The Desert café within the Academy.Agent C from the Imperial Defense Bureau responded to Yuna Yurensto Violetiris, Master of the Purple Magic Tower. She placed a cup of coffee on the table before beginning their conversation.
“Are we discussing what happened in the year 440?”
“Eung. Even if it’s outside the year 440, as long as it’s about Yuri, that’s fine.”
“I heard that she was unconscious, but⋯⋯ what exactly is her current condition?”
“The session⋯⋯ eueueum. She’s trapped in a nightmare that reconstructs memories. So, I need information that might help to break her free from it.”
C seemed to understand. Her gaze turned distant, as though she were reaching back into her past. Observing C’s tone and the blank expression on her face, Yuna suddenly noticed how strikingly similar Yuri and C were.
Even their preference for formal suits.
Although their hair color, eye color, and build were different, they couldn’t be mistaken as relatives by blood, but⋯⋯.
As Yuna’s round, violet eyes scanned C’s appearance about three times, C finally spoke, beginning her story.
“That was⋯⋯ during the time I was living together with Yuri.”“Living together?!”
“Well, I should say as an assigned investigator. She was a key witness in exposing the Succubus Queen’s true identity. Since her circumstances were unfortunate, she stayed under protection—in my mansion.”
“Aha⋯⋯.”
So that was it!
Yuna did think it was weird. How could Yuri, a freshly recruited baby chick struggling to fit in the Extermination Squad, afford to live in a mansion?
Her village had been destroyed, so it was unlikely she had any property or wealth left. She wasn’t the type to go around seducing men for their money, either.
The Extermination Squad didn’t seem like the kind of organization that would pay well. People who only had revenge on their minds tended to work for less compensation. Because they had a clear purpose driving them.
Just like how the Violet Tower had limited research grants⋯⋯ yet everyone remained loyal and didn’t leave.
They certainly wouldn’t have paid enough for her to⋯⋯ live in a mansion!
Before entering, Yuna and Crazy Wizard had sensed a “single person’s worth of empty space.” The Queen had deliberately erased data on one individual, and that person had to be C.
If C was Yuri’s guardian, it would make sense for the Queen to erase her as a means to strip Yuri of her pillar of support.
Luckily, it seemed Crazy Wizard had smoothly stepped into that role, but⋯⋯.
Perhaps Yuri’s rigid mannerisms and formal style were influenced by her time with C. Retracing a friend’s childhood was interesting for Yuna, so she leaned forward, resting her chin on both hands as she asked:
“Yuri⋯⋯couldn’t adapt to the Extermination Squad?”
“Yes. They’re like wild dogs, so they tend to attack anyone who looks weak. She faced some severe harassment.”
“Oh no⋯⋯.”
“I tried to help her find alternatives to the Extermination Squad for her own well-being, but I couldn’t deny that ‘joining them offered her the best shot at revenge,’ so…”
The most promising path to vengeance lay in climbing through the ranks, eventually reaching a position of authority—a position where she could lead like C.
However, it would be difficult to take revenge with her own hands. Even if C had ever requested to bring down the Succubus Queen herself, Irid would likely have denied the request, given how valuable every skilled member was.
However, the Extermination Squad deeply valued each individual’s personal quest for revenge, so she might get the chance to drive a blade into the Queen’s heart directly──.
That notion seemed to have attracted Yuri, said C.
“She would often come back injured. Determined to make those dog-like bastards recognize her, she would pick fights with adults, only to get beaten up and carriedhome.”
“⋯⋯Huh, so she was tougher than I thought?”
Well, resentment was something that could ignite fiercely when stoked. Imagining its strength, especially when sparked at such a young age, wasn’t that hard.
Even looking at the incident at the Benstone Estate, where she was with Magical Girl Pure Knight.
Yuri Lanster had been so furious at merely seeing traces of the Succubus Queen that she needed a long time to calm herself down with steady breaths.
She endured the pain. She didn’t like the bastards of the Extermination Squad. But if it meant tearing the Queen apart with her own hands, she could bear it. That much was clear.
