doubt about it. This elemental form, as well as its inherent domain, the Personal Field, are definitely subhuman. And judging by its external characteristics, it''s probably a succubus. I came to that conclusion. ''''Hmm........there you are.......where am I! He seemed to wake up as he left the pulled out succubus in its place and observed it. ''You''re awake,'' You''re up. Surprisingly small. In the meantime we decided to do a live feed and watch it. I could have captured it right here, but I wanted to try to interact with it first. ''Huh?¡¡What?¡¡Could it be human?! ''Well, well I''m human, but are you a succubus?'' ''Humph!¡¡Yes!¡¡I''m Katherine the Succubus!¡¡She''s one of the candidates for queen of the hour! Oh, I see....the queen. It''s an interesting ecosystem. Can we consider a queen to be the one who rules the succubus? Yeah, hey, you. Yes, what is it? ''Isn''t my magic working on everything?'' ''Oh I''m sorry. I was unconsciously resisting. What? Yes. This succubus. It was attacking me with magic while I was talking to it. But it''s not an aggressive one, and as far as I can see in the Twilight Sight, it''s definitely a mental interference magic. Could this be the magic called "Charm" that I''ve heard rumors about? ''''Wow, my Charms [Charms] don''t work! "Oh. It was a charm, after all. The only race that uses it is succubus, so I''m learning a lot. That Uriah guy is in full analysis mode. Let''s just sit back and enjoy the ride. Yeah. So it seems that the two of them chose to watch in complete silence, so I''ll take care of them for now. ''Wait ... wait a minute. Good thing.........wait.......wait........wait! Instantly, the succubus began to move at an uncommon speed. The speed of its escape is as expected of a sub-human. It''s a speed that is difficult for a human to achieve. However.......... ''''Oops........wait a minute. I''m not going to be violent, okay? ''Huh!¡¡Sigh...!¡¡Wait a minute, you''re really human! ...It''s hard to define exactly what that means, but I''d like to be human as a species. ''Huh.........Seriously?¡¡How can humans be so powerful?¡¡That''s not what I''m talking about... I''m sorry... so can I ask you a question? ''Oh!¡¡Could it be that you are going to........attack me! What? What are three men going to do to me? No. I mean ... as an ecosystem, aren''t you the one who attacks? ''That''s when the Charm works!¡¡I''ll just have to give in to a monster like you...................ouch!¡¡You look so sweet, and what you do is so outrageous!¡¡But you may forgive your body, but you don''t forgive your mind!¡¡And it''s a bit scary to do it out there... and... ''Well. Wait. I just want to talk to you. At any rate, you don''t have any hostile intentions, do you? No but, well, I''m a succubus so why don''t you catch me and torture me or something? The succubus looks at me with concern. To reassure her here, a kind word........ ''Hey Julia. Aren''t you going to torture me like you usually do?¡¡That''s your monopoly, isn''t it? ''Gee!¡¡I knew it!¡¡I''m going to be raped, uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu! Hey, Mr. Scott!¡¡You don''t need to say anything else! ''Hahaha!¡¡I''m sorry, I''m sorry!¡¡That succubus is kind of funny! ''Gyaaahhhhhh!¡¡Oh no!¡¡I don''t want to dissipate my purity in this place... good, good, good, good, good, good, good! I struggled to chase after the fleeing succubus. Or rather, it was already too much trouble, so I decided to restrain it with magic and even physically bind it with a rope by leaning on top of it. I''m sure it''s no use trying to talk to her and tell her it''s going to be okay. As I''m holding her reluctantly with the rope, I hear a familiar voice in my ear. ''Oh, it''s not Julia.'' Miss Julia? ''Julia?¡¡I mean...what? The three people who came there were the senior, Princess Liane and Shelly. ''''No!¡¡I''m going to be raped, uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu! I''m the one who gets on the horse and ties her up with the rope, which she doesn''t want to do. Yeah ......................out. 161-Episode 161 Interview ''So what''s Julia doing?¡¡Hey? ''No, this is........not.......! ''Ughhhhhh!¡¡Oh no!¡¡I''m going to be raped, uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu! Hey!¡¡Because that would be misleading! So I was questioned by my seniors, Princess Liane and Shelly looked at me white, and it really was a needle in a haystack. Of course, at the same time as my defense, Scott-san and Nick also followed up, so the fact-free misunderstanding that I was going to attack a succubus outside without knowing it, was somehow resolved. ''''Gusu........gusu.........'''' It''s Katherine, isn''t it? ''Yeah ... giggle ... giggle ...'' My name is Liane. I''m Liane, and I''m royalty in the human world. That''s okay. I''m not going to be violent in the name of royalty. Really...? Yes, sir. Why don''t we roll him up in a circle like that guy who just came in? .... ''What?¡¡Why are you looking away!¡¡Hey! ''''In a manner of speaking, you are a demon race. You may be hostile to humans, so we won''t do anything unless you do something about it... but restraint is unavoidable. Oh, no!¡¡I didn''t even do anything! But if I untie her, she''ll run away, won''t she? I''m not going to run away. I see. Julia, let''s carry it to the Warding City. Yes, sir! Turning my salute to Princess Liane, I carry Catherine up on the ground. ''Oooohhhh!¡¡Oh no!¡¡I''m going to be raped uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu! ''Yes, yes I wouldn''t do that...'' That''s how our group returned to the Boundary City with the mysterious succubus. ¡ó The story afterwards. Conversation. And since there is no sign of hostile intent, she will be interrogated for the time being. However, since there are more people in the area 8-10 now, it will be me who brought Catherine and Princess Liane to do the interrogation. I''m sure they are trying to keep you in check in case you get out of control, but since they don''t like me, I had some thoughts on the matter. By the way, this has already been notified inside the military. ''''Ughhhh........what do you want to do with me! An interrogation room. There''s a table and a desk, though, and we''re sitting across from each other. And I haven''t released Catherine''s restraints yet. This time, Princess Liane will ask questions and I will write down the details on a piece of paper. ''I won''t do it. I''ll be fine. Really? Yes. I don''t lie. Well that''s fine but... Princess Liane smiles at him. Looking at her, no one would think her words were a lie. By the way, I know that Princess Liane is surprisingly mischievous, and she can tell a lie without hesitation. Although her outward appearance precedes her image, she actually has a 15-year-old girlish side to her. ''''First of all, yes. I want to create a profile, so please answer the questions. You can say you don''t like what you don''t like, if you want. ''Yeah...'' First of all, are you sure the race is succubus? Yeah. My name is Katherine from Succubus... Okay. How old are you? Twelve years old. Oh my. You are very young. You seem so mature, I thought you were older than that. ''Really?¡¡Am I mature? ''Yes. I think she''s very mature and attractive. I see. I see. I see. Your highness is a good guy. Does that mean that paradoxically I''m a terrible guy? Well, there''s no point in worrying about it. I just post the information in silence. "Ah!¡¡Oh, and don''t forget that I''m a candidate for the Queen! The queen contender, sir? Yes! Are you going to replace the succubus queen? Ummm ... well, I guess so?¡¡No, maybe not... It''s easy to understand. But you don''t want to get stubborn by pursuing it in a strange way here. Princess Riane seems to understand that, and immediately moved on to the next question. ''''Then let''s continue........'''' ''Oh....'' Squeak~, a pretty sound echoes through the room. It''s an interrogation room, which is why the sound is so noticeable... Katherine is red-faced, looking down and purring. ''Are you hungry?'' ''Yeah I haven''t eaten anything for three days now...'' Okay. With that said, Princess Liane used communication magic. I arranged to bring food over here immediately and came over........ ''''Whoa!¡¡What the hell?¡¡What the hell? Here you go. Please enjoy your meal. You can talk to me afterwards, if you like. ''You sure?¡¡It looks so, so good! I hope you''ll consider it a sign of trust. ''Oh!¡¡Princess, you''re the best!¡¡Then....! Katherine jumps. Yes. For some reason, what she was eating was a katsudon. The choice is a mystery, but according to Princess Liane, this is set in stone. Pork meat is fried in oil and furthermore it is tossed with an egg. It seemed to be made with plenty of broth, and it was golden in color. Five minutes of staring at Kathryn, who was mugging it and munching on it with relish. She had eaten her katsudon in the blink of an eye. That''s good to hear. ''I''ll answer any questions you have right now!¡¡Because I''m in a very, very good mood! Now let''s cut to the chase ... why were you in that place? Well, that''s... What''s that? To be clear, once you see with Princess Liane''s Celestial Eye, that''s all you need to do, but that has many restrictions, and if possible, he didn''t want to use it. And Catherine was silent for a while, and then she opened her mouth. ''You''re not laughing...?'' Yeah. You''re not laughing? ''Well, well ... actually ... I''m ... lost ...'' Are you lost? ''Yeah. That area was my favorite place, but it had some kind of warding, and I got pissed off and slipped through the warding... but then I couldn''t get out of there, and I''ve been unable to get out the other way. It''s kind of different from the place in... and there''s a lot of people in there... and I''ve been wandering around... Well that''s a tough one, isn''t it? ''Yeah...'' So you''re saying that mankind has no hostile intent? ''''Yeah. What do you mean "may"? I don''t know, there''s some weirdos coming to succubus country lately. Strange, huh? ''''Yeah. I know it''s a demon race, but I don''t know much about it... ''I see. I see. I continued to choke on the questions, but no more promising information came out. I put together all the stories that Catherine had told me and made a report. ''Well. Well, that''s all for now. Thank you for your time.'' Is that it? Yeah. That''s it. So I can go home? That''s not really ... I just want to talk to you some more. Yeah you can''t go home yet? I''ll make dinner again, okay?¡¡There''s something in the human world that tastes better than the one I just mentioned. Something better than before! ''Yes. It''s just so much better. Gokuri. It can''t be helped. I really want to go home so badly, but I don''t mind if I stay in the human country for a little while. ''That would be very helpful. ''Yes, there is a place where the elves currently live, so let''s have them move over there. It would be better to have the same sub-humans than humans. Well then, Yulia-san, for now, please accompany Katherine up. What? The voices overlap. It was mine and Catherine''s. ''If they get away, Yulia would be able to capture them, wouldn''t she? Well, it''s possible, but... Then it''s nice to meet you. Yes. .... A smile that belies its existence. And the fact that Catherine is staring at me is strangely disturbing. For some reason, I ended up sharing my activities with Catherine. 162-Episode 162: A walk with two people .... .... We come outside and start moving for now. We keep silent to each other, or rather, Catherine''s alertness is quite strong. She''s been looking at me the whole time, opening a moderate distance between us and moving forward. I couldn''t let her walk around the city of Boundary City, and the area, dressed like this for now, so I was heading to the clothing store in the Central District. ''''Hey, hey!'''' What''s the matter, Catherine? Where are you headed?¡¡Aren''t you going the other way? Now I thought I''d go shopping for your clothes. Why? ''It would be easier to live inside a human city, wouldn''t it?¡¡Plus, if the public finds out that there''s a succubus in the house, there''s a lot of problems. I can at least use cognitive disruption magic.¡¡I still use it. ''But the magic element isn''t infinite, and it could be disarmed at any moment. ''Hmm. Well, if that''s what you mean I wouldn''t put anything out for you to shop for, would I? I''ll give you the money. Hmm. Hmmm! For some reason, Catherine emphasizes, "Hmmm. But for the time being, I''m glad that she seems to follow what I say. And so Catherine and I arrive in front of the clothing store. Once inside, she looks around the store with a twinkle in her eye. ''Wow ... wow!¡¡Wow!¡¡I didn''t know there were so many of them! Humans have only recently regained the ability to mass produce. ''Oh my God!¡¡I like this one! "...I see. I get it. Yay! It''s so heartwarming to see her so innocently frolicking. Maybe this is how I feel about having a daughter... I quickly pay the bill and hand it over as soon as possible, thinking that maybe this is how I feel about having a daughter. Yes. Here you go. Thanks! You''re welcome. He seems to have lost his cautiousness about me and has become completely like a normal child. It would be better for me to be able to communicate with him, but this change in attitude is a bit surprising. I guess it''s a good idea for women to receive gifts regardless of race, right? I see. Well, while I was thinking about such an unimportant matter, Katherine was already wearing the clothes she bought. ''''How! Yeah, it looks good on you. Yeah. I''m a very pretty girl. That''s a big statement, but well ... it''s not entirely wrong. What Katherine chose was an outfit called a poncho. At first glance, it looks like a raincoat, but it''s properly colored pink, and it also has a hood to cover the horn of your head. It''s functional, stylish and cute. I agreed with that assessment. ''Good. Now we won''t have to use magic anymore! Yes. But why do you use it?¡¡If you''re human, you don''t need any more cognitive inhibition, do you? ''Well, I''m a bit of a celebrity... hahaha...'' Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Can I ask you specifically? ''''Hmm. I don''t know if it''s okay to tell you... but it''s not something that would bother you to know... Don''t be a pussy, come on! Well, you see, I''m a rank zero in the rankings of the special opponents. What''s that...? Do you know what a demon counterpart is? "Resist the demons, be human?¡¡Riane told me. There''s a pecking order among them. Wow. But I''m the best of the bunch, I guess. What? What? You''re the strongest of all of humanity? It''s not always easy to say. It''s hard to say, but it''s also a matter of how well you match up with your opponent. But when it comes to overall strength, he''s one of the top five in the world. Well, it''s limited to melee combat. .... Hey, what''s going on? Am I not going to get killed? ''No, I''m not the kind of person who would kill indiscriminately. ...Really? Really, really. I don''t get any pleasure out of killing. Did you say that... actually...? No, I don''t. Yeah. That''s okay!¡¡But it made sense to me. What are you talking about? Didn''t I try to escape? Yes. That''s what they caught you doing then.... ''''Well, that''s true. A speed like that is normal for a high-level anti-magician. That''s nice. I''m scared of humans. If it''s done poorly, aren''t they just as bad as witches? Well, I''m not so sure about that. While we were chatting about this, we proceeded to the restaurant district for some reason. I''ve been thinking of taking this opportunity to buy Katherine a variety of meals. But instead of going inside the shop, we decided to eat at a food cart. No matter how much I''m fooling around with my clothes, it''s not safe to stay in one place. ''''Hm!¡¡Delicious!¡¡Too good to be true! Yeah? You a**h*le!¡¡This is sweet and yet a little salty.... but it''s also harmonious in its own way... no, really, this is formidable.... No, it''s a very formal description. ''Hmmm ... Yulia!¡¡We''re going to the next store! ''Yes, yes....'' For some reason, Catherine calls me Yulia as well, and proceeds to make me look like a subordinate. ''Oh, sweetie. You''re so cute. You do! Yeah, yeah. I''m sure she''ll be a beautiful woman in the future... ''Thanks!¡¡So, give me one of these! Yes. He said he wanted to go shopping by himself with my money, so I watched him from a distance. By the way, what he is buying now is grilled corn. He seems to have been caught by the smell of the sauce. I''m sure he got caught by the smell of the sauce. Come back again, sweet girl. ''Yes!¡¡I mean, that........Uncle, you''re wrong. You gave me two bottles. It''s a service to your pretty little girl. Uncle! Well, it''s a good thing. Thanks! Catherine smiles and comes towards me, skipping straight to me. ''Hehehe!¡¡I got another bottle for free!¡¡Because I''m pretty!¡¡Because I''m pretty! Good for you, Catherine. Yeah! When I pat her head, she smiles a toothy, nical smile. I''m completely at home in this town, but well ... that''s okay. It''s not that I don''t like the idea of fighting, either. It''s true that I have strength, but I''m fighting to create a world where that strength won''t be needed any longer. That''s why I''m hoping that the city will be filled with smiles like this one. That''s what I thought. ¡ó Are you okay? ''No it''s not good...'' You''re right. All right. "....Oh my God!¡¡What are you doing? ''''It''s getting dark, and it''s a bit of a challenge to get to Area 9 in the Elven Village now. We''ll stay inside the warded city today. I give Katherine a princess hug. She was a little reluctant at first, but when she got out of control, she really felt like she was going to vomit or something. ''Hmmm ... what should I do now? I guess I''ll have to stay in Princess Liane''s room after all.......but hey.......just in case, I shouldn''t do that...... Hmmm, when it comes to other women, a special class anti-magician would be a good choice, so... Hey. What? I don''t mind if I go to Julia''s room? Yeah, really?¡¡I don''t mind, either, but I mean, don''t you want to? Well, I don''t mind it.¡¡You''ve done so much for me today that I didn''t trust you or anything!¡¡I''m still very much on my guard for you!¡¡Don''t get me wrong! Uh, yeah... It''s completely pointless to say such things while being held in my arms. It''s not a good idea to be hugged by someone who is so cautious about you, but that''s just a wild thing to do. I''d like to report this to Princess Liane and then invite Catherine to my room. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that Princess Liane''s eyes aren''t smiling as she looks at Catherine, who is in love with me. 163-Episode 163: Heterogeneous Communication Oh. It''s surprisingly clean. Well, make yourself at home. Yay! Then she goes in a straight line to the bed and dives straight into it. ''Oh!''¡¡Great, great!¡¡I didn''t know beds could bounce so much!¡¡It''s still amazing what human civilization can do! What does a succubus really look like? "Hmm. What can I say? I don''t think we''re behind the curve, but I still think humans are on a higher level than we are. And best of all, the food is better! Haha, well, that''s important. ''Yes!¡¡But still, I really didn''t know what was going to happen. When I wandered into the warding, I didn''t expect to encounter humans. And there are a lot of incomprehensibly strong-looking people out there. I don''t know much about it because I''m still young, but I believe I escaped to this city after I was defeated in the Human Demon War, right? ''Well, yes. ''Well, I guess after 150 years, I''ve finally got my piece of land back. And we''ve recently signed a formal peace treaty with the elves. Oh, really? Don''t succubuses have any animosity towards humans? I have no intention of fighting with any other species. I''m not a race that specializes in fighting to begin with, nor do we have the intelligence to create a high level of civilization like humans do. Like the elves, we''re kind of neutral. ''I see. But maybe we''ll have to interact with the succubus as well. There''s an air of humanity right now that wants to expand its territory in some way. Well, as long as you''re not a demon, I don''t mind. But they''re not. Have you ever met a witch before? Just once. Those guys. They''re sick. They''re the worst kind of people who get off on killing people. Well a lot of our people have been attacked by demons. So are we. A lot of succubus have been killed by demons. It''s surprising, but it''s still true that demons seem to be merciless in killing even other demons. It''s not so much the camaraderie as it is the camaraderie of the demons in the first place. Or rather, it might be fair to say that they don''t have it. They will kill any other race. That''s the principle behind their actions. They seem to have a purpose, but they don''t dream that they can become friendly. You can go straight to sleep. I''ll sleep on the couch. ''Thanks! I''m tired after everything that''s happened today, and I''ve eaten a lot of food, so I''m going to go to bed. Yeah. Good night. Omamummi~. Uuuuuu........ And Catherine was soon asleep. She must have been very tired, but she fell asleep quickly. And so I, too, fell asleep for a short time. ¡ó ''''Uhhhhhhhhhh....'''' Oh, are you up? Is it morning already? Yes, ''I''m sleepy ... and I hate mornings ...'' ''Oh, right. Succubus are nocturnal, right? ''Hmmm ... not strictly speaking ... but I''m pretty sure I''m more active at night ...'' I see. Well, I don''t mind getting some more sleep. ''Thanks........................'' Catherine immediately goes right into a second sleep. In the meantime, I move around the quarters to wash the laundry and other things that have accumulated in the meantime. Then I come to the communal selection area and as I''m washing dishes, Nick approaches me with a grin. ''Oops. Julia. Nick. Good morning. So, how did it go last night? ''What?¡¡What are you talking about? That succubus is in your room, right? Yeah, but... Did you hold her? What? What, not yet? ''No, because you can''t have a girl that young!¡¡Or rather, I don''t have any intention of doing so, either. But it''s a succubus.¡¡Did nothing happen? Yeah. I was just sleeping through the night like a normal gooseberry. What is it? You''re not gonna give me anything... I''m sorry I didn''t meet your expectations. Well, that''s not a good idea for interspecies communication. I don''t care if it''s an elf, a succubus might still have the will to be hostile. Well, yeah. Mmm-hmm. As I''m talking with Nick, I hear another familiar voice behind me. ''''Heh ... it''s true that that succubus is in Julia''s room. ........sir?¡¡Wh-why are you here? I asked Liane. I asked her what she was going to do with that succubus and she said she''s staying in Julia''s room now. ''No, I don''t have any ulterior motive.¡¡Hey Nick.......and he''s not here! The speed of sound. No, it was beyond the speed of light. Nick had left this place at the speed of light. I didn''t expect my senior to appear in this place either, so I''m usually scared. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make the most out of your time here. The same thing happened to Princess Liane yesterday, but what is it with women?¡¡Is this vibe the default? As I was thinking this, I was urged by my seniors. ''Can I go to my room?'' Do what you will... So I had to go back to my room with my seniors in tow. ''''Hey!¡¡You need to wake up! Shh...! Catherine is thrown out of bed and slammed to the ground. Oh you poor thing but please forgive me for not being able to do anything about it. I can''t get over my seniors......... ''''You. You didn''t do anything to Julia, did you? Who the f*ck are you? I''m Eira Reese, the Teenage Witchmaker. Katherine the Succubus. ''''Ugh........I didn''t expect this to be a special class anti-magician.......'''' And you didn''t do anything about it, did you? ''S-senior. It''s not like Katherine has done anything to you.¡¡Because yesterday we ate dinner together and slept in separate bunks. Hey, Julia. Yes, sir. I''m listening to this guy. I don''t need your opinion right now. Do you understand? Yes, sir.... End of follow-up. There was nothing more left for me to do. ''Julia''s right, I didn''t do anything of the sort! Really? It''s true! But you''re a succubus, right? Yeah, I know, but... You didn''t attack him? ''Ugh ... that actually ...'' Actually? ''I''m still a virgin so I don''t know a lot of things about... well... yes. I''m sorry about that. I''m a succubus and I''m a virgin at my age and I''m sorry... Well, I mean, no, it''s okay. I haven''t experienced anything like that yet either... It''s unbearable. This atmosphere is indescribable. Moreover, I got the information that Katherine and senpai are virgins. When I questioned myself whether it was right for me to be in this space, my seniors glared at me sharply. ''Yulia, don''t forget what you just heard. Good thing? ''Does that mean my senior is a virgin?¡¡Or was it Katherine? It''s both, of course!¡¡Idiot! ''''Oh ... right ...'''' And what about Julia? What? Do you think you''re going to let two women speak for themselves? Yes.... I mean, it''s a total suicide bomb... I don''t care! Well, I don''t have any experience either. I don''t have time for that. Hmm. Yeah, I see. Well, I''m not really interested. Yes.... Senpai turns his head to the opposite side of my face again with a pui. I feel like I''m being terribly unreasonable........ ''''Ah!¡¡This doesn''t matter!¡¡Riane told me to get Catherine and Julia!¡¡Let''s go, you two! I understand. Yes. And so we head over to Princess Liane''s, but she speaks to Catherine in a sneaky way. ''''Yulia.......she''s having a hard time.......'''' What are you talking about? ''It''s hard to be a princess and Eira and I wish you luck...'' "?¡¡Oh, thank you? 164-Episode 164: The Cause and Effect of Repeating .... Sharpening. Alfred continues to sharpen his sword. A room where the moonlight shines through. The room was so tranquil and serene that it was hard to believe that someone was living in it approximately. A simple chair and table, and a bed are the only things in the room. And only a bed. A country where demons live. Among them, the Holy Twelve Apostles are given the privilege of living in the castle. To a demon, strength is everything. The strong ones are righteous, and the weak ones are oppressed and only scatter their lives. Many demons strive to reach the status of the Holy Twelve Apostles, even to the point of scattering their own lives. But even then, only a handful of them can reach it. Alfred is now one of the oldest among them. In the Human-Magic War, he outperformed them on the front lines and continued to fight as the world''s strongest swordsman. But his heart will never be satisfied. The things he sought were never there. No, it wasn''t. He had lost it. Alfred continues to search for what he lost in the Man-Monitorial War. ".... Polishing, sharpening, and handling the magic sword carefully so that its performance is never compromised. This move is the one that has been repeated tens of thousands of times. Their lives have already lasted for more than a hundred years. Some demons'' lives are as long as 300 years. I look at it. I raise the Demon Sword Sixteen Nights. Illuminated by the moonlight, it will shine with a certain brilliance. Satisfied with his state, he sits upright as usual and goes into meditation. Meikyomei no Shisui. That state is the end of the end that the swordsman seeks. The peak of all, that peak. In order to reach that state, Alfred tried to let go of all his passions, but he couldn''t help but let his evil thoughts come out. That''s because I''m reminded of the previous battle. Bertina Light. The name of the swordsman he cut and discarded. I will never forget that name, that sword technique, that secret sword. All of it is my own flesh and blood, and I will only cultivate it in my body so that I can manifest it unconsciously. ''''Cattleya I am........'''' He blurted out. Alfred''s concern was not about Belle. It was because he had seen that moment. That long-lost face. He would never see her again. Or so he thought. Because that person had died 150 years ago. I''ve been chasing her for a long time. I''ve been chasing after her for a long time. I''ve been living in a realm that can never be reached, and I''ve been desperately trying to reach that realm. And yet, I''m still not even close to her feet... Alfred believed that no matter how long he lived, he would never reach that realm. That''s why he wouldn''t take away the demon sword that had been passed down to a human. The Demon Sword Oborozuki Yoru. The one who had been killing its wielder for generations was none other than Alfred. For some reason, Oboro Tsukuyoru and 16 Nights were destined to be drawn together. In this way, he had slaughtered dozens of Oborozukiyo''s wielders. Each time he took away their swordsmanship and secret swords and turned them all into flesh and blood. He waited for the wielder of the Oboro Moonlight Night as sustenance that would even help him grow. But he had finally arrived, and after a hundred and fifty years of waiting, he had arrived. It was Sherry. Sherry was the creator of Oboro Tsukiyo and even the Sixteenth Night, and he bore a striking resemblance to the founder of the swordsmanship and secret swords. No, it was no longer at the level of a close resemblance. To Alfred, it was a living copy. Sherry was the very life copy of Cattleya, the founder of the Cuten Sobing [Shiten Sobing] style. Seeing that, it was no longer possible for him to restrain his heart from rising. ''''I''m sure... we will meet again. Isn''t that right, Cattleya? Questioning its name. Thus Shelley''s cause and effect will surely converge. ¡ó Hmmm... so you killed Bertina Wright. Yes, sir. Mr. Alfred has done it. Ha. He looks like he''s been obsessed with it forever. He''s got a lot going on in his case, sir. Well, that''s fine. I''ll just use the piece I have to use. Even the thought of it can be used. On your left, sir. Well I guess it''s time for us to get moving. Would you like to come in person? ''Aureel''s work has made it easier for me to move around in many ways. It''s been a while since I''ve had to teach you anything. It''s time for you to learn about the horrors of a demon''s peak. I''ll be looking forward to it. Sitting on a throne is a single demon. His physique can only be described as huge, standing over two meters tall, with not a single lean muscle covering his body. Its hair is trimmed blonde, with bright red horns sprouting from both sides. The pinnacle of the Holy Twelve Apostles. The first rank in the hierarchy was about to start moving like this. ''''Huh?¡¡Is it just the two of you now? Hmm?¡¡Claudia. What can I do for you? No. I just thought I''d give you an update on my research. Well. I''m going into battle now. Papers, please. Oh, that''s unusual. Are you going to answer it? It''s been a while. Besides, you need to show the majesty of a demon''s pinnacle. Yeah. Well, okay. I''m doing my own thing. I''m counting on you, Claudia. Yeah. With that, Claudia leaves the throne. With a click of her shoes, she proceeds. Right now, in the basement of this castle, she was carrying out her research. The one she was currently working on was regarding the Twilight Syndrome, or Twilight Syndrome. Claudia was surprised to hear Alfred''s testimony. She had heard that Belle overcame the Twilight Syndrome in her last days and transformed into something inhuman. Based on her research with Silas, she had concluded that the Twilight Syndrome was just a disease, and although the transformation of the demon race occurred, it was nothing more than that. He had concluded that. However, that story didn''t end there. One could reach beyond that. It wasn''t a saint like Liane, or a half-human, half-demon like Julia and the others, but a completely new individual. ''Claudia, how are you doing?'' Silas... That was a surprise to me about Bell. Yes I didn''t expect Belle to get ahead of people... Maybe that story isn''t so bad after all. The fairy tale? Yes. Well that may be true. The fairy tale is as follows. It is said that originally the source of all living things was human beings, and from there they became saints, sub-humans, demons, and even demons. Human beings are the origin of all possibilities, and it may be that there can be transformations that the world does not yet know about. That is exactly what the phenomenon of twilight is encouraging us to do. But the questions that come to mind come down to one thing. What is dusk, after all...what is it? No one knows that. A mysterious phenomenon that occurred at the same time as the end of the Human Demon War. Many humans believe that the demon race is responsible for it, but among the demon race, it''s hard to know who or what caused the twilight to occur. The world is ruled by twilight. How on earth did it come to be this way...even the demons have no way of knowing that question. ''''But Belle is dead? That''s quite a blow to the humans.'''' ''''Well, but now that Yulia-kun and the others are here, aren''t they still a force to be reckoned with?'''' Huh ... are you worried about it? No way. I don''t care what happens to the humans now. That''s the thing, if they were destroyed tomorrow, my emotions wouldn''t change. But it''s just... "Just? I wish you''d gotten rid of Bell''s body. It''s no use. ''I suppose that''s the best we can do under the circumstances. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make the most of it. No matter how much Auriel, it will be difficult to fight while sheltering a wounded Alfred. Well.... Belle is dead. Claudia didn''t think anything else when she received that report. Oh, he''s dead? That''s the extent of it. She had been reasonably close to Belle when she was in the Boundary City. But it was a lie. In her heart, she didn''t feel anything, anything at all. And yet, what was this something that lingered in her mind? Claudia had certainly felt it. It''s not sadness, woe, or frustration, but something unspeakable. ''Well, I''ll do it again today.'' ''Oh. Now, if you''ll excuse me. She tried to forget that something and spent her day in research. 165-Chapter 165: Information Arrangement Hey. What Catherine? You must be having a hard time. ''What?¡¡What are you talking about? If you don''t know, that''s okay... And for some reason, we follow behind our seniors, with Catherine taking pity on us. Now that we are a little farther away from her, she won''t be able to hear our conversation. We were doing our best to catch up with him as he moved forward at an oddly fast pace. When we reached the conference room in the base, he went away, revealing his anger. ''''Eira''s so scary when she''s angry...'''' Well, yeah. I''ll try not to piss you off in the future either. That''s the hard part... ''Yeah...'' And we both swore that we would do so..........and then we walked straight in. ''Excuse me,'' ''Oh. I''m glad you two are here. When I entered the room, I found Princess Liane there, wearing glasses and organizing papers. She was wearing her glasses, which was unusual today, and her hair was pulled up in a bun. I thought she was very beautiful, as she was unusual, and her intellectual vibe was pushed to the fore. ''Please take your seats, both of you,'' Excuse me. ''Well you just have to sit down. Alright. We both take our seats next to each other. Then Princess Liane, seated in front of me, flips through the papers and begins to talk. ''''Well, let''s begin the story. As for the treatment of Miss Catherine you may return to the Succubus Country. ''What?