“Mm-hmm.”
According to Crazy Wizard, young Yuri seemed rather fragile. Did the Queen perhaps slightly temper her aggression⋯⋯?
As Yuna tilted her head in slight confusion, C continued.
But in hindsight, it was because of that harassment that she was able to awaken her Metamorphosis. Perhaps we should consider it a blessing in disguise.”*
“Ah, that chain-winding thing? That⋯⋯ when did she gain it? Dream-world Yuri can’t use it yet.”
“That chain-winding-⋯⋯ yes. As far as I remember, it happened when she made a mistake when she was chasing after a Dark Mage group called 『Red Regeneration』. It was probably a mistake. Should I call it a mistake or simply unfit behavior for the Extermination Squad…”
Kindness.
She had shown kindness to a child suspected of being associated with 『Red Regeneration』. The child was indeed an associate, and as a result, her kindness was repaid with a knife to her body, causing her to awaken Metamorphosis on the spot.
It bound her tightly in chains and pulled her under—a Metamorphosis so sorrowful that even the onlookers felt sadness.
“But in terms of timing, it was a fortune.”
“A fortune⋯⋯?”
“Later, during the 『Red Regeneration』 raid, she played a pivotal role in dismantling the enemy’s Illusion Magics. After reviewing the combat logs, we concluded that, without Yuri’s Metamorphosis, victory would have been impossible.”
“Better a scar on your heart than death, right?” C said with a laugh. Yuna replied with an ambiguous smile, neither agreeing nor denying it.
Meanwhile, Crazy Wizard’s progress in setting up the information bomb continued steadily.
When all of them detonated simultaneously, the session would be forcibly cleared. No need for keys or other tools—Crazy Wizard would be able to move directly to the second floor.
So⋯⋯ even if the Queen tried to stall for time, the story would end around the events of the『Red Regeneration』 raid. It wouldn’t go beyond that.
The Queen probably knew about this, of course. Perhaps that was why she clung so desperately to stall things. Did that mean she wanted to set up the 『Red Regeneration』 raid as the main event? Was she looking for the final showdown there?.
If that were the case, it was probably best for dream-world Yuri to⋯⋯ endure a bit longer.
The battle that would have been lost without Yuri’s Metamorphosis. While Crazy Wizard was present inside to utilize his physical abilities and wits to secure victory⋯⋯ there would undoubtedly be some casualties.
But if it had been a ‘victory from the start,’ the losses could be minimized.
Since dream-world Yuri hadn’t yet awakened her Metamorphosis, we would need to wait until she made a 『mistake』 or perhaps push her emotions a bit, to draw out her Metamorphosis.
I felt some twinge of guilt.
After all, we were leading Yuri toward suffering, even if it was ultimately to save her──pain was still pain, and a wound remains a wound.
But.
This had been the plan from the beginning. As long as Crazy Wizard could conserve his resources until a certain point, this battle was definitely winnable.
Yuna shared all this with Crazy Wizard.
===============================================================
I thought about it.
I kept thinking about it, even after getting the information from Yuna.
Eventually, I reached a decision. The Queen’s intent was clear.
Let’s think.
The Queen and I were sitting at the same table, locked in a game of chess. Looking closer, I caught glimpses of her expression hidden in the shadows. I could just barely make it out.
The Queen’s focus had always been on ‘Yuri’s Wounds.’
Yes.
From her attempt to trap me in the body of that pig necromancer, to her attempt to create misunderstandings, setting the stage in the year 440, and luring me away when I tried to attend the festival with Yuri.
And even excluding Kirby, who acted as an ally for Yuri, from the story.
It was as if she wanted young Yuri to suffer more. Was she trying to extract mana by making her suffer this much? Or was it to make her resent me and make her turn on me?
I didn’t fully understand her intentions, but.
But in the end, trying to help Yuri had been the right call.
Every action I took contradicted the Queen’s plan. I talked to Yuri, went to the festival with her, and we laughed and talked.