¡¡Really! Catherine stands up from the spot with a clatter. I glanced at her profile to see that she was very excited, and I could clearly see that her cheeks were red. ''Yes. But I have a condition. What are my terms? It''s called an inspection, and we''re sending a human being. Humans coming to our country...? Yes. Is this bad? ''''Ummm ... not that we''re hostile, I guess it''s fine...'''' How can I help you? ''I''m sure he''ll be pissed at me...'' ''I see. That''s, well ... it can''t be helped. What...?¡¡Whew, don''t you have a follow-up or something? No, sir. You''ll have to take care of it yourself. Huh.... Well, this is all I can do, isn''t it? I guess it''s more of a visit...........to the land of succubus. But the fact that I''ve been called to this place means............... ''''Then, Yulia-san. You will take the lead and go to some country. ''Well I knew it would happen, but ... are you sure?¡¡If you''re a man, you''ll have a problem... ''That part, well I''m sure your interference powers will be fine. You don''t seem to be listening to Katherine''s magic either. But the members we''re sending out would be better made up of women, except for you. I see. Then, Yulia-san, you will take the lead in choosing the members. ''What?¡¡Does it matter who it is...? ''''It would be troublesome if you take too many special class anti-magicians with you, but I''ll leave that to you. But we''ll see what we can find out. No, I understand... So I was going to gather my members and head to Succubus Country. 166-Episode 166: Collect Friends Well I don''t know what to do... I was supposed to be the one to collect them, but.... Honestly, is the idea of me collecting them even remotely okay...?¡¡Or so I thought. But Princess Liane says she''s going to look for me too........ ''''Umm........'''' What are you going to do, Julia? Katherine looks up at me and asks me that. Now that she''s outside, she has her hood up. ''What should I do...'' No, don''t ask me. But hey... What about Eira? He was mad at you. But what if you don''t ask him out or he gets even angrier? What... why? Huh.... Sighing loudly, Katherine turned to me and announced. ''Okay!¡¡Women are........creatures that want attention! ''Does that seem to transcend the species?¡¡Isn''t there a difference between a human and a succubus? "All women are women. I know all about women. I know exactly why Eira is so upset about it. That''s awesome!¡¡Hell, I''d love to learn that...! To be frank, Catherine, who usually seemed to be an idiot, seemed to shine now. After all, maybe it''s because we have the same woman in common.......she speaks eloquently. Besides, in the past than now, even though they were of different species, they fell in love and had children. Some of that would have been a cross between a human and a succubus. That''s why..............................I nodded my head at Catherine''s argument. Even though she is young, she is also one of the women. Surely she must understand the feelings of her seniors better than I do. ''''Well I can''t tell you in detail because this is a matter for the person in question, but.......you should definitely invite Eira! Oh, really? Yes. When a woman tells you that she doesn''t want to be bothered by you or acts like you don''t want her to be bothered by you, it''s an appeal to you. It''s an evil spirit, an evil spirit. ''N...I see! It''s true that sometimes seniors say so with their mouths, but they don''t really think so. Was this time also the same pattern? I almost made a mistake. As expected of Katherine! ''Thanks Catherine. In the meantime, I''m going to ask my senior to join us. I like that. So I went in looking for my senior to enter the base.......and I just found the figure in the mess hall. He was taking a boring-looking meal by himself, but I decided to speak to him without a second thought. ''''Senpai,'''' What is it, Julia? He''s definitely angry. It''s this attitude or rather...................you can tell by his voice. But we can''t back down here!¡¡And Katherine''s got my back! ''Well actually it''s about Katherine, but I''m going to go to succubus country...'' Hmm. And? Would you like to join us?¡¡I can''t send many special class anti-magicians, but if there are two or so of them.... Why me? ''''Seniors are very capable, and besides, after all, in succubus country, it''s better to have a woman around. That''s it? ''''No, I mean..........................senpai are dependable. I think I''m the closest friend of all the women I know, too! I manage to say the lines Katherine told me to say naturally. ''Good thing, you have to tell them that they are the best. Try to be natural!'' And that was that. ''''Hmm ... hmm?'''' The senior says so, and wraps her hair around her fingertips in a twirl. This, this sign........that''s what you get when you''re in a good mood! I decided to fold it up even more. I need a senior citizen. I need a senpai! Well, if you''re going to go out with me, I''ll go out with you.¡¡Special, special? Yes!¡¡Best regards! As I bow my head, I glanced at Katherine and gave her a guffawed thumbs up. I returned the same way with a guffaw so that I wouldn''t look like senpai. This is how I succeeded in securing my seniors for now. 167-Episode 167 Sharpening Your Mind The demon sword, the sixteenth night. As he watched it continue to sharpen, Alfred let the sword''s blade shine in the moonlight. "......... His body had already recovered. The battle with Belle was a fight to the death. That''s what it meant because Alfred also challenged him with all his might. A battle that would never end until one of them died. He thought. In this battle, the one who might end up dying might be.......himself. But he had won the battle in his hands. He had surpassed his human limits and defeated the fully awakened Bertina Light. The Last Secret Sword. It possessed the name of a demonic sword, a deadly sword technique. Belle''s cause of defeat was that she didn''t know her opponent''s secret sword. Alfred, on the other hand, knew of the secret sword. The existence of that secret sword. The secret sword, the Oboro Moonlight Night. It was a secret sword that he had witnessed many times. Each time it changed its user, it went through a series of transitions. However, just because it was getting closer to completion, it was not a perfect secret sword. Even that awakened Belle was incomplete, that secret sword was incomplete. If that was the case, was Alfred''s secret sword perfect?¡¡The question arises........but that''s not true either. His handling of the secret sword, the sixteenth night, is also still a work in progress. ''''Hmm........'''' I take a breath. Alfred has only one thing on his mind. To create the ultimate secret weapon. It could never be done alone. He was a heretic among mages. It''s not that he takes pleasure in the slaughter itself, nor does he find anything special in fighting humans. All he wanted was to get his hands on that secret sword. A secret sword he hadn''t seen yet. That faraway place that he hadn''t been able to reach in over a hundred and fifty years. He went on toward that place. ''Mr. Alfred, how are your wounds?'' Aurille.... Among the demons, Aureel was the only one who often talked to Alfred like this. And when he looked across at Aureel as he entered the room, he answered the other''s question. I''ve already made a full recovery. But the magic sword will take a little longer. Okay. So, how did you do this time? Bertina Wright had potential but no. But what about her? That girl? Yes. I know you have potential. ''''Well yes. No, that woman might be a maybe. It was a premonition. The moment he saw Shelly at first glance, he was reminded of a certain woman. Her appearance was too similar, and even the type of sword technique she handled was similar. Even though it is the same sword technique, individuals have their own quirks, but Shelly''s was too......similar. ''''I see. I see. Well that''s always a big help. No, no. Now, excuse me. ''Oh...'' Aureel bowed reverently and left. He didn''t see the figure until the end. Then again, Alfred looks up at the sky through the window. It is a silent, twilight-free night. Only the moonlight illuminates this room. And so he continues to sharpen his magic sword again. 168-Episode 168 After all So, Julia. What about the rest? ''Ummm ... what should I do?¡¡What do you think of the seniors? Currently, the three of us are in the cafeteria. Me, my senpai, and Katherine are seated together. Well ... yes. ''''So I guess the rest of us should choose from something other than the special class anti-magicians... but isn''t this the kind of thing that the higher-ups usually think about?'''' But Princess Liane asked me to look for her there too. I think it''s working. Okay. Well, okay. We''ll just go to Liane''s. Are you sure? Okay. I need to talk to you about something. So the three of us headed back to Princess Liane. I heard that she is currently in the same conference room as before. So as the three of us were walking again, Catherine was staring at my face. ''''.......What''s wrong?'''' No. But there''s something strange about Julia. "...?¡¡Um... what...? Well, you never know. Yeah? And with that, we walked back into the conference room. ''Oh. I knew it was going to happen. You knew... Well, I''m sorry, was that an intervention? ''No, it''s not that... well, it''s fine, but it''s kind of pissing me off that you can see right through me. So that''s what you mean, isn''t it? Yes. Actually, I had already made my choice from the beginning. My seniors and Princess Liane start to talk like that and I pout at the last words I hear. ''What?¡¡You mean.........you want me to go find you? ''I actually knew from the beginning that this was going to happen. I''m sure he''s going to bring Eira... So that means... Yes. The four of us here will be on our way. Smiling with a smile, Princess Liane said that without taking offense to anything, as if to say that this was natural. Let''s see........what are my difficulties? ''Well, I think I have a commander, or rather someone I can talk to. The two of you are actually meant to be my guards. In fact, in the land of the succubus, I''ll do the negotiations and such, so you don''t have to worry about it. ''''Well that would help, but do you mind if the royals leave?'''' I''m, well I''m already involved in a lot of things here. And besides, for Belle I''m willing to do whatever I can to help, I think. I felt my heart burn in my chest as I heard those words. Not much time has passed since Mr. Bell passed away. Time will heal people''s deaths one day. In the beginning, the scars that remain as if they were gouged out of your heart will eventually fade away... and become memories. But our hearts are still not completely healed. I remember what I did to her that day. And to know that Princess Liane is able to move forward and not lose herself is a great joy. ''Then we shall head out on our own. Our departure is the day after tomorrow. Each of you, please be ready to go. Yes, sir! Thus, the three of us would be taking Katherine to Succubus Country. 169-Chapter 169: Ready to Start So the four of us - me, my senpai, Princess Liane, and Catherine - are heading to the Succubus Country. According to Catherine''s story, their country is located near the level 3 twilight danger zone. It''s also warded and usually can''t be found. I don''t believe her blindly, but I only have to rely on Catherine''s information. For now, they are in the middle of making a plan based on that information, but Princess Liane has already made the plan itself and passed it upstairs for approval. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about this as well as the fact that it''s not too far away from the land we regained, so my senior and Princess Liane will be going to inspect it as a representative. ''''Hey~, Julia~'''' What is it, Katherine? Can''t we go sooner? Well, we''ll leave tomorrow, anyway. ''What!¡¡I can''t wait to get back! At the moment, Caryn is in my room, lounging in bed. We''re leaving tomorrow morning, so right now we''re supposed to get ready for tomorrow and then get some sleep. Well, I don''t need to sleep that much though, so it''s fine...I wanted to make sure everything was ready. ''What''s that in there?'' Hmm?¡¡Well I guess I''ll need it. Some canned goods, food and water, just in case. I''m sure they''ll offer you food? But still, just in case... right? Hmm. Yeah. Katherine seems to agree, but I''m also carrying some sort of weaponry in my pack just in case. There''s no guarantee that we won''t get into a battle. And if you''re not a senior, Princess Liane is not strong enough to fight. If that happens, I will surely be the one to fight. While protecting her. That''s why I''ll make sure I''m prepared. Even though succubus are not hostile to humans, a picture is worth a thousand words. We still don''t know what''s going to happen. ''''Speaking of which, what is the succubus queen like?'''' I asked him about it in the sense of exploring. But it''s no surprise that I''m usually interested in it, though. ''Ummm ... she''s super beautiful!¡¡But I''m rather afraid... Are you afraid? ''Yes!¡¡I''m already great when I''m angry!¡¡And your magic skills are amazing! Oh, I see. Yeah. You better not let him get angry. No, I don''t think I''m going to do anything. ''No, no, she can be angry at unreasonable things. I''ll be careful. Yeah ... are you mad at me for being unreasonable? ''Yes. They get mad at me for sneaking out to snack on food and all that stuff. No, that''s.........that''s Catherine''s fault. ''Ugh well, well, that''s okay...'' You cheated. We go on with our conversation, thinking. ''For now, you''ll have to get your shit together in front of the Queen! ''Yes. I''ll keep that in mind. And so we go to sleep. Tomorrow we will finally head to the land of the succubus. We begin to move on again. Overcoming many deaths, we move on. And so, we fall into a slumber, thinking that one day we will reach the end of this twilight.... 170-Episode 170: Departure Shall we go now? Yes, sir. Yeah. We''re finally going home. The four of us were headed to the Succubus Country. On the way there, we will also enter the twilight danger zone, but it shouldn''t be too dangerous since there are many places that are also our territory now. Me and my seniors are carrying backpacks, and Princess Liane is also carrying a smaller one on her back. Catherine, on the other hand, is empty-handed. But she''s strangely smiling as she walks along. As a matter of fact, Catherine probably wanted to go home as soon as possible. She has no friends, she just came alone in the human world. She''s a very good girl, she doesn''t seem to be hostile to humans, and it seems like she was just enjoying herself to the fullest, but after all...it''s a different feeling to be able to go back to your own country, isn''t it? ''Yulia-san,'' What is this? Me and Princess Liane are in the front stepping forward. I''m not going to be able to get out of the car. When Princess Liane stood side by side with me, she said to me, "Thank you for this time. I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. Thank you for coming all the way to follow me. It''s part of my mission. Besides, if I can help Princess Liane, I''m happy to do so. ''I see. Thank you. His smile was beautiful, as always, as he smiled. ''But ... sometimes I think ... If only Belle were here.... Princess Liane... It was not so much a sadness in the air as a mere matter of fact. ''Belle has been by my side all along. I''m sure she would have come with me on this expedition if she had been alive. ''That''s ... well ... yes. Because Belle-san was very protective of you. ''Yes. But, you know, that''s why I think I should be able to stand on my own two feet. Just like Yulia-san told me one day on that day. ''It''s... no, if my words helped... it''s good to know. From now on, you will stay by my side, won''t you, Miss Julia? "...what?¡¡Well, well I''ll help you as much as I can. Well let''s put it that way. And with a bad human smile on her face, she goes straight backwards. What the hell is this?¡¡And so we went onward. Finally, we came to the twilight danger zone, completely away from human territory. From here on out, it''s not surprising that we''ll encounter demons. I''m already ready to fight. By the way, Princess Liane, of course, but Catherine doesn''t have the strength to conduct a battle either. Catherine........do you remember the road from here? Of course!