Yet I couldn’t feel purely grateful for this unexpected luck, because my decision had been fueled by emotion rather than reason.
This was⋯⋯ a kind of greed.
Yuri’s tragic past had gripped and shaken my heart. Witnessing someone I cared about endure so much pain made my emotions spiral out of control.
So.
I wanted Yuri to experience happiness, even if only in her dreams. This wasn’t time travel; it was just a dream, and changing things here wouldn’t magically rewrite the past.
Still, memories would remain even after the dream was over. So, I wanted her to remember this memory and think of me. Even if it wasn’t real, I wanted her to feel as if Mima, her imaginary friend, had been there beside her.
By helping her let go of the intense anger and need for revenge, maybe she would let go of the impulse to face things alone.
And maybe, she might ask me to walk with her. These were the thoughts I held onto.
So, why did I keep hesitating?
Everything was going smoothly. I was following the path the Queen was so intent on hiding. I just needed to brush off this bait and enjoy the festival with Yuri.
Make her happy until the story’s end, get the key from her, and move on to the second fight.
But⋯⋯ there was still something that nagged at me.
I had to investigate it. I couldn’t ignore this feeling. It was a hunch.
I chose the path that would lead me straight to the Queen’s throat as she revealed herself.
⋯⋯⋯⋯.
The sky itself turned against me, crashing down in a chaotic blur of textures. Switching to view only the informational structure made everything much clearer.
A wave of data crashed toward me, and now it was far easier to process.
I reached out to a passing NPC. It seemed to be only a hollow shell, but it would be enough as the material. I folded its information and sharpened it with contamination.
I stuffed it with arithmetic problems⋯⋯a puzzle Bomb⋯⋯forcing the target’s processor to run calculations on contact with the model. I threw three of them at once.
Bzzzz. Bzzzzz.
It stuttered because of the lag caused by the wave of data.
This gave me a moment to counterattack. I shredded my spells into tiny fragments, transforming them into rats, and released them in every direction. They scampered away, gnawing at buildings, the land, and even the sky, burrowing deep.
Once inside, the corrupted magic spread through the internal data, replicating itself. It was similar to a virus. I could exert temporary control over the infected data.
I clenched my fist.
B-BOOM-!!
The explosion burst outward from within. The buildings’ textures shattered, leaving black voids, while cracks splintered out in every direction.
I felt like I had become a Demon Lord who was destroying the world. After all, destroying a nightmare wasn’t so different from destroying a world.
I was dominating.
Despite the unfavorable odds, the Queen showed no sign of retreat. The veil of data surrounding her fractured bit by bit, and I finally caught a glimpse of her silhouette. It looked familiar.
Even in the middle of this, my greed kept urging me.
‘You’re playing into Queen’s hands ──’ But Yuri’s face kept flashing in my mind. It had already been a while. She was probably waiting for me.
She must be wondering why Mima wasn’t coming.
“『Drilling Rig』.”
Giiiiiiing──!!
A massive drill burst from the ground. Its end was equipped with a brutal, jagged spike designed to tear through the very fabric of this world with a few thrusts.
*Riip. *It started to drill. The barrier of information shattered, and with every sound of explosion, it revealed more and more of the Queen. I almost caught her.
If I caught her, it would all be over.
Crack. Fragments flew as her left eye appeared. It was a dark, empty eye. She struggled fiercely to resist, but I was in control.
By now, Yuri would have gone back.
She would have gone home. She wouldn’t wait around foolishly, or something like that. Seeing I was late, she’d understand something had come up⋯⋯ and understand.
She’d have gone home, grumbling and ready to ask why I hadn’t shown up. She would be rehearsing the complaints she’d give me later. That’s what she would do.
She wouldn’t be waiting.
Riiip. Rip.
I gather up my anxiety and worry⋯⋯ and lashed out the information like a whip. It struck, distorting people and everything else caught in its path. The sky trembled.
The Queen… had her hair in a ponytail. It didn’t suit her at all.