¡¡As I recall, it''s over here! I followed her words and continued on my way. Fortunately, we didn''t encounter any demons. And as the sun was beginning to set, we decided to rest in the field for now. 171-Chapter 171: Dochu Wild camp. So we decided to take a rest here. I had brought a simple tent with me, so Eira-senpai and I assembled it. And we were going to sleep... I said it was fine because we didn''t need to sleep, but I said it was better to rest, so we slept. For some reason, I''m in the middle. In the current lineup, it would be Catherine, Princess Liane, me and my senior. Catherine is pretty much lying in the corner and is already snoring. I, on the other hand, have my arms firmly held by Princess Liane and my seniors. The actuality of this is that it''s not just a matter of time before you''ll be able to get your hands on it. I can''t sleep without my cuddly pillow. I did it to protect Julia from Liane. And my senior stared at Princess Liane behind me. But they fell asleep while holding my arm, so I can''t move. The truth is, I was going to go out after they were asleep, but I couldn''t do that either. So I just stare blankly upwards and think about the future. What I''m going to do now is to go to succubus country. In the meantime, they are not hostile to humans, but they haven''t interacted with us at all since we were confined to the Boundary City. That''s why I don''t believe Catherine''s words with my hands. It''s possible that it''s controlled by other demonic tribes, just like that elven village. And there''s no chance that they sent Carin to trap us humans. ''''Hmm. Munchy munchy.......I can''t eat anymore....... Katherine, scratching her belly in her raggedy belly, speaks in her sleep like that. ''..... I don''t think that Catherine is any kind of assassin, looking at such a figure through Princess Liane, but she is a tricky one. I must remember that I am here to represent humanity. I''ve been thinking about this when my eyes suddenly snapped open and met with Princess Liane''s eyes. ''''........Julia-san, can''t you sleep?'''' ''Well. Or rather, Princess Liane doesn''t need much sleep either, does she? ''Well, yes. It''s always been a dream of ours to lie down together like this. Sure, it''s nice to have a bit of a camping fix. ''''I know you''re uptight. But why don''t you slow down a bit? ''No, I can''t say that...'' That''s typical of Yulia-san. I understand. Good night. Yes..... When I say that, Princess Liane looks in the opposite direction. At that moment, she is pulled gingerly from behind. ''''Whoa!'''' ''''Ummmmmmm...'''' It was something that the older man pulled as hard as he could, but apparently it wasn''t that he was awake, but just a sleeping pattern or something of that sort. ''''Well let''s go to sleep too.'''' And so I too would fall asleep for a little while. 172-Episode 172: Succubus Country The next morning. The four of us walked on further. The next morning the four of us continued onward, and when the fog suddenly grew thicker, Catherine began to say, "We''re almost there! "We''re almost there! Really? I ask her that, and she continues with a flurry of voices. ''Yeah!¡¡This fog is a kind of warding!¡¡I''m sure it''s coming soon! .... Me, senpai, and Princess Liane exchange glances and each of us goes into a state of alert. Especially me and my seniors, we prepare ourselves to be taken by surprise from anywhere. I''m already prepared to deploy my magic. I just raise my awareness so that a battle can begin in a second. And what we see is a forest. But deep inside there, a solid building existed. In terms of appearance, it was close to an elf village... but this atmosphere felt different somehow. ''''Ah!¡¡Everyone! Kathryn found her companion and went straight to slamming away. ''Hmm?¡¡It''s not Katherine! ''What?¡¡You''re alive! I thought you weren''t gonna be home for ever! Shit!¡¡I thought you were dead for sure! Catherine heads into the group of what appears to be a succubus. Then she scratches her head and replies ''''Ah, haha~. I actually wandered into a human... Yeah, well, you''re not very careful with the humans. Wait. Isn''t that a human being in there? You''re right. But that''s... When all eyes turned to me, Princess Liane stepped in front of me and my seniors. ''''I''m pleased to meet you for the first time. I think I''m Liane. It''s Eira. It''s Julia. Without saying her full name, Princess Liane continues to speak matter-of-factly. ''We have represented the humans. If you don''t mind, I would like to have an audience with the Queen of Succubus.'' I tell him so with a firm attitude, and the succubus there begins to panic. ''''What?¡¡Humans! Hey, Catherine!¡¡What does this mean! ''Betrayal!¡¡Katherine betrayed me! ''Whoa!¡¡We''re all done...! Each of them began to panic and some succubus began to cry. Catherine did her best to raise her voice in the midst of it all. ''Hey!¡¡I mean, these people are ........fine!¡¡And you''ve been so nice to me! Are you sure? But look at that. Yeah. Man, man. You don''t look so good. I could be a hottie! He''s a bit of a pretty boy, but he certainly inspires... I have a bad feeling about that tangled gaze. At that moment, Eira-senpai''s foot stomped on mine as hard as it could. ''''I got it!¡¡What?¡¡What are you doing?! Nothing?¡¡I just did that to make sure Julia wasn''t caught off guard. ''Duh ... that''s unreasonable ...'' And we managed to get guided to the queen in the midst of all this hustle and bustle. 173-Episode 173 Immediately before the audience Look at that. It''s very human, you know? ''What!¡¡Humans are still alive! But you don''t have a man in your life? ''Yeah, yeah, it''s super cute!'' Is it okay to eat? Well, what do you think? But they say he''s going to the Queen. ''Oh, I see. Then we''ll have to be patient. Such conversations are coming into my ears. And the gaze that falls on me is a frightening look that sends a chill down my spine. I''m sure that if I''m not careful, I''ll be eaten alive. ''Yulia, what are you so scared of? "Senpai. I''m afraid of the........stare. Oh. Well, that''s certainly too obvious. Currently, I asked Catherine to show me around, and me, my seniors, and Princess Riane are making our way through. Princess Riane was lined up next to Catherine and once again seemed to be asking a lot of questions about this succubus country. In response, Catherine is also conversing with a serious look on her face. In the midst of all this, me and my senpai were talking about such things in the back. ''''Ugh I''m scared, senpai,'''' Oh, God. You''ve got to get a grip, okay? ''''But if a senior were to get this kind of look from a lot of men what would you think? Ugh that''s seriously scary. Right?¡¡That''s exactly how I feel... ''''f*ck it!¡¡I can''t help it! When I''m frightened, the older man next to me gently holds my hand. ''Is this better now?'' ''Oh!¡¡Thank you!¡¡Seniors are angels........! That''s a bit of an exaggeration. No, I''m not exaggerating. What can I say, my survival instincts as a man are telling me that I''m in trouble. If the succubus catches you, it will squeeze you to death. In such a situation, my senior''s little hand gives me great courage. Rather than that, the succubuses that are giving me a look are definitely using a seduction kind of skill. I won''t be consumed by it, but it''s still mentally damaging. ''''Even so, it''s a modest place. It looks like the same as the Elven Village........ ''Yes. But it would be hard to build a fine building in today''s world. Besides, the succubus seems to be the only female in the world, and it would be hard to do hard work. Humans are very special. ''Yes, of course...'' It''s called succubus country, but in reality it might be better described as a village. All the buildings in the forest seem to be wooden and nothing big. Everything is small, and I wonder if some people live there together. And as we continue onward, we catch a glimpse of the largest building in our field of vision. This is probably the place where the succubus queen lives. ''''........it looks like it''s right over there. Yeah. We finally had an audience with the succubus queen. 174-Chapter 174-See you A large building that stands out from the rest. The structure is made of wood, but one could tell by looking at it that it is solidly built. We were told to stay where we were before our audience with the Queen. Catherine has gone in and is in the middle of waiting for her to come back in but I still feel a chill. Rather, I glance behind me and my gaze pierces. The succubus people here are only looking at me. ''You may come in. However, I won''t be accompanying you. The three of you can come in. I understand. When Princess Riane said that on behalf of her, we proceeded into the room with her in the lead. The interior is not flashy, it''s very simple. And when you go to the back of the room, there''s a woman sitting there. The only woman sitting in the sitting room with a bewitching atmosphere. I knew immediately that this was the queen who controlled that succubus. She has translucent golden hair and blue eyes that look as if they were set with jewelry. At first glance, I was captivated by her beauty. I''m sure you''ll be able to see that the reason for this is because of the magical nature of it, so I bounced off of it and dealt with it. The queen said in a serene atmosphere. ''Please sit down. Three of you humans.'' Excuse me. When Princess Riane takes the initiative to come forward, my seniors and I are lined up on either side of her and sit on the spot. The first thing to do is to introduce yourself. First Princess Liane, then her seniors, and finally me, in that order. Then the queen smiled inappropriately and announced, "I am Sandra, Queen of the Succubus. I am Sandra, Queen of the Succubus," she said, smiling inappropriately. Now, mortals, what brings you to this country? As if to assess, she shoots through the three of us and as she unfurls the fan she is holding in a flash, she asks us a question. ''''Let me ask you a straightforward question. Do you have any hostile intentions towards humans? What if I said yes? ''I won''t quit fighting if we''re going to be hostile but I''m pretty sure we won''t. Yeah, well how do you know it''s Liane and her people? ''The succubus, by its very nature, needs a male. Aren''t human males important for breeding?¡¡In fact, what I thought when I got here was that there weren''t enough of them.... "...you''re going to give up a human man? That depends. Hmm, I like you, Liane. I''m not averse to cleverness. Click, click, click. The queen''s toothy smile was still somewhat frightening to me. Then she took her gaze off Princess Liane and looked at me next. Hmm. You must be Julia. Yes, sir. Queen Sandra. Take it off. What? I said take it off. I said take it off. As I was cringing wondering what to do, a senior interrupts the conversation. ''With all due respect, sir, why is that necessary?'' ...and keep your child quiet. There was a sound as if something snapped, but the senpai held on tightly.................it never snapped. This is how the audience continued in the midst of the unsettled atmosphere. 175-Episode 175: Unrestful Air He told me to take it off, so I obeyed. "Jeez, is it okay if I just take my top off? It''s time to ask. What would I do if I was told to strip naked in here? If it developed into a diplomatic issue, it would be a disaster. It''s not that I came to this place to fight, nor did I come here to antagonize anyone. It''s a good idea to have a good time with them. It''s a good idea to have a good time with them. In a manner of speaking, it''s a human pillar of sorts. It''s possible that the succubus''s fascination may cause you to become its prisoner. In such a situation, I am here because I can handle it, but.......this was unexpected. I''m not going to be able to get rid of it. It''s a good idea. Good. Yes, sir. I glanced at Princess Liane, and she nodded lightly with a coy smile. I suppose that means we should follow it quietly here. Then I take off my military uniform with only the upper half of my body and stand upright, half-naked on the spot. ''''Hmm........'''' Queen Sandra stares at me, her twin eyes wide and shooting through me. When I did so, I noticed that she was activating something magical. Both of her eyes are emitting a faint glow, for I can also read the signs of magic element. ''''........'''' I continued to bask in her gaze in silence. About five minutes later, Queen Sandra grinned at me. ''You''re not human, are you?¡¡Well, technically, half. What an interesting thing you''ve made. Kukku. ...do you understand? I ask, and Queen Sandra tenses her voice a bit. ''Of course. My eyes are all-seeing eyes. But I know that you have already regained some of your lands. I''m willing to lend you a hand. Are you sure? When Princess Riane said this, Princess Sandra nodded slowly. ''''Mm. Of course, there are conditions.'''' What''s that? ''I want to go to the human city too.'' ...Is that what you mean by "inspection"? It would be cunning for Catherine to go alone. Besides, she looked like she was having a lot of fun. I''m going to have some fun, too. Ah, you mean left? I''m ready for it, sir. ''My God!¡¡Did you anticipate this? ''One of the possibilities we were considering,'' Hmm. Riane, you''re a smart guy after all. I like this. Well, let''s get going. After saying that, Queen Sandra stands up and quickly slips between us. She really looks like she''s about to leave like this. "Kakaka!¡¡Now, humans. Lead the way, will you? Is that bewitching smile really a sign of trust? Or is it...? 176-Episode 176, Return to Japan Now, let''s get to work on that guide. Queen Sandra tells us that with a spirited look. We were now discussing the matter with a little distance from her. ''''Princess Liane. Are you sure you want me to take her like this? Well, that''s what I thought. Well.... But are you okay with this?¡¡You''re dealing with a succubus queen, right? ''Yes. For now, don''t be rude to either of you. Especially Eira, be careful with your language, okay? Okay. The senior answered bluntly with a look of disagreement. And for some reason, Queen Sandra stood next to me and touched me with her bewitching hands. ''''Hee! Hmmm.........he''s got a nice body. Well trained.... I''m sorry... You are right. You must be the one who... The moment she was about to say that, Queen Sandra suddenly shouted as if she had an idea. ''Mmm!¡¡Now that you mention it, if I''m the only one going to human country, I''m sure they''ll complain about me going to human country can''t you and Rihanu give us more people? Well if there are less than ten people, I''m sure we can handle it here. I understand. Queen Sandra disappeared without further ado and soon returned with some succubus. ''''Wow. It''s so cute to see them up close~'''' Right! Mmmmm I want to eat it. No more running off the reservation! It''s all about the Human Nation first! Hi, hi, hi, hi!¡¡I was shivering, unable to say out loud that I was going to be able to do this. And the older man behind me was pinching my back tightly. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make the most of it. I''m sure it''s not too long since we don''t need to groping this time. There is no need to stay overnight. I''m not sure if I''ll be able to keep my spirits up if I have to stay with this group. No.........really in many ways....... And as the group of us proceeded smoothly as it was, the Boundary City soon came into view. "Hoho........it''s quite a scale....... Bigger! ''Wow!¡¡It''s that big...! I can already smell a man! All of the succubus people, including Queen Sandra, begin to make a scene. In the midst of all this, Princess Liane is now waiting as she has headed to the checkpoint people to let everyone through. ''Hey Julia,'' Yes. How can I help you? You''re not going to get any ideas, are you? Senpai looking up at me with half-lidded eyes. I don''t know what on earth she''s talking about........ You are expecting me?¡¡What are you talking about? Well, I hope you don''t mind. Pui turned away from me, senpai. Truly, the maiden''s mind is a complicated and mysterious thing, or rather, I didn''t understand it at all. Meanwhile, Princess Liane returns. ''''Permission has been granted. Now I will show you around. Thus began the full-scale interaction between humans and subhumans. 177-Episode 177 Preparation for Tourist Information So we''re going to have a strategy meeting. A conference room. The people in there were me, my seniors, and Princess Liane. Since we had invited the succubus and the others, we had to give them a tour of the city as well. Isn''t there someone else suitable for the job?¡¡But orders from the top are absolute. Even if you say that you are ranked zero in the order of special class anti-magician, there''s nothing you can do about this. So what are you going to do about it, Liane? ''''Well yes. How about dedicating a man first? That''s a good idea. How about Julia then? ''Well!¡¡Eira is such a terrible idea!¡¡But ... it''s nice. It. Right? .... If you look at the words alone, it seems like they are talking seriously, but in reality, their conversation was somewhat theatrical. So I didn''t interrupt them and just listened to their conversation with white eyes. I''m sure you''re not alone.¡¡Did I get a little too goofy? It''s just that Liane''s acting is so over the top. ''Well!¡¡That''s not true. Hey, Julia? Can we get on with it? Hon. Yeah. And Princess Liane first informed me of the current situation. She said that she hadn''t notified the people in the first warded city. The only people who know are the top brass in the army. Right now they are being asked to wait in another conference room. They''re being served a meal at that time. Our mission is to get them to like us when we sign a treaty with the succubus. I heard that a formal meeting will be held later, but I heard that the plan to introduce the Boundary City was already in the planning before we left here. The three of us were selected for this project. First of all, yes. I think it would be good to eat at the concession stand. Katherine was very happy to see us. ''Yes. I think that''s a good idea too. It''s all right. But that''s the problem, isn''t it? That thing... You know... It''s a look at the succubus man. It''s instinctive, so it can''t be helped, but it''s the very demon that hunts its prey. I was even quite frightened by that gaze. ''''Well, I have my own ideas about that too........'''' Is that so? ''Yes. It''s none of Julia''s business. Oh, I see. I don''t quite understand what Princess Riane is saying, but in this case, it''s okay to go through with it. It''s not a good idea to interrupt the progress of the conversation. ''''Then let''s talk about specifics...'''' And so Princess Liane continued her story. 178-Episode 178: Operation Meeting ''I''m talking specifically, but let''s offer you a meal first. Princess Riane suggests that. Surely that would be a good idea. Catherine was very interested in the food in this warded city. Or rather, she ate freely without regard to my money. That''s probably because in the land of succubus, there is no food prepared for humans to eat. So surely that might work out well for Queen Sandra and the others. ''What about the money?'' I''ll get that one out. When the senior asked this, Princess Liane quickly replied. ''''Hmm. Well, let''s just think of it as an entertainment expense. That''s what Eira understands. In case you''re wondering, we''re supposed to be able to get some expenses paid out to the top as entertainment. Now, with the elves, humanity is trying to recruit the sub-race even more extensively. For the coming, battle day. You look so serious, Princess Liane. Our hearts that have lost Belle have not yet completely healed. It''s as if a hole has been left in our hearts. Suddenly, I remember the kindness of Belle''s smile. Belle-san''s gentle smile. She was shy, but she was really kind. And that person who was more noble and strong than anyone else. We all loved her so much. So we have to keep moving forward to carry on that will. ''''Is there anything else, Yulia-san?'''' Me?¡¡No, not particularly. Or rather, do I still have to participate? Yes. We do have a request for you. Well...you called me? Your appointment.........does that mean he wants me to stay still as I''m on my way? No, it''s not that I didn''t do anything, so how did this happen....... ''''It''s Queen Sandra, but she seems to have a great fondness for Yulia-san. What ... what does that mean? I don''t know. I don''t know. Hmm. Princess Liane laughs. It''s somewhat of a prank, or perhaps she''s enjoying it completely....... ''''Se-senpai!¡¡Please help me! I don''t know. You''re on your own. I don''t mind, senpai... Pui turns his head to the side and looks away. Lately, I can''t help but feel that my senior is not in a good mood or is not very accommodating. Anyway. If they pick you from there, you have no choice but to go. In fact, if some conflicts arise by not going, we are in trouble. This case is also important for humanity. Okay. Then we''ll go with this plan. We''ll just have to be flexible on the rest. ''What?¡¡You should have packed it in a bit more! Actually, it was originally planned. ...What''s the point of our discussion? I just thought I''d ask you a few questions. With a nonchalant look on her face, Princess Liane tells us. We started to show them the sights. 179-Episode 179: Tourist Information Oh this is a human country!¡¡It''s so big.... Queen Sandra, the Queen of Succubus. The three people who will be guiding her are me, Princess Liane, and Eira-senpai. As for the other succubus, it was decided that another person would handle the other succubus. Her appearance doesn''t look like a succubus at first glance. She didn''t want to cause a scene right now, so she asked them to hide her tail and other conspicuous things. He showed his understanding by saying, "Mm.......of course. You may seem like a free-spirited person, but it''s nice to see that you have an understanding of humans as well. Liane. Do humans live here? ''''Yes. There are many people living here in the First Boundary City. ''I''ve heard of other warding cities, but...'' That makes seven in all. ''Seven ... it''s amazing how they''ve created and maintained so many things, seven of them. After all, people are interesting. I caught a glimpse of his expression as he grinned. His voice was also somewhat bouncy, and he seemed to be enjoying himself. It''s a good thing that you''re in a bad mood, because even if we were to show you around in a bad atmosphere, we would only cause each other pain, so I was relieved to see that it seemed to be unnecessary. ''Well. I''d like to try some human food, but.......what do you call that? It''s a sandwich. Smells delicious. A sandwich stall. There was the savory smell of baking bread there. Would you like some? I''ll have one. I understand. Miss Julia. Yes, sir. As far as shopping goes, it will be me or Eira-senpai. And I asked for one sandwich. I ordered the most popular one, the ham and cheese sandwich. Ham and cheese. It''s famous around here for its fresh, juicy lettuce on the side. Queen Sandra. Please enjoy your meal. I take the sandwich wrapped in paper and hand it to her. Looking at it, she mumbles, "Ho........" and takes it to her mouth without hesitation as much as she can cover it up. ''''You said it without hesitation........'''' The older man looked surprised. I feel the same way, but.... I wonder if they will like it......... Hm!¡¡Yum!¡¡It''s too good!¡¡That''s what Katherine was so proud of! I''m glad you liked it. Princess Riane did not crack a smile. She seemed to be inexplicably used to this kind of response. ''''I see ... hmmm ...'''' He continued to eat the sandwich and it was gone in a flash. OK. Let''s go next time!¡¡Next time, next time! Princess Sandra proceeds with great enthusiasm. It seems that her grip is not bad. And we followed her, who was in such a good mood that she seemed to be skipping. 180-Episode 180: Senior and Two Mmmmmm... Queen Sandra was still enjoying her food. My seniors and I were watching her from a little distance. Right now, she seemed to be chatting amicably with Princess Liane. I didn''t hear him up to that voice, but it was good to see that things were generally going well. ''Hey Julia,'' Yes, sir. We are sitting on a bench. Princess Riane has asked us to take some distance now because she has something to talk to Princess Sandra about. We then buy a meal from the stall and take a break together on the bench. I look next to her and see her peach-colored hair slightly swaying in the wind. In doing so, a citrusy smell escaped from my senpai''s hair and escaped my nostrils. Then, she and her seniors are chatting together. ''''It''s kind of peaceful.'''' ...Yes. But you know what? This is a lot of sacrifice, you know. Yes. Hustle and bustle. There seemed to be a lot of people today, with all sorts of people coming and going. While looking at them, the senior suddenly said that. Peace. But this is a fleeting thing. We know it. The battle is still going on. We could say that the massive attack on the twilight has been a success. But this world is still ruled by this red-black twilight. I look up at the sky. Today, as always, the sky is full of twilight. I wonder how many people have only seen this sky from the time of their birth to the time of their death. I wonder how far we will really be able to reach the clear blue sky someday. ''Hey. What do you want to do when the fight is over, Julia? ''....I''m not sure. I can''t think of anything right now. ''Me too. After all, we only know how to fight. And this magic is only being honed as a fighting skill. Yeah, right. I think it''s really great to see an attempt to incorporate magic into infrastructure and other things. This is how technology should have been developed in the first place. On the other hand, too, our magic is too blood smeared. My own hands are coated in the blood of my friends and enemies. A lot of things have really happened since I became a special class antimagician. I''ve seen a lot of deaths. I''ve lost people I care about. But we still have to move on. "Well, The senior gets up from the bench. Eira senior is a big person with a big vessel. But his body is so small. With this small body, she continues to fight the twilight. ''''Senpai,'''' What? I turn around. Her twin-tails, tied on either side, float softly in the air. I stare into her eyes and tell her ''Let''s continue to fight together. And when the fight is over, we''ll both look for it again. And then we''ll see what we can do from there. ''''Well yes. Let''s do that. We leave the bench. We keep going, carrying the will of our friends. 181-Episode 181: Sharpening Heart .... Meditation. Alfred was still and meditating in the simple room, as usual. He had no idea how much time had already passed. Just to help himself focus his mind ... to sharpen his mind. But there was a wavering in the current Alfred. ''''.........'''' Every few minutes. He remembered the battle with Belle. It had been a really long time since they had fought to the death like that. And Belle''s sword fights were definitely the closest thing he had to her. Cattleya. Because the shadow of that sword that he kept chasing after was certainly still there in Belle. If we''re honest, it wasn''t skill that Alfred won. It was the difference in knowledge. He knew all of Belle''s secret swords. He was already well versed in the secret sword that he would bring out at the end. That was why he was able to complete it. On the other hand, Alfred thought about the other person. ''''.........Gu, I guess I''m still not focused enough?'''' He releases the meditation. Then he remembers. The one girl who was weeping at Belle''s side. The resemblance. A real resemblance. Shelley was very much like the person, Cattleya. What was the cause of this? Alfred felt like he was looking at a live copy of her. Hence, his sword had dulled slightly. If it hadn''t been for Aurir''s help at that time he would have been killed by Yuria. ''''........It''s already been a hundred years? He stared at his trembling hand. His right hand was trembling. He forces it down with his left hand and takes out his magic sword. He sharpened it, as usual, under the moonlight. Sharpening a weapon is similar to sharpening your mind. It was Cattleya who said those words. Remembering those words, Alfred continued to sharpen his weapon indifferently. And he had a feeling that he had a premonition. It was without a doubt that he would be relative to Shelly........ He had already realized that. Shelly was the disciple of Belle. That was obvious in those hateful eyes and in the sword fight. The cause and effect would definitely converge. After Belle, he would fight Shelly. Can I inherit Cattleya''s sword and fight her.....................even her appearance is very similar to his? ''No, I can do it.'' By daring to speak out loud, I reaffirm my resolve in my mind. It inspires me. By doing so, Alfred has no more hesitation. ''''Alright........'''' He looks at the sharpened magic sword and shines it into the moonlight. The reflected light firmly illuminates the room. After sheathing the magic sword, he stands up and leaves the room. With a certain resolve, Alfred would face Shelly in the not-too-distant future. 182-Episode 182: Nightmare I remember. I remember the final battle of that mission. I thought I did my best, that I was at the top of my game. But as it turns out I lost a lot of my best friends. The Warding City has sprung up. Because the operation was a success. But I can''t rejoice with my hands. ''''Belle-san........'''' I know. I know that I''m in a dream. I whisper to myself in the dark world. If only I had been able to get rid of the enemy earlier in the fight and get to Ms. Bell. That regret passes through my head again and again. I can''t blame my seniors, Shelly, and the rest of my friends for that. Rather, I am praised for a job well done. I get praised for it. But is that enough? Am I to be praised for losing someone I love? I was told by those who had already experienced so many deaths of their peers that they would eventually get used to it. ''''Is this really ... getting used to it?¡¡I''m not, I''m not.... Words that I carve into myself like a curse. Regret. That''s all I have left in my mind. I remember this feeling I get from time to time. It''s as if I''m not myself..... "Yulia-kun. Mr. Bell.... It''s a dream. I know it''s a dream. But in front of me is the same Belle I''ve been seeing for years. Julia, my boy. Julia, take care of Miss Leanne for me. ''No!¡¡Wait, wait, wait! ''Bye. I''ll be waiting for you at the end of that blue sky. ''No!¡¡Don''t go, don''t go! Reaching out. I run hard. I am in a red-black world dominated by twilight. Mr. Bell, on the other hand, is heading towards the blue sky world projected in front of him. My feet will never reach it. No matter how hard I run, I will never reach it. A clear separation. Dusk and blue sky. The world we live in is already different, and I''m unavoidably aware of this. Why, why, why am I... I didn''t know if I was this helpless. He became stronger. I was selected for the position of rank zero in the rankings among the special class anti-magicians. But what do you think? Am I really accomplishing this? I don''t know. I don''t know, so I have to keep going as hard as I can. In this twilight world, just keep going straight. ''....Haha. I wake up. I wake up in my usual bed. When you wake up, you see the usual scenery around you. But it doesn''t feel real in a strange way. You look out through the window. The light of the twilight shines down on you. The light that never changes. The environment around you is changing. People die, and I survive, and I am left in the midst of change. "I am.... I blurted out and got out of bed.......and took a shower. Taking a hot shower awakens my consciousness. When I realized, this shivering had stopped. Will there ever come a time when I........will this shivering stop? 183-Episode 183: Encounter after a long absence The tour, which included an inspection of Queen Sandra, went off without a hitch. After that, I heard that the discussion with the upper echelons of the military would begin. Humans have formed an alliance with the elves. If we can make an alliance with the Succubus from there as well, it would be a big step forward. However, the succubus, due to its nature, will have many problems....... ''Sherry,'' It''s not Julia. It was Sherry who I bumped into in the base. It''s not that it''s been a long time, but it felt like we hadn''t seen each other in a long time. So they walked side by side. ''The succubus thing. It looks like things went well. For now. I''m sure there''s still a lot of problems. Really? Well it''s only a succubus. Oh that''s the way it is. Shelley nodded yes. ''So, how did it really go?'' He stops abruptly and stares at me with half-lidded eyes. ''''What do you mean...?'''' You''ve been to succubus country, haven''t you? ''Yeah...'' Did you get attacked or...? Upon closer inspection, his cheeks were slightly reddened. ''''No, nothing ... just ... Just...? ''It''s like that gaze is scary. It''s like a demon looking for its prey. ''Oh. That''s kind of scary. Shelly looks convinced. On closer inspection, she seems to be getting stronger and more solid. Rather than being feminine, she seems to be a little more masculine. She seems to be getting stronger and firmer. ''Shelly,'' What? Have you grown up a bit? ...s*xual harassment? Seeing the way she hides her breasts with a bang, I understand that I''ve unintentionally misspoke. Of course, I immediately excuse myself. ''No, no!¡¡You know, you''re getting fitter....... ...s*xual harassment? I''m not! Okay, okay. I''m just teasing you. Shelly brings her hand to her mouth and giggles. But the eye patch on her right eye is still there. It seems like the usual, but Shelly has a definite scar on it. It reminds me of the fight at that time. ''''Hey Julia,'''' Suddenly, she looks at the sky through the window. What does she think when she sees the twilight light? ''I will definitely get my revenge.'' ''Yeah...'' He doesn''t make eye contact with me and tells me matter-of-factly. ''So. I need to grow up more. ''Yes. We''ll have to get past Mr. Bell. ''Yes. If I can''t surpass my teacher, I don''t think I''ll ever be able to beat that demon. Yeah. But I''m sure Sherry can do it. Do you think so? His gaze crossed. It was shaking with slight anxiety. So I say what I''m thinking. ''You can do it. You can do it, Shelly. I believe that I can. ''''Well as usual, Julia''s words are heavy. That said, Shelley smiled. Yes, she did. She''s going to do it. And I''m sure we''ll all make it to the blue sky. 184-Episode 184: Sharpen Your Mind Take a deep breath. "...poof. A flash. She drew her sword. It was named Oboro Moonlight Night. Shelly still doesn''t understand its true value. But she uses it in her daily training. It was meant to be a way to get used to it, but it had a special meaning for her. It means to keep the flame of vengeance alive. Every time she gazes at this magic sword, what she recalls is Belle''s last image. A sad memory that could not be forgotten, even if one wanted to. It continues to linger in Shelly''s mind. But that was good. Because all of that pain, all of that sadness, is food for vengeance. Then he gently delivers the hazy moonlit night he pulled out, and gently delivers the sword. I bow politely on the spot. ''''Thank you very much.'''' I''ll never forget the time I trained with Belle. Sherry went straight back into the military base. She had been training tirelessly until now. In the midst of it all, she realized. It was no longer enough to just pile on the volume. Instead, she thought she should sharpen her mind and just master the blow. It wasn''t something that anyone had told her to do. Shelly had sensed it of her own volition. ''''.........'''' Suddenly, I raise that magic sword to the sun. There was no reaction. However, there must be something in this magic sword. That much I knew without a doubt. ''''Teacher.'''' He murmurs to himself in a blur. Shelly gently touches her own eye patch as she reinserts the magic sword into her waist. This is a warning. Fortunately, I know that it will heal completely. But it''s not time to take this off just yet. I know when to take this patch off. Only when I''m facing that demon will I be able to release this commandment. That is what Shelly has imposed on me. You can''t remain with your emotions alone. If we confront it with vengeance alone, as we did then, it will only lead to a similar future. This must not be the case. I will definitely take my revenge. In order to do so, I must continue to hone