The chaos of our information battle had tangled day and night in this place, distorting time itself. But outside, the moon must have risen.
“Shadows beneath our feet, peeking through the gap⋯⋯.”
As I was preparing my final attack to shatter Queen’s barrier⋯⋯
The fractured space flickered like a mirror, showing me a distant image of Yuri. It was a dark night with clouds covering the moon.
Yuri stood alone in a barren field beside a dead campfire. And yet⋯⋯
Again and again, she’d start to turn away, but each time she stopped, unable to lift her feet from where they were planted. Her expression was a wreck. There was⋯⋯ a mixture of hope and disappointment entangled like snakes, leaving traces of dry tear stains across her face.
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
My heart felt like it had dropped to the depths. Thump.
I hadn’t anticipated she’d be this hurt. Saying excuses like it was unexpected wouldn’t change anything now—it was something that had already happened. But…
It still wasn’t too late. She was waiting. Still.
I knew it would take longer to finish things here completely. And during that time, Yuri would continue to slowly wither away. Even now, she was hurting.
I check on the Queen’s condition.
She had exhausted her power, and was now barely clinging to the barrier and panting. There was no risk of a strong counterattack—she was barely holding on.
But I gave in to my own heart.
“⋯⋯Damn it, 『Step into a Door, Ascend into a World (踏門昇界)』!”
I bound her. I wrapped the entire barrier tightly around the Queen, delicate but unbreakable. No one could undo it unless Queen’s grandfather himself showed up.
I would come back later to end this cleanly.
Then, I folded space and ran. To where Yuri was waiting. To gather the shattered pieces of her heart.
===============================================================
And so⋯⋯ he bound the fake Queen tightly, then dashed off in search of his love.
The seal he left was sturdy—really. So secure that even if someone discovered it, breaking it wouldn’t be easy. He’d even arranged for a signal to alert him if anyone tampered with it, so a brief moment of calm wouldn’t have been a big problem.
But⋯⋯ because of that brief moment of composure, he missed the chance to uncover the true identity of the fake Queen, the one rival he had sparred with throughout this story.
Perhaps he could have pieced it together from the clues scattered along the way. He was truly brilliant and more than capable, after all.
Yet, he didn’t. Because⋯⋯ he wasn’t interested in it. To him, the Queen was merely the wolf lurking near Yuri, the one he cherished so dearly.
It wasn’t impossible to know. Jealousy could reduce even the wisest to fools.
A member of Extermination Squad, a pitiable child brainwashed by the Evil God’s Sculpture, my living throne, and now Queen’s stand-in within the dream world. He had called her by a funny nickname, Black Lesbian. Such a cheap name, wasn’t it⋯⋯?
Her name was Seris.
===============================================================
As I traveled, Yuna whispered to me.
-Hey, Was it⋯⋯ okay to do that?
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
Honestly, it wasn’t. But that look on her face⋯⋯ I felt I had to erase it, even at a cost, even if it meant taking a risk.
It was already too late. No, it wasn’t too late.
-You, know⋯⋯.
Yuna’s voice faded as I approached the barren field. Perhaps she had stepped away to give me a moment alone with Yuri.
She was still there, waiting.
I deliberately rustled a branch underfoot, and Yuri’s small body flinched, a spark of hope flashing in her. Yet, she didn’t turn around.
She must have been afraid of being tricked once again.
How many times had the faintest sounds—like the sound of wind or a bird’s wings—lifted her spirits, only to disappoint her each time she turned? How many times had she looked back, only to find nothing but leaves dancing in the air.
Using victory and efficiency as excuses, I couldn’t let myself continue like this.
So, I…
“⋯⋯Was I too late?”
With these words, I announced my arrival, determined to take back all the disappointments she’d endured.
Yes. Damn it, I would take everything back, not missing a single one. Rather than seeing the main character reaching a happy ending only after going through all the pain, I would reshape it into a slice-of-life story full of happiness.
And in the end, I would end this story with the sound of laughter.