my skills. I will definitely make it through. I look up at the sky. The twilight-tinted sky covers the world. I''m sure Belle will be waiting for me up ahead. Shelley, with her last words in her mind, sometimes looks up at the twilight sky like this. Somewhere in this sky. No, Belle must be waiting in the blue sky that exists beyond this sky. With that thought in mind, Shelley keeps going. She turns on her heel. She tosses and turns and leaves the place. The figure is still somewhat reminiscent of Belle. Humanity has lost many human beings by being hunted down. But this does not only create despair. The will of the warriors who fought for their people and gave their lives in this twilight land is definitely being carried on. 185-Chapter 185: Communication A few days have passed since then. No special mission has come down to us special class anti-magicians. We continue to fight with demons in the twilight danger zone, but even so, there is nothing too dangerous, and we just do it nonchalantly as part of our daily routine. In such a situation. I met Princess Liane early in the morning. ''Good morning, Princess Riane. Princess Riane. Oh, Julia. Good morning. Looking closely, it seemed that Eira-senpai was also behind her. ''''Good morning. Julia. ''Good morning, sir. Senior. We exchanged greetings, and as I was about to walk past I was stopped by Princess Liane. ''''Yulia-san. Do you have a moment? Yes. What is this? I turn on my heel and exchange glances with her. ''This is still an unofficial story, though. Do you think...? I had expected this from the preliminaries. Perhaps it was ... that thing. ''The succubus queen, Lady Sandra, seems to be very pleased with the place. So, you''re saying you''ll make it official? Perhaps the conversation will go that way. I see........so it''s working. ''''Yes. Perhaps if we can firm up the ground a bit more, the Special Class Anti-Magician will be able to move further into the Twilight Danger Zone. Hearing those words, my gaze crosses with my senior. Twilight Danger Area. Probably from now on, I''ll be heading out to an area that exceeds level 5. I know from my experience in the twilight, the demons waiting beyond level 5 are literally different in rank. I would say that they are completely different. When I was in Dusk, my priority was to escape beyond level 5. Aside from its size, the density of the twilight is also quite large. Probably, the number of anti-magicians who could go there would be limited. It''s just my speculation, but unless you''re a first-class antimagineer or higher, it''s impossible to go beyond that. The existence of us special-grade anti-magicians will become even more important. ''''Julia. You know that, don''t you? Yes. Of course. He is a senior who gives me a sharp look, but I''m sure that look means.................it''s probably about Belle-san. This wound in my heart has not yet healed. That''s why we''ll need to move on. ''''Then, Yulia-san. We''ll take our leave now. Yes, sir. I watch them walk past. I stare at their backs. I''m sure the one with the most heartache is Princess Liane. I''m sure you''ll be able to see that she''s working harder than ever before, and that I should be able to further progress as a special class anti-magician. That''s what I''m thinking. The time of peace has come to an end, and the time of further upheaval is slowly approaching. 186-Episode 186: A Forerunner to New Days For a while, I mainly lived in the warded city. Occasionally, he would go to the twilight to hunt demons, but basically, he mainly lived in this city. And once they had firmly built a base in the land they had regained.......at last, the special class anti-magicians were summoned to Her Majesty''s side. What that means is that a new mission will surely be given to us. Humanity still has to move on. In order to reach the blue sky beyond the twilight, we will need to reclaim all the land of this world. But that''s just speculation but there is no doubt that we will proceed. ...Okay. Wake up. The current time is 5am. Today''s meeting time is 7:00 a.m. We''re supposed to gather at Her Majesty''s at 7:00 a.m., so I decided to get up early. And I''m going to take a shower. The water is a little hot, but it pours down on my head. Looking back, it''s been a while since I cut this long hair...and I did so as a way of saying goodbye to the past. Will I be able to move forward firmly? Afterwards, I took a shower and changed into my military uniform, then decided to make myself a cup of coffee and read. What I''ve been reading lately is a romance novel. There''s no particular reason why I''m in a hurry for romance right now. When I learned of my mixed blood with the demon race, I was left with the feeling that human-like emotions were missing from me.... What is it that makes a person a human being? Who am I now? I can''t help but think about these questions. I can''t help but think that even Belle''s death will fade away as time goes on. I never want to forget her. It''s not just Ms. Bell. I have vowed to accept the deaths of others and move on. And yet, it''s not as if I''m thinking about it emotionally, but just holding on to it as a memory. It''s such an indescribable feeling. That''s why I try to read the subtleties of human emotions from stories. And so, after some time has passed...it''s almost half past six. I decide it''s time to move on, so I slip into my military uniform. I take a good look at myself with the eyes of my figure. Today is just like any other day. So I go about my duties as usual. Big changes don''t need to be dramatic. It''s the accumulation of small changes that leads me to big changes. That''s how I see it. Then I leave my room. Night has fallen, and the twilight has taken over. I go on, bathed in this purple-black light on my body. To restore the blue sky to humanity. 187-Episode 187: New Mission The special class anti-magicians were going to assemble because they were going to have an audience with the Queen. Just like before, the gathering place was the same.........................but now the pecking order was to change significantly. Come to think of it, until just a few days ago, Sherry and I were students. So it was very strange that we were in this place now. I''m a senior. Good morning, Julia. You''re early. I woke up early. Yeah. You''re with me. Just like usual, the senpai had her peach-colored hair pulled up into a high twangtail. And the atmosphere was different than usual, today she had a very serious look on her face. ''''You''re tense but.......what''s going on?'''' I decided to take the plunge and ask. Because maybe my senior might feel the same way as I do. ''''It''s your first mission with the new rankings of special class anti-magicians, right?'''' Yes. ''It''s been my experience that right after this, someone often dies. ...I see. ''Well, maybe it''s just a coincidence. But I can''t help but think that there''s something to it. It''s stupid. It just doesn''t work like that. Cowering his shoulders, the senior said that while cowering his shoulders. I have only been a special class anti-magician for a short period of time. Until now, I have never experienced a renewal of the pecking order. However, come to think of it.......the Special Class Counter-Magician has always been something that has been passed down to me. We will continue to fight as the hope for humanity to regain its blue skies. As a symbol of that, we must continue to stand on top. I was reminded of this commonplace awareness in a conversation with my seniors. ''....Senpai. I''m not going to disappear. Saying that, he squeezes his senior''s hand. That''s because he was trembling, he always looks strong, but he''s the same person. Everyone is afraid of what they fear. Because we need to accept it and then move on. ''Yulia thank you. And as we were holding hands.......I felt a look from next to me. "You''re hot in the morning. It was Sherry. I had completely lost track of her, but now I was talking to her as I bumped into an older man in the hallway. If you stop at a place like that, it''s only natural that people would come. ''''Be, this is nothing! The senior lets go of my hand roughly, so I take a step back as well. ''''That''s right!¡¡There''s nothing to it! Hmmm ... well, that''s okay. After staring at us with half-lidded eyes, the three of us head to the Queen''s audience room. As we did so, we were joined by the other special class anti-magicians. This is how we heard about our new mission in person. 188-Episode 188: Audience You''re all here. All the special class demons. Special class antimagicians line up in front of the queen. We all fell to our knees on the spot and had an audience with the Queen. The figure was no different than before, and its appearance was unlike anything in this world. It was a beauty that looked as if someone had created it artificially. The elaborate facial structure, the well-balanced limbs. All of which could only be described as perfect, our queen. And we had been summoned to this place to be assigned a new mission. ''Well then, Liane will explain the situation. Apparently, this time, Princess Liane had some explanation for me. ''Please look up. First, let me explain the current situation. From that point forward, all I knew was roughly what I was talking about. However, it was a very good opportunity in terms of re-organizing the current situation. It seems that the land of the twilight that we regained is able to operate completely as our territory. It doesn''t flourish like the First Boundary City, but the anti-magicians are stationed there to protect the land. However, that''s only up to level 5 in terms of the danger zone level. "Let me put it bluntly. We will proceed beyond the twilight danger zone, level 5. Moment. The tension in this place. We lost a lot of things in the most recent battle. It''s not just Bell-san who is a special class anti-magician, but other anti-magicians have lost as well. But instead of maintaining the status quo, we will proceed. All of them understood what that meant. ''''Anybody have any objections?'''' The queen puts it into words as such, but no one raises their voice. I understand. Once you''ve come this far, there''s no way to stop. The moment we stop will be the moment the blue sky is restored to this world. Until then, we have to keep going with the deaths of our comrades on our backs. It doesn''t look like they''re here. Riane. Explain your next mission. Yes, sir. And so the mission announced. First of all, we were to dispatch a special-grade anti-magician to the Dusk Dangerous Area. The three chosen this time were me, Sherry, and Gil-san. You can see the level of seriousness in the selection of the top three special class anti-magicians. On the other hand, I had been expecting this. I was probably the only one who had ever gone beyond the Twilight Danger Area Level 5. And it was supported by the next best thing, the special class anti-magician. Honestly, after level 5, the level of the demon jumps up. That''s what makes it hard to believe that they''re really the same demon. I''ve written a report on this, but the higher-ups seem to understand that. Then, I wish you good luck. Let''s bring back the blue sky to this world. The convocation was brief, but this time it was over. Thus, we were headed back to twilight for a new mission. 189-Episode 189: Dusk Hazardous Area Level 5 As this was a new mission, we were quickly getting ready for it. ''Julia. How are you feeling? Sherry. Well, not bad, I guess. We broke up after that and I just decided to have lunch with Shelly. I invited the seniors and others to join us, but they had other duties to attend to. This one would have to do. I order curry as usual and share my meal with her. ''It''s a level 5 twilight danger zone, what''s it really like?'' This time it''s still in the name of research, but we''re moving beyond that. And I''m the only one who''s experienced beyond level 5. In fact, I''m putting it all together in a report and I''m sure I''ll be looking through it, but Sherry probably wants to actually hear the story first hand. ''''Well to be honest, it''s pretty tough after level 5. Even for a first level vs. a mage, it might be tough. So does that mean you''re still only going to be able to go to the Special Class Anti-Magician? If you want to keep your safety, yes. You''d have to be a special-grade anti-magician to come back. Demons have mutants, don''t they? Yeah. It''s basically a mutant. I don''t think there were many of the usual ones. The memories of that time are still vividly remembered. There were no normal species of demons, but rather fierce mutants. Mutants with different body shapes, colors, and other characteristics. I''ve dealt with them a few times, but basically it was more about running away. Back then, the strength of the demons suddenly became an order of magnitude stronger, so I was quite confused. I thought that I would die if I fought properly here, so I gave priority to running away. ''''I see.......So it''s so strong that Yulia has to run away. ''But I think Shelley could work now. The only problem is the quantity. Quantity? ''Yeah. Basically, they tend to act in packs. And there''s a lot of cannibalism. Ugh no cannibalism. It is truly a world of the weak and the strong. When their own flock is outnumbered, they eat their friends to replenish their nutritional needs. The demons in the twilight have this kind of ecology as well. From now on, we have to step into this world. Perhaps we won''t have to keep up with each and every one of these demons. The problem is the amount of material and the nature of the demons. Demons that have poison and paralysis are especially very troublesome. You''ll need to pay attention to this area as well as fight them. This is all very close to the edge, even if you are a first-class opponent. It would be enough to barely be able to take on a special class opponent. But since we can''t dispatch all of the special class antimagicians, this time we''ll only have selected members. ''''Hey, Yulia.'''' What''s going on? I''ll do my best. ''''Well yes. We''ll work together. Yes. Once again, I don''t want to reiterate it, but we said it. It must have been a vow, too. 190-Episode 190: Preparation Period The fact that I was going to the twilight danger zone again gave me a preparation period. But I didn''t have to make any special preparations. I''m used to that place, but all I need is the ability to survive. And I don''t need that much sleep or food right now. As long as I have the minimum, my body is fine now. ''Julia. Are you ready to go? "Seniors, I meet Eira-senpai in the base. As I recall, Eira-senpai is also supposed to go to the twilight on another mission. But it''s not on the front lines, unlike us. Among the special class anti-magicians, only the higher level members head beyond level 5. Eira-senpai is leaked from there. But surely, there will come a time when we will need our senior''s help. ''''Preparation, yes. In my case, even the bare minimum is fine, so not so much time.'''' I see. Well, we won''t be seeing each other for a while. ''Yes. We''ll miss you. Do you really think...? Senpai looks up at me intently. As she does so, her peach-colored twin-tails sway slightly. ''''Yes. I''m thinking...'''' Then you should have a little more emotion, but... Huh. I see. ''Well, okay. That''s what makes Julia so good. "?¡¡Do I have to be afraid? Then the topic of conversation turns to the mission. The expressions on each other''s faces are serious. A slight tension tenses up. ''........we''re finally here. Yes. I''ll have to take Belle''s thoughts on this one, too. ''Yes. I''m sure Mr. Bell is watching from the blue sky. Yeah. And it''s not just Bell. We have to keep moving forward for all the friends we''ve sacrificed for. Senpai suddenly stares at the scenery outside. I stare at her profile. She''s small and very pretty looking. She looks younger than me. But I don''t know why. Suddenly, he acts very maturely. I found it extremely attractive. I''m sure you''ll be able to find it. You''re beautiful. ''Huh........?¡¡What happened to you all of a sudden?! And when I say what I think, my face turns red and I start to panic. ''Oh, I''m sorry. Just, a thought came out of my voice.'''' Shit!¡¡Don''t be so abrupt and weird! ''I''m sorry. That wasn''t very tense. Well, it''s not that I don''t like it, but...¡¡It''s just that........you don''t think about the time and place, do you! "?¡¡Yes, sir. Yes, sir. The older man said that as he shook his peach-colored, glossy twin-tails with a flutter. That''s right. In order for us to laugh at each other like this again, we have no choice but to complete the task we''ve been assigned. So long, Julia. See you later. Yes. I''ll see you soon. He turned on his heel. There was no looking back. 191-Episode 191: Dusk Danger Area, Level 5 Julia, you''re early. Yeah. I got here early because I''m a little uncomfortable. Early morning. We finally head out beyond the twilight danger zone level 5. There are three members: me, Sherry, and Gil. The meeting time is six o''clock in the morning, but since I finished my preparations early, I arrived at the meeting place at 5:30 a.m. It was just dawn, and dusk was setting in. And me and Gil-san were there waiting for Shelly to arrive. ''Julia. How are you feeling? ''Yes. Not bad. Yeah. But beyond level 5 we''ve come a long way, come to think of it. While looking somewhere in the distance, Gil-san put it into words with a deep sense of emotion. Indeed, if you think about the progress of humanity up to now, it''s safe to say that the current situation is quite advanced. But, of course, that has been accompanied by a great sacrifice. We have to keep moving forward after overcoming these corpses. ''If Belle had been here, I''m sure it wouldn''t have been me who was here. .... I listened to the story in silence. It wasn''t the first time I''d heard Mr. Bell speak from Gil, but his words were very melancholy. ''It''s always been that way. I''ve always been a survivor, and the other young guys are dying one by one. I''ve known Belle for a long time, and I thought he would survive forever too. But twilight is a cruel world, isn''t it? Even if you are that strong, you will die. What is strength? I still don''t know what the guidelines are. But I still think..............................the person who survives is the strongest person. And the existence of an antimagician who continues to go on after bearing the death of his friends on his shoulders.........................is truly amazing. ''''Well I got to experience the deaths of so many of my friends up close and personal for the first time in the previous battle. No, I''ve been seeing death for a long time before that. I knew once again that in this twilight world, it was natural. But I realized once again that it is important to carry on the will of those who have died.... Julia is a very mature woman. No, I don''t. That''s not true. But I was given a lot by not only Bell-san, but also by the deceased antimagician. That''s why I think I have enough strength left to move forward again. Yeah, we''ll keep going for them. We''ll keep going for those guys. So let''s go for it. Yes, sir. Mr. Gil shows his white teeth and pulls his fist toward me. And then he knocked it together. I''m sorry!¡¡It took me a while to get ready! From the corner of my eye, Shelly hurriedly approached us. So we meet up and immediately begin our mission. 192-Episode 192 Departure Now, the three of us move forward. Formation, Julia and Shelly are the vanguard. I''ll cover the rear. I understand. ''Yes. I think that''s fine. This time, we''re not going to attack the Twilight Danger Zone Level 5 in earnest, but our main objective is to investigate. Therefore, we don''t want to go too deep, but we need to be very careful because from here on out, the quality of the demons is literally in a different dimension. Demons strengthened by twilight. Among them, this is a place where only demons that have survived this world of the weak and strong are allowed to exist. That is the world beyond the level 5 of the Dusk Danger Zone. First of all, I''ll take the lead in advancing. Being on Level 5, the density of twilight is quite dense. An ordinary anti-magician wouldn''t be able to move through it properly. ''''Yuria. You''re making crisp progress, are you okay? ''I think we''re still okay around here. I think the problem starts a little further down the line... And the moment I did those words, I immediately discovered a demon in front of me. It seemed to be moving in swarms, but it was definitely a spider ¡¶Spider¡·. However, unlike a normal individual, the color of its entire body had been dyed purple-black. This was probably the most important evidence that it had been bathed in the light of the twilight. ''It''s a spider [spider], isn''t it? It seems to be a special individual, but that thing has quite powerful venom. Even the slightest contact with its skin will cause it to dissolve into mush. Ummm ... it''s kind of amazing to look at, too. Oh. That color is amazing, for sure. And the quality of the twilight you wear with it is also quite different. ''Well, what should we do? We could fight on in here, but... To which Mr. Gill replied. ''Nope. It wouldn''t be a good idea to do it here. There''s quite a few of them in the herd. Besides, the purpose of this time is to investigate. I think we should keep the fighting to a minimum. ''Yes. I understand. Ugh that''s disgusting.... Sherry was scared of that looking spider ¡¶Spider¡· all the time. Probably, if it came to a battle, a person as strong as Shelly could cut through it without difficulty, but she said that it was physiologically impossible to do so. As the three of us continued on, the twilight light grew even darker as we continued on. Me and Sherry were nothing to be ashamed of, but Gil seemed to be having a bit of a hard time. ''''Gil-san. Are you okay?¡¡A short break.... ''Yes. I''ll take you up on your offer. I think you''ve been hit by a bit of twilight. Yes. Let''s do that. Sherry, let''s take a break. Okay. Then he leans against a nearby tree and takes a water bottle out of his backpack. Then I pour the water and stare around. It hadn''t changed much since my last visit. After a short break, we continued on. 193-Episode 193: When Engage ...phew. We take a break. Since it''s the twilight danger zone level 5, the twilight around here is getting thicker. I myself have not been affected that much, but my body is definitely reacting to this twilight. Sherry and I have no normal resistance to twilight, so we can operate normally in this dense area. On the other hand, Gil-san, who was a normal human being, seemed to be having a bit of a hard time. Still, being the oldest and having exposed himself to the twilight for a long time, he might not be a normal human already. ''''Gil-san, are you alright?'''' Hmm?¡¡Well, it''s okay for now. Besides, this body was originally completely invaded by twilight. It doesn''t really matter now. ...I see. You seem to have already split the difference, but maybe Gil''s life is infinitely short. This is completely up to the individual, but some people who are affected by twilight end their lives earlier than others, while others live longer. However, even if they lived longer, there were few people who lived to be over sixty years old - almost none of them. In fact, the average life expectancy of people affected by twilight is around 40 years old. Gil-san is already over 40. It''s not surprising that it''s about to get tougher. ''''Gil-san........well........'''' ''Oh. I know what Julia''s going to say. It''s my lifetime, right? ''Well...'' Well, maybe not for long. My body seems to have slowed down a bit lately, too. Well.... But then there''s Uriah and Sherry. We have the younger generation. So, as much as I''d like to be gone at any time I''ll still be alive.¡¡I''m stubborn, you know. The grin was not a false kind of grin. That''s right. Gil-san is the oldest among the special class anti-magicians. He has been exposed to more deaths than we have. In other words, he is living with the deaths of an enormous number of people. They have a different season and a different determination than us. When it comes to life, they may be more greedy than we are. Well, then. Isn''t it about time we took a break? Yes. Shelly, who was watching from a little distance, pattered over to us. ''This one seems to be fine. The demons aren''t too rampant. Do you want to move on? Yeah. Let''s do it. Okay. Shall we continue? And so we began to go further. The fog of dusk grew thicker. The fog was steadily invading our bodies. Even for me, this even denser space is enough to make my body feel numb. M........what is that? ''It''s a demon. Are they eating each other''s food? Well that''s pretty gross. The one that was there was a giant scorpion, the Huge Scorpion. Its body was purple-black in color and it seemed to be preying on its companions. As we stared at it, that unit turned to us. ''''Kyiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! Apparently, they''ve come to their senses. Finally, the battle was about to begin. 194-Episode 194: Battle Starts Let''s stick to the plan. "Got it! Taking Gil-san''s words as our cue, we spread out. Shelly is left to do the vanguard, I''ll play the game, and Gil-san will fight in the rear guard.......or so I thought. In front of me, Shelly runs at an uncommonly fast pace and flashes a flash. With a single swing of the sword she was holding, she cut the giant scorpion ¡¶Huge Scorpion¡· that was about to ramp up on the spot in half. After that, she single-handedly slaughtered the swarm of giant scorpions, Huge Scorpion, here in this place without needing our cover. With a snap, the sword was delivered. All that was spread out was the corpse of the Huge Scorpion, Huge Scorpion. It was not a weak enemy. Since it was a level 5 of this twilight danger zone, it should have been a reasonably strengthened individual. And yet, she had ended it all by herself. Honestly, I knew she was getting stronger, but I didn''t expect her to go this far as a stone. ''Phew. You''re done. That''s what his voice said. Sherry hadn''t even been exposed to the opponent''s return blood. She continued to dance with her sword, as if she were dancing a performance. ''''Well it looks like we didn''t need to come out. Yeah. Gil-san and I release our wariness and head towards the corpse lying in front of us. ''''Hmm. It''s a special individual, but it looks like it could be an opponent. ''''That''s right. It''s still at this level, it''s still at a level that even a first level anti-magician could handle. I know. I didn''t think I''d be able to do it all by myself at first, but I''m a bit of a letdown... The three of us were cautious in our own right, but in reality, Shelley was right: we were disappointed... or is it more accurate to say that we were disappointed? But surely that doesn''t mean the enemy is weak. I''m stronger than I was when I was wandering alone. And both Shelly and Gil, who are with me, are strong. We were genuinely stronger than we were. That''s probably all there was to it. After that, we decided to take another break at a good cut-off point, since we had originally planned not to go to level 6. We did end up fighting a number of demons as we progressed, but the three of us could easily deal with them. Besides, Gil-san seemed to be getting used to the twilight, and he looked much more comfortable. ''Well. Let''s call it a day this time, shall we?¡¡And if we''re going to set up a base, we''re going to need a few more people. ''Yes. I think it''s safe to say we''ve achieved our goal. The purpose of this one was to investigate the enemy''s situation. It would have been able to do that well enough. If it was at the level of a special level versus a Demon Master, it could be handled. Furthermore, a first level versus demonist would also likely be a high level member, but he thought he could fight. Basically, we could cut open the front line with the special level vs. demons and leave the rest of the coverage to them........ And so we headed back to our base on level 4. 195-Episode 195: Three People Returning We were to return as we were. The scouting of the demons was over, and we were able to check the density of twilight to some extent. ''''But even so, Shelly has gotten really strong, hasn''t she? Is that so? ''Yes. I''m sure Gil would agree, wouldn''t you? ''Oh. That''s exactly what it reminds me of, the Bell one. ...I see. Yes. The current Shelly is somewhat reminiscent of Belle-san. It''s probably not just because of the same magic sword that she uses. It''s because the experience he''s cultivated until now, that skill he''s been taught, must be ingrained in Sherry. Hearing those words, Shelly''s expression didn''t falter. Maybe she had already gotten over her sadness. No ... it''s certainly engraved in our hearts. Sherry once again squeezes the magic sword that is stabbed into her waist and proceeds to lead the way. Me and Gil-san also follow along with her, and we continue our steps. It''s getting close to night now, which means that it''s a world where twilight and the darkness of night are half mixed together. At night, the demons are not bathed in the light of twilight. Clearly, that reasoning wouldn''t work once they reached level 5 of the Dusk Danger Area. We need to keep our guard up and fight the demons. But while we were returning, we didn''t see a single demon. ''''........Did someone see you just now?'''' Looking back from the spot. A look. He felt like he felt it for sure. For a moment, really. Just for a moment, it was as if there was the gaze of someone who wasn''t a demon....... ''''No. I didn''t feel it, though. What about Shelly? Me neither. My mistake.... Well, not necessarily. You should put it in the report, just in case. I understand. With that said, I stepped forward. In this twilight danger zone, anything could happen. That''s exactly what could happen, to the point where it wouldn''t be surprising if a demon was waiting for me. I suddenly look up at the sky. Before I knew it, it was night. The purple-black light of twilight has completely disappeared and darkness dominates this world. There was some discussion about whether we should take a break on the way, but we decided to continue on as we were almost to reach the base. "....nothing in particular, huh? He muttered to himself in a blur. The gaze I had just given him could only be felt for that moment. From that point on, it was possible to proceed in blissful peace. There was no contact with demons, just peace. But we hadn''t realized it yet. A new battle is just around the corner.... 196-Episode 196 Return and Information We had returned to the base, which was safely located on level 4 of the twilight danger zone, and we were reporting the information. As a representative, Gil-san was supposed to compile the report, but I had been called in by Princess Liane. Conference room. She was sitting there waiting for me. ''''Julia-san. Good work.'''' No. I''m not really fighting that much. Is that so? ''Yes. Shelley did most of the work. Well, I''m sorry. He smiles slightly. He looks surprised, but that''s probably because Shelly''s abilities have grown considerably in recent years. The driving force behind this is revenge. She continues to sharpen her blade in order to kill the demon who killed Belle-san. Of course, I have a lot of feelings about that, but I want to respect her will. From what I''ve heard, Belle was also fighting for her master. I sincerely hope that the chain of events ends at Sherry''s place. ''''How was the twilight concentration at level 5?'''' Yeah. I thought it would be difficult for an ordinary human to endure. Unless you''re a first-grade counterpart or a special level counterpart, it might be difficult to endure. Well.... That was an honest opinion. With that concentration of twilight, an ordinary person probably wouldn''t be able to hold back for a moment. It would be difficult to counter it unless they were at the level of a special level anti-magician and resistant, or at least at the level of a first level anti-magician. ''''When it comes to that, it''s not easy.......the number of people we send in is also quite limited. Especially since the special class anti-magicians want to turn their numbers to defense as well, now that we have a base up to level 4.'''' Yes. Just me and Sherry. And Eira-senpai is especially resistant to it. And as far as me and Shelly are concerned, we mainly fight in the vanguard, so from now on we''ll be heading to the front lines more often. ''''That''s right. Julia-san is right, the upper management is working in that direction right now. Apparently, the higher ups were already thinking a lot of things over and making moves. As for me and Sherry, I''m ready to fight even more on the front lines from now on. ''''I''m.......worried about you. He gently squeezes my hand. "It''s okay. I''ll be back, I promise. If that''s the case, Julia, it''s okay. We both know that there are no absolutes. There are no absolutes in this world. This world of twilight is such a harsh world. But that''s why we say it. We have to put it into words. Because by doing so, we can carve those words and those feelings into each other''s hearts. 197-Episode 197 Two Peoples Time ''What?¡¡It''s not Julia. You''re back? Eira. Hi. I bow my head in pettiness. When I came to the cafeteria, I bumped into Eira-senpai. She has her beautiful peach-colored hair pulled up in twin tails as usual. And when I get to the same seat as my senior, we start a conversation. ''How was it?''¡¡Level 5. ''Hmm. Probably a pretty dense place, so it might be tough to get to a certain level. What''s the special antagonist? ''''If it''s at the level of an extra-grade anti-magician, it should be fine. However, the demons seem to have become more ferocious than when I was there, so if you don''t have the right kind of endurance, it will be a tough fight. I''ll pass on the information. That''s my feeling. It will probably get a lot tougher to fight from here on out. However, fighting itself is possible. If all the special class anti-magicians are present, it''s not impossible to cut them open. The problem was that it would be difficult to get all of the special-grade anti-magicians out. For the defense of the Warding City, some of them would definitely have to leave some special class anti-magicians behind. On top of that, there was just the last raid. No matter how much progress has been made in reconstruction, the scars are still certainly etched in people''s minds. ''''Yes........it''s not easy. After that attack, we can''t send too many special-grade anti-magicians.'''' ''Yes, sir. I don''t think we can rely too much on physical combat in the future. So he''s a bit of a shoo-in. I''m sure you will. Both of them calmly analyzed the current situation. As they were talking, the senior suddenly asked about Sherry. ''''Speaking of which, how is Shelly?'''' What do you mean? No....Hey, I was just wondering if there was something wrong. She wraps her twin-tails around her fingertips and asks me that, but I can''t quite understand what she''s saying. ''There''s nothing to it, is there?¡¡Yeah it''s just that Sherry has gotten a lot stronger lately. Perhaps the driving force... Revenge. To avenge Belle''s death.¡¡But I think it''s okay. Anything that will give you the energy to live is good. And it''s not a small number of demons who are sworn to revenge. Yes. I think so too. Revenge. At the heart of it all, it''s all about fulfilling Mr. Bell''s retribution. Everyone knew that this was the background for Shelly''s rapid growth in recent years. No one knew that, and no one would stop her. Don''t let vengeance scorch all that soul. Everything is a matter of balance. It''s a matter of balance, and that''s something we should support from around us. Besides, I still have a vengeful spirit. I''ve been thinking a lot of times that if I could have made it back in time, I would have been able to do so. The only thing that matters is the fact that you''re not going to be able to get the world back in time. I hope you can get the world back soon. Yes. You can do it. So let''s keep going. 198-Episode 198 Next Mission and Daily Life After organizing the information we brought back since then, orders were to be given again from above. The purpose of the new mission was to gather information as before, but the placement of special class anti-magicians was also new. ''''Yulia-san. I will once again tell you the story that was decided above.'''' Yes, sir. Originally, all the special class anti-magicians were supposed to be gathered together, but this time, the others were just going to have another mission overlap, so I was the only one to hear about it from Princess Liane. I was called into the conference room as usual and stood in front of her as she looked at the materials. ''''Then let''s start with what we''re going to talk about,'''' Yes, sir. Then she spoke about the information in a matter-of-fact manner. ''''As for the special class anti-magician, the lower levels will be asked to go around defending the Boundary City. And the top four will be asked to mainly investigate the twilight and so on. We don''t have any plans yet to do large-scale operations like we did before, but we may have to go out a bit more. Yes, sir. I folded my hands behind my back and took in the words. Originally, the subject had been discussed before. As for me, I''m already used to going to the twilight itself. There are times when I feel a sense of fear in fighting, but now, that feeling is as close to zero as possible. Since I learned that I''m a half-blood of the demon race, my senses are no longer human. Or maybe it''s because I''ve been in the twilight for a long time. My body has already been invaded by the twilight. Of course, you may be better suited for it than others, but you don''t know when you''re going to die. What I do know is that we versus mages are fighting for our own lives. Without a doubt, that remains as a feeling. We fight on the front lines, even at the cost of our own lives. It''s just that we''re passing on our feelings, after all. Yulia-san. Yes. What is this? She stood up and moved closer to me. Her eyes seemed to be slightly moist. She squeezed my hand. There was a definite warmth to it. ''''I''m sure Yulia-san will be in more danger in the future. ''Yes, sir. I''m ready for it. So, you see... After averting his gaze for a bit, he comes even closer to me with a guffaw. ''''I''ll support Yulia-san! Support, sir? Yes! With a twinkle in her eye, she said something like that to me. ''Yulia-san always pushes herself a little too hard. So from now on, I''ll manage you well. ''''Well. I''m really afraid to ask the princess to do that... ''No. Don''t be shy, okay? He squeezes my hand even more forcefully. His eyes were unapologetic. ''''Well, then, may I ask you to do something for me?'''' Yes!¡¡Of course! His smile really looked brighter than ever. 199-Episode 199: Time for one person after a long absence Since then, I''ve been given a day off. But it''s not a long vacation, it''s just two days. But I''ve never had time to take a break, as I''ve been out in the twilight recently. Strictly speaking, I''ve been busy since I was banished to the twilight. But now, thanks to our efforts, things seem to have calmed down considerably. The memories of those who were sacrificed are still etched in my mind. But that''s why I''m sure we can move on. ''''Hmph........'''' Head out. The First Boundary City. The reconstruction was quite advanced, and it had been a really long time since I had come to the center of the city like this. Today was a holiday, so the city was reasonably lively. I''ve become kind of famous now, so I''m out there with my hat on. This alone seems to make quite a difference, and I haven''t been approached at the moment. ''Thank you!'' No. Thank you, too. Buy a meal in the open air. This time the choice was a sandwich. With that too, I come to the park. It''s a small park in this bounded city. There is no playground equipment in particular, just grass and benches there. But I like such a simple place. I eat a sandwich while looking up at the sky by myself. Yes, it''s good. It''s good. I opted for the egg sandwich, which was still very delicious. It had been a really long time since I''d had a leisurely meal outside like this, so my heart felt strangely calm. ''''........'''' I finished my sandwich and just stared up at the sky in a daze. Today, as usual, the sky was tinted with twilight. Is there really a blue sky at the end of this sky? Is there a blue world waiting for us in the future? I couldn''t help but think about this. We are seeking a blue sky, but this is information that is only known through hearsay. We have no way of verifying the truth. But perhaps that''s why we have such a goal in mind, and that''s why we keep going. Let''s go back. I stand up. Standing up straight, I leave the park. After that, I buy a book and go back to my room. I feel like it''s the first time I''ve gone through a day without seeing almost anyone. I picked the book I bought today for no particular reason, and I picked the one in front of me. When I read it it was a fantasy one. I didn''t dislike it, so I sloshed through it. And then I found myself reading a book in one sitting. ''''Let''s go to bed.'''' I finished my book and dimmed the lights. I''m sure I''ll be working on another assignment tomorrow. You just need to do what you always do, and do it matter-of-factly. That''s the mission that we demons have been tasked with. 200-Episode 200: Sharpen Huh! Early morning. Sherry is working out as usual. Although it is currently to a certain extent, the city of Boundary City has settled down, so she is no longer overwhelmed by her duties. Although she can relax her mind, Sherry is alone today as she works on her sword skills. Already several months have passed since Belle died. The wailing heart was not dominated by wailing. The only thing that remained in his heart was a certain vengeance. I will definitely kill the demon who killed Belle. It was with that clear killing intent that she had spent the last few days. A killing intent that was too well-honed. It was something that came out on a daily basis, and she had completely become a floating presence in the army. ''Phew. Thank you. He politely bows on the spot. Then, as he walks alone through the base, he is bowed to by a passing soldier. As the second in the special class anti-magician pecking order, Shelley has become famous for both respect and awe. Some people respect him for his stoicism, while others fear him for being too deadly. The person I just crossed paths with was the latter. There was no place to think about anything else now, looking at that figure passing each other with a little bit of trepidation. The only objective was to kill the demon. As long as he could fulfill that, it didn''t matter anymore. Then he took a shower and headed to the dining room to eat alone. But of course, it wasn''t like Shelly was alone the whole time. ''Shelly. Can I sit next to you? "Sophia. It''s okay. It was Sophia who came over. They had been passing each other a lot so far - mainly because she was busy with her mission - but Sophia hadn''t found Shelly in a long time, so she quickly came over to sit across from her. ''It''s been a while, hasn''t it?'' Yeah. It''s been a long time since I''ve talked to Sofia like this. ''Oh, by the way, you came second in the pecking order. Congratulations. Thank you. I''m glad you said that. She smiled slightly. Sophia knew that Shelly was scared of her. But she knows. Shelly is a very kind person, she said. That it is because of her kindness that she is driven by a desire for revenge. ''What about the Special Class Counter-Magician mission?'' ''Yes. You''re going to twilight more often than not. But that''s okay, I don''t mind. I''m sure it''s something only I can do. You''ve grown up, haven''t you? Yeah? ''Yeah. I used to feel a lot younger, but now I might think I''m really mature. ''''Well yes. I have a lot of things to do right now. After hearing the story, Sophia could see that it was revenge. That''s why she put it into words as follows. ''Shelly. Good luck to you. I''m rooting for you. My eyes widen. All this time, she''d been afraid. But being actually spoken to like this, Shelly felt her heart burn in her chest. ''Thank you. I''ll do my best.'' Yeah! We can do it. Shelly believes that, yes, we can. 201-Episode 201 Same Thoughts Miss Shelley. Princess Liane how can I help you? As usual, as he finished his morning workout, it was Liane who approached him. Her beautiful appearance was something that even the same woman could admire. And with her beautiful hair slicked back lightly, Riane heads to speak to Shelly. ''Do you have a few minutes to spare?'' Yes. I don''t have any specific duties today. At one point Liane asked that, but she already knew that Shelly didn''t have a mission. They decided to have breakfast together, and they headed straight to the dining room. ''So, what can I do for you?'' He speaks to her respectfully, saying that there are other military people around. Riane smiles and starts the conversation. ''It seems you''ve been working extremely hard lately. ''That''s true. Because I have a mission to fulfill. A mission to be fulfilled. It is revenge. But Liane will never stop taking that revenge. If she had the power to do so, she would want to kill the demon who killed Belle with her own hands... she also has a clear desire to kill, to the extent that she thinks so. At first glance, she appears to be a beautiful princess of a beautiful country. But she''s not just beautiful. I''m sure you''ve already experienced the ugliness and cruelty of this world to the point of being disgusted by it. ''''As for the matter of Belle, I am, to say the least, concerned. Do you think I can''t get revenge on you? No. I''d rather... The atmosphere in this place is tense. Shelley is not conscious of it either, but there was definitely a killing atmosphere leaking out. Even though she was hit by the killing atmosphere, Liane still shot through her with her twin eyes. ''''What I''m worried about is that Sherry-san might go down first.......'''' ...Is that too much to ask? ''As far as I can see from the side, it looks like it. It reminds me of the old bell. You know the doctor? Yes, sir. It was surprising to see Rihanna bring up the subject. ''I thought Sherry hadn''t yet sorted things out with regard to Belle,'' she said. ''Belle has always been that way. She was always striving for the sake of humanity, not just for my sake, but for the sake of humanity. I''m sure it might be time for her to stop, and it might be time for her to die. I had a feeling that this was the case... but it has come to pass. It''s... ''I''m not trying to complain about Mr. Shelley trying,'' Then Liane squeezed Sherry''s hand gently. ''I just don''t want to lose anyone I care about again. Sherry, I''ll be waiting for you to come back. ...Princess Liane. His eyes widen. She had been distanced from the people around her, and she didn''t care about that. If he could just get that revenge, even this life would not be spared.......Riane knew the danger of Shelly thinking that. ''''I understand. I''ll definitely come back.'''' Yes. I know you can pull it off, because I believe you can. 202-Episode 202: Those who attack revenge Alfred was alone in a battle in the land of twilight. The first thing he sees there are many demons. He was surrounded by not only insect species, but also beast species, and a wide variety of other demons, but he was alone in his fight against them. The light of dusk shines down on him. The light shines on the twilight, which not only strengthens the demons, but also strengthens them. Beings living in a world where they are both weak and strong. This place is the twilight danger zone level 9 as defined by humans. Roughly speaking, an ordinary human would not even be able to stand in this place. It would probably be impossible for only a special class anti-magician to fight it. ''''...'''' He exhaled the air from his lungs at once. And as he ran through, there was a massive pile of dead bodies. Even though he was covered in the blood of the demons, he would not stop. The demons he was dealing with were also skilled in a hundred battles, and in terms of strength alone, they were equivalent to an S-rank. Even in the face of those skilled demons, Alfred did not lose his nerve. He just calmly wields his magic sword. Swinging down from the top step, he controlled the inertia and folded it back in one go. Fresh blood. There''s no time to wipe the splattering blood. A massive pile of corpses had piled up at the end of the run in all directions. With a huff, he swung his sword and dropped the return blood on the ground. Alfred sheathes his magic sword with a kink afterwards. ''''Is this how it is?'''' He let his voice trail off. For his part, he thought it would be more of a struggle, but that wasn''t the case. He is studying for a purpose. It was partly to help him reach greater heights himself, but he also had a history with Shelly. Now that he had slaughtered Belle, he had a hunch that Shelley would be the next person he would be dealing with. He would kill Belle''s master, kill Belle, and then kill his apprentice, Shelly. In this way, he would continue to kill those who had mastered the swordsmanship among humans, taking their swordsmanship and advancing to greater heights. Unfortunately, there is no one else among the demons who can handle the sword skills except him. Hence, he has no choice but to do so in order to raise himself. ''''Let''s go back. He sets fire to the pile of bodies in front of him. The smell of burning proteins escapes his nostrils, but he doesn''t particularly care for it. He just stares at the flames, which are burning up indifferently. As a demon, he should have had no further thoughts about fighting a human. But for some reason, after his battle with Belle, he occasionally remembers it. That memory should have been lost a long time ago. But even so, the reason why he remembers it is probably because of his weak mind... That''s why he continues to study himself alone today. There wasn''t much time left before Shelly and Alfred fought. 203-Episode 203: Two People Going Forward ''I asked you two to come together, of all people. It''s about a new mission. Me and Shelly had been called in by Princess Liane. Originally, we knew it was about a new mission before we came here. Then she handed us some documents while she swept her golden hair back. ''Here''s the detailed document. Last time, I had three of you, including Gil, go on a reconnaissance mission, but this time, I''ll have the two of you do a more detailed investigation. Look through it. The document contained detailed mission details. However, it''s not complicated, and simply this time it''s mainly an investigation again. However, unlike the last time, it seems to go quite deep. That''s because the scope of that reconnaissance goes as far as level 7 of the twilight danger zone. Level 7.........I think. I have indeed experienced up to level 10 during my wandering days. But a certain amount of time has already passed since then. Not all of my experiences are equally applicable. I guess that''s why I''m a select few. Regardless of the choice of people, we should only think about accomplishing this mission first. ''''May I ask you one question? Shelley''s dignified voice echoes in the room. In response, Princess Liane prompts a response by saying, "Go ahead. ''''Suppose you were to come into contact with a demon, would you be willing to kill him?'''' It was probably referring to the demon who killed Belle-san. Regarding that question, she answers calmly. ''''If you can kill them, I don''t mind, but.......the main purpose of this time is the same as before, reconnaissance. I don''t want you to push me too hard. Well......... I understand. He didn''t seem to be convinced, though he said it in words. Shelly seemed a little depressed, but Princess Liane said something unexpected. ''''But©¤©¤I want to prepare the stage to fight against that demon. ...Is that true? ''''Yes. Recently, it has been confirmed that a creature possessing great magical power is in the Twilight Danger Zone Level 7. It could be a demon, but it could also be a demon. Sherry-san''s stage will be well set up here. Thank you ... really, I can''t thank you enough. I bow my head deeply, very deeply. That must be what he truly and sincerely thinks. Unlike me, the two of us have been in close contact with Belle. That''s why we have an understanding of each other. Then we will leave next week. Both of you, please be ready to go. I understand. Yes, sir. And so we left the conference room. At that point, Shelly blurted out. ''I thought you and Julia were alone, right?'' Well, yeah. Thanks for everything. Huh, what...?¡¡Good luck with your stuff! What, did I say something funny? Then Shelly calmed down and cleared her throat. ''Uh-uh. It''s nothing!¡¡I''ll see you next week! It was as if she was running away from the scene. I don''t know what happened, but I should get ready for it, even if it''s just a matter of time. With that in mind, I also moved on.